A recent case in the Lake Fondi region reminds us that the potential for malaria transmission persists in Europe. In fact, sporadic reports of cryptic, airport- and locally-acquired malaria have appeared in the Italian literature in recent years. The following review of malaria in Italy was abstracted from GIDEON.

Historical background

• Malaria was eradicated from Sardinia during 1946 to 1950, through massive application (267 metric tons) of DDT.
• A single endemic case (Plasmodium vivax in Palma di Montechiaro, Sicily) was reported in 1956; with sporadic cases in the area of Palermo during 1962.
• The country was declared ‘malaria-free’ in 1970.
• A single case of autochthonous malaria (P. vivax) was reported in Maremma (Tuscany) in 1997 – Anopheles labranchiae was implicated as the vector.

Although disease rates have increased in recent years, imported malaria continues to be less common than in neighboring France and Switzerland.

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A recent episode in Brescia is the latest of several outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis in Italy. The following background information is abstracted from GIDEON:

Primary references are available on request.

Prevalence surveys:
Adenoviruses account for 7% of pediatric hospitalizations in Rome for diarrhea, Rotavirus 18.2%, Astrovirus 1% (1987 to 1989)
Adenoviruses account for 17.6% of pediatric hospitalizations in Rome for diarrhea, Rotavirus 26.7%, non-polio Enteroviruses 8.5%, Coronaviruses 1.8%, Parvoviruses 0.9% (1985 publication)
Adenoviruses account for 6% of pediatric hospitalizations in Sicily for diarrhea, Rotavirus 25.1%, Astrovirus 7%, Norovirus 18.6% (2003)
Adenoviruses are found in 6.2% of pediatric patients with acute diarrhea (2005)
Noroviruses account for 10.4% of hospitalized pediatric gastroenteritis cases in northern Italy (2002)
Noroviruses were the most frequently involved viruses (23.7%) in sporadic acute diarrhea among hospitalized children and were more common in children >5 years (37%) than in children <5 years (10%). The frequency of Rotavirus, enteric Adenovirus and Astrovirus was 12.2%, 1.6% and 2.4%, respectively. (Brescia, 2007 publication)
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Quoted in ProMED:

An ongoing epizootic in Campania highlights the fact that human brucellosis is more common in Italy than in any contiguous countries. I’ve compared regional disease rates on the graph.

Update: In an additional ProMED note, other countries were added to the comparison:

In comparing brucellosis rates in Italy to those of neighboring countries, the moderator suggested that data should also be expanded to include Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Cyprus.

Rates for the latter are contrasted on this graph.

Regarding the recent outbreak in Apulia, gradual decreases in measles rates may reflect the fact that vaccine coverage for Italy has exceded 80% only since 2002. Click on graph:
Outbreaks of measles in Italy:
1996 to 1997 – An outbreak (1,642 cases seen at one hospital) was reported in Palermo.
2002 – An outbreak (24,000 clinical cases; 368 hospitalized; 13 encephalitis; 3 fatal) was reported in Campania. The rate among children below age 15 years was 3,750 per 100,000.
2003 – An outbreak (1,217 cases) was reported in Calabria and Puglia.
2003 – An outbreak (26 cases) was reported in South Tyrol.
2006 – An outbreak (40 cases) was reported in Grosseto.
2006 – Outbreaks (187 cases in 3 outbreaks) were reported in the Roma / Sinti populations of South Tyrol (17 cases), Sardinia (9 cases) and Lazio (161 cases).