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Lung transplantation can improve the survival of patients with severe chronic pulmonary disorders. However, the short- and long-term risk of infections can increase morbidity and mortality rates. A non-systematic review was performed to provide the most updated information on pathogen, host, and environment-related factors associated with the occurrence of bacterial, fungal, and viral infections as well as the most appropriate therapeutic options. Bacterial infections account for about 50% of all infectious diseases in lung transplanted patients, while viruses represent the second cause of infection accounting for one third of all infections. Almost 10% of patients develop invasive fungal infections during the first year after lung transplant. Pre-transplantation comorbidities, disruption of physical barriers during the surgery, and exposure to nosocomial pathogens during the hospital stay are directly associated with the occurrence of life-threatening infections. Empiric antimicrobial treatment after the assessment of individual risk factors, local epidemiology of drug-resistant pathogens and possible drug-drug interactions can improve the clinical outcomes.
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In recent years, the Scientific Community and the Public Health world, in general, have devoted increasing interest to housing conditions, which are considered, to date, one of the main environmental and social determinants of the population's health. In particular, the Scientific Community has identified and studied various indoor well-being factors (e.g. lighting, temperature, ventilation, air quality, etc.). Some of these factors have been regulated by laws and regulations at various levels: the availability of clear and updated health requirements dictated by the regulations is fundamental to effectively protect public health, especially in confined environments. In the present work, we propose a revision of the Italian Ministerial Decree of July 5th, 1975 titled Modificazioni alle istruzioni ministeriali 20 giugno 1896 relativamente all'altezza minima ed ai requisiti igienico sanitari principali dei locali d'abitazione (Modifications to the ministerial instructions of June 20th, 1896 regarding the minimum height and the main hygienic-sanitary requirements of living spaces) in order to update the definition of the essential elements that qualify a space as habitable from the hygienic-sanitary point of view, taking into account the evidence gathered from the technical and scientific literature on the requirements and contents of the Building Codes of the major European countries.
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Habitação/legislação & jurisprudência , Higiene/legislação & jurisprudência , Saúde Pública/legislação & jurisprudência , Códigos de Obras/legislação & jurisprudência , Humanos , Itália , Determinantes Sociais da Saúde/legislação & jurisprudênciaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Prevalence surveys can be helpful to assess Health-care Associated Infections and antimicrobial use in healthcare settings, as well as infection control interventions. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of both Health-care Associated Infections and antimicrobial use in acute care wards in the University Hospital of Sassari according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control light protocol. METHODS: According to the case-finding algorithm, information was collected only if the patient had received at least one antimicrobial at the time of the survey or if the patient had an active infection associated with an acute care hospital stay. Data were collected over a span of a week, on a single day for every ward. RESULTS: The survey included 588 patients. A total number of 49 Health-care Associated Infections were observed on 43 patients with an overall prevalence of 7.3%. Urinary tract infections were the most common Health-care Associated Infection. The antimicrobial use prevalence was 44.6%. Results for microbiological investigation were available for 27 Health-care Associated Infections (55.1%) with 36 identified microorganisms. A total of 343 antimicrobials were administered, mainly for the treatment of an infection (57.4%). Combinations of penicillins, including beta-lactamase inhibitors, were the most frequently prescribed (35.0%). CONCLUSIONS: To our best knowledge, this is the first prevalence study carried out in Italy following the light protocol. This study suggests that the prevalence of patients with Health-care Associated Infections in our hospital is slightly higher than the one observed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control point prevalence survey of 2011, and lower than the one observed in the last national survey of 2016. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control light protocol proved applicable in acute-care hospitals with high complexity of structures and particular distribution of wards in order to perform a point prevalence study more quickly, without decreasing its value and its comparability to other similar studies.
