Local Outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes Serotype 4b Sequence Type 6 Due to Contaminated Meat Pâté.

In January and February 2016, five cases of confirmed and two cases of probable infection due to Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b, sequence type (ST) 6 belonging to a single pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pulsotype pattern were registered in a region of southern Switzerland. L. monocytogenes was detected in blood samples (four cases) and pleural fluid (one case). Furthermore, L. monocytogenes 4b ST6 was detected in a stool sample of an asymptomatic person exposed to a common food. Forthwith, the food safety authority and a local gourmet meat producer reported L. monocytogenes contamination of meat pâté. Analysis of further food and environmental samples from the premises of the producer yielded isolates matching the clinical strains and confirmed the presence of L. monocytogenes 4b ST6 in the mincing machine as the cause of the food contamination.

Termination of pregnancy in a border region between Switzerland and Italy (2008-2015).

In Switzerland, voluntary termination of pregnancy (VTP) can be performed in all public and private hospitals with an obstetrics/gynaecology department. For various reasons, many Italian women use the Swiss healthcare system, in particular in Canton Ticino, a border region adjacent to Italy in the southern part of Switzerland, when they want to have a VTP. In this study, we aimed to illustrate trends in the VTPs in the Canton Ticino between 2008 and 2015 and demonstrate differences between the Swiss women resident in Switzerland (SSR), foreign women resident in Switzerland (FSR) and foreign women resident abroad (FAR), focusing in particular on the Italian women as during this period there were legal changes in Italy. The number of VTPs was constant on a national level (10,924 in 2008, 10,255 in 2015); in contrast, since 2012 the number has progressively decreased (41%) in Ticino, mainly because of the significant reduction in VTPs in women resident in Italy (decrease of 75.7%). In addition, we wanted to evaluate the impact of the pre-VTP counselling at a family planning centre (FPC) on the VTP decision. The high number of pre-VTP consultations suggests that this service is appreciated and helpful. We observed an encouraging trend in changing the decision to have a VTP after the consultation at the FPC, where 12% of the pregnant women decided to continue the pregnancy. Because of its location, the Canton Ticino is an example how availability of certain drugs, methods and laws can influence the cross-border flow of the patients.

Health literacy, health empowerment and health information search in the field of MMR vaccination: a cross-sectional study protocol.

OBJECTIVES: Although public health offices have a detailed record of the vaccination coverage among adolescents in Switzerland, little is known about the factors that determine the decisions of parents to get their children vaccinated. Based on Schulz & Nakamoto's Extended Health Empowerment Model, the present study aims at surveying parents of adolescents in Ticino (Switzerland) to get insights into the role of health literacy, health empowerment, information search behaviour and potential confounding variables that influence whether adolescents are not at all vaccinated, undervaccinated or fully covered against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A survey including concepts of the Extended Health Empowerment Model will be administered to all families with adolescents attending the third year of middle school in Ticino. Subsequently, survey responses will be matched with actual data on MMR vaccination coverage of adolescents collected from the Cantonal Office of Public Health in Ticino. DISCUSSION: The results of this study will allow one to draw more comprehensive conclusions about the factors that play a role in parents' decisions regarding the vaccination of their children. At the same time, the study will provide useful insights on which are the main issues to be considered when addressing parents (on an interpersonal as well as a mass communication level) regarding the vaccination of their children.