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The study analyzes the trend of group B streptococcal (GBS) infection in pregnancy in the province of Trento, Italy, where a universal screening of GBS infection in pregnancy has been active for some time. Data from pregnant women who gave birth at local maternity units between 2015-2019 were obtained from birth attendance certificates (BAC), the main - and mandatory - source of information for monitoring pregnancies, births and neonatal health in Italy. The BAC used in the province of Trento acquires the results of a vast range of infections in pregnancy. The data collected from the BAC were integrated with those provided by the Hospital Information System (SIO). The occurrence of neonatal GBS infection was investigated on 2019 birth cohort, using the hospital discharge archive as an ancillary information source. Between 2015-2019, 20,905 pregnant women received care at maternity units of the province of Trento, Italy, of whom 25.5% were foreigners. The average coverage of GBS testing in pregnancy was 91.8% (95% CI 91.25-92.35) without significant variations from one year to the next. Test coverage varies in relation to maternity units and some socio-demographic characteristics of mothers. The average proportion of GBS positive cases over the study period was 21.0% (95% CI 20.7-21.3), a value that does not show statistically significant changes from one year to the next. The proportion of positive cases appears uneven among the subgroups of pregnant women considered, even if the differences are not statistically significant. In the 2019 birth cohort, newborns to GBS-positive mothers had an excess of stillbirths, of those born with Apgar at 5 minutes <7 and hospitalized at birth. However, these excesses were not statistically significant. Intravenous Antibiotic Prophylaxis (IAP) was performed in 86.8% of births from GBS positive mothers who had an indication for IAP. IAP was inadequate in 7.4% of the GBS positive mothers. Postnatal evaluation of 783 live births to GBS positive mothers identified 3 cases of early neonatal GBS infection. The incidence of neonatal GBS infection over the whole series of live births is 0.71/1,000 (95% CI 0.56-0.86), 0.68/1000 (CI 95% 0.55-0.79) in Italians and 1.07/1000 (95% CI 0.45-1.65) in foreigners. Data collection on infections in pregnancy through BAC allows area-based assessment. The quality of the data recorded in the BAC can be considered satisfactory but it was necessary to access to other information sources. The local availability of various information sources should allow periodic audits and closer monitoring of neonatal GBS infection., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None, (Copyright © 2016 - 2022 InfezMed.)

The study analysed the trend of toxoplasmosis infection in pregnancy by using antenatal serological screening and the incidence of the congenital condition in newborns in the province of Trento, Italy. Data from pregnant women who gave birth at local maternity units between 2009 and 2018 were obtained. The serological test results were collected from birth attendance certificates (BACs), the main - and mandatory - source of information used to monitor pregnancies, births and neonatal health in Italy. The BAC used in the province of Trento acquires the results of serological tests for a vast range of infections in pregnancy. The data collected from the BACs were integrated with those provided by the Hospital Information System (HIS), which was also used to collect data on the trimester in which the seroconversion occurred. A total of 45,492 pregnant women were analysed, of whom 24% were foreigners. The average coverage of serological screening in pregnancy was 99.7%. Mean overall prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection was 21.7% (95% CI: 21.3-22.1): in Italians the prevalence was 17.9% (95% CI: 17.5-18.30) and in foreign nationals 32.7% (95% CI: 32.26-33.13). The mean annual seroconversion rate was 0.35% (95% CI: 3.0-4.2) of susceptible women and 0.27% (95% CI: 2.2-3.4) of all pregnant women who were screened. The seroconversion rate was higher amongst foreign women (0.32%, 95% CI: 3.0-3.6) than Italian women (0.24%, 95% CI: 2.1-2.8). In all, 91.0% of seroconverted women were treated during pregnancy in accordance with the anti-toxoplasma protocol. Five cases of congenital infection were identified (2 amongst Italians and 3 amongst foreign women), amounting to an overall transmission rate of 4.0% (2.3% in Italians and 8.8% in foreigners). Transmission risk ranged from 0.0% in the first trimester to 19% in the third. The incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis, over the entire study period, was 0.012% live births (0.011% in Italians and 0.016% in foreigners). Data collection on infections in pregnancy through BAC allows area-based assessment. Although the quality of the data recorded in the BAC can be considered satisfactory, it was also necessary to access other information sources. The screening coverage was very high. The prevalence of toxoplasmosis infection was found to be higher in foreign mothers than in Italians, as well as seroconversion. The extent of serological screening and the high treatment rate helped to keep the risk of infection transmission to the foetus low and to achieve a very low rate of congenital infection.

We present data of a detailed study of endocrine function in 50 patients (21 males, 29 females) with thalassaemia intermedia, 15-46 years old (mean age 28.7 yr), with raised serum ferritin levels (mean 1540 micrograms/l). Mean haemoglobin concentration was 8.1 g/dl. Half of them had had more than 50 transfusions in their life and had received irregular intramuscular or subcutaneous chelation therapy. Delayed puberty was one of the most frequent (36%) clinical endocrine abnormalities found in our patients. Primary amenorrhea was observed in two patients and secondary amenorrhea in four patients. Two males, aged 19 and 36 years, had hypogonadism. A poor response to GnRH, found in three females and in both males tested, suggested that pituitary dysfunction was wholly or partially responsible for hypogonadism. Gonadal function was normal in all patients studied. Glucose intolerance and primary hypothyroidism were less frequent (24 and 5.7%, respectively) and milder than in thalassaemia major patients. Two patients had low T3 and T4 and normal basal and stimulated response of TSH to TRH. This condition has been found in euthyroid sick syndrome and it is likely that it represents an adaptive response by the body to minimize catabolism when undergoing major stress. As a consequence, we believe that periodic endocrine evaluation should be carried out in subjects with beta-thalassaemia intermedia, particularly in those over 14 years old, in order to detect and to treat endocrine dysfunction.