Eurosurveillance最新文献

In July-October 2025, two concurrent Campylobacter jejuni outbreaks (clones ST49#3 and ST52#4) with 112 notified cases were detected through Denmark's whole genome sequencing surveillance programme. The outbreaks were clinically severe: 45 (40%) infected individuals were hospitalised and 16 (14%) had bacteraemia. We estimated 900 laboratory-confirmed outbreak cases. Both outbreaks originated from Danish-produced chicken meat. These outbreaks reveal the vulnerabilities in the current prevention and control framework given by the regulatory tolerance for Campylobacter in fresh poultry meat.

In Spain during March-April 2024, an outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) occurred in four young adults, exhibiting high case fatality with two deaths. Cases 1 and 4 were confirmed by isolation of Neisseria meningitidis from blood samples, while Cases 2 and 3 were PCR-confirmed from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Serogroup B meningococcus with identical characterisation (B: 19-54, 15: F5-1: ST-34, cc32) was identified for all cases; the outbreak strain genosubtype PorA_VR1: 19-54 had not been previously described. Potential coverage of the outbreak strain by available MenB vaccines could not be predicted by molecular tools, so bactericidal response to the 4CMenB vaccine against the outbreak strain was measured by human serum bactericidal antibody assay (hSBA), defining the strain as covered by the vaccine. Two different social events were involved in transmission of the outbreak strain. According to the national meningococcal disease surveillance protocol, an active search for close contacts of the cases was conducted by public health authorities and timely chemoprophylaxis and/or vaccination with 4CMenB vaccine was recommended to over 200 contacts. The evolution of meningococcal strains with genosubtype 19-54 should be closely monitored, as it might confer a greater transmission capacity.

BACKGROUNDHIV screening strategies in alternative settings, such as emergency departments (EDs), aim to increase diagnosis of occult infections and achieve 95-95-95 targets for 2030.AIMTo assess the effectiveness of an opt-in HIV screening strategy in EDs based on six clinical scenarios from a 2020 Spanish consensus document, while examining patient characteristics and linkage to-care.METHODSThis descriptive, multicentre, retrospective study analysed epidemiological, clinical, and linkage-to-care data of individuals aged ≥ 18 years newly diagnosed with HIV between July 2021 and March 2024 in 17 EDs covering 73% of the population in Catalonia, Spain.RESULTSFrom 23,105 HIV serologies performed, there were 172 new diagnoses (positivity rate: 0.7%). Of these, 88.4% (152/172) were assigned male at birth, had a median age of 39 years (IQR: 30-50), and 47.9% (81/169) were Spanish. Sexual transmission was reported in 75.6% (130/172) of cases, with 55.5% (81/146) heterosexual. Fiebig stage data, available in 78.5% (135/172) of cases, showed 57.8% (78/135) had acute infection. Advanced HIV was found in 24.2% (30/124). Diagnoses related to the six clinical scenarios accounted for 54.6% (94/172) of cases. For all new diagnoses, 82.0% (137/167) were linked to specialised healthcare and started antiretroviral treatment within 9 days (IQR: 4-17), with no significant differences regarding urban/rural hospital coverage areas.CONCLUSIONAn opt-in HIV screening strategy in the ED is feasible and effective, especially in detecting highly transmissible patients with acute infection. However, one in five newly diagnosed individuals remained untreated, highlighting the need for improved linkage to care.

BACKGROUNDFifteen- and 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) offer broader protection against invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) than PCV13. Adopting these vaccines may result in decreasing IPD incidence, antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rates. If the additional serotypes in PCV15 and PCV20 are associated with AMR, AMR rate reduction could be greater than expected from reduced antibiotic consumption alone.AIMThis retrospective analysis assessed the association between AMR and non-PCV13 serotypes in PCV15 and PCV20.METHODSLaboratory-based surveillance data on 8,123 IPD isolates were obtained retrospectively from the Belgian Reference Centre for invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae. Isolates (n = 8,088) were serotyped and tested for AMR. Associations between vaccine serotype groups and AMR were evaluated by multinomial logistic regression. Where associations varied with patients' age, ranges of odds ratios (ORs) are presented.RESULTSPCV15-non-PCV13 and PCV20-non-PCV13 serotypes accounted for 7.4% (n = 597) and 37% (n = 2,992) of IPD isolates respectively. Of non-PCV20 serotypes, 24% (508/2,125) were penicillin resistant. Compared with non-PCV20 serotypes, PCV15-non-PCV13 serotypes were more often associated with erythromycin (ORs: 3.59-9.43) and tetracycline (OR: 2.00) resistance, and with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (OR: 0.11) susceptibility. PCV20-non-PCV15 serotypes were more often associated with amoxicillin (OR: 9.45) and cefotaxime (ORs: 5.06-82.38) resistance, and with erythromycin (ORs: 0.13-0.18), tetracycline (OR: 0.71) and penicillin (ORs: 0.05-0.46) susceptibility.CONCLUSIONPCV20 may lead to a larger decrease in overall IPD incidence than PCV15. Although the PCV20 vaccination impact on AMR may be limited, some resistant or difficult to treat infections could be avoided. Serotype replacement might lead to infections with low level penicillin resistance increasing, but most of these should remain treatable.

