Antipoliomyelitis neutralizing antibodies in maternal and neonatal serum.

During 1993 blood samples were taken from 1251 women consecutively admitted to the Maternity Ward of the University of Parma. Samples were also taken from all the newborn babies. Absence of antipolio neutralizing antibodies in serum diluted 1/2 was shown in 6 mothers; 4 mothers for polio 1, 1 mother for polio 2 and 1 simultaneously for the poliovirus 1 and 3. If one considers only the cases of absence in undiluted serum, there were 2 negative subjects (0.16%). One of these was for antibodies against polio 1 and the other for antibodies against polio 2. In the cord blood samples the frequency of negative results in serum diluted 1/2 is higher: 42 in all with 13 babies negative for polio 1. 17 babies for polio 2, 8 for polio 3 and 2 babies simultaneously for polio 1 and polio 3. If one considers just the babies without antibodies even in undiluted serum, the fraction of seronegatives is 9 (0.7%) with 1 for polio 1, 6 for polio 2 and 1 for types 1 and 3. The Geometric Mean Titres of the antibodies are significantly higher in mothers born before 1964 (year of introduction of mass vaccination with OPV) compared with those born after that year. Likewise, the same phenomenon was observed in the respective children.

Antipoliomyelitis immunity status among a population that was regularly vaccinated 11-12 years before.

A study of poliomyelitis neutralizing antibodies was carried out on 165 samples of blood serum drawn from subjects aged 14-15 years who had completed vaccination with OPV 11 or 12 years ago. Two different methods of incubation of the serum-virus mixtures (1 hour at 37 degrees C; 6 hours at 37 degrees C and then 18 hours at 4 degrees C, respectively) and two different cell lines (RC-37 and Hep-2) for the inoculation of these mixtures were employed. The results were also evaluated in relation to different initial dilutions of the sera (from 1:4 to 1:1). With the 1:4 initial serum dilution the highest frequencies of sero-negativity were observed utilizing the short incubation time and inoculation in Hep-2 (42% for polio 1, 10% for polio 2, 32% for polio 3). These frequencies diminish significantly utilizing the RC-37 cell line and the long incubation respectively. Under all the experimental conditions the results were better when the 1:2 initial serum dilutions were employed and even better when undiluted sera were used. Neutralizing antibodies against the 3 types of poliovirus were detected in the undiluted sera of all the subjects utilizing the long incubation and inoculation in either the RC-37 or the Hep-2 cell lines. In three subjects lacking detectable antibodies at the 1:4 dilution of the sera, the administration of a dose of IPV produced after 5-7 days a high response which remained almost unchanged 30 days later.

[Salmonellae in the Parma River: 2 years of monitoring]. / Le salmonelle nel torrente Parma: due anni di monitoraggio.

During the period April 1987-February 1989 the contamination of Parma river by Salmonella was studied. These pathogens were almost constantly isolated all over the period of survey (91.7% of samples were positive). The concentration of Salmonella Spp, evaluated as MPN/1, appeared to be also remarkable, ranging from 1 to 92/l. The variety of serotypes appeared furthermore considerable either regarded on the whole (38 serotypes) or related to the single drawings (from 2 to 14 serotypes simultaneously present in 90.9% of samples). Some serotypes as: S. typhimurium, S. livingstone, S. brandenburg, S. panama, have been recovered from most of samples, some others as S. give, S. Stanleyville, S. agona have been recovered only in a few times.

Poliomyelitis immunity status at different intervals from vaccination.

Research on neutralizing antibodies against the 3 serotypes of poliovirus was carried out on 441 blood specimens drawn from children and young people living in Parma, a town of about 200,000 inhabitants, where the vaccination services were well organized. From June 1983 to June 1984 blood samples were taken from different groups of subjects at different stages of vaccination (before vaccination, and after 1, 2, 3, and 4 doses of trivalent balanced OPV). In addition, groups of children and young people vaccinated from 2 to more than 14 years earlier were bled. Ten per cent of unvaccinated babies (aged 1-3 months) were lacking in neutralizing antibodies for types 1 and 3 and five per cent for type 2; among children aged 4-5 months vaccinated by one dose of OPV a residual 5% of subjects without antibodies for type 1 was also found. All subjects who received two, three, or four doses, had antibodies against all serotypes of poliovirus. As for the number of administered doses, significant differences among GMTs of antibodies were recorded only for type 1, when the group given 3 doses, was compared with the group which received two and one dose, respectively. At different intervals from completion of vaccination (2-14 years), all groups we examined still had antibodies against all three serotypes. For poliovirus type 1 antibody, GMTs were not significantly different in the examined groups. For types 2 and 3 significant decreases were observed in the groups vaccinated from 2 to 5 years. The high levels of immunity observed earlier in Parma were not found throughout the entire territory.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Acute respiratory syndromes caused by viruses in a pediatric department. Clinical and epidemiological studies of a series of cases admitted in the period from February to May, 1979]. / Le sindromi respiratorie acute da virus in un reparto pediatrico. Studi clinico-epidemiologici su una casistica raccolta nel periodo febbraio-maggio 1979.

