.:SEASONAL HUMAN INFLUENZA:.:ITALY:.:

[Giuseppe]

Seasonal human influenza diffusion in Europe seems to be at the baseline level. However, sporadic and local activity were detected in several EU Member States.
According latest EISS (European Influenza Surveillance Scheme, http://www.eiss.org ) most of the viral samples isolated belong to A/H1N1/Solomon Island drift variant. A/H3N2/Brisbane was isolated in a few samples.
In Italy, currently experiencing a cold weather, first virus isolated is a A/H1N1/Solomon Island-line strain at Parma, Northern Italy town, in a 41-year-old unvaccinated man. Last year seasonal human influenza epidemics were moderate and mainly sustained by A/H3N2 strains.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: .:SEASONAL HUMAN INFLUENZA:.:ITALY:.:

(BACTERIAL) MENINGITIS CLUSTER IN VENETO REGION
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An outbreak of acute (bacterial) meningitis was detected among attendants to a dance party house in Pederobba city, Treviso Province, Veneto Region, Northern Italy, according an Ansa news agency launch.
A 15 year-old male patient died after a brief hospitalization at Conegliano Veneto town.
Other five patients result hospitalizend in ICU department of Treviso hospital, some in critical conditions.
A patient was placed under antibiotic post-exposure prophylaxis but later developed illness, according ''il mattino'' daily.
Regional health department issues an advice for those attended two dance party houses at center of this cluster for seeking immediate medical consultation for post-exposure prophylaxis and quarantine.
The strain involved seems to be very nasty, with patients in septic shock after brief incubation period.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: .:SEASONAL HUMAN INFLUENZA:.:ITALY:.:

During the state-run first-tv channel prime-time news service, a regional health department sposkesman calls the public that attended two dance party houses to seek immediate medical treatment in order to establish a post-exposure prophylaxis. He added that the meningitis outbreaks in Veneto region is caused by a Meningococcus serotype C.
The news service added that score of people invade ER departments in several Veneto cities (Castelfranco Veneto, Conegliano Veneto, Treviso) hospitals looking for medical advice.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: .:SEASONAL HUMAN INFLUENZA:.:ITALY:.:

-=More meningococcal meningitis cases discovered in Treviso Province-=
According ''il mattino'' daily newspaper, more than 600 people are currently under post-exposure prophylaxis in various city and villages of Treviso province, north Italy. With one confirmed death and eight more patients hospitalized in ICU, this appears as a severe outbreak, and at least five dance party house, pubs, and a boutique closed as precautionary measure.
In addition, a pneumococcal meningitis was discovered in a young patient with no epidemiological link with other patients involved in this outbreak.
A few day ago a female patient was hospitalized after developing legionellosis, probably infected in a sport centre.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: .:SEASONAL HUMAN INFLUENZA:.:ITALY:.:

-=Meningococcal Meningitis in Veneto region=-
According today edition of 'il mattino' daily newspaper, around 1,000 inhabitants of several small town in Treviso province went to ER hospitals dept for advice after a 15-year-old boy died for meningococcal meningitis.
Three hospitalized patients are currently treated at ICU in critical conditions. No further admission to ICU in the weekend.
Regional health authorities plan to meet today for review current epidemiological situation and for issue further advice to public.
Scare people avoided dance party houses and pubs during weekend.
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[Giuseppe]

Re: .:SEASONAL HUMAN INFLUENZA:.:ITALY:.:

-=Meningococcal Meningitis in Veneto Region=-
According an Ansa Press Agency update, a second patient died for meningococcal meningitis at a Treviso hospital. Epidemiological link with other patients in ICU is unclear.
In an interview, the head of National Institute of Health Donato Greco, the outbreak is 'under control' and 600 people are currently under post-exposure antibiotic prophylaxis. The most of people involved are south-american (latin american) migrants, and a preventive round of vaccinations is under evaluation but not advisable for general population.
(http://www.ansa.it/opencms/export/s...daassociare/visualizza_new.html_38376422.html)

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: .:SEASONAL HUMAN INFLUENZA:.:ITALY:.:

-=MENINGOCOCCAL MENINGITIS in VENETO Region=-
A third patient died after contracting meningococcal meningitis at a Treviso province hospital, according ADN-Kronos Press Agency. A 30-year-old female patient succumbed to disease contracted in the midst of an outbreak centered at a dance party house, after a 15-year-old boy and a 33-year-old Nigerian migrant.
(http://www.adnkronos.com/IGN/Cronaca/?id=1.0.1682250374)

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: .:SEASONAL HUMAN INFLUENZA:.:ITALY:.:

.:SEASONAL HUMAN INFLUENZA - SLIGHTLY INCREASE IN ILI REPORTED :.

The National Institute of Health reports today the weekly update for Influenza Like Illness in Italy (week 50, Dec 19, 2007).
Overall, the rate of consultation for ILI reported by GPs sentinel network is 1.01 per 1,000 inhabitants.
For the class-age: (0-4), 4.48 x 1,000; (5-14), 1.51 x 1,000; (15-65), 0.84 x 1,000; (>65), 0.45 x 1,000.

The global rate is slightly above 2006 value.
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http://www.influciri.it/frsetcn.html
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[Giuseppe]

Re: .:SEASONAL HUMAN INFLUENZA:.:ITALY:.:

.:MENINGOCOCCAL MENINGITIS OUTBREAK IN VENETO:.

The alarm level is suddenly increased after a 25-year-old student at the Padua University has been hospitalized at Veneto town's hospital for laboratory confirmed Meningococcal Meningitis serogroup C. The patient, from Conegliano Veneto, is currently under treatment at ICU in critical conditions.
At the moment, it is not clear whether the case linked with previous cluster in Montebelluna or represents the start of a new one.
The student's roomates are under post-exposure antibiotic prophylaxis as well as around 200 people with possible contacts with him.
Ministry of Health in a press statement said that even European Union health authorities and World Health Organization GOARN have been informed about current situation and for the general public reminded the need of a heightened level of attention to symptoms such as sudden high fever (>39 °C) and severe headache, suggesting an immediate medical consultation.
It is the first time that an outbreak of meningococcal meningitis occurs in Italy, where in the recent past only sporadic - no linked - cases happened.
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See also, http://hygimia69.blogspot.com/2007/12/meningite-menigococcica-in-veneto.html