Baseline and Breakthrough Resistance Mutations in HCV Patients Failing DAAs.

Sustained virologic response rates have increased dramatically following direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapy in chronic HCV infection. However, resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) may occur either prior to DAA or following drug exposure. The aim of this study was to determine RASs in DAA treatment-failing patients and the role of RASs in failure treatment.

An autochthonous sexually transmitted Zika virus infection in Italy 2016.

We describe two cases of Zika virus infection involving an Italian patient returning from the Dominican Republic and his wife, who remained in Italy and had not travelled to Zika virus endemic areas in the previous months. The infection was transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse after the man's return to Italy.

Frequency of respiratory virus infections and next-generation analysis of influenza A/H1N1pdm09 dynamics in the lower respiratory tract of patients admitted to the ICU.

Recent molecular diagnostic methods have significantly improved the diagnosis of viral pneumonia in intensive care units (ICUs). It has been observed that 222G/N changes in the HA gene of H1N1pdm09 are associated with increased lower respiratory tract (LRT) replication and worse clinical outcome. In the present study, the frequency of respiratory viruses was assessed in respiratory samples from 88 patients admitted to 16 ICUs during the 2014-2015 winter-spring season in Lombardy.

FilmArray™ GI panel performance for the diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis or hemorragic diarrhea.

Background: Acute gastroenteritis is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in humans worldwide. The rapid and specific identification of infectious agents is crucial for correct patient management. However, diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis is usually performed with diagnostic panels that include only a few pathogens.

HCV intergenotype 2k/1b recombinant detected in a DAA-treated patient in Italy.

Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) combinations are potent and effective drugs currently recommended for treatment of chronic HCV infection. Difficult to treat genotypes are the most important predictors of treatment failure. We report a case of DAA treatment failure in an HCV-infected patient carrying a recombinant genotype 2k/1b.

Evaluation of Xpert® Norovirus Assay performance in comparison with real-time RT-PCR in hospitalized adult patients with acute gastroenteritis.

Xpert® Norovirus Assay (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA) was compared with a laboratory-developed real-time RT-PCR assay for the detection of Norovirus GI and GII in hospitalized patients with acute gastroenteritis. The two assays showed a high level of concordance but Xpert® Norovirus Assay allowed faster detection of Norovirus and a simpler sample handling.

A new real-time reverse transcription-PCR assay for detection of human enterovirus 68 in respiratory samples.

A global reemergence of human enterovirus 68 (EV-D68) associated with severe respiratory illness occurred in 2014. We developed and validated an EV-D68-specific real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) for the detection of EV-D68 in respiratory samples. The rapid diagnosis of EV-D68 may contribute to better management of EV-D68 infections.

Surveillance and vaccination coverage of measles and rubella in Northern Italy.

Measles and rubella are infectious diseases and humans are the only reservoir of these infections. Effective vaccines are available with the potential for measles (MV) and rubella (RuV) virus eradication. According to the World Health Organisation guidelines, a national plan was approved in Italy in 2013 to achieve the MV/RuV elimination by 2015, and active MV/RuV integrated surveillance initiated.