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Background: Healthcare workers are habitually in direct contact with patients, possible carriers of infectious diseases and with potentially infectious biological materials; therefore, the implementation of standard precautions and good working practices represent an intervention strongly recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and required by Italian law, for the prevention of professional cut wounds. The study focused on assessing the exposure frequency and factors related to biological injuries among healthcare workers in a teaching hospital in Palermo, Italy., Methods: We performed a 14-years retrospective descriptive analysis on blood and body fluids exposures in healthcare workers, documented by questionnaires administered at the time of injury and by data collected during the follow-up period. The questionnaire included questions concerning personal data (age, sex), job position (role, employment contract, ward), biological exposure (type of exposure, devices used and circumstance of blood and body fluids exposure), precautions adopted (personal protecting equipment, safety devices) and vaccination status., Result: A total amount of 899 healthcare workers was investigated. The incidence rate per 100 beds was 10.7. Frequency of exposure to blood and body fluids among healthcare workers was 35.3% in nurses, 31.7% in physicians, 17.6% in students. The mean age of injured healthcare workers was 36 years. The most common blood and body fluids exposures were represented by needlestick injury (76.2%), splash and spill (15.0%) and sharp (8.3%). 585 out of 685 percutaneous exposures were caused by needles (syringe, peripheral venous catheter, butterfly needles, etc.) and occurred mainly to nurses (N=224, 38.3%), physicians (N=184, 31.4% of whom resident physicians=122, 20.1% and hospital doctors=62, 10.6%), students (N=96, 16.4%) and auxiliary personnel (N=77, 13.1%). No seroconversion among exposed healthcare workers was recorded in the whole survey period. Twenty-four healthcare workers (2.6%) received post-exposure prophylaxis against Hepatitis B Virus., Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first long-term survey on blood and body fluids exposure in Southern Italy. Nurses are the most commonly affected group by biological injuries. Resident physicians and students follow the nurses probably due to a lack of training and experience about biological risk. These last two groups, however, seem to have more awareness of blood and body fluids exposures to which they are susceptible during their training cycle; in fact, they mostly use personal protective equipment compared to other healthcare workers. The blood and body fluids exposures are a preventable and a major occupational hazard in healthcare. This focus highlights the need for interventions to enhance the occupational safety of workers and students.

Introduction: Healthcare workers are continuously exposed to the risk of being infected by influenza viruses during their work, thus representing a threat especially for fragile patients. Although the Italian Ministry of Health strongly recommends influenza vaccination for all HCWs, coverage levels in Italy are still far from the expected. Several studies report that one of the preferred strategies to improve vaccination coverage among Healthcare Workers is improving vaccination knowledge through specific multidisciplinary courses. To assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention on influenza vaccination coverage among Healthcare Workers a study was conducted at "Paolo Giaccone" University Hospital of Palermo, in the occasion of the 2016/2017 seasonal influenza vaccination campaign., Material and Methods: Educational interventions on influenza infection and vaccination were organized involving personnel of the hospital units in which patients were more fragile. The Healthcare Workers who volunteered attend the course were considered as the intervention group, while two controls for each case, composed by Healthcare Workers not attending it, were randomly selected from the same unit. For both groups, a questionnaire was used to investigate attitude and behaviors toward influenza vaccination, while vaccination coverage data were obtained throughout the Hospital informational data system., Results: Overall, out of the 125 participants, 38 (30.4%) followed the course (intervention group) and 87 (69.6%), not attending the course, represented the control group; later, only 43 Healthcare Workers out of 125 (34.4%) underwent vaccination during the season considered. In particular, after the educational intervention, 42% of the attending Healthcare Workers got vaccinated, while vaccination prevalence in the control group was 31%. The Healthcare Workers who underwent vaccination reported, before the intervention, a higher risk perception for contracting (transmitting) influenza compared to those not vaccinated (p<0.05), while no significant difference in risk perception of transmitting influenza to their patients was reported between the two groups., Discussion: Despite the training provided, and an improvement in vaccination adherence by the Healthcare Workers involved, coverage obtained was lower than recommended to reduce influenza spread in hospital contexts. In conclusion, our data suggest that specific training alone may play a role in the improvement of influenza vaccination adherence, but it should be integrated by a wider range of public health measures, including mandatory vaccination.

