Immunization strategies targeting newly arrived migrants in Non-EU countries of the mediterranean basin and black sea

Background: The World Health Organization recommends that host countries ensure appropriate vaccinations to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. However, information on vaccination strategies targeting migrants in host countries is limited. Methods: In 2015-2016 we carried out a survey among national experts from governmental bodies of 15 non-EU countries of the Mediterranean and Black Sea in order to document and share national vaccination strategies targeting newly arrived migrants. Results: Four countries reported having regulations/procedures supporting the immunization of migrants at national level, one at sub-national level and three only targeting specific population groups. Eight countries offer migrant children all the vaccinations included in their national immunization schedule; three provide only selected vaccinations, mainly measles and polio vaccines. Ten and eight countries also offer selected vaccinations to adolescents and adults respectively. Eight countries provide vaccinations at the community level; seven give priority vaccines in holding centres or at entry sites. Data on administered vaccines are recorded in immunization registries in nine countries. Conclusions: Although differing among countries, indications for immunizing migrants are in place in most of them. However, we cannot infer from our findings whether those strategies are currently functioning and whether barriers to their implementation are being faced. Further studies focusing on these aspects are needed to develop concrete and targeted recommendations for action. Since migrants are moving across countries, development of on-line registries and cooperation between countries could allow keeping track of administered vaccines in order to appropriately plan immunization series and avoid unnecessary vaccinations

Key dimensions for the prevention and control of communicable diseases in institutional settings. a scoping review to guide the development of a tool to strengthen preparedness at migrant holding centres in the EU/EEA

Migrant centres, as other institutions hosting closed or semi-open communities, may face specific challenges in preventing and controlling communicable disease transmission, particularly during times of large sudden influx. However, there is dearth of evidence on how to prioritise investments in aspects such as human resources, medicines and vaccines, sanitation and disinfection, and physical infrastructures to prevent/control communicable disease outbreaks. We analysed frequent drivers of communicable disease transmission/issues for outbreak management in institutions hosting closed or semi-open communities, including migrant centres, and reviewed existing assessment tools to guide the development of a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) checklist tool to strengthen preparedness against communicable disease outbreaks in migrant centres. Among articles/reports focusing specifically on migrant centres, outbreaks through multiple types of disease transmission were described as possible/occurred. Human resources and physical infrastructure were the dimensions most frequently identified as crucial for preventing and mitigating outbreaks. This review also recognised a lack of common agreed standards to guide and assess preparedness activities in migrant centres, thereby underscoring the need for a capacity-oriented ECDC preparedness checklist tool

Erratum to: Underreporting of congenital rubella in Italy, 2010–2014

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Immunisation registers in Italy: a patchwork of computerisation

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THERMODYNAMIC MODELLING TO SUPPORT PRODUCTION OF HIGH NITROGEN STEELS BY DIFFERENT PROCESSES

High Nitrogen Stainless Steel (HNSS) have a high potential for several applications due to their attractive properties: by varying the range of composition of the steel, metallurgists are exploying these materials for many important applications. Actually, there are some processing routes available: the most part of the world production of HNSS is made by electric plus AOD for low-medium content of N and by PESR for high content of nitrogen The main criticality that can be encountered during the solidification of high nitrogen steels is the formation of gas bubbles due to supersaturation of nitrogen in the melt, that induces porosity in the final macrostructure. Therefore, tools for prediction of solidification behaviour of HNSS under different casting conditions, are required to prevent defectiveness due to pores in the final products. In the present work, a simple microsegregation model interfaced with Thermocalc has been implemented, which allows to predict the conditions for gas nucleation during solidification. This model has been validated by comparison with experimental results of solidification of different HNSS grades in conditions variable from vacuum to high pressure, and represents an useful tool to support HNSS industrial production

congenital rubella still a public health problem in italy analysis of national surveillance data from 2005 to 2013

