Regina Singer, Muna Abu Sin, Tobias Tenenbaum, Nicole Toepfner, Reinhard Berner, Silke Buda, Johanna Schlaberg, Viktoria Schönfeld, Ulrich Reinacher, Mark van der Linden, Heike Claus, Thiên Trí Lâm, Marc Schneider, Ines Noll, Sebastian Haller, Anja von Laer
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: In late 2022, health care institutions in Germany reported an unusual number of severe, invasive bacterial infections in association with a high incidence of viral respiratory infections.
Methods: We analyzed routine data on invasive infections due to Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Streptococcus pyogenes (2017-2023) from a voluntary, laboratory-based surveillance system involving continuously participating facilities providing diagnostic routine data that cover approximately one-third of the German population.
Results: In the first quarter (Q1) of 2023, the number of invasive S. pyogenes isolates rose by 142% (n = 837 vs. mean Q1/2017-2019 = 346, 95% CI [258; 434]), while the number of H. influenzae isolates rose by 90% (n = 209 in Q1/2023 vs. mean Q1/2017-2019 = 110, 95% CI [79; 142]), compared to pre-pandemic seasonal peak values. The number of invasive S. pneumoniae isolates was high in two quarters (n = 1732 in Q4/2022 und Q1/2023). Adults aged 55 and older and children younger than 5 years were most affected by invasive H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, and S. pyogenes infections. N. meningitidis was most commonly found in children under age 5.
Conclusion: The reason for the marked rise in invasive bacterial infections may be an increased circulation of respiratory pathogens and elevated susceptibility in the population after relaxation of the measures taken to prevent COVID-19 infection. Coinfections with respiratory viruses may have reinforced this effect. We recommend continuous surveillance, preventive measures such as raising awareness about invasive bacterial diseases, and vaccination as recommended by the German Standing Committee on Vaccinations (STIKO).
期刊介绍:
Deutsches Ärzteblatt International is a bilingual (German and English) weekly online journal that focuses on clinical medicine and public health. It serves as the official publication for both the German Medical Association and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. The journal is dedicated to publishing independent, peer-reviewed articles that cover a wide range of clinical medicine disciplines. It also features editorials and a dedicated section for scientific discussion, known as correspondence.
The journal aims to provide valuable medical information to its international readership and offers insights into the German medical landscape. Since its launch in January 2008, Deutsches Ärzteblatt International has been recognized and included in several prestigious databases, which helps to ensure its content is accessible and credible to the global medical community. These databases include:
Carelit
CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature)
Compendex
DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
EMBASE (Excerpta Medica database)
EMNursing
GEOBASE (Geoscience & Environmental Data)
HINARI (Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative)
Index Copernicus
Medline (MEDLARS Online)
Medpilot
PsycINFO (Psychological Information Database)
Science Citation Index Expanded
Scopus
By being indexed in these databases, Deutsches Ärzteblatt International's articles are made available to researchers, clinicians, and healthcare professionals worldwide, contributing to the global exchange of medical knowledge and research.