Journal of Infection and Public Health最新文献

{"title":"Changing landscape of pediatric influenza in Northern Mexico: A comparative clinical and virological study","authors":"Luis Carlos Hinojos-Gallardo ,&nbsp;Andrea Jaqueline Gamboa Rodriguez ,&nbsp;Alejandra Fierro-Torres ,&nbsp;Eduardo Chaparro-Barrera ,&nbsp;Enrique Guevara-Macías ,&nbsp;Mario Soto-Ramos ,&nbsp;César Pacheco-Tena ,&nbsp;Susana Aideé González-Chávez","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103115","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103115","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Influenza remains a significant health burden in children, yet its clinical behavior and viral dynamics have shifted in recent years. These changes are particularly relevant in regions where multiple respiratory viruses co-circulate and surveillance resources are limited.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To examine how the clinical and virological profile of pediatric influenza has evolved in northern Mexico, by comparing two well-defined seasonal periods, and to contextualize these findings within national surveillance trends.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted in a pediatric referral hospital, including children hospitalized with acute respiratory infections during two influenza seasons (2018–2019 and 2023–2024). Clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and RT-qPCR results were analyzed, and national surveillance reports were reviewed to identify parallel trends.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 274 patients were included (137 per period). Compared to the 2018–2019 cohort, the 2023–2024 cohort demonstrated a significant reduction in influenza positivity (16.8 % vs. 5.1 %, p &lt; 0.001) and no influenza-related deaths; however, hospitalizations were more prolonged, and inflammatory markers were higher. At the national level, ILI/SARI reports increased (from 62,729 to 180,532), and confirmed influenza cases rose (from 7632 to 13,679), while positivity (from 12.2 % to 7.6 %) and mortality (from 828 to 456) declined.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In this pediatric hospital cohort, post-pandemic seasons showed fewer influenza cases and deaths but greater clinical severity, suggesting altered host responses after reduced viral exposure. National trends indicated broader detection of respiratory cases alongside lower influenza positivity, consistent with strengthened surveillance and evolving viral circulation in Mexico.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 3","pages":"Article 103115"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145838648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Suboptimal primaquine adherence in Plasmodium vivax malaria: Evidence from high-burden tribal districts in Odisha","authors":"Anju Viswan K ,&nbsp;Kannan Thiruvengadam ,&nbsp;Rohit Sharma,&nbsp;Nandhini Perumalsamy,&nbsp;Renuka Devi Arumugam,&nbsp;Srikanth Srirama,&nbsp;Arya Rahul ,&nbsp;Manju Rahi","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103123","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103123","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Eliminating <em>Plasmodium vivax</em> malaria in India’s tribal regions is challenging, mainly due to poor adherence to primaquine, the only hypnozoiticidal drug for radical cure under national policy. Incomplete adherence to the 14-day primaquine regimen leads to relapse, treatment failure, ongoing transmission, and may contribute to antimalarial resistance. This study quantified primaquine adherence, and explored behavioral factors influencing non-adherence in high-burden tribal districts of Odisha.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This prospective cohort study conducted from January to December 2024 in two high-burden tribal districts (Malkangiri, Koraput) enrolled 269 laboratory-confirmed <em>P. vivax</em> patients aged over one year. Structured questionnaires collected demographic, clinical, and treatment data. Adherence to the 14-day primaquine regimen was assessed on days 7 and 14 via self-report, pill counts, and blister pack inspection. Uni- and multivariable analyses identified predictors of non-adherence.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Adherence to chloroquine (3 days) and artesunate–SP (mixed infections) exceeded 93 %, while only 58.7 % (95 % CI: 52.6–64.9) completed the 14-day primaquine course. Healthcare workers dispensed drugs according to guidelines. Treatment discontinuation was mainly due to symptom resolution (61.9 %) and forgetfulness (21.4 %); only one patient discontinued primaquine due to an adverse event. Older age and household malaria history were associated with better adherence.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Suboptimal primaquine adherence delays <em>P. vivax</em> elimination despite adequate drug supply and correct dosing. Addressing behavioral drivers of early treatment cessation is critical to interrupt relapse transmission. Programmatic focus should include intensified social behavior change communication, targeted directly observed therapy, and evaluation of shorter primaquine or single-dose tafenoquine treatments with G6PD testing to enhance radical cure and accelerate India’s 2030 malaria elimination goal.