{"title":"Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection among infants in the first year of life (Czech Republic, 2017-2022).","authors":"P Pazdiora, O Šanca","doi":"10.61568/emi/11-6306/20240424/137079","DOIUrl":"10.61568/emi/11-6306/20240424/137079","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Due to the lack of data on the frequency and seriousness of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in the Czech Republic among children under 1 year, an analysis was made of available data on hospitalizations and the risk of hospitalization was estimated for different age groups.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from the Registry of Reimbursed Health Services and the National Registry of Hospitalizations were used for the analyses. Hospitalizations and deaths due to RSV infection (diagnoses J12.1, J20.5, J21.0) from 2017-2022 were analysed by month of the first year of life.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Over the study period, there were 4,356 hospitalizations with the above diagnoses, ranging between years from 172 to 1,445. The estimated overall hospitalization risk per 100,000 population and year for diagnoses J12.1, J20.5, and J21.0 was 656.26, varying between 156.29 (2020) and 1,294.12 (2021). Age-group analysis showed the highest risk for children under 6 months of age (953.97/100,000 population per year). They accounted for 72.7% of the total of hospitalizations in patients under 1 year of age, with the highest number of hospitalizations observed in 1-3-month-olds. The most frequent cause of hospitalizations with RSV infection was bronchitis, representing 55.4% of the above diagnoses. During the 6-year period, 3,771 full-term infants and 585 (13.4%) preterm infants were hospitalized. Among those 4,356 hospitalized with diagnoses J12.1, J20.5, and J21.0, 22 deaths (0.5%) were reported.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>RSV-associated hospitalizations have been recorded in all age groups in the Czech Republic. The highest RSV-associated hospitalization risk in 2017-2022 was estimated among children under 6 months of age. Passive surveillance using the available registries can be currently considered as an appropriate basis for adopting targeted measures specifically tailored to the youngest age categories.</p>","PeriodicalId":54374,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiologie Mikrobiologie Imunologie","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141768083","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}
M Honskus, P Křížová, Z Okonji, M Musílek, Kozáková
{"title":"Comparison of invasive and non-invasive isolates of Neisseria meningitidis by whole genome sequencing, Czech Republic, 2005-2021.","authors":"M Honskus, P Křížová, Z Okonji, M Musílek, Kozáková","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis of candidate virulence genes of epidemiologically and/or clinically related invasive and non-invasive isolates of Neisseria meningitidis from 2005-2021.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>Seventy-nine isolates were selected for analysis from three different categories: cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) and their healthy contacts, different clinical specimens from the same IMD case, and different clinical specimens from the same IMD case and their healthy contacts. WGS was used to analyse sequence variability in candidate N. meningitidis virulence factor genes, with more than 250 loci studied.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The frequency of sequence changes in the candidate N. meningitidis virulence factor genes of invasive and non-invasive isolates varied widely. The highest level of variability was observed in the pilus genes, especially pilE and pglA. Our study detected variability in the opacity protein A (opaA) gene in more than half of the isolates analysed, with the frequency of opaA gene changes reaching almost 70% in MenC isolates. Higher frequency of changes were also observed in the genes for capsule production, especially in those of the D+D' capsular region.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results obtained support the hypothesis that serogroup-specific genetic mechanisms are also involved in the pathogenicity of N. meningitidis. These data add to the body of knowledge necessary for the development of new effective IMD vaccines.</p>","PeriodicalId":54374,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiologie Mikrobiologie Imunologie","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10032666","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":"Rabies in the world and the Zero by 30 strategy.","authors":"E Pernicová, M Krsek","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rabies is a viral disease that occurs in more than 150 countries worldwide. According to the World Health Organisation, this zoonotic disease causes an estimated 59 000 human deaths each year, with 95% occuring in Africa and Asia. The most common route of transmission is through the bite of an infected dog. The disease is preventable by vaccination, and effective prophylaxis is also available after animal bite injury. However, if the patient develops clinical signs, the disease is almost always fatal. The aim of this brief report is to summarise information on the global impact of rabies and to present the Zero by 30 strategy, which aims to achieve the elimination of human deaths due to rabies transmission from infected dogs by 2030.</p>","PeriodicalId":54374,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiologie Mikrobiologie Imunologie","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139502016","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":"Analysis of meningococcal vaccine uptake in patients with invasive meningococcal disease, Czech Republic, 2006-2022.","authors":"P Křížová, Z Okonji, M Honskus","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In 2006-2022, 958 cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) were reported to the surveillance programme in the Czech Republic, of which 21 (2.19%) had a history of vaccination with one of the meningococcal vaccines. Data analysis shows that these vaccines provide a very good protection against IMD. It was found that vaccinated patients with IMD either were not vaccinated against the causative serogroup and/or did not receive a booster dose. The results of this analysis show the benefit of both vaccines available in the Czech Republic: recombinant vaccine containing meningococcal serogroup B antigens (MenB vaccine) and tetravalent conjugate vaccine containing antigens of four meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, Y (A, C, W, Y conjugate vaccine). The results also show the benefit of meningococcal vaccine booster doses and the need for giving MenB vaccine to young children as early as possible.