An updating on Cryptosporidium parvum in the water buffalo

A cross-sectional survey of Cryptosporidium parvum infection in the water buffalo was carried out in central Italy. The survey was carried out on a sample of 90 farms, selected using a grid approach within a Geographical Information System, followed by proportional allocation. On each farm, faecal samples were collected from three to five asymptomatic buffalo calves, aged from 1 to 9 weeks (total number = 347). Each sample was tested for the presence of copro-antigens of C. parvum using a commercially available ELISA. Out of the 90 farms, 22 (24.4%) resulted positive. With respect to animals, out of the 347 faecal samples, 51 (14.7%) were found to have antigens of C. parvum. The results of the logistic regression model showed a positive association between the positivity to C. parvum and the high number of buffaloes on farms

First studies on Giardia duodenalis in the water buffalo

A cross-sectional survey of Giardia duodenalis infection in the water buffalo was carried out in Central Italy. The survey was conducted on a sample of 90 farms, selected using a grid approach within a Geographical Information System, followed by proportional allocation. On each farm, faecal samples were collected from three to five asymptomatic buffalo calves, aged from 1 to 9 weeks (total number = 347). Each faecal sample was tested for the presence of copro-antigens of G. duodenalis using a commercially available ELISA. Out of the 90 farms, 27 (30.0%) resulted positive. With respect to animals, out of the 347 faecal samples, 63 (18.1%) were found to have antigens of G. duodenalis. The results of the logistic regression model showed a positive association between the positivity to G. duodenalis and the presence of sheep on farm

Distribution of helminths in buffalo farms from central Italy

The aim of the present study was to obtain up-to-date information on the distribution of helminths in buffalo farms of central Italy. The survey was carried out on a sample of 127 farms (epidemiological units), selected using a grid approach within a Geographical Information System, followed by proportional allocation. In each farm the number of buffaloes tested (adults, heifer/steers and calves) ranged from 9 to 21 based on the number of animals on the farm. The total number of faecal samples collected from the 127 farms was 1883. Copromicroscopic examinations were performed using the FLOTAC technique. The following helminths were detected in the examined farms: gastrointestinal strongyles (33.1%), Strongyloides spp. (3.1%), Fasciola hepatica (7.1%), Dicrocoelium dendriticum (2.4%), Paramphistomidae (7.1%), and Moniezia spp. (2.4%)

Clinical features and outcomes of elderly hospitalised patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure or both

Background and objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure (HF) mutually increase the risk of being present in the same patient, especially if older. Whether or not this coexistence may be associated with a worse prognosis is debated. Therefore, employing data derived from the REPOSI register, we evaluated the clinical features and outcomes in a population of elderly patients admitted to internal medicine wards and having COPD, HF or COPD + HF. Methods: We measured socio-demographic and anthropometric characteristics, severity and prevalence of comorbidities, clinical and laboratory features during hospitalization, mood disorders, functional independence, drug prescriptions and discharge destination. The primary study outcome was the risk of death. Results: We considered 2,343 elderly hospitalized patients (median age 81 years), of whom 1,154 (49%) had COPD, 813 (35%) HF, and 376 (16%) COPD + HF. Patients with COPD + HF had different characteristics than those with COPD or HF, such as a higher prevalence of previous hospitalizations, comorbidities (especially chronic kidney disease), higher respiratory rate at admission and number of prescribed drugs. Patients with COPD + HF (hazard ratio HR 1.74, 95% confidence intervals CI 1.16-2.61) and patients with dementia (HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.06-2.90) had a higher risk of death at one year. The Kaplan-Meier curves showed a higher mortality risk in the group of patients with COPD + HF for all causes (p = 0.010), respiratory causes (p = 0.006), cardiovascular causes (p = 0.046) and respiratory plus cardiovascular causes (p = 0.009). Conclusion: In this real-life cohort of hospitalized elderly patients, the coexistence of COPD and HF significantly worsened prognosis at one year. This finding may help to better define the care needs of this population

Giardia and Cryptosporidium in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

A cross-sectional survey of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium parvum infection in the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) was carried out in central Italy. A geographical information system (GIS) was constructed utilizing as data-layers the topographic base map and the digital aerial photographs of the study area, as well as the geo-referenced points of all the buffalo farms. The survey was conducted on a sample of 90 farms, selected using a grid approach followed by proportional allocation. For this purpose, a grid representing quadrants of 5x5 km was overlaid on the study area within the GIS. As a result, the study area was divided in equal quadrants, and the number of farms sampled in each quadrant was proportional to the total number of study population in that quadrant. On each farm, faecal samples were collected per rectum from three to five asymptomatic buffalo calves, aged from 1 to 9 weeks. The total number of faecal samples collected was 347. Each faecal sample was tested for the presence of copro-antigens of G. duodenalis and of C. parvum using two commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Out of the 90 farms, 27 (30.0%) resulted positive for G. duodenalis and 22 (24.4%) for C. parvum. Co-infection was found in ten (11.1%) farms. With respect to animals, out of the 347 faecal samples, 63 (18.1%) were found to have antigens of G. duodenalis and 51 (14.7%) of C. parvum. Co-infection was found in ten buffalo calves (2.9%). The results of the logistic regression models showed a positive association between the positivity to G. duodenalis and the presence of sheep on farm and between the positivity to C. parvum and the high number of buffaloes on farms. No significant co-infection between the two protozoa was found. In conclusion, the findings of the present study, derived from a systematic territorial survey planned with GIS, are noteworthy because they provided additional data on C. parvum and the first evidence of G. duodenalis infection in water buffaloes