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Anti-Infecciosos/administração & dosagem , Infecção Hospitalar/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções Urinárias/tratamento farmacológico , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Infecção Hospitalar/epidemiologia , Feminino , Hospitais Universitários , Humanos , Itália/epidemiologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prevalência , Inquéritos e Questionários , Infecções Urinárias/epidemiologiaRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: In recent years, a phenomenon known as "vaccine hesitancy" has spread throughout the world, even among health workers, determining a reduction in vaccination coverage (VC).A study aimed at evaluating VC among healthcare workers (HCWs) in 10 Italian cities (L'Aquila, Genoa, Milan, Palermo, Sassari, Catanzaro, Ferrara, Catania, Naples, Messina) was performed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Annex 3 of the Presidential Decree n. 445 of 28 December 2000 was used to collect information on the vaccination status of HCWs. The mean and standard deviation (SD) were calculated with regard to the quantitative variable (age), while absolute and relative frequencies were obtained for categorical data (sex, professional profile, working sector, vaccination status). The connection between VC and the categorical variables was evaluated by chi-square method (statistical significance at p < 0.05). The statistical analyses were performed by SPSS and Stata software. RESULTS: A total of 3,454 HCWs participated in the project: 1,236 males and 2,218 females.The sample comprised: physicians (26.9%), trainee physicians (16.1%), nurses (17.2%) and other professional categories (9.8%). Low VC was generally recorded. Higher VC was found with regard to polio, hepatitis B, tetanus and diphtheria, while coverage was very low for measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, chickenpox and influenza (20-30%). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed low VC rates among HCWs for all the vaccinations. Measures to increase VC are therefore necessary in order to prevent HCWs from becoming a source of transmission of infections with high morbidity and/or mortality both within hospitals and outside.
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Enfermeiras e Enfermeiros/estatística & dados numéricos , Médicos/estatística & dados numéricos , Cobertura Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Pessoal de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Humanos , Transmissão de Doença Infecciosa do Profissional para o Paciente , Itália , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
AIM: To describe the phenotypic and genotypic profiles of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) strains isolated from patients with invasive infections at an Italian university hospital in order to assess the epidemiological trend. METHODS: An observational prospective study was undertaken at the University Hospital of Sassari, Italy to detect KPC-Kp strains in patients with invasive bacteraemia. Isolates were identified phenotypically; carbapenemase production was assessed using phenotypic and genotypic methods. Sequencing of blaKPC genes, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multi-locus sequence typing were performed. RESULTS: During the period 2015-2017, 46 cases of invasive infection with K. pneumoniae were recorded. Two-thirds (67.4%) of the patients were male, and the mean age was 69.4 years. Most patients had at least one comorbidity (56.5%) and/or had been hospitalized previously (70.5%), 81.8% had current or recent medical device use, and 85.4% had recent antibiotic exposure. The mortality rate was 52.3%. A multi-drug-resistant pattern (including carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, third-/fourth-generation cephalosporins) was shown for all K. pneumoniae isolates. KPC-3 and -2 were produced by all strains. The most common sequence types were 512 (91.3%) and 101 (8.7%), grouped into three clusters (A, A1 and B). CONCLUSIONS: A high incidence of KPC-Kp in patients with invasive infections was recorded at an Italian university hospital compared with the incidence measured before 2015. This study confirmed the importance of the KPC-3 carbapenemase variant, as reported by other Italian studies. High mortality and comorbidity rates appear to be associated with KPC-Kp infection.
