Aktuelle smitsomme sygdomme

Data from an international registry shed light on the lasting inflammatory effects of SARS-CoV-2 and can also inform patient management and prognosis. …

Background The first cases of extensively drug resistant gonorrhoea were recorded in the United Kingdom in 2018. There is a public health need for strategies on how to deploy existing and novel antibiotics to minimise the risk of resistance development. As rapid point-of-care tests (POCTs) to predict susceptibility are coming to clinical use, coupling the introduction of an antibiotic with diagnostics that can slow resistance emergence may offer a novel paradigm for maximising antibiotic benefits. Gepotidacin is a novel antibiotic with known resistance and resistance-predisposing mutations. In particular, a mutation that confers resistance to ciprofloxacin acts as the ‘stepping-stone’ mutation to gepotidacin resistance. Aim To investigate how POCTs detecting Neisseria gonorrhoeae resistance mutations for ciprofloxacin and gepotidacin can be used to minimise the risk of resistance development to gepotidacin. Methods We use individual-based stochastic simulations to formally investigate the aim. Results The level of testing needed to reduce the risk of resistance development depends on the mutation rate under treatment and the prevalence of stepping-stone mutations. A POCT is most effective if the mutation rate under antibiotic treatment is no more than two orders of magnitude above the mutation rate without treatment and the prevalence of stepping-stone mutations is 1–13%. Conclusion Mutation frequencies and rates should be considered when estimating the POCT usage required to reduce the risk of resistance development in a given population. Molecular POCTs for resistance mutations and stepping-stone mutations to resistance are likely to become important tools in antibiotic stewardship.…

Background Rapid diagnostic tests are commonly used by hospital laboratories in England to detect rotavirus (RV), and results are used to inform clinical management and support national surveillance of the infant rotavirus immunisation programme since 2013. In 2017, the Public Health England (PHE) national reference laboratory for enteric viruses observed that the presence of RV could not be confirmed by PCR in a proportion of RV-positive samples referred for confirmatory detection. Aim We aimed to compare the positivity rate of detection methods used by hospital laboratories with the PHE confirmatory test rate. Methods Rotavirus specimens testing positive at local hospital laboratories were re-tested at the PHE national reference laboratory using a PCR test. Confirmatory results were compared to original results from the PHE laboratory information management system. Results Hospital laboratories screened 70.1% (2,608/3,721) of RV samples using immunochromatographic assay (IC) or rapid tests, 15.5% (578/3,721) using enzyme immunoassays (EIA) and 14.4% (535/3,721) using PCR. Overall, 1,011/3,721 (27.2%) locally RV-positive samples referred to PHE in 2016 and 2017 failed RV detection using the PHE reference laboratory PCR test. Confirmation rates were 66.9% (1,746/2,608) for the IC tests, 87.4% (505/578) for the EIA and 86.4% (465/535) for the PCR assays. Seasonal confirmation rate discrepancies were also evident for IC tests. Conclusions This report highlights high false positive rates with the most commonly used RV screening tests and emphasises the importance of implementing verified confirmatory tests for RV detections. This has implications for clinical diagnosis and national surveillance.…

Background Widespread ceftriaxone antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) treatment, with few alternatives available. AMR point-of-care tests (AMR POCT) may enable alternative treatments, including abandoned regimens, sparing ceftriaxone use. We assessed cost-effectiveness of five hypothetical AMR POCT strategies: A-C included a second antibiotic alongside ceftriaxone; and D and E consisted of a single antibiotic alternative, compared with standard care (SC: ceftriaxone and azithromycin). Aim Assess costs and effectiveness of AMR POCT strategies that optimise NG treatment and reduce ceftriaxone use. Methods The five AMR POCT treatment strategies were compared using a decision tree model simulating 38,870 NG-diagnosed England sexual health clinic (SHC) attendees; A micro-costing approach, representing cost to the SHC (for 2015/16), was employed. Primary outcomes were: total costs; percentage of patients given optimal treatment (regimens curing NG, without AMR); percentage of patients given non-ceftriaxone optimal treatment; cost-effectiveness (cost per optimal treatment gained). Results All strategies cost more than SC. Strategy B (azithromycin and ciprofloxacin (azithromycin preferred); dual therapy) avoided most suboptimal treatments (n = 48) but cost most to implement (GBP 4,093,844 (EUR 5,474,656)). Strategy D (azithromycin AMR POCT; monotherapy) was most cost-effective for both cost per optimal treatments gained (GBP 414.67 (EUR 554.53)) and per ceftriaxone-sparing treatment (GBP 11.29 (EUR 15.09)) but with treatment failures (n = 34) and suboptimal treatments (n = 706). Conclusions AMR POCT may enable improved antibiotic stewardship, but require net health system investment. A small reduction in test cost would enable monotherapy AMR POCT strategies to be cost-saving.…

