Background: Identifying individual and contextual factors that influence adolescent well-being is a research priority. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of symptoms of mental health problems and some related factors in Italian adolescents in 2017–2018. Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional survey among 3002 students aged 15–16 years who resided in two Italian provinces, in North and South Italy. Symptoms of mental health problems were assessed using the SDQ and CES-DC, and students’ risk-taking behaviors and school climate perception were assessed. All information was collected anonymously. Logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of tobacco and alcohol use, screen time, bullying, and school climate with symptoms of mental health problems. Results: One student out of five reported symptoms of mental health problems, with a more than double proportion among girls than boys (28.7% vs 10.4% with depressive symptoms, respectively). Thirty percent and 40% of students smoked tobacco or drank alcoholic beverages at least once in the past month, and more than 40% reported being victims or authors of bullying in the past 6 months. Smoking behavior, alcohol consumption, screen time, bullying, and negative school climate had 1.2- to 3.3-fold increased odds of symptoms of mental health problems without substantial differences between sexes and geographical areas. Conclusions: Tobacco and alcohol use, screen time, bullying, and school climate were independently associated with symptoms of mental health problems in a large sample of 15–16-year-old Italian adolescents without substantial gender and geographical differences.

Together with Granulicatella spp., A. defectiva was formerly classified within the group of nutritionally variant streptococci (NVS). NVS-related endocarditis has been associated with higher rates of complications, bacteriological failure, and mortality compared to other streptococci, partially due to challenges related to timely and accurate identification. PJI caused by A. defectiva are rarely reported, and standardized management strategies have not yet been established. We describe a case of a 68-year-old man with concomitant A. defectiva PJI and native mitral valve endocarditis. The patient was managed conservatively for endocarditis and subsequently underwent a two-stage arthroplasty of the infected prosthetic knee. A. defectiva was identified using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry on both synovial fluid and blood cultures. As penicillin susceptibility data were not available, the patient was treated with vancomycin at a dose of 2 g/day, resulting in a favorable clinical response. In addition, we performed a literature review on A. defectiva and Granulicatella PJI. Despite the limited number of reported cases in the literature, the findings suggest a potential correlation between clinical outcomes and antimicrobial treatment duration. Further comprehensive studies are needed to establish standardized management strategies for A. defectiva and Granulicatella PJI.