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Bacteriemia/transmissão , Enterobacteriáceas Resistentes a Carbapenêmicos/isolamento & purificação , Infecção Hospitalar/transmissão , Transmissão de Doença Infecciosa , Genótipo , Infecções por Klebsiella/transmissão , Klebsiella pneumoniae/isolamento & purificação , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Bacteriemia/epidemiologia , Bacteriemia/microbiologia , Bacteriemia/mortalidade , Enterobacteriáceas Resistentes a Carbapenêmicos/classificação , Enterobacteriáceas Resistentes a Carbapenêmicos/genética , Infecção Hospitalar/epidemiologia , Infecção Hospitalar/microbiologia , Infecção Hospitalar/mortalidade , Farmacorresistência Bacteriana Múltipla , Eletroforese em Gel de Campo Pulsado , Feminino , Hospitais Universitários , Humanos , Incidência , Itália/epidemiologia , Infecções por Klebsiella/epidemiologia , Infecções por Klebsiella/microbiologia , Infecções por Klebsiella/mortalidade , Klebsiella pneumoniae/classificação , Klebsiella pneumoniae/genética , Masculino , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Epidemiologia Molecular , Tipagem de Sequências Multilocus , Estudos Prospectivos , Análise de Sequência de DNA , Análise de SobrevidaRESUMO
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between social deprivation indexes and anti-influenza vaccination coverage in the elderly population (over 65 years old) in Sardinia. This relationship was first observed in a regional context. An already-known deprivation index was used, and its trivial relationship with anti-influenza vaccination coverage was evaluated. Secondly, the same relationship was assessed in the homogeneous area of the Municipality of Sassari. This required the adoption of an ad hoc deprivation index, which allowed us to stratify the population into deprivation groups and to correlate vaccination coverage with socio-economic variables. The results showed that regional anti-influenza vaccination coverage increased linearly as deprivation decreased. This trend was confirmed in the Municipality of Sassari. Pearson's analysis highlighted factors that significantly correlate with vaccination coverage. In Sardinia, the relationship between anti-influenza vaccination coverage and socio-economic status is consistent with the international panorama, and highlights the necessity to implement interventions to promote vaccination coverage among the elderly.
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Influenza Humana/prevenção & controle , Pobreza , Cobertura Vacinal , Idoso , Bases de Dados Factuais , Feminino , Humanos , Vacinas contra Influenza/administração & dosagem , Itália , Masculino , Classe SocialRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Until 2012, the European Directive 98/83/EC and the Italian Legislative Decree 31/2001 allowed derogation from the drinking water quality standards in Italy with a number of requests higher than any other European country. The present work aims to assess the extent of the derogation granted in Italy, in particular by noting those issued from 2001 to 2012, in order to obtain a retrospective quality indicator, useful for evaluating the risk arising from population exposure. METHODS: The most significant factors leading to derogation were analyzed. We first carried out an in-depth analysis of the European, national and regional legislation and subsequently distributed the obtained data according to: parameters regarding derogation; length of the derogation; area involved; and maximum parameter value granted by the derogation acts. RESULTS: We found approximately 100 derogation acts, granted in 14 Regions and concerning 19, mostly chemical, parameters. The most frequently granted derogation, in 12 Regions, was due to the presence of arsenic. Furthermore, given its 10-year presence in Campania and Lazio, fluoride was the most widespread parameter in the Italian territory. The year 2006 had the largest number of derogations issued with 22 acts found: this decreased to one during the third three-year derogation granted in 2012. CONCLUSIONS: Data collected showed how often Italy applied for drinking water quality derogation in recent years, going so far as to request a third three-year derogation. While this phenomenon has highlighted a practice largely ignored by the public, derogation acts have often involved the same parameters, underlining how difficult it can be to comply with the standards in a timely manner.