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 3","pages":"Article 103123"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145927358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond COVID-19 in people with HIV: Specific miRNA expression profile persist after SARS-CoV-2 clearance","authors":"Sergio Grande-García ,&nbsp;Manuel Llamas-Adán ,&nbsp;Celia Crespo-Bermejo ,&nbsp;Violeta Lara-Aguilar ,&nbsp;Sonia Arca-Lafuente ,&nbsp;Luz Martín-Carbonero ,&nbsp;Pablo Ryan ,&nbsp;Ignacio de los Santos ,&nbsp;María de Lagarde ,&nbsp;Rafael Mican-Rivera ,&nbsp;Santiago Moreno ,&nbsp;Salvador Resino ,&nbsp;Juan Berenguer ,&nbsp;Verónica Briz ,&nbsp;Amanda Fernández-Rodríguez ,&nbsp;on behalf of the Multidisciplinary HIV/Hepatitis Viral Coinfection Group (COVIHEP) and of the CoRIS cohort","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103108","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103108","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The impact of SARS-CoV-2 on epigenetic regulation in people with HIV (PWHIV) is not well understood. MicroRNAs, key post-transcriptional regulators, may serve as biomarkers of disease. This study aimed to identify plasma miRNAs reflecting epigenetic changes in PWHIV after SARS-CoV-2 resolution.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We sequenced plasma smallRNA from 20 PWHIV at a median of 10 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 18 SARS-CoV-2 uninfected and unvaccinated PWHIV. MirDeep2 was used for miRNA identification, and significant differential expression (SDE) and classification performance were calculated using GLMs and PLS-DA. Correlations were performed using spearman test. Target enrichment was analyzed using miRTarbase, RNAInter, and KEGG databases, and tissue expression was analysed using the IMOTA database.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Thirty-five microRNAs were SDE between groups. Hsa-mir-181a-2–3p was correlated to time elapsed since SARS-CoV-2 infection and sampling. Functional enrichment analysis predicted 410 target genes, which in turn overrepresented 52 cellular pathways, mainly related to neurodegeneration, major signaling cascades, and oncologic and cardiovascular diseases. The most significant pathways were Huntington's disease and PI3K-Akt signalling pathway, while those with the highest number of targeted genes were Pathways of neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's disease. The hsa-miR-374b-5p showed excellent predictive ability in classifying the SARS-CoV-2 infection status in more than 93 % of all instances.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>SARS-CoV-2 infection in PWHIV leaves an epigenetic signature of 35 SDE microRNAs, with hsa-miR-374b-5p as a strong post-infection marker. These microRNAs regulate genes mainly involved in neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and oncologic processes, potentially underlying post-COVID symptomatology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 3","pages":"Article 103108"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145839127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical characteristics of six fatal cases with advanced HIV and monkeypox virus co-infection in Beijing: A retrospective analysis","authors":"Lulu Xing ,&nbsp;Jialu Li ,&nbsp;Yifan Guo ,&nbsp;Ying Liu ,&nbsp;Jiang Xiao ,&nbsp;Hongxin Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103126","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103126","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Recent findings on the outbreak of mpox indicate that immunosuppressed people are at significantly higher risk of death. The aims of the research were to provide a summary of the clinical features of mpox fatal cases, explore the effects of immunosuppression, monkeypox virus (MPXV)/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection, and delayed antiretroviral therapy (ART) on prognosis, and offer evidence-based recommendations to inform clinical practices.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Demographic information, detailed HIV disease characteristics, ART history, mpox clinical features, laboratory results, and radiological evaluations were retrospectively extracted from electronic medical records.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Six fatal cases were men who have sex with men (MSM), with a median age of 35 years (range: 23–37 years). Their median CD4⁺ count was 51 cells/μL (range: 2–116 cells/μL). Of these cases, two were simultaneously diagnosed with MPXV/HIV infection, one was diagnosed with HIV infection and never initiated ART, and the other three had interrupted ART prior to mpox diagnosis. All patients started or restarted ART, with a medium time from initiation of ART to death being 52 days (range: 20–148 days). Besides such symptoms like skin lesions and lymphadenopathy, all of them developed severe complications, including bacterial co-infections (n = 5), pneumonia (n = 5), intestinal obstruction (n = 2), and ocular involvement (n = 3). The median intervals between symptom onset and hospitalization or death were 30 days (range: 6–36 days) and 59 days (range: 32–110 days), respectively, with all death being due to sepsis or related multiple organ failure.