What's Next for Flu? Out-of-Season Circulation of Influenza Viruses in Southern Italy, August 2022.

The COVID-19 pandemic has modified the seasonal pattern of respiratory infections. The objective of the present study is to characterize the out-of-season circulation of influenza viruses and an influenza outbreak that occurred in southern Italy in August 2022. Nasopharyngeal swabs collected from patients with influenza-like illnesses (ILI) were tested for the presence of influenza and other respiratory viruses.

Monkeypox Virus Infections in Southern Italy: Is There a Risk for Community Spread?

The ongoing outbreak of the Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is characterized by sustained human-to-human transmission, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of the MPXV infection identified in Southern Italy. Clinical samples for each suspected case identified from 1 June to 1 August 2022 were tested for MPXV, and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on two strains.

Characteristics of the First 284 Patients Infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 Subvariant at a Single Center in the Apulia Region of Italy, January-March 2022.

Since its initial detection, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineage BA.2 has been spreading rapidly worldwide. The aims of this study were to describe the first 284 patients infected with the Omicron BA.

Autochthonous Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant in Booster-Vaccinated (3 Doses) Healthcare Workers in Southern Italy: Just the Tip of the Iceberg?

The Omicron variant of concern (VOC), first detected in Italy at the end of November 2021, has since spread rapidly, despite high vaccine coverage in the Italian population, especially in healthcare workers (HCWs). This study describes an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection in 15 booster-vaccinated HCWs. On 16 December 2021, two HCWs working in the same ward were infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Changing Features of COVID-19: Characteristics of Infections with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) and Alpha (B.1.1.7) Variants in Southern Italy.

Differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients infected with the Alpha and Delta SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in a large region of Southern Italy were assessed. Two cohorts of positive patients were compared. The Alpha group consisted of 11,135 subjects diagnosed between 21 March and 21 April 2021, and the Delta group consisted of 499 positive subjects diagnosed between 21 July and 21 August 2021.

Update on the Epidemiology of Macrolide-Resistant in Europe: A Systematic Review.

Macrolide-resistant (MR-MP) infections cause upper and lower respiratory tract infections in both children and adults, and are characterized by a longer duration of symptoms. Here, we undertook a systematic review of studies on MR-MP in Europe. The review meets PRISMA guidelines.

The Challenge of Using an Antigen Test as a Screening Tool for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in an Emergency Department: Experience of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Southern Italy.

Background: In emergency hospital settings, rapid diagnosis and isolation of SARS-CoV-2 patients are required. The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of an antigen chemiluminescence enzymatic immunoassay (CLEIA) and compare it with that of Real-time Reverse transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR), the gold standard assay, to assess its suitability as a rapid diagnostic method for managing patients in the emergency department (ED).

Methods: Consecutive patients with no previous history of SARS-CoV-2 infection attending the ED of the Policlinico Hospital of Bari between 23rd October and 4th November 2020 were enrolled.

Severe COVID-19 by SARS-CoV-2 Lineage B.1.1.7 in Vaccinated Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients: New Preventive Strategies Needed to Protect Immunocompromised Patients.

Background: Solid-organ transplant (SOT) recipients are at a high risk of severe COVID-19, and are priority for vaccination. Here, we describe three cases of severe COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 B.1.

An Autochthonous Outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 P.1 Variant of Concern in Southern Italy, April 2021.

The SARS-CoV-2 P.1 variant of concern (VOC) was first identified in Brazil and is now spreading in European countries. It is characterized by the E484K mutation in the receptor-binding domain, which could contribute to the evasion from neutralizing antibodies.

Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection in a Healthy Healthcare Worker in Italy Confirmed by Whole-Genome Sequencing.

This study describes a case of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection confirmed by whole-genome sequencing in a healthy physician who had been working in a COVID-19 hospital in Italy since the beginning of the pandemic. Nasopharyngeal swabs were obtained from the patient at each presentation as part of routine surveillance. Nucleic acid amplification testing was performed on the two samples to confirm SARS-CoV-2 infection, and serological tests were used to detect SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies.

Investigation of an outbreak of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 VOC 202012/01-lineage B.1.1.7 infection in healthcare workers, Italy.

