Pub Date : 2024-01-30DOI: 10.1017/S0950268824000153
Dan Zhao, Na Feng, Ning He, Jie Chu, Yaqin Shao, Wenzhi Zhang
Lymph node tuberculosis is particularly common in regions with a high tuberculosis burden, and it has a great risk of rupture. This study aims to investigate the utility of ultrasound multimodal imaging in predicting the rupture of cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis (CTL). 128 patients with unruptured CTL confirmed by pathology or laboratory tests were included. Various ultrasonic image features, including long-to-short-axis ratio (L/S), margin, internal echotexture, coarse calcification, Color Doppler Flow Imaging (CDFI), perinodal echogenicity, elastography score, and non-enhanced area proportion in contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), were analyzed to determine their predictive value for CTL rupture within a one-year follow-up period. As a result, L/S (P < 0.001), margin (P < 0.001), internal echotexture (P < 0.001), coarse calcification (P < 0.001), perinodal echogenicity (P < 0.001), and the area of non-enhancement in CEUS (P < 0.001) were identified as significant imaging features for predicting CTL rupture. The prognostic prediction showed a sensitivity of 89.29%, specificity of 100%, accuracy of 95.31%, respectively. Imaging findings such as L/S < 2, unclear margin, heterogeneous internal echotexture, perinodal echogenicity changed, and non-enhancement area in CEUS > 1/2, are indicative of CTL rupture, while coarse calcification in the lymph nodes is associated with a favorable prognosis.
{"title":"Application of ultrasound multimodal imaging in the prediction of cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis rupture.","authors":"Dan Zhao, Na Feng, Ning He, Jie Chu, Yaqin Shao, Wenzhi Zhang","doi":"10.1017/S0950268824000153","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268824000153","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lymph node tuberculosis is particularly common in regions with a high tuberculosis burden, and it has a great risk of rupture. This study aims to investigate the utility of ultrasound multimodal imaging in predicting the rupture of cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis (CTL). 128 patients with unruptured CTL confirmed by pathology or laboratory tests were included. Various ultrasonic image features, including long-to-short-axis ratio (L/S), margin, internal echotexture, coarse calcification, Color Doppler Flow Imaging (CDFI), perinodal echogenicity, elastography score, and non-enhanced area proportion in contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), were analyzed to determine their predictive value for CTL rupture within a one-year follow-up period. As a result, L/S (<i>P</i> < 0.001), margin (<i>P</i> < 0.001), internal echotexture (<i>P</i> < 0.001), coarse calcification (<i>P</i> < 0.001), perinodal echogenicity (<i>P</i> < 0.001), and the area of non-enhancement in CEUS (<i>P</i> < 0.001) were identified as significant imaging features for predicting CTL rupture. The prognostic prediction showed a sensitivity of 89.29%, specificity of 100%, accuracy of 95.31%, respectively. Imaging findings such as L/S < 2, unclear margin, heterogeneous internal echotexture, perinodal echogenicity changed, and non-enhancement area in CEUS > 1/2, are indicative of CTL rupture, while coarse calcification in the lymph nodes is associated with a favorable prognosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10894892/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139575421","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}
Pub Date : 2024-01-29DOI: 10.1017/S0950268824000086
Andrei R Akhmetzhanov, Sung-Mok Jung, Hyojung Lee, Natalie M Linton, Yichi Yang, Baoyin Yuan, Hiroshi Nishiura
Introduction of African swine fever (ASF) to China in mid-2018 and the subsequent transboundary spread across Asia devastated regional swine production, affecting live pig and pork product-related markets worldwide. To explore the spatiotemporal spread of ASF in China, we reconstructed possible ASF transmission networks using nearest neighbour, exponential function, equal probability, and spatiotemporal case-distribution algorithms. From these networks, we estimated the reproduction numbers, serial intervals, and transmission distances of the outbreak. The mean serial interval between paired units was around 29 days for all algorithms, while the mean transmission distance ranged 332 -456 km. The reproduction numbers for each algorithm peaked during the first two weeks and steadily declined through the end of 2018 before hovering around the epidemic threshold value of 1 with sporadic increases during 2019. These results suggest that 1) swine husbandry practices and production systems that lend themselves to long-range transmission drove ASF spread; 2) outbreaks went undetected by the surveillance system. Efforts by China and other affected countries to control ASF within their jurisdictions may be aided by the reconstructed spatiotemporal model. Continued support for strict implementation of biosecurity standards and improvements to ASF surveillance is essential for halting transmission in China and spread across Asia.
