Publications by authors named "Nicole Bonaccorso"

Medical devices used for functional or esthetic purposes improve health and quality of life; however, they are not risk-free. Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL), associated with breast implants, is a well-known and recognized distinct lymphoma entity. More recently, additional lymphomas have been reported in relation to prosthesis other than breast implants, as these allow the pericyte to develop into a clone that undergoes a maturation process, progressing toward full malignancy.

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Article Synopsis
  • Influenza poses a significant public health risk, particularly for severe cases, prompting the need for effective vaccination strategies among pediatric populations in Palermo.
  • A study was conducted in two phases, starting with an educational intervention for family pediatricians (FPs), followed by monitoring the safety and acceptance of the qLAIV vaccine among children.
  • Results showed a vaccination coverage rate of 13.2%, much higher than the average rates in the Palermo LHA and throughout Sicily, with only mild adverse reactions reported, indicating that educational efforts can enhance vaccination rates effectively.
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Medical residents constitute a vulnerable population susceptible to mental health disorders. In Italy, this was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when medical residents served on the front line and provided significant support to healthcare services. Therefore, the working group on "Public Mental Health" of the Medical Residents' Council of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health (S.

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With the pandemic, there has been a global reduction in influenza virus circulation, with WHO reporting, during 2021/22 season, laboratory testing positivity rate for influenza of less than 3%. Influenza surveillance systems anticipated a peak of influenza cases in the Northern Hemisphere during 2022/2023 season and the Italian Ministry of Health recommended the routinary co-administration of influenza with bivalent COVID-19 vaccines for the 2022/2023 season. At the Vaccination Hub of the University Hospital (UH) of Palermo, more than 700 subjects received influenza and COVID-19 booster doses in co-administration, during the 2021/2022 season.

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  • Asbestos is a significant occupational carcinogen, and despite its ban in Italy since 1992, the country continues to face high rates of asbestos-related diseases (ARDs), particularly in the Province of Palermo from 2010 to 2021.
  • The study identified 245 ARD cases among asbestos-exposed workers, revealing a range of conditions including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, with tobacco use notably increasing lung cancer risk.
  • The findings highlight the ongoing public health challenge posed by ARDs, stressing the need for improved data collection and early diagnosis methods to better manage these diseases in affected populations.
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Introduction: Tobacco use is responsible for over 7 million deaths annually, making smoking the leading cause of preventable mortality globally. Over the last two decades in Italy, the prevalence of smoking among physicians has consistently decreased, while it remains higher and is gradually decreasing among non-physician healthcare workers. The aim of this study was to investigate the Prevalence of smoking habits, attitudes, and knowledge on counteractive strategies among employees in the Primary Healthcare Facilities in the Province of Palermo, Italy.

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Introduction: Breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is a rare form of non-Hodgkin T-cell lymphoma associated with breast reconstruction post-mastectomy or cosmetic-additive mammoplasty. The increasing use of implants for cosmetic purposes is expected to lead to an increase in BIA-ALCL cases. This study investigated the main characteristics of the disease and the factors predicting BIA-ALCL onset in patients with and without an implant replacement.

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The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges to communicating accurate information about vaccines because of the spread of misinformation. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) tried to reassure the public by communicating early on about the development and approval of COVID-19 vaccines. The EMA surveyed patients/consumers, healthcare professional organizations, and individual stakeholders, both at the EU level and in an Italian regional context.

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Background: The vaccination status of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) should be investigated before starting any treatment, and patients should eventually be vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Patients with IBD may have suboptimal vaccination rates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the vaccination coverage, attitude towards vaccinations, and determinants among an Italian cohort of patients with IBD.

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Introduction: Mediterranean Diet (MD) is a universal model of nutrition that prevents several metabolic, cardiovascular, and oncological diseases. Main objective of the present study was to analyze adherence and knowledge regarding MD principles in a sample of individuals practicing amatorial sports from the Metropolitan Area of Palermo.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 Sports Centers, between October 2020 and September 2021, through a previously validated anonymous questionnaire structured in five sections including 74 items.

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The Special Issue "The Willingness toward Vaccination: A Focus on Non-mandatory Vaccinations", published in the journal Vaccines, has the main aim of gathering more data on vaccine hesitancy and the willingness of individuals to receive vaccinations, particularly in the context of non-mandatory vaccines. The aim is to address vaccine hesitancy and improve vaccine coverage rates, in addition to identifying the determinants of vaccine hesitancy itself. This Special Issue garners articles that examine the external and internal factors that can influence the decision-making process of individuals regarding vaccination.

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Rotavirus (RV) is among the most common vaccine-preventable diseases in children under five years of age. Despite the severity of rotavirus pathology in early childhood, rotavirus vaccination for children admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), who are often born preterm and with various previous illnesses, is not performed. This multicenter, 3-year project aims to evaluate the safety of RV vaccine administration within the six main neonatal intensive care units of the Sicilian Region to preterm infants.

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Article Synopsis
  • Public Health Authorities should prioritize combating vaccine hesitancy through effective health communication, especially in light of Italy's implementation of a mandatory Digital Green Certificate (DGC) for accessing certain workplaces.
  • A study conducted in Palermo revealed that 43.3% of participants' vaccination decisions were influenced by the DGC, with those vaccinated reporting a greater sense of freedom but lower feelings of safety post-vaccination.
  • The results indicate that the DGC contributed to increased vaccination rates and, combined with strong communication strategies, could effectively address vaccine hesitancy.
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Hexavalent (HV) vaccination is a priority for newborn protection and in Italy is included in the National Immunization Plan with a three doses cycle at 61, 121 and 301 days of age. A retrospective clinical study has been conducted to evaluate real life clinical practice of HV vaccination in the fourth most populous Italian Region. Data on the completion of the HV cycle, on the interchangeability between the two HV adopted in 2016-2017 (DTaP3-IPV-HB/Hib) and 2018-2019 (DTaP5-IPV-HB-Hib) and on the use above the established age, were collected in five Sicilian Local Health Authorities.

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In Italy, following the start of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination campaign, community pharmacies (CPs) were recruited on a voluntary basis in order to administer COVID-19 vaccines as part of their activities. The aim of the present study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention, and vaccine acceptance/hesitancy towards COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations among the community pharmacists operating in the Palermo Province. A cross-sectional study was conducted, with two different questionnaires administered before and after the conduction of the vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2 at the COVID-19 vaccination center of the Palermo University Hospital (PUH).

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Maternal immunization is considered the best intervention in order to prevent influenza infection of pregnant women and influenza and pertussis infection of newborns. Despite the existing recommendations, vaccination coverage rates in Italy remain very low. Starting from August 2018, maternal immunization against influenza and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis were strongly recommended by the Italian Ministry of Health.

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