From hazardous asbestos containing wastes (ACW) to new secondary raw material through a new sustainable inertization process: A multimethodological mineralogical study.

Nowadays, asbestos-containing wastes (ACW) still represent an important environmental problem and a severe health hazard due to the well known pulmonary diseases derived from asbestos fibers inhalation. Except for a very few cases, ACW are currently confined in controlled landfills, giving rise to increasingly high amounts of still hazardous wastes. A promising alternative to landfill confinement is represented by ACW inertization, but the high cost of the inertization processes so far proposed by the scientific community have hampered the creation of actually operative plants. In this paper, we explore the possibility to use an innovative process that ensures the obtainment of asbestos-free inert material in an exceptionally short processing time, thus greatly reducing cost-related problems. The efficacy of the inertization process has been verified through accurate mineralogical investigations on both chrysotile and crocidolite de-activated fibers, through X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Overall mineralogical, microstructural and granulometric characteristics of the inert bulk material suggest that it could be successfully re-used as a secondary raw material in ceramic industries. This innovative inertization procedure could therefore provide an effective and economically sustainable solution for ACW management.

Chagas disease knocks on our door: a cross-sectional study among Latin American immigrants in Milan, Italy.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors for Chagas disease (CD) in Latin American immigrants and to evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic tests. Moreover, we offered to all positive subjects a complete free-of-charge clinical/instrumental evaluation as well as benznidazole treatment in order to stage the disease and verify drug tolerability. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of CD among Latin Americans living in Milan and its metropolitan area was conducted between July 2013 and July 2014. Blood samples were tested for serologic evidence of CD together with a questionnaire covering demographic and clinical-epidemiological information. RESULTS: Forty-eight (9.6%) of the 501 tested subjects were conclusively diagnosed as having CD. The highest prevalence of CD was among those from Bolivia (43/169, 25.4%) and El Salvador (4/68, 5.9%). Older age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)] 1.05, p =0.004), a Bolivian origin (aOR 8.80; p =0.003), being born in the department of Santa Cruz (aOR 3.72, p =0.047), having lived in mud houses (aOR 2.68; p =0.019), and having an affected relative (aOR 12.77, p =0.001) were independently associated with CD. The ARCHITECT Chagas test showed the highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (99.8%). Twenty-nine of the subjects with CD (60.4%) underwent disease staging, 10 of whom (35.7%) showed cardiac and/or digestive involvement. Benznidazole treatment was associated with high frequency of adverse reactions (19/27, 70.4%) and permanent discontinuation (8/27, 29.6%). CONCLUSIONS: CD is highly prevalent among Bolivians and Salvadorans living in Milan. Regions with a large Latin American immigrant population should implement programmes of active detection and treatment.

Comparison of ixekizumab with etanercept or placebo in moderate-to-severe psoriasis: Subgroup analysis of Latin American patients in the phase 3 randomized UNCOVER-3 study / Comparación de ixekizumab y etanercept o placebo en la psoriasis de moderada a grave: análisis del subgrupo de pacientes latinoamericanos de la fase 3 del estudio aleatorizado UNCOVER-3

Background and objectives: Ixekizumab demonstrated greater efficacy than placebo and etanercept in UNCOVER-3. Subgroup analysis of Latin American patients was performed. We report 12-week and 60-week data. Patients and methods: Analysis included 102 Latin American patients randomized to receive placebo (n = 14), etanercept 50 mg twice weekly (n=30), or ixekizumab 160-mg starting dose followed by 80 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W; n = 29) or every 4 weeks (Q4W; n = 29). At week 12, patients maintaining efficacy response and adequate overall safety were assigned, at the discretion of the investigator, to long-term extension with ixekizumab Q4W. Results: At week 12, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 100 scores were 0%, 20.0% (p = 0.075 vs placebo), 62.1% (p < 0.001 vs placebo; p = 0.001 vs etanercept), and 48.3% (p = 0.002 vs placebo; p = 0.023 vs etanercept) for placebo, etanercept, ixekizumab Q2W, and ixekizumab Q4W, respectively. Among patients who continued therapy up to week 60 (n = 97), PASI 100 scores were 71.4%, 60.0%, 77.8%, and 57.7% for patients who received induction placebo, etanercept, ixekizumab Q2W, and ixekizumab Q4W, respectively (non-responder imputation). By week 60, ≥1 serious adverse event was experienced by 7.1% (n = 1/14), 3.3% (n = 1/30), 14.8% (n = 4/27), and 0% (n = 0/26) of patients who received induction placebo, etanercept, ixekizumab Q2W, and ixekizumab Q4W, respectively. There were no cases of active tuberculosis with ixekizumab treatment through 60 weeks. Conclusions: In Latin American patients, both ixekizumab dosing regimens demonstrated greater efficacy than etanercept for treating psoriasis over 12 weeks. The safety profile of ixekizumab through 60 weeks was well tolerated and consistent with the overall profile (AU)

