First report in italy of the exotic mosquito species Aedes (Finlaya) koreicus, a potential vector of arboviruses and filariae

BACKGROUND: In the Veneto region (north-eastern Italy) an entomological surveillance system has been implemented since the introduction of the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) in 1991. During the routine monitoring activity in a tiger mosquito-free area, an unexpected mosquito was noticed, which clearly did not belong to the recorded Italian fauna. FINDINGS: At the end of May 2011, twelve larvae and pupae were collected in a small village in Belluno province (Veneto region) from a single manhole. Ten adults reared in the laboratory were morphologically and genetically identified as Aedes (Finlaya) koreicus (Edwards, 1917), a species native to Southeast Asia. The subsequent investigations carried out in the following months in the same village provided evidence that this species had become established locally. Entomological and epidemiological investigations are currently ongoing in the surrounding area, to verify the eventual extension of the species outside the village and to trace back the route of entry into Italy. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report in Italy of the introduction of the exotic mosquito Ae. koreicus. This species has been shown experimentally to be competent in the transmission of the Japanese encephalitis virus and of the dog heartworm Dirofilaria immitis and is considered a potential vector of other arboviruses. Thus, the establishment of this species may increase the current risk or pose new potential threats, for human and animal health. This finding considerably complicates the entomological monitoring of the Asian tiger mosquito Ae. albopictus in Italy and stresses the importance of implementing the entomological surveillance for the early detection of and the rapid response against invasive mosquito species

Pregnancy outcomes and cytomegalovirus DNAaemia in HIV infected pregnant women with CMV

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Is "option B+" also being adopted in pregnant women in high-income countries? Temporal trends from a national study in Italy

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Rate , correlates and outcomes of repeat pregnancy in HIV-infected women

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the rate, determinants, and outcomes of repeat pregnancies in women with HIV infection. Methods: Data from a national study of pregnant women with HIV infection were used. Main outcomes were preterm delivery, low birth weight, CD4 cell count and HIV plasma viral load. Results: The rate of repeat pregnancy among 3007 women was 16.2%. Women with a repeat pregnancy were on average younger than those with a single pregnancy (median age 30 vs. 33 years, respectively), more recently diagnosed with HIV infection (median time since diagnosis 25 vs. 51 months, respectively), and more frequently of foreign origin [odds ratio (OR) 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10–1.68], diagnosed with HIV infection in the current pregnancy (OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.35–2.11), and at their first pregnancy (OR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.06–1.66). In women with sequential pregnancies, compared with the first pregnancy, several outcomes showed a significant improvement in the second pregnancy, with a higher rate of antiretroviral treatment at conception (39.0 vs. 65.4%, respectively), better median maternal weight at the start of pregnancy (60 vs. 61 kg, respectively), a higher rate of end-of-pregnancy undetectable HIV RNA (60.7 vs. 71.6%, respectively), a higher median birth weight (2815 vs. 2885 g, respectively), lower rates of preterm delivery (23.0 vs. 17.7%, respectively) and of low birth weight (23.4 vs. 15.4%, respectively), and a higher median CD4 cell count (+47 cells/μL), with almost no clinical progression to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stage C (CDC-C) HIV disease (0.3%). The second pregnancy was significantly more likely to end in voluntary termination than the first pregnancy (11.4 vs. 6.1%, respectively). Conclusions: Younger and foreign women were more likely to have a repeat pregnancy; in women with sequential pregnancies, the second pregnancy was characterized by a significant improvement in several outcomes, suggesting that women with HIV infection who desire multiple children may proceed safely and confidently with subsequent pregnancies

Good prenatal detection rate of major birth defects in HIV-infected pregnant women in Italy

What's already known about this topic? Exposure to antiretroviral treatment in pregnancy does not seem to increase the risk of birth defects, but there is no information on the rate of prenatal detection of such defects. What does this study adds? We provide for the first time, in a national case series, information about prenatal detection rate in women with HIV (51.6% for any major defect, 66.7% for chromosomal abnormalities, and 85% for severe structural defect

Consequences of presentation with advanced HIV disease in pregnancy : data from a national study in Italy

Among 469 women with a diagnosis of HIV in pregnancy, 74 (15.8%) presented with less than 200 CD4 cells per cubic millimeter. The only variable significantly associated with this occurrence was African origin (odds ratio: 2.22, 95% confidence intervals: 1.32 to 3.75, P = 0.003). Four women with low CD4 (5.6%), compared with none with higher CD4 counts, had severe AIDS-defining conditions (P < 0.001) during pregnancy or soon after delivery, and one transmitted HIV to the newborn. Early preterm delivery (<32 weeks) was significantly more frequent with low CD4 (6.2% vs. 1.4%, P = 0.015). An earlier access to HIV testing, particularly among immigrants of African origin, can prevent severe HIV-related morbidity

Infestation of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) on two flower plants of new introduction: Calendula officinalis L. and Paeonia lactiflora Pall.

Infestation of root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne incognita on Calendula officinalis and M. hapla on Paeonia lactiflora, two flower plants of new introduction in Campania, have been for the first time in Italy. The determination of the species was based on perineal patterns and on the ratio between the distance from the cephalic area end to excretory pore and stylet length (EP/St). The infestations cause damage of tolerable entity on marigold, the most serious on peony. For both species have been also reported major bioecological data particularly relevant for the times and modality of nematodes control

Pratylenchus vulnus Allen et Jensen and Cylindrocarpon destructans (Zins.) Scholten on rose in soilless culture.

The combined presence of Pratylenchus vulnus Allen et Jensen and Cylindrocarpon destructans (Zins.) Scholten, on rose (Rosa canina Linn.), in soilless culture and in field is reported. The morphobiometrical data of the nematode and the fungus and some information on their biology, geographical distribution, pathogenicity and relative damages are described. On the ground of the observations performed, Authors reached the conclusion that harmful organisms may cause greater damages on soilless than on field cultures. This can be explained by the fact that plant parasites and pathogens usually do not find antagonists in a hydroponic habitat. In case of replant a choice not to be underrated concerns the convenience to recover the old substrate or to replace it with a new one. The recovery needs a sterilization, very onerous treatment, also the new substrate is cause of problems of not little entity for the discharge of the old ones. It is emphasized, at last, the importance, above all in soilless cultures, of the use of certified material in the new systems

I Molluschi marini di Punta di Pioppeto (Isola di Procida - Campania).

L’eterogeneità degli ambienti marini dell’area situata tra Punta di Pioppeto ed il molo di Sancio Cattolico (versante nord dell’Isola di Procida, NA) determina un’elevata diversità della malacofauna. Il presente lavoro fornisce una check-list aggiornata basata su materiale raccolto in un ampio arco di tempo, dal 1976 al 2005. Nel complesso sono state rinvenute 419 specie, appartenenti alle classi Polyplacophora (6 specie), Gastropoda (299 specie), Scaphopoda (3 specie), Bivalvia (105 specie) e Cephalopoda (6 specie). I molluschi sono stati prelevati utilizzando varie tecniche di campionamento (prelievi a mano, prelievi di detrito ed alghe, raschiamento su massi, retinate su Posidonia oceanica), a profondità comprese tra 0 e 5 metri. Per ogni specie segnalata viene data un’indicazione di frequenza e, nel caso di specie più rare od interessanti, vengono anche indicate le modalità di ritrovamento e biocenosi in cui sono state rinvenute. Le seguenti specie sono da considerarsi nuove per il Golfo di Napoli: Odostomia nitens Jeffreys, 1870, Peringiella elegans (Locard, 1892), Mathilda gemmulata Semper, 1865 e Lepton squamosum (Montagu, 1803)