{"title":"Reconstruction and analysis of the transmission network of African swine fever in People's Republic of China, August 2018-September 2019.","authors":"Andrei R Akhmetzhanov, Sung-Mok Jung, Hyojung Lee, Natalie M Linton, Yichi Yang, Baoyin Yuan, Hiroshi Nishiura","doi":"10.1017/S0950268824000086","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268824000086","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Introduction of African swine fever (ASF) to China in mid-2018 and the subsequent transboundary spread across Asia devastated regional swine production, affecting live pig and pork product-related markets worldwide. To explore the spatiotemporal spread of ASF in China, we reconstructed possible ASF transmission networks using nearest neighbour, exponential function, equal probability, and spatiotemporal case-distribution algorithms. From these networks, we estimated the reproduction numbers, serial intervals, and transmission distances of the outbreak. The mean serial interval between paired units was around 29 days for all algorithms, while the mean transmission distance ranged 332 -456 km. The reproduction numbers for each algorithm peaked during the first two weeks and steadily declined through the end of 2018 before hovering around the epidemic threshold value of 1 with sporadic increases during 2019. These results suggest that 1) swine husbandry practices and production systems that lend themselves to long-range transmission drove ASF spread; 2) outbreaks went undetected by the surveillance system. Efforts by China and other affected countries to control ASF within their jurisdictions may be aided by the reconstructed spatiotemporal model. Continued support for strict implementation of biosecurity standards and improvements to ASF surveillance is essential for halting transmission in China and spread across Asia.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10894904/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139569808","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}
Pub Date : 2024-01-24DOI: 10.1017/S0950268824000062
Fanta D Gutema, Oliver Cumming, Jane Mumma, Sheillah Simiyu, Edwin Attitwa, Bonphace Okoth, John Denge, Daniel Sewell, Kelly K Baker
We collected infant food samples from 714 households in Kisumu, Kenya, and estimated the prevalence and concentration of Enterococcus, an indicator of food hygiene conditions. In a subset of 212 households, we quantified the change in concentration in stored food between a morning and afternoon feeding time. In addition, household socioeconomic characteristics and hygiene practices of the caregivers were documented. The prevalence of Enterococcus in infant foods was 50% (95% confidence interval: 46.1 - 53.4), and the mean log10 colony-forming units (CFUs) was 1.1 (SD + 1.4). No risk factors were significantly associated with the prevalence and concentration of Enterococcus in infant foods. The mean log10 CFU of Enterococcus concentration was 0.47 in the morning and 0.73 in the afternoon foods with a 0.64 log10 mean increase in matched samples during storage. Although no factors were statistically associated with the prevalence and the concentration of Enterococcus in infant foods, household flooring type was significantly associated with an increase in concentration during storage, with finished floors leading to 1.5 times higher odds of concentration increase compared to unfinished floors. Our study revealed high prevalence but low concentration of Enterococcus in infant food in low-income Kisumu households, although concentrations increased during storage implying potential increases in risk of exposure to foodborne pathogens over a day. Further studies aiming at investigating contamination of infant foods with pathogenic organisms and identifying effective mitigation measures are required to ensure infant food safety.
