| 1. |
- Kahn, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
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Previous SARS-CoV-2 infections and their impact on the protection from reinfection during the Omicron BA.5 wave – a nested case-control study among vaccinated adults in Sweden
- 2024
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Ingår i: IJID Regions. - 2772-7076. ; 10, s. 235-239
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: We evaluated the protection afforded by SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced immunity against reinfection among working-age vaccinated individuals during a calendar period from June to December 2022 when Omicron BA.5 was the dominating subvariant in Scania County, Sweden. Methods: The study cohort (n = 71,592) mainly consisted of health care workers. We analyzed 4144 infected cases during the Omicron BA.5 dominance and 41,440 sex- and age-matched controls with conditional logistic regression. Results: The average protection against reinfection was marginal (16%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7-23%) during the study period but substantially higher for recent infections. Recent infection (3-6 months) with Omicron BA.2 and BA.5 offered strong protection (86%, 95% CI 68-94% and 78%, 95% CI 69-84%), whereas more distant infection (6-12 months) with Omicron BA.1, BA.2, and the variants before Omicron offered marginal or no protection. Conclusions: These findings suggest that infection-induced immunity contributes to short-term population protection against infection with the subvariant BA.5 among working-age vaccinated individuals but wanes considerably with time, independent of the virus variant.
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| 2. |
- Mortazavi, Susanne E., et al.
(författare)
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A retrospective cohort study of the effect of SARS-CoV-2 point of care rapid RT-PCR at the Emergency Department on targeted admission
- 2022
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Ingår i: BMC Infectious Diseases. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2334. ; 22, s. 1-11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: To prevent nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2, infection prevention control (IPC) measures are implemented for patients with symptoms compatible with COVID-19 until reliable test results are available. This delays admission to the most appropriate ward based on the medical condition. SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen detection (RAD) tests and point-of-care (POC) rapid RT-PCR (VitaPCR) were introduced at emergency department (ED) at Skåne University Hospital, Sweden in late 2020, but the consequence on patient flow and targeted admission is unknown. Methods: Patients presenting at the emergency department of a referral hospital (N = 2940) between 13-Nov-2020 and 12-Jan-2021 were included. The study period was delimited into three periods by the introduction of RAD tests and the VitaPCR. Participant data was collected from hospital records, and outcome variables were Length-of-Stay (LoS), intrahospital transfers and targeted admission to COVID-19 ward. Results: Compared to baseline (RT-PCR only), RAD tests reduced ED Length-of-Stay (LoS) for participants with positive tests. Negative VitaPCR results reduced mean hospital LoS by 1.5 (95% CI 0.3–2.7) days and admissions to COVID-19 wards from 34.5 (95% CI 28.9–40.5) to 14.7 (95% CI 11.1–19.1) per 100 admissions and reduced transfers between hospital wards in the first 5 days from 50.0 (95% CI 45.0–55.0) to 34.0 (95% CI 30.3–37.9) per 100 admissions. Conclusion: RAD tests enabled prompt detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection which had pronounced effects on LoS at the ED. Negative VitaPCR enabled cessation of IPC measures and a negative test was associated with increased targeted admissions, reduced intrahospital transfers and shorter LoS at the hospital.
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| 3. |
- Sarneel, Judith M., et al.
(författare)
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Reading tea leaves worldwide : decoupled drivers of initial litter decomposition mass-loss rate and stabilization
- 2024
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Ingår i: Ecology Letters. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1461-023X .- 1461-0248. ; 27:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The breakdown of plant material fuels soil functioning and biodiversity. Currently, process understanding of global decomposition patterns and the drivers of such patterns are hampered by the lack of coherent large-scale datasets. We buried 36,000 individual litterbags (tea bags) worldwide and found an overall negative correlation between initial mass-loss rates and stabilization factors of plant-derived carbon, using the Tea Bag Index (TBI). The stabilization factor quantifies the degree to which easy-to-degrade components accumulate during early-stage decomposition (e.g. by environmental limitations). However, agriculture and an interaction between moisture and temperature led to a decoupling between initial mass-loss rates and stabilization, notably in colder locations. Using TBI improved mass-loss estimates of natural litter compared to models that ignored stabilization. Ignoring the transformation of dead plant material to more recalcitrant substances during early-stage decomposition, and the environmental control of this transformation, could overestimate carbon losses during early decomposition in carbon cycle models.
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| 4. |
- Svensson, Joel, et al.
(författare)
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A Serosurvey of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in Sweden: Different Populations and Geographical Locations
- 2021
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Ingår i: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 1557-7759 .- 1530-3667. ; 21:8, s. 614-619
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AbstractBackground: New risk areas for tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) are emerging and the spread of disease and vaccine coverage is unclear in Sweden. We wanted to study the prevalence and levels of TBE-virus (TBEV) antibodies in southern Sweden, and to investigate whether there were individuals with undiagnosed TBE.Materials and Methods: Two cohorts of sera were collected: One group of anonymous individuals in rural areas (AIRA) in Skåne and one group of volunteers who often got tick-bites (tick-bitten individuals [TBI]). An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for TBEV IgM and IgG was performed, as well as a TBEV neutralization test (NT) in selected individuals.Results: In the AIRA group, there was an IgG seropositivity of 5.3%. There were individuals with high antibody levels both in areas previously considered as risk areas (Bromölla and Knislinge), as well as in another area (Tyringe). In the TBI group, 45% of the individuals were vaccinated according to the questionnaires and IgG seropositivity was 28%. A lower seroprevalence and levels of antibodies were seen in the middle-aged group (50–69 years) compared with younger or elderly study participants. A positive NT revealed several individuals with suspected undiagnosed episodes of TBE.Conclusion: Subclinical or misdiagnosed cases have probably occurred in Skåne. Middle-aged individuals had lower levels of IgG, which could indicate either less tick exposure or a lower vaccine response. Less than half of the TBI were vaccinated, an indication that more information about the disease and vaccine might be needed. We conclude that the study motivates an increased awareness of TBEV in the region.
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