This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 5-11 October 2024 and includes updates on measles, mpox, avian influenza, West Nile virus, dengue, Marburg virus disease, a new strain of multidrug-resistant Shigella Sonnei ST152, and an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 5-11 October 2024 and includes updates on measles, mpox, avian influenza, West Nile virus, dengue, Marburg virus disease, a new strain of multidrug-resistant Shigella Sonnei ST152, and an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA.

Dette efterår kan du igen få overblik over vaccinedækningen for covid-19 og influenza.

Linda Girgis, MD, shares the World Health Organization\'s latest clinical practice guidelines for influenza for the 2024-2025 season and best practices to consider for primary care physicians. MDedge…

The CDC said the influenza vaccine being used this flu season might be less effective than the one used last flu season. WebMD Health News…

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 28 September - 4 October 2024 and includes updates on Marburg virus disease, Mpox, avian influenza A(H5N1) human cases, an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, West Nile virus, dengue, SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, and chikungunya.

BackgroundAfter most COVID-19 pandemic control measures were lifted in 2022, many infectious diseases re-emerged. An increase in invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) infections among adults and young children was reported by several countries. Viral infections including influenza and varicella, known risk factors for iGAS infection, also increased. AimTo estimate the proportion of GAS skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) and pneumonia/sepsis in children (≤ 5 years) attributable to varicella, and the proportion of GAS pneumonia/sepsis in children and adults attributable to potentially predisposing respiratory viruses influenza A and B, RSV, hMPV and SARS-CoV-2 in the Netherlands. MethodsWe performed time series regression using weekly data on respiratory viruses, varicella and non-invasive GAS infections and GAS isolates cultured from blood, lower airways, skin, pus and wounds, from January 2010 to March 2023. ResultsIn 2010–19, 50% (95% CI: 36–64) of GAS SSTI in children were attributable to varicella. Between January 2022 and March 2023, 34% (95% CI: 24–43) of GAS SSTI cases were attributable to varicella. Of iGAS pneumonia/sepsis between January 2022 and March 2023, 34% (95% CI: 20–49) and 25% (95% CI: 18–32) was attributable to respiratory virus infections in children and adults, respectively, with the largest contributor (17%) being influenza A. ConclusionsPredisposing viral infections likely contributed to, but cannot fully explain, the observed iGAS increase among children and adults in 2022–23 in the Netherlands. Public health measures to control viral infections, such as vaccination against varicella or influenza, might reduce the iGAS disease burden. …

BackgroundOutbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on poultry farms and in wild birds worldwide persists despite intensified control measures. It causes unprecedented mortality in bird populations and is increasingly affecting mammalian species. Better understanding of HPAI introduction pathways into farms are needed for targeted disease prevention and control. The relevance of airborne transmission has been suggested but research involving air sampling is limited and unequivocal evidence on transmission routes is lacking. AimWe aimed to investigate whether HPAI virus from wild birds can enter poultry houses through air inlets by characterising host materials through eukaryote DNA sequencing. MethodsWe collected particulate matter samples in and around three HPAI-affected poultry farms which were cleared and decontaminated before sampling. Indoor measurements (n = 61) were taken directly in the airflow entering through air inlets, while outdoor air samples (n = 60) were collected around the poultry house. Positive controls were obtained from a bird rehabilitation shelter. We performed metabarcoding on environmental DNA by deep sequencing 18S rRNA gene amplicons. ResultsWe detected waterbird DNA in air inside all three, and outside of two, poultry farms. Sequences annotated at species level included swans and tufted ducks. Waterbird DNA was present in all indoor and outdoor air samples from the bird shelter. ConclusionAirborne matter derived from contaminated wild birds can potentially introduce HPAI virus to poultry houses through air inlets. The eDNA metabarcoding could assess breaches in biosecurity for HPAI virus and other pathogens potentially transmitted through air via detection of their hosts. …

During 2023/24, all children aged 6 to 59 months were targeted for seasonal influenza vaccination in Spain nationally. Using a test-negative case–control design with sentinel surveillance data, we estimated adjusted influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) against any influenza type to be 70% (95% confidence interval (CI): 51 to 81%) for primary care patients with acute respiratory illness (ARI) and 77% (95% CI: 21 to 93%) for hospitalised patients with severe ARI. In primary care, where most subtyped viruses (61%; 145/237) were A(H1N1), adjusted IVE was 77% (95% CI: 56 to 88%) against A(H1N1)pdm09. …

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 28 September - 4 October 2024 and includes updates on Marburg virus disease, Mpox, avian influenza A(H5N1) human cases, an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, West Nile virus, dengue, SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, and chikungunya.

This report describes the effectiveness of the seasonal influenza vaccine in five South American countries.