{"title":"<i>Enterococcus</i> contamination of infant foods and implications for exposure to foodborne pathogens in peri-urban neighbourhoods of Kisumu, Kenya.","authors":"Fanta D Gutema, Oliver Cumming, Jane Mumma, Sheillah Simiyu, Edwin Attitwa, Bonphace Okoth, John Denge, Daniel Sewell, Kelly K Baker","doi":"10.1017/S0950268824000062","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268824000062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We collected infant food samples from 714 households in Kisumu, Kenya, and estimated the prevalence and concentration of <i>Enterococcus</i>, an indicator of food hygiene conditions. In a subset of 212 households, we quantified the change in concentration in stored food between a morning and afternoon feeding time. In addition, household socioeconomic characteristics and hygiene practices of the caregivers were documented. The prevalence of <i>Enterococcus</i> in infant foods was 50% (95% confidence interval: 46.1 - 53.4), and the mean log<sub>10</sub> colony-forming units (CFUs) was 1.1 (SD <u>+</u> 1.4). No risk factors were significantly associated with the prevalence and concentration of <i>Enterococcus</i> in infant foods. The mean log<sub>10</sub> CFU of <i>Enterococcus</i> concentration was 0.47 in the morning and 0.73 in the afternoon foods with a 0.64 log<sub>10</sub> mean increase in matched samples during storage. Although no factors were statistically associated with the prevalence and the concentration of <i>Enterococcus</i> in infant foods, household flooring type was significantly associated with an increase in concentration during storage, with finished floors leading to 1.5 times higher odds of concentration increase compared to unfinished floors. Our study revealed high prevalence but low concentration of <i>Enterococcus</i> in infant food in low-income Kisumu households, although concentrations increased during storage implying potential increases in risk of exposure to foodborne pathogens over a day. Further studies aiming at investigating contamination of infant foods with pathogenic organisms and identifying effective mitigation measures are required to ensure infant food safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10894905/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139542138","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}
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in 2019 in China and rapidly spread worldwide, leading to a pandemic. The threat of SARS-CoV-2 is subsiding as most people have acquired sufficient antibodies through vaccination and/or infection to prevent severe COVID-19. After the emergence of the omicron variants, the seroprevalence of antibodies against the N protein elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection ranged from 44.4% to 80.2% in countries other than Japan. Here, we assessed the seroprevalence in Japan before and after the appearance of omicron variants. Serosurveillance of antibodies against N was conducted between December 2021 and March 2023 in Japan. In total, 7604 and 3354 residual serum or plasma samples were collected in the Tokyo metropolitan area and Sapporo, respectively. We found that the seroprevalence in representative regions of Japan increased approximately 3% to 23% after the emergence of the omicron variants. We also found higher seroprevalence among the young compared with the elderly. Our findings indicate that unlike other countries, most of the Japanese population has not been infected, raising the possibility of future SARS-CoV-2 epidemics in Japan.
{"title":"Seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 N antibodies between December 2021 and march 2023 in Japan.","authors":"Seiya Yamayoshi, Etsuko Nagai, Keiko Mitamura, Masao Hagihara, Ryo Kobayashi, Satoshi Takahashi, Akimichi Shibata, Yoshifumi Uwamino, Naoki Hasegawa, Asef Iqbal, Isamu Kamimaki, Kiyoko Iwatsuki-Horimoto, Tokiko Nagamura-Inoue, Yoshihiro Kawaoka","doi":"10.1017/S0950268824000141","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268824000141","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in 2019 in China and rapidly spread worldwide, leading to a pandemic. The threat of SARS-CoV-2 is subsiding as most people have acquired sufficient antibodies through vaccination and/or infection to prevent severe COVID-19. After the emergence of the omicron variants, the seroprevalence of antibodies against the N protein elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection ranged from 44.4% to 80.2% in countries other than Japan. Here, we assessed the seroprevalence in Japan before and after the appearance of omicron variants. Serosurveillance of antibodies against N was conducted between December 2021 and March 2023 in Japan. In total, 7604 and 3354 residual serum or plasma samples were collected in the Tokyo metropolitan area and Sapporo, respectively. We found that the seroprevalence in representative regions of Japan increased approximately 3% to 23% after the emergence of the omicron variants. We also found higher seroprevalence among the young compared with the elderly. Our findings indicate that unlike other countries, most of the Japanese population has not been infected, raising the possibility of future SARS-CoV-2 epidemics in Japan.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10894890/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139520134","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}
This study assessed the efficacy of ThinPrep cytologic test and human papillomavirus (HPV) co-test in cervical cancer screening during pregnancy. A cohort of 8,712 pregnant women from Ren Ji Hospital participated in the study. Among them, 601 (6.90%) tested positive for high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) and 38 (0.44%) exhibited abnormal cytology results (ASCUS+). Following positive HR-HPV findings, 423 patients underwent colposcopy, and 114 individuals suspected of having high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical cancer (HSIL+) underwent cervical biopsy. Histological examination revealed 60 cases of normal pathology (52.63%), 35 cases of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (30.70%), 17 cases of HSIL (14.91%), and 2 cases of cervical cancer (1.75%). The incidence of HSIL+ in HPV 16/18 group was significantly higher than that in non-HPV16/18 group (10.53% vs. 6.14%, P < 0.05). Subsequent evaluation of the clinical performance of cytology alone, primary HPV screening, and co-testing for HSIL+ detection revealed that the HSIL+ detection rate was lowest with cytology alone. These findings suggest that HPV testing, either alone or combined with cytology, presents an efficient screening strategy for pregnant women, underscoring the potential for improved sensitivity in cervical cancer screening during pregnancy. The significantly higher incidence of HSIL+ in the HPV16/18 group emphasizes the importance of genotype-specific considerations.
