A case of fulminant subacute sclerosing panencephalitis presenting with acute myoclonic-astatic epilepsy

The neurologic sequelae post-measles are less common than other complications measles-related and can lead to severe disability or death: primary measles encephalitis (PME), acute post-infectious measles encephalomyelitis (APME), Measles Inclusion Body Encephalitis (MIBE), and Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE). SSPE syndrome can affect people years from the acute measles virus infection, as result of the persistence of defective viral particles in brain cells. Clinical onset typically manifests with progressive intellectual deterioration, behavioral changes, and myoclonic jerks. The course of SSPE in the majority of affected children is that of a progressive worsening with fatal outcome within 2 years. This report described an Italian case of fulminant SSPE syndrome that led to death within few months from the initial onset

Regional reports for the subnational monitoring of measles elimination in Italy and the identification of local barriers to the attainment of the elimination goal

Although most countries in the WHO European Region were verified in 2017 as having interrupted endemic measles transmission, nine countries were still endemic. Among these, Italy accounted for the second highest number of measles cases reported in Europe in 2017. The elimination of measles is verified at national level by each country's National Verification Committee (NVC) through the production of an Annual Status Update (ASU). Since in Italy decentralization has led to an inhomogeneous implementation of immunization strategies among the 21 administrative Regions, the Italian NVC proposed that measles elimination should also be documented at the subnational level through regional ASUs and Synthetic Regional Reports (SRRs). The regional ASUs and the SRRs for 2014, 2015 and 2016 were produced and appraised by the NVC to evaluate the Regions' performances in each individual year as well as over the whole period. A specific analysis of vaccination coverage, including official immunization data for 2017, was performed. Moreover, the measles epidemic of 2017 was examined. Firstly, in the period 2014±2016, low immunization rates were registered in most Regions. Sixty-three per cent of southern Regions reported rates below the national mean and an overall low-quality performance. The approval of Italy's mandatory vaccination law in 2017 resulted in a marked increase in vaccination coverage; however, this increase was not homogeneous among Regions. Secondly, more than 50% of Regions did not report any supplemental immunization activity (SIA) for the period 2014-2016. Thirdly, from 2014 to 2016, fewer than one-third of Regions improved their reporting of outbreaks. Finally, over the study period, only two Regions reached the target required by the WHO for measles laboratory investigations. In countries with decentralized health policies, subnational monitoring can help identify local barriers to measles elimination. In Italy it has highlighted the need for further SIAs and a stronger surveillance system

Measles and rubella in Italy, e-learning course for health care workers

Introduction. Since 2003, strategic plans for the elimination of measles and congenitalrubella have been adopted in the World Health Organization European Region. In Italy,a network of reference laboratories for measles and rubella (MoRoNet) has been recentlyimplemented to ensure high-quality laboratory investigation for the confirmation ofcases and outbreaks. Training among health care workers (HCWs) is one of the tasks ofMoRoNet and an e-learning course was produced to improve the knowledge on internationaland national elimination plans and laboratory surveillance for measles and rubella.Methods. The course, based on the problem based learning methodology, was offeredfree of charge. Data about all participants and those who completed the course havebeen collected and analysed.Results. 5822 participants enrolled and 3995 (69%) completed the course; comparisonbetween pre- and post-test shows a significant improvement in knowledge. The averagescore obtained from the satisfaction questionnaire is 4.5 out of 5.Discussion and conclusions. Course’s results are satisfactory, and data show a significantimprovement in knowledge among participants. Most of them were satisfied withcontent, learning methodology and platform. Moreover, this course represents one ofthe possible strategies to overcome resistance and mistrust about vaccinations amongHCWs

Measles in Italy, July 2009 to September 2010.

