Congenital Chagas disease in a Bolivian newborn in Bergamo (Italy)

Chagas disease (CD) is an uncommon disease in Europe. Its epidemiology has changed because of mass migration from Latin America to Europe. Herein we describe a congenital case of CD in a Bolivian newborn in Bergamo, the main city of residence for the Bolivian community in Italy. At delivery, serological analyses evidenced IgG antibodies against Trypanosoma cruzi both in the child and mother, as expected. Hemoscopic analyses on peripheral blood were repeatedly negative during the first months of life. Eventually, thanks to T. cruzi Real Time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positivity on peripheral blood and development of progressive anemia in the following weeks, congenital Chagas disease was diagnosed and benznidazole-based therapy started. A progressive antibodies' index decrease was observed till negativity (306 days apart). RT-PCR was negative at the end of treatment. Our case is instructive and management of congenital CD is discussed from the perspective of a non-endemic country

Innovative textile technology with antimicrobial activity: preliminary tests

The prevalence of urinary tract infections (UTI) and antibiotic resistance prompts researchers to develop strategies for bacterial containment, such as antiseptic-active textiles. We verified the in vitro antimicrobial effect of innovative Nexus Energy Fiber compared to conventional cotton fabrics. The analytical procedure is performed in accordance with ASTM E-2180-07 document. Tests are realized both against clinical and reference UTI-responsible microorganisms by comparing CFUs declines on the two textiles, at different contact times (0, 6, 24, 48 hours) and at different distances between the fabrics and the microbial strains (0, 0.5-1 cm). Results show that Nexus Energy Fiber has a measurable bactericidal effect which depends on the distances and is directly proportional to the contact time on most of the tested microbial strains

Evaluation of antiseptic disinfectant activity with static light scattering technology

Background and aims. Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are an increasingly important issue, for this reason disinfection and antisepsis practices acquire importance. The use of products with antiseptic activity and reports of resistance to these molecules, pose the need to test, in the local area, the sensitivity pattern. The aim of this study is to verify the ability of the analytical system Alfred 60AST (Alifax Spa Isola dell’Abbà, Polverara - PD - Italy) in evaluating the antimicrobial effectiveness in vitro of different molecules in comparison to the membrane filtration reference method, in accordance with the procedure NF T72- 152 proposed by the Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR). Materials and Methods. We used four antiseptic-disinfectant substances, commonly used in hospital practic: Iodopovidone, Ethanol, Chlorhexidine and DECS. ATCC strains were assessed both with clinical isolates. The eventual development occurs by means of microbial ALFRED AST60 was carried out in progressive times (30, 60 and 120 minutes) with different dilutions for each of the disinfectant molecules tested. Results and Conclusions. Comparison tests carried out between membrane filtration method and instrumentation Alfred 60AST gave results almost totally concordant. The analyzer Alfred 60AST can then be appropriately adapted to the in vitro evaluation of antiseptics, representing a valuable aid in the periodic monitoring of their activities and the prior assessment of sensitivity for therapeutic use. Though preliminary, the study confirms the existence of bacteria resistant to alcohols and biguanides, and it emphasizes the opportunity to verify the in vitro sensitivity profile

Rapid detection of cryptococcal antigen by a flow assay

Cryptococcosis is a life-threatening infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii. Tests for quick detection of the cryptococcal antigen are needed. This study compares the performance of a lateral flow assay (LFA) to the latex agglutination method. Thirty-five cryopreserved positive samples (sera and cerebrospinal fluids) plus three negative sera for control have been examined. LFA does not need high-temperature incubation or enzyme pre-treatment. All the results, except for one serum, agree with previous obtained with latex agglutination method. LFA has an important clinical utility for its rapidity and sensitivity, and it also can be used as a point-of-care test