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The combination of MPXV with advanced HIV infection carries an excessive risk of death, generated by severe immunodeficiency that facilitates serious secondary infections and MPXV dissemination. Even if ART is initiated as soon as possible, immune function cannot be restored quickly enough to clear MPXV.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 3","pages":"Article 103126"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiological and clinical trends in pediatric dengue: A six-year retrospective hospital-based study on pre-vs pandemic patterns in Puducherry, India","authors":"Arya Rahul ,&nbsp;Gnanasekaran Vijayalaksmi ,&nbsp;Balakrishnan Vijayakumar ,&nbsp;R. Amala ,&nbsp;B.V. Balachandar ,&nbsp;Thekkumkara Surendran Anish","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103121","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103121","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Dengue is a rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease posing a significant public health challenge across tropical and subtropical regions, including India. While children are particularly vulnerable, age-specific clinical and epidemiological trends remain underexplored, especially in low-and middle-income country settings. This study describes the clinical and epidemiological trends of pediatric dengue in Puducherry from 2017 to 2022 and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the disease trends.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective review was conducted on 632 pediatric patients admitted with dengue fever to a woman and child speciality public sector tertiary care hospital in Puducherry between 2017 and 2022. Data on demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters were extracted from inpatient records. Dengue severity was categorized using WHO 2009 criteria. Statistical analyses were performed to assess associations and identify risk factors.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the 632 patients, 54 % showed warning signs of dengue, and 3.5 % progressed to severe dengue. Fever (99.0 %), vomiting(51.3 %), and abdominal pain(37.3 %) were the common symptoms. Children under five years were significantly more likely to present with respiratory symptoms (cough: OR 1.85(1.27–2.70), p = 0.001; rhinitis: OR 1.67(1.13–2.46), p = 0.01), while gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal complaints were more common in the older children. The mean duration from symptom onset to diagnosis was 5.8 ± 2.8 days, with a significant prolongation in children aged 1–5 years (6.5 ± 3.6 days, p = 0.013). During the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022), time to diagnosis increased significantly (≥7 days in 27.2 % vs. 15.5 % pre-pandemic, OR 2.03, p &lt; 0.001), although no significant differences in disease severity or demographic characteristics were noted.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study highlights distinct age-related clinical patterns in pediatric dengue, with younger children tending to present more likely with respiratory symptoms and experience a longer time to diagnosis. Strengthening clinical recognition, adapting age-appropriate diagnostic protocols, and promoting early care-seeking are essential for timely detection and response to dengue in endemic regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 3","pages":"Article 103121"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145882188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular and bacteriological characterization of colistin and carbapenem-resistant nosocomial isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from different Iraqi hospitals","authors":"Dhuha A. Abbas ,&nbsp;Mushtak T.S. Al-Ouqaili ,&nbsp;Mohammed J. Alfeehan","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103118","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103118","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Colistin- and carbapenem-resistant <em>Acinetobacter (A.) baumannii</em> pose a global health threat in healthcare settings due to difficult-to-treat infections. This study investigates their prevalence, resistance mechanisms, and the role of biofilm formation in persistence and pathogenicity.</div></div><div><h3>Patients and methods</h3><div>This cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 335 clinical specimens, specifically isolates of <em>A. baumannii</em>, during the period from December to July 2025. Bacteriological investigation was confirmed using the automated Vitek 2 compact system, and antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the AST 419 card, in accordance with the CLSI 2025 guidelines. Biofilm formation was assessed using the microtiter plate method. PCR detection for carbapenem and colistin-resistant genes (<em>bla</em>_<em>NDM</em><em>, bla</em>_{<em>NDM-1</em>}<em>, bla</em>_<em>VIM</em><em>, bla</em>_<em>IMP</em><em>, bla</em>_{<em>OXA-48</em>}<em>)</em> and (<em>mcr-1</em>, <em>mcr-5</em>, <em>pmrA</em>, and <em>pmrB</em>), respectively, has been done.