The COVID-19 pandemic has left behind mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders among survivors. This study assessed the efficacy of spa therapy in enhancing psychological well-being and sleep quality in individuals with chronic arthro-rheumatic, respiratory, and otorhinolaryngological diseases, including COVID-19 recoverees. Our prospective observational study included 144 Caucasian subjects from three Italian spas who underwent a 2-week spa therapy cycle, involving balneotherapy and/or inhalation treatments. Symptoms were assessed with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), psychological well-being with Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 items (DASS-21), and sleep quality with the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Significant reductions in VAS scores for arthro-rheumatic, respiratory, and otorhinolaryngological symptoms were observed after spa therapy, as well as for DASS-21 and ISI scores for sleep quality, transitioning to less severe insomnia categories. Females had more pronounced improvements in DASS-21 scores and sleep quality. Subjects with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection experienced significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and stress, with more pronounced improvements in those without prior infection. COVID-19 survivors also showed significant ISI score improvements. Spa therapy is a promising complementary treatment for improving mental health and sleep quality in chronic disease patients, including COVID-19 survivors.

Adverse events following immunizations (AEFIs) with recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) are underexplored in fragile populations. This study aims to assess incidence, duration, and characteristics of AEFIs, focusing on the impact of sex, age, and prior Herpes Zoster (HZ) infection in a frail population, including solid organ transplant recipients. We conducted an observational study on patients receiving RZV, and AEFIs were classified as local or systemic and analyzed for incidence, duration, and patterns across groups. We showed that females had a higher incidence of AEFIs (p = 0.02), both local and systemic symptoms, such as swelling +/− redness at the site of injection and fatigue, after the first and second doses. Younger adults experienced more systemic reactions, while older adults reported more local events (e.g., redness and swelling, p = 0.01). Moreover, patients with previous HZ infection exhibited a higher incidence of AEFIs after the second dose (68% vs. 38%, p = 0.001). In conclusion, sex, age, and clinical history significantly influenced AEFI incidence and manifestations. Therefore, it is important to personalize vaccination strategies in frail populations, by tailored administration and monitoring plans, especially in females and individuals with prior HZ infection, to improve vaccine safety and patient outcomes.

Background: RSV remains a leading cause of infant hospitalization worldwide, and the recently approved nirsevimab could represent an effective and safe prophylactic strategy to prevent severe infections in the general neonatal population. Objectives: We conducted a retrospective observational monocentric pilot study in a mixed preterm/term birth cohort to add real-world evidence of the efficacy and safety of nirsevimab in preventing severe RSV infection. Methods: We included a total of 2035 consecutive infants admitted to the Neonatal Unit, University Hospital “San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona”, Salerno, Italy, from November 2024 to April 2025. We evaluated 30-day safety profiles and season-wide RSV infection rates, and the outcomes were also compared to newborns’ birth rate in the two previous seasons (2022–2023 and 2023–2024). Results: After the introduction of nirsevimab, a lower RSV infection rate was reported compared to previous seasons, and no adverse effects were observed. Compared to previous seasons, the clinical outcomes were more favorable, as only one unvaccinated neonate with RSV infection required invasive ventilation. Conclusions: In this real-world analysis, we demonstrated a good short-term safety profile of nirsevimab, as well as a potentially high efficacy in the general neonatal population with lower RSV infection incidence. However, future studies are needed to better assess its long-term safety and season-wide efficacy.