In the period between February and May 1979, in concomitance with a sharp increase in admittance to the pediatric Division of the Parma General Hospital for acute respiratory infections, we carried out a virologic and serologic investigation on hospitalized children aged 21 days-12 years. The investigation was carried out on 137 patients with respiratory diseases: 33 with bronchiolitis, which occurred mainly (32/33) between February and March in children that were prevalently (30/33) in the first year of life; 27 with upper respiratory tract infections; 54 with mid respiratory tract infections; 23 with pneumonia. Forty-eight controls (without respiratory infections) were also investigated. In the months of February and March there was a high circulation of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): throughout the entire period there was a lower incidence of Adenovirus infections and more uniformly distributed.

[Virological research in acute respiratory diseases in 1976--1977 (author's transl)]. / Indagini virologiche sulle sindromi respiratorie acute nel 1976--1977.

From October 1976 to June 1977 virological researches have been carried out on 5 subjects with influenza, on 302 children hospitalized in pediatric departments for respiratory illness and 94 children hospitalized in the same departments for other (non respiratory) diseases. The incidence of influenza was moderate and restricted to small epidemic episodes in school and preschool children. The isolated viruses resulted of A type, substantially similar to the prototype strains appeared from 1972 to 1975. Among children hospitalized for respiratory diseases Adenoviruses (6.8%) and, with decreasing frequency, Enteroviruses, paraifluenza viruses and RS have been also isolated. The incidence of isolation of RS virus is significantly related to bronchopneumonia cases in infants under on year of age. The incidence of significant increases of FC antibodies against influenza (A and B) viruses, RS and Myc. pneumoniae in children with bronchitis and broncho-pneumonia is also considerable. The drawing of pharyngeal swabs at different intervals from the entry to the hospital has shown that the shedding of respiratory viruses is generally very short and that hospital cross-infections may occur.

[Studies on the quality of water of the right side tributaries of the Po River; Trebbia and Nure, in 1971-1973]. / Indagine sulla qualità declle acque degli affluenti di destra del Po, Trebbia e Nure nel periodo 1971-73

In the period 1971-73 samplings were taken out monthly at the mouths of the two right side tributaries of the river Po, Trebbia and Nure. The aim of the research was to value the water quality, the polluted load conveyed to the river Po and to compare the real load with the one estimated on the basis of inhabitants and the basin area. Both the water courses are torrent-like rivers with highflow values in the winter and low flow values in the summer (July and August). There are no important industries in the basins studied and the high polluted effluents, mainly domestic and agricultural discharges, are placed in the plain tracts of the rivers at few kilometers from the mouths. As far as the water quality of both rivers is concerned, most of the chemical parameters maintain suitable levels for fish life and drinking purposes; on the contrary the microniological indexes exceed the limits for bathing fixed by the Italian Ministry of Health by 100 E.coli 100/ml. and by 1000 total coliforms 100/ml. in about 90 and 70-80% of samplings. The comparison between real and calculated loads has shown a good agreement for BOD and chloride in Trebbia and for BOD and phosphates in Nure.

[Research on the quality of the Po River and its tributaries in the region of Cremona-Casalmaggiore mountain. III. 1972-1973]. / Indagini sulla qualità delle acque del fiume po e dei suoi affluenti nel tratto Monte Cremona-Casalmaggiore. Note III: periodo 1972-1973

The analises of water samples collected during the second research period, year 1972-73, in the tract of the river Po from Cremona to Casalmaggiore partly confirmed the results obtained in the first period (1971-72). However we have to consider that during this second research year the hydrological conditions of the river Po have been very similar to the average ones of the last 30-40 years. The fact is particularly important and it permitted us to better value all those parameters which feel the effects of the flow variations. Also in this second period the different parameters didn't present significative variations upstream and downstream Cremona and at Casalmaggiore except the turbid load as happened in 1971-72 period. As far as the water qualities are concerned no significative differences have been registered between the two paeriods; in fact the most part of the physioco-chemical parameters keep suitable levels for fish life and drinking purposes; meanwhile, except some particular situations, the microbiological indexes exceed the limits for bathing waters fixed by the W.Q.C. and by the Italian Ministry of Health.

[Studies on the water quality of the river Po and its tributaries between Monte Cremona and Casalmaggiore. II. Period 1971-2]. / Indagini sulla qualità delle acque del fiume Po e dei suoi affluenti nel tratto Monte Cremona-Casalmaggiore. Nota II: Periodo 1971-2

The results relating to the research carried out on the river Po upstream and downstream Cremona town, at Casalmaggiore and at the mouths of the right side tributaries Arda-Ongina and Taro in the period 1971-72 are reported in the present note. The samplings took place once every month and on the same day flow measurements were effected by the Magistracy of the river Po in the five stations. The results of this first series of sampling have shown a good stability of the water quality of the river Po, in the different seasons and in the different hydrological conditions. No significative differences were poi nted out for the most part of the determined parameters between the stations upstream and downstream Cremona and Casalmaggiore, except the turbid load (turbidity, suspended matter at 105 degrees C, setteable solids) which presented at Casalmaggiore an average value absolutely higher than the calculated one which was achieved considering concentrations and river flow at Cremona and at the mouths of Arda-Ongina and Taro. With few exceptions the water quality keeps a good level for fish life and its actual pollution degree let us think it possible to improve the situation in a short time. Only microbiological parameters are excepted, as they exceed the proposed limits for recreation and bathing uses (W.Q.C.).