1. |
- Albinsson, Bo, et al.
(författare)
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Seroprevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus and vaccination coverage of tick-borne encephalitis, Sweden, 2018 to 2019
- 2024
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Ingår i: Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin. - : European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC). - 1560-7917 .- 1025-496X. ; 29:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundIn Sweden, information on seroprevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in the population, including vaccination coverage and infection, is scattered. This is largely due to the absence of a national tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccination registry, scarcity of previous serological studies and use of serological methods not distinguishing between antibodies induced by vaccination and infection. Furthermore, the number of notified TBE cases in Sweden has continued to increase in recent years despite increased vaccination.AimThe aim was to estimate the TBEV seroprevalence in Sweden.MethodsIn 2018 and 2019, 2,700 serum samples from blood donors in nine Swedish regions were analysed using a serological method that can distinguish antibodies induced by vaccination from antibodies elicited by infection. The regions were chosen to reflect differences in notified TBE incidence.ResultsThe overall seroprevalence varied from 9.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 6.6-13.6%) to 64.0% (95% CI: 58.3-69.4%) between regions. The proportion of vaccinated individuals ranged from 8.7% (95% CI: 5.8-12.6) to 57.0% (95% CI: 51.2-62.6) and of infected from 1.0% (95% CI: 0.2-3.0) to 7.0% (95% CI: 4.5-10.7). Thus, more than 160,000 and 1,600,000 individuals could have been infected by TBEV and vaccinated against TBE, respectively. The mean manifestation index was 3.1%.ConclusionA difference was observed between low- and high-incidence TBE regions, on the overall TBEV seroprevalence and when separated into vaccinated and infected individuals. The estimated incidence and manifestation index argue that a large proportion of TBEV infections are not diagnosed.
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2. |
- Skoog, G., et al.
(författare)
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Repeated nationwide point-prevalence surveys of antimicrobial use in Swedish hospitals: data for actions 2003-2010
- 2016
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : EUR CENTRE DIS PREVENTION & CONTROL. - 1560-7917 .- 1025-496X. ; 21:25, s. 13-21
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study sought to analyse antimicrobial pressure, indications for treatment, and compliance with treatment recommendations and to identify possible problem areas where inappropriate use could be improved through interventions by the network of the local Swedish Strategic Programme Against Antibiotic Resistance (Strama) groups. Five point-prevalence surveys were performed in between 49 and 72 participating hospitals from 2003 to 2010. Treatments were recorded for 19 predefined diagnosis groups and whether they were for community-acquired infection, hospital-acquired infection, or prophylaxis. Approximately one-third of inpatients were treated with antimicrobials. Compliance with guidelines for treatment of community-acquired pneumonia with narrow-spectrum penicillin was 17.0% during baseline 2003-2004, and significantly improved to 24.2% in 2010. Corresponding figures for quinolone use in uncomplicated cystitis in women were 28.5% in 2003-2004, and significantly improved, decreasing to 15.3% in 2010. The length of surgical prophylaxis improved significantly when data for a single dose and 1 day were combined, from 56.3% in 2003-2004 to 66.6% in 2010. Improved compliance was possibly the effect of active local feedback, repeated surveys, and increasing awareness of antimicrobial resistance. Strama groups are important for successful local implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs in Sweden.
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3. |
- Unemo, Magnus, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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Finnish new variant of Chlamydia trachomatis escaping detection in the Aptima Combo 2 assay also present in Örebro County, Sweden, May 2019
- 2019
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. - 1560-7917 .- 1025-496X. ; 24:26
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We identified the first two cases of the Finnish new variant of Chlamydia trachomatis (F-nvCT) beyond Finland in two clinical urogenital specimens in Örebro County, Sweden. These Aptima Combo 2 assay-negative specimens were Aptima Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) assay positive and had the characteristic C1515T mutation in the 23S rRNA gene. From 22 March to 31 May 2019, 1.3% (2/158) of the CT-positive cases in Örebro County were missed because of the F-nvCT. International awareness, investigations and actions are essential.
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4. |
- Weibull Wärnberg, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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The molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 in Sweden 1996 to 2022, and the influence of migration from Ukraine.
