Journal of Infection and Public Health最新文献

{"title":"Distinct serum metabolic profiles with supportive diagnostic value in differentiating tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease","authors":"Keu Eun San Kim ,&nbsp;Ye Jin Lee ,&nbsp;Ji Hae Park ,&nbsp;Nakwon Kwak ,&nbsp;Su-Young Kim ,&nbsp;Byung Woo Jhun ,&nbsp;Jae-Joon Yim ,&nbsp;Sung Jae Shin","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103162","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103162","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Pulmonary infectious diseases caused by <em>Mycobacterium</em> species, including <em>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</em> and <em>Mycobacterium avium</em> complex (MAC), remain significant public health threats. However, current gold-standard diagnostics are time-consuming and have limited ability to differentiate these clinically similar presentations. This study investigated serum metabolic distinctions between tuberculosis (TB) and MAC pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) to identify biomarkers with supportive diagnostic value for differential diagnosis.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We performed LC/MS-based metabolic profiling of 181 serum samples from TB and MAC-PD patients. The study cohort was subsequently divided into a training set (TB, n = 30; MAC-PD, n = 30) and a validation set (TB, n = 51; MAC-PD, n = 70).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Five key metabolites were identified, including four sphingoid base lipids that were decreased in TB compared with MAC-PD, and 2-hydroxyglutaric acid (2-HG), which was increased. Logistic regression using this five-metabolite panel achieved strong discriminatory performance, with an area under the curve of 0.988 (95 % CI: 0.970–1.000) in the training set and 0.997 (95 % CI: 0.991–1.000) in the validation set. Consistent performance across multiple machine learning models reinforces the stability and supportive diagnostic value of the five-metabolite panel.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study provides a novel approach for the differential diagnosis of two major mycobacterial pulmonary diseases. The identified metabolites, particularly alterations in sphingoid base lipids and 2-HG, demonstrated robust discriminative potential. These findings support their potential role as biomarkers in clinical practice, enabling earlier and more accurate differentiation of TB and MAC-PD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 4","pages":"Article 103162"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146131614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bacterial superinfection in pregnant women with severe COVID-19: Prevalence, resistance patterns and outcomes","authors":"Mojtaba Akbari ,&nbsp;Mohammad Shirzadi ,&nbsp;Fatemeh Yazdani ,&nbsp;Samaneh Pourajam ,&nbsp;Majid Hosseinzadeh ,&nbsp;Armita akbari ,&nbsp;Mansour Siavash ,&nbsp;Hamid Solgi","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103184","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103184","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Pregnant women with severe COVID-19 are at high risk for intensive care unit (ICU) admission and adverse maternal outcomes. Evidence on the burden and impact of bacterial infections in this group is limited.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of pregnant women with confirmed COVID-19 admitted for ≥ 48 h to the ICU of a referral maternity hospital in Isfahan, Iran, between June and December 2021. Clinical, demographic, microbiological, and outcome data were retrieved from electronic medical records. Bacterial isolates were identified and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility according to CLSI guidelines. Logistic regression was performed to determine factors independently associated with in-hospital mortality.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of 527 pregnant women hospitalized with COVID-19, 71 required ICU admission and were included in the analysis. Bacterial infections were detected in 8 patients (11.3 %), most frequently caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em>. Compared with non-infected patients, women with bacterial superinfections had significantly longer hospital stays (22.4 vs. 10.2 days, p &lt; 0.001) and ICU stays (16.8 vs. 5.2 days, p &lt; 0.001), higher rates of invasive mechanical ventilation (50.0 % vs. 9.5 %, p = 0.002), and increased mortality (37.5 % vs. 9.5 %, p = 0.025). Univariate analyses identified bacterial superinfection, MDR pathogens, carbapenem/vancomycin use, lower admission SpO₂, and carbapenem-resistant <em>K. pneumoniae</em> as predictors of death. In multivariate analysis, only bacterial superinfection (aOR = 13.35, 95 % CI: 1.05–170.06) and lower oxygen saturation at admission (aOR = 1.21 per 1 % decrease, 95 % CI: 1.06–1.38) remained independent predictors of mortality.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Bacterial superinfections, especially with multidrug-resistant pathogens, are relatively common in ICU-hospitalized pregnant women with COVID-19 and strongly linked to worse outcomes, including higher mortality. Early detection, infection control, and rational antibiotic use are essential to improve survival.