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G M Fara

Publications and source records attributed to G M Fara.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Requests of medical examinations after pneumococcal & influenza vaccination in the elderly.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: There are no specific recommendations about pneumococcal vaccination (PV) in Italy. There are limited data on the requests of medical examination or hospitalization due to side effects of pneumococcal vaccination. In the present study we present our analyses on the requests of medical examination due to side effects of pneumococcal vaccination (PV) in 29,086 elderly aged >/=65 yr. METHODS: Vaccination with influenza vaccine (IV) alone or in association with PV was offered during the IV campaign in the winter 1999-2000 in 8 counties of Sicily. General practitioners (GPs) provided the vaccination and, 72 h later, recorded local and systemic side effects by a telephonic interview with the waccinees. GPs recorded also the requests of medical treatments. RESULTS: A total of 16,601 subjects (57.1%) were vaccinated with IV alone and 12,485 (42.9%) with the association IV+PV. Adverse effects were reported by 14.7 per cent of vaccinees. Out of 4,289 subjects with side effects, 305 (7.1%) looked for a medical examination. The factors associated with a significantly increased risk for medical examination after vaccination were symptoms duration >72 h (OR 2.04; 95% CI 1.38-3.01; P=0.0002); local induration (OR 3.26; 95% CI 2.07-5.13; P<0.0001); general malaise (OR 2.05; 95% CI 1.34-3.13; P=0.0009); fever >/=38 degrees C (OR 3.34; 95% CI 1.90-5.86; P<0.0001); myalgia (OR 2.80; 95% CI 1.46-5.37; P=0.0018) and dyspnea (OR 37.86; 95% CI 9.65-148.60; P=0.0001). INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: The few requests for medical examination and the low rate of adverse effects confirmed the tolerability and safety of PV+IV; GPs consultation were related to the severity and duration of symptoms, but independent of the type of vaccine administered.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Enterovirus surveillance of Italian healthy children.

Surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) is the golden strategy recommended by the WHO to verify the condition of polio eradication in a country. Because of the difficulty to detect all of the expected AFP cases and to reach the target incidence of 1/100,000 requested by WHO, the surveillance of enteroviruses in the population has been adopted by several countries as an important additional method to verify the absence of wild-poliovirus circulation. To complete the results of AFP surveillance set up in Italy in 1996, we have conducted a wild poliovirus surveillance by examining stool samples from 1551 healthy children aged less than 5 years, collected during the period January 1997 to January 1998. The children were from three cities (Parma, Rome and Bari) located in northern, central and southern Italy. Thirty-nine polioviruses, 72 non-polio enteroviruses and 50 enteric, nonentero (NE), viruses were isolated from stool specimens. Polioviruses identified were nine type 1, seven type 2 and twenty-three type 3. Characterization of isolates by both antigenic and molecular methods showed that all polioviruses were of vaccine origin. As expected, most polioviruses, especially types 2 and 3, presented retromutations known to be associated with loss of the Sabin attenuated phenotype. The results of this study support the data obtained from the active AFP surveillance conducted in Italy in the same period--on the absence of paralytic disease due to wild poliovirus--and altogether demonstrate the effectiveness of the vaccination program.

Child↗
PubMed1998

Diphtheria antitoxin levels in the 14-30-year age group in Italy.

In order to verify diphtheria immunity a seroepidemiological survey was performed in 1996-1997. Serum samples were obtained from 501 subjects 14 years old, recruited at 8 schools in Rome, and from 490 subjects 20-30 years old recruited from 15 Italian regions. Serum diphtheria antitoxin was titrated using the Vero cell assay. The minimum protection level of antitoxin was set at 0.01 IU ml-1. The results show that the younger population have a good immunity to diphtheria while a large proportion of young adults is devoid of protective levels of diphtheria antitoxin. Out of the 501 subjects 14 years old, 495 (98.8%) had a diphtheria antitoxin titre > or = 0.01 IU ml(-1). Only 6 (1.2%) teenagers were susceptible. Out of the 490 subjects 20-30 years old, 109 (22.2%) were susceptible, 381 (77.8%) had a diphtheria antitoxin titre > or = 0.01 IU ml(-1). The data stress for booster immunization at the end of junior high school.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Outdoor air pollution and health.

