Study Protocol for the Residents' Mental Health Investigation, a Dynamic Longitudinal Study in Italy (ReMInDIt).

Medical residents constitute a vulnerable population susceptible to mental health disorders. In Italy, this was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when medical residents served on the front line and provided significant support to healthcare services. Therefore, the working group on "Public Mental Health" of the Medical Residents' Council of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health (S.It.I.) designed the "Residents' mental health investigation, a dynamic longitudinal study in Italy" (ReMInDIt). This longitudinal study aims to assess the mental status of medical residents and to explore potential cause-effect relationships between risk/protective factors (identified among sociodemographic, residency program, and lifestyle characteristics) and mental health outcomes (anxiety and depressive symptoms). Data will be collected from a study population of 3615 residents enrolled in Italian residency programs in public health, occupational medicine, and forensic medicine through an online questionnaire that includes validated tools, requires 10 min for completion, and is disseminated by the residents' Councils. It will be followed by a follow-up administration after 12 months. The ReMInDIt study will play a significant role in generating evidence crucial for enhancing mental health services and promoting protective factors for the mental well-being of this important segment of healthcare professionals.

Distance learning in primary health care: an Italian experience among medical residents to integrate public health and primary health care.

Investing in Primary Health Care (PHC) is crucial for the future of Public Health (PH), although recent studies highlighted the lack of training in PHC within Italian Residency Schools. This article intends to show the experience and impact of a training course focused on standardizing the knowledge of medical residents in Hygiene and preventive medicine regarding PHC. The strength of the intervention was to demonstrate the feasibility of a unique and homogeneous educational path throughout the national territory. From the results of the evaluation questionnaires, a strong approval of the training experience emerged, with a significant improvement in the perceived knowledge of the subject.

Surveillance of Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens in Neonatal Intensive Care Units of Palermo, Italy, during SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a topic of concern, especially in high-level care departments like neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The systematic use of an "active" epidemiological surveillance system allows us to observe and analyze any changes in microbial distribution, limiting the risk of healthcare-associated infection (HAI) development. METHODS: We have conducted a longitudinal observational study in the five NICUs of Palermo, comparing the "pre-pandemic period" (March 2014-February 2020) with the "pandemic" one (March 2020-February 2022). The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the cumulative prevalence of carriage from multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria in the cumulative NICUs (NICU C). RESULTS: During the "pre-pandemic period", 9407 swabs were collected (4707 rectal, 4700 nasal); on the contrary, during the "pandemic period", a total of 2687 swabs were collected (1345 rectal, 1342 nasal). A statistically significant decrease in MDR-Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) carriage prevalence was detected during the pandemic. At the same time, there was a general worsening of the carriage of carbapenemase-forming MDR-GNB (CARBA-R+) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) during the pandemic period. A significant reduction in methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) carriage was detected too. CONCLUSIONS: The surveillance of MDRO carriage in NICUs is fundamental for limiting the social and economic burden of HAIs.

Wastewater-Based Epidemiology as a Tool to Detect SARS-CoV-2 Circulation at the Community Level: Findings from a One-Year Wastewater Investigation Conducted in Sicily, Italy.

Wastewater-based epidemiology is a well-established tool for detecting and monitoring the spread of enteric pathogens and the use of illegal drugs in communities in real time. Since only a few studies in Italy have investigated the correlation between SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and the prevalence of COVID-19 cases from clinical testing, we conducted a one-year wastewater surveillance study in Sicily to correlate the load of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater and the reported cumulative prevalence of COVID-19 in 14 cities from October 2021 to September 2022. Furthermore, we investigated the role of SARS-CoV-2 variants and subvariants in the increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Our findings showed a significant correlation between SARS-CoV-2 RNA load in wastewater and the number of active cases reported by syndromic surveillance in the population. Moreover, the correlation between SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and the active cases remained high when a lag of 7 or 14 days was considered. Finally, we attributed the epidemic waves observed to the rapid emergence of the Omicron variant and the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. We confirmed the effectiveness of wastewater monitoring as a powerful epidemiological proxy for viral variant spread and an efficient complementary method for surveillance.

Familial Mediterranean Fever and Diet: A Narrative Review of the Scientific Literature.

BACKGROUND: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an inherited autoinflammatory disease characterized by short acute attacks, with an as yet unknown cause. Several authors have investigated the role of some foods as potential triggers. This narrative review aims to analyze the correlation between diet and FMF clinical outcomes. METHODS: The review was carried out following PRISMA statement guidelines, including all cross-sectional, case-crossover, and trial studies written in English and conducted between 1974 and 2022. RESULTS: Overall, 642 records were identified through PubMed/MEDLINE (292) and Scopus (350), and seven studies were included: three out of seven (43%) studies evaluated FMF attack recurrence or time between consumption of high-fat foods and FMF attacks, while another three (43%) articles variously assessed FMF severity, and one (14%) evaluated the distribution of MEFV mutations. CONCLUSIONS: To date, conflicting results have been reported about fatty and salty food intake and FMF attack recurrence. Moreover, some authors have suggested a possible role of wheat. Finally, a diet rich in antioxidants and supplements with an anti-inflammatory effect could partially reduce symptoms and improve the well-being of FMF patients. Nevertheless, no conclusive data could be drawn about the impact of diet in FMF symptom triggering, and further studies are required to clarify this putative association.