Pedestrian Inattention Blindness While Playing Pokémon Go as an Emerging Health-Risk Behavior: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Cases of trauma resulting from the use of mobile phones while driving motor vehicles have become quite common in recent years. Road injuries incurred by people playing video games on mobile phones (or other media devices) while walking have also become a cause for concern. Pokémon Go has been the world's most popular game since it was launched in July 2016, with more than 15 million players trying to catch all Pokémon available in the game; however, the case detailed here is the first reported accident in the medical literature caused by a pedestrian distracted by the game while crossing a street. OBJECTIVE: We aim to provide additional information on the innovative nature of distractions that generate risks in road-users, and to explore the underreporting of pedestrian-motor vehicle collisions due to mobile device usage. METHODS: We included in this case report a 25-year-old male who suddenly crossed a road while playing Pokémon Go and was hit by a van, reporting several injuries and being assisted by the Emergency Medical Service of our hospital (Padova, Italy). The patient's history, the circumstances in which the collision happened, imaging data, and clinical course information were recorded per our hospital's privacy policy. RESULTS: The patient hit by the van was playing Pokémon Go on his mobile phone while crossing a street, despite red traffic lights, which he did not notice due to of the distraction induced by the game. CONCLUSIONS: Mobile videogames that imply movement (ie, walking, running, cycling) to play are an effective way to improve physical activity practice, especially in adolescents and young adults. Nevertheless, cases like the one presented here point out that these games could pose a significant risk to users who play while walking, cycling, or driving in unsafe areas such as city streets, because players become distracted and may ignore surrounding hazards. Comprehensive, multilevel interventions are needed to reduce accidents caused by distraction, and to stress findings on the positive and negative effects of video games, which are becoming a source of public health concern. Health care providers should be aware of their chief role in these possible prevention strategies, based on their direct interactions with road incident victims.

[A survey on injuries among nurses and nursing students: a descriptive epidemiologic analysis between 2002 and 2012 at a University Hospital]. / Indagine sugli infortune tra il personale infermieristico e gli studenti del corso di laurea in infermieristica: analisi epidemiologica descrittiva nel period 2002-2012 in un'Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria.

BACKGROUND: Biological risk is the main occupational hazard in hospitals (40-50% of the total). More than 130,000 injuries occur every year in Italy and nurses are the most affected occupational category. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the incidence of injuries related to biological risk in nurses and nursing students in the University Hospital of Ferrara, how they occur, the knowledge on the topic and on behaviour during the department's activity. METHODS: A retrospective study involving a sample of 8 departments (selected for the occurrence of more than 30 biological injuries between 1st January 2002 and 31 December 2012) recorded injuries related to biological risk; subsequently a cross-sectional survey was carried out through a questionnaire administered to nurses and nursing students. RESULTS: 909 biological accidents were reported (81.18% in nurses and 18.82% in students). Blood was the main biological material involved (83.72% of cases), mostly by percutaneous exposure (84.16%). According to the questionnaire, 53% of subjects reported having had at least one injury during their career, and 5.72% did not report it; 46% reported doing risky procedures (re-capping needles) and 95.45% that they had been informed about the correct use of PPE. CONCLUSIONS: The lower percentage of injuries in students could be linked to good university training and to less risky procedures being performed. Re-capping needles remains one of the most dangerous manoeuvers practised. Ongoing training on the correct use of PPE is essential to train prepared and aware health professionals.

Prevalence of Salmonella strains in wild animals from a highly populated area of north-eastern Italy.

INTRODUCTION: Salmonella is a ubiquitous pathogen that can infect host species, like wild birds, rodents, and/or arthropods, which may transmit infection to domestic animals and human population. AIM: In order to assess the related risk, a cross-sectional study was performed on 1114 carcasses of wild animals from a north-eastern area of the Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During post mortem examination, intestine samples were cultured. A statistical analysis demonstrated that there is no correlation between the presence of sub-clinically infected animals and greater human population density. In contrast, a significant correlation between the number of carcasses positive for Salmonella spp. and greater spatial density of pig, poultry, and cattle farms was observed (p < 0.01). RESULTS: The results of the present study show that wild animals with omnivorous feeding habits are particularly exposed to Salmonella colonization and, consequently, to spreading the organism. Regarding drug resistance, this study confirms the resistance to antimicrobials is increasing in commensal and environmental isolates.