Background: Sepsis is the major cause of mortality from any infectious disease worldwide. Sepsis may be the result of a healthcare associated infection (HAI): the most frequent adverse events during care delivery especially in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). The main aim of the present study was to describe the epidemiology of ICU-acquired sepsis and related outcomes among patients enrolled in the framework of the Italian Nosocomial Infections Surveillance in ICUs - SPIN-UTI project., Study Design: Prospective multicenter study., Methods: The SPIN-UTI network adopted the European protocols for patient-based HAI surveillance., Results: During the five editions of the SPIN-UTI project, from 2008 to 2017, 47.0% of HAIs has led to sepsis in 832 patients. Overall, 57.0% episodes were classified as sepsis, 20.5% as severe sepsis and 22.5% as septic shock. The most common isolated microorganisms from sepsis episodes were Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The case fatality rate increased with the severity of sepsis and the mean length of ICU-stay was significantly higher in patients with ICU-acquired sepsis than in patients without., Conclusion: Our study provides evidence that ICU-acquired sepsis occurs frequently in Italian ICU patients and is associated with a high case fatality rate and increased length of stay. However, in order to explain these findings further analyses are needed in this population of ICU patients.

Background: The World Health Organization's Action Framework for tuberculosis elimination in low-tuberculosis incidence countries includes the screening for active and latent tuberculosis in selected high-risk groups, including health care workers. In this context, medical and health profession students, exposed to nosocomial tuberculosis transmission during training and clinical rotations, are target populations for tuberculosis screening. No updated data are available on tuberculosis screening practice and knowledge of medical and health profession students in Italy., Methods: Within the activities Italian Study Group on Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, we carried out a multicentre cross-sectional study to assess knowledge, attitude and practices on tuberculosis prevention and control among Medical, Dentistry, Nursing and other health professions' students. Students were enrolled in the study on a voluntary basis and were administered a previously piloted structured questionnaire. Logistic regression models were applied to explore knowledge on tuberculosis prevention by selected socio-demographic variables and University-based tuberculosis prevention practice., Results: Students of seventeen Universities across Italy participated in the study, and 58.2% of them received compulsory tuberculin skin test either at enrollment or while attending clinical practice. A total of 5,209 students filled the questionnaire. 37.7% were medicine and dentistry students (Group 1), 44.9% were nursing students (Group 2) and 17.4% were other health professions' students (Group 3). Age and gender had different distributions by groups, as well as knowledge and practice on tuberculin skin test. 84.4% of the study population (95% CI = 83.3-85.3) was aware of the existence of the tuberculin skin test, 74.4% (95% CI = 73.2-75.6) knew what is the first-level screening test for latent tuberculosis and only 22.5% (95% CI = 21.4-23.6) knew how to proceed after a positive tuberculin skin test result. Overall, knowledge on tuberculosis prevention was higher in Group 2 and lower Group 3, as compared to Group 1., Conclusion: In Italy, the knowledge on tuberculosis screening among University students is generally good. To reduce some of the criticalities found among the different study courses, it would be appropriate to harmonize both the regulations on tuberculosis screening practices for admission to University courses, and the educational activities on the topic of tuberculosis, to be extended to all workers involved in health care setting.

Background: Healthcare-Associated Infections are a great concern for worldwide healthcare systems and represent a considerable threat to patient safety, leading to adverse clinical outcomes. A defined panel of indicators represents a key element to guide Healthcare Organizations towards identification of main gaps, implementation of effective actions and continuous improvements on Healthcare-Associated Infections prevention and control activities. A review on accreditation systems conducted by the Italian Study Group of Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene Preventive Medicine and Public Health revealed a substantial heterogeneity of implemented standards and led to the development of a core set of indicators and requirements for Healthcare-Associated Infections' prevention and control within the hospital setting. The main aim of the study was to test the feasibility of the Healthcare-Associated Infections' prevention and control within the hospital setting tool to calculate performance scores on a sample of Italian Healthcare Organizations and to identify major critical issues. The potential benefits of the possibility of future implementation of the tool within Institutional Accreditation Programs is discussed., Study Design: Cross sectional pilot survey., Methods: The Healthcare-Associated Infections' prevention and control within the hospital setting included 96 criteria and 20 key areas including an area for outcomes indicators. For applicable criteria, standards fulfilment was evaluated according to a 4 point Likert scale. A composite score was calculated for each Healthcare Organization and five performance levels were identified. Data were further analysed by computing performance scores at the level of each area and requirement., Results: 20 Healthcare Organizations agreed to take part in this pilot study including two rehabilitative Healthcare Organizations. Among the whole sample a mean of 12.20% of requirements resulted not fulfilled, leaving space for further improvements. Critical areas were easily identified and the instrument was able to capture substantial differences between Healthcare Organizations. Only a few number of standards resulted "Not Applicable" (Mean = 4.71%) and most of them regarded Rehabilitative Healthcare Organizations. Mean composite performance index resulted 74.06% (SD = 16.96, range 36.30 - 94.27%); area of outcome indicators obtained a mean score of 56.17., Conclusion: The Healthcare-Associated Infections' prevention and control within the hospital setting resulted an useful tool to assess Healthcare Organizations' performance in the field of Healthcare-Associated Infections prevention and control and to identify necessary actions for further improvements. The distribution of total scores by Healthcare Organizations showed a high heterogeneity. Implementation of the Healthcare-Associated Infections' prevention and control within the hospital setting tool as an institutional accreditation tool may help to drive the required harmonization at a national level of Healthcare-Associated Infections management and control strategies and overcome current substantial regional differences.

