Publications by authors named "Senatore Sabrina"

Introduction: Here we reported the virological, entomological and epidemiological characteristics of the large autochthonous outbreak of dengue (DENV) occurred in a small village of the Lombardy region (Northern Italy) during summer 2023.

Methods: After the diagnosis of the first autochthonous case on 18 August 2023, public health measures, including epidemiological investigation and vector control measures, were carried out. A serological screening for DENV antibodies detection was offered to the population.

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In line with European trends, since 2023 Lombardy (Northern Italy) is experiencing a resurgence of measles and an increased number of reported cases of fever and rash. Measles discarded cases observed in our region within the context of measles and rubella surveillance from the first few months of 2024 (N = 30) were investigated for parvovirus B19 (B19V) and other rash-associated viruses. Thirteen cases tested positive for B19V DNA, representing a significant increase from previous years (on average 3 cases per year, p < 0.

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Since late 2023, the Metropolitan City of Milan and surrounding areas (northern Italy) have been experiencing a resurgence of measles, with most cases detected starting from January 2024. During this brief period, we observed measles in travellers from endemic areas, participants in international events, vaccinees and healthcare workers. Indigenous cases have also been identified.

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Article Synopsis
  • In August 2023, six cases of dengue virus 1 were reported in Lodi province, Lombardy, indicating local transmission in an area where the mosquito vector exists.
  • Four of these cases required hospitalization, but there were no fatalities.
  • The dengue strains found are closely related to those from Peru and Brazil, emphasizing the need for ongoing surveillance of tropical diseases in densely populated northern Italy.
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Background: currently, individuals at risk of adverse outcomes for COVID-19 can access to vaccination and pharmacological interventions. But, during the first epidemic wave, there were no treatments or therapeutic strategies available to reduce adverse outcomes in patients at risk.

Objectives: to assess the impact of an intervention at 15-month follow-up developed by the Agency for Health Protection of the Metropolitan Area of Milan (ATS Milan) based on telephone triage and consultation by the General Practitioners (GPs) for patient with high-risk for adverse outcomes.

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Background: In the context of the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, which occurred in correspondence with the outbreak of the Omicron variant, it became fundamental to assess differences in the risk of severe disease between the Omicron variant and the earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants that were still in circulation despite Omicron becoming prevalent.

Methods: We collected data on 2,267 genotyped PCR-positive swab tests and assessed whether the presence of symptoms, risk of hospitalization, and recovery times were significantly different between Omicron and the earlier variants. Multivariable models adjusted for sex, age class, citizenship, comorbidities, and symptomatology allowed assessing the difference in outcomes between Omicron and the earlier variants according to vaccination status and timing of administration.

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Article Synopsis
  • An investigation into breakthrough measles cases in Northern Italy from 2017 to 2021 revealed that 7.8% of confirmed infections occurred in vaccinated individuals, indicating that the live-attenuated vaccine does not guarantee complete protection.
  • Among vaccinated patients, 69.4% demonstrated secondary vaccine failure, with non-responders being more likely to require hospitalization and having lower virus detection levels in samples.
  • The study also found that vaccinated individuals could transmit the virus, contributing to 20 outbreaks, emphasizing the need for monitoring and understanding vaccine failures and their implications for public health.
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serogroup 1 (Lp1) sequence type (ST) 23 is one of the most commonly detected STs in Italy where it currently causes all investigated outbreaks. ST23 has caused both epidemic and sporadic cases between 1995 and 2018 and was analysed at genomic level and compared with ST23 isolated in other countries to determine possible similarities and differences. A core genome multi-locus sequence typing (cgMLST), based on a previously described set of 1,521 core genes, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) approaches were applied to an ST23 collection including genomes from Italy, France, Denmark and Scotland.

