Publications (19)62.3 Total impact
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Article: Immunisation registers in Italy: a patchwork of computerisation.
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ABSTRACT: In Italy, the 21 regional health authorities are in charge of organising and implementing their own vaccination strategy, based on the national vaccine plan. Immunisation coverage varies greatly among the regions for certain vaccines. Efforts to increase childhood immunisation coverage have included initiatives to develop and implement computerised immunisation registers in as many regions as possible. We undertook a cross-sectional online survey in July 2011 to provide an updated picture of the use, heterogeneity and main functions of different computerised immunisation registers used in the Italian regions and to understand the flow of information from local health units to the regional authorities and to the Ministry of Health. Comparing current data with those obtained in 2007, a substantial improvement is evident. A total of 15 regions are fully computerised (previously nine), with 83% of local health units equipped with a computerised register (previously 70%). Eight of the 15 fully computerised regions use the same software, simplifying data sharing. Only four regions are able to obtain data in real time from local health units. Despite the progress made, the capacity to monitor vaccination coverage and to exchange data appears still limited.Euro surveillance: bulletin europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin 01/2012; 17(17). · 6.15 Impact Factor -
Article: Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccination policies and coverage in Europe.
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ABSTRACT: 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.Euro surveillance: bulletin europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin 01/2012; 17(4). · 6.15 Impact Factor -
Article: Carbapenem non-susceptible Klebsiella pneumoniae from Micronet network hospitals, Italy, 2009 to 2012.
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ABSTRACT: Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae has recently been reported as a new, multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogen in several hospitals from various Italian regions. Through Micronet, a new Italian sentinel laboratory-based surveillance network, we studied the trend of non-susceptibility of K. pneumoniae to selected carbapenems (imipenem and/or meropenem) in 14 of the 15 hospitals participating in the network. Analysis of data from 1 January 2009 to 30 April 2012 revealed a statistically significant increasing trend (p<0.01) in the proportion of carbapenem non-susceptible K. pneumoniae isolates from clinical specimens (from 2.2 % in 2009 to 19.4% in 2012). The increase in the proportion of non-susceptibility was very large for isolates from the respiratory tract (from 5.3% in 2009 to 38.5% in 2012) and blood (from 5.4% in 2009 to 29.2% in 2012). The results demonstrate the urgent need in Italy for infection control, guidelines, antibiotic stewardship programmes and utilisation of surveillance systems, such as Micronet, which are capable of receiving data from hospitals in real time for many pathogens and types of clinical specimens.Euro surveillance: bulletin europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin 01/2012; 17(33). · 6.15 Impact Factor -
Article: Mandatory and recommended vaccination in the EU, Iceland and Norway: results of the VENICE 2010 survey on the ways of implementing national vaccination programmes.
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ABSTRACT: This report provides an updated overview of recommended and mandatory vaccinations in the European Union (EU), Iceland and Norway, considering the differences in vaccine programme implementation between countries. In 2010, the Vaccine European New Integrated Collaboration Effort (VENICE) network, conducted a survey among the VENICE project gatekeepers to learn more about how national vaccination programmes are implemented, whether recommended or mandatory. Information was collected from all 27 EU Member States, Iceland and Norway. In total 15 countries do not have any mandatory vaccinations; the remaining 14 have at least one mandatory vaccination included in their programme. Vaccination against polio is mandatory for both children and adults in 12 countries; diphtheria and tetanus vaccination in 11 countries and hepatitis B vaccination in 10 countries. For eight of the 15 vaccines considered, some countries have a mixed strategy of recommended and mandatory vaccinations. Mandatory vaccination may be considered as a way of improving compliance to vaccination programmes. However, compliance with many programmes in Europe is high, using only recommendations. More information about the diversity in vaccine offer at European level may help countries to adapt vaccination strategies based on the experience of other countries. However, any proposal on vaccine strategies should be developed taking into consideration the local context habits.Euro surveillance: bulletin europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin 01/2012; 17(22). · 6.15 Impact Factor -
Article: The current state of introduction of human papillomavirus vaccination into national immunisation schedules in Europe: first results of the VENICE2 2010 survey.