Background: The Italian Study Group of Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health promoted and conducted a study on teaching hospital hygiene, with particular reference to the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections, with the aim of developing effective educational material starting from the results collected., Material and Methods: First of all, a survey was carried out, targeting lecturers in hospital hygiene, with the purpose of investigating their perceptions regarding this issue. The available scientific literature was also reviewed in order to identify effective educational/teaching strategies for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections, so that valid training interventions could be subsequently developed. Finally, a trial-training intervention was implemented, and specific audio-visual teaching material was also tested., Results: The overall response rate to the survey was 42%, with good country-wide representativeness. The level of awareness of hospital hygiene issues by students resulted higher among trainee nurses (65%) than among medical students (44%). The teaching staff identified alternative educational methodologies to substitute the classical lecture (e.g.: case discussions) and, in most cases, the alternative solution appeared to be preferable. The teaching of hospital hygiene was better integrated with other disciplines and professional training activities in the degree courses for nurses than in those for doctors; the total number of hours assigned to such teaching was variable. The literature review highlighted that various educational approaches are used. The most common are presentations or lectures, but videos, posters, questionnaires and e-learning strategies are also used. Combining different instruments when designing an educational programme has proven to be an effective strategy. The training activity tested was positively evaluated by the participants; the possibility of multidisciplinary exchange of knowledge was particularly appreciated., Conclusion: Having considered the issue of teaching hospital hygiene from the points of view of the different protagonists involved (educators and students), this enabled us to develop useful training material and a proposal for a shared educational intervention. The subject of hospital hygiene, in particular the one related to the prevention of healthcare-associated infections, is addressed in various courses and with different modalities; it is, therefore, important to standardize course contents and teaching methods, in order to facilitate multidisciplinary debate, especially starting from case studies.

Background: In Italy there are no rules concerning the establishment of a hospital hygiene structure in hospitals and other healthcare settings, and the hospital organization plans vary widely. The aim of the survey, carried out by the Italian Study Group of Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive medicine and Public health, was to evaluate the presence in the hospital organization plan of a structure referred to as Hospital hygiene, or including in its denomination the words "hygiene" or "hospital hygiene", the activities carried out, the relation to other areas, like patient safety, the type and quantity of professionals involved, the strengths and the critical aspects., Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to Healthcare Trusts representing all Italian Regions through the members of the above Study Group., Results: 35 Trusts, 13 in Northern, 8 in Central, 14 in Southern Italy (including Sicily and Sardinia), completed the questionnaire. In 19 Trusts (54.3%) a structure whose denomination included the words "hospital hygiene" or "hygiene" was present. The activities related to the management of infectious risk were most represented, carried out autonomously or in collaboration, but many other activities were covered. In all hospitals the activities of the Hospital Hygiene Unit inter-linked with those of the clinical risk, with different forms of collaboration., Conclusion: This survey, even though on a limited sample, provided a picture of hospital hygiene at a national level, showing a considerable heterogeneity and highlighting critical issues but also strengths. It is essential to share organizational and management models that enhance and promote hospital hygiene, to ensure the appropriateness of healthcare practices offered in a safe and comfortable environment to patients, operators, and visitors.