- 2023
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Ingår i: Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin. - 1560-7917. ; 28:48
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundThe global distribution of HIV-1 subtypes is evolving, which is reflected in the Swedish HIV cohort. The subtype HIV-1A6, which may be prone to developing resistance to cabotegravir, is the most common subtype in Ukraine.AimWe aimed to examine trends in HIV-1 subtype distribution in Sweden, with a special focus on HIV-1A6, and to describe the virology, demography and treatment of Ukrainian people living with HIV (PLWH) who migrated to Sweden in 2022.MethodsData about PLWH in Sweden are included in a national database (InfCareHIV). We used the online tool COMET to establish HIV-1 subtypes and the Stanford database to define drug resistance mutations. We investigated the relation between virological characteristics and demographic data.ResultsThe early epidemic was predominated by HIV-1 subtype B infections in people born in Sweden. After 1990, the majority of new PLWH in Sweden were PLWH migrating to Sweden, resulting in an increasingly diverse epidemic. In 2022, HIV-1A6 had become the sixth most common subtype in Sweden and 98 of the 431 new PLWH that were registered in Sweden came from Ukraine. We detected HIV RNA in plasma of 32 Ukrainian patients (34%), of whom 17 were previously undiagnosed, 10 had interrupted therapy and five were previously diagnosed but not treated. We found HIV-1A6 in 23 of 24 sequenced patients.ConclusionThe molecular HIV epidemiology in Sweden continues to diversify and PLWH unaware of their HIV status and predominance of HIV-1A6 should be considered when arranging care directed at PLWH from Ukraine.
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5. |
- Luijt, D., et al.
(författare)
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Most but not all laboratories can detect the recently emerged Neisseria gonorrhoeae porA mutants - results from the QCMD 2013 N. gonorrhoeae external quality assessment programme
- 2014
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 19:8, s. 2-5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We describe the results of the Quality Control for Molecular Diagnostics 2013 Neisseria gonorrhoeae external quality assessment programme that included an N. gonorrhoeae strain harbouring an N. meningitidis porA gene which causes false-negative results in molecular diagnostic assays targeting the gonococcal porA pseudogene. Enhanced awareness of the international transmission of such gonococcal strains is needed to avoid false-negative results in both in-house and commercial molecular diagnostic assays used in laboratories worldwide, but particularly in Europe.In recent years, false-negative test results using PCRs targeting the Neisseria gonorrhoeae porA pseudogene have been reported from Australia, Scotland, Sweden and England [1-4]. Further investigations revealed that the gonococcal strains were not clonal, but all had replaced large segments or their entire N. gonorrhoeae porA pseudogene with an N. meningitidis porA gene.This report describes the results of the Quality Control for Molecular Diagnostics (QCMD) 2013 N. gonorrhoeae External Quality Assessment (EQA) programme. It included an N. gonorrhoeae strain containing an N. meningitidis porA gene which gives rise to false-negative results in molecular diagnostic assays targeting the gonococcal porA pseudogene. QCMD (www.qcmd.org) is an independent international organisation which provides a wide range of molecular EQA services in the field of infectious diseases to over 2,000 participants in over 100 countries.
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6. |
- Strömdahl, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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A systematic review of evidence to inform HIV prevention interventions among men who have sex with men in Europe.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC). - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 20:15
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An estimated 42% of all newly diagnosed HIV cases in Europe in 2013 were transmitted during sex between men. This review was performed to identify and describe studies evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions among men who have sex with men (MSM), in relation to implementation data from European settings. A systematic search was performed individually for 24 interventions.Data were extracted from studies including efficacy or implementation data from European settings,appraised for efficacy, implementation and plausibility, and assigned a grade (1-4) according to the Highest Attainable Standard of Evidence (HASTE)framework. Four interventions (condom use, peer outreach,peer-led groups, and using universal coverage of antiretroviral treatment and treatment as prevention)were assigned the highest HASTE grade, 1. Another four interventions were assigned 2a for probable recommendation, including voluntary counseling and testing for HIV, using condom-compatible lubricant,using post-exposure prophylaxis, and individual counselling for MSM living with HIV. In addition, seven interventions were assigned a grade of 2b, for possible recommendation. Encouragingly, 15 interventions were graded to be strongly, probably or possibly recommended.In the relatively resource-rich European setting, there is an opportunity to provide global leadership with regard to the regional scale-up of comprehensive HIV prevention interventions for MSM.
