Vaccine-preventable diseases: Immune response in a large population of healthcare students

BACKGROUND

Students in medicine and other health professions are exposed to numerous occupational hazards, primarily biological hazards, during their academic careers at university. The aim of the present study was to investigate the seroprevalence characteristics of anti-HBsAg, anti-Measles, anti-Mumps, anti-Rubella and anti-Varicella IgG antibodies in healthcare students of a large teaching hospital in Rome.

METHODS

To accomplish the study's aims, antibody serology data were gathered from students of Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry, and Health Professions at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (Rome Campus) during their first Health Surveillance visit, that took place from 2013 to 2023.

RESULTS

Our study sample included 2523 students, 44.4 % were protected against Hepatitis B, 87.3 % against measles, 85.5 % against mumps, 94.6 % rubella and 95.2 % against varicella. Differences in antibody coverage between age groups were statistically significant (p < 0.001), except for mumps. It found a lower probability of having seronegative anti-HBVs with an older date since the presumed primary vaccination.

CONCLUSION

In our sample, seropositivity rate against vaccine-preventable diseases, especially for Hepatitis B, was often inadequate to prevent possible biological risks connected with the activities carried out on the ward.

Point prevalence survey of antibiotic use and healthcare-associated infections in acute care hospitals: a comprehensive report from the Marche Region of Italy

BACKGROUND

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are serious health challenges. Point prevalence surveys (PPSs) are valuable tools for monitoring HAIs and AMR.

AIM

To describe results of the ECDC PPS 2022 dealing with the prevalence of HAIs, antimicrobial consumption, and associated factors, in acute care hospitals.

METHODS

The survey was performed in November 2022 in 14 hospitals according to the protocol proposed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Multilevel logistic regression was performed using geographical area/hospital type as cluster variable to evaluate the factors independently associated with HAIs and antibiotics.

FINDINGS

The point prevalence of HAIs was 7.43%. Patients hospitalized for longer periods were more likely to have an HAI as well as those aged 15-44 years, with a rapidly fatal disease, intubated, and with one or two devices. Antibiotics prevalence was 47.30%. Males, unknown McCabe scores, minimally invasive/non-National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) surgery, patients with HAIs, hospitals with a higher alcohol hand-rub consumption, hospitals with a greater number of IPC personnel, geriatric wards, and hospitals with 300-600 beds were more likely to be under antimicrobial therapy.

CONCLUSION

This PPS provided valuable information on the prevalence of HAIs and antimicrobial consumption and variables associated. The high prevalence of HAIs highlights the need for improved infection control measures.

HIV/AIDS stigma among University students in Ancona (Italy) and Novi Sad (Serbia)

Background

Sigma associated with HIV/AIDS can be a considerable barrier to HIV prevention. The aim of the study was to assess factors associated with stigmatizing attitudes among university students.

Methods

The study was conducted as a cross-sectional study among 1305 university students in Ancona (Italy) and Novi Sad (Serbia) from October to December 2020 (67.7% females). The mean age of participants was 21.94 ± 2.45. The instrument of the study was an online questionnaire that included socio-demographic data and questions about attitudes toward HIV/AIDS. Stigma was analyzed using five questions and the stigma score was calculated (a lower score indicated a higher stigma attitude).

Results

Among University students 89.7% would share a classroom with a student with HIV/AIDS, 2.5% of students think that students with HIV/AIDS should have separate classes and 5.8% are not sure if they should be in separate classes. Only half of the students (50.1%) said that they would share a bathroom with HIV/AIDS positive students and 80.4% said that they would buy fruits from a HIV/AIDS positive person. Every second student (55.1%) thinks that HIV-positive women should have children. The mean stigma score of the respondents in this study was 3.66 ± 1.26. Stigma score was lowest among youngest participants and among students at lower study year. The stigmatizing attitude was less present among students of medicine (4.09), comparing to other faculties (3.33) (p &lt; 0.001). There were no statistical differences according to gender, data about who they live with, material status of the family and between Universities.

Conclusions

Results of this study showed that there are some negative attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS among university students. The stigmatizing attitude was more common among younger students.

Key messages

Stigmatizing attitude toward HIV/AIDS is still present among younger generations. Need for more health promotion activities among students from both countries.