Background: In 2014, the Italian Study Group of Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health (GISIO-SItI), in collaboration with the National Association of Medical Hospital Managers (ANMDO), conducted a survey on the availability of procedures for cleaning and disinfecting ambulances in order to assess the practices in use., Methods: An online questionnaire was prepared through the Survey Monkey® platform and a web link access was sent to a convenience sample of ANMDO doctors working in healthcare management in public and private healthcare facilities., Results: Ninety-six questionnaires were collected (26% response rate). In 73% of cases there was a procedure for cleaning and disinfecting ambulances, which had been produced at a company level (67%) and involved various professionals. In 21% of cases the procedure had been prepared in expectation of an epidemic or following an epidemic (5%). The recommendations had been presented to the staff (90%), in 28% of cases through training events with verification of the knowledge acquired. Monitoring of the implementation of the procedure is planned in the majority of cases (88%), mainly through direct observation (92%). In 67% of cases the tender specifications for ambulance services did not include a section dedicated to cleaning and disinfection and, in the absence of a procedure, this was provided by the hospital in only 51% of case., Conclusion: This survey represented a first step towards the development of guidelines for standardising procedures and providing indications useful for their evaluation and monitoring their implementation.

Surveillance of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) is essential to improve the quality of health services. The aim of this paper is to report the commitment of the Italian Study Group of Hospital Hygiene (GISIO) of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health (SItI) describing some experiences to contrast HAIs and antimicrobial resistance. Particularly, the commitment to contrast HAIs in intensive care with the SPIN-UTI project - Italian Nosocomial Infections Surveillance in ICUs, and in surgery with the ISCHIA project - Infections of Surgical Site in Arthroplasty Interventions - were described. Furthermore, some activities conducted in Sicily using repeated prevalence studies were reported. The experiences reported confirmed that surveillance is essential to provide health services with information, guidance and tools to manage effectively the risk of HAI and antimicrobial resistance and to monitor the level of achievement of control programmes.

Background: It is necessary to implement current teaching in the healthcare and university sector by promoting new tools for the enhancement of public health, bearing in mind that some health determinants seek to create a context in which to present their own idea of innovative Startup, can represent the opportunity to give your professional contribution to the development of another's idea or to propose an improved solution to the private business. On the other hand, networking with companies and networking between training participants will allow us to recognize the importance of demonstrating their diverse skills as a key element to create a successful Startup or to implement the activities of a reality already consolidated., Methods: This paper describes the research protocol of a Hackathon Public Health (HPH) teaching methodology aimed at: a) increasing public health knowledge; b) changing the proactive approach of the healthcare provider, especially by increasing the sectoral training activity; c) to promote educational and training activities in Italian regions. The subjects involved will be healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, health professions, psychologists, biologists, assistants in training) who are selected to receive or not the intervention through the implementation of a HPH which also includes training activity., Conclusions: HPH is an innovation in the national health landscape, with the aim of creating environments and training policies aimed at promoting proper clinical risk management as part of the continuous improvement of the quality of healthcare organizations and proper training activities.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are an important issue in terms of quality of care. HAIs impact patient safety by contributing to higher rates of preventable mortality and prolonged hospitalizations. In Italy, analysis of the currently available accreditation systems shows a substantial heterogeneity of approaches for the prevention and surveillance of HAIs in hospitals. The aim of the present study is to develop and propose the use of a synthetic assessment tool that could be implemented homogenously throughout the nation., Methods: An analysis of nine international and of the 21 Italian regional accreditation systems was conducted in order to identify requirements and indicators implemented for HAI prevention and control. Two relevant reviews on this topic were further analyzed to identify additional evidence-based criteria. The project team evaluated all the requirements and indicators with consensus meeting methodology, then those applicable to the Italian context were grouped into a set of "focus areas"., Results: The analysis of international systems and Italian regional accreditation manuals led to the identification respectively of 19 and 14 main requirements, with relevant heterogeneity in their application. Additional evidence-based criteria were included from the reviews analysis. From the consensus among the project team members all the standards were compared and 20 different thematic areas were identified, with a total of 96 requirements and indicators for preventing and monitoring HAIs., Conclusions: The study reveals a great heterogeneity in the definition of accreditation criteria between the Italian regions. The introduction of a uniform, synthetic assessment instrument, based on the review of national and international standards, may serve as a self-assessment tool to evaluate the achievement of a minimum standards set for HAIs prevention and control in healthcare facilities. This may be used as an assessment tool by the Italian institutional accreditation system, also useful to reduce regional disparities.