</p>","PeriodicalId":54374,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiologie Mikrobiologie Imunologie","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139503198","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":"Postoje sester a studentů ošetřovatelství k očkování proti covid-19 - přehled.","authors":"A Chrdle, S Bártlová, I Chloubová","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>There is a discussion about COVID-19 vaccination rates among healthcare workers (HCW), especially nurses. The primary question for this review was: \"What are the attitudes of nurses, compared to other HCW, towards COVID-19 vaccination?\" The secondary questions included the proportion of nurses with intention to get vaccinated, what prevents the nurses from accepting the vaccine and what enables them to accept the vaccine.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The PRISMA-ScR format for scoping reviews was chosen to respect the novelty of COVID-19 vaccines. Database search (PubMed/MEDLINE, PROquest and EBSCO) was performed for original studies in English language, from all geographies, with most recent search on March 20, 2022. Vaccination acceptance rates were charted for nurses and nursing students in one category, and HCW other than nurses in the other category. The evolution in time of the nurses attitude to vaccine acceptance relative to that of HCW other than nurses was charted post hoc. The factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination intention according to the WHO categories (contextual influences, individual/ group influences, and vaccine/vaccination specific issues) were reviewed as narrative summary.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Total 58 eligible studies were selected, all with cross-sectional study design, including 95418 healthcare workers of whom 33130 were nurses and 7391 were nursing students, from 44 countries in Europe, Americas, Africa and Asia. Trust in science, in doctors, in experts and in governments were the main contextual factors increasing vaccination acceptance mentioned in the studies, while altruism and collective protection, or protecting a person at risk at home was mentioned only few times. The nurses were less likely to accept vaccination compared to doctors and other HCWs at the onset, eg. before vaccine rollout, and this difference decreased with time (p = 0.022). Being older (n = 25 studies), being male (n = 23), having higher degree of education (n = 7), and having more years of clinical practice (n = 4) were associated with higher vaccination acceptance. Percieved individual risk of having severe COVID-19 (n = 14) or working in a COVID-19 dedicated units (n = 5) was mentioned in a minority of studies. The main vaccine-releated factors associated with higher vaccination intention were trust in the vaccine and its efficacy and safety, general vaccinatoin acceptance and specifically having had influenza vaccination in previous years (n = 21 studies). A significant factor associated with higher vaccine acceptance was high \"vaccine knowledge\", \"vaccine literacy\", \"understanding the vaccine\" or \"understanding benefits and barriers of vaccination\" (n = 17 studies).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Nurses have been more hesitant to accept COVID-19 vaccination than other healthcare professions at the beginning, but with time this difference disappeared. This general nurse attitude of wait-and-s","PeriodicalId":54374,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiologie Mikrobiologie Imunologie","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9845542","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":"Acute rotavirus infection causes significant activation of the IL-33/IL-13 axis.","authors":"I Paulauskaitė, R Orentaitė","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Overactivation of the IL-33/IL-13 axis is the main step in initializing allergic inflammation and promoting allergic diseases. Data on viral pathogens as risk factors for subsequent allergic disease are contradictory. The strongest associations have been made between upper respiratory tract virus infections and asthma. Intestinal viral infections also activate IL-33 and IL-13 as part of the innate antiviral response. The aim of this study was to test whether there are differences in IL-13 and IL-33 concentrations in pediatric patients with acute rotavirus- and norovirus infections and healthy controls.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>Forty children with acute rotavirus, 27 with acute norovirus intestinal infections and 17 control children were enrolled in this study. Blood IL-33 and IL-13 detection was performed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Acute rotavirus infection caused a significant elevation in IL-33 and IL-13 compared to acute norovirus infection (63.85 pg/ml vs. 0, P = 0.0026, and 94.24 pg/ml vs. 0.88 pg/ml, P = 0.0003, respectively) and healthy controls (63.85 pg/ml vs. 9.89 pg/ ml, P = 0.0018, and 94.24 pg/ml vs. 0.14 pg/ml, P < 0.0001, respectively). There was no significant difference in IL-33 and IL-13 concentrations between the acute norovirus group and healthy controls (0 vs. 9.89 pg/ml, P = 0.8276 and 0.88 pg/ml vs. 0.14 pg/ml, P = 0.1652, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Acute rotavirus infection causes a significant elevation in IL-33 and IL-13, compared to norovirus and healthy control children.