In accordance with the goal of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, the Italian national measles and rubella elimination plan aims to reduce the incidence of congenital rubella cases to?less than?one case per 100,000 live births by the end of 2015. We report national surveillance data for congenital rubella and rubella in pregnancy from 2005 to 2013. A total of 75 congenital rubella infections were reported; the national annual mean incidence was 1.5/100,000 live births, including probable and confirmed cases according to European Union case definition. Two peaks occurred in 2008 and 2012 (5.0 and 3.6/100,000 respectively). Overall, 160 rubella infections in pregnancy were reported; 69/148 women were multiparous and 38/126 had had a rubella antibody test before pregnancy. Among reported cases, there were 62 infected newborns, 31 voluntary abortions, one stillbirth and one spontaneous abortion. A total of 24 newborns were unclassified and 14 women were lost to follow-up, so underestimation is likely. To improve follow-up of cases, systematic procedures for monitoring infected mothers and children were introduced in 2013. To prevent congenital rubella, antibody screening before pregnancy and vaccination of susceptible women, including post-partum and post-abortum vaccination, should be promoted. Population coverage?of two doses of measles-mumps-rubella vaccination of ≥?95% should be maintained and knowledge of health professionals improved

National approaches to the vaccination of recently arrived migrants in Europe : A comparative policy analysis across 32 European countries

Funding Information: However, current approaches to the vaccination of migrants have not been well documented to date, and it is acknowledged that there are additional challenges in ensuring equitable access to vaccines in diverse and mobile migrant populations [9,11]. The ongoing refugee crisis has facilitated renewed dialogue around approaches to the screening and vaccination of recently arrived migrants for infectious diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the United Nations Children's Fund recommended in 2015 that migrants in the WHO European Region should be vaccinated soon after arrival in accordance with the immunisation schedule of the receiving country in which they intend to stay for more than a week [11], and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is currently developing guidance on approaches to vaccine-preventable diseases in newly arrived migrants [12]. However, there has to date been no comprehensive examination of what policies or guidelines are currently implemented across Europe, or how they compare across countries. In order to facilitate the harmonisation of vaccination policies across Europe and identify best practice, a clear understanding of the different policies and of the key gaps or inconsistencies in such policies is needed [13,14]. We therefore did a comparative analysis of policies and guidelines in EU/EEA countries and Switzerland relating to the provision of vaccinations to recently arrived migrants to identify common approached.This research was funded by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases through the ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Travellers and Migrants (ESGITM). LBN, SH, and JSF receive funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, the Imperial College Healthcare Charity, and the Wellcome Trust (Grant number 209993/Z/17/Z). Funding Information: This research was funded by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases through the ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Travellers and Migrants (ESGITM). LBN, SH, and JSF receive funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre , the Imperial College Healthcare Charity , and the Wellcome Trust (Grant number 209993/Z/17/Z ). Publisher Copyright: © 2018 The AuthorsBackground: Migrants may be underimmunised and at higher risk of vaccine-preventable diseases, yet there has been no comprehensive examination of what policies are currently implemented across Europe targeting child and adult migrants. We analysed vaccination policies for migrants in 32 EU/EEA countries and Switzerland. Methods: Using framework analysis, we did a comparative analysis of national policies and guidelines pertaining to vaccination in recently arrived migrants through a systematic guideline and literature review and by approaching national experts. Results: Six (18.8%) of 32 countries had comprehensive policies specific to the vaccination of migrants (two focused only on child migrants, four on both adults and children). Nineteen (59.4%) countries applied their national vaccination schedule for migrant vaccinations, predominantly focusing on children; and five (15.6%) countries had circulated additional migrant-specific resources to relevant health-care providers. In six (18.8%) countries, policies on migrant vaccination focused on outbreak-specific vaccines only. In ten (31.3%) countries, policies focused on priority vaccinations, with polio being the vaccine most commonly administered and heterogeneity noted in vaccines recommended to adults, adolescents, and children. Eighteen (56.3%) countries recommended that an individual should be considered as unvaccinated where vaccination records were missing, and vaccines re-administered. Nine (28.1%) countries reported that specific vaccinations were mandatory. Conclusion: There is considerable variation in policies across Europe regarding approaches to vaccination in adult and child migrants, and a lack of clarity on optimum ways forward, what vaccines to offer, with a need for robust research in this area. More emphasis must be placed on ensuring migrant-specific guidance is disseminated to front-line healthcare professionals to improve vaccine delivery and uptake in diverse migration populations across the region.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccination policies and coverage in Europe

