Publications by authors named "Elisa Barbieri"

Background: Despite virological suppression through antiretroviral therapy (ART), people living with HIV (PLHIV) may exhibit inadequate immune responses to vaccination, placing them at continued risk for preventable infectious diseases. Evidence regarding the durability of vaccine-induced immunity in PLHIV with vertically acquired infection remains limited.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study to evaluate humoral immunity to routine childhood vaccines in a cohort of PLHIV with perinatally acquired infection.

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: The approval of mRNA-based vaccines for children and adolescents has contributed to global efforts to control the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. While hybrid immunity-combining prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination-may offer enhanced protection, data on its effectiveness versus vaccine-induced immunity in the pediatric population are limited. : This retrospective matched cohort study used linked health data from Norwegian nationwide health registries and the Italian Pedianet network.

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Introduction: In Italy, universal varicella vaccination (VV) started in 2017 with a two-dose schedule administered in children aged 12-15 months and 5-6 years, achieving 90% coverage in 2019, though with regional variations. To address the limitations in surveillance databases for capturing varicella episodes, the study aimed to evaluate the burden of varicella disease in the pediatric population using a primary care database.

Methods: This cohort study used data from Pedianet, a comprehensive database of 193 family pediatricians in Italy.

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Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in young children pose a significant global health challenge, leading to high rates of illness and death. They are estimated to be the fourth leading cause of mortality worldwide, particularly impacting children under five. This study aimed to identify the most effective time series model(s) for forecasting the epidemiological season burden of ARIs for the current 2023/2024 period in Italy.

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Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) and diagnostic stewardship programs (DSPs) are essential strategies for effectively managing infectious diseases and tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These programs can have a complementary impact, i.e.

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: We aimed to summarize the current state of antimicrobial stewardship (ASP) and diagnostic stewardship programs (DSPs) implemented in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). : Embase, MEDLINE, Scopus and the Cochrane Library were searched, including studies from 1 January 2007 to 20 February 2024. Studies were included in the review if they assessed the implementation of an ASP or a DSP in a PICU.

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Childhood obesity is a growing global concern due to its long-term health consequences. Yet, more research relying on multiple time-point BMI measurements is warranted to gain further insight into obesity's temporal trends. We aimed to identify BMI trajectories in children aged 2-10 years and evaluate their association with sociodemographic factors.

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Background: The prevention of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) is crucial for paediatric haemato-oncological patients. This study evaluates the clinical efficacy and side-effects of posaconazole and liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) as primary prophylaxis.

Materials And Methods: This cohort study included patients aged 3 months to 21 years who received posaconazole or L-AmB (5 mg/kg twice weekly) as prophylaxis from January 2017 to March 2022 at the Hemato-oncological Pediatric Unit, University Hospital of Padua, Italy.

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Background: Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) are common infectious syndromes in children. Overusing broad-spectrum antibiotics has contributed to rising antibiotic resistance, complicating treatment outcomes. To address this issue, antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) have been implemented to optimize antibiotic use.

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Objective: To describe the implementation of a multi-step antimicrobial stewardship program in a haemato-oncology and stem cell transplantation program unit. Methods: Pre-post quasi-experimental study with two interrupted time-series analyses, conducted between 01/01/2019 and 31/12/2022 in the Paediatric Haemato-Oncology Unit of the Padua Paediatric Hospital. The interventions were: (1) 02/2020: dissemination of febrile neutropenia clinical pathways, (2) April 2021: provision of the clinical pathways via a customized App (Firstline.

