Emergence of enterovirus 71 C4a in Denmark, 2009 to 2013

Enterovirus (EV) 71 has emerged as a primary cause of severe neurologic enterovirus infection in the aftermath of the global polio eradication effort. Eleven subgenotypes of EV71 exist, the C4 subgenotype being associated with large outbreaks in Asia with high mortality rates. This subgenotype has rarely been reported in Europe. In the period between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2013 a total of 1,447 EV positive samples from 1,143 individuals were sent to the Statens Serum Institute (SSI), and 938 samples from 913 patients were genotyped at the Danish National World Health Organization Reference laboratory for Poliovirus at SSI. Echovirus 6 (E06) (n=141 patients), echovirus 30 (E30) (n=114), coxsackievirus A6 (CA06) (n=96) and EV71 (n=63) were the most prevalent genotypes. We observed a shift in circulating EV71 subgenotypes during the study period, with subgenotype C4 dominating in 2012. A total of 34 EV71 patients were found to be infected with strains of the C4 subgenotype, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that they belonged to the C4a lineage. In our study, the proportions of cases with cerebral and/or sepsis-like symptoms were similar in those affected by C4a (19/34) and those with C1 and C2 (15/35). The majority (n=30) of the 34 EV71 C4 cases were children ≤5 years of age, and males (n=22) were over-represented. Continued EV surveillance is required to monitor the spread of EV71 C4 in Denmark and the rest of Europe.

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Pyrethroid and Etofenprox Resistance in Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii from Vegetable Farms in Yaoundé, Cameroon: Dynamics, Intensity and Molecular Basis

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26185543 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (18) ◽

pp. 5543

Author(s):

Michael Piameu ◽

Philippe Nwane ◽

Wilson Toussile ◽

Konstantinos Mavridis ◽

Nadja Christina Wipf ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anopheles Gambiae ◽

Mortality Rates ◽

World Health ◽

Anopheles Coluzzii ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Metabolic Genes ◽

Anopheles Gambiae S.L ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Health Organization ◽

The City

Previous studies have indicated widespread insecticide resistance in malaria vector populations from Cameroon. However, the intensity of this resistance and underlying mechanisms are poorly known. Therefore, we conducted three cross-sectional resistance surveys between April 2018 and October 2019, using the revised World Health Organization protocol, which includes resistance incidences and intensity assessments. Field-collected Anopheles gambiae s.l. populations from Nkolondom, Nkolbisson and Ekié vegetable farms in the city of Yaoundé were tested with deltamethrin, permethrin, alpha-cypermethrin and etofenprox, using 1× insecticide diagnostic concentrations for resistance incidence, then 5× and 10× concentrations for resistance intensity. Subsamples were analyzed for species identification and the detection of resistance-associated molecular markers using TaqMan® qPCR assays. In Nkolbisson, both An. coluzzii (96%) and An. gambiae s.s. (4%) were found together, whereas only An. gambiae s.s. was present in Nkolondom, and only An. coluzzii was present in Ekié. All three populations were resistant to the four insecticides (<75% mortality rates―MR1×), with intensity generally fluctuating over the time between mod-erate (<98%―MR5×; ≥98%―MR10×) and high (76–97%―MR10×). The kdr L995F, L995S, and N1570Y, and the Ace-1 G280S-resistant alleles were found in An. gambiae from Nkolondom, at 73%, 1%, 16% and 13% frequencies, respectively, whereas only the kdr L995F was found in An. gambiae s.s. from Nkolbisson at a 50% frequency. In An. coluzzii from Nkolbisson and Ekié, we detected only the kdr L995F allele at 65% and 60% frequencies, respectively. Furthermore, expression levels of Cyp6m2, Cyp9k1, and Gste2 metabolic genes were highly upregulated (over fivefold) in Nkolondom and Nkolbisson. Pyrethroid and etofenprox-based vector control interventions may be jeopardized in the prospected areas, due to high resistance intensity, with multiple mechanisms in An. gambiae s.s. and An. coluzzii.