Self-sampling to increase participation in cervical cancer screening: an RCT comparing home mailing, distribution in pharmacies, and recall letter

Background:

We performed a multicentre randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effect on participation in organised screening programmes of a self-sampling device mailed home or picked up at a pharmacy compared with the standard recall letter.

Methods:

Women aged 30–64 non-responding to screening invitation were eligible. Response rate to first invitation ranged from 30% to 60% between centres. The control was the standard reminder letter to undergo the test used by the programme (Pap test in three centres and HPV DNA test in three other centres). Home mailing of the self-sampler was preceded by a letter with a leaflet about HPV. The analysis was intention-to-treat.

Results:

In all, 14 041 women were randomised and recruited: 5012 in the control arm, 4516 to receive the self-sampler at home, and 4513 to pick up the self-sampler at a pharmacy. Participation was 11.9% in the control, 21.6% (relative participation: 1.75; 95% CI 1.60–1.93) in home, and 12.0% (relative participation: 0.96; 95% CI 0.86–1.07) in the pharmacy arms, respectively. The heterogeneity between centres was high (excess heterogeneity of that expected due to chance, i.e., I², 94.9% and 94.1% for home and pharmacy arm, respectively). The estimated impact on the overall coverage was +4.3% for home mail self-sampling compared with +2.2% for standard reminder.

Conclusions:

Home mailing of self-sampler proved to be an effective way to increase participation in screening programmes, even in those with HPV as primary testing. Picking up at pharmacies showed effects varying from centre to centre.

Syndecan-1 and Wingless-type protein-1 in human ameloblastomas

BACKGROUND

Aberrant Wingless type 1 glycoprotein (Wnt) pathway in ameloblastomas and a role of syndecan-1 (SDC1) in activating Wnt signalling were perspected. SDC1 shifting from epithelium to stroma was reported in invasive non-odontogenic neoplasms. The aim of this study was to reveal the role of SDC1 and Wnt1 in intraosseous ameloblastomas (IA(s)).

METHODS

SDC1 and Wnt1 expressions were investigated in 29 ameloblastoma subtypes and seven tooth buds.

RESULTS

SDC1 immunostaining strongly depicted stromal cells, extracellular matrix (ECM) and basement membranes of ameloblastomas. It also showed epithelial tumour cells in the acanthomatous and plexiform subtypes, and it often occurred in stellate reticulum cells and basal ameloblasts of tooth buds. Parallel Wnt1 expression occurred in ameloblastomatous epithelial cells, but it was common in basal cells of tooth buds too. Statistically, a significant correlation was found between the percentage of IA(s)-bearing SDC1-positive stromal cells and ECM and the percentage of IA(s)-bearing Wnt1-positive epithelial cells.

CONCLUSIONS

A role of SDC1 in stromal cells and ECM can be hypothesized as a critical factor for carcinogenesis and local invasiveness of IA(s).

[Gastrointestinal stromal tumors: five case reports and review of the literature]

Being a rare entity, GISTs represents the most common subset of mesenchymal tumours that arise from the digestive tract. Their immunohistochemical and histopathologic features distinguish them from other gastrointestinal mesenchymal neoplasms. These tumours have been the matter of considerable debate in the literature regarding their histogenesis, criteria for diagnosis, prognostic features and treatment. GISTs express Kit protein that not only is a marker for diagnosis but has also permitted to identify a specific medical treatment. The exceptional interest aroused in the literature leads us to make a review about this subject reporting five cases treated in the last 2 years.

[Gastric carcinoma: a histopathological study of 705 cases]