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7. |
- Törös, B., et al.
(författare)
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Surveillance of invasive Neisseria meningitidis with a serogroup Y update, Sweden 2010 to 2012
- 2014
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 19:42, s. 25-33
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An increase of invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y has been noted in Sweden since 2005, and to a lower extent throughout Europe. The present study describes the epidemiology of invasive N. meningitidis isolates in Sweden in the period between 2010 and 2012, with a focus on serogroup Y. We also aimed to find an optimal molecular typing scheme for both surveillance and outbreak investigations. All invasive N. meningitidis isolates in Sweden during the study period (n=208) were genetically characterised. Serogroup Y predominated with 22/57, 31/61 and 44/90 of all invasive isolates (incidence 0.23, 0.33 and 0.46 per 100,000 population) in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively. In each of these years, 15/22, 22/31 and 19/44 of serogroup Y isolates were genetically clonal (Y: P1.5-2,10-1,36-2: F4-1: ST-23(cc23), 'porB allele 3-36, fHbp allele 25 and penA allele 22). Our findings further support those of others that currently recommended FetA typing could be replaced by FHbp. Moreover, in line with a previous study that we conducted, the current results indicate that highly variable multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (HV-MLVA) can be used as a first-hand rapid method for small outbreak investigations.
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8. |
- Afset, J. E., et al.
(författare)
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Phylogeographical pattern of Francisella tularensis in a nationwide outbreak of tularaemia in Norway, 2011
- 2015
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 20:19, s. 9-14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In 2011, a nationwide outbreak of tularaemia occurred in Norway with 180 recorded cases. It was associated with the largest peak in lemming density seen in 40 years. Francisella tularensis was isolated from 18 patients. To study the geographical distribution of F. tularensis genotypes in Norway and correlate genotype with epidemiology and clinical presentation, we performed whole genome sequencing of patient isolates. All 18 genomes from the outbreak carried genetic signatures of F. tularensis subsp. holarctica and were assigned to genetic clades using canonical single nucleotide polymorphisms. Ten isolates were assigned to major genetic clade B.6 (subclade B.7), seven to clade B.12, and one to clade B.4. The B.6 subclade B.7 was most common in southern and central Norway, while clade B.12 was evenly distributed between the southern, central and northern parts of the country. There was no association between genotype and clinical presentation of tularaemia, time of year or specimen type. We found extensive sequence similarity with F. tularensis subsp. holarctica genomes from high-endemic tularaemia areas in Sweden. Finding nearly identical genomes across large geographical distances in Norway and Sweden imply a life cycle of the bacterium without replication between the outbreaks and raise new questions about long-range migration mechanisms.
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9. |
- de Graaf, M., et al.
(författare)
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Emergence of a novel GII.17 norovirus - End of the GII.4 era?
- 2015
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : EUR CENTRE DIS PREVENTION and CONTROL. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 20:26, s. 21178-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the winter of 2014/15 a novel GII.P17-GII.17 norovirus strain (GII.17 Kawasaki 2014) emerged, as a major cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks in China and Japan. Since their emergence these novel GII.P17-GII.17 viruses have replaced the previously dominant GII.4 genotype Sydney 2012 variant in some areas in Asia but were only detected in a limited number of cases on other continents. This perspective provides an overview of the available information on GII.17 viruses in order to gain insight in the viral and host characteristics of this norovirus genotype. We further discuss the emergence of this novel GII.P17-GII.17 norovirus in context of current knowledge on the epidemiology of noroviruses. It remains to be seen if the currently dominant norovirus strain GII.4 Sydney 2012 will be replaced in other parts of the world. Nevertheless, the public health community and surveillance systems need to be prepared in case of a potential increase of norovirus activity in the next seasons caused by this novel GII.P17-GII.17 norovirus.
