Francesca Compagno

Scopus Publications

Community-acquired respiratory virus infections in patients with haematological malignancies or undergoing haematopoietic cell transplantation: updated recommendations from the 10th European Conference on Infections in Leukaemia
Marie von Lilienfeld-Toal, Fareed Khawaja, Francesca Compagno, Christine Robin, José-Luis Piñana, et al.
Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2026
Universal Hip Ultrasound Screening in Newborns: A 21-Month Prospective Observational Study in a Spoke Center
Neftj Ragusa, Nefer Roberta Gianotto, Virginia Deut, Chiara Mattivi, Francesca Compagno, et al.
Medical Sciences, 2025
Background: Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) encompasses a spectrum of neonatal hip abnormalities that, if not detected and treated early, may lead to long-term orthopedic sequelae. Universal ultrasound screening using Graf’s method has been proposed to improve early diagnosis, though its implementation remains heterogeneous in Italy. Objectives: This study aimed to describe the outcomes of a universal ultrasound screening program for DDH conducted in a first-level birth center in northern Italy, evaluating DDH incidence, risk factors, management outcomes, and program feasibility. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted from February 2024 to October 2025 at the Ivrea birth center (Piedmont region, Italy). All consecutive live-born infants (n = 904) underwent hip ultrasound according to Graf’s method, between 0 and 11 weeks of age. Hips were classified as type I (normal), type IIa (physiologically immature), or type IIb–IV (pathological). Infants with type IIa hips were re-evaluated after 2–4 weeks; those with type IIb or worse were referred to pediatric orthopedics. Results: Of 1808 hips examined, 92% were Graf type I and 8% type IIa. After follow-up, 93% of type IIa hips matured spontaneously. Pathological DDH (Graf IIb or worse) was diagnosed in 8 infants (0.88%), of whom 75% were female; 50% had no identifiable risk factors. All affected infants were treated with harness before 12 weeks of age, with complete recovery and no late diagnoses. No infant required surgical treatment. Conclusions: Universal ultrasound screening for DDH was feasible and effective in a first-level birth center, ensuring early diagnosis and absence of late-presenting cases. These findings support universal screening as a safe and equitable approach to reduce DDH-related morbidity and align with national recommendations for standardized early detection programs.
Real-Life Use of Posaconazole in Clinical Practice for Onco-Hematological Children: A National Survey by AIEOP Infectious Diseases Working Group
Lorenzo Chiusaroli, Manuela Spadea, Cecilia Liberati, Maria Grazia Petris, Antonio Grasso, et al.
Journal of Fungi, 2025
Background: Posaconazole is an antifungal medication used to treat invasive fungal infections (IFI) in pediatric onco-hematological patients. Its approval for pediatric use was recent, and limitations still apply. Despite limited data, the safety and efficacy profile appear generally favorable in children. This study describes how posaconazole is used across centers affiliated with the Associazione Italiana Ematologia e Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP). Methods: A national survey was conducted among physicians within the AIEOP network to evaluate current use of posaconazole in pediatric cancer patients, including those undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). A 25-item web questionnaire was developed and distributed in June 2024. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics. Results: Twenty-one of thirty-one centers (68%) responded, reporting availability of various posaconazole formulations: oral suspension (76%), delayed-release tablets (95%), and intravenous solution (14%). Posaconazole was primarily used for prophylaxis in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, 38%), acute myeloid leukemia (AML, 38%), and aplastic anemia (19%). It was also used as secondary prophylaxis against previous possible or probable IFI or as salvage therapy for probable or confirmed aspergillosis or mucormycosis, often combined with other treatments. Drug plasma level monitoring was common but varied in scheduling across centers. Most centers (74%) discontinued posaconazole if adverse events suspected drug–drug interactions, such as with vincristine. Conclusions: Posaconazole is widely used in AIEOP centers, though application varies significantly. This variability emphasizes the need for prospective studies to better define indications, dosing, and monitoring protocols for pediatric use of this antifungal.
Food Safety Practices and Foodborne Illness in Italian Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Centers: A Survey on Behalf of the Infectious Disease Working Group of AIEOP
Davide Leardini, Gianluca Bossù, Francesco Venturelli, Francesco Baccelli, Edoardo Muratore, et al.
Pediatric Blood and Cancer, 2025
BackgroundFood safety practices are widely recommended for pediatric patients with cancer or undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) to mitigate foodborne infectious risks. However, specific measures, such as the neutropenic diet (ND) or low‐microbial diet, lack robust evidence and are inconsistently implemented across pediatric hematology‐oncology centers. Additionally, data on foodborne illnesses (FBI) in this population remain scarce.ProcedureWe conducted an online survey and a retrospective review of FBI cases across 22 centers within the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (AIEOP) network, 13/22 performing allogeneic HCT.ResultsAll centers provide dietary recommendations to the patients. Restrictive diets are recommended in 72% of centers during hospitalization and in 77% after discharge. Universally avoided foods include unpasteurized milk, fresh fruit without skin, moldy cheeses, bakery and ice cream products, raw eggs and derivatives, raw meat, raw or smoked fish, cured meats, shellfish, and cooked food leftovers. Fresh fruits and vegetables are commonly restricted only to patients undergoing allogeneic HCT. Ninety‐five percent of centers provide patients and their families with guidelines on cleaning food at home, including thorough cleaning of fruits and vegetables with a food disinfectant. Seven centers reported FBI cases, with eight documented cases, including two fatalities caused by meningoencephalitis related to infections from Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus, respectively.ConclusionsThis study highlights the need for standardized, evidence‐based food safety guidelines and FBI management to enhance care for pediatric patients receiving chemotherapy or HCT.