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 335 clinical study specimens were analyzed, with 222 (66.2 %) representing bacterial growth. Of these, 64 (28.8 %) were well bacteriologically identified as <em>A. baumannii</em>. Out of these isolates, 50 were multidrug resistant, classified into 31 (62 %) as extensively drug resistant (XDR) and 19 (38 %) as Pan-drug resistant. Biofilm formation was distributed as strong biofilm formation in sputum (31.2 %), wound swabs (25 %), urine (7.1 %), and vaginal swabs (100 %). Molecular analysis revealed that <em>bla</em>_{<em>NDM-1</em>} (18 %) was the most common carbapenemase-resistant gene, followed by <em>blaVIM</em> (16 %), <em>bla</em>_{<em>IMP-1</em>} (12 %), <em>bla</em>_<em>NDM</em> (4 %), and <em>bla</em>_{<em>OXA-48</em>} <em>(2 %)</em>. For colistin resistance, <em>pmrB (</em>54 %) and <em>pmrA</em> (40 %) were predominant, while <em>mcr-1</em> was (4 %). Notably, <em>mcr-5</em> was not detected in all colistin-resistant genes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Most <em>A. baumannii</em> isolates were extensively drug-resistant or pan-drug-resistant and exhibited variable biofilm formation, likely enhancing persistence in hospital environments. High prevalence of <em>bla</em>_{<em>NDM-1</em>} and <em>bla</em>_<em>VIM</em> carbapenem resistance genes, along with <em>pmrB</em> and <em>pmrA</em> colistin resistance genes, complicates treatment and diagnostics. Prompt detection, effective infection control, and continuous surveillance are urgently needed to limit the spread of these highly resistant strains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 3","pages":"Article 103118"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145882190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modeling the emergence of divergent mutants of SARS-CoV-2, “Omicron-like events”: A time-to-event analysis","authors":"Haruka Hayashi,&nbsp;Yuta Okada,&nbsp;Taishi Kayano,&nbsp;Katsuma Hayashi,&nbsp;Tetsuro Kobayashi,&nbsp;Hiroshi Nishiura","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103140","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2026.103140","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>During the COVID-19 pandemic, several divergent mutants including the Omicron (B.1.1.529) BA.1 variant emerged, having a distinct mechanism of emergence compared with pre-existing variants of concern. Apart from playing a major role in causing recurrent epidemic waves, the highly divergent mutants also contributed to changing the fate of the pandemic by exhibiting large differences in phenotypic characteristics among even closely related variants. Given that several different variants emerged during the pandemic, the present study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the risk of emergence of divergent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mutants and understand the mechanism of such emergence.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Upon identifying the emergence of phylogenetically distinct variants in “Omicron-like events” that have been recognized to date, a time-to-event analysis was carried out to estimate the monthly hazard rate of emergence. Four statistical models were established and compared using the Akaike Information Criterion.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The model using the number of hospitalized cases was determined to be the best fit. The risk of Omicron-like events is not independent of time; instead, the monthly risk of emergence is likely to increase over time due to an increasing number of infection events.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Ongoing virus genomic surveillance is vital, and possible prevention among immunosuppressed individuals should be considered.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 3","pages":"Article 103140"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146018656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"USING GLOBAL SEQUENCE DATABASES TO INFORM AND ACCELERATE ASSAY DEVELOPMENT OF RAPID TESTS FOR NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE","authors":"Abdulrahman Ayfan ,&nbsp;Leah Roberts ,&nbsp;David Whiley","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103100","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103100","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 2","pages":"Article 103100"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparing definitions of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a prospective household transmission study","authors":"Jonas Frost ,&nbsp;Bianca Klee ,&nbsp;Sophie Diexer ,&nbsp;Kristin Maria Meyer-Schlinkmann ,&nbsp;Cornelia Gottschick ,&nbsp;Jonas Rosendahl ,&nbsp;Michael Gekle ,&nbsp;Stefan Moritz ,&nbsp;Simone Hettmer ,&nbsp;Jessica I. Hoell ,&nbsp;Irene Moor ,&nbsp;Thomas Frese ,&nbsp;Mascha Binder ,&nbsp;Christine Dierks ,&nbsp;Rafael Mikolajczyk","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103069","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103069","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Identifying SARS-CoV-2 infections in field studies, especially if they are asymptomatic or reinfections, is challenging. This study aims to compare definitions of an infection and establish an approach to detect reinfections serologically, relying on titre increase.