Statens Serum Institut påviser, at covid-19 har været forbundet med mere end dobbelt så mange indlæggelser og dødsfald set i forhold til influenza.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 21-27 September 2024 and includes updates on mpox, dengue, West Nile virus, avian influenza, influenza, swine influenza, cholera, poliomyelitis, and an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 21-27 September 2024 and includes updates on mpox, dengue, West Nile virus, avian influenza, influenza, swine influenza, cholera, poliomyelitis, and an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA.

BackgroundInfluenza viruses can cause large seasonal epidemics with high healthcare impact and severity as they continually change their virological properties such as genetic makeup over time. AimWe aimed to monitor the characteristics of circulating influenza viruses over the 2022/23 influenza season in the EU/EEA countries. In addition, we wanted to compare how closely the circulating viruses resemble the viral components selected for seasonal influenza vaccines, and whether the circulating viruses had acquired resistance to commonly used antiviral drugs. MethodsWe performed a descriptive analysis of the influenza virus detections and characterisations reported by National Influenza Centres (NIC) from the 30 EU/EEA countries from week 40/2022 to week 39/2023 to The European Surveillance System (TESSy) as part of the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS). ResultsIn the EU/EEA countries, the 2022/23 influenza season was characterised by co-circulation of A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B/Victoria-lineage viruses. The genetic evolution of these viruses continued and clade 6B.1A.5a.2a of A(H1N1)pdm09, 3C.2a1b.2a.2b of A(H3N2) and V1A.3a.2 of B/Victoria viruses dominated. Influenza B/Yamagata-lineage viruses were not reported. DiscussionThe World Health Organization (WHO) vaccine composition recommendation for the northern hemisphere 2023/24 season reflects the European virus evolution, with a change of the A(H1N1)pdm09 component, while keeping the A(H3N2) and B/Victoria-lineage components unchanged. …

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 14-20 September 2024 and includes updates on severe floods in Central and Eastern Europe, Mpox, West Nile virus, avian influenza A(H5N1), and an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA.

Repræsentanter fra 22 lande i Europa samt ECDC og WHO mødes i denne uge i København til en 3-dages workshop for at udveksle erfaringer og diskutere nye metoder og muligheder til overvågning af overdødelighed under epidemier som covid-19 og influenza.

This report describes levels of influenza A virus and the H5 subtype detected in wastewater in some states.

This Reporting Protocol describes data collection for influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory viruses (such as RSV or new viruses of public health concern) in the EU/EEA and wider WHO European Region. Data collection is integrated for most datasets in line with the operational considerations for respiratory virus surveillance in Europe.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 7- 13 September 2024 and includes updates on respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, West Nile virus, mpox, measles, Avian influenza, dengue and mass gathering monitoring for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This report describes the Advisory Committe on Immunization Practices recommendation for use of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine for American Indian and Alaska Native infants.

British drugmaker GSK announced on Thursday positive results from a mid-stage trial of its seasonal influenza vaccine programme using the messenger RNA (mRNA) technology,... Reuters Health Information…

Statens Serum Institut (SSI) er i fuld gang med at udsende invitationer til vaccination mod influenza og covid-19 til alle, der er fyldt 65 år. SSI sikrer også, at vaccinerne leveres, så vaccinationsstederne er klar den 1. oktober, hvor vaccinationsperioden begynder.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 31 August - 6 September 2024 and includes updates on mpox, West Nile virus, SARS-CoV-2 variants, influenza A(H5N1), human cases of swine influenza A(H1N1), an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, and mass gathering monitoring for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 31 August - 6 September 2024 and includes updates on mpox, West Nile virus, SARS-CoV-2 variants, influenza A(H5N1), human cases of swine influenza A(H1N1), an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, and mass gathering monitoring for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 31 August - 6 September 2024 and includes updates on mpox, West Nile virus, SARS-CoV-2 variants, influenza A(H5N1), human cases of swine influenza A(H1N1), an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, and mass gathering monitoring for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 31 August - 6 September 2024 and includes updates on mpox, West Nile virus, SARS-CoV-2 variants, influenza A(H5N1), human cases of swine influenza A(H1N1), an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, and mass gathering monitoring for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

IntroductionRespiratory sentinel surveillance systems leveraging computerised medical records (CMR) use phenotyping algorithms to identify cases of interest, such as acute respiratory infection (ARI). The Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC) is the English primary care-based sentinel surveillance network. AimThis study describes and validates the RSC’s new ARI phenotyping algorithm. MethodsWe developed the phenotyping algorithm using a framework aligned with international interoperability standards. We validated our algorithm by comparing ARI events identified during the 2022/23 influenza season in England through use of both old and new algorithms. We compared clinical codes commonly used for recording ARI. ResultsThe new algorithm identified an additional 860,039 cases and excluded 52,258, resulting in a net increase of 807,781 cases (33.84%) of ARI compared to the old algorithm, with totals of 3,194,224 cases versus 2,386,443 cases. Of the 860,039 newly identified cases, the majority (63.7%) were due to identification of symptom codes suggestive of an ARI diagnosis not detected by the old algorithm. The 52,258 cases incorrectly identified by the old algorithm were due to inadvertent identification of chronic, recurrent, non-infectious and other non-ARI disease. ConclusionWe developed a new ARI phenotyping algorithm that more accurately identifies cases of ARI from the CMR. This will benefit public health by providing more accurate surveillance reports to public health authorities. This new algorithm can serve as a blueprint for other CMR-based surveillance systems wishing to develop similar phenotyping algorithms. …

This report describes the first known cluster of U.S. human influenza A(H5) cases.

