Filipa Canha, Sebastian von Schreeb, Pedro Parreira da Silva, Inês Martins, Ana Mendes, Dina Oliveira, Pedro Pinto Leite, Vítor Cabral Veríssimo
{"title":"Congenital syphilis in Portugal, 2015-2024: Temporal-spatial characterization and gaps in prevention of vertical transmission.","authors":"Filipa Canha, Sebastian von Schreeb, Pedro Parreira da Silva, Inês Martins, Ana Mendes, Dina Oliveira, Pedro Pinto Leite, Vítor Cabral Veríssimo","doi":"10.1017/S095026882610140X","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S095026882610140X","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aligned with the increasing trend observed across the EU/EEA, congenital syphilis (CS) cases have risen in Portugal, which has the third highest rate per 100000 live births in the EU/EEA. This study aimed to analyse CS cases reported in Portugal, focusing on pregnancy monitoring and antenatal screening to identify gaps in preventing vertical transmission of syphilis. We conducted a descriptive study, including confirmed CS cases reported in Portugal from 2015 to 2024. We calculated annual incidence per 100000 live births and the proportion of pregnancies monitored and antenatal screenings performed. During 2015-2024, 99 confirmed CS cases were reported, 64.6% in infants under 1 month of age. The incidence of CS increased eightfold from 2016 to 2024. Among mothers of CS cases, 67.7% had pregnancies classified as monitored; of these, 77.6% had a record of antenatal screening, and 88.5% of those screened tested positive. These findings highlight potential fragilities in antenatal care, diagnosis and treatment, contributing to the resurgence of CS in Portugal. Addressing missed opportunities for prevention requires improving maternal healthcare, strengthening surveillance systems, and ensuring the timely treatment of pregnant people and their partners, in order to reverse this trend and move towards the elimination of vertical transmission of syphilis.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"e91"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13366361/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147697290","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}
Doreen Staat, Sandra Simon, Michael Pietsch, Marina C Lamparter, Jennie Fischer, Thomas Schewe, Bettina Marlene Rosner, Tobias Wagner, Katja Siling, Judith Overhoff, Christian Schäfers, Olivier Aust, Ekkehard Hiller, Antje Flieger, Klaus Stark, Sofie Gillesberg Lassen, Anika Meinen
{"title":"Large outbreak of <i>Salmonella</i> Muenchen linked to dried coconut pieces, September 2020 to July 2021, Germany.","authors":"Doreen Staat, Sandra Simon, Michael Pietsch, Marina C Lamparter, Jennie Fischer, Thomas Schewe, Bettina Marlene Rosner, Tobias Wagner, Katja Siling, Judith Overhoff, Christian Schäfers, Olivier Aust, Ekkehard Hiller, Antje Flieger, Klaus Stark, Sofie Gillesberg Lassen, Anika Meinen","doi":"10.1017/S0950268826101423","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268826101423","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In September 2020, an unexpected increase in <i>Salmonella</i> Muenchen patient isolates and notifications was observed. We investigated the outbreak to identify the vehicle of infection. RKI defined cases as patients with laboratory-confirmed <i>S.</i> Muenchen infections reported between September 2020 and July 2021. Genomes of clinical, food, and animal <i>S.</i> Muenchen isolates were analysed using cgMLST. We conducted interviews and performed a frequency-matched case-control study. We calculated frequencies and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) using logistic regression. We identified 301 cases in eight federal states in Germany. Hypothesis-generating interviews did not provide a conclusive hint of a possible vehicle. <i>S.</i> Muenchen strains were detected in dried coconut pieces, milk powder used for chocolate production, and a wild swan, all with a cgMLST profile indistinguishable from the prominent node comprising 116 patient isolates. Cases included in the case-control study more often consumed dried coconut pieces (22/30) than controls (2/116) (aOR: 176 (95% confidence interval: 32-954)). In this investigation, cgMLST analysis presented identical strains in three different isolate sources. The case-control study supported dried coconut pieces as vehicle of infection demonstrating the importance of interdisciplinary investigations and underscoring the potential impact of unusual vehicles.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"e55"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13161823/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147697285","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":"Comments on \"Adherence to oral zinc supplementation in the management of acute diarrhoeal disease among under-5 children: A systematic review and meta-analysis\".","authors":"Sushma Narsing Katkuri, Varshini Vadhithala, Arun Kumar, Sushma Verma, Dhanya Dedeepya","doi":"10.1017/S0950268826101447","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268826101447","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"1-3"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13161792/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147697239","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}