Outbreaks of measles continue to occur in Italy, as in other European countries. We present here details of cases reported through the Italian enhanced measles surveillance system from July 2009 to September 2010. In total, 2,151 cases were reported, 42% (n=895) of which were laboratory confirmed. The median age of cases was 18 years and 1,709 of 1,856 cases (92%) were unvaccinated. Many cases with complications were reported (n=305), including three with encephalitis. A total of 652 of 1,822 cases (36%) were hospitalised. Molecular characterisation revealed circulation of a limited number of measles virus genotypes (D4, D8 and B3), which is consistent with the current epidemiology of the disease in Italy. A national measles elimination plan was approved in 2003 with the aim of interrupting endemic measles transmission by 2007. Since elimination was not achieved, the target date was recently moved to 2015. The emphasis of the new elimination plan, approved in March 2011, is on strengthening surveillance, implementing evidence based-interventions to increase measles-mumps-rubella vaccine uptake in children, adolescents and young adults, and implementing communication activities related to the vaccine. The strategies proposed by the plan should be implemented fully and appropriately by all regions in order to meet the elimination goal by 2015

WITHDRAWN: Electrogenic and hydrocarbonoclastic biofilm at the oil-water interface as microbial responses to oil spill

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Human case of autochthonous West Nile virus lineage 2 infection in Italy, September 2011.

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matche

SARS-CoV-2 infection. The environmental endurance of the virus can be influenced by the increase of temperature

Objectives: To evaluate whether the increase of temperature can influence the environmental endurance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Methods: Virus was inoculated on a plastic surface and harvested at predefined time-points in parallel at 20°C–25°C (room temperature; RT) and at 28°C (June temperature; JT). Samples were tested by TCID50 titres on Vero cells. Results: Our results confirm that fomite transmission of the emerging SARS-CoV-2 is possible: the virus reserved its ability to infect cells for up to 84 hours at both RT and JT on a plastic surface, with TCID50 viral titres of 0.67 and 0.25 log10, respectively. At RT, an important reduction in the viral titre, from 4 log10 to 3 log10 TCID50, was observed during the first 24–36 hours. At JT, the same decay was observed more rapidly (between 8 and 12 hours), The rate of viral inactivation by D-value was 24.74 hours at RT and 12.21 hours at JT. Conclusions: This remarkable difference between the two temperatures suggests that virus vitality can be influenced by the environmental temperature and that the hot season could reduce the probability of COVID-19 transmission

Measles resurges in Italy: preliminary data from September 2007 to May 2008.

Following an incidence rate of 1/100,000 inhabitants in 2006 [1], Italy has been facing an upsurge of measles cases since September 2007, with outbreaks being reported in various regions. In Italy, measles vaccination is currently offered free of charge as combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. The current national vaccination schedule recommends two doses of MMR vaccine, given respectively at 11-12 months and 5-6 years of age. Although childhood vaccination coverage has increased in recent years, reaching the national average of 88% in 2006 (source: Ministry of Health), with some regional variability (Figure 1), it is still below the target of 95% set by the National Measles Elimination Plan (MEP) launched in 2003 [2], and outbreaks continue to occur

Argument mining as rapid screening tool of COVID-19 literature quality: Preliminary evidence

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic prompted the scientific community to share timely evidence, also in the form of pre-printed papers, not peer reviewed yet.PurposeTo develop an artificial intelligence system for the analysis of the scientific literature by leveraging on recent developments in the field of Argument Mining.MethodologyScientific quality criteria were borrowed from two selected Cochrane systematic reviews. Four independent reviewers gave a blind evaluation on a 1–5 scale to 40 papers for each review. These scores were matched with the automatic analysis performed by an AM system named MARGOT, which detected claims and supporting evidence for the cited papers. Outcomes were evaluated with inter-rater indices (Cohen's Kappa, Krippendorff's Alpha, s* statistics).ResultsMARGOT performs differently on the two selected Cochrane reviews: the inter-rater indices show a fair-to-moderate agreement of the most relevant MARGOT metrics both with Cochrane and the skilled interval scores, with larger values for one of the two reviews.Discussion and conclusionsThe noted discrepancy could rely on a limitation of the MARGOT system that can be improved; yet, the level of agreement between human reviewers also suggests a different complexity between the two reviews in debating controversial arguments. These preliminary results encourage to expand and deepen the investigation to other topics and a larger number of highly specialized reviewers, to reduce uncertainty in the evaluation process, thus supporting the retraining of AM systems

West Nile virus transmission with human cases in Italy, August - September 2009.

In 2009, to date 16 human cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) have been reported in Italy, in three regions: Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Lombardia. The number of cases is higher compared with last year when nine cases were identified (eight cases of WNND and one case of West Nile fever) and the geographical distribution indicates spread from east to west