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Água Potável/normas , Poluentes Químicos da Água/normas , Qualidade da Água/normas , Abastecimento de Água/legislação & jurisprudência , Europa (Continente) , Itália , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
The Erice 50 Charter titled "Strategies for Diseases Prevention and Health Promotion in Urban Areas" was unanimously approved at the conclusion of the 50th Residential Course "Urban Health. Instruments for promoting health and for assessing hygienic and sanitary conditions in urban areas", held from 29th March to 2nd April 2017 in Erice, at the "Ettore Majorana" Foundation and Centre for Scientific Culture and promoted by the International School of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine "G. D'Alessandro" and the Study Group "Building Hygiene" of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health (SItI). At the conclusion of the intense learning experience during the Course, with more than 20 lectures, workshops and long-lasting discussions between Professors and Students, the participants identified the major points connecting urban features and Public Health, claiming the pivotal role of urban planning strategies for the management of Diseases Prevention and Health Promotion activities. The Erice 50 Charter is configured as a Decalogue for Healthy Cities and as a Think Tank for designing effective strategic actions and best practices to develop urban regeneration interventions and improve the urban quality of contemporary cities. The Decalogue is structured into the following key strategic objectives: 1. Promoting urban planning interventions that address citizens towards healthy behaviours; 2. Improving living conditions in the urban context; 3. Building an accessible and inclusive city, with a special focus on the frail population; 4. Encouraging the foundation of resilient urban areas; 5. Supporting the development of new economies and employment through urban renewal interventions; 6. Tackling social inequalities; 7. Improving stakeholders' awareness of the factors affecting Public Health in the cities; 8. Ensuring a participated urban governance; 9. Introducing qualitative and quantitative performance tools, capable of measuring the city's attitude to promote healthy lifestyles and to monitor the population's health status; 10. Encouraging sharing of knowledge and accessibility to informations. Finally, all the participants underlined that a multidisciplinary team, composed of Physicians specialized in Hygiene, Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Technicians as Architects, Urban planners and Engineers, is needed to deepen the research topic of Urban Health.
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Promoção da Saúde/métodos , Prevenção Primária/métodos , Saúde da População Urbana , Humanos , ItáliaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is to analyze the regional district ordinances and the warnings regarding qualitative and quantitavive drinking water abnormalities discovered by the Sardinian Municipalities and the Water Managing Authority between 2010 and 2015 in order to describe and identify the causes leading to an interruption or a limitation of the drinking water supply. METHODS: We carefully reviewed all ordinances and warnings of non-potable water and service interruption published between 2010 and 2015 by the websites of 377 Sardinian Municipalities and by the main regional newspapers, the Water Managing Authority and the Regional Health Trusts. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2015, 738 warnings/ordinances regarding drinking water supply limitation or interruption were issued. The warnings involved more than half (n. 191, 50.7%) of the 377 Sardinian Municipalities. Considering that these Municipalities included the main Sardinian cities we estimated that 80.3% of the population was affected by the issue. During the 6 years we observed a progressive increase of Municipalities involved beginning with 25 and reaching up 110 in 2014. The initial 29 warnings rose to 256 in 2014 along with an increased number of abnormal values, parameters and standards of the drinking water. Regarding the ordinances issued by the 191 Mayors we noticed that the legal limits were exceeded in 23 cases. Among those, we underline the abnormal levels of chlorites and trihalomethanes (22% of cases), the turbidity, the abnormal concentration of total chemical substances and the abnormal level of coliforms, Escherichia coli, manganese, aluminum, nitrites and iron. CONCLUSIONS: According to our observations, the Sardinian drinking water supply system is affected by a major inconvenience and the data suggest that qualitative abnormalities are mainly due to water purification treatments used in addition to the poor water supply network in existence. Considering these results, a cooperation between all Authorities involved would be desirable in order to analyze official data and provide a careful evaluation of population exposure and real risks related to the level of every parameter considered.
