Differences in Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus-specific and herpesvirus-non-specific immune responses in classic Kaposi sarcoma cases and matched controls in Sicily.
(49/98)
Surveillance of hospitalised patients with influenza-like illness during pandemic influenza A(H1N1) season in Sicily, April 2009-December 2010.
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This paper describes the epidemiology of hospitalised cases with influenza-like illness (ILI) and laboratory-confirmed influenza A cases in Sicily (Italy) during the 2009 influenza pandemic. The first ILI case diagnosed as infected with pandemic influenza A(H1N1)2009 in Sicily was reported in June 2009 and it rapidly became the dominant circulating strain. In the period from 30 April 2009 through 31 December 2010, a total of 2,636 people in Sicily were hospitalised for ILI and 1,193 were laboratory-confirmed for influenza A. Basic demographic and clinical information for all hospitalised patients was collected and population mortality rates (PMRs) and case fatality ratios (CFRs) were calculated. The median age of hospitalised patients infected with pandemic influenza A(H1N1)2009 was significantly lower than that of hospitalised ILI cases in general (18.0 vs. 32.1 years; p<0.0001). Among adults, women were more susceptible than men. The majority of clinical presentations were mild, but 6.6% of hospitalised patients required admission to an intensive care unit, of whom 26.3% had confirmed influenza A. Twenty-four fatal cases were documented. The age group of 45-54 year-olds showed the highest PMRs once hospitalised, while CFRs were higher in elderly patients of 65 years and older. All fatal cases were confirmed as influenza A(H1N1)2009 and most of them had established risk factors for influenza complications. (+info)
Genetic analysis of Sicilian autochthonous horse breeds using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers.
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Molecular characterization of trimethoprim resistance in Shigella sonnei in Sicily.
(53/98)
During the 3-year period 1985-7, all strains of Shigella sonnei isolated in Catania, Sicily, showed a high level of resistance to trimethoprim (Tp) which was invariably associated with resistance to other antibiotics. Plasmid analysis showed 18 different electropherotypes: 35 of 37 strains harboured a plasmid of 70 Megadaltons (MDa), and 29 of 37 strains a plasmid of 130 MDa. Restriction endonuclease fingerprinting of purified 70 MDa plasmid DNA from different strains demonstrated that these plasmids were similar but not identical. In some strains with transferable Tp resistance, DNA hybridization analysis demonstrated the presence of gene coding for the production of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) type V. In contrast, there was no detectable hybridization with DNA probes specific for genes coding for DHFR types I, II and IV. This is the first report of the DHFR type V gene outside Sri Lanka. (+info)
A retrospective follow up study on maternal age and infant mortality in two Sicilian districts.
(54/98)
Cut-off points of the visceral adiposity index (VAI) identifying a visceral adipose dysfunction associated with cardiometabolic risk in a Caucasian Sicilian population.
(55/98)