Objectives: Since the new millennium, the number of e-health users has significantly increased. Among these, a particular category of people who are interested by this phenomenon is the one of pregnant women. The aim of the present study is to assess the sociodemographic and geographic differences existing in a sample of Italian pregnant women who search for information on the web., Study Design: Multicenter cross-sectional survey., Methods: The present study has been conducted from November 2011 to September 2012, in seven Italian cities, located in the North, in the Centre and in the South of Italy. Data were collected through an anonymous questionnaire, administered in waiting rooms of outpatient departments by trained medical doctors. Data were analysed through multivariate logistic regression models., Results: Overall, 1347 responders were interviewed. Eighty-six percent of them declared to surf the internet to retrieve pregnancy-related information. The most searched topics were fetal development (51.3%), healthy lifestyle during pregnancy (48.7%), physiology of pregnancy (39.8%), generic and specific tips/advices during pregnancy (37.2%) and lactation (36.8%). Statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) according to geographic origin, age and educational level were found with regard to the most frequently searched information on the Web, the reasons that pushed pregnant women to practice e-health, and the possibility to change lifestyles after e-health., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the phenomenon of pregnancy e-health is widespread and show social and geographic differences, in particular about city of residence, age and educational level. It might encourage healthcare professionals to be more available and exhaustive during routine visits and to be more careful about web content on this topic, also addressing the different needs into different geographic contexts., (Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance are well known major public health threats. The first goal of our study was to describe the prevalence of HAI, while the second goal was to describe the antibiotic consumption at our University Hospital, "P. Giaccone" in Palermo, Italy., Methods: A standardized methodology for a combined Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospital developed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) was piloted across Europe. The teaching Hospital "P. Giaccone" in Palermo, Italy, participated in the study., Results: Out of 328 surveyed patients, 12 (3.6%) had an HAI and 159 (48.5%) were receiving at least one antimicrobial agent. Prevalence results were highest in intensive care units, with 17.6% patients with HAI. Bloodstream infections represented the most common type (50%) of HAI. Surgical prophylaxis was the indication for antimicrobial prescribing in 59 (37.1%) out of 159 patients and exceeded 24 hours in 54 (91.5%) cases., Discussion: The results suggest that in our hospital there was a frequent and inappropriate use of antimicrobials, especially in the setting of surgical prophylaxis.

In this study we analyse factors that predispose to risk and we value the importance of quality and reliability into operating theatre. Patient safety result from ability to plan and manage organizations able to reduce probability of mistakes (Prevention) and to recover and contain their consequences (Protection). The principal motives of mistakes are: - deficiency of sharing procedures between different professional figures for risk prevention; - deficiency of an effective integration between professional figures in operating theatre; - deficiency of charitable precise run to guarantee the continuity of interventions on patient. A risk management program have to take care on this sentinel events and to set up a survey-information system to characterize risks and correction strategies. To prevent patient change, wrong side identification, not working devices or deficiency of surgery materials, it would be useful for operating theatre figures and for anesthetists to work out all together a procedure for admission in operating theatre and a pre-operating check list. The best way to carry out a safety and quality attendance based on standardized procedures and protocols, is to set up risk management firm units. It is necessary to activate and to adjust survey system and effective management training.

In this work we run over hospital history from Middle ages to the present time. Hospitals were charitable institutions in fact they rise inside monasterys, churches or castles with an architecture in modum crucis as a symbolic expression of Christ crucifix. During Renaissance, new scientific Knowledges and the need of technical assistance in a suitable place, lead to a new kind of hospital included into the functional centres of the city were medical practice takes the places of spiritual assistance. In XVIII century hospital is like a "human diseases botanical garden" divided into departments with a circular structure in conformity with a functional model of control. To exceed the isolation of single room, rectangular rooms born with a radially arrangement. At the end of 700's born the pavilions structures typical of hospitals until half 900's when the "monobloc" take place. Today hospital becomes horizontal, include in the context of the city, with hall as a big hotel and with trading centres in accordance with Renzo Piano model and with a new vision of hospital as a welcome place were the patient is a guest to treat as a person of consequence.

While the enormous benefits of using electricity in everyday life and health care are unquestioned, during the past 20 years the general public has become increasingly concerned about potential adverse health effects of exposure to electric and magnetic fields at extremely low frequencies (ELF). Such exposures arise mainly from the transmission and use of electrical energy at the power frequencies of 50/60 Hz. The international scientific community is addressing the associated health issues through in vitro, in vivo and epidemiological studies, although present research results are often contradictory. The purpose of this paper is to provide information about the possible impacts of exposure to electric and magnetic field at ELF frequencies on health within the community and the workplace. Information comes from recent research studies on this subject and from epidemiological pooled studies recently reviewed by eminent authorities.

