Identification of a measles variant displaying mutations impacting molecular diagnostics, Geneva, Switzerland, 2023
Real-time PCR is one of the most widely used techniques to diagnose measles cases. Here we report measles virus variants with three genetic mutations in the reverse primer annealing site of a widely used PCR. The mutations result in a slight loss of the PCR sensitivity. Variants bearing the three mutations presently circulate in different countries since at least the end of 2021. Our findings highlight the usefulness of molecular surveillance in monitoring if oligonucleotides in diagnostic tests remain adequate. (Source: Eurosurveillance)
Source: Eurosurveillance - February 1, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Francisco-Javier P érez-Rodríguez, Pascal Cherpillod, Valentine Thomasson, Pauline Vetter and Manuel Schibler Source Type: research
Investigation of an airport-associated cluster of falciparum malaria in Frankfurt, Germany, 2022
We describe the clinical, epidemiological and environmental investigations of a cluster of airport malaria cases and measures taken in response. Three Frankfurt International Airport employees without travel histories to malaria-endemic areas were diagnosed withPlasmodium falciparum malaria in Germany in 2022. Two cases were diagnosed within 1 week, and the third one after 10 weeks. Two cases had severe disease, all three recovered fully. The cases worked in separate areas and no specific location for the transmissions could be identified. No additional cases were detected among airport employees. In June and J...
Source: Eurosurveillance - February 1, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Johanna Kessel, Anna Rosanas-Urgell, Tobias Dingwerth, Udo Goetsch, Jonas Haller, Ralph Huits, Johanna H Kattenberg, Anna Meinecke, Pieter Monsieurs, Michael Sroka, Torsten Witte and Timo Wolf Source Type: research
Determining the timing of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) epidemics: a systematic review, 2016 to 2021; method categorisation and identification of influencing factors
ConclusionMethods and assessment characteristics used to define RSV seasonality are heterogeneous. Our categorisation of methods and proposed framework of factors may assist in choosing RSV seasonality methods and interpretating results. (Source: Eurosurveillance)
Source: Eurosurveillance - February 1, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Lisa Staadegaard, Michel D ückers, Jojanneke van Summeren, Rob van Gameren, Clarisse Demont, Mathieu Bangert, You Li, Jean-Sebastien Casalegno, Saverio Caini and John Paget Source Type: research
Large outbreak of typhoid fever on a river cruise ship used as accommodation for asylum seekers, the Netherlands, 2022
On 6 April 2022, the Public Health Service of Kennemerland, the Netherlands, was notified about an outbreak of fever and abdominal complaints on a retired river cruise ship, used as shelter for asylum seekers. The diagnosis typhoid fever was confirmed on 7 April. An extensive outbreak investigation was performed. Within 47 days, 72 typhoid fever cases were identified among asylum seekers (n = 52) and staff (n = 20), of which 25 were hospitalised. All recovered after treatment. Consumption of food and tap water on the ship was associated with developing typhoid fever. The freshwater and wastewa...
Source: Eurosurveillance - February 1, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Daisy Ooms, Anne de Vries, Femke DH Koedijk, Ellen Generaal, Ingrid HM Friesema, Maxine Rouvroye, Steven FL van Lelyveld, Maaike JC van den Beld, Daan W Notermans, Patrick van Schelven, Janine FH van den Brink, Tanja Hartog, Thijs Veenstra, Serena Slavenb Source Type: research
Authors ’ correction for Euro Surveill. 2024;29(3)
(Source: Eurosurveillance)
Source: Eurosurveillance - January 25, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Eurosurveillance editorial team Source Type: research
Authors ’ response: Added value of backward contact tracing for COVID-19
(Source: Eurosurveillance)
Source: Eurosurveillance - January 25, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Timo Louis Boelsums, Maaike Buskermolen and on behalf of all co-authors of the original article Source Type: research
Impact of nirsevimab prophylaxis on paediatric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related hospitalisations during the initial 2023/24 season in Luxembourg
After Luxembourg introduced nirsevimab immunisation against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), estimated neonatal coverage was 84% (1,277 doses/1,524 births) in 2023. That year, paediatric RSV-related hospitalisations, especially concerning infants < 6 months old (n = 72) seemed to decrease compared to the same period in 2022 (n = 232). In 2023, hospitalised children’s mean age increased (14.4 months vs 7.8 months in 2022; p < 0.001) and hospital-stay length decreased (3.2 days vs 5.1 da...