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Monitoramento Ambiental , Metais Pesados/normas , Poluentes Químicos da Água/normas , Abastecimento de Água/normas , Cidades , Água Potável/análise , Água Potável/normas , Monitoramento Ambiental/normas , Humanos , Itália , Metais Pesados/análise , Saúde Pública , Estudos Retrospectivos , Microbiologia da Água/normas , Poluentes Químicos da Água/análise , Purificação da Água/normasRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: The aims of this study are to assess the quality of the coastal waters of central-northern Sardinia through data from a monitoring network and to outline maps and experimental models of environmental risk correlated to the presence of chemical and microbiological contaminants. The area studied is the coast between Capo Falcone and the mouth of the river Coghinas, in the northwestern part of the island. METHODS: In a first phase, 7 sampling stations of sea water and 1 sampling station of bivalve molluscs (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam.) were identified. For each transept 3 different collection points at respectively 500, 1000, and 3000 meters from the coast for a total 21 sampling sites were identified. In a second phase, another 7 transepts were identified, 2 of which on the island of Asinara. RESULTS: As regards the microbiological monitoring of the sea water, very low concentrations of Total coliforms, Faecal coliforms and Faecal Streptococci were found and no Salmonella were isolated. Chemical analysis of the waters showed a high constant presence of phenols. In the bivalves we found rather high concentrations of Faecal coliforms without any clear seasonal variation, while no Salmonella was isolated in any of the examined samples. DISCUSSION: The results show that the considered area is not affected by serious pollution processes, thus allowing to express a completely satisfactory judgement on its state of health. However anthropic pressure in the considered territory is testified by the presence in the water of high concentrations of phenols. CONCLUSIONS: The results point out to the necessity of targeted and rational preventive action by means of control and protection measures for environmental ecosytems.
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Enterobacteriaceae/isolamento & purificação , Água do Mar/química , Água do Mar/microbiologia , Poluição da Água/análise , Animais , Monitoramento Ambiental , Itália , Mytilus/microbiologia , Fenóis/análise , Microbiologia da ÁguaRESUMO
The work is a synthesis of the qualitative monitoring on waters resources (specially surface water), that were potable and distributed as drinkable waters in north Sardinia between 1996-2002. The obtained results point out: for the surface waters, recurrent problems of elevated turbidity, color, oxidability, microbial contamination and eutrofication; for the ground waters, lower levels of pollutants even if an high content of natural elements and substances that, for as of natural origin, could endanger and limit the use as drinkable water (sodium, chlorides, iron, manganese). Drinking water plants have, largely, solved the main causes of ineffectiveness of treatment such as the demolition of the organic load and the formation of trihalomethanes but it as been found an high concentration of chlorites; occasionally, the values of ammonia, aluminum, iron, manganese and, rarely, trihalomethanes are out law in piped.
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Abastecimento de Água/análise , Abastecimento de Água/normas , Monitoramento Ambiental , Humanos , ItáliaRESUMO
Isolates of Salmonella enteritidis PT3, a rare phage type, were recovered from patients and strains were isolated from an outbreak of gastroenteritis that occurred during the summer of 1997 in North-East Sardinia, Italy. To investigate possible clonal involvement in the outbreak and to evaluate the capacity to discriminate among S. enteritidis PT3 strains, a number of molecular typing methods including ribotyping with a mixture of PstI and SphI (PS-ribotyping), PFGE with endonuclease XbaI and RAPD typing with four arbitrary primers was used. The typical XbaI endonuclease generated PFGE pattern also explained the prevalence of highly clonal S. enteritidis PT3 strains in the outbreak and adjacent areas. RAPD fingerprinting with primers OPA 4, OPB 15, OPB17 and P1254 exhibited a single but unique RAPD profile among the outbreak strains from various sources that differed significantly from control strains. The results of this study showed that when an appropriately chosen set of primers is employed, RAPD fingerprinting can be used as an alternative, rapid, highly reproducible technique for tracing the clonal relations of S. enteritidis PT3, and can be more discriminatory than PFGE. Furthermore, this study revealed the possibility of PT3 causing outbreak.
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Impressões Digitais de DNA , Infecções por Salmonella/epidemiologia , Salmonella enteritidis/genética , Surtos de Doenças , Fezes/microbiologia , Gastroenterite/epidemiologia , Humanos , Itália/epidemiologia , Salmonella enteritidis/classificaçãoRESUMO
A collection of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium human strains isolated in Northern Sardinia (Italy) was examined for the insertion sequence IS200, phage type, antibiotic profile, ribotyping polymorphisms and plasmid profile. All clinical isolates studied contained from 4 to 10 copies of the IS200 element. IS200 permitted to discriminate Typhimurium strains and to identify five IS200 types, some of them circulating in Sardinia at least since 1900. Strains belonging to phage DT104 predominated and correlated with a specific IS200 pattern.