The epidemiological landscape of bloodstream infections in children undergoing chemotherapy or haematopoietic cell transplantation: A retrospective study by Infectious Diseases Working Group of Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (AIEOP)
Francesco Baccelli, Francesca Compagno, Gloria Tridello, Francesco Delle Cave, Daniele Zama, et al.
British Journal of Haematology, 2025
SummaryUnderstanding bloodstream infection (BSI) epidemiology is crucial for optimizing antibiotic therapy in paediatric haematology–oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy or haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). However, updated paediatric data remain scarce. This multicentre retrospective study analysed BSI epidemiology across 22 Italian centres (2018–2019), assessing pathogens, resistance profiles, empirical antibiotic therapy (EAT) and clinical course with outcomes. Mortality risk factors were evaluated using a Cox regression model. A total of 510 BSI episodes occurred in 396 patients (median age 6.4 years), with an incidence of 2.9 and 5.1 per 1000 inpatient days for chemotherapy and HCT respectively. Multidrug‐resistant (MDR), third to fourth generation cephalosporin‐ and carbapenem‐resistant, account for 18.3%, 29.3% and 8.2% of Gram‐negative infections respectively. 42.2% of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were MDR. Combination EAT was used in 269/510 episodes, with piperacillin–tazobactam+amikacin being most common. Microbiological appropriateness was 82%. Infection‐related and 30‐day mortality rates were 4.1% and 5.29%, respectively, with appropriate EAT significantly reducing mortality. Our findings highlight the burden of resistant pathogens in paediatric BSIs and emphasize the importance of appropriate EAT in improving outcomes, underscoring the need for treatment strategies tailored to local resistance patterns.
Early HHV-6 reactivation increases the risk of graft rejection after haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation
Francesca Compagno, Stella Boghen, Tommaso Mina, Arianna Panigari, Annalisa Agostini, et al.
Bone Marrow Transplantation, 2025
Primary antifungal prophylaxis in hematological malignancies. Updated clinical practice guidelines by the European Conference on Infections in Leukemia (ECIL)
Livio Pagano, Georg Maschmeyer, Frederic Lamoth, Ola Blennow, Alienor Xhaard, et al.
Leukemia, 2025
Human Cytomegalovirus Virion-Associated mRNA as a Marker of Productive Infection in Immunocompromised Patients
Federica Giardina, Stefania Paolucci, Dalila Mele, Omar Mura, Marina Ramus, et al.
Journal of Medical Virology, 2025
Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) transcripts (including UL21.5 mRNA) have been found to be packaged in virions, and their detection in plasma may indicate the presence of infectious viral particles. The objective of this study was to verify whether UL21.5 mRNA detected in the plasma was indeed encapsulated in viral particles, representing an indirect marker of active replication. To distinguish between virion‐packaged and free‐floating RNA, plasma samples from 22 immunocompromised patients were tested before and after ribonuclease (RNAse) digestion. UL21.5 mRNA was detected 1–2 weeks before preemptive therapy administration in 20 episodes (from 18 patients) of clinically significant DNAemia, while it was undetectable in three of the four patients with transient, self‐resolving DNAemia. After RNAse digestion, UL21.5 mRNA was still detectable, with a median reduction of 0.1 (IQR: 0–0.3) Log10. Concentrations of UL21.5 mRNA in plasma correlated significantly with HCMV DNA in whole blood or plasma (R = 0.67), and 75% of samples positive for UL21.5 mRNA had HCMV DNA concentrations above 104 copies/mL blood or 103 copies/mL plasma. Moreover, UL21.5 mRNA was positive in patients who developed HCMV infection resistant to letermovir or maribavir, whereas it was undetectable in the plasma of patients with transient self‐resolving DNAemia blips during letermovir prophylaxis (not associated with drug‐resistance). HCMV UL21.5 mRNA in plasma is virion‐associated and represents a marker for productive HCMV infection. The determination of UL21.5 mRNA could improve current strategies for the management of HCMV infection in immunocompromised patients.
Port-a-Cath Infection of Mycobacterium senegalense: First Italian Case Report
Giulia Grassia, Francesco Amisano, Stefano Gaiarsa, Jessica Bagnarino, Francesca Compagno, et al.
