Results of isolation and genotyping of measles viruses that circulated in 2012–2017 in the Odesa region

Background. The circulation of different strains of the measles virus is closely related to the region and the incidence rate since circulating strains can change during epidemic outbreaks and in interepidemic periods. According to the WHO, the B3 strain is most common during outbreaks worldwide. Therefore, typing of circulating strains of measles virus, especially during an epidemic outbreak, is an important process, inclu­ding for predicting the development of an epidemic. The study was aimed to identify and determine the genotype of measles virus types that circulate in Ukraine during 2012–2019. Materials and methods. Materials of the reporting documentation of the State Institution “Odessa Regional Laboratory Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine” in the Odessa region during 2012–2019 were used and analyzed. Materials from patients with suspected measles were used for molecular biological, genetic, analytical, and statistical approaches investigation. Following the standard WHO protocol for sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, circulating measles virus strains were isolated from the patient in a special culture of Vero/SLAM cells. Measles virus RNA was isolated from the resulting virus-containing material after cultivation and RT-PCR was performed. The resulting cDNA was sent for genotyping, which was carried out at the WHO reference labo­ratory for the diagnosis of measles and rubella in Luxembourg (WHO RRL). Results. Twenty strains of measles virus from 45 samples (urine and nasopharyngeal swabs) from patients diagnosed with measles were isolated during 2012–2014. Virus isolation was not carried out in 2015–2016 due to isolated cases of the disease. Twenty-four virus strains from 164 samples were isolated in 2017. Conclusions. The results obtained at the State Institution “Odessa Regional Laboratory Center” demonstrated that during the interepidemic period of 2012–2014, the D4 geno­type circulated in the region. But since 2017, when there was an increas of cases associated with a new epidemic outbreak, B3, genetic line MVs/Kabul.AFG/20.2014/3 B3 mainly circulates in the region of southern Ukraine. As you can see, these data completely coin­cide with the data about circulating genotypes that were found at a certain time in the European Region, according to the data from the literature.

All you want to know about the arrhythmia: A comprehensive, nationwide registry study of atrial fibrillation in Finland

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District Funding The Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research OnBehalf FinACAF Introduction The number of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients is increasing, and thus, the socio-medico-economic impact of AF is exploding. Up-to-date, multifaceted data about the characteristics of AF patients, their treatments, and outcomes are urgently needed. Purpose The aim of the Finnish AntiCoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation (FinACAF) study is to evaluate the incidence and prevalence of AF, risk of stroke, thromboembolic complications, myocardial infarction, major bleeding events, and mortality in AF patients using comprehensive nationwide registries regulated by law. Assessment of the socio-medico-economic aspects of AF and the effect of socio-economic factors on the AF treatment play a central role in this study. Methods The FinACAF study collects data from 411 000 patients covering all Finnish AF patients from 1st January 2004 to 31st December 2018. Using national unique personal identification number, individual patient data from ten nationwide population registries and six regional laboratory databases (∼282000, 77 % of the patients) are linked together. All the register data were obtained during Q1-Q2/2020. The main results will be expected during Q1-2/2021. Results Since the introduction of the national primary care register in 2012, 9% of all AF patients were identified outside hospital care registers. The total number of AF patients on 31st December 2018 was 227 114, which translates to an AF prevalence of 4.1% in Finland (population of 5 517 900). The Table represents the registries used in the FinACAF study. Conclusions The FinACAF study records all patient contacts with the health care institutions and organizations, as well as incomes and places of domicile. Thus, the database allows a unique possibility to investigate the epidemiology and socio-medico-economic impact of AF as well as the cost effectiveness of different AF management strategies in a completely unselected, nationwide population. This data will markedly help "leading with data" when the increasing number of AF patients are treated. The registries used in the FinACAF study Register Registry Information obtained Finnish Care Register for Health Care: Primary, Hospital and Social care registries National Institute for Health and Welfare Diagnosis (ICD-10), procedure codes and date; non-hospital institutionalizations National Prescription Register, National Reimbursement Register The Social Insurance Institution of Finland Drug purchases (date, ATC codes, amount), Reimbursement decisions for chronic diseases (date, ICD-10) National Causes of Death Register, The Register of Completed Education and Degrees Statistics Finland Deaths and causes of deaths (ICD-10), Education and socio-economic status National Cancer Registry (1st Jan 1950 to 31st Dec 2018) Finnish Cancer Registry National registry of all cancer cases (e.g. date, ICD-O-3, TNM) Population Register, Tax register Population Register Center, Tax Administration Places of domicile, Income and taxes Laboratory databases (1st Jan 2010 to 31st Dec 2018) Six largest regional laboratory databases INR and other relevant laboratory measurements