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ABSTRACT: The Venice 2 human papillomavirus vaccination survey evaluates the state of introduction of the HPV vaccination into the national immunisation schedules in the 29 participating countries. As of July 2010, 18 countries have integrated this vaccination. The vaccination policy and achievements vary among those countries regarding target age groups, delivery infrastructures and vaccination coverage reached. Financial constraints remain the major obstacle for the 11 countries who have not yet introduced the vaccination.Euro surveillance: bulletin europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin 11/2010; 15(47). · 6.15 Impact Factor -
Article: Differences in national influenza vaccination policies across the European Union, Norway and Iceland 2008-2009.
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ABSTRACT: In 2009 the second cross-sectional web-based survey was undertaken by the Vaccine European New Integrated Collaboration Effort (VENICE) project across 27 European Union (EU) member states (MS), Norway and Iceland (n=29) to determine changes in official national seasonal influenza vaccination policies since a survey undertaken in 2008 and to compare the estimates of vaccination coverage between countries using data obtained from both surveys. Of 27 responding countries, all recommended vaccination against seasonal influenza to the older adult population. Six countries recommended vaccination of children aged between six months and <18 years old. Most countries recommended influenza vaccination for those individuals with chronic medical conditions. Recommendations for vaccination of healthcare workers (HCW) in various settings existed in most, but not all countries. Staff in hospitals and long-term care facilities were recommended vaccination in 23 countries, and staff in out-patient clinics in 22 countries. In the 2009 survey, the reported national estimates on vaccine coverage varied by country and risk group, ranging from 1.1% - 82.6% for the older adult population; to between 32.9% -71.7% for clinical risk groups; and from 13.4% -89.4% for HCW. Many countries that recommend the influenza vaccination do not monitor the coverage in risk groups. In 2008 and 2009 most countries recommended influenza vaccination for the main risk groups. However, despite general consensus and recommendations for vaccination of high risk groups, many countries do not achieve high coverage in these groups. The reported vaccination coverage still needs to be improved in order to achieve EU and World Health Organization goals.Euro surveillance: bulletin europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin 01/2010; 15(44). · 6.15 Impact Factor -
Article: VENICE II: Go on combining our efforts towards a European common vaccination policy!
Euro surveillance: bulletin europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin 02/2009; 14(12). · 6.15 Impact Factor -
Article: Population structure of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in Italy prior to the implementation of the 7-valent conjugate vaccine (1999-2003).
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ABSTRACT: A total of 773 pneumococcal isolates were collected from a nationwide surveillance of invasive pneumococcal diseases during 1999-2003 prior to the implementation of the 7-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV7) in Italy. The isolates included vaccine serotypes (VS, 393 isolates), vaccine-related serotypes (VRS, 93), and nonvaccine serotypes (NVS, 279). The ten most prevalent serotypes were: 14 (16.4%), 3 (8.4%), 23F (8%), 19F (7.4%), 4 (5.9%), 7F (5.8%), 9V (5.3%), 6B (4.9%), 19A (4.7%), and 1 (3.7%). VRS or NVS isolates showed a lower rate of penicillin or drug resistance than VS. Representative isolates of the major VS, VRS, and NVS were genotyped by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The isolates examined were found to belong to 18 international clones and to eight newly described clones. VS isolates sharing clonal groups with VRS or NVS were also detected. Evidence of a past history of capsular switching events was observed in five clones.European Journal of Clinical Microbiology 08/2008; 28(1):99-103. · 2.86 Impact Factor -
Article: Capture-recapture estimation of underreporting of legionellosis cases to the National Legionellosis Register: Italy 2002.
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ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the degree of underreporting to the Italian National Legionellosis Register (NLR). For the year 2002, all cases of Legionellosis notified to the NLR were compared with cases recorded in the hospital discharge record (HDR) database. The number of unreported cases and the total number of cases in the population were estimated using the capture-recapture method with two independent data sources. Seventeen out of 21 Italian regions participated in the study. Overall, underreporting was estimated to be 21.4% and was found to be significantly greater in the Centre-South (28.2%) than in the North (20.0%). However, even after taking into account the higher degree of underreporting, a significantly lower incidence of the disease is registered in central-southern Italy. The hypothesis, which needs to be verified, is that, in addition to underreporting, under-diagnosis of legionellosis is more widespread in this geographical area.Epidemiology and Infection 09/2007; 135(6):1030-6. · 2.84 Impact Factor -
Article: Twelve years of activity of the International Trichinella Reference Centre.
