A European dashboard for monitoring vaccine conversations on the web and social networks

Introduction: The European Joint Action on Vaccination (EU-JAV) is a European project that aims at spurring long-lasting European cooperation against vaccine-preventable diseases. In the context of the EU-JAV's Work Package 8, the Italian National Institute of Health, in collaboration with the Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital (Rome, Italy), developed a web platform designed to monitor vaccination discourse on the web and on social media. Materials and methods: We collected data on vaccine-related content from Twitter, Reddit, Wikipedia and Google Trends, through validated keyword filters, in Italian, French and Spanish. The platform's analysis layer included two machine learning-based algorithms: the influencer analysis, aimed at identifying the most influential users involved in the vaccine discourse;and the early-signal detection, used to identify new hashtags emerging in the conversation.

The National Surveillance System for legionellosis: results for the year 2021

Introduction: Legionellosis is the common name for infections caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Legionella. The most severe clinical presentation is an interstitial pneumonia, named Legionnaires' disease, caused by Legionella pneumophila. The disease is subject to mandatory reporting and laboratory tests are required to confirm the diagnosis. This article summarises the results of the National Surveillance System (NSS) for legionellosis for the year 2021, coordinated and managed by the Istituto Superiore di Sanita (ISS). This report highlights also the microbiological surveillance data from the national reference laboratory for legionellosis of the ISS. Materials and methods: The surveillance forms, filled in by the doctors who diagnose legionellosis, are analyzed by the NSS for possible sources of infection, clinical picture and etiological assessment. In parallel with the NSS there is a European Surveillance System for Travel associated Legionnaires 'disease, the European Legionnaires' Disease Surveillance Network (ELDSNet).

Differences in the incidence and clinical outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection between Italian and non-Italian nationals using routine data.

OBJECTIVES: This study was to compare the incidence and clinical outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection between Italian and non-Italian nationals. STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively analysed data from the COVID-19 Italian integrated surveillance system (14 September 2020 to 17 October 2021). METHODS: We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of infection and, among cases, the HRs of death, hospitalisation and subsequent admission to intensive care unit in non-Italian nationals relative to Italian nationals. Estimates were adjusted for differences in sociodemographic characteristics and in the week and region of diagnosis. RESULTS: Of 4,111,067 notified cases, 336,265 (8.2%) were non-Italian nationals. Compared with Italian nationals, non-Italians showed a lower incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection (HR = 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80-0.81). However, once diagnosed, they were more likely to be hospitalised (HR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.87-1.92) and then admitted to intensive care unit (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.04-1.13), with differences larger in those coming from countries with a lower human development index. Compared with Italian cases, an increased rate of death was observed in non-Italian cases from low-human development index countries (HR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.23-1.62). The HRs of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe outcomes slightly increased after the start of the vaccination campaign. CONCLUSIONS: Underdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis in non-Italian nationals could explain their lower incidence compared with Italians and, among cases, their higher probability to present clinical conditions leading to worse outcomes. Facilitating early access to vaccination, diagnosis and treatment would improve the control of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and health outcomes in this vulnerable group.

Legionellosis in Italy and COVID-19 pandemic: results of the Italian National Surveillance System for legionellosis for the year 2020

Introduction: 2020 will be remembered as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused 2,107,166 cases and 74,159 deaths in Italy as of December 31st. At the same time, protective measures against COVID-19 have proved to be effective for other infectious pathogens, since we noticed the absence or reduction of some infectious diseases, such as measles and seasonal flu. Legionellosis may also have been affected by these measures. Legionellosis is a form of interstitial pneumonia subject to mandatory reporting and laboratory tests are required to confirm the diagnosis. This article summarises the results of the Italian National Surveillance System (INSS) for legionellosis, coordinated and managed by the Istituto Superiore di Sanita (ISS), for the year 2020. Furthermore, this report shows the microbiological surveillance data from the National Reference Laboratory for Legionellosis of the ISS. Materials and methods: The surveillance forms, filled in by the doctors who diagnose legionellosis, are analyzed by the NSS for possible sources of infection, clinical picture and etiological assessment. In parallel with the INSS there is a European Surveillance System for travel-associated Legionnaires' disease, the European Legionnaires' Disease Surveillance Network (ELDSNet).