Risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infection: an all-Ireland case-control study.

We report the findings of the first case-control study conducted in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to determine risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infections. A total of 197 cases and 296 case-nominated controls matched for age, were included. Based on Population Attributable Fraction (PAF), the most important risk factors were consuming chicken [adjusted matched (am) OR 6.8; 95%CI 2.1-21.9], consuming lettuce (amOR 3.3; 95%CI 1.5-7.1) and eating in takeaways (amOR=3.1; 95%CI 1.4-6.6). Contact with sheep (amOR=11; 95%CI 1.6-78), peptic ulcer (amOR=19; 95%CI 3.8-93.7), hiatus hernia (amOR=20.3; 95%CI 2.3-183.3), lower bowel problems (amOR=4.5; 95%CI 1.2-16.8) were also independently associated with infection. Mains water supply showed protective effect (amOR=0.2; 95 CI 0.1-0.9). The findings highlight the continued need for consumer food safety education and further control measures throughout the food chain on the island of Ireland.

Epidemiological and virological characterization of a large community-wide outbreak of hepatitis A in southern Italy.

A large outbreak of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection occurred in 2004 in Campania, a region of southern Italy, with 882 cases reported between 1 January and 1 August. The local public health authorities and the Italian National Institute of Health carried out investigations in order to characterize the agent, identify the source of infection and the route of transmission, and implement appropriate control measures. A web-based reporting system enhanced the flow of information between public health authorities, providing real-time epidemic curves and frequency distributions. The same 1B HAV genotype was found in 90% of sera from a subset of patients with acute disease, suggesting a local common source. A case-control study in the municipality with the highest attack rate showed that raw seafood consumption, in particular if illegally sold in water, was strongly associated with HAV illness. Samples of seafood systematically collected from retailers were found contaminated by HAV.

[The prevalence survey of nosocomial infections: a very informative tool in a big hospital setting]. / L'indagine di prevalenza delle infezioni ospedaliere: un utile strumento di conoscenza in una grande azienda ospedaliera.

In November 2001 a one-day prevalence survey of nosocomial infections (NI) was conducted in surgical and intensive care units at two hospitals in Rome. The main goal was to quantify the occurrence of NI and of some patient-care practices, such as antibiotic use. The following NI were studied: pneumonia, bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, surgical site infections (SSI), central line-related local infections. A total of 517 patients were included. The prevalence of the above mentioned NI was 6.6%. SSI were the most frequent NI (50%), with a prevalence of 6.5% in patients who underwent surgery; the SSI prevalence was 4.7% in clean surgical procedures (SP) and 5.6% in clean-contaminated SP. In 29 NI, 33 micro-organisms were isolated; the most frequent (24.3%) was Staphylococcus aureus, which was methicillin-resistant (MRSA) in 75% of the strains. On the day of the study, 41.8% of the patients were treated with antimicrobials, mainly aminopenicillins and third generation cephalosporins. In 31.8% of cases antibiotics were given for surgical prophylaxis; patients received prophylactic antibiotics more than 2 hours prior the initial incision in almost 40% of clean SP and 60% of clean-contaminated SP. In our hospitals prevalence survey was a very useful tool to identify the following priorities: SSI prospective surveillance in clean and clean-contaminated SP, control of MRSA selection and transmission, guidelines for antimicrobial prophylaxis in surgery.

[Population study of knowledge and practice in the Albanian population regarding water usage and diarrhea prevention]. / Studio di popolazione sulle conoscenze e i comportamenti della popolazione albanese rispetto all'uso dell'acqua e la prevenzione delle malattie diarroiche.

The worsening of the social-environmental conditions during the period of transition of Albania and an epidemic of cholera (1994) were the cue for the execution of the study. The main objective is the description of knowledge and attitudes of the Albanian mothers about the risk factors for the gastroenteritis. This is a descriptive study of a representative sample (2100 families) of the population who reside in the central area of Albania, in 1996. The sample has been selected by cluster-sampling method. Interviewers trained previously, collected the data with a questionnaire ad hoc. Data elaboration has been carried out with the software Epilnfo 5. 99.7% (2094) of the enlisted mothers, mean age 28.7 years, were interviewed. 2/3 of them reside in rural areas. We considered social-demographic variables and their relation with the generic hygienic norms and those relative to water, foods, animals. The basic knowledge was very insufficient, particularly in rural areas, and in relation with lower social-economic index and instruction. The study reflects the state of transition train of the political and social-sanitary situation of Albania in the last decade. Still the knowledge and the attitudes about the alimentary hygiene are inadequate. It seems opportune to face this emergency with campaigns aimed at health education and public health interventions.