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Superata la fase volta a ricondurre la domanda energetica in fase d’uso a soglie prestazionali nettamente migliorative rispetto al comportamento medio del parco esistente, l’attenzione della comunità scientifica si è progressivamente spostata sui fattori capaci di influenzare positivamente il passaggio dal concetto di edificio energeticamente efficiente a quello di Nearly Zero Energy Building. Il saggio delinea le principali tendenze in questo ambito.

Leishmaniasis, due to Leishmania infantum, is a protozoan vector-borne disease and a serious public health trouble. The parasite causes the visceral and cutaneous leishmaniases in humans and a systemic, chronic disease (Can L) in the dog, considered the main reservoir of the infection. Can L is endemic in the whole Mediterranean Basin. In Italy, classical endemic areas are the central and southern peninsular regions, mainly along the Tyrrenian coasts and the islands. Since the mid-1980s a progressive diffusion of the infection has been observed both in the old foci and towards previously free northern ones. In the Emilia Romagna region, in the past, an important outbreak of Visceral Leismaniasis occurred in a hilly area to the south of Bologna, without evidence of a canine reservoir. During the last 10 years, new outbreaks of Can L and the re-emergence of the old focus have been reported. A moderate risk for human disease exists, as more and more cases of Visceral disease are occurring. As a consequence of this epidemiological situation the Emilia Romagna Region has promoted a regional surveillance program with the aim to: build risk maps of the disease based on entomological data, on active surveillance in public kennels and in the surroundings of human cases and on passive monitoring with the help of vet practitioners. The encouraging results of this complex activity will be reported and discussed

In recent years an increase in vector-borne disease activity has been recorded in different regions. The epidemiology of such diseases is conditioned by complex interactions among environment, parasite, vector, man and eventually animal – either domestic or wild – reservoir. Global warming together with the increase of transport of goods, animals and people travels are impacting the risk that exotic species, both of insects and parasites, enter and establish in new territories. For these reasons a regional surveillance program focused on vectored diseases was implemented in Emilia-Romagna. The aim of the project is to create a regional surveillance and risk assessment system based on a multidisciplinary network, with the capability of collecting data about both vector populations dynamics, and possible presence of pathogens in vectors, men and animals. It has therefore been constituted a working group, coordinated by the General Direction for Health and Social Policy of the Emilia-Romagna Region, composed by physicians, veterinarians and entomologists. Activities have been addressed to the activation of an entomological monitoring system for key vectors, to the development of diagnostic procedures of selected zoonosis, to the predisposition of a training program. Because it is endemic in Emilia-Romagna Region, Leishmaniasis has been selected to test the system. After only two months from its constitution, the working group had to manage the Chikungunya epidemic occurred in Ravenna and Cervia municipalities during summer of 2007. After only 15 days from the reporting of the first human cases, it has been possible to perform the diagnosis, isolating the virus from the vector (Aedes albopictus), to define a reporting system of clinical suspects and diagnostic procedures in man. In the same time an intensive vector control program was carried out in infected areas. The timing organization of a multidisciplinary network focused on vector diseases surveillance and control is producing important positive output in terms of managing capacity of epidemic situation and risk assessment

Nel marzo 2007 abbiamo analizzato feci di suino provenienti da un allevamento di Imola (BO) contenenti larve di dittero, il fenomeno ha fatto sospettare che potesse trattarsi di una inusuale miasi. Il sopralluogo effettuato nell’allevamento ha confermato l’abbondante presenza di larve nell’unica sala nella quale sia era manifestato il problema e la necroscopia su uno dei maiali ha evidenziato la presenza delle stesse larve anche nell’apparato digerente dello stesso. Tutte le larve campionate sono state identificate in laboratorio confermando che si trattava della medesima specie, Ophyra aenescens.Il fenomeno osservato è quindi stato spiegato con l’ingestioni delle larve presenti nell’ambiente da parte dei maiali, che le emettevano quindi con le feci senza digerirle, originando una contesto simile a quello causato da una eventuale miasi (pseudo-miasi).