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10. |
- Golparian, Daniel, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Four treatment failures of pharyngeal gonorrhoea with ceftriaxone (500 mg) or cefotaxime (500 mg), Sweden, 2013 and 2014
- 2014
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 19:30, s. 2-5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We describe four cases in Sweden of verified treatment failures of pharyngeal gonorrhoea with ceftriaxone (500 mg; n=3) or cefotaxime (500 mg; n=1) monotherapy. All the ceftriaxone treatment failures were caused by the internationally spreading multidrug-resistant gonococcal NG-MAST genogroup 1407 clone. Increased awareness of treatment failures is crucial particularly when antimicrobial monotherapy is used. Frequent test of cure and appropriate verification/falsification of suspected treatment failures, as well as implementation of recommended dual antimicrobial therapy are imperative.
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11. |
- Karadenizli, A., et al.
(författare)
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Genomic analyses of Francisella tularensis strains confirm disease transmission from drinking water sources, Turkey, 2008, 2009 and 2012
- 2015
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 20:21
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Waterborne epidemics of tularaemia caused by Francisella tularensis are increasingly reported in Turkey. We have used whole genome sequencing to investigate if F. tularensis isolated from patients could be traced back to drinking water sources. Tonsil swabs from 33 patients diagnosed with oropharyngeal tularaemia in three outbreaks and 140 water specimens were analysed. F. tularensis subsp. holarctica was confirmed by microagglutination and PCR in 12 patients and five water specimens. Genomic analysis of three pairs of patient and water isolates from outbreaks in Sivas, Corum, and Kocaeli showed the isolates to belong to two new clusters of the F. tularensis B. 12 genetic clade. The clusters were defined by 19 and 15 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a multiple alignment based on 507 F. tularensis genomes. One synonymous SNP was chosen as a new canonical SNP (canSNP) for each cluster for future use in diagnostic assays. No SNP was identified between the genomes from the patient-water pair of isolates from Kocaeli, one SNP between the pair of isolates from Sivas, whereas the pair from Corum differed at seven SNPs. These results illustrate the power of whole genome sequencing for tracing F. tularensis patient isolates back to their environmental source.
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12. |
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13. |
- Timpka, Toomas, et al.
(författare)
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Predictive performance of telenursing complaints in influenza surveillance : a prospective cohort study in Sweden
- 2014
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 19:46, s. 20966-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Syndromic data sources have been sought to improve the timely detection of increased influenza transmission. This study set out to examine the prospective performance of telenursing chief complaints in predicting influenza activity. Data from two influenza seasons (2007/08 and 2008/09) were collected in a Swedish county (population 427,000) to retrospectively determine which grouping of telenursing chief complaints had the largest correlation with influenza case rates. This grouping was prospectively evaluated in the three subsequent seasons. The best performing telenursing complaint grouping in the retrospective algorithm calibration was fever (child, adult) and syncope (r=0.66; p<0.001). In the prospective evaluation, the performance of 14-day predictions was acceptable for the part of the evaluation period including the 2009 influenza pandemic (area under the curve (AUC)=0.84; positive predictive value (PPV)=0.58), while it was strong (AUC=0.89; PPV=0.93) for the remaining evaluation period including only influenza winter seasons. We recommend the use of telenursing complaints for predicting winter influenza seasons. The method requires adjustments when used during pandemics.
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14. |
- Verhagen, Josanne H., et al.
(författare)
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Wild bird surveillance around outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N8) virus in the Netherlands, 2014, within the context of global flyways.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 20:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N8) viruses that emerged in poultry in east Asia since 2010 spread to Europe and North America by late 2014. Despite detections in migrating birds, the role of free-living wild birds in the global dispersal of H5N8 virus is unclear. Here, wild bird sampling activities in response to the H5N8 virus outbreaks in poultry in the Netherlands are summarised along with a review on ring recoveries. HPAI H5N8 virus was detected exclusively in two samples from ducks of the Eurasian wigeon species, among 4,018 birds sampled within a three months period from mid-November 2014. The H5N8 viruses isolated from wild birds in the Netherlands were genetically closely related to and had the same gene constellation as H5N8 viruses detected elsewhere in Europe, in Asia and in North America, suggesting a common origin. Ring recoveries of migratory duck species from which H5N8 viruses have been isolated overall provide evidence for indirect migratory connections between East Asia and Western Europe and between East Asia and North America. This study is useful for better understanding the role of wild birds in the global epidemiology of H5N8 viruses. The need for sampling large numbers of wild birds for the detection of H5N8 virus and H5N8-virus-specific antibodies in a variety of species globally is highlighted, with specific emphasis in north-eastern Europe, Russia and northern China.
