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Hospitalization for Chagas disease, dengue, filariasis, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis, and Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis, Italy, 2011–2016

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Abstract

Purpose

To analyze epidemiology and burden of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Italy.

Methods

We used Hospital Discharge Records and number of residents in Italy to calculate number and rate of hospitalization for Chagas disease, dengue, filariasis, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis, Taenia solium taeniasis, and cysticercosis by sex, citizenship group, and region in the period 2011–2016.

Results

7195 hospitalizations for NTDs were retrieved, accounting for 7375 diagnoses, 60% in Italians and 40% in foreigners. Male-to-female ratio was 2; the age group more commonly affected was 25–44 years (32.5%). The most common diagnoses were leishmaniasis (34%), schistosomiasis (29%), strongyloidiasis (12%), Chagas disease (8%), and dengue (8%). Average yearly hospitalization rate per 100,000 residents for all NTDs was 2.05, 1.33, and 10.39 in general population, Italians, and foreign citizens, respectively. Hospitalization rates higher than 100 per 100,000 subjects were found in citizens from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Bolivia.

Conclusions

NTDs have a not negligible burden in Italy. The most clinically relevant NTDs in Italy are leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis, followed by strongyloidiasis, Chagas disease, and dengue. Cystic echinococcosis, that was not included in the analysis since a similar study on this disease was recently published, should also be listed among the leading NTD in Italy. While schistosomiasis has its highest burden on population coming from highly endemic areas such as SSA, leishmaniasis is especially relevant in Italian-born residents of southern regions. Education at university and post-graduate levels, to increase the awareness of healthcare professionals on these topics, as well as targeted public health interventions (such as screening or presumptive treatment in high-risk groups), are an asset to improve clinical management and control of these diseases.

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Data availability

Data are available from the Ministry of Health Institutional Data Access for researchers who meet the criteria for access to confidential data. In compliance with current Italian legislation on privacy, it should be noted that the publication and/or dissemination of data and their processing must take place only in aggregate form. Contact email for the Ministry of Health Institutional Data Acces: Direzione Generale della Programmazione Sanitaria.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Doctor Andrea Urbani and Engineer Pietro Granella (Ministero della Salute—Direzione della Programmazione sanitaria—banca dati SDO) for providing data concerning HDRs for the period 2011–2016.

Funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work. This work was partially supported by funds of "Ministry of Education, University and Research (Italy) Excellence Departments 2018–2022" Project for the Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Italy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy

    Marta Tilli, Annarita Botta, Alessandro Bartoloni, Giampaolo Corti & Lorenzo Zammarchi

  2. Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Careggi University and Hospital, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy

    Alessandro Bartoloni, Giampaolo Corti & Lorenzo Zammarchi

  3. Referral Center for Tropical Diseases of Tuscany Region, Careggi University and Hospital, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy

    Alessandro Bartoloni & Lorenzo Zammarchi

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  1. Marta Tilli
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  2. Annarita Botta
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  4. Giampaolo Corti
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  5. Lorenzo Zammarchi
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Contributions

MT: methodology, software, investigation, data curation, and writing—original draft preparation. AB: writing—original draft preparation. AB, GC: writing—reviewing and editing. LZ: conceptualization, methodology, data curation, writing—reviewing and editing, and supervision.

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Correspondence to Lorenzo Zammarchi.

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The authors have declared that no conflict of interest/competing interests exist.

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In compliance with the current Italian legislation on privacy, it should be noted that the publication and or dissemination of HDR’s data and their processing must take place only in aggregate form.

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Tilli, M., Botta, A., Bartoloni, A. et al. Hospitalization for Chagas disease, dengue, filariasis, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis, and Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis, Italy, 2011–2016. Infection 48, 695–713 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-020-01443-2

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