{"title":"Optimising cervical cancer screening during pregnancy: a study of liquid-based cytology and HPV DNA co-test.","authors":"Liying Gu, Yuan Hu, Yingting Wei, Zubei Hong, Yu Zhang, Jianhua Lin, Lihua Qiu, Wen Di","doi":"10.1017/S095026882400013X","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S095026882400013X","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study assessed the efficacy of ThinPrep cytologic test and human papillomavirus (HPV) co-test in cervical cancer screening during pregnancy. A cohort of 8,712 pregnant women from Ren Ji Hospital participated in the study. Among them, 601 (6.90%) tested positive for high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) and 38 (0.44%) exhibited abnormal cytology results (ASCUS+). Following positive HR-HPV findings, 423 patients underwent colposcopy, and 114 individuals suspected of having high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical cancer (HSIL+) underwent cervical biopsy. Histological examination revealed 60 cases of normal pathology (52.63%), 35 cases of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (30.70%), 17 cases of HSIL (14.91%), and 2 cases of cervical cancer (1.75%). The incidence of HSIL+ in HPV 16/18 group was significantly higher than that in non-HPV16/18 group (10.53% vs. 6.14%, <i>P</i> < 0.05). Subsequent evaluation of the clinical performance of cytology alone, primary HPV screening, and co-testing for HSIL+ detection revealed that the HSIL+ detection rate was lowest with cytology alone. These findings suggest that HPV testing, either alone or combined with cytology, presents an efficient screening strategy for pregnant women, underscoring the potential for improved sensitivity in cervical cancer screening during pregnancy. The significantly higher incidence of HSIL+ in the HPV16/18 group emphasizes the importance of genotype-specific considerations.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10894884/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139520124","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}
Pub Date : 2024-01-22DOI: 10.1017/S0950268824000037
Olivia Bird, Eva P Galiza, David Neil Baxter, Marta Boffito, Duncan Browne, Fiona Burns, David R Chadwick, Rebecca Clark, Catherine A Cosgrove, James Galloway, Anna L Goodman, Amardeep Heer, Andrew Higham, Shalini Iyengar, Christopher Jeanes, Philip A Kalra, Christina Kyriakidou, Judy M Bradley, Chigomezgo Munthali, Angela M Minassian, Fiona McGill, Patrick Moore, Imrozia Munsoor, Helen Nicholls, Orod Osanlou, Jonathan Packham, Carol H Pretswell, Alberto San Francisco Ramos, Dinesh Saralaya, Ray P Sheridan, Richard Smith, Roy L Soiza, Pauline A Swift, Emma C Thomson, Jeremy Turner, Marianne Elizabeth Viljoen, Paul T Heath, Irina Chis Ster
To investigate the symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection, their dynamics and their discriminatory power for the disease using longitudinally, prospectively collected information reported at the time of their occurrence. We have analysed data from a large phase 3 clinical UK COVID-19 vaccine trial. The alpha variant was the predominant strain. Participants were assessed for SARS-CoV-2 infection via nasal/throat PCR at recruitment, vaccination appointments, and when symptomatic. Statistical techniques were implemented to infer estimates representative of the UK population, accounting for multiple symptomatic episodes associated with one individual. An optimal diagnostic model for SARS-CoV-2 infection was derived. The 4-month prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was 2.1%; increasing to 19.4% (16.0%-22.7%) in participants reporting loss of appetite and 31.9% (27.1%-36.8%) in those with anosmia/ageusia. The model identified anosmia and/or ageusia, fever, congestion, and cough to be significantly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Symptoms' dynamics were vastly different in the two groups; after a slow start peaking later and lasting longer in PCR+ participants, whilst exhibiting a consistent decline in PCR- participants, with, on average, fewer than 3 days of symptoms reported. Anosmia/ageusia peaked late in confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (day 12), indicating a low discrimination power for early disease diagnosis.
