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After a short review of the literature, starting from the last decades of the past century, the current classification of the Dirofilaria genus is shown with its two subgenera: D. immitis and D. nochtiella (repens, tenuis and ursi). The first case of subcutaneous and pulmonary dirofilariasis caused in Italy by D. repens is then shown as well as a research on dog populations in which D. immitis is prevalent. The fact that D. immitis has not yet been isolated in humans, in Italy, is probably due to D. repens vectors being more anthropophile. Finally, the latest cases of dirofilariasis from D. repens reported in Italy are taken into consideration along with the one isolated by the Authors, complete with illustrations. The case presented has been diagnosed on the basis of the histological examination carried out on a soft nodule detected in the right pectoral region; furthermore, eosinophilia and an elevated value PRIST were present.

Enteric infections in childhood are estimated to be a primary cause of illness and death in the third world and Rotaviruses play a very important role in acute nonbacterial diarrheal enterocolitis. The Authors analyse the latest results of the direct investigation of the virus in the feces by ELISA method. The improvements in diagnostic techniques and the new knowledges about Rotaviruses and their pathogenic power acquired during the last decade have made it easier to know the consequences of Rotavirus infections particularly in the poorest countries, with very bad sanitary conditions. Much attention has therefore been paid to the study of dietetics and immunoprophylaxis in order to find the most suitable cure. At present only some vaccines of animal origin are available that many Authors consider to be harmless, and that, might hopefully be employed in the third world countries.

The results of a large serological survey on Lazio population are reported and discussed. Sera from 26,500, 17,205 and 7,800 subjects of both sexes and various age were tested for rubella, measles and mumps antibody content respectively. Immune status was age dependent and on the whole the 15.2%, 20.0% and 69.8% of the population studied were negative (less than 1:8) for each of the three above cited antibodies.

A woman had the typical clinical, cutaneous, and muscular picture of dermatomyositis but without some of the biochemical alterations of that disease. The positive serological investigations for toxoplasmosis, the pressure in muscles of very numerous toxoplasms and their culture in mice, and the improvement after treatment with pyrimethamine and sulphametoxypyridine demonstrated that the signs of dermatomyositis had been caused by infection with toxoplasmosis.

The AA, taking the latest reports as a starting point, are attempting a first epidemiological reconsideration of Hepatitis, Virus B. They have found that the disease, which was generally thought not to be contagious, is actually deceptive in its potential for transmission from person to person. Hospital personnel, in particular, are greatly at risk as are their families.

The results of a study made in the areas of Central Italy on a random community on the significant presence of cases with seroantibodies against Campylobacter, Yersinia, Legionella Pneumophila, Francisella Tularensis and Rotavirus confirm the hypothesis on the presence in the territory of microorganisms responsible. These positivities in man are not only single but also contemporaneous for at least two microorganisms. Hence the hypothesis of the presence in the environment (animals, soil, surface waters) of the microorganisms (Campylobacter, Yersinia, Legionella Pneumophila, Francisella Tularensis, and Rotavirus) responsible for the zoonoses of interest for man.

There have been some results of the antitoxotoxin investigation into antibodies in cases variously positive to the Dye test for the toxoplasmic infectious disease. The results point to various etiological considerations, therapeutic and therapeutic-prophylactic, on which the AA dwell briefly. They touch upon the possibility of a timely recourse to desensitization which, however, is sometimes not excluded even in cases which show a negative result to the toxotoxin.

Histoplasmin skin-test was applied to 1014 patients in two different parts of Somalia: in Mogadishu, an arid area, and in Jilib, a southern village on the banks of the Juba river. Among these patients only three gave areas of induration greater than 5 mm in diameter; all reactors were from Jilib. Results of a serological survey (latex-agglutination test) of histoplasmosis antibodies among 203 Somalian patients from three villages in river valleys are compared with the results of 171 inhabitants of the town of Mogadishu. Indirect agglutination antibody titers greater than or equal to 20 were found in 21.6% of the Mogadishu population as compared to 52.2% found in the river villages. In 96.2% of our cases in which the two tests were contemporarily used, the skin-test was completely negative despite high titres of positivity in the serological test. The results indicate the existence of founts of histoplasmosis infection in Somalia, particularly in humid areas bordering the rivers rather than in the surrounding arid semi-desert area characteristic of most of the country.

A short epidemiological presentation of the toxoplasmic infectious disease in our country on suspected cases compared with a clinically healthy group shows the importance of the phenomenon, especially for its various preventative and therapeutic implications.

We examined more than 1,400 dermatologic patients with clinically defined (but having unknown or presumably multiple etiology) affections. The investigation revealed the presence of antitoxoplasma antibodies in more than 50% of the patients, but in only 11% of the cases did the serological analyses give evidence of an active form of disease. It was possible to prove the toxoplasmic etiology of 29 cases of chronic prurigo and of 4 cases of dermatocellulitis. The same infection was involved in a few cases of different dermatoses and in two cases of dermatomyositis-like syndrome. Pseudotumoral granulomatous localizations occurred in immunosuppressed patients. We suggest an 'immunological key' to explain the polymorphism of the cutaneous manifestations. The practical interest of this new knowledge and its importance as a field of interdisciplinary studies are emphasized.

The Yersinia enterocolitis is a kind of disease whose diffusion is gradually increasing in North Europe. The authors relates about the outcomes of a serum-immunologic research conducted during the period 1982-84 on a sample of 965 adults coming from three different italian districts (Roma, Siena, Napoli) and 65 children coming from Napoli. They interpret antibody titers painted out by their research comparing them with ones reported in bibliography. The issue of this research, even if it was conducted only in three bordering central-southern Italy regions, can anticipate an indicative epidemiological image of this Country.