Antecedentes y objetivos: Ixekizumab demostró una mayor eficacia que el placebo y etanercept en el estudio UNCOVER-3. Tras realizar un análisis del subgrupo de pacientes latinoamericanos, se presentan los resultados transcurridas 12 y 60 semanas. Pacientes y métodos: El análisis incluyó a 102 pacientes latinoamericanos aleatorizados para la administración de placebo (n=14), etanercept 50 mg 2 veces por semana (n = 30), o ixekizumab 160mg como dosis inicial y 80mg cada 2 semanas (Q2W; n=29) o 4 semanas (Q4W; n = 29). A la semana 12 los pacientes con buena respuesta de eficacia y ausencia de efectos adversos fueron asignados al tratamiento de ampliación a largo plazo con ixekizumab Q4W, a discreción del investigador. Resultados: A las 12 semanas las puntuaciones del PASI fueron del 0%, 20% (p = 0,075 vs placebo), 62,1% (p < 0,001 vs placebo; p = 0,001 vs etanercept) y 48,3% (p = 0,002 vs placebo; p = 0,023 vs etanercept) para placebo, etanercept, ixekizumab Q2W, e ixekizumab Q4W, respectivamente. Entre los pacientes que prosiguieron la terapia hasta la semana 60 (n = 97) las puntuaciones PASI 100 fueron del 71,4%, 60%, 77,8%, y 57,7% para los pacientes a quienes se administró placebo de inducción, etanercept, ixekizumab Q2W e ixekizumab Q4W, respectivamente (imputación del no respondedor). En la semana 60 ≥1 presentaron reacción adversa grave el 7,1% (n = 1/14), 3,3% (n = 1/30), 14,8% (n = 4/27) y 0% (n = 0/26) de los pacientes a quienes se administró placebo, etanercept, ixekizumab Q2W e ixekizumab Q4W, respectivamente. No se produjeron casos de tuberculosis activa con el tratamiento de ixekizumab a lo largo de las 60 semanas. Conclusiones: En los pacientes latinoamericanos ambos regímenes de dosificación de ixekizumab demostraron mayor eficacia que etanercept para el tratamiento de la psoriasis durante 12 semanas. En cuanto al perfil de seguridad, ixekizumab a lo largo de 60 semanas fue bien tolerado y consistente con el perfil general (AU)

AIDS-associated cryptococcosis: a comparison of epidemiology, clinical features and outcome in the pre- and post-HAART eras. Experience of a single centre in Italy.

Objectives To assess the prevalence, clinical and immunological characteristics, risk factors and survival of patients with AIDS-related cryptococcosis in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Methods All newly diagnosed cryptococcosis cases identified retrospectively from among a series of AIDS patients hospitalized consecutively at a single institution in Italy in 1985-1996 (pre-HAART period, n=165) and 1997-2006 (post-HAART period, n=40) were analysed comparatively. Results The prevalence of cryptococcosis decreased from 4.7% (165/3543) to 2.2% (40/1805) between the pre- and post-HAART periods (P=0.0001). There were no differences in the clinical features or immunological status of the patients between the two cohorts. The variables associated with the occurrence of cryptococcosis in the post-HAART era were older age (P<0.001), no previous diagnosis of HIV infection (P<0.001) and infection in homosexual males (P=0.004). During the post-HAART period, immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome associated with cryptococcosis was observed in five patients (19.3%) a median of 15 weeks after the start of HAART. Thirty-day survival (P=0.045) and overall survival (P=0.0001) were significantly better among patients diagnosed with cryptococcosis in the post-HAART compared to those diagnosed in the pre-HAART era. Conclusions The AIDS-associated cryptococcosis observed in Western countries in the HAART era has similar clinical and immunological characteristics to that observed in the pre-HAART era, but a significantly better outcome.

Malaria in illegal Chinese immigrants, Italy.

A cluster of 22 imported malaria cases, 21 caused by Plasmodium falciparum, was observed among illegal Chinese immigrants in northern Italy in the summer of 2000. The rate of severe disease was high because the patients were not immune and they sought health-care services late in their illness because of their clandestine status. Recognition of the outbreak was delayed because no regional alert system among infectious diseases hospitals was in place.