{"title":"The predictive role of symptoms in COVID-19 diagnostic models: A longitudinal insight.","authors":"Olivia Bird, Eva P Galiza, David Neil Baxter, Marta Boffito, Duncan Browne, Fiona Burns, David R Chadwick, Rebecca Clark, Catherine A Cosgrove, James Galloway, Anna L Goodman, Amardeep Heer, Andrew Higham, Shalini Iyengar, Christopher Jeanes, Philip A Kalra, Christina Kyriakidou, Judy M Bradley, Chigomezgo Munthali, Angela M Minassian, Fiona McGill, Patrick Moore, Imrozia Munsoor, Helen Nicholls, Orod Osanlou, Jonathan Packham, Carol H Pretswell, Alberto San Francisco Ramos, Dinesh Saralaya, Ray P Sheridan, Richard Smith, Roy L Soiza, Pauline A Swift, Emma C Thomson, Jeremy Turner, Marianne Elizabeth Viljoen, Paul T Heath, Irina Chis Ster","doi":"10.1017/S0950268824000037","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268824000037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To investigate the symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection, their dynamics and their discriminatory power for the disease using longitudinally, prospectively collected information reported at the time of their occurrence. We have analysed data from a large phase 3 clinical UK COVID-19 vaccine trial. The alpha variant was the predominant strain. Participants were assessed for SARS-CoV-2 infection via nasal/throat PCR at recruitment, vaccination appointments, and when symptomatic. Statistical techniques were implemented to infer estimates representative of the UK population, accounting for multiple symptomatic episodes associated with one individual. An optimal diagnostic model for SARS-CoV-2 infection was derived. The 4-month prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was 2.1%; increasing to 19.4% (16.0%-22.7%) in participants reporting loss of appetite and 31.9% (27.1%-36.8%) in those with anosmia/ageusia. The model identified anosmia and/or ageusia, fever, congestion, and cough to be significantly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Symptoms' dynamics were vastly different in the two groups; after a slow start peaking later and lasting longer in PCR+ participants, whilst exhibiting a consistent decline in PCR- participants, with, on average, fewer than 3 days of symptoms reported. Anosmia/ageusia peaked late in confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (day 12), indicating a low discrimination power for early disease diagnosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10945957/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139512172","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}
Pub Date : 2024-01-22DOI: 10.1017/S0950268824000128
Hussein Abas Thamer Alburkat, Emilia Pulkkinen, Jenni Virtanen, Olli Vapalahti, Tarja Sironen, A J Jääskeläinen
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is one of the arenaviruses infecting humans. LCMV infections have been reported worldwide in humans with varying levels of severity. To detect arenavirus RNA and LCMV-reactive antibodies in different geographical regions of Finland, we screened human serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, taken from suspected tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) cases, using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). No arenavirus nucleic acids were detected, and the overall LCMV seroprevalence was 4.5%. No seroconversions were detected in paired serum samples. The highest seroprevalence (5.2%) was detected among individuals of age group III (40-59 years), followed by age group I (under-20-year-olds, 4.9%), while the lowest seroprevalence (3.8%) was found in age group IV (60 years or older). A lower LCMV seroprevalence in older age groups may suggest waning of immunity over time. The observation of a higher seroprevalence in the younger age group and the decreasing population size of the main reservoir host, the house mouse, may suggest exposure to another LCMV-like virus in Finland.