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ABSTRACT: The ITRC is the official reference laboratory of both the International Commission on Trichinellosis (since 1988) and the International Office of Epizootics (since 1992). The ITRC was created as a repository for Trichinella strains and as a source of materials and information for international research in 1988. To date, about 900 isolates of human and animal origin from throughout the world have been examined and identified by new procedures developed at the ITRC or in collaboration with other institutions. Using material from this collection, the ITRC has provided a complete revision of the systematics of the genus Trichinella. The ITRC database can be consulted by accessing the web-site: www.simi.iss.it/trichinella/index.htm.Parasite (Paris, France) 07/2001; 8(2 Suppl):S44-6. · 1.00 Impact Factor -
Article: [Aedes albopictus in Rome: monitoring in the 3-year period of 1998-2000].
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ABSTRACT: Aedes albopictus was first reported in Italy in 1990 and in the urban area of Rome in the late summer 1997. Ae. albopictus is a daytime, outdoor mosquito, that bite preferably on man. In Rome (42 degrees South of latitude), larvae are found from March to November, but some adult females are active until December. The peak of adult abundance, and then of the annoyance caused to man, occurs in late August-September. The presence of the species in Rome represents the first example in Italy of extensive colonization of an urban area, with involvement of hundred-thousand people. Since 1997, Ae. albopictus has spread quickly from the initial foci to the whole city. In 2000, scattered foci of the species have been reported throughout the urban area and in some towns of the province.Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita 02/2001; 37(2):249-54. · 0.94 Impact Factor -
Article: Evaluation of the SIMI system, an experimental computerised network for the surveillance of communicable diseases in Italy.
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ABSTRACT: In Italy, the current communicable disease notification system is organised as follows: in each region, Local Health Units (LHU) fill in and forward case report forms (CRF) to the Regional Health Authority, which send aggregated and individual notifications to several central-level institutions. In most regions, all data are recorded manually on hardcopy. Although most relevant data from CRFs are eventually entered into a computerised database at the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), the national database is only available 3-4 years later and no data-quality control is performed at that time. To improve the quality and timeliness of notification, in 1994, the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (the National Institute of Health) began to develop an experimental computerised surveillance network for communicable diseases (referred to as 'SIMI'). Specifically, a software was created and distributed to the LHUs and the Regional Health Authorities; staff training was performed; and feedback and analyses of collected data was promoted. SIMI was evaluated in the 13 regions that were participating in 1997 (out of a total of 20 regions in Italy), using criteria commonly used for surveillance systems (i.e., completeness and coherence of data, case definitions, costs, timeliness, and feedback). SIMI was implemented at a limited cost and the data collected were observed to have had a high degree of completeness and internal consistency. The SIMI system has since been adopted for the routine notification of communicable diseases in nearly all regions. Similar evaluations will be necessary for assessing the performance of the various notification systems used across Europe and to include them in a European network.European Journal of Epidemiology 02/2000; 16(10):941-7. · 4.71 Impact Factor -
Article: Malaria epidemiological trends in Italy.
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ABSTRACT: Based on the official reports received from local health laboratories, an epidemiological analysis of malaria cases reported in Italy from 1989 to 1992 is presented. A total of 1,941 cases were reported, 1,287 among Italians and 654 among foreigners. The incidence of cases was on average 500 per year with a maximum in 1990. A slight, but constant decrease of incidence of malaria cases was recorded in this period among Italian citizens (-21.5%), while the incidence among foreigners increased (+80%). Plasmodium falciparum accounted for 74.2% of total infections, followed by P. vivax (19%). The highest number of cases was imported from Africa (86.5%), followed by Asia, South America, and Oceania. 11 cases were contracted in Europe (transfusion, airport and cryptic malaria). 26 people died from malaria during the four years, with a fatality rate of 2.3% among Italians. Other epidemiological features concerning incidence in the different categories of travellers, countries of infection, clinical and therapeutic aspects of cases, are also discussed.European Journal of Epidemiology 09/1994; 10(4):399-403. · 4.71 Impact Factor -
Article: [Antibiotic-resistance in Italy: activity of the first year of the surveillance project AR-ISS].
