Objective: To determine the prevalence of vector-borne bacteria and protozoa in hunting dogs living in Central Italy. Methods: Molecular testing was executed on DNA which was extracted from blood specimens collected from 117 asymptomatic dogs to detect Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia canis (B. canis), Bartonella spp., Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii), Ehrlichia canis, Hepatozoon canis, and Leishmania infantum. Results: A total of 48 dogs (41.0%) were infested by Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. Tick-borne infections were observed in 64 (54.7%) animals. More in detail, 38 dogs (32.5%) screened positive for Hepatozoon canis, 24 (20.5%) for Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii, 20 (17.1%) for Leishmania infantum, 6 (5.1%) for C. burnetii, 5 (4.3%) for B. canis (3 B. canis vogeli and 2 B. canis canis), 3 (2.5%) for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and 2 (1.7%) for Ehrlichia canis. Mixed infection by 2 agents occurred in 17 (14.5%) subjects, by 3 agents in 7 (6.0%) dogs, and by 4 agents in 1 (0.9%) animal. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that several vector-borne pathogens were circulating in this region and dogs infected by these agents were usually asymptomatic. A relevant finding was the presence of DNA of C. burnetii, a severe zoonotic agent, in the 5.1% of tested dogs, which can be source of infection for their owners not only through tick bites, but also directly with urine, feces and birth products.

Objective To determine the exposure of wild brown hares [Lepus europaeus (L. europaeus), pallas] to Anaplasma phagocytophilum (A. phagocytophilum), Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi) sensu lato, Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi), Leishmania sp., Neospora caninum (N. caninum) and Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Methods Two hundred twenty-two blood serum samples of wild brown hares captured in protected areas of the province of Pisa (Central Italy) were tested to detect antibodies against the reported pathogens. Results Thirty one (14.0%) animals resulted positive for at least one tested agent, with antibody titres ranging from 1:20 to 1:320. In particular, 13 (5.8%) samples were positive to B. burgdorferi s.l., 11 (4.9%) to N. caninum, 3 (1.3%) to T. gondii, 2 (0.9%) to A. phagocytophilum and 2 (0.9%) to Leishmania sp. No samples scored positive to E. cuniculi. Four animals (14.8%) resulted coinfected with 2 different pathogens. Conclusion The obtained results showed that B. burgdorferi s.l. N. caninum, T. gondii, A. phagocytophilum and Leishmania sp. circulate in wild brown hares in Central Italy, suggesting a possible role of L. europaeus as reservoir of these pathogens. The obtained results showed that autochthonous wild brown hares living in Central Italy have been exposed to several pathogens circulating in this area, suggesting a possible role of L. europaeus as reservoir.

OBJECTIVES: In this article, we aim to share our experience in the hospital reorganization made to conduct the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination campaign, based on the principles of flexibility and adaptability. STUDY DESIGN: A descriptive study. METHODS: The data concerning the organization of the vaccination campaign were taken from the operative protocol developed by the hospital dedicated task force, composed by experts in hygiene, public health, occupational medicine, pharmacists, nurses, hospital quality, and disaster managers. Data about the numbers of vaccine administered daily were collected by the Innovation and Development Operative Unit database. RESULTS: Vaccinations against COVID-19 started across the EU on the 27th of December 2020. The first phase of the vaccination campaign carried out in our hospital was directed to healthcare workers immunization including medical residents, social care operators, administrative staff and technicians, students of medicine, and health professions trainees. The second phase was enlarged to the coverage of extremely fragile subjects. Thanks to the massive employment of healthcare workers and the establishment of dynamic pathways, it was possible to achieve short turnaround times and a large number of doses administered daily, with peaks of 870 vaccines per day. From the 27th of December up to the 14th of March a total of 26,341 doses of Pfizer have been administered. 13,584 were first doses and 12,757 were second doses. From the 4th to the 14th of March, 296 first doses of Moderna were dispensed. It was necessary to implement adequate spaces and areas adopting anti-contagion safety measures: waiting area for subjects to be vaccinated, working rooms for the dilution of the vaccine and the storage of the material, vaccination rooms, post-vaccination observation areas, room for observation, and treatment of any adverse reactions, with an emergency cart available in each working area. CONCLUSIONS The teaching hospital of Pisa faced the beginning of the immunization campaign readjusting its spaces, planning an adequate hospital vaccination area and providing an organization plan to ensure the achievement of the targets of the campaign. This represented a challenge due to limited vaccine doses supplied and the multisectoral teams of professionals to coordinate in the shortest time and the safest way possible. The organizational model adopted proved to be adequate and therefore exploited also for the second phase aimed to extremely fragile subjects.
2019-nCoV Vaccine mRNA-1273 ; BNT162 Vaccine ; COVID-19/prevention & control* ; COVID-19 Vaccines/administration & dosage* ; Hospitals, Teaching/organization & administration* ; Humans ; Immunization Programs/organization & administration* ; Italy/epidemiology* ; SARS-CoV-2/immunology*