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A real-world study found that Pfizer\'s COVID-19 antiviral Paxlovid is now less effective at preventing hospitalization or death in high-risk patients as compared with earlier studies. WebMD Health News…

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 17-23 September 2023 and includes updates on Nipah virus disease, severe floods, COVID-19, West Nile Virus, Poliomyelitis, and mass gathering monitoring for the Rugby World Cup 2023.

The research in people with rheumatic diseases could have wider implications, including a blood-based biomarker to predict higher risk. Medscape Medical News…

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of supplemental creatine for fatigue, tissue bioenergetics, and patient-reported outcomes in patients with post–COVID-19 fatigue syndrome. MDedge News…

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 17-23 September 2023 and includes updates on Nipah virus disease, severe floods, COVID-19, West Nile Virus, Poliomyelitis, and mass gathering monitoring for the Rugby World Cup 2023.

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the Danish National Institute for Infectious Disease, Statens Serum Institute (SSI) developed a home-based SARS-CoV-2 surveillance system. AimsWe wanted to determine whether a cohort of individuals performing self-administered swabs for PCR at home could support surveillance of SARS-CoV-2, including detection and assessment of new variants. We also aimed to evaluate the logistical setup. MethodsFrom May to July 2022, 10,000 blood donors were invited to participate, along with their household members. Participation required performing a self-swab for 4 consecutive weeks and answering symptom questionnaires via a web app. Swabs were sent by post to SSI for PCR analysis and whole genome sequencing. After study completion, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning their experience. ResultsIn total, 2,186 individuals enrolled (47.4% blood donors), and 1,333 performed self-swabbing (53.0 blood donors), of whom 48 had at least one SARS-CoV-2-positive sample. Fourteen different Omicron subvariants, primarily BA.5 subvariants, were identified by whole genome sequencing (WGS). In total, 29 of the 63 SARS-CoV-2-positive samples were taken from individuals who were asymptomatic at the time of swabbing. Participants collected 2.9 swabs on average, with varying intervals between swabs. Transmission within households was observed in only three of 25 households. ConclusionParticipants successfully performed self-swabs and answered symptom questionnaires. Also, WGS analysis of samples was possible. The system can support surveillance of respiratory pathogens and also holds potential as a diagnostic tool, easing access to test for at-risk groups, while also reducing the burden on healthcare system resources. …

BackgroundThe sensitivity and specificity of selected antigen detection rapid diagnostic tests (AG-RDTs) for SARS-CoV-2 were determined in the unvaccinated population when the Delta variant was circulating. Viral loads, dynamics, symptoms and tissue tropism differ between Omicron and Delta. AimWe aimed to compare AG-RDT sensitivity and specificity in selected subgroups during Omicron vs Delta circulation. MethodsWe retrospectively paired AG-RDT results with PCRs registered in Czechia’s Information System for Infectious Diseases from 1 to 25 December 2021 (Delta, n = 20,121) and 20 January to 24 February 2022 (Omicron, n = 47,104). ResultsWhen confirmatory PCR was conducted on the same day as AG-RDT as a proxy for antigen testing close to peak viral load, the average sensitivity for Delta was 80.4% and for Omicron 81.4% (p 

The summer-long surge of COVID-19 may be peaking in some parts of the US, according to wastewater monitoring. WebMD Health News…

The rate of long COVID for children is "strikingly low," less than 1%, say researchers. WebMD Health News…

Statement from ECDC Director Andrea Ammon on the current state of influenza, RSV and COVID-19 with the arrival of autumn and winter.

The biosimilar, commercially called Tyenne, is indicated to treat several autoimmune diseases as well as cytokine release syndrome and COVID-19. Medscape Medical News…

In a study widely reported earlier this month and published Monday in The Lancet, Japanese researchers raised concerns that BA.2.86 may be \'spreading silently worldwide.\' WebMD Health News…

The American College of Physicians has issued an updated version of its living, rapid practice point guideline on the best treatment options for outpatients with confirmed COVID-19. MDedge News…

Symptoms like anosmia and parosmia lingered for years. Both conditions caused a deep and life-altering depression that pushed Henderson to the brink of hopelessness. Medscape Medical News…

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 10-16 September 2023 and includes updates on COVID-19, diphtheria, West Nile virus, avian influenza, dengue, legionnaires\' disease, the Rugby World Cup 2023, cutaneous Anthrax, pertussis, botulism and severe floods.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 10-16 September 2023 and includes updates on COVID-19, diphtheria, West Nile virus, avian influenza, dengue, legionnaires\' disease, the Rugby World Cup 2023, cutaneous Anthrax, pertussis, botulism and severe floods.