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Elementos de DNA Transponíveis , Salmonella typhimurium/classificação , Tipagem de Bacteriófagos , Conjugação Genética , Humanos , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Plasmídeos , Salmonella typhimurium/efeitos dos fármacos , Salmonella typhimurium/genética , SorotipagemRESUMO
The seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibody was studied among 2,749 children and teenagers (1,438 males and 1,311 females) living in Italy. Anti-HCV antibody testing was positive by both EIA and RIBA in ten (0.36%) subjects. The positivity rate increased with age, ranging from 0 among children less than 6 years of age to 0.8% among those aged 17-19 years chi 2 linear regression = 0.038). Anti-HCV prevalence ranged from 0.2% in northeastern regions and in Apulia to 0.6% in Sicily and Sardinia (p > 0.005), and no difference was seen between males (0.35%, C.I. 95%: 0.04-0.66) and females (0.38%, C.I. 95%: 0.04-0.66) (Fisher's exact test = 0.565). From these data it appears that in Italy HCV infection is an uncommon event during childhood.
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Hepacivirus/imunologia , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite/sangue , Adolescente , Distribuição por Idade , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite C , Humanos , Itália/epidemiologia , Modelos Lineares , Masculino , Vigilância da População , Prevalência , Estudos Soroepidemiológicos , Distribuição por SexoRESUMO
Between 1987 and 1989, the prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii was determined by ELISA in serum samples from 1,494 apparently healthy subjects, 3-18 years old. Subjects were selected by a systematic cluster sampling from five geographical areas in Italy. The overall prevalence of antibodies was 17.9%, increasing from 4.7% in 4-6 year olds to 28.4% in 17-18 year olds (P less than 0.01). A slight predominance was observed among males (18.2% vs. 17.5% in females), as well as among subjects residing in Southern Italy and the Islands (21.9% vs. 19.2% in subjects residing in the North), but neither difference was statistically significant. Toxoplasma infection was associated with sociodemographic factors. Subjects belonging to a household with six or more persons had a 1.8-fold risk (C.I. 95% = 1.3-2.6) and subjects whose fathers had less than six years of schooling had a 2.7-fold rosk (C.I. 95% = 1.8-3.9) of previous exposure to toxoplasma infection. Considering the large proportion (70%) of young women entering childbearing age without toxoplasma antibodies, it appears that the risk of congenital toxoplasmosis will not be negligible in Italy in forthcoming years.
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Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/sangue , Toxoplasma/imunologia , Toxoplasmose/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Fatores Etários , Animais , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Escolaridade , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Características da Família , Pai , Feminino , Humanos , Itália/epidemiologia , Masculino , Prevalência , Fatores Sexuais , Fatores SocioeconômicosRESUMO
In 1989, the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) in a sample of 1350 Sardinian teenagers aged 14 to 19 years was estimated by Elisa method. The overall anti-HAV prevalence was 20%; it increased from 12.3% among 14-16 year old subjects to 27.4% in subjects aged 17-19 years (P less than 0.01). A slight female preponderance was observed (22.1% versus 17.9) but no statistically significant difference was attained. Compared with the corresponding figure (71.6% of prevalence rate) observed in North Sardinia in 1980, the results of the present study show a dramatic reduction in anti-HAV prevalence among teenagers. A significant association was found with sociodemographic factors: subjects whose fathers had less than six years of schooling, had a 2.1-fold risk (C.I. 95% = 1.5-3.1) and subjects belonging to a household of 6 or more under one roof had a 1.7-fold risk (C.I. 95% = 1.2-2.3) of previous exposure to hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. These findings indicate that exposure to HAV in Sardinia is decreasing, probably because of improvements in socio-economic conditions during recent years. However, overcrowding and short paternal education appear to be important determinants of infection.