</p>","PeriodicalId":54374,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiologie Mikrobiologie Imunologie","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9857303","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":"Pathogenesis of infections caused by SARS-CoV-2.","authors":"J Beneš","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>SARS-CoV-2 primarily causes mucosal infections of the respiratory or intestinal tract. This virus, unlike other viruses responsible for similar mucosal infections, is characterized by an extraordinary ability to modify the immune response at several levels and thus cause a range of clinical complications. These manipulations create a false picture of pyogenic bacterial infection. The course of the disease is mainly determined by the natural mucosal immunity which can stop the virus from multiplying in the early stages of infection before it can exert its influence. COVID-19 has two main clinical forms: mucosal infection (respiratory or intestinal) and pneumonia. Pneumonia is associated with activation of the vascular endothelium and a procoagulant state. Viremia does not belong to the standard course of the disease. Affecting organs other than the lungs - whether during an active infection or later (long covid) - is usually caused by immunopathological reactions or hormonal regulation disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":54374,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiologie Mikrobiologie Imunologie","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139501933","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":"Selected aspects of mortality in Czechia and Slovakia in the pandemic year 2020.","authors":"B Burcin, B Šprocha, L Šídlo","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The aim was to analyse the mortality trends in Czechia and Slovakia through detailed anonymized primary data on deaths in 2010-2020 and in particular to identify various aspects of the impact of the 2020 pandemic year in their context.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using the DeRaS application, complete life tables by sex for 2010-2020 were constructed for Czechia and Slovakia, and changes in life expectancy at birth and at the exact age of 65 years were analysed. Using Pressat's univariate decomposition, the effect of different age groups on the change in life expectancy at birth for men and women between 2019 and 2020 was identified. Subsequently, age group contributions to the decline in temporary life expectancy between the exact ages of 65 and 110 were also determined. Trends in mortality rates for each of the major cause of death groups were analysed using directly standardized mortality rates, with a detailed focus on selected groups of cardiovascular disease. The contributions of the major cause of death groups to the decline in life expectancy at birth between 2019 and 2020 were empirically identified by applying bivariate decomposition according to the Pollard method.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In 2020, the life expectancy of newly born men in Czechia decreased by 1.05 years and that of women by 0.76 years. In Slovakia, the decrease was 0.67 years for men and 0.64 years for women. An even greater reduction was found for both countries at the exact age of 65. The main reason for this was the worsening of the mortality rates between the ages of 65 and 89 years, especially from COVID-19 and some diseases of the circulatory system.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study identified a significant reduction in life expectancy at birth for both men and women in Czechia and Slovakia between 2019 and 2020. The main reason for this phenomenon was the increase in mortality rates at senior ages, up to around age 90. However, the increase in mortality did not affect all age groups, but contributions at younger ages could not significantly compensate for the negative impact of older ages. The study confirmed mortality from COVID-19 as a major factor in declining life expectancy at birth but also noted a non-negligible effect of the worsened mortality rates from circulatory diseases. The negative impact of both groups of causes of death was particularly pronounced at the age of 65 and over.</p>","PeriodicalId":54374,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiologie Mikrobiologie Imunologie","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9730421","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":"The gut microbiota, its relationship to the immune system, and possibilities of its modulation.","authors":"I Lukáčová, Ľ Ambro, K Dubayová, M Mareková","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Research of the gut microbiota allows a better understanding of its composition and function and reveals the links between changes in the composition of bacteria and various intestinal but also systemic diseases. The gut microbiota performs several of important functions in the host body and influences many physiological processes. Gut bacteria synthesize many compounds needed for the proper function of the body (e.g., vitamins, short-chain fatty acids, and amino acids). They help maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier and protect against pathogens. The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in the development and function of the immune system. Significant changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota led to a dysbiotic state and the loss of its beneficial functions for humans. The review article summarizes the basic knowledge about the composition and function of the bacterial gut microbiota in healthy people, its role in the development of the immune system, and the mechanisms involved in maintaining homeostasis. It also presents current knowledge about the possibility of targeted modulation of the bacterial gut microbiota and faecal transplantation.</p>","PeriodicalId":54374,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiologie Mikrobiologie Imunologie","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9475311","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":"The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among nursing home residents for the elderly in Slovakia.","authors":"A Kaiglová, K Melnikov, Z Bárdyová, S Kucharíková","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objective of our study was to examine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among residents of nursing homes for the elderly of selected institutions in two Slovak regions compared to non-institutionalized volunteers of the same age, as well as young volunteers (20-24 years old). Nasal swabs from all participants (n = 424) were processed using standard methods for the isolation and identification of S. aureus and MRSA. Statistically significant differences were found between nursing home residents and young volunteers (12% vs. 1.5%; OR 8.85; 95% CI 2.087-37.706; p = 0.0007), as well as between non-institutionalized seniors and young volunteers (11% vs. 1.5%; OR 8; 95% CI 1.888-33.901; p = 0.005) in the prevalence of MRSA. Our results suggest that nursing home residency and older age could be a risk factor for the occurrence of high-risk MRSA strains.</p>","PeriodicalId":54374,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiologie Mikrobiologie Imunologie","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49694007","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}