This report provides new CDC recommendations for the upcoming flu season.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 17-23 August 2024 and includes updates on Mpox, dengue, West Nile virus, Legionnaires\' disease, influenza A(H5N1), poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), mass gathering monitoring of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in France, and poliomyelitis.

This perspective summarises and explains the long-term surveillance framework 2021–2027 for infectious diseases in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) published in April 2023. It shows how shortcomings in the areas of public health focus, vigilance and resilience will be addressed through specific strategies in the coming years and how these strategies will lead to stronger surveillance systems for early detection and monitoring of public health threats as well as informing their effective prevention and control. A sharper public health focus is expected from a more targeted list of notifiable diseases, strictly public-health-objective-driven surveillance standards, and consequently, leaner surveillance systems. Vigilance should improve through mandatory event reporting, more automated epidemic intelligence processing and increased use of genomic surveillance. Finally, EU/EEA surveillance systems should become more resilient by modernising the underlying information technology infrastructure, expanding the influenza sentinel surveillance system to other respiratory viruses for better pandemic preparedness, and increasingly exploiting potentially more robust alternative data sources, such as electronic health records and wastewater surveillance. Continued close collaboration across EU/EEA countries will be key to ensuring the full implementation of this surveillance framework and more effective disease prevention and control. …

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 10-16 August 2024 and includes updates on Mpox, West Nile virus, mass gathering monitoring of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in France, cholera, dengue, measles, human cases of swine influenza, and Chandipura virus disease.

This report describes four cases of nontypeable Haemophilus disease that occurred at an elementary school in Detroit, Michigan.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 3-9 August 2024 and includes updates on influenza A Legionnaires’ disease, mass gathering monitoring of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris 2024, West Nile virus infections, MERS-CoV and cholera. …

BackgroundA new respiratory virus surveillance platform, based on nationwide hospital laboratory data, was established in Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic. AimWe aimed to evaluate the performance of this platform with respect to the detection of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) from week 36 in 2020 to week 15 in 2023, and how it fits with the World Health Organization (WHO) mosaic surveillance framework. MethodsData of respiratory samples from hospitalised patients sent for laboratory confirmation of influenza virus or RSV from 25 general hospital laboratories nationwide were collected. We analysed the weekly number and percentage of samples positive for influenza virus or RSV vis-à-vis SARS-CoV-2 activity and compared data from the new surveillance platform with existing surveillance platforms. Using data in the new surveillance platform, we analysed early stages of a 2021 out-of-season RSV outbreak and evaluated the capabilities of the new surveillance system with respect to objectives and domains of the WHO mosaic framework. ResultsThe new hospital-laboratory surveillance platform captured the activity of influenza virus and RSV, provided crucial data when outpatient sentinel surveillance was not operational and supported an out-of-season RSV outbreak investigation. The new surveillance platform fulfilled important objectives in all three domains of the mosaic framework and could serve for gathering additional information to fulfil more domain objectives. ConclusionThe new hospital laboratory surveillance platform provided essential data during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, fulfilled important domain objectives of the mosaic framework and could be adapted for the surveillance of other viruses. …

BackgroundHealthcare personnel (HCP) are at high risk for respiratory infections through occupational exposure to respiratory viruses. AimWe used data from a prospective influenza vaccine effectiveness study in HCP to quantify the incidence of acute respiratory infections (ARI) and their associated presenteeism and absenteeism. MethodsAt the start and end of each season, HCP at two Israeli hospitals provided serum to screen for antibodies to influenza virus using the haemagglutination inhibition assay. During the season, active monitoring for the development of ARI symptoms was conducted twice a week by RT-PCR testing of nasal swabs for influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Workplace presenteeism and absenteeism were documented. We calculated incidences of influenza- and RSV-associated ARI and applied sampling weights to make estimates representative of the source population. ResultsThe median age of 2,505 participating HCP was 41 years, and 70% were female. Incidence was 9.1 per 100 person-seasons (95% CI: 5.8–14.2) for RT-PCR-confirmed influenza and 2.5 per 100 person-seasons (95% CI: 0.9–7.1) for RSV illness. Each season, 18–23% of unvaccinated and influenza-negative HCP seroconverted. The incidence of seroconversion or RT-PCR-confirmed influenza was 27.5 per 100 person-seasons (95% CI: 17.8–42.5). Work during illness occurred in 92% (95% CI: 91–93) of ARI episodes, absence from work in 38% (95% CI: 36–40). ConclusionInfluenza virus and RSV infections and associated presenteeism and absenteeism were common among HCP. Improving vaccination uptake among HCP, infection control, and encouraging sick HCP to stay home are important strategies to reduce ARI incidence and decrease the risk of in-hospital transmission. …