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In a household transmission study in autumn/winter 2022, we collected information on symptoms and two serological samples in a timespan of six to eight weeks from 389 participants of the German digital cohort DigiHero. Blood samples were drawn using dried blood spot cards and analysed in regard to the SARS-CoV-2 S and N antibody. We calculated secondary attack rates (SARs) using three definitions of infection from previous literature, based on reported symptoms or seroconversion, and two approaches accounting for reinfection in serological testing.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>SARs differed substantially between definitions. High initial seroprevalence in the study population led to underestimation of the SAR by over 20 % when using seroconversion compared to approaches accounting for reinfections. Symptom-based definitions resulted in misclassification likely due to infections with other pathogens and by disregarding asymptomatic cases.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This methodological study shows that relying on seroconversion is not adequate in high sero-prevalence settings and symptom-based approaches disregard asymptomatic cases. Approaches accounting for substantial titre increases between two antibody measurements reliably identified infections regardless of seroconversion and symptoms in a longitudinal serological assessment. This method could be useful for other pathogens, where asymptomatic disease and reinfections are common.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 2","pages":"Article 103069"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Outbreak of foodborne illness caused by Salmonella Braenderup ST2443 in China: Epidemiological and pathogenic insights","authors":"Yezhen Fang ,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Wang ,&nbsp;Hua Yu ,&nbsp;Rui Tian ,&nbsp;Yiyi Wang ,&nbsp;Pan Zhao ,&nbsp;Shiwang Huang ,&nbsp;Xiaoting Hua","doi":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103053","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jiph.2025.103053","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div><em>Salmonella</em> outbreaks, particularly those caused by <em>Salmonella</em> Braenderup (<em>S.</em> Braenderup), represent a significant public health challenge due to their potential for widespread food contamination. While <em>S.</em> Braenderup outbreaks are reported globally, research on this serotype in China remains limited, leading to gaps in understanding its epidemiological patterns, pathogenic characteristics, and molecular features. This study investigates a foodborne outbreak in Hangzhou, China, in July 2023 to elucidate the transmission dynamics and molecular features of the causative strain.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A detailed epidemiological investigation was conducted, with rectal swabs, fecal samples, food, and environmental samples collected. Rapid pathogen detection, isolation, serotyping, and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) were performed to identify the infection source and characterize the outbreak strain. Epidemiological and genomic data were analyzed to determine the genetic relationships among isolates.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Ten <em>S.</em> Braenderup strains, identified by the antigenic formula 6,7:e,h:e,n,z15, were isolated from patient feces, rectal swabs of restaurant employees, and food samples. All outbreak strains were classified as ST2443. WGS revealed two distinct phylogenetic clusters, with intragroup single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) distances ranging from 2 to 503, indicating both recent common ancestry and substantial genomic diversity among the isolates. Notably, two food isolates (SCGL31 and SCGL35) exhibited close genomic relatedness to a patient isolate (SCGL39), supporting a direct link between foodborne transmission and clinical infection. The outbreak source was traced to contaminated food and infected restaurant employees. Virulence profiling identified key determinants, including <em>invA</em>, SPI-1 to SPI-5, and fimbrial genes. All strains demonstrated resistance to nalidixic acid. Although no acquired resistance genes were detected, a <em>gyrA</em> D87Y mutation associated with quinolone resistance was present.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study provides the first detailed characterization of a foodborne outbreak in China caused by <em>S. Braenderup</em> ST2443. The findings highlight the value of WGS in outbreak investigation and underscore the necessity of stringent hygiene protocols and ongoing genomic surveillance to mitigate future risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16087,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Infection and Public Health","volume":"19 2","pages":"Article 103053"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145570764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}