Barriers to influenza vaccine uptake in obese people in Italy: Changes 2005-2013.

Background: Obesity is an independent risk factor for developing flu-related complications.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze influenza vaccine uptake (VU) in the Italian obese, before and after the introduction of obesity among the national recommendations, and to evaluate factors associated to VU.

Methods: The comparison of two editions of the national survey carried out in 2004-2005, before the inclusion of obese people among the specific high risk categories for flu complications, and in 2013, reaching a sample of 21,857 persons who declared to have a BMI>30.

Human visceral leishmaniasis: a picture from Italy.

The aim of our study was to describe the distribution of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) in Italy, focusing on HIV-infected patients, to estimate the burden of the disease and the public health actions that should be undertaken. A review of official notifications and hospitalization data has been performed. From 2006 to 2008, a total of 289 cases of VL were notified; the overall notification rate was 1.