In August 2010 the Vaccine European New Integrated Collaboration Effort (VENICE) project conducted a survey to collect information on influenza A(H1N1) pdm09 vaccination policies and vaccination coverage in the European Union (EU), Norway and Iceland. Of 29 responding countries, 26 organised national pandemic influenza vaccination and one country had recommendations for vaccination but did not have a specific programme. Of the 27 countries with vaccine recommendations, all recommended it for healthcare workers and pregnant women. Twelve countries recommended vaccine for all ages. Six and three countries had recommendations for specific age groups in children and in adults, countries for specific adult age groups. Most countries recommended vaccine for those in new risk groups identified early in the pandemic such as morbid obese and people with neurologic diseases. Two thirds of countries started their vaccination campaigns within a four week period after week 40/2009. The reported vaccination coverage varied between countries from 0.4% to 59% for the entire population (22 countries); 3% to 68% for healthcare workers (13 countries); 0% to 58% for pregnant women (12 countries); 0.2% to 74% for children (12 countries). Most countries identified similar target groups for pandemic vaccine, but substantial variability in vaccination coverage was seen. The recommendations were in accordance with policy advice from the EU Health Security Committee and the World Health Organization

Novel implementation of the INFN-CHNet X-ray fluorescence scanner for the study of ancient photographs, archaeological pottery, and rock art

INFN-CHNet is the cultural heritage network of the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) and is constituted by units from Italy and from outside Europe, one of them at Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As a result of the initiative carried out during 2015 by the Accademia dei Lincei for the year of the Italian culture in Latin America, an INFN-CHNet laboratory was set at CEPyA-UNSAM with the collaboration of INFN and the Restoration Workshop Centro Tarea. Noteworthy, this laboratory is conceived as a multidisciplinary research facility with complementary skills, both scientific and humanistic. In this context, the first instrument jointly set up, optimised, and applied to Cultural Heritage was an X-ray fluorescence scanner. In this manuscript, we describe the instrument and its main features together with a set of representative yet novel applications in the field of cultural heritage, namely, the experimental study of hidden rock art through laboratory replicas that imitates the problems found in the archaeological sites (hematite drawings hidden below carbon deposition); the study and chemical characterisation of archaeological decorated pottery; and finally, the application of the XRF scanner to ancient photography, for quick and accurate identification of materials and techniques employed. Beyond these specific results, the primary output of this initiative has been the conception of a future network of scientific laboratories in South America, coordinated by CEPyA at UNSAM.Fil: Taccetti, F.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Castelli, L.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Czelusniak, C.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Giambi, F.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; Italia. Università degli Studi di Firenze; ItaliaFil: Manetti, M.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Massi, M.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Mazzinghi, A.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; Italia. Università degli Studi di Firenze; ItaliaFil: Ruberto, C.. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; Italia. Università degli Studi di Firenze; ItaliaFil: Arneodo, F.. New York University Abu Dhabi; Emiratos Arabes UnidosFil: Torres, R.. Università degli Studi di Firenze; Italia. New York University Abu Dhabi; Emiratos Arabes UnidosFil: Castellá, María Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones sobre el Patrimonio Cultural; ArgentinaFil: Gheco, Lucas Ignacio. Universidad Nacional de San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Catamarca. Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Catamarca; ArgentinaFil: Mastrangelo, Noemi Elisa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto de Investigacion E Ingenieria Ambiental (ehys-unsam) ; Escuela de Hábitat y Sostenibilidad ; Universidad Nacional de San Martin;Fil: Gallegos, D.. Universidad Nacional de San Martín; ArgentinaFil: Morales, A.. Universidad Nacional de San Martín; ArgentinaFil: Tascon, Marcos. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental; ArgentinaFil: Marte, F.. Universidad Nacional de San Martín; ArgentinaFil: Giuntini, L.. Università degli Studi di Firenze; Italia. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; Itali