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15. |
- Wallensten, A., et al.
(författare)
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Multiple human-to-human transmission from a severe case of psittacosis, Sweden, January-February 2013
- 2014
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 19:42, s. 34-39
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Proven transmission of Chlamydia psittaci between humans has been described on only one occasion previously. We describe an outbreak which occurred in Sweden in early 2013, where the epidemiological and serological investigation suggests that one patient, severely ill with psittacosis after exposure to wild bird droppings, transmitted the disease to ten others: Two family members, one hospital roommate and seven hospital caregivers. Three cases also provided respiratory samples that could be analysed by PCR. All the obtained C. psittaci sequences were indistinguishable and clustered within genotype A. The finding has implications for the management of severely ill patients with atypical pneumonia, because these patients may be more contagious than was previously thought. In order to prevent nosocomial person-to-person transmission of C. psittaci, stricter hygiene measures may need to be applied.
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16. |
- Wilder-Smith, Annelies, et al.
(författare)
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The 2012 dengue outbreak in Madeira : exploring the origins
- 2014
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 19:8, s. 20718-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In 2012, Madeira reported its first major outbreak of dengue. To identify the origin of the imported dengue virus, we investigated the interconnectivity via air travel between dengue-endemic countries and Madeira, and compared available sequences against GenBank. There were 22,948 air travellers to Madeira in 2012, originating from twenty-nine dengue-endemic countries; 89.6% of these international travellers originated from Venezuela and Brazil. We developed an importation index that takes into account both travel volume and the extent of dengue incidence in the country of origin. Venezuela and Brazil had by far the highest importation indices compared with all other dengue-endemic countries. The importation index for Venezuela was twice as high as that for Brazil. When taking into account seasonality in the months preceding the onset of the Madeira outbreak, this index was even seven times higher for Venezuela than for Brazil during this time. Dengue sequencing shows that the virus responsible for the Madeira outbreak was most closely related to viruses circulating in Venezuela, Brazil and Columbia. Applying the importation index, Venezuela was identified as the most likely origin of importation of dengue virus via travellers to Madeira. We propose that the importation index is a new additional tool that can help to identify and anticipate the most probable country of origin for importation of dengue into currently non-endemic countries.
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17. |
- Yang, Y., et al.
(författare)
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Household transmissibility of avian influenza A (H7N9) virus, China, February to May 2013 and October 2013 to March 2014
- 2015
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 20:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To study human-to-human transmissibility of the avian influenza A (H7N9) virus in China, household contact information was collected for 125 index cases during the spring wave (February to May 2013), and for 187 index cases during the winter wave (October 2013 to March 2014). Using a statistical model, we found evidence for human-to-human transmission, but such transmission is not sustainable. Under plausible assumptions about the natural history of disease and the relative transmission frequencies in settings other than household, we estimate the household secondary attack rate (SAR) among humans to be 1.4% (95% CI: 0.8 to 2.3), and the basic reproductive number R0 to be 0.08 (95% CI: 0.05 to 0.13). The estimates range from 1.3% to 2.2% for SAR and from 0.07 to 0.12 for R0 with reasonable changes in the assumptions. There was no significant change in the human-to-human transmissibility of the virus between the two waves, although a minor increase was observed in the winter wave. No sex or age difference in the risk of infection from a human source was found. Human-to-human transmissibility of H7N9 continues to be limited, but it needs to be closely monitored for potential increase via genetic reassortment or mutation.
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18. |
- Albinsson, Bo, et al.