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Australian National Enterovirus Reference Laboratory annual report, 2017

Communicable Diseases Intelligence ◽

10.33321/cdi.2020.44.32 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

Author(s):

Jason A Roberts ◽

Linda K Hobday ◽

Aishah Ibrahim ◽

Bruce R Thorley

Keyword(s):

Surveillance System ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Performance Criterion ◽

World Health ◽

Reference Laboratory ◽

Surveillance Systems ◽

Disease Surveillance System ◽

Enterovirus A71 ◽

Clinical Surveillance ◽

Health Organization

Australia monitors its polio-free status by conducting surveillance for cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in children less than 15 years of age, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Cases of AFP in children are notified to the Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit or the Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance System and faecal specimens are referred for virological investigation to the National Enterovirus Reference Laboratory. In 2017, no cases of poliomyelitis were reported from clinical surveillance and Australia reported 1.33 non-polio AFP cases per 100,000 children, meeting the WHO performance criterion for a sensitive surveillance system. Three non-polio enteroviruses, coxsackievirus B1, echovirus 11 and enterovirus A71, were identified from clinical specimens collected from AFP cases. Australia established enterovirus and environmental surveillance systems to complement the clinical system focussed on children and an ambiguous vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 was isolated from sewage in Melbourne. In 2017, 22 cases of wild polio were reported with three countries remaining endemic: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan.

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Estimates of mortality rates in people with diabetes and cardiovascular disease using administrative pharmaceutical data

International Journal for Population Data Science ◽

10.23889/ijpds.v4i3.1166 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Shaun Purkiss ◽

Tessa Keegel ◽

Hassan Vally ◽

Dennis Wollersheim

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Mortality Risk ◽

Age Groups ◽

Mortality Rates ◽

World Health ◽

Data Set ◽

Medication Discontinuation ◽

Disease Mortality ◽

Health Organization

BackgroundQuantifying the mortality risk for people with diabetes is challenging because of associated comorbidities. The recording of cause specific mortality from accompanying cardiovascular disease in death certificate notifications has been considered to underestimate the overall mortality risk in persons with diabetes. Main AimDevelop a technique to quantify mortality risk from pharmaceutical administrative data and apply it to persons diagnosed with diabetes, and associated cardiovascular disease and dyslipidaemia before death. MethodsPersons with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and dyslipidaemia were identified in a publicly available Australian Pharmaceutical data set using World Health Organization anatomic therapeutic codes assigned to medications received. Diabetes associated multi-morbidity cohorts were constructed and a proxy mortality (PM) event determined from medication and service discontinuation. Estimates of mortality rates were calculated from 2004 for 10 years and compared persons with diabetes alone and associated cardiovascular disease and dyslipidemia. ResultsThis study identified 346,201 individuals within the 2004 calendar year as having received treatments for diabetes (n=51,422), dyslipidaemia (n=169,323) and cardiovascular disease including hypertension (n=280,105). Follow up was 3.3 x 106 person-years. Overall crude PM was 26.1 per 1000 person-years. PM rates were highest in persons with cardiovascular disease and diabetes in combination (47.5 per 100 person years). Statin treatments significantly improved the mortality rates in all persons with diabetes and cardiovascular disease alone and in combination over age groups >44 years (p<.001). Age specific diabetes PM rates using pharmaceutical data correlated well with Australian data from the National Diabetes Service Scheme (r=0.82) ConclusionProxy mortality events calculated from medication discontinuation in persons with chronic conditions can provide an alternative method to estimate disease mortality rates. The technique also allows the assessment of mortality risk in persons with chronic disease multi-morbidity.

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A cluster of rubella in Malta, December 2007 - January 2008

Eurosurveillance ◽

10.2807/ese.13.16.18840-en ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 13 (16) ◽

Author(s):

G Spiteri ◽

A-M Fenech Magrin ◽

M Muscat

Keyword(s):

Close Contact ◽

Control Unit ◽

World Health ◽

Work Place ◽

Reference Laboratory ◽

The Third ◽

Health Organization ◽

Travel Abroad ◽

In The Beginning ◽

And Control

A cluster of rubella has been identified by the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit (IDCU) of Malta in the beginning of January 2008. Two men and a woman aged between 23 and 28 years were affected. The index case had onset of illness on 23 December 2007. The second case had onset of rash on 3 January and the third case displayed symptoms on 6 January 2008. Two of the three cases were laboratory-confirmed (IgM positive), the third displayed typical symptoms and was a close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case but was IgM and IgG negative. None of the affected patients had received vaccination against rubella and there was no history of recent travel abroad. All three cases were linked through a work place. Blood samples were submitted to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Reference Laboratory for Measles and Rubella, Luxembourg, for further investigations. None of the cases had any complications. To date no further cases have been identified.