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 4","pages":"Article 103184"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146776296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Serological signals of past dengue exposure in general practice in southern mainland France","authors":"Brahm Delaporte ,&nbsp;Maeliss Champagne ,&nbsp;Ahidjo Ayouba ,&nbsp;David Costa ,&nbsp;Sylvain Pavageau ,&nbsp;Chloé Sikirdji ,&nbsp;Béatrice Lognos ,&nbsp;Karolina Griffiths ,&nbsp;François Carbonnel ,&nbsp;Charlotte Boullé","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103185","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103185","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The incidence of autochthonous arboviral infections in mainland France, particularly in the southern region of Occitanie, is increasing. Despite mandatory reporting, non-specific symptoms and asymptomatic cases likely lead to case underestimation. This study aimed to assess dengue seroprevalence for the first time in the general population consulting in routine general practice in southern mainland France. We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional seroepidemiologic survey in the adult population consulting in routine care in three departments (Hérault, Gard, Pyrénées-Orientales) of Occitanie. Patients completed a brief questionnaire, and two capillary blood drops were collected on filter paper. Multiplex serology (Luminex®) was used to detect IgG antibodies against the four DENV serotypes. A total of 629 participants were enrolled between March and May 2024, with a median age of 54 years, of whom 67 % were female. Nine patients tested positive for anti-DENV IgG, yielding an overall prevalence of 1.43 % (95 %CI: 0.75–2.69), including two participants with no travel history. These findings, although they should be interpreted with caution due to the potential for false positives and cross-reactivity, highlight the possibility of low-level dengue circulation in southern France escaping the surveillance system. This pilot study highlights the need to enhance the arboviral surveillance networks in response to the increasing arboviral threat in France.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 4","pages":"Article 103185"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147306984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dermatopathic lymphadenopathy without cutaneous manifestations presenting as fever of unknown origin: A rare case report","authors":"Wen Wang ,&nbsp;Xinyuan Chen ,&nbsp;Wei Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103180","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103180","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dermatopathic lymphadenopathy (DL) is a reactive lymphadenopathy typically associated with chronic dermatoses. However, DL presenting with isolated fever and no cutaneous manifestations is exceptionally rare and diagnostically challenging. We report a 73-year-old male with a history of hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, and prior eczema who presented with recurrent high-grade fever (39–39.5 ℃) unresponsive to empiric antibiotics and antifungals. Extensive workup, including negative infectious and autoimmune serologies, elevated inflammatory markers (ESR 73 mm/h, CRP 42.4 mg/L), and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET-CT) findings of hypermetabolic lymphadenopathy, initially obscured the diagnosis. The diagnosis was ultimately confirmed by lymph node biopsy, which showed the characteristic histopathological features of DL, including pigment-laden histiocytes and polyclonal plasma cell proliferation. Fever resolved spontaneously one month post-biopsy, with no recurrence during one-year follow-up. Our experience reinforces that DL must be considered in the differential diagnosis of Fever of unknown origin (FUO), and biopsy is key to its identification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 4","pages":"Article 103180"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trends in dengue incidence and disease burden in South Asia with special reference to India: Insights from the global burden of disease data, 1990–2021","authors":"Ravichandiran Velayutham ,&nbsp;Sheetal Kalra ,&nbsp;Sheetal Yadav ,&nbsp;Abhishek Dadhich ,&nbsp;Prabodh Chander Sharma ,&nbsp;Sapna Yadav ,&nbsp;Palka Mittal ,&nbsp;Aditya Kukreti ,&nbsp;Priyansh Ajmera ,&nbsp;Puneeta Ajmera ,&nbsp;Mohammad Miraj ,&nbsp;Riyaz Ahamed Shaik ,&nbsp;Abeer Al-Maamari","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103142","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103142","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Dengue fever has become a significant public health issue worldwide, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. In 2000, 505,430 cases of dengue were reported worldwide, and by 2023, the number of cases had increased to nearly 6.5 million. The present study aims to examine the temporal trends in dengue incidence and disability-adjusted life years from 1990 to 2021 using Global Burden of Disease 2021 data across South Asian countries while identifying geographic, gender, and age-related disparities with a specific focus on trends and spatial variations in India.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The GBD 2021 database was used to extract data on age-standardized incidence rates, DALYs, and ASDRs. Joinpoint regression was used to examine the trends and annual and average annual percentage changes. We also performed spatial and age-group analyses to explore the differences in disease burden across different geographical and demographic groups.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>In 2021, 32.3 million cases of dengue were reported in South Asia, indicating a 152.9 % increase from 1990. With an estimated annual percentage change of 1.5 %, the ASIR increased from 1141.7 to 1704.9 per 100,000 people. At 944,761, DALYs almost doubled, whereas ASDRs increased at a rate of 1.87 % each year. A total of 28.2 million of these cases were in India, followed by Pakistan and Bangladesh. The increase in dengue cases in India has been reported as 11.2 million in 1990–28.2 million in 2021, with DALYs increasing by 2.86 % annually and an increase in the ASIR of 1.55 %.