We measured effectiveness of nirsevimab against laboratory-confirmed respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in a test-negative case-control study among children aged < 24 months hospitalised for severe acute respiratory infection in three European countries. The overall effectiveness in the 2024/25 season among 2,201 children was 79% (95% CI: 58 to 89) and 85%, 78% and 69% at < 30, 30-89 and 90-215 days since immunisation. Immunisation was effective for preventing RSV-related hospitalisation in children, but effectiveness by time since immunisation needs monitoring in future seasons.

Influenza A(H3N2) subclade K (J.2.4.1) has dominated the 2025/26 season start in England. Post-infection ferret antisera raised against northern hemisphere 2025/26 vaccine strains showed reduced reactivity to subclade K viruses in England, aligning with World Health Organization reports. Nevertheless, early post-vaccination, vaccine effectiveness against influenza-related emergency department attendances and hospital admissions remained within typical ranges, at 72-75% in children and adolescents (< 18 years) and 32-39% in adults. Hence, vaccination remains effective against clinical disease caused by influenza A(H3N2) viruses.

BACKGROUNDScabies is a skin disease caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, resulting in intense itching and rash, and sometimes secondary infections with complications. Scabies is not typically a notifiable disease, which makes estimating its burden of disease challenging. In recent years, sharp increases have been reported in Europe.AIMThis study characterises scabies epidemiology in Spain from 2011 to 2023.METHODSThis retrospective study triangulated data from primary care, hospital admissions, occupational diagnoses and outbreaks. Annual incidence rates (IRs) were calculated to assess temporal evolution, demographics and geographic distribution. Joinpoint regression identified IR changes, and time-series analysis explored seasonality. Occupational and outbreak data analysis identified high-risk activities and settings.RESULTSIncidence rates increased across all data sources, with marked acceleration from 2020-21. The greatest rise was seen in primary care (annual percentage change rose from 22.8% (95% CI: 7.2-31.9) in 2011-20 to 65.8% (95% CI: 47.5-96.6) in 2020-23). The IR was highest amongst 15-24-year-olds. Hospitalisations, with highest IR among people > 65 years, peaked each January. Occupational diagnoses were predominantly registered in healthcare settings (82.0%). Islands and northern coastal regions were most affected. Outbreaks were most frequent in households and nursing homes, with largest outbreaks in healthcare settings.CONCLUSIONSGiven the increasing incidence of scabies in Spain, a strong response is needed to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Improved surveillance and targeted public health initiatives could mitigate further spread, as well as further research to better elucidate the mite-related and epidemiological factors that underline the recent increases across Europe.

We managed a complex outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and stx-negative E. coli O157 (non-STEC) cases in four nurseries in two neighbouring towns in south-east Scotland, with epidemiological links through shared management, staff or other visits. There were 57 confirmed cases between July and October 2022. Nurseries voluntarily closed to support outbreak control. Subsequent whole genome sequencing identified two separate, unlinked outbreaks of stx2a-positive E. coli O157:H7 (19 confirmed cases in Nursery 1) and stx-negative E. coli O157:H39 (17 confirmed cases in Nursery 2). Smaller numbers of six additional STEC and E. coli O157 (non-STEC) strains were identified in the four nurseries. Five children from Nursery 1 who tested positive for stx2a-positive E. coli O157:H7 required hospitalisation, one of whom developed haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Children with other STEC and E. coli O157 (non-STEC) strains had few or no symptoms. Overall, five of 19 cases with stx2a subtypes were asymptomatic, compared with seven of nine for stx2f subtypes, and 14 of 25 for stx-negative subtypes. Given the findings in this setting, further information on the prevalence of asymptomatic STEC carriage by strain, age and geography, and in other contexts, will support understanding and risk management of future outbreaks.