On the cusp of respiratory virus season, experts offer their guidance to primary care physicians about how to advise patients about vaccines for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. Medscape Medical News…

BackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic mitigation measures, including travel restrictions, limited global circulation of influenza viruses. In Australia, travel bans for non-residents and quarantine requirements for returned travellers were eased in November 2021, providing pathways for influenza viruses to be re-introduced. AimWe aimed to describe the epidemiological and virological characteristics of the re-emergence of influenza in Victoria, Australia to inform public health interventions. MethodsFrom 1 November 2021 to 30 April 2022, we conducted an epidemiological study analysing case notification data from the Victorian Department of Health to describe case demographics, interviewed the first 200 cases to establish probable routes of virus reintroduction and examined phylogenetic and antigenic data to understand virus diversity and susceptibility to current vaccines. ResultsOverall, 1,598 notifications and 1,064 positive specimens were analysed. The majority of cases (61.4%) occurred in the 15–34 years age group. Interviews revealed a higher incidence of international travel exposure during the first month of case detections, and high levels of transmission in university residential colleges were associated with return to campus. Influenza A(H3N2) was the predominant subtype, with a single lineage predominating despite multiple importations. ConclusionEnhanced testing for respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic provided a more complete picture of influenza virus transmission compared with previous seasons. Returned international travellers were important drivers of influenza reemergence, as were young adults, a group whose role has previously been under-recognised in the establishment of seasonal influenza epidemics. Targeting interventions, including vaccination, to these groups could reduce future influenza transmission. …

There\'s a concern that we don\'t yet know the true size of the surge because cost may lead some to skip testing. People who don\'t know they have COVID are unlikely to take precautions to stop its spread. WebMD Health News…

In a small study involving people with type 1 diabetes, most patients experienced mildly elevated glucose levels for a few days after receiving the booster, while a few had more dramatic spikes. Medscape Medical News…

However, an important take-home message from this new meta-analysis is that these widely used medications appeared to be safe even in acutely ill hospitalized patients, the researchers say. Medscape Medical News…

Newly recommended COVID booster shots are expected to be available within days after a flurry of required approvals and recommendations this week from the CDC and the FDA. WebMD Health News…

With COVID hospitalizing about 17,000 people a week in the US, according to the CDC, the CDC\'s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted nearly unanimously in favor of new XBB-containing shots. Medscape Medical News…

Today\'s recommendation is the second-to-last step needed before the new version of the shots can become available. WebMD Health News…

The FDA today authorized the newest COVID-19 vaccine, the first not to target the initial or \'ancestral\' strain of the virus. WebMD Health News…

Are your patients up to date with their vaccines? For people living with long COVID and other chronic conditions, the answer may not be so clear. Medscape Medical News…

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 3-9 September 2023 and includes updates on measles, MERS, COVID-19, mpox, iatrogenic botulism, echovirus, West Nile virus, dengue, Legionnaire\'s disease, swine flu, and mass gathering monitoring for the Rugby World Cup 2023.

Several SARS-CoV-2 variants that evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic have appeared to differ in severity, based on analyses of single-country datasets. With decreased testing and sequencing, international collaborative studies will become increasingly important for timely assessment of the severity of new variants. Therefore, a joint WHO Regional Office for Europe and ECDC working group was formed to produce and pilot a standardised study protocol to estimate relative case-severity of SARS-CoV-2 variants during periods when two variants were co-circulating. The study protocol and its associated statistical analysis code was applied by investigators in Denmark, England, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal and Scotland to assess the severity of cases with the Omicron BA.1 virus variant relative to Delta. After pooling estimates using meta-analysis methods (random effects estimates), the risk of hospital admission (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.31−0.54), admission to intensive care unit (aHR = 0.12; 95% CI: 0.05−0.27) and death (aHR = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.28−0.35) was lower for Omicron BA.1 compared with Delta cases. The aHRs varied by age group and vaccination status. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the feasibility of conducting variant severity analyses in a multinational collaborative framework and adds evidence for the reduced severity of the Omicron BA.1 variant. …

In recent years, field epidemiologists have embraced rapidly evolving digital tools, data sources and technologies, and collaborated with an ever-growing field of scientific specialisms. The COVID-19 pandemic put field epidemiology under unprecedented demand and scrutiny. As the COVID-19 emergency recedes, it is timely to reflect on the core values of our profession and the unique challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. In November 2022, alumni of the European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET) and the European Public Health Microbiology (EUPHEM) training programme celebrated 25 years of EPIET, and the present and future of field epidemiology was discussed. The output was recorded and qualitatively analysed. This Perspective reflects the authors’ interpretation of the discussion. We should reaffirm our commitment to field epidemiology’s core strengths: competence and rigour in epidemiology, surveillance, outbreak investigation and applied research, leading to timely and actionable evidence for public health. Our future success will be defined by an ability to adapt, collaborate, harness innovation, communicate and, ultimately, by our tangible impact on protecting and improving health. …