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Insecticide Resistance in Anopheles stephensi in Somali Region, Eastern Ethiopia

10.21203/rs.2.18020/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Solomon Yared ◽

Araya Gebressielasie ◽

Lambodhar Damodaran ◽

Victoria Bonnell ◽

Karen Lopez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Insecticide Resistance ◽

Anopheles Stephensi ◽

Mortality Rates ◽

Resistance Mechanisms ◽

World Health ◽

Malaria Vectors ◽

Eastern Ethiopia ◽

Pyrethroid Insecticides ◽

Pirimiphos Methyl ◽

Health Organization

Abstract Background: The movement of malaria vectors into new areas is a growing concern in the efforts to control malaria. The recent report of Anopheles stephensi in eastern Ethiopia has raised the necessity to understand the insecticide resistance status of the vector in the region to better inform vector-based interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate insecticide resistance in An. stephensi in eastern Ethiopia using two approaches: 1) World Health Organization (WHO) bioassay tests in An. stephensi and 2) genetic analysis of insecticide resistance genes in An. stephensi in eastern Ethiopia. Methods: Mosquito larvae and pupae were collected from Kebridehar. Insecticide susceptibility of An. stephensi was tested with malathion 5%, bendiocarb 0.1%, propoxur 0.1%, deltamethrin 0.05%, permethrin 0.75%, Pirimiphos-methyl 0.25% and DDT 4%, according to WHO standard protocols. Results: All An. stephensi samples were resistant to carbamates, with mortality rates 23% and 21% for bendiocarb and propoxur, respectively. Adult An. stephensi was also resistant to pyrethroid insecticides with mortality rates 67% for deltamethrin and 53% for permethrin. Resistance to DDT and malathion was detected in An. stephensi with mortality rates of 32% as well as An. stephensi was resistance to pirimiphos-methyl with mortality rates 14%. Analysis of the voltage gate sodium channel gene (vgsc) revealed the absence of kdr L1014 mutations. Conclusion: Overall, these findings support that An. stephensi is resistant to several classes of insecticides, most notably pyrethroids. However, the absence of the kdr L1014 gene may suggest non-target site resistance mechanisms. Continuous insecticide resistance monitoring should be carried out in the region to confirm the documented resistance and exploring mechanisms conferring resistance in An. stephensi in Ethiopia.

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Evaluating Percentage-Based Reporting of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) Enzymatic Activity in a National Reference Laboratory: Assessment of Patient Eligibility for Plasmodium vivax Radical Cure Therapy

American Journal of Clinical Pathology ◽

10.1093/ajcp/aqz116.005 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 152 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S82-S82

Author(s):

Emilia Calvaresi ◽

Jonathan Genzen

Keyword(s):

Normal Activity ◽

Population Based ◽

G6pd Activity ◽

World Health ◽

Reference Laboratory ◽

Data Sets ◽

Radical Cure ◽

Laboratory Assessment ◽

Data Set ◽

Health Organization

Abstract Objectives The World Health Organization recommends measurement of G6PD activity prior to initiation of 8-aminoquinolones for the treatment of P vivax malaria. An estimated 400 million people worldwide have G6PD deficiency, making them susceptible to hemolysis under oxidative stress. A new single-dose therapy (radical cure) for malaria with tafenoquine is contraindicated in patients with <70% normal G6PD activity due to its prolonged circulating half-life. However, most clinical laboratories report G6PD activity in units g/Hb or units/1012 RBC and do not provide percentage of normal activity, making potential eligibility determination challenging. Methods Using an IRB-exempt protocol, a limited data set of consecutive G6PD quantitative results was retrieved from the clinical laboratory’s enterprise data warehouse. Laboratory testing of these specimens was previously performed at 37°C using an automated enzymatic assay (Pointe Scientific) configured on a cobas c501 chemistry analyzer (Roche Diagnostics). Data were assembled to include adults age 18 to 89 years and excluded repeat results from the same patients as well as outliers. Conclusion The final data set included 52,216 results (female, 55.9%, n = 29,173; male, 44.1%, n = 23,043) from 47 US states. An adjusted male median (100% G6PD activity) was derived using an approach proposed by the Bangkok Workshop guidelines (Domingo et al., Malaria Journal, 2013), modified to more accurately differentiate bimodal peaks in population G6PD histograms. The laboratory-specific, adjusted male median was 12.7 U g/Hb and was similar to peak values derived from alternative curve-fitting approaches. Applying this median to gender-specific data sets, 5.4% of males and 3.8% of females were found to have <70% of normal activity (<8.9 U g/Hb). This study demonstrates the feasibility of percentage-based G6PD result reporting in adults; further studies will query percentage-based reporting in pediatric populations. Population-based medians will vary based on G6PD assay type and temperature and should be established by laboratories prior to percentage-based reporting.