We examined 705 surgical specimens of total and subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer, from the Surgical Pathology Department of L'Aquila, Atri and Avezzano, during the period from January 1972 to December 1991. For each case at least 15 samplings were taken, from the tumor itself and from the mucosa which appeared macroscopically normal. The cases were then classified according to the criteria proposed by Lauren and by Ming and the staging of the disease using the UICC's pTNM. Applying Ming's classification, it was evident a clear prevalence of the infiltrative (78.6%), rather than the expansive type (21.4%). Lauren's classification showed a slight prevalence of the diffuse type (56.5%), compared with the intestinal type. Intestinal metaplasia, chronic atrophic gastritis and dysplasia were found more frequently in the intestinal and expansive histotypes. These are the forms having a better prognosis and which in our results represent a minority of cases, therefore identifying the geographic area as a low risk area. With regards to the pTNM staging, T3's resulted the most numerous; T1's, or early gastric cancers (EGC), represented instead 15.7% of the total. Such a percentage is rather high in comparison with the mean percentage in western countries with low risk of disease. In reference to the macroscopic variants, a clear prevalence of the ulcerated forms (66.5%) was noted, in contrast with Ming and other Authors, that declare a slight prevalence of the fungating type. Also considering the histotypes there is a certain discrepancy between the data of Ming and ours; in fact, in our study the infiltrative type prevails, representing 78.6% against 33.6% found by Ming. Such a result can be usefully correlated to the high percentage of the ulcerated forms observed in our study and to the relative scarcity of fungating forms; these variants themselves, according to Ming, are usually related to the expansive type of gastric carcinoma. We also noted, in EGC, a remarkable age difference in regards to the diffuse type; the mean age of the 57 patients with this type classified as T1 was 52.2 years against the 63.0 years of the 341 patients with T > 1. The patients with T1 diffuse type carcinoma were not only 10.8 years younger than the patients with advanced gastric cancer of corresponding histotype, but were also 10 years younger than patients with EGC of intestinal type. Such data could support the hypothesis that EGC, diffuse type, has a peculiar biologic behavior.

Mechanisms underlying the neuropathological consequences of epileptic activity in the rat hippocampus in vitro

Blockage of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic synaptic transmission in mature hippocampal slice cultures for a period of 3 days with convulsants was shown previously to induce chronic epileptiform activity and to mimic many of the degenerative changes observed in the hippocampi of epileptic humans. The cellular mechanisms underlying the induction of this degeneration were examined in the present study by comparing the effects of GABA blockers with the effects produced by the K+ channel blocker tetraethylammonium (2 mM). Both types of convulsant caused a comparable decrease in the number of Nissl-stained pyramidal cells in areas CA1 and CA3. No significant cell loss was induced by tetraethylammonium when epileptiform discharge was reduced by simultaneous exposure of cultures to tetrodotoxin (0.5 microM) or to the anticonvulsants pentobarbital (50 microM) or tiagabine (50 microM). We conclude that this degeneration was mediated by convulsant-induced epileptiform discharge itself. The hypothesis that N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated excitotoxicity underlies cell death in this model was tested by applying convulsants together with specific antagonists of glutamate receptors. Whereas coapplication of antagonists of both non-NMDA and NMDA receptors strongly reduced the degeneration induced by the convulsants, application of either class of antagonist alone did not. Application of exogenous NMDA produced potent cell death, and this degeneration was blocked by the NMDA receptor antagonist methyl-10,11-dihydro-5-H-dibenzocyclohepten-5,10-imine (MK-801). Convulsants also induced a loss of dendritic spines that could be partially prevented by NMDA or non-NMDA receptor antagonists. We conclude that NMDA receptor activation is not solely responsible for the neuronal pathology resulting as a consequence of epileptiform discharge.

Functional characterization and modulation of feedback inhibitory circuits in area CA3 of rat hippocampal slice cultures

Feedback inhibitory circuits were characterized electrophysiologically in the CA3 region of organotypic rat hippocampal cultures. Pyramidal cells were impaled with sharp microelectrodes and brief depolarizing current pulses were injected intracellularly to elicit single action potentials. An inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) was observed at fixed latency after the action potential in 27% of impaled cells (n = 131). These IPSPs were fully blocked by bicuculline, indicating that they were mediated solely by gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors. They were also blocked by 6-cyano-7-nitro-quinoxaline-2, 3-dione but not D-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate, indicating that non-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors were necessary and sufficient for activating interposed GABAergic interneurons. Adenosine (0.1-5 microM) increased the percentage of action potentials that were not followed by IPSPs by reducing the probability of glutamatergic activation of the interneurons. In 18 of 21 experiments adenosine also decreased the mean amplitude of successfully elicited IPSPs, indicating that more than one interneuron participated in the feedback inhibition of those pyramidal cells. In three experiments the non-failure IPSP amplitude was not affected by adenosine, suggesting that only one interneuron participated. Repetitive stimulation at 2-4 Hz decreased the amplitude of non-failure feedback IPSPs and usually increased the number of failures of transmission. These effects were transient and insensitive to the GABAB antagonist CGP 35348. We conclude that both the excitation of interneurons and the release of GABA from interneurons are modulated by repetitive stimulation.

