Pre-COVID-19-pandemic RSV epidemiology and clinical burden in pediatric primary care in Italy: a comparative analysis across two regions for the 2019/2020 season.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in children under 5 years have a significant clinical burden, also in primary care settings. This study investigates the epidemiology and burden of RSV in Italian children during the 2019/20 pre-pandemic winter season. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in two Italian regions. Children with Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) visiting pediatricians were eligible. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected and analyzed via multiplex PCR for RSV detection. A follow-up questionnaire after 14 days assessed disease burden, encompassing healthcare utilization and illness duration. Statistical analyses, including regression models, explored associations between variables such as RSV subtype and regional variations. RESULTS: Of 293 children with ARI, 41% (119) tested positive for RSV. Median illness duration for RSV-positive cases was 7 days; 6% required hospitalization (median stay: 7 days). Medication was prescribed to 95% (110/116) of RSV cases, with 31% (34/116) receiving antibiotics. RSV subtype B and regional factors predicted increased healthcare utilization. Children with shortness of breath experienced a 36% longer illness duration. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights a significant clinical burden and healthcare utilization associated with RSV in pre-pandemic Italian primary care settings. Identified predictors, including RSV subtype and symptomatology, indicate the need for targeted interventions and resource allocation strategies. RSV epidemiology can guide public health strategies for the implementation of preventive measures.

Factors driving choices between types and brands of influenza vaccines in general practice in Austria, Italy, Spain and the UK.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) assessment is increasingly stratified by vaccine type or brand, such as done by the European network of DRIVE. In 2019/2020, eleven influenza vaccines were licensed in Europe. If more than one vaccine type is recommended or if more than one vaccine brand is available for a specific risk group, it is not clear which factors affect the choice of a specific vaccine (type or brand) by a health practitioner for individual patients. This is important for IVE assessment. A survey tailored to the 2019/20 local vaccine recommendations was conducted among GPs in four European countries (Austria, Italy, Spain, UK) to understand how influenza vaccine is offered to recommended risk groups and, if GPs have a choice between 2 or more vaccines, what factors influence their vaccine choice for patients. Overall, 360 GPs participated. In Austria, Italy and Spain GPs indicated that influenza vaccines are commonly offered when patients present for consultation, whereas in the UK all GPs indicated that all relevant patients are contacted by letter. In Austria and Italy, roughly 80% of GPs had only one vaccine type available for patients <65y. The use of any specific vaccine type in this age group is mostly determined by the availability of specific vaccine type(s) at the clinic. GPs frequently reported availability of more than one vaccine type for patients ≥65y in Austria (45%), Italy (70%) and Spain (79%). In this group, patient characteristics played a role in choice of vaccine, notably older age and presence of (multiple) comorbidities. Knowing that a non-patient related factor usually determines the vaccine type a patient receives in settings where more than one vaccine type is recommended for risk groups <65y, simplifies IVE assessment in this age group. However, patient characteristics need careful consideration when assessing IVE in those ≥65y.

Sars-Cov2 Not Detected in a Pediatric Population With Acute Respiratory Infection in Primary Care in Central and Southern Italy From November 2019 to Early March 2020.

Background: In December 2019, a novel coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2 started circulating in China and this led to a major epidemic in Northern Italy between February and May 2020. Young children (aged <5 years) seem to be less affected by this coronavirus disease (COVID-19) compared to adults, although there is very little information on the circulation of this new virus among children in Italy. We retrospectively tested nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 in samples collected in young children between November, 2019 and March, 2020 in the context of the RSV ComNet study. Methods: Two networks of primary care pediatricians in Lazio (Central Italy) and Puglia (Southern Italy) collected nasopharyngeal swabs from children, aged <5 years, presenting with symptoms for an acute respiratory infection (ARI). The RSV ComNet study is a multicenter study implemented to estimate the burden of RSV in young children (aged <5 years) in the community. Swabs were sent to a central reference laboratory and tested for 14 respiratory viruses through RT-PCR. All collected samples were retrospectively tested for SARS-CoV-2 using RT-PCR (Istituto Superiore di Sanità protocol). Results: A total of 293 children with ARI were identified in the two participating networks. The highest number of cases were recruited in weeks 51/2019 and 3/2020. The majority of patients (57%) came from the Lazio region. All of the 293 samples tested negative for SARS-Cov2. Rhinovirus was the most frequently detected virus (44%), followed by RSV (41%) and influenza viruses (14%). Conclusions: Our study shows that in Lazio (a region of intermediate SARS-COV-2 incidence) and Puglia (a region of low incidence), the SARS-Cov2 virus did not circulate in a sample of ARI pediatric cases consulting primary care pediatricians between November 2019 and March 2020.

Knowledge and Perception of COVID-19 Pandemic during the First Wave (Feb-May 2020): A Cross-Sectional Study among Italian Healthcare Workers.

Italy was the first country in Europe to face the coronavirus pandemic. The aim of the study was to analyze healthcare workers' (HCWs) level of information, practice, and risk perception towards COVID-19. We set up a cross-sectional study through SurveyMonkey® and distributed the link through Facebook and Whatsapp closed groups. The research instrument was a 31 items questionnaire distributed using Facebook and Whatsapp. It was conducted in Italy from February to May 2020. The study participants were general practitioners, pediatricians and other health professionals. A total of 958 participants were included: 320 (33.4%) general practitioners, 248 (25.9%) pediatricians and 390 (40.7%) other health professionals. The highest response rate was from Northern Italy (48.1%), followed by Central Italy (29.9%) and Southern Italy (22.0%). Less than a half (46%) of respondents felt they had a good level of information of COVID-19 case definition and of national prevention guidelines. Respondents reported to have changed their clinical practice; particularly, they increased the use of masks (87.1%, p < 0.001), disinfection and sanitization of doctors' offices (75.8%, p < 0.001), the use of protective glasses (71.2%, p < 0.001), alcoholic hand solution (71.2%, p < 0.001), and hand washing (31.8%, p = 0.028). HCWs are at high risk of infection; less than a half of them felt adequately prepared to face COVID-19 pandemic, so they need extensive information and awareness of the disease to take adequate precautionary measures, and they are crucial to disseminate good practices.