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Unlabelled: We aim to estimate the incidence rates (IRs) of SARS-CoV-2 infections stratified by disease severity and comorbidities in pediatric population and to describe the COVID-19 vaccination coverage in children with and without comorbidities. A population-based cohort study was conducted in 6 electronic healthcare records databases from Italy, Spain, and Norway. The study lasted from 1 January 2020 to the latest databases' available data in each site, i.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Membrane contact sites (MCSs) help organelles coordinate activities, but their small size and dynamic nature make them hard to study with traditional imaging methods.
  • - Researchers developed chemogenetic reporters that enhance the imaging of MCSs in both lab and living systems, enabling the exploration of complex biological questions.
  • - They introduced a new biosensor, PRINCESS, which can detect MCSs and measure calcium dynamics simultaneously, revealing a mechanism where calcium signaling affects the positioning of the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria.
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Background: Antibiotics are the most prescribed drugs for children worldwide, but overuse and misuse have led to an increase in antibiotic resistance. Antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) have proven feasible in reducing inappropriate antimicrobial use. The study aimed at evaluating the impact and sustainability of an ASP with multiple interventions over 8 years.

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Sore throat represents one of the main causes of antibiotic overprescription in children. Its management is still a matter of debate, with countries considering streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis a benign and self-limiting condition and others advocating for its antibiotic treatment to prevent suppurative complications and acute rheumatic fever. Italian paediatricians frequently prescribe antibiotics on a clinical basis regardless of microbiological results.

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Article Synopsis
  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the commonest bacterial infections in children, prompting the need for better local treatment guidelines due to varying pathogen resistance rates.
  • The study evaluates an 8-year pediatric antimicrobial stewardship program aimed at improving antibiotic use for UTIs in a tertiary pediatric hospital, with main focus on adherence to local treatment guidelines.
  • Results indicated a temporary spike in adherence to guidelines following interventions, but showed changing resistance patterns, especially increased resistance to co-amoxiclav, highlighting the need for ongoing adjustments in treatment strategies.
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: Seasonal influenza annually puts a significant burden on the pediatric population, especially the youngest, causing severe illness and death. Additionally, associated healthcare costs cause a significant financial strain on healthcare systems. While vaccination is the most effective prevention method, its cost-effectiveness for healthy children remains unassessed.

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Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is an acute infection of the lung parenchyma acquired outside the hospital or other healthcare settings, typically affecting previously healthy individuals. This intersociety consensus aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for the antibiotic treatment of mild to moderate CAP in previously healthy children in Italy.A systematic review was conducted to identify the most recent and relevant evidence.

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Introduction: In the Veneto Region of Italy, universal varicella vaccination (VV) started in 2007 with a two-dose schedule at 12-15 months and 5-6 years of age achieving 90 % coverage in 2019. The study aimed at evaluating the vaccine effectiveness (VE) in children using a primary-care database METHODS: This retrospective analysis used Pedianet, a comprehensive database of 73 family paediatricians in the Veneto Region. Incidence rates (IR) of varicella were evaluated in children aged <14 years enrolled since birth, between January 2004 to April 2022.

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Importance: Point prevalence surveys (PPSs) are used globally to collect data on antibiotic prescriptions. However, the optimal frequency for data collection to ensure comprehensive understanding of antibiotic use and to target and monitor stewardship interventions remains unknown.

Objective: To identify the optimal frequency for collecting data on antibiotic use among the pediatric population through PPSs leveraging administrative data.

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One open question in the biology of growth factor receptors is how a quantitative input (i.e., ligand concentration) is decoded by the cell to produce specific response(s).

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Background: Childhood obesity is a significant public health problem representing the most severe challenge in the world. Antibiotic exposure in early life has been identified as a potential factor that can disrupt the development of the gut microbiome, which may have implications for obesity.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the risk of developing obesity among children exposed to antibiotics early in life.

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Article Synopsis
  • Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are typically caused by viruses, and a study compared the severity of historical RTIs with recent SARS-CoV-2 infections in children.
  • The research analyzed 767 cases from two different periods, finding that COVID-19 had a lower risk of hospitalization, the need for respiratory support, and antibiotic treatment compared to other viral infections.
  • The results suggest that while COVID-19 is similar to other viral RTIs in children, it tends to be less severe, indicating that preventive measures for COVID-19 should also apply to other respiratory viruses like RSV and Influenza.
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