FOOD EDUCATION: AN ISTRUMENT FOR CONSUMER’S HEALTH PROTECTION

Health is defined by WHO, as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not just absence of disease.” So it needs not simply treat but also prevent, inform, and promote healthy behaviors. From here the importance of putting into practice all possible strategies for prevention from age lowest. The purpose of this work is just to describe the project “Food and Culture”, between the IZSLT and and the Municipality of Ariccia in order to promote nutrition education in the family from the boys

Stimolazione cognitiva nei soggetti affetti da lieve deficit cognitivo amnesico mediante un intervent individualizzato ed ecologico

Con il crescere dell\u2019attenzione da parte della comunit\ue0 medico-scientifica nei confronti della malattia di Alzheimer, una grande parte degli studi si \ue8 rivolta alla fase prodromica, detta Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), con l\u2019obiettivo di identificare criteri validi per individuare soggetti a rischio di sviluppo di MA. Tra i sottotipi di MCI individuati, \ue8 di particolare interesse la forma amnestica che pu\uf2 essere a singolo dominio (sd) o a dominio multiplo (md) se, oltre alla memoria, colpisce almeno un\u2019altra funzione cognitiva (Petersen e Negash, 2008). Lo scopo dello studio \ue8 quello di costruire un intervento strategicamente orientato al miglioramento o mantenimento della funzionalit\ue0 cognitiva nei soggetti con a-MCI e al benessere complessivo della persona. 30 pazienti con diagnosi di a-MCI (secondo i criteri indicati da Petersen 2008) sono stati suddivisi in due gruppi, omogenei per et\ue0 e scolarit\ue0. Il confronto tra gruppi (Kruskal-Wallis - SPSS: Statistical Package Social Sciences) a T.0 non mostra alcuna differenza significativa nei test considerati. In T.1 si evidenzia un miglioramento significativo della funzionalit\ue0 attentiva e mnesica del gruppo A rispetto al B. Le funzioni esecutive e la velocit\ue0 di risposta non subiscono invece significative modificazioni (Tabella 1). Nell\u2019analisi interna al gruppo A (Friedman \u2013 15 sogg) tra T.0 e T.1 si registra un miglioramento significativo alle prove di attenzione selettiva, che viene parzialmente perso nella fase di assenza di trattamento (differenza tra T.0 e T.2 su 10 sogg non significativa). La memoria risente positivamente del trattamento (confronto tra T.0 e T.1 con un mantenimento) che mantiene l\u2019effetto in T.2 ( confronto tra T.2 e T.0 p= .083). I risultati ottenuti, preliminari, portano a ritenere che l\u2019intervento mirato sulle abilit\ue0 metacognitive e di acquisizione di strategie mnestiche possa portare ad un miglioramento specifico delle abilit\ue0 di memoria che sembra mantenersi nel tempo. Viceversa, i miglioramenti delle funzioni attentive, evidenti alla fine del training intensivo, tendono a ridursi con il tempo, probabilmente perch\ue9 pi\uf9 strettamente connessi ad un effetto di allenamento. Ulteriori analisi dovranno essere effettuate al completamento dello studio, soprattutto finalizzate a comprendere le possibili strade da intraprendere per aumentare l\u2019effetto temporale dei benefici connessi all\u2019intervento di stimolazione cognitiva

Cognitive Stimulation of Executive functions in Mild cognitive impairment: specific Efficacy and Impact in memory.

Executive functions play an important role in the maintenance of autonomy in day-to-day activities. Nevertheless, there is little research into specific cognitive training for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). We present the results of a program which aims to teach specific strategies and metacognitive abilities in order for patients to be able to carry out attentional and executive tasks. Two groups (A and B) were compared in a cross-over design. After the first evaluation, Group A (but not B) participated in a six month cognitive stimulation program. After a second assessment, only Group B received treatment and then a final evaluation was carried out on both groups. The results show that: i) both groups improved their performance as an effect of training; ii) improvements generalized to memory and general cognitive tasks; iii) in the interval without training, Group B's performance worsened and iv) Group A partially maintained their results over time