Prognosis of gastric carcinoma revealed by interactions between tumor cells and basement membrane

The extra-cellular matrix (ECM) related antigens, type IV collagen, laminin, M(r) 68,000 laminin receptor (LR), M(r) 72,000 type IV collagenase (MMP-2), its inhibitor TIMP-2, and alpha 2-macroglobulin expression have been immunohistochemically investigated in 100 cases of human gastric carcinoma with a 5-yr follow up. Basement membranes were inversely related to tumoral differentiation. At the early intramucosal stage of both intestinal and diffuse histological types, TIMP-2 was expressed by the majority of tumor cells (60/63%), whereas MMP-2+ and LR+ cells were in the minority (24/19%, 23/0%, respectively). At the early submucosal stage, TIMP-2+ cells moderately decreased in both histological types (49/49%), whereas a consistently higher number of both MMP-2+ and LR+ cells were detected only in the diffuse carcinomas (72%). In the advanced stage, the expression of TIMP-2 further declined (22/24%), although the other two antigens increased or maintained high levels of expression. AMG+ cells never exceeded 10% in either histological type at any stage. In the liver metastases, both MMP-2+ and LR+ cells were more numerous than in the primary tumor (P < 0.002 and P < 0.01). Patients who died from their primary tumor had higher percentages of LR+, MMP-2+, and AMG+ cells and lower percentages of TIMP-2+ cells with respect to survivors. We believe evaluation of ECM-related antigens, and especially TIMP-2, may help determine a confident prognosis for gastric cancer.

[Solitary necrotic nodule of the liver simulating a metastasis]

Solitary necrotic nodule of the liver is a uncommon benign lesion reported in old patients. The patients often had previous history of malignant lesions. The clinical aspects of S.N.N.L. suggest a metastatic lesion. The characteristic histological appearances are represented by a necrotic core (eosinophilic) surrounded by a hyalinised fibrotic tissue. We describe a case of S.N.N.L. identified in a 69 old woman previously resected for a colonic carcinoma.

Colo-anal anastomosis with colonic reservoir for cavernous hemangioma of the rectum

The authors report on the clinical history of, and the therapeutic choices for, cavernous hemangioma of the rectum diagnosed in a 27-year-old male admitted for repeated episodes of rectal bleeding. The hemangioma extended to the dentate line and consequently the surgical challenge was to carry out a sphincter-saving procedure. The low resting pressure of the sphincter did not rule out the use of the colo-anal anastomosis procedure, but did require the construction of a pre-anastomotic colonic reservoir. The diagnostic problems and the therapeutic choices related to the salvaging of the sphincter are discussed.

Blue nevus of the lymph node capsule. Report of a case

A case of blue nevus in the lymph node capsule is described. It's not a common pathology and only few cases have been reported so far. Nevus-cell aggregates in the same location are more frequent and difference between the two entities is described. So for histogenesis of these lesions, a melanocyte migration arrest is favoured rather than the hypothesis of a 'benign metastasis' from a cutaneous primitive site.

The simultaneous presence of primary lymphoma and adenocarcinoma in the stomach

The authors describe a rare case, recently observed by them, of coexisting primary lymphoma and adenocarcinoma of the stomach. After illustrating the more salient aspects of the clinical and anatomopathological pattern, the Authors discuss the general issue of the simultaneous presence of the two pathologies, analysing in particular their classification and etiopathogenic aspects. They then discuss the peculiar aspects of the case considered, including the preoperative diagnosis of non-Hodgkin gastric lymphoma, and highlight the fact that, unlike what is more frequently reported in the literature, the carcinomatous component had been completely ignored. As a final consideration, they stress the importance of studying this rare combination of tumoral components in order to gain a better understanding of oncogenic mechanisms so far unknown.