Chagas disease knocks on our door: a cross-sectional study among Latin American immigrants in Milan, Italy.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors for Chagas disease (CD) in Latin American immigrants and to evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic tests. Moreover, we offered to all positive subjects a complete free-of-charge clinical/instrumental evaluation as well as benznidazole treatment in order to stage the disease and verify drug tolerability. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of CD among Latin Americans living in Milan and its metropolitan area was conducted between July 2013 and July 2014. Blood samples were tested for serologic evidence of CD together with a questionnaire covering demographic and clinical-epidemiological information. RESULTS: Forty-eight (9.6%) of the 501 tested subjects were conclusively diagnosed as having CD. The highest prevalence of CD was among those from Bolivia (43/169, 25.4%) and El Salvador (4/68, 5.9%). Older age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)] 1.05, p =0.004), a Bolivian origin (aOR 8.80; p =0.003), being born in the department of Santa Cruz (aOR 3.72, p =0.047), having lived in mud houses (aOR 2.68; p =0.019), and having an affected relative (aOR 12.77, p =0.001) were independently associated with CD. The ARCHITECT Chagas test showed the highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (99.8%). Twenty-nine of the subjects with CD (60.4%) underwent disease staging, 10 of whom (35.7%) showed cardiac and/or digestive involvement. Benznidazole treatment was associated with high frequency of adverse reactions (19/27, 70.4%) and permanent discontinuation (8/27, 29.6%). CONCLUSIONS: CD is highly prevalent among Bolivians and Salvadorans living in Milan. Regions with a large Latin American immigrant population should implement programmes of active detection and treatment.

Prevalence of latent tuberculosis, syphilis, hepatitis B and C among asylum seekers in Malta.

BACKGROUND: In the last few years, Malta has witnessed increasing immigration flows from the Libyan coasts. Public health policies are focused on screening migrants for tuberculosis, whereas no systematic actions against STIs are implemented. The aim of this study is to define the epidemiological profile of asylum seekers in Malta as regards syphilis, hepatitis B, C and latent tuberculosis, thus supporting screening policies. METHODS: Five hundred migrants living in open centres were screened between December 2010 and June 2011. RESULTS: 83.2% of people was from Somalia, 81.2% males, average age 26.5 years. The tuberculin skin test (TST) was positive in 225 migrants (45%). Latent syphilis was diagnosed in 11 migrants, hepatitis C in 3 and 31 migrants were HBsAg positive. CONCLUSION: Systematic screening for asymptomatic migrants in Malta is not recommended for hepatitis C and syphilis, given the low prevalence observed. On the contrary, it should be considered for hepatitis B. TST could be indicated as the first step of a two step screening for migrants from countries with high TB incidence. Efficacy and cost-effectiveness could be achieved by further targeting screening to specific subgroups at higher risk of reactivation, such as people living with HIV and subjects affected by chronic diseases.

Penetration of moxifloxacin into bone in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate plasma and bone moxifloxacin concentrations following oral administration of a single or double dose of the drug, in order to consider its potential role in the treatment of osteomyelitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty consecutive patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty were recruited. Three groups, of ten patients each, were formed: group A received moxifloxacin 400 mg orally 2 h (range 1.5-2.5) preoperatively, group B received moxifloxacin 400 mg orally 4 h (range 3.5-4.5) preoperatively and group C received moxifloxacin 400 mg orally 14 h preoperatively, followed by a second dose 2 h (range 1.5-2.5) preoperatively. During surgery, at the time of bone removal, a blood sample and aliquots of cortical and cancellous bone were collected and moxifloxacin concentrations were measured by HPLC. RESULTS: Mean plasma, cancellous bone and cortical bone concentrations were, respectively: 3.45, 1.89 and 1.43 mg/L for group A; 3.73, 1.81 and 1.56 mg/L for group B; and 6.26, 2.97 and 2.54 mg/L for group C. CONCLUSIONS: These data show a good penetration of moxifloxacin into both cancellous and cortical bone, with concentrations, after double dosing, exceeding the MIC90 for most pathogens involved in osteomyelitis and the clinic susceptibility breakpoint for Mycobacterium tuberculosis.