This Reporting Protocol describes data collection for influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory viruses (such as RSV or new viruses of public health concern) in the EU/EEA and wider WHO European Region. Data collection is integrated for most datasets in line with the operational considerations for respiratory virus surveillance in Europe.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 20 - 26 July and includes updates on Avian influenza A(H5N6), SARS-CoV-2 variant classification, Overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), cholera, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Oropouche virus disease, Seasonal surveillance of West Nile virus infections, Mass gathering monitoring - Olympic and Paralympic Games, Nipah virus disease.

The United Nations\' Food and Agriculture Organization on Thursday called for an urgent and unified response to an \'alarming\' rise in avian influenza in humans and animals... Reuters Health Information…

We investigated the thermostability of four European avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses in whole and semi-skimmed milk and their replication in bovine kidney and lung cells amid the current influenza A(H5N1) dairy cattle outbreak in the United States. Results showed strain-dependent differences in thermal inactivation, particularly in whole milk, and variable replication efficacy in lung cells. These findings support assessing the inactivation of European H5N1 viruses in milk and their replication in bovine cells, aiding biosafety protocols and public health measures. …

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 20 - 26 July and includes updates on Avian influenza A(H5N6), SARS-CoV-2 variant classification, Overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), cholera, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Oropouche virus disease, Seasonal surveillance of West Nile virus infections, Mass gathering monitoring - Olympic and Paralympic Games, Nipah virus disease.

This report describes symptom monitoring and testing among exposed dairy and poultry workers in Michigan during the H5N1 outbreak.

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 13-19 July 2024 and includes updates on influenza A(H5N1), Measles, Overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, ), Cholera, Seasonal surveillance of West Nile virus infections and Mass gathering monitoring.

HHS awards $176 to Moderna to develop an mRNA pandemic influenza vaccine and orders 4.8 million doses of a cell-based vaccine. Medscape Medical News…

The link between flu and myocardial infarction reinforces the value of the influenza vaccine and raises the possibility of prophylactic anticoagulation to reduce risk. Medscape Medical News…

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 6–12 July 2024 and includes updates on imported Oropouche human infections, Seasonal surveillance of West Nile virus infections, Locally acquired dengue, Yersinia enterocolitica, Cholera, Overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, Influenza A(H5N1), Mass gathering monitoring, Mpox and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

BackgroundWastewater surveillance is an effective approach to monitor population health, as exemplified by its role throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. AimThis study explores the possibility of extending wastewater surveillance to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, focusing on identifying priority pathogen targets that are relevant and feasible to monitor in wastewater for these events. MethodsA list of 60 pathogens of interest for general public health surveillance for the Games was compiled. Each pathogen was evaluated against three inclusion criteria: (A) analytical feasibility; (B) relevance, i.e. with regards to the specificities of the event and the characteristics of the pathogen; and (C) added value to inform public health decision-making. Analytical feasibility was assessed through evidence from peer-reviewed publications demonstrating the detectability of pathogens in sewage, refining the initial list to 25 pathogens. Criteria B and C were evaluated via expert opinion using the Delphi method. The panel consisting of some 30 experts proposed five additional pathogens meeting criterion A, totalling 30 pathogens assessed throughout the three-round iterative questionnaire. Pathogens failing to reach 70% group consensus threshold underwent further deliberation by a subgroup of experts. ResultsSix priority targets suitable for wastewater surveillance during the Games were successfully identified: poliovirus, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, mpox virus, SARS-CoV-2 and measles virus. ConclusionThis study introduced a model framework for identifying context-specific wastewater surveillance targets for a mass gathering. Successful implementation of a wastewater surveillance plan for Paris 2024 could incentivise similar monitoring efforts for other mass gatherings globally. …

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 29 June−5 July 2024 and includes updates on SARS-CoV-2 variant classification, swine influenza, an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, parvovirus infection, avian influenza, West Nile virus infections, mass gatherings and botulism. …

This issue of the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) covers the period 29 June−5 July 2024 and includes updates on SARS-CoV-2 variant classification, swine influenza, an overview of respiratory virus epidemiology in the EU/EEA, parvovirus infection, avian influenza, West Nile virus infections, mass gatherings and botulism. …