Prevalence of respiratory viral infections in Ukraine in the context of global warming

The International Panel on Climate Change and the World Meteorological Organization confirms risks of global warming. There is a growing interest in the prevalence of respiratory viral infections due to the current climate change. The aim of the research was to study and analyze the dynamics of prevalence of acute respiratory viral infections/influenza for 2006–2018 in Ukraine in relation to global warming. Materials and methods. In the course of the research, information and analytical reports provided by the Ternopil Regional Laboratory Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine on the incidence of respiratory viral infections in 24 regions of Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea were used. Results. In Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Rivne, Sumy, Volyn, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhia, Zakarpattia, Khmelnytsky, Cherkasy, Odesa, Kherson, and Mykolayiv regions, there was an annual grow of morbidity, with varying degree, compared to 2006. In Poltava, Ternopil and Chernihiv regions level of viral infection was lower than in 2006 only in two or three years of the 12-year research period. In Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi and Dnipropetrovsk regions, about half of the studied years were characterized by the grow of morbidity from influenza compared to 2006, and in other years after the decrease there was a tendency to increase of morbidity from influenza. Only in Lviv and Kharkiv regions the level of morbidity from respiratory viral infection was higher only in 2007 and 2009 compared to 2006. In Luhansk, Donetsk regions and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, in the period 2007–2013 the grow of influenza prevalence was observed compared to 2006. Conclusion. Thus, in the context of increasing global warming in Ukraine from 2006 to 2018, there was a higher level of influenza/acute respiratory viral infections, compared to the period up to 2006. Keywords: respiratory viral infections, global warming.

Association of Pre-COVID-19 Lymphocytopenia with Fatality

Lymphocytopenia during the COVID-19 has been associated with fatality. We tested whether pre-existing lymphocytopenia reported prior to any possible exposure to SARS-COV2 (from 2010 to 2019) was associated with fatality. Using all patients diagnosed on testing in a single regional laboratory, we identified 1137 subjects with PCR positive for SARS-COV2 and at least one available complete blood count from the decade prior to any possible exposure to the virus. Bivariate analysis indicated an association between pre-existing lymphocytopenia (defined as absolute lymphocyte count <0.9×109 /L) and fatality (18% versus 4%). Furthermore, a logistic regression model, accounting for both patient age and number of blood counts obtained, indicated the subjects with pre-existing lymphocytopenia were 1.4 times as likely to die. Because the absolute lymphocyte count is almost universally available and easily interpreted, this biomarker of the risk of fatality could be widely useful.

RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF LEPTOSPIROSIS MORBIDITY IN IVANO-FRANKIVSK REGION (EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS)

The aim: To perform a retrospective analysis of leptospirosis morbidity in Ivano-Frankivsk region, to give the etiological characteristics of leptospirosis according to clinicallaboratory parameters, to determine the peculiarities of the course, prognostic features. Materials and methods: Data of the State Enterprise “Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Laboratory Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine”, reports and abstracts of medical records of the Regional Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital for 2009-2018 were used. Clinical observation of patients, analysis of general-clinical, biochemical, and serological indices were carried out. Results: The leptospirosis morbidity in Ivano-Frankivsk region during 2009-2018 was higher than in general in Ukraine. Activation of foci of leptospirosis L. pomona and grippotyphosa in 2009-2013, decrease of L. grippotyphosa and increase of L. pomona foci and “new” L. autumnalis, australis, bataviae, cynopteri in 2014-2018 were noted. The emergence of leptospirosis L. autumnalis, which had a high virulence and caused a severe course, was noted. Conclusions: The leptospirosis morbidity in the Ivano-Frankivsk region over the past 10 years has exceeded the incidence in Ukraine and varied within 0.62-2.2 per 100,000. During the last 5 years, the serological structure has changed: L. pomona (27.7%) prevailed, L. grippotyphosa decreased (2.1%), L. bataviae and cynopteri, autumnalis increased (by 8.5%). Seasonality is shifted in the autumn-winter period (November-February) (L. grippotyphosa, australis, pomona, canicola). According to forecasts, leptospirosis induced by L. autumnalis was most adverse. Leptospiroses of serogroups L. australis, bataviae, cynopteri had a mild course, there were fewer complications.