Audrey E Kennar, Azarnoush Maroufi, Madeline Poranski, Heather Stachelrodt Watson, Phoebe Seaver, Meghan Villalobos, Ernie Awa, Paul Temprendola, Vince Huynh, Nicholas S Rhoades, Heather Buonomo, Ryan Johnson, Mark E Beatty, Anna Liza Manlutac, Jeremy Corrigan, Annie Kao, Sarah Stous, Seema Shah
{"title":"County of San Diego, California, investigates <i>Salmonella Typhimurium</i> outbreak linked to unpasteurized milk - September 2023-January 2024.","authors":"Audrey E Kennar, Azarnoush Maroufi, Madeline Poranski, Heather Stachelrodt Watson, Phoebe Seaver, Meghan Villalobos, Ernie Awa, Paul Temprendola, Vince Huynh, Nicholas S Rhoades, Heather Buonomo, Ryan Johnson, Mark E Beatty, Anna Liza Manlutac, Jeremy Corrigan, Annie Kao, Sarah Stous, Seema Shah","doi":"10.1017/S0950268826101009","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268826101009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>On 17 October 2023, the County of San Diego (CoSD), California's Epidemiology and Immunization Services Branch received reports of eight salmonellosis patients with illness onsets beginning in September 2023. CoSD disease investigators identified common exposure to Farm A-produced unpasteurized dairy products and performed epidemiologic and environmental investigations. Isolates were submitted for whole-genome sequencing. Cases were defined as persons with <i>Salmonella</i> infection with an isolation date on or after 15 September 2023. Twenty-five cases, including 23 confirmed and two probable, were identified among county residents, with 19 (76%) reporting exposure to Farm A unpasteurized dairy products. Median patient age was 12 years (range: 1-47 years). Three children (12%) were hospitalized. Environmental samples of unpasteurized milk collected from Farm A tested positive for <i>S. Typhimurium</i>, matching the outbreak strain by WGS. After <i>Salmonella</i> identification, CoSD released early advisories warning of Farm A-associated risks, likely preventing additional infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"e98"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13366365/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147671042","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}
Lindsay C Morton, Brett M Forshey, Katharina E Klinkhammer, Andrew Romaner, Zoumanna Traore, Laurie J Hartman, Claire J Standley, Amira A Roess
{"title":"Local genomic epidemiology investigations of SARS-CoV-2 during the early pandemic response: A global systematic review.","authors":"Lindsay C Morton, Brett M Forshey, Katharina E Klinkhammer, Andrew Romaner, Zoumanna Traore, Laurie J Hartman, Claire J Standley, Amira A Roess","doi":"10.1017/S0950268826101381","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268826101381","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Genomic epidemiology was essential for characterizing SARS-CoV-2 transmission during the early COVID-19 pandemic. This systematic review examined how whole-genome sequencing was used in local outbreak investigations published between March 2020 and March 2021. Searches of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science identified 32 studies from 18 countries that integrated genomic and epidemiological data for local outbreak investigations. Most studies were conducted in healthcare settings or in high-income countries. A limited number of studies were conducted in low- and middle-income countries, except for China and Vietnam. Illumina or Oxford Nanopore platforms and tiled-amplicon protocols were the most common sequencing methods. Phylogenetic trees were the most common genomic epidemiology analytical approach. Genomic data enabled confirmation of suspected transmission links, detection of multiple introductions, and identification of asymptomatic or presymptomatic transmission. Important enablers of early implementation included open-access genomics databases, standardized protocols (e.g. ARTIC), open-source tools (e.g. Nextstrain), and cross-sector partnerships and funding. Study quality and adherence to common observational study reporting guidelines varied widely. Familiarity with the STROME-ID guidelines for molecular epidemiology studies would have improved overall quality. These findings highlight the utility of genomic epidemiology in outbreak response and support its continued integration into public health surveillance systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"e56"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13161826/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147644064","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":"Dynamic