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Childbirth care: contributing to the debate on human development

Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem ◽

10.1590/s0104-11692007000700013 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 15 (spe) ◽

pp. 792-798 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Cristina Maria Garcia de Lima Parada ◽

Maria Antonieta de Barros Leite Carvalhaes

Keyword(s):

Health Services ◽

Health System ◽

Human Development ◽

Quality Care ◽

Mortality Rates ◽

World Health ◽

Health Ministry ◽

Public Resources ◽

Health Organization ◽

Childbirth Care

This study aimed to evaluate care during childbirth and neonatal development in the interior of São Paulo in order to support managers responsible for formulating public policies on human development and allocating public resources to the women's healthcare. This epidemiological study focused on the evaluation of health services based on the observation of the assistance delivered by the Single Health System in 12 maternities and 134 delivers. The Brazilian Health Ministry or World Health Organization standards were adopted for comparison. The results revealed problems related to the structure of some maternities, where some well-proven practices in normal childbirth are still little used, whereas other prejudicial or ineffective ones are routinely used. Reversing this picture is essential in order to offer humanized quality care to women with consequent reductions in maternal and neonatal mortality rates, in such a way that the region achieves the millennium goals established for improving human development.

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Post-polio eradication: vaccination strategies and options for India

Healthcare in Low-resource Settings ◽

10.4081/hls.2014.1978 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Jayakrishnan Thayyil ◽

Thejus Jayakrishnan

Keyword(s):

International Health ◽

Main Tool ◽

Oral Polio Vaccine ◽

Polio Eradication ◽

World Health ◽

Wild Poliovirus ◽

Polio Vaccine ◽

Vaccination Strategies ◽

Health Agencies ◽

Health Organization

In 1988, the World Health Organization (WHO) resolved to eradicate poliomyelitis globally. Since then, the initiative has reported dramatic progress in decreasing the incidence of poliomyelitis and limiting the geographical extent of transmission. 2013 is recorded as the second consecutive year not reporting wild poliovirus (WPV) from India. If the country can retain this position for one more year India will be declared as polio eradicated. What should be the future vaccination strategies? We searched and reviewed the full text of the available published literature on polio eradication via PubMed and examined Internet sources and websites of major international health agencies. The oral polio vaccine (OPV) has been the main tool in the polio eradication program. Once WPV transmission is interrupted, the poliomyelitis will be caused only by OPV. India could expect 1 vaccine-associated paralytic polio per 4.2-4.6 million doses of OPV. Considering the threat of vaccine-derived viruses to polio eradication, WHO urged to develop a strategy to safely discontinue OPV after certification. The ultimate aim is to stop OPV safely and effectively, and eventually substitute with inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). The argument against the use of IPV is its cost. From India, field based data were available on the efficacy of IPV, which was better than OPV. IPV given intradermally resulted in seroconversion rates similar to full-dose intramuscular vaccine. The incremental cost of adopting IPV to replace OPV is relatively low, about US $1 per child per year, and most countries should be able to afford this additional cost.

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The Good COPD Guidelines

Canadian Respiratory Journal ◽

10.1155/2004/348131 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 15-16

Author(s):

Dennis Bowie

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Mortality Rates ◽

World Health ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

The Third ◽

Care Workers ◽

Prevalent Disease ◽

Health Organization

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is becoming an increasing problem for health care workers. The World Health Organization predicts that in the year 2020, this disease will be the fifth most prevalent disease worldwide, up from 12th place, and it will be the third most common cause of death, up from sixth place in 1997 (1). Hospitalization and mortality rates for COPD continue to rise in Canada (2). Therefore, the burden of COPD on Canadians, the health care system and physicians is obvious.

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Bulgaria’s response to cases of poliomyelitis caused by imported wild poliovirus

Weekly releases (1997–2007) ◽

10.2807/esw.05.45.02052-en ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 5 (45) ◽

Author(s):

F Reid

Keyword(s):

World Health Organization ◽

Polio Eradication ◽

World Health ◽

European Region ◽

Wild Poliovirus ◽

The World ◽

Health Organization

In May this year, Eurosurveillance Weekly reported on the occurrence of two cases of poliomyelitis in Bulgaria (1). These cases were important because they were the first of the disease in Bulgaria since 1991 and in Europe since 1998, and might therefore have constituted a setback for the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region, which was on track for certification of polio eradication (2). The patients – two children of Romany origin – were infected with a wild poliovirus closely related to a strain isolated from India in July 2000.

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