In the past Tularemia has largely affected animals, nowadays' in our country it could become actual one more because of wild animals repopulation actuated in many areas. Unlike the other countries, in Italy it's not well known if there are any consequences on population. The authors has conducted a research on this subject studying seroimmunologically samples taken randomly in some areas of south-central Italy. Their results confirm endemism and therefore announce the problem and the consequent pathology.

The authors have studied the antitoxoplasmic antibody behaviour longitudinally in a sample of pregnant women and in one of nonpregnant women, all of them not affected by an active infectious process. No significant difference has been found between the various pregnancy trimesters. The antibody titre in non-pregnant women has proved significantly higher than in the pregnant ones. In a sample of 131 women it has been found that the antibody titre before pregnancy is significantly higher than the one present in the first trimester. The authors conclude that during pregnancy the antitoxoplasmic antibody level is lower as compared to the one of non-pregnant women; and this phenomenon implies various hypothese calling for further discussion.

The authors, after a brief relation on contribution given by international publications, relates about their study on Legionellosis epidemiology based on seroconversion results obtained comparing six different serotypes, precisely the ones from 1 to 6, over a sample of people living in the areas surrounding the two italian cities of Rome and Siena. This study has given proof of an high, and unaspected, seroconversion (over 27%) caused by Legionella Pneumophila. Titer was equal to or higher than 64, and there was a significantly higher incidence given by serotype 6 in both the examined areas.

The authors carried out a research on diffusion of Herpes virus 1 and 2 investigating specific serous antibodies over a sample of 1660 women living in Roma and in the surrounding area aged between 14 and 40 years; 595 of them were suspected to have an Herpes infection. The results of this research confirmed an high frequency of Herpes 1 and 2 infection in the examined sample. In order to correlate better the outcomes obtained by the investigation on the suspected sample 102 vaginal smear, executed on women suspected to have a developed infection, have been examined. The issues confirmed that it's useful to execute cytoimmunologic research in so far as such method seems to give more certainty in infection and disease identification than seroconversion investigation.

The authors on the basic of the diffusion of pediatric and gastroenterological pathologies in Italy, have conducted a research on the epidemiology diffusion of Campylobacter infection analyzing seroimmunologically sample randomly chosen and coming from some areas of central-south Italy. Their results confirm that in such areas the infection is endemic therefore they hypothesize that enteric vascular, bacterial pathologies and spontaneous abortions are related with it.

In this note we described the E.L.I.S.A. test, applied to diagnostic of Toxoplasmosis, at short period of reaction. The reading has been made with naked eye. The examined sera have been previously titred to the Dye test. The authors have been able to establish the antigenic dilution as well as the short period of the best reaction to carry on the E.L.I.S.A.

The Author's study ranges from the historical background of Toxoplasma gondii to our current biological knowledge and the role of Toxoplasma gondii in pathology and human infection. The Author has considered the diagnosis--always problematic from the interpretative point of view--and, on the basis of his own long and extensive research, suggests the usefulness of a comparison with the results obtained from the dye test findings observed in longitudinal surveys of new born up to a maximum age of 96 months. The Author believes that these results can represent an element of comparison for the purpose of prognosis, therapy and prophylaxis, and above all, in sedation to combat anxiety states, and banal preoccupations.

Starting from the epidemiological investigation on a sample of 22.560 subjects of different chronological age classes in the Latium region with the research of hemoagglutinoinhibiting antibodies of the Rubella virus, and of 9.800 subjects with the research of hemoagglutinoinhibiting antibodies of the Measles virus, the authors observe that the diffusion of the seroprotection presents on an average 82.5% for Rubella and 79.8% for Measles. On the strength of the results, referred also according to the established chronological age classes, any obligatory treatment against Rubella is excluded in prepuberal age. In order to prevent the risk of congenital malformation in cases of pregnant and not seroprotected subjects who, during the first three months of gestation might come into contact with sick affected by Rosolia or with healthy carriers, the authors suggest the vaccination three months before the conception. Evidently, this involves a screening of the adult female population before their marriage. On the contrary as concerns Measles, the vaccination within the second year of life is being hypothesized exactly on the basis of the consideration that this is a matter of a serious illness and not always free from grave complications. In these cases, after shortly referring on the results of the experiments of different authors, the mixed anti-Measles and anti-Rubella vaccination might be taken into consideration, though with all the precautions that are suggested.

The etiology of diarrhea and intestinal deficiency relative to the absorbency of glucose and some enzymes can be found in Rotavirus infection. The epidemiology of this infection has been derived by the authors even if the research was limited to some areas of central-south Italy, analyzing seroimmunologically serums randomly selected. The research outcomes fully explain the first mentioned disease because antibody markers have been founded in most of the examined people.

We have established a serologic study with method of direct microagglutination described by Babudieri and Zardi, by 31 patients affected from a Buerger's disease, to determine the positivity of antibody title which desposes on rickettsiosis infection. Positivities have been confirmed for the Rickettsia Burnetii from 41,9% of cases, for R. Mooseri from 6,4% and for the R. Conori only from one case. Since the positivity varies in the normal population from the 0.7% to 1.1% the data related appears very significant for a possible rickettsiosis etiology of the Buerger's disease.

After briefly outlining the biology of Toxoplasma gondii the authors discuss the resistance of the parasite in body liquids and tissues under certain environmental conditions. Parasite resistance and its consequent risk of human infection, particularly for the pregnant woman, is emphasized. Toxoplasma oocysts, the sexual expression of the parasite, and the cyst facilitate the diffusion of Toxoplasma, as they are much more resistant than the trophozoite.