Antibacterial activity of Tuscan Artemisia annua essential oil and its major components against some foodborne pathogens

Recently, the attention of researchers regarding Artemisia annua has been focused on the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil. This oil, rich in mono- and sesquiterpenes, has a strong activity against some Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The aim of our study is to further contribute to the knowledge of the antibacterial activity of an Artemisia annua essential oil collected in Tuscany and its three most represented compounds (artemisia ketone, 1,8-cineole and camphor). The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation gave a yield of 0.37% (w/w fresh plant material). The composition of the essential oil extracted from flowering aerial parts was determined by gas chromatography (GC/FID and GC/MS). The essential oil and compounds were tested for activity against Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhi, Yersinia enterocolitica and Listeria monocytogenes, all of which have great significance in foodborne infections. The antibacterial activity was tested using disk diffusion method and broth microdilution assay. The microorganisms tested were all sensitive to the A. annua essential oil in toto and to all its components, which often have lower activity than oil in toto

Essential Oil of Artemisia annua

Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae) is native to China, now naturalised in many other countries, well known as the source of the unique sesquiterpene endoperoxide lactone artemisinin, and used in the treatment of the chloroquine-resistant and cerebral malaria. The essential oil is rich in mono- and sesquiterpenes and represents a by-product with medicinal properties. Besides significant variations in its percentage and composition have been reported (major constituents can be camphor (up to 48%), germacrene D (up to 18.9%), artemisia ketone (up to 68%), and 1,8 cineole (up to 51.5%)), the oil has been subjected to numerous studies supporting exciting antibacterial and antifungal activities. Both gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Bacillus, and Listeria spp.), and gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia, Shigella, Salmonella, Haemophilus, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas spp.) and other microorganisms (Candida, Saccharomyces, and Aspergillus spp.) have been investigated. However, the experimental studies performed to date used different methods and diverse microorganisms; as a consequence, a comparative analysis on a quantitative basis is very difficult. The aim of this review is to sum up data on antimicrobial activity of A. annua essential oil and its major components to facilitate future approach of microbiological studies in this field

focusing on the implementation of 21st century vaccines for adults

Abstract Adult immunization is a priority for public health, particularly in countries where an aging population has become increasingly more numerous. Protection against diseases which typically affect adults (like flu, pneumococcal diseases and Herpes zoster), the shift of age of infections which originally affected children (like measles), the decreasing protection with time for infections which need periodical booster doses of vaccines (Tdap), the availability of vaccines which can also impact on adult health (HPV) are only some examples of the importance of implementing targeted vaccination strategies. The possibility to reach high coverage with immunizations that can guarantee a fundamental improvement of health for adults and the elderly can only be achieved through a coordinated effort where all stakeholders, under the coordination of public health, contribute to issue recommendations; create a functioning database for vaccine coverage registration; promote formative courses for healthcare workers and continuous information for the public; increase vaccines uptake among healthcare workers, who need to give the first testimony on the relevance of immunization

Beliefs and Opinions of Health Care Workers and Students Regarding Influenza and Influenza Vaccination in Tuscany, Central Italy

Immunization of health care workers (HCWs) against influenza has been associated with improvements in patient safety. The aim of this study is to assess the beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge of HCWs and health profession students regarding influenza. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to HCWs in three local Florentine healthcare units, at Careggi University Teaching Hospital, and to students in health profession degree programs. A total of 2576 questionnaires were fully completed. A total of 12.3% of subjects responded that they were “always vaccinated” in all three of the seasonal vaccination campaigns studied (2007–2008 to 2009–2010), 13.1% had been vaccinated once or twice, and 74.6% had not received vaccinations. Although the enrolled subjects tended to respond that they were “never vaccinated,” they considered influenza to be a serious illness and believed that the influenza vaccine is effective. The subjects who refused vaccination more frequently believed that the vaccine could cause influenza and that it could have serious side effects. More than 60% of the “always vaccinated” group completely agreed that HCWs should be vaccinated. Self-protection and protecting family members or other people close to the respondent from being infected and representing potential sources of influenza infection can be considered motivating factors for vaccination. The results highlight the importance of improving vaccination rates among all HCWs through multi-component interventions. Knowledge of influenza should be reinforced

Assessment of Health Literacy and validation of single-item literacy screener (SILS) in a sample of Italian people

Background. Health literacy (HL) is a complex concept with multiple components; it involves the ability to effectively use and interpret texts, documents, and numbers. The aims of our study were: to measure HL levels among a sample of adult Italian patients; to develop and validate the Italian version of the single-item literacy screener (SILS); to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the SILS as an indicator of limited reading ability regarding health documents, compared to the newest vital sign (NVS). Methods. The subjects were enrolled in emergency departments, primary care settings, and specialist departments. The Italian versions of the NVS and of the SILS were administered to the patients, as well as a questionnaire aimed in collected socio-demographic information. Results. Overall, 174 patients completed the interview (compliance: 87%). Considering the NVS, 24.1% of the subjects presented high likelihood of limited HL, 13.2% a possibility of limited HL, and 62.6% adequate HL. SILS has shown a good concurrent validity compared to NVS (Spearman’s rho r= −0.679; p < 0.001). The diagnostic accuracy of the SILS was high. The best performance parameters in assessing the diagnostic accuracy of SILS are found to be for threshold value of 2 in in identifying subjects with high likelihood of limited HL at the NVS (sensitivity: 83.3%; specificity: 82.6%; accuracy: 82.8%; positive predicted value: 60.3%; negative predicted value: 94%; Cohen's kappa: 0.6). Conclusion. The Italian version of SILS-as an indicator of limited reading and understanding ability regarding health information-is a good tool to measure HL in comparison to more complex measurement instruments of functional HL, like NVS