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  • Diabetic patients, especially those with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), are at a greater risk for infections and serious complications, yet there’s limited research on their influenza vaccination rates.
  • In a study of 251 T1DM patients in Milan, only 36% reported receiving the flu vaccine, which dropped to 21.7% based on official registries—far below the target coverage of 75%.
  • Results showed that most patients trust diabetologists for vaccine information, indicating a need for targeted vaccination campaigns involving diabetes specialists to improve immunization rates.
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  • Hepatitis E is a globally distributed disease, with outbreaks typically linked to contaminated water in developing countries, while developed nations see more travel-related cases; however, there has been a rise in local cases in Europe lately.
  • This study focuses on the epidemiology of hepatitis E in Italy from 2007 to 2019, utilizing data from a special surveillance system and analyzing risk factors associated with the disease.
  • From 2007 to mid-2019, Italy reported 385 cases of hepatitis E, with an increasing trend in notifications, particularly in Northern and Central regions, although testing rates are lower in the South and only 46% of suspected cases were actually tested for underlying infections.
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  • In July 2018, an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Bresso, Italy, resulted in 52 confirmed cases and five deaths.
  • An investigation revealed a strong link between heavy rainfall prior to symptoms and an increased risk of the disease, with a public fountain identified as a key source.
  • Water samples showed Lp1 bacteria present, and clinical strains matched those in the environment, confirming the fountain as the outbreak's main cause.
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In countries of the European Union, tuberculosis (TB) mainly affects marginalised people, including asylum seekers. Migratory flows from high-incidence countries to Italy have increased up to 2017, posing challenges to the national health system. This study sought to assess TB and latent TB infection (LTBI) prevalence among asylum seekers in Milan during the biennium 2016-2017 and to evaluate interventions in place.

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This study aimed at assessing the frequency and the distribution of influenza virus types/subtypes in 172 laboratory-confirmed influenza-positive patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) during the 2017-2018 season in the Lombardy region (Northern Italy), and to investigate the presence of molecular pathogenicity markers. A total of 102/172 (59.3%) patients had influenza A infections (83 A/H1N1pdm09, 2 H3N2 and 17 were untyped), while the remaining 70/172 (40.

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Background And Aims: Parents' empowerment is advocated to promote and preserve an informed and autonomous decision regarding their children' immunization. The scope of this study is to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of an instrument to measure parents' psychological empowerment in their children's vaccination decision and propose a context-specific definition of this construct.

Materials And Methods: Grounding in previous qualitative data, we generated an initial pool of items which was later content and face validated by a panel of experts.

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A large measles outbreak has been ongoing in Milan and surrounding areas. From 1 March to 30 June 2017, 203 measles cases were laboratory-confirmed (108 sporadic cases and 95 related to 47 clusters). Phylogenetic analysis revealed the co-circulation of two different genotypes, D8 and B3.

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Four cases of infection with serogroup X meningococci (MenX) (1 in 2015 and 3 in 2016) occurred in migrants living in refugee camps or reception centers in Italy. All MenX isolates were identified as clonal complex 181. Our report suggests that serogroup X represents an emerging health threat for persons arriving from African countries.

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A middle-aged immunocompetent woman was diagnosed and treated for a severe pulmonary human herpesvirus 3 infection. During the treatment, an infection from Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 was also diagnosed. This coinfection threatened the life of the patient and led to serious permanent sequelae.

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A measles outbreak occurred from November 2015 to April 2016 in two northern Italian regions, affecting the Roma/Sinti ethnic population and nosocomial setting. Overall, 67 cases were reported. Median age of 43 cases in three Roma/Sinti camps was four years, nosocomial cases were mainly adults.

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Background: Hormone therapy (HT) in the menopause is still a tricky question among healthcare providers, women and mass media. Informing women about hormone replacement therapy was a Consensus Conference (CC) organized in 2008: the project Know the Menopause has been launched to shift out the results to women and healthcare providers and to assess the impact of the cc's statement.

Methods: And Findings: The project, aimed at women aged 45-60 years, was developed in four Italian Regions: Lombardy, Tuscany, Lazio, Sicily, each with one Local Health Unit (LHU) as "intervention" and one as "control".

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Objective: Maternal near-miss defines a narrow category of morbidity encompassing potentially life-threatening episodes. The purpose of this study was to detect near-miss instances among women admitted to intensive care units or coronary units, analyze associated causes, and compute absolute and specific maternal morbidity rates in six Italian regions.

Design: Observational retrospective study.

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Human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. The vaccine has the maximum benefit when given before starting sexual activity and its efficacy is proved also in sexually active women in which the incidence of the infection is higher. In 2010 a questionnaire on HPV was administered to 299 female students of University of Rome Tor Vergata.

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