Epidemiology and Infection最新文献

{"title":"Transitioning from microscopy to PCR for protozoa in Norway - Impact on detection of protozoa and helminths: A register study.","authors":"Lars Sandven, Hanne Brekke, Tore Lier, Liv Reidun Tverelv, Jan Egil Afset, Audun Sivertsen, Kurt Hanevik","doi":"10.1017/S0950268825100228","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268825100228","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to describe how the detection of protozoan and helminth parasites has been affected by the introduction of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and changes in test algorithms. We extracted data about faecal samples tested for parasites (n = 114839) at five Norwegian clinical microbiology laboratories. Samples were classified into prePCR or postPCR depending on whether they were submitted before or after the introduction of PCR, and into diagnostic episodes (n = 99320). The number of diagnostic episodes increased 3.7-fold from prePCR to postPCR. Giardia positive episodes doubled, the positivity rate decreased from 2.0% to 1.3%. Cryptosporidium was hardly detected prePCR and increased to a positivity rate of 1.2%. Entamoeba histolytica was rarely found. Episodes examined for helminths decreased 51%, the number of positive episodes decreased 34%. Samples from immigrants were more likely to be positive for Giardia, E. histolytica, or helminths and less likely to be Cryptosporidium positive. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Giardia and helminth-positive episodes decreased. Cryptosporidium-positive episodes remained unchanged. The implementation of multiplex PCR for protozoa led to a doubling of Giardia cases and a better test for Cryptosporidium. Fewer microscopy examinations raise concerns that helminth infections may be overlooked.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"e80"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12281236/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144495309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of <i>Mollicutes</i> in pregnant women undergoing high-risk prenatal care at a maternal and child reference unit in Bahia, Brazil.","authors":"Fabrícia Almeida Fernandes Santana, Jéssica Bomfim, Mariana Ferraz, Victória Cardoso, Jassy Borges, Danielle Souto de Medeiros, Maurício Grijó, Guilherme B Campos, Lucas Miranda Marques","doi":"10.1017/S0950268825100137","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268825100137","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During pregnancy, colonization by genital mycoplasmas may be associated with adverse outcomes. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of four species of <i>Mollicutes</i> (<i>Mycoplasma hominis</i>, <i>Mycoplasma genitalium</i>, <i>Ureaplasma parvum</i>, and <i>Ureaplasma urealyticum</i>) in pregnant women receiving high-risk prenatal care and to evaluate possible associated factors. Data collection included the application of a questionnaire and the collection of cervical swabs from pregnant women. Species identification was performed by real-time PCR. The overall prevalence of <i>Mollicutes</i> was 60.97%. 55.9% of pregnant women were colonized by <i>Ureaplasma</i> spp., and 19.51% by <i>Mycoplasma</i> spp. The prevalence rates by species were 48.78% for <i>U. parvum</i>, 11.59% for <i>U. urealyticum</i>, 18.9% for <i>M. hominis</i>, and 1.22% for <i>M. genitalium.</i> Age, 12 years of schooling or more, age at first sexual intercourse up to 14 years, third trimester of pregnancy, having undergone infertility treatment, presence of STI, and groin lymph nodes were associated with a higher prevalence of microorganisms. The results presented are of utmost importance for understanding the prevalence of these microorganisms, the characteristics of colonized pregnant women, and planning screening strategies and interventions that minimize the negative impacts of these infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":"153 ","pages":"e73"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12202237/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors associated with lower COVID-19 vaccine uptake among populations with a migration background in the Netherlands.","authors":"Bente Smagge, Lisanne Labuschagne, Joyce Pijpers, Annika van Roon, Susan van den Hof, Susan Hahné, Hester de Melker","doi":"10.1017/S0950268825100216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268825100216","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"1-50"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144474305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Control of an outbreak of invasive Group A <i>Streptococcus</i> in a care home in Lincolnshire, England.","authors":"Natalie Davison, Jennifer Clements, Victoria Pruteanu, Joanne Enstone, Theresa Lamagni, Kartyk Moganeradj, Yan Ryan, John MairJenkins, Kerry Roulston, Bethan Stoddart, Jharna Kumbang","doi":"10.1017/S0950268825100204","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268825100204","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In March 2024, the East Midlands Health Protection Team was notified of a case of invasive Group A <i>Streptococcus</i> (iGAS) infection in an elderly care home resident. Twenty-two days later, another case in a resident from the same floor of the care home was notified. In accordance with national guidelines, an outbreak was declared, and a multidisciplinary outbreak control team (OCT) was urgently convened. Screening for GAS throat carriage was undertaken for staff and residents, excluding those receiving end-of-life care. All isolates were strain typed and characterised. Infection prevention and control (IPC) visits were undertaken to provide ongoing support. Screening identified five residents and five staff members positive for GAS. Antibiotic prophylaxis was provided to all staff throughout the setting (<i>n</i> = 74) and all residents on the affected floor (<i>n</i> = 35). Three individuals were positive on repeat screening. All staff and residents screened negative after 4 months and the two clinical cases recovered. Eleven of the 12 GAS isolates were identified as <i>emm</i> 3.93. This outbreak highlighted the importance of rapid screening, possible only through the deployment of a dedicated team, and rescreening post-decolonising treatment, as a means to contain such outbreaks.