Long-term persistence of seroprotection by hepatitis B vaccination in healthcare workers of southern Italy.

Background: The impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination campaigns on HBV epidemiology needs to be evaluated, in order to assess the long-term immunity offered by vaccines against HBV.

Objectives: To evaluate the current status of anti-HBV vaccine coverage among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Southern Italy, and to determine the long-term persistence of antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigens (anti-HBs) in such a cohort of subjects.

Patients And Methods: A longitudinal, retrospective seroepidemiological survey was conducted among 451 HCWs, who were working at or visiting, the Occupational Health Department of a city hospital, in Catania, Italy, between January 1976 and December 2010.

[Drug resistance in endemic and imported tuberculosis cases in Sicily (Italy)].

This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of anti-tuberculosis (TB) drug resistance in Sicily (Italy). A total of 92 Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains were tested, 43 of which were isolated from outpatients between 2004 and 2007 and 49 isolated from patients hospitalized in various eastern Sicilian hospitals. The 92 strains were all isolated from adult patients (mean age 56 years), 71 of which were Italian and the remaining 21non-Italian.

[Surface water pollution and microbiological indicators].

Surface waters must undergo careful quality assessment before being used as drinking water. Contamination with wastewaters, whether treated, untreated or partially treated, is a risk to public health. Most waterborne infections are caused by ingestion of contaminated water, but contact or inhalation also represent a risk.