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Updated incidence data of acute Delta virus hepatitis (HDV) are lacking worldwide. Our aim was to evaluate incidence of and risk factors for acute HDV in Italy after the introduction of the compulsory vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 1991. Data were obtained from the National Surveillance System of acute viral hepatitis (SEIEVA). Independent predictors of HDV were assessed by logistic-regression analysis. The incidence of acute HDV per 1-million population declined from 3.2 cases in 1987 to 0.04 in 2019, parallel to that of acute HBV per 100,000 from 10.0 to 0.39 cases during the same period. The median age of cases increased from 27 years in the decade 1991-1999 to 44 years in the decade 2010-2019 (p

Background During the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in Italy, infection among health-care professionals and in the context of welfare and health-care facilities was a significant concern. It is known that the elderly or those with concomitant pathologies are at greater risk of a serious evolution of the disease if affected by COVID-19 and that health workers are a category with greater exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Until now, there has been little information on the epidemiological features and transmission dynamics of the COVID-19 outbreak which did not involve health-care professionals or social and health-care facilities. For this reason, this paper aims to describe the epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the general population outside these semi-closed communities. Methods The study was designed by analyzing the data of the 1371 SARS-CoV-2 positive subjects observed in Sardinia up to 9 July, 2020 and whose data were available in the public health department. Statistical analysis and graphic representation were performed using STATA and Adobe Illustrator, respectively. Results Of the positive cases analyzed, 323 (23.5%) are health-care workers and 563 (41.1%) reside in social or health-care facilities. The number of positive cases among the general population (subjects who do not belong to these semi-closed communities), is 399 (29.1%), 208 females and 191 males. The estimated Case Fatality Rate stands at 5.0%, which is almost half the rate reported for all the SARS-CoV-2 positive cases (9.8%). The geographical distribution of positive cases differs considerably from the distribution of the totality of cases in Sardinia. Conclusions This review provides an insight into the COVID-19 situation in the general community, ie not involving health-care professionals or social and health-care facilities. Understanding the evolving epidemiology and transmission dynamics of the outbreak outside of these semi-closed communities would provide appropriate information to guide intervention policy. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the vulnerability of our health-care system. Severe disruptions in care, medicine shortages and unequal access to health-care are but a few examples of the challenges faced by people living in Italy and Europe, highlighting the importance of evidence-based approaches in supporting the development of prevention and response strategies for future pandemics.

This study aims to underline the clinical characteristics of patients who died after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection in one region of Italian and to evaluate the influence of underlying health conditions on the fatal outcome. A matched case-control study was designed by analyzing the data regarding positive subjects observed up to April 21, 2020. The case fatality rate was 7.9%, with a higher proportion of deaths in men than women. The specific standardized mortality ratio was 0.15&mdash, 0.13 for males and 0.2 for females, showing that mortality is much lower than expected. Cardiovascular diseases, chronic lung diseases and diabetes mellitus showed a significant association with the outcome. Although the case fatality rate in Sardinia in regard to age and gender patterns seems to be similar to that for Italy as a whole, its quantitative value was far lower than the national one and possible explanations might include the genetic characteristics of the Sardinian population or the immediate closure of its borders as soon as the epidemic started. Our results highlighted that lethality is strongly dependent on the presence of multiple concomitant serious diseases. It is important to have epidemiological strategies for effective guidance on public health actions in order to improve chances of survival.

Introduzione: L’emergenza nazionale immigrazione, causata dalle condizioni geopolitiche attuali, ha determinato un crescente numero di immigrati presenti nei centri di accoglienza temporanea del territorio italiano. In questo contesto un team multidisciplinare, che nasce dalla collaborazione tra la Struttura Complessa di Igiene dell’AOU di Sassari, il Servizio di Igiene e sanità pubblica della ASL-1 e l’Università di Sassari è impegnato in un progetto volto al miglioramento degli scambi comunicativi. Metodi: Nell’ambito degli interventi di screening per malattie infettive, i medici preposti alla raccolta del consenso per il test HIV nei centri di accoglienza della provincia di Sassari saranno dotati di supporti di mediazione linguisticoculturale a struttura dialogica e corredati da tavole illustrate con traduzione plurilingue. L’impatto di tale iniziativa sarà verificato con metodi empirici (in particolare attraverso l’osservazione attiva e la somministrazione di questionari ed interviste) tenendo conto di diverse variabili quali l’efficacia della comunicazione e il tempo impiegato per ottenere il consenso. Risultati: Partendo dalle pregresse esperienze nazionali ed internazionali, si intende verificare il potenziale dei supporti creati ai fini di migliorare la qualità della comunicazione medico-paziente. I dati raccolti permetteranno di svilupparne ulteriormente la qualità in termini di efficacia comunicativa. Conclusioni: Questo progetto mira ad essere il capofila di una serie di iniziative volte alla produzione di materiali validati di mediazione linguistico-culturale a disposizione degli operatori, con l’intento di realizzare un sistema di accoglienza, assistenza medica e sorveglianza sanitaria quanto più esteso ed accurato possibile rivolto ai parlanti non italofoni (migranti, turisti, studenti Erasmus incoming ecc.) Dichiarazione conflitto di interesse: nessuno.

Since the onset of the worst epidemic of Ebola virus disease in December 2013, 28,637 cases were reported as confirmed, probable, or suspected. Since the week of 3 January 2016, no more cases have been reported. The total number of deaths have amounted to 11,315 (39.5%). In developed countries, seven cases have been diagnosed: four in the United States, one in Spain, one in the United Kingdom, and one in Italy. On 20 July 2015, Italy was declared Ebola-free. On 9 May 2015, an Italian health worker came back to Italy after a long stay in Sierra Leone working for a non-governmental organization. Forty-eight hours after his arrival, he noticed headache, weakness, muscle pains, and slight fever. The following day, he was safely transported to the Infectious Diseases Unit of University Hospital of Sassari. The patient was hospitalized for 19 hours until an Italian Air Force medical division transferred him to Rome, to the Lazzaro Spallanzani Institute. Nineteen people who had contacts with the patient were monitored daily for 21 days by the Public Health Office of Sassari and none presented any symptoms. So far, neither vaccine nor treatment is available to be proposed on an international scale. Ebola is considered a re-emerging infectious disease which, unlike in the past, has been a worldwide emergency. This case study aimed to establish a discussion about the operative and logistic difficulties to be faced and about the discrepancy arising when protocols clash with the reality of facts.