Rome, 2 May – Italy has to deal with a problem of vaccination coverage in Italy, which also emerged during the Escmid Global congress, the meeting that annually brings together microbiologists and infectious disease specialists from all over Europe (and beyond), held in Barcelona from April 27th to 30th.
Belowlinearly, in a statement to the Adnkronos Salute agency, it is Massimo Andreoni (in the picture)scientific director of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (Simit) and full professor of Infectious Diseases at the Tor Vergata University of Rome, who recalls how the anti-Covid vaccination coverage in Italy itself has not been very effective: “We have reached 12% of those at risk immunized while the rest of Europe is above 50%. Italy must review its vaccination policy” claims the expert, informing that “in a few days a joint Simit-Siti document will be released to prepare the next autumn vaccination campaign which, in our opinion, will also have to recommend anti-Covid together with anti-flu. There is also concern about the measles epidemic.” Andreoni remarks “which is creating various problems in various European states. In short, the issue of vaccination coverage must return to the priority of health policies”.
Highlighting the main focus of the conference event in Barcelona, the Italian infectious disease specialist has no hesitation in identifying antibiotic resistance, “public health problem in all countries. At Escmid, several studies were presented on new approaches to combat superbugs. Among these strategies, the one that uses ‘phage viruses’ that attack bacteria in a very specific way seems interesting. They are viruses that are not capable of infecting human cells but, for example, of attacking pseudomonas or staphylococcal bacterial cells.”
