From soil to blood: first human case of Sphingobacterium hotanense bacteraemia.

This report describes a case of Sphingobacterium hotanense bacteraemia in a patient scratched by a rooster on the right arm. Diagnostic, clinical and therapeutic features are discussed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of Sphingobacterium hotanense bacteremia reported in the medical literature.

Diagnosis of congenital CMV infection via dried blood spots.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most frequent congenital infection in humans and can cause permanent damage--particularly neurological--in about 20% of those infected, with or without symptoms at birth. Laboratory diagnosis is essential on account of the relatively non-specific clinical manifestations in symptomatic newborns but also because of the high frequency of asymptomatic cases that are nevertheless at risk of lesions later in life. However, these tests need samples taken within 3 weeks of birth to distinguish congenital infection from the more common, but clinically benign, perinatal infection.

Multicity Italian study of congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most frequent congenital infection in humans. Its prevalence and the frequency of disabling sequelae must be assessed in different populations to permit the formulation or assessment of preventive measures.

Objectives: To check the prevalence of congenital infection and seroprevalence in Italy; to verify the rate of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in infected infants; and to assess the proportion of children with SNHL attributable to congenital CMV infection.

Neonatal screening for congenital cytomegalovirus infection and hearing loss.

Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus infection causes 20-30% of congenital sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) cases. Early identification of CMV attributable cases and their successful treatment are often hampered by the late appearance of the damage in a high proportion of children both symptomatic and asymptomatic at birth.

Objective: To discuss the feasibility of a screening program aimed at finding congenitally infected babies followed by their audiological monitoring.

Diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus infection by detection of viral DNA in urine pools.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the most frequent cause of congenital infection. Diagnosis of this infection is important because 5-17% of asymptomatic infected babies will develop late sequelae and should be followed closely. Most of these children will remain undetected, since screening of all newborns by viral culture is too expensive.

Modification of CMV DNA detection from dried blood spots for diagnosing congenital CMV infection.

Background: Detection of viral DNA in dried blood spots using the Guthrie card (DBS test) is a reliable and practical method of diagnosing congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. The test lends itself to epidemiological studies to establish the prevalence of the infection, but also to neonatal screening for secondary prevention of sequelae. These applications would be facilitated if it were possible to use smaller samples and do the test on pools of individual cases.

Prevalence of anti-poliovirus type 1, 2 and 3 antibodies in unvaccinated Italian travelers.

Background: Immunization against poliomyelitis is recommended for international travelers to developing countries. However, the level of antibodies varies even in previously unvaccinated persons, due to wild-type or vaccine-type infections in the eldest travelers.

Methods: In 1999, we conducted a seroprevalence study in the Lombardy region (northern Italy), using sera collected in 1994 from a population aged 50 to 59 years.

A wider role for congenital cytomegalovirus infection in sensorineural hearing loss.

Background: Diagnostic problems in identifying congenital infection cases in infancy have thus far impaired the assessment of the role of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in the etiology of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).

Objective: To estimate the impact of congenital infection in children with SNHL by detection of CMV DNA in stored samples of neonatal dried blood (dried blood spots test).

Methods: The Guthrie cards of 130 children with hearing loss >40 dB hearing loss were retrieved from the regional screening center.