Background Community-based HIV testing services combined with the use of point-of-care tests (POCT) have the potential to improve early diagnosis through increasing availability, accessibility and uptake of HIV testing. Aim To describe community-based HIV testing activity in Catalonia, Spain, from 1995 to 2018, and to evaluate the impact of HIV POCT on the HIV continuum of care. Methods A community-based network of voluntary counselling and testing services in Catalonia, Spain has been collecting systematic data on activity, process and results since 1995. A descriptive analysis was performed on pooled data, describing the data in terms of people tested and reactive screening test results. Results Between 1995 and 2018, 125,876 HIV tests were performed (2.1% reactive). Since the introduction of HIV POCT in 2007, a large increase in the number of tests performed was observed, reaching 14,537 tests alone in 2018 (1.3% reactive). Men who have sex with men (MSM), as a proportion of all people tested, has increased greatly over time reaching 74.7% in 2018. The highest percentage of reactive tests was found in people who inject drugs followed by MSM. The contribution of community-based HIV testing to the overall total notified cases in the Catalonia HIV registry has gradually increased, reaching 37.9% in 2018, and 70% of all MSM cases. In 2018, the percentage of individuals with a reactive screening test who were linked to care was 89.0%. Conclusion Our study reinforces the important role that community-based HIV POCT has on the diagnosis of HIV in key populations.…

Other Plant Disease -- United StatesCoffee leaf rust (CLR) has been tentatively identified on Maui. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) has received preliminary results from the University of Hawaii identifying the fungus on plants collected from managed and wild coffee. Samples have also been sent to the US Department of Agriculture on the mainland for official confirmation of this federally regulated pathogen.CLR is one of the most devastating pests of coffee plants and is established in all of the other major…

COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownTo aerosol scientists like Morawska who are more focused on the physics, an aerosol is any particle, wet or dry, that can be suspended in the air for minutes to hours. Aerosols are usually less than 100 micrometers in size, or about the width of a human hair. The human respiratory tract produces a wide variety of aerosols, from tiny droplets only a few micrometers across to globules around 100 micrometers, and even gobs bigger than aerosols that are visible with the naked eye and are more…

Other Plant Disease -- FranceIn France, another tomato virus previously not yet recorded in the country has been detected. The Ministry of Agriculture announced that the "Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus" (ToLCNDV) was identified for the 1st time in the country in the regions of Occitanie and Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur.Zucchini plants were found to be infected in nurseries for production of seed and seedlings, both for commercial use and sale to the public. Precautionary measures have been taken to prevent the virus…

Regeneron's cocktail appeared to reduce viral load and the need for further medical care. Eli Lilly's experimental treatment resulted in reduced viral load and hospitalizations. …

Half of Chinese American parents and their children report having experienced an in-person episode of racial discrimination related to the COVID-19 pandemic. …

More COVID and HIV clinical trials are seeking to address health inequities by expanding research into the communities most affected. Best practices include empathic listening about medical mistrust. …

For some people with severe COVID-19, the immune system may attack itself rather than the virus, according to a new study published on the preprint server MedRxiv. …

The US is reporting more than 70,000 new coronavirus cases each day, and 41 states are reporting at least 10% more cases this week than the week before, according to CNN. …

Vær med og hør om antibiotikaforbrug og -resistens i Danmark. Den 18. november 2020 holder Statens Serum Institut og DTU Fødevareinstituttet et webinar i anledning af den internationale antibiotikauge.

Forskere fra Statens Serum Institut har påvist en bakterievirus, som gør husdyr-MRSA bedre i stand til at sprede sig til raske personer og hospitalspatienter uden kontakt til svin.

This report describes the percentage of adults who had unmet mental health care needs because of cost in the past 12 months.

MMWR Erratum Volume 69 Issue 42…

MMWR Erratum Volume 69 Issue 34…

This report describes an assessment of health care personnel's risk for exposure to COVID-19 in Minnesota.

This report describes a COVID-19 outbreak at an overnight high school summer retreat in Wisconsin.

This report describes trends in the use of telehealth during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

This report describes global progress towards eradicating dracunculiasis, also known as Guinea worm disease.

This report describes a survey of dietary supplement use in children and adolescents aged ≤19 years in the United States.

A routine scan used to evaluate some acute stroke patients can also detect SARS-CoV-2 infection in the upper lungs, a new study shows. …

Vertebral fractures appear to be common in people with severe COVID-19, and also raise the mortality risk, findings from a retrospective cohort suggest. …

What can we learn from COVID surveillance and epidemiology thus far for the months ahead? Dr Paul Auwaerter discusses presentations from Chasing the Sun at IDWeek 2020. …

A study of 365,000 people in England found evidence that coronavirus antibodies decline over a 3-month period. …

"We expect to have our safety data in the third week of November and the manufacturing process data before that date." …

Paul Auwaerter discusses highlights from Anthony Fauci's talk during the 24 hours of the COVID-19 Chasing the Sun event at IDWeek 2020. …