screening strategies for the control of a prolonged vancomycin-resistant enterococci outbreak: A decade-long study in a Japanese tertiary hospital.","authors":"Hiroyuki Shimizu, Tomoko Kawada, Tomoyuki Osumi, Masashi Sakai, Noboru Yoshimoto, Atsuo Sato, Masanori Nishikawa","doi":"10.1017/S0950268826101344","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268826101344","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In low-prevalence settings, the epidemiological yield of screening strategies for controlling vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) outbreaks has not been fully established. We retrospectively analysed a prolonged VRE outbreak at a 536-bed tertiary-care hospital in Japan from 2010 to 2021 to evaluate sequential screening strategies across epidemic phases and to identify risk factors for VRE acquisition. Hospital-wide, admission-based, antimicrobial exposure-based, passive, and haemodialysis-targeted screening strategies were implemented over time. Screening yields were compared longitudinally, and a retrospective case-control study was performed using data from the initial hospital-wide screening phase. Molecular epidemiology was assessed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). In total, 169 VRE-positive patients were identified, including seven infections and 162 asymptomatic carriers. Hospital-wide screening in the early epidemic phase showed the highest positivity rate (0.91%), whereas targeted strategies consistently yielded lower rates (0.09-0.34%). Haemodialysis, specific oral care practices, and prior exposure to carbapenems, glycopeptides, and piperacillin/tazobactam were independently associated with VRE acquisition. PFGE revealed substantial genetic diversity, suggesting sustained nosocomial transmission with repeated introductions. Early broad-based screening may be epidemiologically efficient in the initial phase of VRE outbreaks in low-prevalence settings, followed by adaptive refinement for long-term control.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"e50"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13100919/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147627557","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}
Joanna Garner, Caisey Pulford, Valérie Decraene, Iona Smith, Vicky Watts, Anaïs Painset, Marie Anne Chattaway, Anna Trelfa
{"title":"Investigation of a prolonged nursery outbreak of <i>Salmonella</i> Poona in England identified using whole genome sequencing, 2016-2021.","authors":"Joanna Garner, Caisey Pulford, Valérie Decraene, Iona Smith, Vicky Watts, Anaïs Painset, Marie Anne Chattaway, Anna Trelfa","doi":"10.1017/S0950268826101393","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268826101393","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We describe a prolonged outbreak of <i>Salmonella enterica</i> serotype Poona (<i>S.</i> Poona) sequence type (ST) 308, which comprised 13 cases occurring intermittently in North West England between 2016 and 2021. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) results indicated potential exposure to a single source but a lack of good quality data from routine surveillance questionnaires initially made it challenging to identify the cause. Continuing identification of cases in young children in a small geographical area prompted further public health actions, including trawling interviews which identified that ten cases attended the same nursery. As part of enhanced case finding in this nursery, childcare staff were asked to submit faecal samples. One asymptomatic staff member was positive for <i>S.</i> Poona and had worked at another nursery, attended at the time by the first <i>S.</i> Poona child case in this outbreak. Further investigations revealed that the case had previously undergone a cholecystectomy. We report an outbreak caused by persistent carriage and shedding of <i>S.</i> Poona in an asymptomatic individual working with vulnerable groups, which necessitated introduction of risk management measures similar to that for Typhoidal <i>Salmonella.</i> We also demonstrate the utility of combining epidemiological and WGS data in the public health response to <i>Salmonella</i> outbreaks.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"e52"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13161793/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147627594","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}
Huifang Deng, Linda E Chanamé Pinedo, Anouk P Meijs, Pim Sanders, Kees T Veldman, Michael S M Brouwer, Wieke Altorf-van der Kuil, Bart Wullings, Maaike J C van den Beld, Sabine C de Greeff, Cindy M Dierikx, Engeline van Duijkeren, Eelco Franz, Lapo Mughini-Gras, Roan Pijnacker
