Real-time PCR on skin biopsies for super-spreaders' detection in bovine besnoitiosis.

Background: Bovine besnoitiosis, an emerging disease in Europe that can be transmitted by vectors, is caused by the apicomplexan Besnoitia besnoiti. Bovine besnoitiosis is difficult to control due to the complexity of its diagnosis in the acute stage of the disease, poor treatment success and chronically asymptomatic cattle acting as parasite reservoirs. When serological prevalence is low, detection and specific culling of seropositive cattle is feasible; however, economic considerations preclude this approach when serological prevalence is high.

[Patients in chronic anticoagulation therapy: the organization of an educational program run by nurses and the assessment of patients' satisfaction].

Setting: Six Districts of the Health Authority "ASL3 Genovese" (Genoa-Italy), where 3764 patients in Oral Anticoagulation Therapy (OAT) are followed for monitoring International Normalized Ratio (INR).

Aim: To increase knowledge of patients through group health education sessions conducted by nurses.

Method: Training of nurses and production of a draft version of a booklet.

[Decubitus lesions in patients referred to acute and post-acute home nursing care for the elderly in Genova].

The Elderly Services of USL 3 "Genovese" together with the team for Continuing Education designed and implemented a survey on the elderly clients referred to the home care and nursing home services. The aim of the study was to describe the frequency, distribution and severity of pressure ulcers. The data were collected during a period of seven months: from 1st November 1997 to 31st May 1998.

DNA ploidy, proliferative index, and epidermal growth factor receptor: expression and prognosis in patients with gastric cancers.

Background: The 5-year survival rate of patients with stomach cancer is usually around 20%. The clinico-pathological features that are presently used to assess patient prognosis are not sufficient to define gastric tumor behavior. Therefore, an accurate analysis of different biological characteristics of gastric cancer cells could allow the course of disease to be predicted and may help to improve treatment strategies.