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Background: In May 2023, Romagna, Italy, faced a devastating flood resulting in 16 fatalities, forced displacement of 26,000 citizens, and significant economic losses. Due to potential water contamination, implementing public health strategies became imperative for the Local Health Authority to mitigate the health consequences, analyze the flood's impact on the local population's health, and detect early anomalies requiring timely public health interventions. Methods: Between June and July 2023, general practitioners who were part of the RespiVirNet surveillance network completed weekly structured forms. These forms collected data on individuals exposed or not to floodwaters and clinical syndromes. Rates per 1000 resident population aged > 14 were stratified by district, week of observation, and symptomatology. Missing data were addressed by imputation using second-order autoregressive modeling. Results: An incidence of 3.52 syndromes potentially related to flood water exposure per 1000 individuals (95% CI 2.82–4.35) was estimated. Ravenna, the city most affected by the flood, recorded the highest rate (6.05 per 1000, 95% CI 4.59–7.82). Incidence decreased in the weeks post-event. Anxiety, or trauma and stress symptoms, exhibited higher rates among the exposed, diminishing over weeks. The incidence for the non-exposed (12.76 per 1000, 95% CI 10.55–15.29) showed no significant territorial differences compared to the exposed ones. Conclusions: Syndromic surveillance provided timely information on the flood's health impact, revealing a higher incidence of individual syndromes among the non-exposed. This study contributes to guiding the implementation of future public health preparedness and response strategies for populations facing similar natural disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Italy, free vaccinations for Herpes Zoster (HZ), pneumococcal (PCV), and influenza (FLU) are recommended each year for individuals turning 65. Despite this, achieving optimal vaccination coverage remains challenging. This study assesses coverage rates for HZ, PCV, and FLU in Forlì, Northern Italy, and examines how altitude, urban planning, and health organization variables (such as the presence of a vaccination center) impact vaccine uptake. Vaccination coverages were calculated for birth cohorts between 1952 and 1958 for each municipality in the Forlì area as of 1 March 2024. The geographical factors influencing the vaccination uptake were extracted from the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) records and evaluated through a multivariate analysis. The sample analyzed included 15,272 vaccine campaign targets from Forlì's province (185,525 citizens); the vaccine uptake rates for HZ, PCV, and FLU were 26.9%, 36.7%, and 43.5%, respectively. Gender did not appear to influence vaccine uptake. Living in a flat area appeared to increase vaccine uptake in a statistically significant way for all the vaccinations when compared to a mountainous area (HZ: OR: 1.50, PCV: OR: 1.33, FLU: OR: 1.67). The presence of a vaccine service in low-urbanized areas was shown to increase vaccine uptake for all vaccinations (HZ: OR: 1.65, PCV: OR: 1.93, FLU: OR: 1.53) compared with low-urbanized areas without a vaccination center or more urbanized areas with a vaccination center. This study emphasizes the significance of the territorial context, along with the ease of access to vaccinations and geographic barriers, as key determinants in achieving vaccination targets. Local health authorities should consider these factors when implementing vaccination campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To the Editor: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection is a self-limiting illness characterized by fever, headache, weakness, rash, and arthralgia. Some patients show prolonged weakness or arthralgia lasting several months. In [...]