Avian Influenza H5N8 -- RussiaInformation received on [and dated] 27 Oct 2020 from Dr Nikolay Vlasov, Deputy Head, Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, Ministry of Agriculture, Moscou, RussiaSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 10 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 12 Oct 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 12 Nov 2018Manifestation of disease: clinical diseaseCausal agent: highly…

Influenza, Vaccine Complication -- South KoreaThe Ministry of Health (MOH) has advised that the use of 2 influenza vaccines in Singapore be "temporarily ceased" as a precautionary measure after deaths were reported in South Korea following vaccinations.South Korean health authorities said they have found no direct link between the deaths and the flu shots."This is a precautionary measure following reported deaths after influenza vaccination in South Korea," the MOH said in a press release on Sunday [25 Oct 2020]. "No deaths…

Scrapie -- IcelandInformation received on [and dated] 26 Oct 2020 from Dr. Sigurborg Daoadottir, Chief Veterinary Officer, Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, Ministry of Industries and Innovation, Selfoss, IcelandSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 13 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 20 Oct 2020Report date: 26 Oct 2020Date submitted: 26 Oct 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 6 Mar…

Bluetongue -- AlgeriaInformation received on [and dated] 26 Oct 2020 from Dr. Ahmed Chawki El Karim Boughalem, Director of Veterinary Services, Directorate of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, Alger, AlgeriaSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 27 Sep 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 30 Sep 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 15 Mar 2020Manifestation of disease:…

COVID-19 -- ItalyAt least 2 samples collected in August 2020 from minks in a single farm were found positive for SARS-CoV-2; this has been was revealed by LAV [Lega Anti Vivisezione/Antivivisection League]. Reportedly, this information was obtained after numerous appeals and requests to access the relevant documents, addressed by LAV to the Ministry of Health, to the Scientific Technical Committee, to the Regions, and to the IZS [Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale/Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute] (of…

African Swine Fever -- GermanyThe National Reference Laboratory for African Swine Fever (ASF) -- the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) -- today [27 Oct 2020] confirmed the official suspicion of ASF in 3 additional wild boars. 2 of these come from the 1st core area in the Oder-Spree district and one from the 2nd core area in the Maerkisch-Oderland district.There are now a total of 94 confirmed ASF cases in wild boar in the state of Brandenburg:Spree-Neisse district (13), Oder-Spree district (74), Maerkisch-Oderland…

COVID-19 -- ChinaAbstract--------There is increasing concern that ambient air pollution could exacerbate COVID-19 transmission. However, estimating the relationship is challenging because it requires one to account for epidemiological characteristics, to isolate the impact of air pollution from potential confounders, and to capture the dynamic impact. We propose a new econometric framework to address these challenges: we rely on the epidemiological Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered-Deceased (SIRD) model to…

A patient-centered approach can help guide people at risk for HIV exposure to decide on the best choice of pre-exposure prophylaxis regimens, stifling the noise of direct-to-consumer advertising. …

More Americans wore face masks this summer than in the spring, but they were less likely to follow other public health measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. …

The United States just passed a dubious COVID-19 milestone: just over 1% of all children have been infected by the coronavirus this year. …

Social scientist and technology expert Zeynep Tufekci has been prescient about COVID-19 transmission. Eric Topol talks with her about how she does it and why such approaches make the difference. …

På grund af en fejl nåede et brev, som Statens Serum Institut havde sendt til 926 minkavleres firma e-Boks og bedt om oplysninger om deres ansatte, aldrig frem.

One expert at IDWeek says fecal microbiota transplants should be initiated before colectomy. Another says traditional therapeutics are still the best choice as not enough is known about FMT. …

What, if any, is the link between COVID-19 and vitamin D? Dr F. Perry Wilson digs into the data. …

New randomized controlled trial data show tocilizumab has a narrow role at best for treating COVID-19. …

Anthrax -- LesothoThis article was originally published here Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 19;17(20):E7584. doi:10.3390/ijerph17207584.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Although anthrax occurs globally, the burden of the disease remains particularly high in Africa. Furthermore, the disease anthrax has significant public health and economic implications. However, sufficient attention has not been given to the geographic distribution of anthrax outbreaks and cases in Lesotho. Therefore, this study…

COVID-19 -- IrelandAbstract--------Cross-reactive immune responses elicited by seasonal coronaviruses might impact SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and disease outcomes. We measured neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 in pre-pandemic sera from patients with prior PCR-confirmed seasonal coronavirus infection. While neutralizing activity against seasonal coronaviruses was detected in nearly all sera, cross-reactive neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 was undetectable.Introduction------------Since…

Listeriosis -- United StatesCDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) are investigating a multistate outbreak of _Listeria monocytogenes_ infections linked to deli meats.Latest outbreak information---------------------------At a glanceReported cases: 10States: 3Hospitalizations: 10Deaths: 1"10 people infected with the outbreak strain of _Listeria_ have been reported from Florida, Massachusetts,…

This report describes an investigation of 17 COVID-19 cases among a university's men's and women's soccer team in Chicago, Illinois.