Objectives: In December 2020, Italy began a national immunization campaign using the BNT162b2 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccine, prioritizing healthcare workers (HCWs). Immune serum from vaccinated subjects seems (largely) to retain titres of neutralizing antibodies, even against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) VOC 202012/01-lineage B.1.

Rapid Spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern 202012/01 in Southern Italy (December 2020-March 2021).

Epidemiological and virological studies have revealed that SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) are emerging globally, including in Europe. The aim of this study was to evaluate the spread of B.1.

Genome Sequence of a SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01 Strain Identified from a Patient Returning from London, England, to the Apulia Region of Italy.

The coding-complete sequence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was obtained from a sample from a 25-year-old female returning to the Apulia region of Italy from England. The characterized strain showed all of the spike protein mutations defining SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01, as well as other mutations in the spike protein and in other genomic regions.

Epidemiology of Shiga Toxin-Producing Infections in Southern Italy after Implementation of Symptom-Based Surveillance of Bloody Diarrhea in the Pediatric Population.

Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) infections result in a significant public health impact because of the severity of the disease that, in young children especially, can lead to hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). A rise in the number of HUS cases was observed in the Apulia region of Italy from 2013 to 2017, and so, in 2018, a symptom-based surveillance system for children with bloody diarrhea (BD) was initiated in order to detect and manage STEC infections. The objective of the study was to describe the epidemiology of STEC infections in children from June 2018 to August 2019.

Emerging high-risk ST101 and ST307 carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae clones from bloodstream infections in Southern Italy.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-KP) is an urgent public health issue in Italy. This pattern of resistance is due mainly to dissemination of carbapenemase genes. Molecular characterization of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-KP) strains was performed over a three-year period.

First detection of autochthonous extensively drug-resistant NDM-1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa ST235 from a patient with bloodstream infection in Italy, October 2019.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is one of the most common and serious causes of healthcare-associated bacteremia. The emergence and dissemination of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) PA strains pose a major clinical concern. ST235-PA is a high-risk clone which shows a high capacity to acquire antibiotic resistance.

High Public-Health Impact in an Influenza-B-Mismatch Season in Southern Italy, 2017-2018.

Background: Yearly influenza epidemics have considerable effects on public health worldwide. The 2017-2018 influenza season in Italy was of greater severity than previous seasons. The aim of this study was to describe the 2017-2018 influenza season in Southern Italy and the molecular characteristics of the circulating viral strains.

Multidrug-resistant infections in long-term care facilities: extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and hypervirulent antibiotic resistant Clostridium difficile.

Infections due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) residents constitute a public health concern. This multicenter study investigated the frequency of ESBL-producing pathogens and MDR Clostridium difficile in clinical specimens from LTCF residents in Italy. During October 2014-March 2015, all urine and diarrheic fecal samples from LTCF residents (≥65 years) with suspected urinary tract infection or C.

Emergence of NDM-5-producing Escherichia coli sequence type 167 clone in Italy.

The emergence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) is a critical concern worldwide. In Italy, CPE isolates are very frequent, with the KPC enzyme types strongly predominant whereas the New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) enzymes are extremely rare. Here we report the first detection of NDM-5-producing Escherichia coli sequence type 167 (ST167) isolates from two patients with urinary tract infection (Ec001 and Ec002 from urines), including one with colonisation (Ec003 from faeces) admitted to the same hospital 2 months apart in 2017.

Carriage of Haemophilus influenzae in the oropharynx of young children and molecular epidemiology of the isolates after fifteen years of H. influenzae type b vaccination in Italy.

Background: Haemophilus influenzae is an important pathogen able to cause a wide spectrum of diseases in children. Colonization of the upper respiratory tract is a risk factor for developing disease. This study aimed to investigate the oropharyngeal carriage rate of H.

Whole-Genome Sequences of Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Strains Sharing the Same Sequence Type (ST410) and Isolated from Human and Avian Sources in Italy.

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is involved in a wide spectrum of human diseases. Chickens have been suggested as reservoirs for fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant ExPEC strains. Here, we report the whole-genome sequences of 4 E.