A study was undertaken to determine the resources available in Italian hospitals for the control of nosocomial infections and the factors favouring a successful approach. During January-May 2000 a questionnaire about infection control was sent to the hospital health director of all Italian National Health System hospitals treating acute patients and with more than 3500 admissions in 1999. An active programme was defined as a hospital infection control committee (HICC) meeting at least four times in 1999, the presence of a doctor with infection control responsibilities, a nurse employed in infection control and at least one surveillance activity and one infection control guideline issued or updated in the past two years. There was a response rate of 87.5% (463/529). Almost fifteen percent (69/463) of hospitals had an active programme for Infection Control and 76.2% (353/463) had a HICC. Seventy-one percent (330/463) of the hospitals had a hospital infection control physician and 53% (250/463) had infection control nurses. Fifty-two percent (242/463) reported at least one surveillance activity and 70.8% (328/463) had issued or updated at least one guidance document in the last two years. The presence of regional policies [odds ratio (OR) 8.7], operative groups (OR 4.2), at least one full-time nurse (OR 4.6) and a hospital annual plan which specified infection control (OR 2.1) were statistically associated with an active programme in the multivariate analysis.

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a pathogen of special concern in intensive care units (ICUs). The burn units are a very susceptible habitat to colonization and infection events by this organism. In this paper isolation of MRSA from a sepsis case and from samples of the care unit air is described, along with simultaneous circulation of two clones of MRSA. Some peculiar epidemiological features of MRSA in burn intensive care wards are confirmed.

Four strains of Bacillus thuringiensis were isolated from infections in burn wounds and from water used in the treatment of burn wounds. The strains produced large parasporal inclusion bodies composed of 141, 83, and 81 kDa protoxins. The four strains were tested for insecticidal activity against larvae of Pieris brassicae and Aedes aegypti but showed no activity; Vero cell assays for the production of enterotoxins were also negative. Attempts to classify the strains according to flagellar H-serotype showed them all to be non-flagellated. Apart from two occupational health accidents that occurred during the handling of highly concentrated B. thuringiensis fluids, this is the first report of B. thuringiensis causing non-gastrointestinal clinical infection in immunosuppressed patients.

The effect of Dexamethasone (DEX) on cell division and macromolecular synthesis was investigated in a line (McCoy cells, A 9) of synovial fibroblast-like cells derived from human osteoarthritic joints. DEX markedly reduced the proliferation of McCoy cells in a time and dose-dependent manner. The maximal inhibition (45%) was found at 500 nM DEX 24 h after incubation and was accompanied by the appearance of giant macrophage-like cells. After DEX treatment cells showed increased content of DNA, proteins and RNA together with the reduction of [3H]-thymidine incorporation into the TCA-precipitable fraction.

21 HIV strains were isolated from peripheral mononuclear cells of 31 adult and pediatric patients with AIDS or ARC and 10 apparently healthy HIV seropositive individuals. Viral isolation rate was correlated to the clinical status of patients, being very high in patients with AIDS or ARC, and lower in apparently healthy individuals. 4 isolates were propagated in cultures of a T-cell continuous line (Molt 4) and their biological properties were compared. The capacity to establish a chronic infection on Molt 4 cells and the extent of cytopathic effect of the infected cultures varied among the different strains. Moreover, differences in endpoint titrations of the supernatants and variable effects on cell multiplication and viability of Molt 4 cells were also observed. Our results further substantiate the existence of a wide heterogeneity of HIV strains.

A cross-sectional seroepidemiologic study was carried out on household contacts and sexual partners of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody-positive intravenous drug abusers in Palermo, Italy, in 1985 to evaluate factors that influenced HIV transmission. A total of 43 index cases, 36 spouses or heterosexual partners, 28 children, and 55 adult household members were enrolled. None of the household members without sexual contact, who had shared items and facilities and had interacted with the index cases, contracted HIV infection. However, six of 36 sexual partners had antibodies to HIV. It was observed that the risk of HIV infection was significantly associated with the frequency of sexual intercourse with the seropositive partner. Four children were also found to be infected: two had acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related complex, and the other two were clinically and immunologically normal. Furthermore, one other child had evidence of passive transfer of maternal antibodies. The infection was confined to the younger children (ranging in age from eight months to three years). The data support a high rate of vertical transmission from mother to infant, an intermediate rate of transmission to sexual partners, and no transmission attributable to household contact.