Outdoor air pollution has been recognized as a relevant factor for health. Studies on exposure of both workers and normal population due to accidental contaminations of environment have been performed. Energy production, winter heating, vehicle exhausts and industrial activities can act acutely or chronically. Epidemiological studies should be corrected for disturbing factors, so that the result are useful to suggest new rules about total good quality of environment (outdoor and indoor).

Environmental Pollution↗
PubMed1994

Attitudes and behavior of health care personnel regarding influenza vaccination.

This paper reports the results of a study conducted by the Italian Association for Immune-Prophylaxis Promotion (AIP.I) with the aim of surveying the attitudes and perceptions of Italian health care workers regarding the use and efficacy of influenza vaccine. The results clearly show that a high proportion of the questioned health care workers showed a general lack of concern about the severity of the disease. Doubts about vaccine efficacy and fear of post-vaccination side effects were also observed to have an important influence on the vaccination acceptance rates. These data underline the need for a systematic education program to provide influenza vaccination within the public and private health-care sectors in Italy.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1994

Immune response of the elderly to rabies vaccines.

A serological study has been performed to detect the antibody response to full schedules of two anti-rabies vaccines (PDEV and HDCV). Subjects aged > 50 years, compared with subjects 11-25 years, showed significantly lower titres after the 4th dose (and, to a lesser extent, after the 5th dose), suggesting that, among the elderly, the 6th dose is strongly desirable.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Viral hepatitis and drugs: a continuing problem.

A seroepidemiological survey of a group of drug abusers has been carried out to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus, hepatitis D virus, hepatitis A virus infection markers in sera, as well as to evaluate the role of potential risk factors. A total of 645 symptomless subjects with a history of injecting heroin were recruited as volunteers from methadone maintenance centres in Rome. For all hepatitis viruses the total figures showed high prevalence rates giving considerable viral circulation in this group. Among heroin addicts the prevalence was 63.4% for HCV, 65% for HBV, 13.3% for HDV and 50.9% for HAV. Anti-HCV prevalence correlated with serological evidence of HBV infection. A significant correlation was also found between presence of HCV antibodies and exposure time to drug addiction > 5 years earlier. The data reveal the important role played by needle sharing in the spreading of multiple infections among intravenous drug abusers (IVDA).

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Prevalence survey of nosocomial infections in a paediatric hospital.

A prevalence survey of nosocomial and community infections in a children's hospital was carried out in the wards of the Bambino Gesù Hospital, Rome, Italy. The overall prevalence of hospital-acquired infection (HAI) was 5.1%, with higher rates in surgical units and among children aged 1 to 5 years. The proportion of community-acquired infections was 9.2%, with higher rates in the infectious disease and internal medicine units and among children aged 6 to 11 years. The most frequent type of HAI was respiratory tract infection, with only a small number of urinary tract infections.

Child↗
PubMed1987

[Studies on the possible association between severe neurological syndromes and compulsory vaccination in Milano].

From June 1978 throughout February 1979, 66 children with a mean age of 13 months were admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit in Naples (Santobono Hospital) after a rapid onset of coma or deep stupor of unknown ethiology. The "mystery disease" ("il male oscuro") as somebody in Naples has defined this syndrome, was suspected to be associated with tetanus and diphtheria immunization. Epidemiological investigations and an international symposium of experts agreed not to consider the cases due to immunization. Some of these deaths were related with with Respiratory Syncitial Virus (RSV), evidence which is favored by the poor sanitary situation, evident in many sections of Naples. Although an ad hoc Committee appointed by the Italian Ministry of Health excluded any correlation with immunization, the Ministry of Health invited some Italian groups to carry epidemiological retrospective studies in some Regions of the Country. To obtain comparable results a special protocol was prepared. Two retrospective case-control studies, performed in Genoa and Florence, did not show any association between immunization with anti-diphtheria-tetanus and even anti-poliomyelitis vaccine and severe neurological illness. A retrospective study, performed by us at the Institute of Hygiene of the University of Milan for the years 1983, 1984 and 1985, has included not only the 208 admittances to the only pediatric intensive care unit of Milan (S. Carlo Hospital) but also the other intensive care units of Milan where, sometimes, children are accepted, especially if they were previously admitted to the pediatric wards of the same hospitals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Central Nervous System Diseases↗
PubMed1987

[Anti-rabies prophylaxis. Experience of the Antirabies Service of Rome].

