scholarly journals The COVID-OUT study protocol: COVID-19 outbreak investigation to understand workplace SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the United Kingdom

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 201
Author(s):  
Yiqun Chen ◽  
Christina Atchison ◽  
Barry Atkinson ◽  
Chris Barber ◽  
Allan Bennett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Current Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Outbreak Investigation ◽  
Transmission Risk ◽  
Surface Sampling ◽  
Control Approach ◽  
The United Kingdom

Preventing SARS-CoV-2 transmission and protecting people from COVID-19 is the most significant public health challenge faced in recent years. COVID-19 outbreaks are occurring in workplaces and evidence is needed to support effective strategies to prevent and control these outbreaks. Investigations into these outbreaks are routinely undertaken by public health bodies and regulators in the United Kingdom (UK); however, such investigations are typically disparate in nature with a lack of consistency across all investigations, preventing meaningful analysis of the data collected. The COVID-OUT (COVID-19 Outbreak investigation to Understand Transmission) study aims to collect a consistent set of data in a systematic way from workplaces that are experiencing outbreaks, to understand SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk factors, transmission routes, and the role they play in the COVID-19 outbreaks. Suitable outbreak sites are identified from public health bodies. Following employer consent to participate, the study will recruit workers from workplaces where there are active outbreaks. The study will utilise data already collected as part of routine public health outbreak investigations and collect additional data through a comprehensive questionnaire, viral and serologic testing of workers, surface sampling, viral genome sequencing, and an environmental assessment of building plans, ventilation and current control measures. At each site, a detailed investigation will be carried out to evaluate transmission routes. A case-control approach will be used to compare workers who have and have not had SARS-CoV-2 infections during the outbreak period to assess transmission risk factors. Data from different outbreaks will be combined for pooled analyses to identify common risk factors, as well as factors that differ between outbreaks. The COVID-OUT study can contribute to a better understanding of why COVID-19 outbreaks associated with workplaces occur and how to prevent these outbreaks from happening in the future.

scholarly journals Family cluster of three cases of monkeypox imported from Nigeria to the United Kingdom, May 2021

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (32) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma Hobson ◽  
James Adamson ◽  
Hugh Adler ◽  
Richard Firth ◽  
Susan Gould ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Index Case ◽  
West African ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Imported Case ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Health Response ◽  
The Family

Most reported cases of human monkeypox occur in Central and West Africa, where the causing virus is endemic. We describe the identification and public health response to an imported case of West African monkeypox from Nigeria to the United Kingdom (UK) in May 2021. Secondary transmission from the index case occurred within the family to another adult and a toddler. Concurrent COVID-19-related control measures upon arrival and at the hospital, facilitated detection and limited the number of potential contacts.

scholarly journals Trends in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Scotland, 2000-7

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
L F Anderson ◽  
I F Laurenson ◽  
O Blatchford ◽  
E Shakir ◽  
J McMenamin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Treatment Outcome ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Mdr Tb

Overall numbers of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) rose sharply in the United Kingdom and Scotland in 2007. Risk factors associated with MDR TB in the United Kingdom have been identified but there has been no previous report on risk factors associated with MDR TB in Scotland. Enhanced Surveillance of Mycobacterial Infections (ESMI) data were used to examine demographic and clinical characteristics and treatment outcome of MDR TB cases notified in Scotland between 2000-7. There was a total of 11 culture-positive cases of MDR TB, five of which were notified in 2007. The majority of patients were female, 15-44 years old and unemployed. All were born outside the United Kingdom and most had arrived within the past year from or frequently travelled to their home countries in China, the Indian subcontinent or Africa. Except for one individual, our patients did not self report a history of previous diagnosis of TB which was previously identified as a risk factor for MDR TB in the United Kingdom. Only three patients received directly observed treatment (DOT). Only two patients had completed treatment at 12 months, partially due to the inadequate length of follow-up under the current ESMI system. Our results suggest that most patients had primary resistance due to transmission of MDR TB in high incidence countries and thus point to the importance of international efforts to control MDR TB in these countries. In Scotland, national efforts should be made to increase the number of MDR TB patients receiving DOT and to extend follow-up to improve monitoring of treatment outcome. It is important to identify high risk groups for MDR TB infection in order to deliver effective community-based disease control measures.