Microorganisms, 2024
Mycobacterium senegalense is a Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) belonging to the M. fortuitum group, often associated with veterinary diseases, such as bovine farcy. However, it can also cause human infections and appears to be involved in Catheter-Associated Infections in immunocompromised patients. Here, we report the first Italian isolation of a strain of M. senegalense from a 16-year-old oncological female patient being treated at Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Pavia (Italy). Following pain at the Port-a-Cath site, a pus culture was collected and the positivity for the M. fortuitum group revealed the NTM infection. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed and interpreted according to the available CLSI breakpoints. This information allowed us to implement the correct antibiotic therapy that, together with the device removal, led to the patient’s recovery. Finally, due to the increasing number of isolations, the possible presence of NTM infections in prosthetic devices should be among the primary diagnostic questions in a clinical setting.
An expert consensus on prevention, diagnosis, and management of hemorrhagic cystitis in pediatric hematopoietic cell transplantation, on behalf of the Infectious Disease and Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Working groups of Italian Pediatric Hematology Oncology Association (AIEOP)
Gianluca Dell’Orso, Marcello Carlucci, Simone Cesaro, Evelina Olcese, Adriana Balduzzi, et al.
Bone Marrow Transplantation, 2024
Production of donor-derived cytotoxic T lymphocytes with potent anti-leukemia activity for adoptive immunotherapy in high-risk pediatric patients given haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Matteo Tanzi, Enrica Montini, Agnese Rumolo, Antonia Moretta, Patrizia Comoli, et al.
Cytotherapy, 2024
SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Pediatric Oncology Population: The Definitive Comprehensive Report of the Infectious Diseases Working Group of AIEOP
Daniele Zama, Andrea Zanaroli, Agnese Corbelli, Andrea Lo Vecchio, Margherita Del Bene, et al.
Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2024
Mycobacterial infections in adults with haematological malignancies and haematopoietic stem cell transplants: guidelines from the 8th European Conference on Infections in Leukaemia
Anne Bergeron, Malgorzata Mikulska, Julien De Greef, Louise Bondeelle, Tomas Franquet, et al.
Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2022
Favorable outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric hematology oncology patients during the second and third pandemic waves in Italy: a multicenter analysis from the Infectious Diseases Working Group of the Associazione Italiana di Ematologia e Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP)
Daniele Zama, Francesco Baccelli, Antonella Colombini, Amalia Contino, Elisabetta Calore, et al.
Annals of Hematology, 2022
Consensus on COVID‐19 Vaccination in Pediatric Oncohematological Patients, on Behalf of Infectious Working Group of Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology Oncology
Simone Cesaro, Paola Muggeo, Daniele Zama, Monica Cellini, Katia Perruccio, et al.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2022
Global characteristics and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents with cancer (GRCCC): a cohort study
Sheena Mukkada, Nickhill Bhakta, Guillermo L Chantada, Yichen Chen, Yuvanesh Vedaraju, et al.
Lancet Oncology, 2021
Human Herpesvirus 6 Encephalitis in Immunocompetent and Immunocompromised Hosts
Giulia Berzero, Giulia Campanini, Elisa Vegezzi, Matteo Paoletti, Anna Pichiecchio, et al.
Neurology Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation, 2021
Association of immune thrombocytopenia and celiac disease in children: A retrospective case control study
Angela Guarina, Maddalena Marinoni, Giuseppe Lassandro, Paola Saracco, Silverio Perrotta, et al.
Turkish Journal of Hematology, 2021
Harnessing T Cells to Control Infections After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Sabrina Basso, Francesca Compagno, Paola Zelini, Giovanna Giorgiani, Stella Boghen, et al.
Frontiers in Immunology, 2020
Management of PTLD After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Immunological Perspectives
Francesca Compagno, Sabrina Basso, Arianna Panigari, Jessica Bagnarino, Luca Stoppini, et al.
Frontiers in Immunology, 2020
Screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric oncology patients during the epidemic peak in Italy
Simone Cesaro, Francesca Compagno, Daniele Zama, Linda Meneghello, Nagua Giurici, et al.
Pediatric Blood and Cancer, 2020
Children with cancer in the time of COVID-19: An 8-week report from the six pediatric onco-hematology centers in Lombardia, Italy
Andrea Ferrari, Marco Zecca, Carmelo Rizzari, Fulvio Porta, Massimo Provenzi, et al.
Pediatric Blood and Cancer, 2020
Frequently asked questions regarding SARS-CoV-2 in cancer patients—recommendations for clinicians caring for patients with malignant diseases
Marie von Lilienfeld-Toal, Jörg Janne Vehreschild, Oliver Cornely, Livio Pagano, Francesca Compagno, et al.
Leukemia, 2020
Diagnosing acute encephalitis in patients with hematological disorders: caveats and pitfalls
Elisa Vegezzi, Giulia Berzero, Desiree Barbetta, Anna Amelia Colombo, Oscar Borsani, et al.
Journal of Neurovirology, 2020
Clinical characteristics and outcome of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in italian pediatric oncology patients: A study from the infectious diseases working group of the associazione italiana di oncologia e ematologia pediatrica
Gianni Bisogno, Massimo Provenzi, Daniele Zama, Annalisa Tondo, Cristina Meazza, et al.
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, 2020