(författare)
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Multi laboratory evaluation of ReaScan TBE IgM rapid test, 2016 to 2017
- 2020
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : EUR CENTRE DIS PREVENTION & CONTROL. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 25:12, s. 27-36
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a potentially severe neurological disease caused by TBE virus (TBEV). In Europe and Asia, TBEV infection has become a growing public health concern and requires fast and specific detection. Aim: In this observational study, we evaluated a rapid TBE IgM test, ReaScan TBE, for usage in a clinical laboratory setting. Methods: Patient sera found negative or positive for TBEV by serological and/or molecular methods in diagnostic laboratories of five European countries endemic for TBEV (Estonia, Finland, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Sweden) were used to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the test. The patients' diagnoses were based on other commercial or quality assured in-house assays, i.e. each laboratory's conventional routine methods. For specificity analysis, serum samples from patients with infections known to cause problems in serology were employed. These samples tested positive for e.g. Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, or for flaviviruses other than TBEV, i.e. dengue, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile and Zika viruses. Samples from individuals vaccinated against flaviviruses other than TBEV were also included. Altogether, 172 serum samples from patients with acute TBE and 306 TBE IgM negative samples were analysed. Results: Compared with each laboratory's conventional methods, the tested assay had similar sensitivity and specificity (99.4% and 97.7%, respectively). Samples containing potentially interfering antibodies did not cause specificity problems. Conclusion: Regarding diagnosis of acute TBEV infections, ReaScan TBE offers rapid and convenient complementary IgM detection. If used as a stand-alone, it can provide preliminary results in a laboratory or point of care setting.
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19. |
- Banhart, Sebastian, et al.
(författare)
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Molecular epidemiological typing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates identifies a novel association between genogroup G10557 (G7072) and decreased susceptibility to cefixime, Germany, 2014 to 2017
- 2020
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 25:41
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Emerging antimicrobial resistance (AMR) challenges gonorrhoea treatment and requires surveillance.AimThis observational study describes the genetic diversity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Germany from 2014 to 2017 and identifies N. gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-MAST) genogroups associated with AMR or some patient demographics.Methods: 1,220 gonococcal isolates underwent AMR testing and NG-MAST. Associations between genogroups and AMR or sex/age of patients were statistically assessed.Results: Patients' median age was 32 years (interquartile range: 25-44); 1,078 isolates (88.4%) originated from men. In total, 432 NG-MAST sequence types including 156 novel ones were identified, resulting in 17 major genogroups covering 59.1% (721/1,220) of all isolates. Genogroups G1407 and G10557 (G7072) were significantly associated with decreased susceptibility to cefixime (Kruskal-Wallis chi-squared: 549.3442, df: 16, p < 0.001). Their prevalences appeared to decline during the study period from 14.2% (15/106) to 6.2% (30/481) and from 6.6% (7/106) to 3.1% (15/481) respectively. Meanwhile, several cefixime susceptible genogroups' prevalence seemed to increase. Proportions of isolates from men differed among genogroups (Fisher's exact test, p < 0.001), being e.g. lower for G25 (G51) and G387, and higher for G5441 and G2992. Some genogroups differed relative to each other in affected patients' median age (Kruskal-Wallis chi-squared: 47.5358, df: 16, p < 0.001), with e.g. G25 (G51) and G387 more frequent among ≤ 30 year olds and G359 and G17420 among ≥ 40 year olds.Conclusion: AMR monitoring with molecular typing is important. Dual therapy (ceftriaxone plus azithromycin) recommended in 2014 in Germany, or only the ceftriaxone dose of this therapy, might have contributed to cefixime-resistant genogroups decreasing.
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20. |
- Beeton, Michael L., et al.
