Viral infections up 30% in Italy, AMCLI reports

At the National Congress of the Association of Italian Clinical Microbiologists (AMCLI) in Rimini, Italy, microbiologists have expressed concerns regarding a surge in the circulation of pathogenic microorganisms, which they estimate to be between four and ten times higher than pre-pandemic levels. Among emerging pathogens, there has been an increase in cases of Zika and Oropouche. The typical vectors of the diseases are not present in Italy, but the viruses entered the country with travellers from areas where they are widespread. These RNA viruses are subject to genetic reassortments, which can render them more virulent than previous strains. This assertion was made by Tiziana Lazzarotto, head of the Complex Operating Unit of Microbiology of the IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Sant’Orsola in Bologna, who also specified that from 2024 there will be percentages of infections reaching 30%, starting from 0.6% in the two-years 2022-2023.