1,721,010 research outputs found
Prevalenza e fattori di rischio per allergia a lattice negli ospedali della provincia di Teramo
Umbilical cord haematopoietic stem cell model as potential human transformation assay for immunotoxicity and carcinogenesis of metal compounds
Safety om cpmstruction yards: perception of occupational risk by italian building workers
Questionable Immunity to Mumps among Healthcare Workers in Italy—A Cross-Sectional Serological Study
Highly contagious diseases, such as mumps, are a global concern as new epidemics continue to emerge, even in highly vaccinated populations. The risk of transmission and spread of these viruses is even higher for individuals who are more likely to be exposed, including healthcare workers (HCWs). In healthcare settings, both HCWs and patients are at risk of infection during the care process, potentially leading to nosocomial epidemic outbreaks. Mumps is often underestimated compared with measles and rubella, despite being milder and less likely to spread. In fact, the risk of complications following mumps infection is extremely high, especially if the disease occurs in adulthood. The measles–mumps–rubella (MMR) vaccine has been shown to be an excellent preventive measure. Unfortunately, the mumps component appears to be less effective in inducing immunity than those for measles and rubella (two-dose effectiveness of 85%, 95% and 97%, respectively). The main aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of detectable mumps antibodies (serum IgG antibodies) in a cohort of Italian and foreign HCWs in relation to personal and occupational factors. We included in the study 468 subjects who underwent health surveillance at the Occupational Medicine Unit of the Tor Vergata Polyclinic in Rome during the period from January 2021 to March 2023. In our study, the proportion of HCWs found to be unprotected against mumps was very high (8.3%), and those found to be immune are below the WHO threshold for herd immunity (95%). From our data, it seems essential that all occupational health services carry out an accurate screening with a dose of anti-mumps antibodies to assess serological protection before starting a job, regardless of an individual’s vaccination history. This approach is proving to be beneficial, accurate, as it allows all serologically non-immune individuals to be vaccinated in the workplace, including those who would be protected by their vaccination history but have lost the antibody response
A cross-sectional serological study for measles among Italian medical students in 2020
Background: Measles is an infectious disease and a major health concern worldwide. Among individuals with a higher risk of exposure to measles, there are the Health Care Workers (HCWs), who may transmit the virus to other people. According to the Italian National Plan for Immunization and Prevention, all HCWs should have presumptive evidence of immunity to measles (documented two doses of MMR vaccination) or serological evidence of protective antibodies. Aim: The study aims to evaluate the immunological status, the vaccine coverage, and the protective IgG antibody titre for measles in medical students of the teaching hospital PoliclinicoTor Vergata (PTV). Methods: IgG measles antibodies titre was evaluated in a sample of 461 medical students undergoing annual health surveillance visits from January 1st to May 31th, 2020. Results: 73.7% of medical students showed protective measles IgG antibody levels. The immunization rate was higher among subjects aged less than 25 years with respect to students aged over 25 years (77.4% vs. 66.4%; P <0,001). Furthermore, average antibody titre showed a statistically significant association with the age group (124,2 AU/ml for the age group 18-25 and 133,2 AU/ml among subjects aged 25 or more; P<0.001). Conclusion: Our study shows a non-protective measles IgG antibody titre, especially among the older students. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the serological levels, to vaccinate those subjects whose antibody level is not adequate, and promote the vaccination even in the general population
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