IJID regionsPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-13DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2026.100858
Shu-ling Hoshi , Xerxes Seposo , Masahide Kondo
{"title":"Cost-effectiveness of routine influenza vaccination program for individuals aged 65 years and older in Japan: Substituting standard-dose inactivated vaccine with high-dose inactivated vaccine","authors":"Shu-ling Hoshi , Xerxes Seposo , Masahide Kondo","doi":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2026.100858","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2026.100858","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>We evaluated cost-effectiveness of influenza immunization programs for protection of Japanese elderly (aged ≥65 years) from influenza-related diseases by comparing high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (HD-IIV3) to standard vaccines (SD-IIV3).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) from payers’ perspective was calculated. Variables used in the model were either calculated or extracted from literature. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) was used as measure of effectiveness. Cost per dose of HD vaccine was assumed to be four times of SD (JPY 1500/US$ 10).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In comparison to SD, HD gained more QALYs and reduced disease treatment costs, but these reduced costs did not offset vaccination cost. ICER for those aged ≥65 years was JPY 7,352,458/ US$ 49,016 per QALY, higher than the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of JPY 5,000,000/US$ 33,333 per QALY. While ICER was JPY 50,477,31/US$ 33,652 for those aged ≥75 years. One-way sensitivity analysis revealed that relative vaccine effect against laboratory-confirmed influenza of HD to SD influenced the ICER the most. Monte Carlo simulations revealed that the probability of an ICER below WTP threshold was 20.9%.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>For a WTP of JPY 5,000,000/US$ 33,333 per QALY gained, if the price of HD was four times the current vaccine, the seasonal HD-IIV3 vaccination program was not cost-effective for those aged ≥65 years, while was cost-effective for those aged ≥75 years.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73335,"journal":{"name":"IJID regions","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100858"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147420616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Measles seroprevalence among health care professionals during a period of increased transmission: A pilot study in Southern Italy","authors":"Davide Anzà , Vincenzo Restivo , Francesca Cirillo , Bruna Lo Sasso , Begoña Martínez-Jarreta , Paola Senia , Ermanno Vitale","doi":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100833","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100833","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Measles continues to be a significant public health concern worldwide, with suboptimal vaccination coverage contributing to periodic outbreaks, even in Europe. Despite the availability of an effective vaccine, regional disparities and declining vaccination coverage, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have increased the risk of measles transmission in Italy.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study aimed to assess measles seroprevalence among health care professionals (HCPs) and explore associated socio-demographic factors in a country with a high level of measles circulation.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Data were collected from 148 HCPs across two hospitals in Southern Italy. Serologic analyses were performed on 121 of the 148 enrolled HCPs, revealing an overall seroprevalence of 96%; however, there was a substantial proportion of non-immune young female HCPs. Furthermore, smoking was significantly associated with reduced immunoglobulin levels (adjusted odds ratio = 13.3; 95% confidence interval = 1.07-166.2; <em>P</em> <0.04).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These findings underscore the importance of routine serological monitoring among HCPs to inform booster vaccination strategies to fill immunity gaps in high-risk groups and settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73335,"journal":{"name":"IJID regions","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100833"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IJID regionsPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100815
Mohamed M. Sirdar , Julia Maxwell , Ghassan M. Matar , Tin Tin Myaing , Salma Ferchichi , Linda MacKinnon , Jarod Hanson
{"title":"Commemorating the World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week 2025: key insights and lessons from the International Society for Infectious Diseases’ ProMED-AMR 2024 reporting","authors":"Mohamed M. Sirdar , Julia Maxwell , Ghassan M. Matar , Tin Tin Myaing , Salma Ferchichi , Linda MacKinnon , Jarod Hanson","doi":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100815","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100815","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73335,"journal":{"name":"IJID regions","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100815"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147538799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IJID regionsPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-23DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2026.100862
Mohammed Mahdi Mousa Al-Barrakee , Ahlem Mahjoub , Pauline François , Véronique Métayer , Antoine Drapeau , Meriem Souguir , Sana Azaiez , Angham J.M. Ali , Jean-Yves Madec , Marisa Haenni , Wejdene Mansour
