Eurosurveillance最新文献

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.

BACKGROUNDCandidozyma auris has emerged globally as a major threat to public health due to its outbreak causing capacity and antifungal resistance. Outbreaks have proven difficult to control despite enhanced infection prevention measures. Thus, national surveillance is warranted.AIMWe aim to characterise the epidemiology of C. auris cases in Czechia between 2022 and 2024 to investigate whether autochthonous spread is occurring and asses antifungal resistance.METHODSHigh-resolution genotyping was performed to assess genetic relatedness between isolates. Microbroth dilution was performed on all isolates and underlying mechanisms resistance were inspected with whole genome sequencing.RESULTSEight cases from seven different hospitals were reported, mainly collected from non-sterile sites, in addition to the first documented prosthetic joint infection by C. auris. Only two patients reported travel history. Three clades were found, with the first report of Clade IV in Europe. For one patient, initial isolates were pan-susceptible but after short exposure to fluconazole became resistant with a novel mechanism.CONCLUSIONC. auris reported in Czechia in patients without travel history suggests autochthonous spread. Three clades were present, often with unknown route of introduction. Development of fluconazole resistance upon brief exposure highlights the ability of C. auris to rapidly evolve.

Older adults are at increased risk of severe chikungunya. Some countries advise against vaccinating ≥ 60 or ≥ 65-year-olds with the licenced live-attenuated vaccine (CHIKV LA, IXCHIQ), following severe adverse event (SAE) reports. A virus-like particle vaccine (CHIKV VLP, VIMKUNYA) is licensed in the United States (US), EU/EEA and the United Kingdom. Up to 31 August 2025, over 12,500 doses were administered in US and Germany; no SAEs in ≥ 65-year-olds were reported. Early post-authorisation data support its favourable safety profile in ≥ 65-year-olds.

New and emerging infections with blood-borne pathogens pose an ongoing threat to the safety of blood transfusions and transplants. Bioarchives of stored blood donor samples represent a valuable pathogen screening resource for both ensuring safety of blood transfusions and for wider public health infectious disease surveillance. Large scale testing of donors enables early detection of pathogen spread and extent of population exposure. We have implemented two complementary systems for the bioarchiving of blood donor samples in England for these purposes. The CODONET bioarchive collects samples from geographically targeted regions of potential pathogen emergence. Consenting donors provide detailed information to allow for risk assessment and, importantly, to distinguish imported from autochthonously acquired infection. Separately, the blood donor surveillance archive (BDSA) stores 100 or 200 pools of 24 randomly selected, fully anonymised donation samples from donors in England every 2 weeks, allowing large-scale continuous sampling. This enables rapid evaluation of the presence of blood-borne pathogens in donor populations and a large-scale epidemiological tool to detect pathogen emergence in real-time. Combined, these bioarchives allow for proactive assessment of donation transmission risk, and as targeted population-wide archives, contribute to public health surveillance of emerging pathogens and pandemic spread.

INTRODUCTIONChildhood vaccination coverage has declined in recent years in many countries, including the Netherlands.AIMTo understand differences in coverage between population subgroups in the Netherlands over time, we studied sociodemographic factors associated with measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-poliomyelitis (DTaP-IPV) vaccination.METHODSWe conducted a national retrospective database study including children born between 2008 and 2020. Individual-level data linkage allowed examination of associations of sociodemographic variables with MMR and DTaP-IPV vaccination status at age 2 years. We calculated coverage for each variable, stratified by birth cohort. Multivariable Poisson regression assessed independent associations and changes in coverage over time.RESULTSMMR coverage decreased in all population subgroups (overall 95% in cohort 2008 and 89% in cohort 2020), more substantially in some. In multivariable analysis, children of non-Dutch origin, particularly Moroccan and Turkish origin, showed more pronounced declines (respectively -25% and -12% as children of Dutch origin in cohort 2020). Among children not attending daycare and children living in larger families (≥ 4 children), coverage declined faster than in those attending daycare and living in smaller families (both -12% in cohort 2020). Coverage among children of self-employed mothers and children in the lowest income households was lower than among children of mothers in employment and the highest income households (respectively -8% and -7% in cohort 2020). Trends for DTaP-IPV vaccination were nearly identical.CONCLUSIONChildhood vaccination coverage in the Netherlands declined substantially, with increasing disparities between sociodemographic groups. Vaccination efforts should be prioritised to protect public health equitably.

We report a confirmed autochthonous human case of classical rabies in Romania involving an individual in their mid-40s from Iași county, who was bitten by a free-roaming dog in February 2025. The case did not receive post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and died from rabies in July 2025. This event highlights critical gaps in rabies prevention, the importance of timely PEP, and the need for continued vigilance in rabies surveillance and public health communication.