Hemorrhagic cystitis in pregnancy: Case report and review of the literature.

Hemorrhagic cystitis is generally a benign self-limited disorder, however there are some severe cases which are associated to a significant blood loss. The etiology may be either bacterial, viral or chemical in origin; though the cause is not identified in most of the cases. Immunocompromised patients or patients who have undergone chemotherapy or radiation constitute the highest risk group. There are only a few articles about hemorrhagic cystitis in pregnancy, frequently associated with preterm labor. We describe, for the first time in literature, one patient with a clinical status of hematuria in two consequent pregnancies, without any identified cause and a medical history negative for recurrent or hemorrhagic cystitis and we report an overview of literature concerning this topic.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus infection in Italian and immigrant women.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted agent worldwide. Prevalence varies according to the geographic regions, and is highest in developing countries. Geographic differences exist also in the detection rate of oncogenic types in malignant cervical lesions. In this study, the prevalence of HPV infection as well as the spectrum of HPV types was evaluated in Italian and immigrant women of the urban area of Rome. Several risk factors (age at first intercourse, number of partners, smoking, pregnancy, age at first pregnancy, contraception, education, and menarche) were taken into consideration. Overall, there was a high prevalence of HPV infection in the two groups studied. No significant differences were observed in the spectrum of HPV types detected. HPV 16 and 18 were the types detected more frequently in both groups. Interestingly, HPV 54 and 70 were found only in the immigrants. Whether this finding reflects a recent introduction of these HPV types in the population studied remains to be established. Monitoring of HPV types in the population is advisable, especially in countries like Italy which is a destination and a gateway for immigrants directed towards north and central Europe. The introduction of high risk HPV variants may have a clinical impact and affect the diagnostic procedures.

A national study of iodine status in Albania.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the iodine status in Albania following 11 yr of iodine prophylaxis and to evaluate factors influencing the outcome. DESIGN: Eight hundred and forty children, aged 6-13 yr, living in 4 different regions and 365 pregnant women living in the same areas, were enrolled for the study. The prevalence of goiter was assessed by palpation and ultrasound imaging and the urinary iodine and the iodine concentration in the salt of different commercial brands were evaluated. Presence of goiter in the family and their eating habits were also investigated as well as the use of iodized salt in the household. MAIN OUTCOME: In children, the prevalence of goiter was 57.6% by palpation and 24.4% by ultrasound imaging. Median urinary iodine was 86.2 microg/l, with pronounced geographical variations (range 3.52-1079 microg/l). In particular, 29.1% of the children had urinary iodine <50 microg/l and 57.1% <100 microg/l. In pregnant women, the median urinary iodine was 85 microg/l. Median iodine concentration in household iodized salt was 21.2 mg/kg, with 60.3% of the brands being adequately and 39.7% non-adequately iodized. Almost all families (99.6%) claimed to use iodized salt. CONCLUSION: Despite the introduction of iodine prophylaxis, there is still a mild iodine deficiency in Albania, particularly in the inner mountainous areas.

[Screening of South Tyrolean school children after exposure to a tuberculosis case]. / Screening-Studie unter Südtiroler Schülern nach Tuberkuloseexposition.

BACKGROUND: During a language course in Ireland 422 schoolchildren aged 15-17 years and 44 accompanying persons from the autonomous Province of Bolzano--South Tyrol in Italy were repeatedly exposed to a Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex culture-positive, but smear-negative Irish teacher for more than 10 lessons. METHODS: Immediate action included contact tracing of exposed persons, administration of a standardised questionnaire, intradermal PPD (5IU) testing and thorax X-ray of persons with an induration of > or = 5 mm in the PPD test. The questionnaire included information on demographic factors, symptoms, vaccination status, underlying diseases, regular medical treatment and past infection in the last three months. A control group of children with similar age and BCG vaccination status was enrolled in the same schools to estimate the effect of exposure and the influence of previous BCG vaccination and ambient non-tuberculous mycobacteria. RESULTS: Exposure in Ireland was not associated with an elevated prevalence of positivity in the PPD test in the exposed group, but having intra-familiar contact with tuberculosis cases (OR = 3.3; 95 % confidence interval: 1.35-8.07) or being from school A (OR = 2.3; 95 % confidence interval: 1.19-4.32) was associated with an induration > or = 5 mm in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Contact tracing is an important public health action after exposure to an infectious tuberculosis case, nevertheless, in this case it may have resulted in overtreatment of exposed persons. BCG vaccination may have a long-term effect on PPD skin testing.

Cluster of measles cases in the Roma/Sinti population, Italy, June-September 2006.

Three clusters of measles cases occurred between June and September 2006, in the Roma/Sinti populations in three different Italian regions: the Bolzano-South Tyrol in northern Italy; Lazio in central Italy; and the island of Sardinia in the southwest.

The impact of predators on livestock in the Abruzzo region of Italy.

Free-living populations of wolves (Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758) and brown bears (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) regularly cause damage to livestock in the Abruzzo region of Italy. The laws of the region provide for compensation payments to owners for losses caused by predators. In the present paper, 4,993 validated claims made between 1980 and 1988 are examined. Losses ascribed to wolf, bear and wild boar attacks were 92.1%, 7.8% and 0.1%, respectively, of the total losses caused by predators during this period. The victims of wolf attacks were mostly sheep and goats (45.0%) and equids (38.5%), followed by cattle (16.4%) and rabbits, fowl and dogs (0.2%). Bears also principally attacked sheep and goats (67.6%), other targets being cattle (18.5%), equids (9.5%) and bee-hives (4.4%). A significant difference was observed between the number of attacks by wolves and bears; although both populations are of similar size. Other statistically significant differences have been observed between the periods in which the attacks take place on the different livestock and the predator species which reportedly caused the damage. Among cattle and equids, victims are mostly new-born or young animals, while among sheep and goats only adult animals are attacked.