[Prevalence of urinary infections caused by GBS in diabetic patients]. / Studio della prevalenza delle infezioni urinarie da Gbs in pazienti diabetici.

On a randomized sample of 305 diabetic patients and of 479 controls was studied for an epidemiological research about the colonization of urinary tract by Group B-Streptococci (GBS). The detection rate was 16.44% in the diabetics, and 8.77% in the controls. and it was higher in diabetic women than diabetic men (R.P. 1.96, p < 0.05). The age, the model of diabetes treatment, and the metabolic control of diabetic people didn't be significatively correlated with GBS presence. Most of GBS that have been identified in diabetic patients were belonged to the sierotype I, whereas in the controls were belonged to the sierotype III.

[Epidemiology of bronchopulmonary hospital infections]. / Epidemiologia delle infezioni broncopolmonari ospedaliere.

Hospital acquired infections (HAI) represent one of the major problems, due to their elevated frequency and high number of fatal cases, in the control of infectious diseases. With the perspective to evaluate the incidence of bronchopulmonary infections and to determine their role as cause of death of hospitalized patients, as well as to identify the etiology and the associated risk factors, we have studied 105 autopsy cases of patients decreased in hospital. 37 patients had pneumonias, of which 48.6% were of hospital origin. Hospital pneumonia was responsible for death in 12.3% of the cases. The risk factors significantly associated with HAI were recognized to be the following: hospital recovery for a period longer than 10 days, and surgery. Among the etiologic agents isolated in HAI, there was a distinct prevalence in Gram-negative bacteria (55.5% of the samples), such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila.

[Presence of bacterial endotoxins in drinking and bottled water, with monitoring of eventual contaminations]. / La presenza di endotossine batteriche in acque condottate ed imbottigliate, con monitoraggio di eventuali contaminazioni.

83 samples of drinking water of different source were examined with LAL-test, valuing some characteristics of the water (bacterial count, Coliform, pH, dissolved CO2) which might influence the test. Quantity higher than 0.5 ng/ml of endotoxin were detected in 40 of 44 mineral water samples and 37 of 39 tap water samples. The results are discussed.

[Analysis of the seasonal pattern of blood lead levels in relation to different concentrations of atmospheric lead]. / Analisi dell'andamento stagionale della piombemia in rapporto alle differenti concentrazioni di piombo atmosferico.

Blood lead levels have been analysed in a group of people resident in Turin in relation to different concentrations of lead in the atmosphere. Blood samples were taken in three periods of the year corresponding to seasonal maximums of pollution. Blood lead levels showed a marked decrease in the summer when the lowest concentrations are observed but the following autum sample did not show an increase. It is therefore considered likely that blood values would have been found to be increased if the final sample had been put off by 1-2 months.