(författare)
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Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, 11 countries in Europe and Israel, 2011 to 2016
- 2020
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : EUR CENTRE DIS PREVENTION & CONTROL. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 25:2, s. 39-51
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia, with large epidemics previously described to occur every 4 to 7 years.Aim: To better understand the diagnostic methods used to detect M. pneumoniae; to better understand M. pneumoniae testing and surveillance in use; to identify epidemics; to determine detection number per age group, age demographics for positive detections, concurrence of epidemics and annual peaks across geographical areas; and to determine the effect of geographical location on the timing of epidemics.Methods: A questionnaire was sent in May 2016 to Mycoplasma experts with national or regional responsibility within the ESCMID Study Group for Mycoplasma and Chlamydia Infections in 17 countries across Europe and Israel, retrospectively requesting details on M. pneumoniae-positive samples from January 2011 to April 2016. The Moving Epidemic Method was used to determine epidemic periods and effect of country latitude across the countries for the five periods under investigation.Results: Representatives from 12 countries provided data on M. pneumoniae infections, accounting for 95,666 positive samples. Two laboratories initiated routine macrolide resistance testing since 2013. Between 2011 and 2016, three epidemics were identified: 2011/12, 2014/15 and 2015/16. The distribution of patient ages for M. pneumoniae-positive samples showed three patterns. During epidemic years, an association between country latitude and calendar week when epidemic periods began was noted.Conclusions: An association between epidemics and latitude was observed. Differences were noted in the age distribution of positive cases and detection methods used and practice. A lack of macrolide resistance monitoring was noted.
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21. |
- Berçot, Béatrice, et al.
(författare)
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Ceftriaxone-resistant, multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae with a novel mosaic penA-237.001 gene, France, June 2022
- 2022
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 27:50, s. 17-22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report a ceftriaxone-resistant, multidrug-resistant urogenital gonorrhoea case in a heterosexual woman in France, June 2022. The woman was successfully treated with azithromycin 2 g. She had unprotected sex with her regular partner, who developed urethritis following travel to Vietnam and Switzerland. Whole genome sequencing of the gonococcal isolate (F92) identified MLST ST1901, NG-STAR CC- 199, and the novel mosaic penA-237.001, which caused ceftriaxone resistance. penA-237.001 is 98.7% identical to penA-60.001, reported in various ceftriaxone-resistant strains, including the internationally spreading FC428 clone.
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22. |
- Björklund, Verna, et al.
(författare)
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Early-onset group B streptococcal infections in five Nordic countries with different prevention policies, 1995 to 2019
- 2024
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC). - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 29:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Neonatal early-onset disease caused by group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of infant morbidity. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) is effective in preventing early-onset GBS disease, but there is no agreement on the optimal strategy for identifying the pregnant women requiring this treatment, and both risk-based prophylaxis (RBP) and GBS screening-based prophylaxis (SBP) are used.Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of SBP as a public health intervention on the epidemiology of early-onset GBS infections.Methods: In 2012, Finland started the universal SBP, while Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden continued with RBP. We conducted an interrupted time series analysis taking 2012 as the intervention point to evaluate the impact of this intervention. The incidences of early- and late-onset GBS infections during Period I (1995-2011) and Period II (2012-2019) were collected from each national register, covering 6,605,564 live births.Results: In Finland, a reduction of 58% in the incidence of early-onset GBS disease, corresponding to an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 0.42 (95% CI: 0.34-0.52), was observed after 2012. At the same time, the pooled IRR of other Nordic countries was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.80-1.0), specifically 0.89 (95% CI: 0.70-1.5) in Denmark, 0.34 (95% CI: 0.15-0.81) in Iceland, 0.72 (95% CI: 0.59-0.88) in Norway and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.85-1.1) in Sweden.Conclusions: In this ecological study of five Nordic countries, early-onset GBS infections were approximately halved following introduction of the SBP approach as compared with RBP.
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23. |
- Christensen, P. B., et al.