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The findings highlight a substantial increase in dengue burden across South Asia. The rising burden of incidence and disability requires public health initiatives, such as robust surveillance, targeted vector control, and improved treatment strategies, to reduce its impact effectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 4","pages":"Article 103142"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146156991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Early risk assessment of severe outcomes in patients with suspected infection in the emergency department using clinical scores in a multicenter international validation","authors":"Carolina Hincapié-Osorno ,&nbsp;Tamar J. van der Aart ,&nbsp;Raymond J. van Wijk ,&nbsp;Konstantin Föhse ,&nbsp;Jacobien J. Hoogerwerf ,&nbsp;Fabián Jaimes ,&nbsp;Jacqueline Koeze ,&nbsp;Adam Linder ,&nbsp;Marco van Londen ,&nbsp;Jan C. ter Maaten ,&nbsp;Lisa Mellhammar ,&nbsp;Renée A.M. Tuinte ,&nbsp;Jaap ten Oever ,&nbsp;Carlos E. Vallejo ,&nbsp;Douwe F. Postma ,&nbsp;Hjalmar R. Bouma","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103170","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103170","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Early identification of patients with suspected infection who are at risk of clinical deterioration in the Emergency Department (ED) is challenging, yet crucial for timely initiation of appropriate care and prevention of clinical deterioration. This multicenter international study evaluates the performance of established scores (SIRS, LODS, qSOFA, SOFA, NEWS) in predicting severe outcomes in ED patients with suspected infection.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We combined data from five different ED cohort studies (n = 4044 adult patients) from the Netherlands and Sweden. Suspected infection was defined as obtaining a microbiological culture combined with starting antibiotics. The scores were evaluated for their accuracy in predicting the composite outcome of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and in-hospital mortality.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Of 4044 patients, 655 (16 %) experienced a severe outcome, defined as ICU admission (n = 429, 11 %) or in-hospital mortality (n = 327, 8 %). SOFA (AUC 0.75 [95 %CI:0.73–0.77]) and LODS (AUC 0.73 [95 %CI:0.71–0.75]) showed the highest predictive accuracy. NEWS ≥ 5 yielded fair sensitivity (78 %) but low specificity (40 %), whereas NEWS ≥ 7 (sensitivity 71 %, specificity 59 %) performed similarly to SOFA ≥ 2 (69 %, 68 %) and LODS ≥ 2 (70 %, 66 %). In contrast, qSOFA (AUC 0.66 [95 %CI:0.64–0.69]) and SIRS (AUC 0.54 [95 %CI:0.52–0.57]) performed poorly for ED risk stratification.</div></div><div><h3>Interpretation</h3><div>SOFA and LODS showed the highest accuracy but are limited by their complexity and the requirement for laboratory data. The NEWS score, simpler and more accessible, is a practical tool for rapid ED screening with comparable accuracy as SOFA and LODS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 4","pages":"Article 103170"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146213374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corneal transplantation strategies for Acanthamoeba Keratitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Shangyang Jiang ,&nbsp;Leying Wang ,&nbsp;Zijun Zhang,&nbsp;Zhenyu Wei,&nbsp;Kai Cao,&nbsp;Qingfeng Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103114","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103114","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Acanthamoeba</em> keratitis (AK) is an uncommon yet vision-threatening corneal infection, and the lack of an international consensus on its surgical management often complicates clinical decision-making. To address this gap, a comprehensive literature review was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from database inception to July 1, 2025, focusing on clinical studies that reported outcomes of keratoplasty. The analysis included 24 studies encompassing 487 eyes and compared different keratoplasty techniques, specifically therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty (TPK), optical penetrating keratoplasty (OPK), and therapeutic deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (TDALK). The data indicated that <em>Acanthamoeba</em> infection control sufficient to permit OPK was associated with the most favorable results. In eyes with infection confined to the anterior stroma and thus eligible for TDALK, graft survival was higher and postoperative complications were fewer. In cases with persistent full-thickness infection, TPK was required and was associated with poorer visual recovery and higher rates of graft failure, recurrent infection, and regrafting.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 3","pages":"Article 103114"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145802170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Time-series evaluation of an ED-based syndromic alarm system before and during the COVID-19 pandemic","authors":"Jeongmin Moon ,&nbsp;Youn Young Choi ,&nbsp;Hye Sook Min ,&nbsp;Ho Kyung Sung ,&nbsp;Kyung-Shin Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103149","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103149","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To evaluate the performance and limitations of an emergency department (ED)-based syndromic surveillance (SyS) model for detecting respiratory infection outbreaks in Korea, across distinct age groups and epidemiological contexts before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a retrospective time-series analysis using nationwide data from Level 1 and 2 EDs between January 2017 and December 2022. Syndromic visits were defined as those with fever (≥38.0 °C) or respiratory symptoms. Age-stratified autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models were trained on data from January 2017–December 2018 and January 2020–December 2021 to forecast syndromic ED visits in January–December 2019 and January–December 2022, respectively. Alarms were triggered when observed visit counts exceeded both the model’s 95th percentile prediction interval and historical day-of-week thresholds. Alarm performance was assessed against ED discharge diagnoses of respiratory infectious diseases.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The system performed well under stable pre-pandemic conditions, particularly among children aged 0–4 years (3-day alarm sensitivity: 1.000; specificity: 0.964), and moderately among adults aged 65 years and older. In contrast, model performance deteriorated in 2022 under pandemic conditions, especially among adults aged 20–64 years, with alarm sensitivity dropping below 0.300. The decline was driven by persistently elevated syndromic activity during the Omicron wave, which overwhelmed the static thresholds of the ARIMA models.