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ABSTRACT: The antibiotic resistance surveillance project AR-ISS, started in 2001, is based on a network of 62 sentinel microbiological laboratories throughout the country. The laboratories collect and transmit data to the Istituto Superiore di Sanità on the antibiotic susceptibility of bloodstream isolates of 7 species: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis/faecium, Klebsiella pneumoniae/oxytoca ed Escherichia coli. They also send selected bacterial strains for further characterization. Results of the first year of surveillance are presented and are compared with data from the previous study EARSS-Italia and from other European countries. Oxacillin resistance in S. aureus appears to be stable, however, it remains one of the highest in Europe (41,5%). No strain with intermediate susceptibility or resistance to vancomycin has been isolated. In S. pneumoniae, the level of penicillin resistance is moderate (10,8%), but macrolide resistance has increased greatly (37,6% versus 28,6% of the previous study), following a tendency common to several European countries. Unexpectedly, vancomycin resistance in E. faecium was found to be 18%, the highest in Europe. Presumptive ESBL production in Gram-negative organisms can be estimated at 20% in Klebsiella and 1% in E. coli. Ampicillin and ciprofloxacin resistance in E. coli (respectively 50% and 18%) are among the highest in Europe. In conclusion, the rate of antibiotic resistance in the species studied is worrisome and requires continuing monitoring. Although some activities of AR-ISS need improvements, the surveillance has the potentiality to produce relevant and representative data about antibiotic resistance in Italy that can be used for comparison at the European level.Annali di igiene: medicina preventiva e di comunità 17(2):95-110. -
Article: [Survey on computerized immunization registries in Italy].
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ABSTRACT: Computerized immunization registries are essential for conducting and monitoring vaccination programs. In fact, they enable to improve vaccine offering to target population, generating needed-immunization lists and assessing levels of vaccination coverage. In 2007, a national survey on immunization registries was conducted in Italy. In February 2007, all the 21 Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) completed and returned an ad hoc questionnaire. In June 2007, RHAs were further contacted by telephone in order to verify and update the information provided in questionnaires. In 9 Italian Regions (42.8%), vaccination registries are computerized in all Local Health Units (LHUs). In five of these Regions, all LHUs use the same software, while in the remaining four Regions, different softwares are in use. In six additional Regions (28.6%), only some LHUs use computerized immunization registries (range 61.5%-95%). In the remaining 6 Regions (28.6%), which are all in Southern Italy, there are no computerised immunization registries at all. In total, computerised immunization registries cover 126/180 Italian LHUs (70%); in 76/126 (60%) of these LUHs, immunization registries are linked with population registries. This survey shows the need to improve the implementation of computerised immunization registries in Italy, especially in Southern Regions.Annali di igiene: medicina preventiva e di comunità 20(2):105-11. -
Article: [Availability of laboratory tools for microbiological diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections in Italian hospitals].
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ABSTRACT: To assess the availability of laboratory tools for microbiological diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infection, a survey was conducted on a sample of Italian hospital laboratories during the period April-July 2005. Overall, 261 hospitals, one third of the total Italian hospitals, were randomly selected. All these laboratories were sent a standardized questionnaire collecting information on diagnostic tools available for testing a list of bacterial, viral and fungal organisms responsible for lower respiratory tract infections. Forty eight percent of the sample completed and returned the questionnaire. A part from few pathogens such as Enterobacteria, Enterococcus Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Herpes simplex e Candida spp, for which no differences in diagnostic capacity among hospitals was found, for all the other pathogens considered, significant differences among geographical areas were found.Annali di igiene: medicina preventiva e di comunità 19(6):509-17. -
Article: [Epidemiology and clinical course of S. pneumoniae infections in children].
Annali di igiene: medicina preventiva e di comunità 13(4 Suppl 3):31-8. -
Article: Fatal malaria in Italian travellers.
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 88(3):314. · 2.16 Impact Factor -
Article: [Use of sentinel networks in the surveillance of infective diseases].
Annali di igiene: medicina preventiva e di comunità 13(1):11-8.
Top co-authors
Top Journals
Institutions
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2007–2009
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Istituto Superiore di Sanità
- National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion
Roma, Latium, Italy
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