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"e81"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12281235/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144474304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A large outbreak of invasive Group B <i>Streptococcus</i> Sequence Type 283 infection linked to physical contact of freshwater fish.","authors":"Hoi-Kei Wong, Kai-Lok Lam, Alan Ka-Lun Tsang, Derek Ling-Lung Hung, Tonny Ng, Albert Ka-Wing Au, Edwin Lok-Kin Tsui","doi":"10.1017/S0950268825100186","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268825100186","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Invasive Group B <i>Streptococcus</i> (GBS) infection caused by the highly virulent Sequence Type 283 (ST283) strain has been linked to consumption of raw freshwater fish. In late summer 2024, enhanced surveillance in Hong Kong detected a surge of invasive ST283 cases.A retrospective case-control study was conducted involving all invasive GBS patients reported during August to September 2024. Data were collected through standardised interviewer-administered questionnaires. Cases were defined as patients infected with the ST283 strain, while controls had non-ST283 strains. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the risk factors.Among 170 invasive GBS patients, 131 (77%) were identified as cases and 39 (23%) as controls. Physical handling of raw freshwater fish was found to be the strongest risk factor for ST283 infection (adjusted odds ratio: 8.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.4-50.1).This study represents the first epidemiological evidence specifically linking physical contact with raw freshwater fish to an increased risk of invasive GBS ST283 infection. Effective interdepartmental coordination, intensive public health education, active surveillance, and prompt environmental interventions effectively mitigated this large outbreak. The findings underscore the need for sustainable preventive strategies targeting high-risk fish handling practices, particularly during warm periods favouring environmental proliferation of ST283.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"e76"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247001/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144474303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Risk factors for infection with SARS-CoV-2 in a cohort of Canadian healthcare workers: 2020-2023.","authors":"Brenda L Coleman, Nicole M Robertson, Robyn A Harrison, Louis Valiquette, Joanne M Langley, Matthew P Muller, Curtis L Cooper, Jeya Nadarajah, Jeff Powis, Saranya Arnoldo, Marek Smieja, Otto G Vanderkooi, Freda Qi, Karen Colwill, Anne Claude Gingras, Allison McGeer","doi":"10.1017/S0950268825100101","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268825100101","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Determining the factors that impact the risk for infection with SARS-CoV-2 is a priority as the virus continues to infect people worldwide. The objective was to determine the effectiveness of vaccines and other factors associated with infection among Canadian healthcare workers (HCWs) followed from 15 June 2020 to 1 December 2023. We also investigate the association between antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and subsequent infections with SARS-CoV-2. Of the 2474 eligible participants, 2133 (86%) were female, 33% were nurses, the median age was 41 years, and 99.3% had received at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccine by 31 December 2021. The incidence of SARS-CoV-2 was 0.91 per 1000 person-days. Prior to the circulation of the Omicron variants, vaccine effectiveness (VE) was estimated at 85% (95% CI 1, 98) for participants who received the primary series of vaccine. During the Omicron period, relative adjusted VE was 43% (95% CI 29, 54), 56% (95% CI 42, 67), and 46% (95% CI 24, 62) for 3, 4, and ≥ 5 doses compared with those who received primary series after adjusting for previous infection and other covariates. Exposure to infected household members, coworkers, or friends in the previous 14 days were risk factor for infection, while contact with an infected patient was not statistically significant. Participants with higher levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) antibodies had lower rates of infection than those with the lowest levels. COVID-19 vaccines remained effective throughout the follow-up of this cohort of highly vaccinated HCWs. IgG anti-RBD antibody levels may be useful as correlates of protection for issues such as vaccine development and testing. There remains a need to increase the awareness among HCWs about the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 from contacts at a variety of venues.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":"153 ","pages":"e72"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12188280/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144474306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 shedding in exhaled material: a systematic review.","authors":"A M Hasanthi Abeykoon, Madeleine Wilson, Kanta Subbarao, Nicholas Geard, Cameron Zachreson, Sheena Geraldine Sullivan","doi":"10.1017/S0950268825100174","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268825100174","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This systematic review synthesized evidence on the viral load of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) shedding in exhaled material to understand how the exhaled SARS-CoV-2 viral load of infected individuals varies with days since exposure. Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched using a combination of search terms to identify articles that tested exhaled material from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Records were systematically screened and assessed for eligibility, following which reference lists of eligible articles were hand-searched to identify further relevant studies. Data extraction and quality assessment of individual studies were conducted prior to synthesizing the evidence. Forty-five articles that sampled exhaled breath, exhaled breath condensate, face masks, and cough samples were reviewed. The variation in the SARS-CoV-2 viral load in these materials was considerable with the detection of viral RNA shed during breathing as far as 43 days after symptom onset. The replication-competent virus was present in all four sample types, with the majority isolated during the first week of symptoms onset. Variations in the sample types and testing protocols precluded meta-analysis. High heterogeneity in exhaled SARS-CoV-2 viral load is likely due to host and viral factors as well as variations in sampling and diagnostic methodologies. Evidence on SARS-CoV-2 shedding in exhaled material is scarce and more controlled fundamental studies are needed to assess this important route of viral shedding.