Clinical records from 4820 outpatients who required assistance after animal bites during 1986 at the "Antirabid Center" of Rome were collected and analysed. The study was carried out to investigate epidemiology of animal bites among our population and the proportion of people who received post-exposure antirabid prophylaxis. We noted a high proportion of people submitted to rabies immunization after animal bites (44% received at least one dose of HDCV vaccine), in spite of the fact that rabies is absent from Central Italy since many years in both wild and domestic animals (being present, on the contrary, in Northern Italy). These considerations suggest the opportunity of a substantial revision of the official Recommendations, and we feel that a differential policy should be adopted in rabies enzootic areas (Northern Italy) compared to those where risk is only potential.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Gynaecomastia and premature thelarche in a schoolchildren population of northern Italy.

The prevalence and incidence of gynaecomastia and thelarche have been studied in pre-school children and school children belonging to different socio-economical classes in two Northern Italian Cities: Milano and Mantova. The children selected underwent three clinical examinations in their own school by the same examinator. The highest prevalence (36.6%) of breast enlargement was observed in nursery children until 2 years of age in Milano. Age and sex specific incidence rates were higher in Milano than in Mantova except in boys 11-14 years old. Assumption of drugs which might induce gynaecomastia thelarche was excluded. Relative risks calculated for veal and chicken must suggest that these are not relevant in the etiology of breast enlargement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

A hepatitis B vaccination programme in a group of dental practitioners.

A questionnaire concerning the acceptance of hepatitis B vaccination was mailed in April 1985 to 626 private dentists practicing in Milano and its county. Two hundred and twenty eight dentists (36.4%) filled out the questionnaire, 166 of them indicating their willingness to receive the vaccine. Between October 1985 and February 1986 we tested 241 practitioners for HBs antigen, anti-HBs and anti-HBc antibody, and SGPT (ALT) enzyme level. A 14.9% prevalence of HBV markers was found in the prevaccination testing. All persons with positivity for anti-HBs or HBsAg or with elevations of SGPT were excluded from the study (the latter temporarily). A few (42 or 20.9%) left spontaneously before the first dose of vaccine was administered. On the whole, 159 participants began the vaccination course. The proportion of vaccine recipients in dentists who indicated in the questionnaire their willingness to accept the vaccine and/or participated in a seroepidemiological survey performed in 1983 by some of us (85.1%) was significantly greater than that in the group of dentists who did neither (65.0%) (p less than 0.01). Educational effort appeared to be important to enroll and to counsel practitioners in implementing vaccination programme.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Hepatitis B virus infection in dentists and dental students.

To evaluate exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) in dental operators, we surveyed 297 students of the Dental School, University of Milano, and 526 dentists registered at the Italian Dental Association (A.M.D.I.) of Lombardia. Out of 297 students, 10.8% had one or more serologic markers of HBV infection; none was hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive. No significant difference in seropositivity was detected among students in relation to sex, age, or possible risk factors investigated. Out of 526 practitioners, 2.3% were positive for HBsAg, and 37.3% were antibody positive. The seropositivity increased progressively with age and years of professional experience, reaching the highest proportion in dentists with 30 years or more of practice (79.3%). Of those who had suffered from clinical hepatitis during their curriculum, 81.1% were seropositive compared with 34.5% observed in dentists without a prior clinical history of viral hepatitis. The proportion of seropositive dentists did not vary significantly with a history of blood transfusion, size of their practice, presence or absence (or unawareness) of subjects at high risk for HBV infection among their patients. The seropositivity was significantly lower in dentists who routinely adopted mask and gloves (21.1%) compared with those who never and/or occasionally used such barriers (46.3%). The result of the study confirmed that hepatitis B does remain a significant hazard for dental professionals, hence immunization with hepatitis B vaccine should be delivered early in their employment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

[Antipneumococcal vaccination: comparison between vaccines].

Fourteen antigen and 17 antigen polyvalent vaccines against Str. pneumoniae have been tested on 137 healthy volunteers. They have been shown to cause side-effects infrequently. A two-fold or higher increase of antibody concentration (detected by RIA) has been demonstrated in 80% of the vaccinees against all antigens of the 17 valent vaccine; while such increase has been demonstrated only for 12 out of 14 antigens in the other vaccine (for the other two antigens the percentages have been 66.7% (antigen 1) and 73.7% (antigen 12F). It is stressed that the use of these vaccines is particularly recommended for the prevention of pneumococcal diseases in higher risk subjects.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