淋巴细胞性脉络膜炎病毒(LCMV)是感染人类的一种病毒。世界各地都有人类感染 LCMV 的报道,严重程度不一。为了检测芬兰不同地区的阿纳病毒 RNA 和 LCMV 反应性抗体,我们使用逆转录酶聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)和免疫荧光测定(IFA)对疑似蜱传脑炎(TBE)病例的人类血清和脑脊液(CSF)样本进行了筛查。未检测到阿那维病毒核酸,LCMV 的总体血清流行率为 4.5%。配对血清样本中未检测到血清转换。血清流行率最高的是年龄 III 组(40-59 岁)(5.2%),其次是年龄 I 组(20 岁以下,4.9%),而血清流行率最低的是年龄 IV 组(60 岁或以上)(3.8%)。年龄越大,LCMV 血清流行率越低,这可能表明随着时间的推移,免疫力会下降。年轻年龄组的血清流行率较高,而主要宿主(家鼠)的数量在减少,这可能表明芬兰存在另一种类似 LCMV 的病毒。
{"title":"Serological and molecular screening of arenaviruses in suspected tick-borne encephalitis cases in Finland.","authors":"Hussein Abas Thamer Alburkat, Emilia Pulkkinen, Jenni Virtanen, Olli Vapalahti, Tarja Sironen, A J Jääskeläinen","doi":"10.1017/S0950268824000128","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268824000128","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is one of the arenaviruses infecting humans. LCMV infections have been reported worldwide in humans with varying levels of severity. To detect arenavirus RNA and LCMV-reactive antibodies in different geographical regions of Finland, we screened human serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, taken from suspected tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) cases, using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). No arenavirus nucleic acids were detected, and the overall LCMV seroprevalence was 4.5%. No seroconversions were detected in paired serum samples. The highest seroprevalence (5.2%) was detected among individuals of age group III (40-59 years), followed by age group I (under-20-year-olds, 4.9%), while the lowest seroprevalence (3.8%) was found in age group IV (60 years or older). A lower LCMV seroprevalence in older age groups may suggest waning of immunity over time. The observation of a higher seroprevalence in the younger age group and the decreasing population size of the main reservoir host, the house mouse, may suggest exposure to another LCMV-like virus in Finland.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10894894/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139512171","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}
Pub Date : 2024-01-18DOI: 10.1017/S0950268824000116
Adriana Milazzo, Mark McMillan, Lynne Giles, Kira Page, Louise Flood, Helen Marshall
Little information exists concerning the spatial relationship between invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) cases and Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis) carriage. The aim of this study was to examine whether there is a relationship between IMD and asymptomatic oropharyngeal carriage of meningococci by spatial analysis to identify the distribution and patterns of cases and carriage in South Australia (SA). Carriage data geocoded to participants' residential addresses and meningococcal case notifications using Postal Area (POA) centroids were used to analyse spatial distribution by disease- and non-disease-associated genogroups, as well as overall from 2017 to 2020. The majority of IMD cases were genogroup B with the overall highest incidence of cases reported in infants, young children, and adolescents. We found no clear spatial association between N. meningitidis carriage and IMD cases. However, analyses using carriage and case genogroups showed differences in the spatial distribution between metropolitan and regional areas. Regional areas had a higher rate of IMD cases and carriage prevalence. While no clear relationship between cases and carriage was evident in the spatial analysis, the higher rates of both carriage and disease in regional areas highlight the need to maintain high vaccine coverage outside of the well-resourced metropolitan area.
{"title":"Geographical distribution of invasive meningococcal disease and carriage: A spatial analysis.","authors":"Adriana Milazzo, Mark McMillan, Lynne Giles, Kira Page, Louise Flood, Helen Marshall","doi":"10.1017/S0950268824000116","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268824000116","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Little information exists concerning the spatial relationship between invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) cases and <i>Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis)</i> carriage. The aim of this study was to examine whether there is a relationship between IMD and asymptomatic oropharyngeal carriage of meningococci by spatial analysis to identify the distribution and patterns of cases and carriage in South Australia (SA). Carriage data geocoded to participants' residential addresses and meningococcal case notifications using Postal Area (POA) centroids were used to analyse spatial distribution by disease- and non-disease-associated genogroups, as well as overall from 2017 to 2020. The majority of IMD cases were genogroup B with the overall highest incidence of cases reported in infants, young children, and adolescents. We found no clear spatial association between <i>N. meningitidis</i> carriage and IMD cases. However, analyses using carriage and case genogroups showed differences in the spatial distribution between metropolitan and regional areas. Regional areas had a higher rate of IMD cases and carriage prevalence. While no clear relationship between cases and carriage was evident in the spatial analysis, the higher rates of both carriage and disease in regional areas highlight the need to maintain high vaccine coverage outside of the well-resourced metropolitan area.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10894902/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139485463","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}
Pub Date : 2024-01-17DOI: 10.1017/S0950268824000104
Win M Kyaw, Leo K-Y Lim, Jun Y Tay, Jeffery L Cutter, Deborah H L Ng
The yield of contact investigation on relapsed tuberculosis (TB) cases can guide strategies and resource allocation in the TB control programme. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to review the yield of contact investigation in relapsed TB cases and identify factors associated with TB infection (TBI) among close contacts of relapsed TB cases notified between 2018 and 2022 in Singapore. TB infection positivity was higher among contacts of relapsed cases which were culture-positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex compared to those who were only polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive (14.8% vs. 12.3%). On multivariate analysis, after adjusting for age and gender of the index, gender, and existing comorbidities of contacts, factors independently associated with TBI were culture and smear positivity of the index (AOR 1.41, 95%CI 1.02-1.94), higher odds with every 10 years of increase in age compared to contacts below aged 30, contacts who were not Singapore residents (AOR 2.09, 95%CI 1.46-2.97), and household contacts (AOR 2.19, 95%CI 1.44-3.34). Although the yield of screening was higher for those who were culture-positive compared to only PCR-positive relapsed cases, contact tracing for only PCR-positive cases may still be important in a country with moderate TB incidence, should resources allow.