The new human retroviruses HTLV III/LAV, implicated as the causative agent of AIDS, have been isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes of 5 of 13 drugs abusers with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related complex (ARC). In one patient the virus was also found in cell-free plasma. No HTLV III/LAV was detected in or isolated from 5 clinically healthy drug abusers. The lymphocytes were cultured with interleukin 2 and expressed either a transcriptase reverse activity or HTLV III/LAV antigens within 2-3 weeks of cultivation. The viruses were also transmitted into normal lymphocytes from cord blood of human newborns. At the present state of development, virological investigation, other than seroepidemiological survey, seems a suitable marker for human retroviruses tracing in epidemiological studies.

Nosocomial Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were typed by DNA fingerprinting techniques. Chromosomal DNA banding patterns, after endonuclease digestion, of six isolates from a neonatal care unit confirmed the results of O-serotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern analysis. In contrast, the characterization by chromosomal DNA fingerprinting of P. aeruginosa strains isolated from patients treated in a burn unit disagreed with the two classic typing methods: in fact, isolates that varied in serotype and antibiograms showed identical restriction endonuclease profiles, whereas two indistinguishable isolates cultured from individual patients were easily and reproducibly differentiated by molecular analysis.

Hospital infections (H.I.) were studied in the University Polyclinic of Palermo, a 1270 beds General Hospital. A prevalence study was carried out in four periods (December, February, June, October) on a sample of 590 patients from randomly chosen from medical and surgical departments. All patients present in the departments were investigated. Data were obtained from hospital records, using a form prepared according to the Italian Study Project of Hospital Infections (SIPIO), and through interview of the patients and/or of the medical staff. After excluding community infections, point prevalence was calculated; moreover, the day in which sign or symptoms of infections appeared was assessed. Cumulative incidence of H.I. and some risk factors associated were estimated using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox model for multivariate analysis.

This paper studies the influence of uridine on the effects exerted by D-glucosamine in rat C6 glioma cells. 2 mM uridine increased markedly both the cytotoxic effect of the aminosugar and the inhibition of thymidine incorporation into acid-insoluble fraction. Furthermore the complete resumption of the capacity to incorporate either 3H-thymidine or 3H-mannose which was observed after the removal of the aminosugar, was impeded when the cells were treated contemporaneously with D-glucosamine and uridine. An exposure for 4 hr to 20 mM glucosamine alone enhanced about 15-fold the cellular pool of UDP-N-acetylhexosamines; the addition of 2 mM uridine intensified the expansion of this pool, which became about 35-fold the control value. The findings suggest a connection between the accumulation of UDP-N-acetylhexosamines in the cells and the appearance of D-glucosamine cytotoxicity.

A seroepidemiological survey, carried out to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies to HIV in patients with ARC and in healthy individuals at risk for AIDS, showed the infection to be widespread in the groups at risk, namely in drug abusers and hemophiliacs. However, remarkable difference existed between the prevalence of antibodies to HIV in drug abusers of the city of Palermo and those of other Sicilian provinces. Spread of the virus among Sicilian thalassemics, however, was very low and quite similar in all geographic areas. Antibodies were found very rarely (0.06%) in unpaid voluntary blood donors. The spread of the virus is still confined in high risk groups, and the major part of the seropositive blood donors were identified a posteriori as drug abusers.

This study was designed to examine the effects of microwaves on the electric activity of hearts as a means of elucidating interactive mechanisms of nonionizing radiation with cardiac tissue. Experiments were performed on isolated hearts of 9-12-day-old chick embryos placed in small petri dishes. Oxygenated isotonic Ringer's solution at 37 degrees C permitted heart survival. Samples were irradiated at 2.45 GHz with a power density of 3 mW/cm2. The heart signal was detected with a glass micropipet inserted into the sinoatrial node and examined by means of a Berg-Fourier analyzer. Pulsed microwaves caused the locking of the heartbeat to the modulation frequency, whereas continuous wave irradiation might have induced slight bradycardia. Pulsed fields induced stimulation or regularization of the heartbeat in arrhythmia, fibrillation, or arrest of the heart.