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>ED-based SyS can offer timely and specific early warning for seasonal respiratory outbreaks, particularly in pediatric populations. However, its utility is limited during sustained pandemic waves. Future surveillance systems must incorporate adaptive models, dynamic thresholds, and multiple data streams to remain effective under evolving epidemiological baselines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 3","pages":"Article 103149"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How does hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae influence the risk and visual outcomes of endogenous endophthalmitis in Klebsiella pneumoniae pyogenic liver abscess? A systematic review and meta analysis","authors":"Kai-Yang Chen ,&nbsp;Hoi-Chun Chan ,&nbsp;Chi-Ming Chan","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103090","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103090","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Klebsiella pneumoniae pyogenic liver abscess (KP-PLA) is increasingly recognized as a cause of endogenous endophthalmitis (EE), particularly in East and Southeast Asia. Hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKP) strains have been implicated in severe ocular complications, yet comprehensive data on incidence, risk factors, and visual outcomes are limited.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Science Direct for studies reporting KP-PLA-associated EE up to March 2025. Data on patient demographics, comorbidities, microbiological features, treatments, and visual outcomes were extracted. Pooled event rates and odds ratios (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random-effects models.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Seventeen studies encompassing 219 patients met inclusion criteria. Diabetes mellitus was common among KP PLA associated EE cases (pooled event rate 0.674; 95 % CI: 0.585–0.751; p &lt; 0.001). hvKP strains, identified by positive string tests and virulence genes including rmpA, magA, and aerobactin, predominated in EE cases. Regional differences were observed, with higher prevalence in East and Southeast Asia. Despite aggressive systemic and ocular treatment, visual prognosis was poor: 77.9 % of patients had final visual acuity worse than 3/60. Early pars plana vitrectomy with silicone oil tamponade was associated with fewer postoperative interventions (p &lt; 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>EE is a devastating complication of KP-PLA, particularly in diabetic patients infected with hvKP. Early recognition of at-risk patients and prompt intervention, including early vitrectomy, are crucial to improve visual outcomes. These findings highlight the clinical importance of hvKP in the pathogenesis of EE and reinforce the need for vigilant ophthalmic monitoring in KP-PLA cases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 3","pages":"Article 103090"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145882189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"What makes contact tracing successful? An empirical analysis of COVID-19 data from 38 OECD countries","authors":"BongGyun Kim ,&nbsp;Okyu Kwon ,&nbsp;Jae-Suk Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103112","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103112","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Despite widespread adoption of contact tracing during the COVID-19 pandemic, countries exhibited marked differences in tracing performance. Existing studies have documented policy variation but lack standardized, comparable outcome indicators of tracing effectiveness. Recent reviews emphasize the need for quantitative, cross-national, outcome-based measures and broader frameworks that account for contextual factors such as governance, education, and culture. To address this gap, this study aims to validate the time lag (τ) between peaks in confirmed cases and testing as a proxy for tracing responsiveness and examines how government policies, socioeconomic conditions, and cultural dimensions jointly shape τ across OECD countries.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Panel data for 38 OECD countries (Jan 2020–Jun 2022) were analyzed. τ was computed through rolling cross-correlation between daily cases and tests. We estimated fixed-effects and pooled OLS models to identify policy and contextual effects and ran mixed-effects models as a robustness extension. Additional robustness tests included two-way fixed effects, exclusion of high-incidence periods, and winsorization of τ, alongside variance-inflation and residual diagnostics, to ensure results were not driven by outliers or specification bias.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Stricter containment and stronger tracing policies were associated with longer τ, while broader testing and higher epidemic severity shortened it. Among contextual variables, higher education lengthened τ, whereas greater urbanization reduced it. Cultural dimensions showed smaller, less stable effects. Despite modest explanatory power (R² ≈ 0.08–0.11), results were consistent across alternative specifications and model types.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The case–test peak lag (τ) provides a practical, comparable metric of tracing performance across countries. However, our findings suggest that its utility as an indicator of tracing responsiveness is context-dependent and should be interpreted with caution. Effective tracing depends on coherent policy coordination supported by socioeconomic and institutional environments that foster technological participation and compliance. Limitations include τ’s indirect nature and remaining unobserved heterogeneity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 3","pages":"Article 103112"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145802169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}