{"title":"The yield of tuberculosis contact investigation on relapsed TB patients and analysis of associated risk factors: Singapore's experience.","authors":"Win M Kyaw, Leo K-Y Lim, Jun Y Tay, Jeffery L Cutter, Deborah H L Ng","doi":"10.1017/S0950268824000104","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268824000104","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The yield of contact investigation on relapsed tuberculosis (TB) cases can guide strategies and resource allocation in the TB control programme. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to review the yield of contact investigation in relapsed TB cases and identify factors associated with TB infection (TBI) among close contacts of relapsed TB cases notified between 2018 and 2022 in Singapore. TB infection positivity was higher among contacts of relapsed cases which were culture-positive <i>for Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> complex compared to those who were only polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive (14.8% vs. 12.3%). On multivariate analysis, after adjusting for age and gender of the index, gender, and existing comorbidities of contacts, factors independently associated with TBI were culture and smear positivity of the index (AOR 1.41, 95%CI 1.02-1.94), higher odds with every 10 years of increase in age compared to contacts below aged 30, contacts who were not Singapore residents (AOR 2.09, 95%CI 1.46-2.97), and household contacts (AOR 2.19, 95%CI 1.44-3.34). Although the yield of screening was higher for those who were culture-positive compared to only PCR-positive relapsed cases, contact tracing for only PCR-positive cases may still be important in a country with moderate TB incidence, should resources allow.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10894891/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139478303","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}
Pub Date : 2024-01-15DOI: 10.1017/S0950268824000050
Bettina M Rosner, Gerhard Falkenhorst, Isabella Kumpf, Maren Enßle, Andreas Hicketier, Achim Dörre, Klaus Stark, Hendrik Wilking
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, a variety of societal activities were restricted to minimize direct personal interactions and, consequently, reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The aim of the CoViRiS study was to investigate whether certain behaviours and societal factors were associated with the risk of sporadic symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. Adult COVID-19 cases and frequency-matched population controls were interviewed by telephone regarding activities that involved contact with other people during the 10 days before illness onset (cases) or before the interview (controls). Associations between activities and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection were analysed using logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounding variables. Data of 859 cases and 1 971 controls were available for analysis. The risk of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection was lower for individuals who worked from home (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.3-0.6). Working in a health care setting was associated with a higher risk (aOR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1-2.1) as were private indoor contacts, personal contacts that involved shaking hands or hugging, and overnight travelling within Germany. Our results are in line with some of the public health recommendations aimed at reducing interpersonal contacts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
{"title":"Case-control study of behavioural and societal risk factors for sporadic SARS-CoV-2 infections, Germany, 2020-2021 (CoViRiS study).","authors":"Bettina M Rosner, Gerhard Falkenhorst, Isabella Kumpf, Maren Enßle, Andreas Hicketier, Achim Dörre, Klaus Stark, Hendrik Wilking","doi":"10.1017/S0950268824000050","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0950268824000050","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, a variety of societal activities were restricted to minimize direct personal interactions and, consequently, reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The aim of the CoViRiS study was to investigate whether certain behaviours and societal factors were associated with the risk of sporadic symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. Adult COVID-19 cases and frequency-matched population controls were interviewed by telephone regarding activities that involved contact with other people during the 10 days before illness onset (cases) or before the interview (controls). Associations between activities and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection were analysed using logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounding variables. Data of 859 cases and 1 971 controls were available for analysis. The risk of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection was lower for individuals who worked from home (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.3-0.6). Working in a health care setting was associated with a higher risk (aOR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1-2.1) as were private indoor contacts, personal contacts that involved shaking hands or hugging, and overnight travelling within Germany. Our results are in line with some of the public health recommendations aimed at reducing interpersonal contacts during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":11721,"journal":{"name":"Epidemiology and Infection","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2024-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10894885/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139466337","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}