{"title":"Reducing antimicrobial use in livestock alone may be not sufficient to reduce antimicrobial resistance among human Campylobacter infections: an ecological study in the Netherlands - CORRIGENDUM.","authors":"Huifang Deng, Linda E Chanamé Pinedo, Anouk P Meijs, Pim Sanders, Kees T Veldman, Michael S M Brouwer, Wieke Altorf-van der Kuil, Bart Wullings, Maaike J C van den Beld, Sabine C de Greeff, Cindy M Dierikx, Engeline van Duijkeren, Eelco Franz, Lapo Mughini-Gras, Roan Pijnacker","doi":"10.1017/S0950268826101290","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268826101290","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":"154 ","pages":"e43"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13100915/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147621660","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}
Aaron C Miller, Daniel Erik Boonstra, Joseph E Cavanaugh, Constantina Boikos, Tianyan Hu, John McLaughlin, Timothy Weimken, Verna Welch, Philip M Polgreen
{"title":"Disease burden associated with influenza activity at the population level.","authors":"Aaron C Miller, Daniel Erik Boonstra, Joseph E Cavanaugh, Constantina Boikos, Tianyan Hu, John McLaughlin, Timothy Weimken, Verna Welch, Philip M Polgreen","doi":"10.1017/S0950268826101320","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268826101320","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Influenza increases the risk of secondary diseases, but other than pneumonia, many of these diseases (e.g., sinusitis, otitis media, acute myocardial infarctions) are not consistently considered in estimates of influenza burden. We used the Merative Marketscan database (2001-2019) and time-series methods to identify age-specific categories of diseases that were temporally associated with patterns of influenza activity. Next, we estimated hypothetical reductions in the incidence and costs of these diseases if influenza incidence were reduced. Of 282 different disease categories evaluated, 23 (8.2%) were strongly associated with influenza (e.g., acute bronchitis, otitis media, myocardial infarctions, sinusitis, COPD) in at least one age group. For example, we estimated a 20% decrease in peak influenza incidence could decrease acute bronchitis cases by 6.5% and pneumonia cases by 5.3%, corresponding to a $1.6 billion reduction in healthcare costs. Excluding secondary diseases associated with influenza may lead to substantial underestimates of influenza's burden and costs.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"e53"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13161811/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147622098","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}
Seth Edmunds, Marco Ajelli, Maria Litvinova, Douglas Landsittel
{"title":"Comparing Wastewater-Based and Case-Based <i>R<sub>t</sub></i> Estimates of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in Georgia Using Generalized Linear Mixed Models.","authors":"Seth Edmunds, Marco Ajelli, Maria Litvinova, Douglas Landsittel","doi":"10.1017/S0950268826101356","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268826101356","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted limitations in case-based surveillance due to inconsistent testing and reporting. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as a complementary surveillance approach for tracking SARS-CoV-2 transmission, capturing both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of WBE in estimating the effective reproduction number (<i>R<sub>t</sub></i>) of SARS-CoV-2 in Georgia, USA. We used a Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) to analyse viral concentration data from multiple wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) collected between 1 June 2022 and 15 December 2022. After controlling for flow rates and site-level heterogeneity, model residuals were transformed into a non-negative incidence-like series used to estimate wastewater-based <i>R<sub>t</sub></i> . Wastewater-based <i>R<sub>t</sub></i> was compared with case-based <i>R<sub>t</sub></i> estimates using Spearman correlation. The two <i>R<sub>t</sub></i> estimates showed concordant temporal patterns across most sites, with stronger correlations in areas with higher case counts (Spearman correlations ranging from 0.39 to 0.84, 𝑝 <0.001). Wastewater-based <i>R<sub>t</sub></i> tracked increases and decreases in transmission over similar time scales as case-based estimates, while exhibiting reduced sensitivity to short-term changes in clinical testing and reporting behaviour. These findings suggest that WBE can support estimation of transmission trends and complement traditional case-based surveillance for public health monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":" ","pages":"1-19"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13184661/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147622130","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}