Source: Eurosurveillance - January 25, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Corinna Ernst, Dritan Bejko, Leo Gaasch, Emilie Hannelas, Isaline Kahn, Charlotte Pierron, Nesrine Del Lero, Claude Schalbar, Elsa Do Carmo, Michel Kohnen, Emmanuelle Andlauer, Pauline Hublart, Silvana Masi, Isabel de la Fuente Garcia, Anne Vergison and J Source Type: research
Letter to the editor: Added value of backward contact tracing for COVID-19
(Source: Eurosurveillance)
Source: Eurosurveillance - January 25, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Graham Fraser, Gareth Hughes, Simon Packer, Obaghe Edeghere and Isabel Oliver Source Type: research
Increased incidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections and hospital admissions in the Netherlands, November to December 2023
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is an important cause of pneumonia and extra-pulmonary manifestations. We observed a rise in admissions due toM. pneumoniae infections starting October 2023 in a regional hospital in the Netherlands and an increased incidence in national surveillance data. The incidence in the Netherlands has not been that high since 2011. The patients had a lower median age compared with 2019 and 2020 (28 vs 40 years).M. pneumoniaeshould be considered in patients with respiratory symptoms, especially children. (Source: Eurosurveillance)
Source: Eurosurveillance - January 25, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Dita C Bolluyt, Sjoerd M Euser, Dennis Souverein, Annemarie MC van Rossum, Jayant Kalpoe, Mireille van Westreenen, Marco Goeijenbier, Dominic Snijders, Dirk Eggink, Femke Jongenotter, Steven FL van Lelyveld and Marlies A van Houten Source Type: research
Age-dependent influenza infection patterns and subtype circulation in Denmark, in seasons 2015/16 to 2021/22
ConclusionThe 2021/22 influenza season had a different age distribution compared with pre-COVID-19 pandemic seasons. (Source: Eurosurveillance)
Source: Eurosurveillance - January 25, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Hanne-Dorthe Emborg, Amanda Bolt Botnen, Jens Nielsen, Lasse S. Vestergaard, Frederikke Kristensen Lomholt, Charlotte Munkstrup, Karina Lauenborg M øller, Charlotte Kjelsø, Steen Hulthin Rasmussen and Ramona Trebbien Source Type: research
Re-emergence of human leishmaniasis in northern Italy, 2004 to 2022: a retrospective analysis
ConclusionAn epidemic of human leishmaniasis with fluctuating annual numbers of cases, probably related to environmental and climatic factors, was identified in the Bologna LHU. Understanding the risk factors and the environmental characteristics related to places of infection is crucial to evaluate the public health implications of leishmaniasis. (Source: Eurosurveillance)
Source: Eurosurveillance - January 25, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Renato Todeschini, Muriel Assunta Musti, Paolo Pandolfi, Mattea Troncatti, Morena Baldini, Davide Resi, Silvano Natalini, Federica Bergamini, Giorgio Galletti, Annalisa Santi, Arianna Rossi, Gianluca Rugna, Bianca Granozzi, Luciano Attard, Valeria Gaspari Source Type: research
Author ’s correction for Euro Surveill. 2024;29(2)
(Source: Eurosurveillance)
Source: Eurosurveillance - January 18, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Eurosurveillance editorial team Source Type: research
Ralstonia pickettii bloodstream infections with potential genomic link to internationally distributed contaminated saline solution, Germany, October 2023
Ralstonia pickettii is a Gram-negative rod which may cause invasive infections when they contaminate liquid medical products. AfterR. pickettii was detected in blood cultures and a stem cell product from three patients in a tertiary care hospital in Germany, whole genome sequencing of these three isolates and two water isolates from the environment was performed. Core genome multilocus sequence typing analysis showed that the three patient isolates were closely related and there was a large distance to the environmental isolates. In a genomic comparison, the patients’ isolates were distantly related to anR. pickettii...
Source: Eurosurveillance - January 18, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Manuel Krone, Vera Rauschenberger, Vera Blaschke, Heike Claus, Oliver Kurzai and Stefanie Kampmeier Source Type: research
A case of swine influenza A(H1N2)v in England, November 2023
Under International Health Regulations from 2005, a human infection caused by a novel influenza A virus variant is considered an event that has potential for high public health impact and is immediately notifiable to the World Health Organisation. We here describe the clinical, epidemiological and virological features of a confirmed human case of swine influenza A(H1N2)v in England detected through community respiratory virus surveillance. Swabbing and contact tracing helped refine public health risk assessment, following this unusual and unexpected finding. (Source: Eurosurveillance)
Source: Eurosurveillance - January 18, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Jade Cogdale, Beatrix Kele, Richard Myers, Ruth Harvey, Abi Lofts, Tanya Mikaiel, Katja Hoschler, Ashley C Banyard, Joe James, Benjamin C Mollett, Alexander MP Byrne, Jamie Lopez-Bernal, Conall H Watson, Meera Chand, William Welfare, Deborah A Williamson, Source Type: research
Effectiveness of the adapted bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines against hospitalisation in individuals aged ≥ 60 years during the Omicron XBB lineage-predominant period: VEBIS SARI VE network, Europe, February to August, 2023
We conducted a multicentre hospital-based test-negative case–control study to measure the effectiveness of adapted bivalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during the Omicron XBB lineage-predominant period in patients aged ≥ 60 years with severe acute respiratory infection from five countries in Europe. Bivalent vaccines provided short-term additional protection compared with those vaccinated> 6 months before the campaign: from 80% (95% CI: 50 to 94) for 14–89 days post-vaccination, 15% (95% CI:−12 to 35) at 9...
Source: Eurosurveillance - January 18, 2024 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Liliana Antunes, Clara Mazagatos, Iv án Martínez-Baz, Verónica Gomez, Maria-Louise Borg, Goranka Petrović, Róisín Duffy, François E Dufrasne, Ralf Dürrwald, Mihaela Lazar, Ligita Jancoriene, Beatrix Oroszi, Petr Husa, Jennifer Howard, Aryse Melo, Source Type: research