Intestinal tuberculosis as a cause of chronic diarrhoea among patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection: report of two cases.

In Western countries human immunodeficiency virus infection is considered the main risk factor of tuberculous disease, its incidence being 500 times higher in HIV-infected patients than in the general population. Despite the disease frequently present in these patients with extraintestinal manifestations, intestinal localization is rarely observed and often as a consequence of complications such as acute gastrointestinal bleeding or perforation. The diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis is difficult and is often delayed due to the lack of specific signs and symptoms as well as the low sensitivity of routine methods. A review of the literature is made and personal experience in the diagnosis of two cases is reported.

Cryptococcus neoformans infection in a cohort of Italian AIDS patients: natural history, early prognostic parameters, and autopsy findings.

This observational cohort study of 4,160 AIDS patients hospitalised in a single institution in northern Italy between January 1985 and December 1999 was carried out in order to assess the natural history of cryptococcosis, the epidemiological trend of this opportunistic infection, the risk factors predictive of death at 10 weeks, the response to therapy, and autopsy findings. Cryptococcosis was diagnosed in 177 (4.2%) patients and was the AIDS-defining disease in 2.8% of cases. Its prevalence decreased significantly over time (from 6.4% in the period 1985-1989 to 5.7% in 1990-1993, 3.1% in 1994-1996, and 1.9% in 1997-1999, P <0.0001). Although neurologic disease was the most frequent clinical picture, a significant proportion of the patients (24.2%) presented with extraneural cryptococcosis. In a Cox multivariate analysis, high titres of cerebrospinal fluid antigen (>5000) and drug addiction were predictive of death at 10 weeks. A complete clinical and mycological response was achieved in 60.8% of the treated patients, with the highest response rate being observed in those treated with amphotericin plus flucytosine (66.6%). Cryptococcosis relapsed in 12.8% of patients on secondary prophylaxis. Autopsy findings demonstrated that cryptococcosis is a disseminated disease, but long-term antifungal treatment may be able to eradicate it in a subgroup of patients.

[Disseminated histoplasmosis in patients with AIDS. 2 case reports]. / Istoplasmosi disseminata in pazienti affetti da AIDS. Descrizione di due casi.

Histoplasmosis is endemic in some areas of United States and in South America, and generally causes an acute self-limiting respiratory infection. In elderly and immunosuppressed patients the infection can spread through the blood, causing a severe systemic illness. Here we describe two cases of disseminated histoplasmosis in AIDS patients. The first was observed in an Italian woman who had never visited endemic countries, and was recognized only at autopsy; the second was observed in a trans-sexual patient, arrived in Italy from Brazil. Clinical suspicion of histoplasmosis is important in immunocompromised patients of non-endemic areas as symptoms are often aspecific and misdiagnosis is frequent.

Disappearance of cryoglobulins and remission of symptoms in a patient with HCV-associated type II mixed cryoglobulinemia after HIV-1 infection.

OBJECTIVE: We report the case of a woman with long-lasting mixed cryoglobulinemic syndrome, who experienced clinical and laboratory remission of her cryoglobulinemia after becoming infected with human immuno-deficiency virus and developing HIV-1 induced immunosuppression. METHODS: Serum cryoglobulin concentrations and the CD4+ cell count were monitored every three months. RESULTS: After the diagnosis of HIV-1 infection, the immunological status of the patient was constantly depressed (CD4+ cell count dropping from 337/microL in January 1991 to 21/microL in June 1994). Serum cryoglobulins were persistently absent over 43 months of follow-up, despite the presence of HCV-RNA. CONCLUSION: In this case, HIV-1 induced immunodeficiency seems to be responsible for the remission of the cryoglobulin syndrome and the disappearance of serum cryoglobulins. These findings indicate that CD4+ T lymphocytes may play a role in regulating the activity of cryoprecipitating rheumatoid factor secreting B cell clones.

Tuberculosis cutis miliaris disseminata due to multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in AIDS patients.

Two patients with AIDS and disseminated tuberculosis characterized by cutaneous involvement are reported. They developed a maculopapular skin eruption, from which a multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain was isolated. In both cases the clinical course was rapidly fatal. Tuberculosis cutis miliaris disseminata should be differentiated from the skin lesions frequently seen in HIV-infected patients, especially from folliculitis. In patients with tuberculosis, the appearance of cutaneous lesions may be due to the haematogenous dissemination of mycobacteria. Therefore, early identification of the causative organism by use of optimal microbiological methods is fundamental.