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"e75"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247008/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144332656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proteins associated with environmental survival of the pathogen <i>Neisseria meningitidis</i>.","authors":"Claire Swain, Sarah Reed, Joanna Katherine MacKichan, Thomas William Jordan","doi":"10.1017/S0950268825100083","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268825100083","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Previously, we reported the persistence of the bacterial pathogen <i>Neisseria meningitidis</i> on fomites, indicating a potential route for environmental transmission. The current goal was to identify proteins that vary among strains of meningococci that have differing environmental survival. We carried out a proteomic analysis of two strains that differ in their potential for survival outside the host. The Group B epidemic strain NZ98/254 and Group W carriage strain H34 were cultured either at 36 °C, 5% CO₂, and 95% relative humidity (RH) corresponding to host conditions in the nasopharynx, or at lower humidities of 22% or 30% RH at 30 °C, for which there was greater survival on fomites. For NZ98/254, the shift to lower RH and temperature was associated with increased abundance of proteins involved in metabolism, stress responses, and outer membrane components, including pili and porins. In contrast, H34 responded to lower RH by decreasing the abundance of multiple proteins, indicating that the lower viability of H34 may be linked to decreased capacity to mount core protective responses. The results provide a snapshot of bacterial proteins and metabolism that may be related to normal fitness, to the greater environmental persistence of NZ98/254 compared to H34, and potentially to differences in transmission and pathogenicity.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":"153 ","pages":"e71"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12171898/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144301389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of joinpoint regression to SARS-CoV-2 wastewater-based epidemiology in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.","authors":"Casey A Barber, Lung-Chang Chien, Brian Labus, Katherine Crank, Katerina Papp, Daniel Gerrity, Cheryl Collins, Edwin C Oh, Lei Zhang, Anil T Mangla, Cassius Lockett, L-W Antony Chen","doi":"10.1017/S0950268825100058","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268825100058","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Temporal variability and methodological differences in data normalization, among other factors, complicate effective trend analysis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) wastewater surveillance data and its alignment with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) clinical outcomes. As there is no consensus approach for these analyses yet, this study explored the use of piecewise linear trend analysis (joinpoint regression) to identify significant trends and trend turning points in SARS-CoV-2 RNA wastewater concentrations (normalized and non-normalized) and corresponding COVID-19 case rates in the greater Las Vegas metropolitan area (Nevada, USA) from mid-2020 to April 2023. The analysis period was stratified into three distinct phases based on temporal changes in testing protocols, vaccination availability, SARS-CoV-2 variant prevalence, and public health interventions. While other statistical methodologies may require fewer parameter specifications, joinpoint regression provided an interpretable framework for characterization and comparison of trends and trend turning points, revealing sewershed-specific variations in trend magnitude and timing that also aligned with known variant-driven waves. Week-level trend agreement corroborated previous findings demonstrating a close relationship between SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance data and COVID-19 outcomes. These findings guide future applications of advanced statistical methodologies and support the continued integration of wastewater-based epidemiology as a complementary approach to traditional COVID-19 surveillance systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":"153 ","pages":"e68"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12171900/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144247039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modelling the risk of food-borne transmission of <i>Toxocara</i> spp. to humans.","authors":"Sara Healy, Eric Morgan, Martha Betson, Joaquin M Prada","doi":"10.1017/S0950268825000330","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268825000330","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human toxocariasis is a worldwide parasitic disease caused by zoonotic roundworms of the genus <i>Toxocara</i>, which can cause blindness and epilepsy. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of food-borne transmission of <i>Toxocara</i> spp. to humans in the UK by developing mathematical models created in a Bayesian framework. Parameter estimation was based on published experimental studies and field data from southern England, with qPCR Cq values used as a measure of eggs in spinach portions and ELISA optical density data as an indirect measure of larvae in meat portions. The average human risk of <i>Toxocara</i> spp. infection, per portion consumed, was estimated as 0.016% (95% CI: 0.000-0.100%) for unwashed leafy vegetables and 0.172% (95% CI: 0.000-0.400%) for undercooked meat. The average proportion of meat portions estimated positive for <i>Toxocara</i> spp. larvae was 0.841% (95% CI: 0.300-1.400%), compared to 0.036% (95% CI: 0.000-0.200%) of spinach portions containing larvated <i>Toxocara</i> spp. eggs. Overall, the models estimated a low risk of infection with <i>Toxocara</i> spp. by consuming these foods. However, given the potentially severe human health consequences of toxocariasis, intervention strategies to reduce environmental contamination with <i>Toxocara</i> spp. eggs and correct food preparation are advised.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":"153 ","pages":"e69"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12171901/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144247040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}