(författare)
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Hepatitis C time trends in reported cases and estimates of the hidden population born before 1965, Denmark and Sweden, 1990 to 2020
- 2022
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 27:50, s. 30-38
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: According to the World Health Organization, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection should be under control by 2030.Aim: Our aim was to describe the size and temporal changes in reported cases of chronic HCV infection in Denmark and Sweden and to estimate the size of the hidden (undiagnosed) population born before 1965.Methods: We extracted all HCV infections reported to national surveillance systems in Denmark and Sweden from 1990 to 2020. Prediction of the size of the hidden HCV-infected population was restricted to the cohort born before 1965 and cases reported up to 2017. We applied a model based on removal sampling from binomial distributions, estimated the yearly probability of diagnosis, and deducted the original HCV-infected population size.Results: Denmark (clinician-based) reported 10 times fewer hepatitis C cases annually than Sweden (laboratory and clinician-based), peaking in 2007 (n = 425) and 1992 (n = 4,537), respectively. In Denmark, the birth year distribution was monophasic with little change over time. In recent years, Sweden has had a bimodal birth year distribution, suggesting ongoing infection in the young population. In 2017, the total HCV infected population born before 1965 was estimated at 10,737 living persons (95% confidence interval (CI): 9,744-11,806), including 5,054 undiagnosed, in Denmark and 16,124 (95% CI: 13,639-18,978), including 10,580 undiagnosed, in Sweden.Conclusions: The reporting of HCV cases in Denmark and Sweden was different. For Denmark, the estimated hidden population was larger than the current national estimate, whereas in Sweden the estimate was in line with the latest published numbers.
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24. |
- Cole, Michelle J., et al.
(författare)
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The European response to control and manage multi- and extensively drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- 2022
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - : European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 27:18, s. 37-43
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Because cefixime and ceftriaxone resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and gonorrhoea treatment failures were increasing, a response plan to control and manage multidrug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae (MDR-NG) in Europe was published in 2012. The three main areas of the plan were to: (i) strengthen surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), (ii) implement monitoring of treatment failures and (iii) establish a communication strategy to increase awareness and disseminate AMR results. Since 2012, several additional extensively drug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae (XDR-NG) strains have emerged, and strains with high-level ceftriaxone resistance spread internationally. This prompted an evaluation and review of the 2012 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) response plan, revealing an overall improvement in many aspects of monitoring AMR in N. gonorrhoeae; however, treatment failure monitoring was a weakness. Accordingly, the plan was updated in 2019 to further support European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries in controlling and managing the threat of MDR/XDR-NG in Europe through further strengthening of AMR surveillance and clinical management including treatment failure monitoring. The plan will be assessed biennially to ensure its effectiveness and its value. Along with prevention, diagnostic, treatment and epidemiological surveillance strategies, AMR surveillance is essential for effective control of gonorrhoea.
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25. |
- Dahl, Viktor, et al.
(författare)
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Lyme neuroborreliosis epidemiology in Sweden 2010 to 2014 : clinical microbiology laboratories are a better data source than the hospital discharge diagnosis register
- 2019
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Ingår i: Eurosurveillance. - 1025-496X .- 1560-7917. ; 24:20, s. 6-12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background:In a study from 2013 that prioritised communicable diseases for surveillance in Sweden, we identified Lyme borreliosis as one of the diseases with highest priority. In 2014, when the present study was designed, there were also plans to make neuroborreliosis notifiable within the European Union.Aim:We compared possibilities of surveillance of neuroborreliosis in Sweden through two different sources: the hospital discharge register and reporting from the clinical microbiology laboratories.Methods:We examined the validity of ICD-10 codes in the hospital discharge register by extracting personal identification numbers for all cases of neuroborreliosis, defined by a positive cerebrospinal fluid-serum anti-Borrelia antibody index, who were diagnosed at the largest clinical microbiology laboratory in Sweden during 2014. We conducted a retrospective observational study with a questionnaire sent to all clinical microbiology laboratories in Sweden requesting information on yearly number of cases, age group and sex for the period 2010 to 2014.Results:Among 150 neuroborreliosis cases, 67 (45%) had received the ICD-10 code A69.2 (Lyme borreliosis) in combination with G01.9 (meningitis in bacterial diseases classified elsewhere), the combination that the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare recommends for neuroborreliosis. All 22 clinical laboratories replied to our questionnaire. Based on laboratory reporting, the annual incidence of neuroborreliosis in Sweden was 6.3 cases per 100,000 in 2014.Conclusion:The hospital discharge register was unsuitable for surveillance of neuroborreliosis, whereas laboratory-based reporting was a feasible alternative. In 2018, the European Commission included Lyme neuroborreliosis on the list of diseases under epidemiological surveillance.
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