{"title":"Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from diabetic foot ulcers in Al-Najaf, Iraq: Circulation of high-risk clones and carbapenem resistance","authors":"Mohammed Mahdi Mousa Al-Barrakee , Ahlem Mahjoub , Pauline François , Véronique Métayer , Antoine Drapeau , Meriem Souguir , Sana Azaiez , Angham J.M. Ali , Jean-Yves Madec , Marisa Haenni , Wejdene Mansour","doi":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2026.100862","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2026.100862","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The emergence of carbapenem-resistant <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> (CRPA) is a critical challenge in the management of diabetic foot infections, particularly, in regions with limited health care resources. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and genetic diversity of CRPA isolates obtained from diabetic foot ulcers in outpatients in Iraq.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A total of 80 wound swabs were collected, and CRPA were isolated on selective plates. Antibiograms by disc diffusion and short-read whole-genome sequencing were performed on all CRPA. Resistance genes were looked for using the Center for Genomic Epidemiology (CGE) tools and phylogenetic analysis were carried out using core genome multilocus sequence typing (ST) and single-nucleotide polymorphism–based methodologies.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Over the 80 samples, 13 CRPA (16.3%) were identified, which were also mostly resistant to amikacin, ceftazidime, cefepime, and aztreonam. Colistin was the only antibiotic for which all isolates remained susceptible. Two (2.5%) isolates carried an acquired carbapenemase gene (<em>bla</em><sub>NDM-1</sub> and <em>bla</em><sub>VIM-2</sub>), whereas the 11 remaining isolates presented mutations in the <em>oprD</em> gene. Several different STs were identified, including the international high-risk clones, ST308 and ST773.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study adds important knowledge on the CRPA clones and carbapenem-resistance mechanisms circulating in Iraq and offers baseline data to be compared with further surveillance studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73335,"journal":{"name":"IJID regions","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100862"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IJID regionsPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100832
Juan Camilo Motta , Juan Pablo Lara Castillo , Yuri Mercedes Mendieta
{"title":"Under-diagnosed hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae in Latin America: a hidden threat? single-center case series, Bogota, Colombia","authors":"Juan Camilo Motta , Juan Pablo Lara Castillo , Yuri Mercedes Mendieta","doi":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100832","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100832","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em> (Kp) has traditionally been associated with nosocomial infections and antimicrobial resistance. In recent decades, a Hypervirulent <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em> (hvKp) is an evolving pathotype of <em>K. pneumoniae</em> with enhanced virulence compared with classical strains. hvKp causes severe, invasive infections, including liver abscesses and metastatic disease, in otherwise healthy individuals. It is associated with enhanced capsule production and siderophore systems such as aerobactin, contributing to its pathogenicity. capable of causing severe community-acquired invasive infections has emerged, yet data from Latin America remain scarce. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of adult patients with Kp bacteremia and confirmed deep-seated infections at a tertiary-care hospital in Colombia between 2016 and 2025. Due to limited availability of phenotypic and molecular virulence testing, cases were classified as infections clinically compatible with suspected hvKp. A total of 16 cases met the inclusion criteria. Most infections were community-acquired (87.5%) and occurred predominantly in men (62.5%). Hepatic abscess was the most frequent presentation (68.8%). Most isolates showed a wild-type antimicrobial susceptibility profile (87.5%), whereas two exhibited acquired resistance mechanisms. These findings suggest regional circulation and underdiagnosis of suspected hvKp. The identification of one hypermucoviscous carbapenem-resistant isolate highlights the need for strengthened microbiological and genomic surveillance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73335,"journal":{"name":"IJID regions","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100832"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Melioidosis in India: A systematic review of individual cases","authors":"Nitin Gupta , Tirlangi Praveen Kumar , Astha Sethi , Pooja Kumari , Harpreet Kaur , Chiranjay Mukhopadhyay","doi":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2026.100843","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2026.100843","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Melioidosis is increasingly recognized in India, but available evidence remains fragmented across small reports. We aimed to synthesize national case-based data to describe the clinical spectrum and identify factors associated with mortality.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to February 5, 2025. Case reports, case series, and observational cohorts with individual patient-level culture- or molecular-confirmed data from India were included. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data using a standardized form, and assessed quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for case reports. Univariate comparisons were performed between survivors and non-survivors. The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42025640317), and PRISMA guidelines were followed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>From 1983 screened records, 209 studies reporting 558 cases from 20 states were included. The mean age was 44.8 years, and 73.4% had diabetes. Bacteremia occurred in 70.1%; pulmonary disease (33.2%), bone/joint involvement (35.1%), splenic abscesses (17.7%), and central nervous system disease (13.3%) were the most common conditions. Among 498 cases with reported outcomes, mortality was 19.9%. Malignancy, pulmonary and central nervous system involvement, and bacteremia were associated with death.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In India, melioidosis is widespread and often severe, with substantial mortality. Earlier recognition and improved diagnostic access are needed to reduce preventable deaths.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73335,"journal":{"name":"IJID regions","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100843"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IJID regionsPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-11-29DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100819
Kiara Lijarza-Ushiñahua , Kovy Arteaga-Livias , Vicky Panduro-Correa , Sofia E. Romero , Isabel Colan-Rojas , Lysien Zambrano , Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales
{"title":"Impact of a digital game-based intervention on dengue knowledge and prevention in students from an endemic region of Peru","authors":"Kiara Lijarza-Ushiñahua , Kovy Arteaga-Livias , Vicky Panduro-Correa , Sofia E. Romero , Isabel Colan-Rojas , Lysien Zambrano , Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales","doi":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100819","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100819","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Dengue is a public health problem that requires a comprehensive approach to reduce its incidence in endemic areas. Playful learning, particularly through low-cost educational video games, could be an effective tool for adoption of knowledge and preventive practices in resource-limited settings. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of an educational video game on the level of knowledge and preventive practices against dengue in schoolchildren in Ucayali, Peru.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A quasi-experimental, prospective, and longitudinal study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational video game on the level of knowledge and preventive practices against dengue. Participants played the video game for four sessions, one per week. Subsequently, a post-test was performed to compare the results.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Overall, 51% of the population was female, and 43% had a history of previous dengue infection—a statistically significant increase in knowledge and preventive practices after the intervention was found.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Educational video games are effective tools for improving knowledge and preventive practices in public health, specifically in the prevention of dengue.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73335,"journal":{"name":"IJID regions","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100819"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146022409","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IJID regionsPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100822
Meghavi Kathpalia , Loick P. Kojom Foko , Pragya Rawat , Rini Chaturvedi , Manju Rahi , Amit Sharma
{"title":"Plasmodium vivax elimination from India may need therapeutic efficacy studies - Informed shift to artemisinin-based treatment","authors":"Meghavi Kathpalia , Loick P. Kojom Foko , Pragya Rawat , Rini Chaturvedi , Manju Rahi , Amit Sharma","doi":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100822","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100822","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>India has significantly reduced its <em>Plasmodium vivax</em> (<em>P. vivax, Pv</em>) malaria burden. However, threat of chloroquine (CQ) resistance can undermine these gains. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) have demonstrated superior efficacy compared to CQ, particularly in regions where resistance <em>Pv</em> has been confirmed. Their benefits include rapid parasite clearance, improved tolerability, effectiveness against mixed-species infections, and reduced relapse rates when combined with primaquine (PQ). While the World Health Organization recommends changing the first-line treatment if the total failure rate exceeds 10%, some countries have acted earlier based on surveillance of putative drug resistance molecular markers. In India, therapeutic efficacy studies (TES) coverage can be expanded is sparse along with molecular data to track early warning tools of <em>Pv</em> resistance. This review synthesizes clinical, molecular, and pharmacological evidence supporting a shift from CQ to ACTs for <em>P. vivax</em>. We argue that India may prioritize TES expansion and adopt an ACT-based regimen to sustain its elimination momentum and prevent therapeutic failure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73335,"journal":{"name":"IJID regions","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100822"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146022410","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluating the economic burden of dengue in Sri Lanka: A systematic review of costs from 2010 to 2024","authors":"Hetti T. Wickramasinghe , Randula Ranawaka , Puneet Kalra , Riona Hanley , Elaine Gallagher","doi":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2026.100837","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijregi.2026.100837","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This systematic literature review aimed to evaluate the direct and indirect costs borne by households and the health care system in managing dengue cases in Sri Lanka.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This review evaluates the economic burden of dengue in Sri Lanka from 2010 to 2024, following the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and PRISMA guidelines. The databases PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE) were searched, with a final selection of eight studies that covered direct, indirect, and vector control costs. Costs were converted to 2024 US dollar (USD) using the Sri Lankan Consumer Price Index.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Direct costs ranged from 19 USD per case in southern Sri Lanka to 242 USD nationally, with hospitalization as a major expense. Indirect costs, including lost income from missed workdays, averaged 371 USD per episode, reducing household income by 6.18%. In 2017, the total annual cost of implementing the dengue vaccination strategy was estimated at USD 28.95 million. In comparison, the total cost of a dengue vector control program was USD 400,496, with a cost of USD 2 per person protected over the intervention period (2014-2016). Psychological effects such as post-infectious fatigue, depression, and anxiety were frequently reported.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This review highlights dengue’s economic burden in Sri Lanka, emphasizing the need for cost-effective interventions and mental health support, alongside disease management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73335,"journal":{"name":"IJID regions","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100837"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146167997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}