scholarly journals Augmented renal clearance: a retrospective, cohort study of urinary creatinine clearance in critically ill patients in the United Kingdom

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 030006052110155
Author(s):  
Brian W Johnston ◽  
David Perry ◽  
Martyn Habgood ◽  
Miland Joshi ◽  
Anton Krige
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Creatinine Clearance ◽  
Renal Clearance ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Apache Ii ◽  
Apache Ii Score ◽  
Augmented Renal Clearance ◽  
Urinary Creatinine ◽  
The United Kingdom

Objective Augmented renal clearance (ARC) is associated with sub-therapeutic antibiotic, anti-epileptic, and anticoagulant serum concentrations leading to adverse patient outcomes. We aimed to describe the prevalence and associated risk factors for ARC development in a large, single-centre cohort in the United Kingdom. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study of critically unwell patients admitted to intensive care between 2014 and 2016. Urinary creatinine clearance was used to determine the ARC prevalence during the first 7 days of admission. Repeated measures logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for ARC development. Results The ARC prevalence was 47.0% (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 44.3%–49.7%). Age, sex, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, and sepsis diagnosis were significantly associated with ARC. ARC was more prevalent in younger vs. older (odds ratio [OR] 0.95 [95%CI: 0.94–0.96]), male vs. female (OR 0.32 [95%CI: 0.26–0.40]) patients with lower vs. higher APACHE II scores (OR 0.94 [95%CI: 0.92–0.96]). Conclusions This patient group probably remains unknown to many clinicians because measuring urinary creatinine clearance is not usually indicated in this group. Clinicians should be aware of the ARC risk in this group and consider measurement of urinary creatinine clearance.

scholarly journals A unique measles B3 cluster in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands linked to air travel and transit at a large international airport, February to April 2014

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Nic Lochlainn ◽  
Sema Mandal ◽  
Rita de Sousa ◽  
Karthik Paranthaman ◽  
Rob van Binnendijk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Virus Strain ◽  
Measles Virus ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
The Uk ◽  
In Transit

This report describes a joint measles outbreak investigation between public health officials in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Netherlands following detection of a measles cluster with a unique measles virus strain. From 1 February to 30 April 2014, 33 measles cases with a unique measles virus strain of genotype B3 were detected in the UK and the Netherlands, of which nine secondary cases were epidemiologically linked to an infectious measles case travelling from the Philippines. Through a combination of epidemiological investigation and sequence analysis, we found that measles transmission occurred in flight, airport and household settings. The secondary measles cases included airport workers, passengers in transit at the same airport or travelling on the same flight as the infectious case and also household contacts. This investigation highlighted the particular importance of measles genotyping in identifying transmission networks and the need to improve vaccination, public health follow-up and management of travellers and airport staff exposed to measles.

scholarly journals Women in Medicine: Dr. Theresa Tam

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Dunbar-Lavoie
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Health Gain ◽  
Career Trajectory ◽  
Leadership Positions ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Health Officer ◽  
Chief Public Health Officer

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam (BMBS (UK), FRCPC) attended medical school in the United Kingdom before immigrating to Canada where she trained in pediatrics and specialized in infectious disease. She has maintained a ‘pourquoi pas’ attitude throughout her career that has helped her realize her vocation in public health, gain experience in the healthcare field—both around the globe and on Canadian soil—and advance into prominent leadership positions. Today, as Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, known colloquially as Canada’s Top Doctor, Dr. Tam has been thrust into the spotlight as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article outlines her exciting career trajectory and explores the challenges she faces while informing Canadians of guidelines for staying healthy during the pandemic.

scholarly journals Public health implications of influenza B outbreaks in closed settings in the United Kingdom in the 2007/08 influenza season

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (38) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Mook ◽  
J Ellis ◽  
J M Watson ◽  
CI Thompson ◽  
M Zambon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Burden Of Disease ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Influenza Season ◽  
Influenza B ◽  
Influenza A Viruses ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
The United Kingdom

Several influenza B outbreaks occurred in closed settings late in the 2007/08 influenza season (October to mid-May) in the United Kingdom (UK), with implications for public health management. Influenza B viruses usually circulate late in the season and cause a milder disease than influenza A viruses [1]. Epidemics of influenza B usually occur every two to three years with the burden of disease falling predominantly on school-aged children [2].

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