We present the findings from the European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET) Alumni Network (EAN) Member Survey conducted in October to December 2021. The EAN consists of field epidemiologists (EPIET) and public health microbiologists (European Public Health Microbiology Training Programme (EUPHEM)) who stay connected after their 2-year fellowship. This active alumni network provides opportunities for career development, mentorship, knowledge exchange and sharing of best practices for community members, affiliated professionals and public health organisations in Europe. Overall, 281 of 732 members participated in the survey. Of the 192 European fellowship alumni respondents, 173 (90%) indicated that skills and competencies acquired during their fellowship improved performance in their role compared with their abilities before the fellowship. Reported skills and competencies that could be further strengthened included data management/analysis, communication, mathematical modelling and leadership/team management. The EAN Member Survey provides valuable feedback to the EAN, as well as the fellowship programme offices at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and affiliated field epidemiology programmes. The COVID-19 pandemic was a stark reminder of how essential cross-border collaborations are for continued European health security. Maintaining and increasing the professional, well-trained workforce remains crucial for optimal response to infectious diseases and protection of public health. …

Since autumn 2022, observed numbers of paediatric invasive group A Streptococcus infections in Portugal (n = 89) were higher than in pre-COVID-19 seasons. Between September 2022 and May 2023, the dominant diagnoses were pneumonia (25/79), mostly with empyema (20/25), and sepsis (22/79). A number of cases required admission to intensive care (27/79) and surgery (35/79), and the case fatality rate was 5.1% (4/79). Genomic sequencing (n = 55) revealed multiple genetic lineages, dominated by the M1UK sublineage (26/55) and more diverse emm12 isolates (12/55). …

We describe 10 cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant BA.2.86 detected in Denmark, including molecular characteristics and results from wastewater surveillance that indicate that the variant is circulating in the country at a low level. This new variant with many spike gene mutations was classified as a variant under monitoring by the World Health Organization on 17 August 2023. Further global monitoring of COVID-19, BA.2.86 and other SARS-CoV-2 variants is highly warranted. …

In recent weeks, signals of SARS-CoV-2 transmission have increased from previously very low levels in the EU/EEA.

\'We think this is news people will want to hear as they prepare to go out and get their fall boosters.\' WebMD Health News…

It\'s estimated that 1 in 8 people with COVID develop long COVID; of those patients, 44% also experience headaches. Research has found that many of those headaches are migraines. Medscape Medical News…

The summertime surge in infections runs counter to expectations, since respiratory diseases usually peak during the winter months. Medscape Medical News…

In recent weeks, signals of SARS-CoV-2 transmission have increased from previously very low levels in the EU/EEA.

Today ECDC is providing an update on the current status of COVID-19 transmission in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA), the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, and public health considerations for Autumn 2023.

The updated vaccine better protects against currently circulating strains of the virus. WebMD Health News…

Having so many mutations increased the chance that it would behave differently from previous versions of the virus, possibly making it more dangerous. WebMD Health News…

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 27 August - 2 September and includes updates on Legionnaires’ disease, dengue cases, avian influenza, West Nile virus, COVID-19 and cholera.

Last week COVID-19 hospitalizations rose by 19% and deaths rose by 21%, according to figures from the CDC. WebMD Health News…

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 27 August - 2 September and includes updates on Legionnaires’ disease, dengue cases, avian influenza, West Nile virus, COVID-19 and cholera.

BackgroundWe anticipated that people in rural areas and small towns with lower population density, lower connectivity and jobs less dependent on social interaction will be less exposed to COVID-19. Still, other variables correlated with socioeconomic inequalities may have a greater impact on transmission. AimWe investigated how COVID-19 affected rural and urban communities in Poland, focussing on the most exposed groups and disparities in SARS-CoV-2 transmission. MethodsA random digit dial sample of Polish adults stratified by region and age was drawn from 29 March to 14 May 2021. Serum samples were tested for anti-S1 and anti-N IgG antibodies, and positive results in both assays were considered indicative of past infection. Seroprevalence estimates were weighted to account for non-response. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) were calculated using multivariable logistic regression. ResultsThere was serological evidence of infection in 32.2% (95% CI: 30.2–34.4) of adults in rural areas/small towns (

Measles cases have recently been increasing in Romania, with 460 confirmed cases by August 2023. From March 2023, measles cases increased, and outbreaks were recorded in Cluj, Bistrita Nasaud, Sibiu and Mures counties. New D8 virus variants were identified, different from the variants detected in Romania before the COVID-19 pandemic. We here provide epidemiological and molecular data on the current increase in measles cases in the context of the measles elimination process in the World Health Organization European Region. …

The authors studied the topic because, while vaccination and prior infection are known to provide some protection against infection, the virus has still been able to sometimes evade immunity. WebMD Health News…

BA 2.86 is a subvariant of Omicron, but according to reports from the CDC, the strain has many more mutations than the ones that came before it. WebMD Health News…

Crippling symptoms, lost careers and eroded incomes: This is the harsh reality for doctors suffering with long COVID. Medscape Medical News…

Just 7% of US adults are \'very worried\' about getting COVID-19, according to a new poll. WebMD Health News…

The move is important because, previously, some people with liver disease had limited treatment options for severe cases of COVID-19. WebMD Health News…