Background. On 22 June 2011, 8 patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or bloody diarrhea were reported in France. All 8 were attendees of a community center event on 8 June near Bordeaux. ...Three Escherichia coli cases were confirmed by isolation of Shiga toxin—producing E. coli O104:H4 stx2 aggR producing a cefotaximase (CTX-M) β-lactamase (STEC O104:H4); the same rare serotype caused the outbreak in Germany in May—July 2011. An investigation was initiated to describe the outbreak, identify the vehicle for infection, and guide control measures. Methods. We conducted a retrospective cohort study among all adults attending the event, including food handlers. A standardized questionnaire was administered to participants. A case was an attendee who developed HUS or diarrhea between 8 and 24 June. Cases were confirmed by isolation of STEC O104:H4 or O104 serology. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by exposure were calculated using a Poisson regression model. Results. Twenty-four cases were identified (14% attack rate). Of these, 18 (75%) were women, 22 (92%) were adults, 7 (29%) developed HUS, 5 (21%) developed bloody diarrhea, and 12 (50%) developed diarrhea. Ten (42%) cases were confirmed. Fenugreek was the only sprout type with an independent association to illness (RR, 5.1; 95% CI, 2.3-11.1) in multivariable analysis. Conclusions. This investigation identified a point-source STEC O104:H4 outbreak associated with consumption of fenugreek sprouts. Comparison of results from French and German STEC O104:H4 outbreak investigations enabled identification of a common food vehicle, fenugreek sprouts, and resulted in implementation of Europe-wide control measures in July 2011.
Travel-associated hepatitis A in Europe, 2009 to 2015 Beauté, Julien; Westrell, Therese; Schmid, Daniela ...
Euro surveillance : bulletin européen sur les maladies transmissibles,
05/2018, Volume:
23, Issue:
22
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
BackgroundTravel to countries with high or intermediate hepatitis A virus (HAV) endemicity is a risk factor for infection in residents of countries with low HAV endemicity.
The objective of this ...study was to estimate the risk for hepatitis A among European travellers using surveillance and travel denominator data.
We retrieved hepatitis A surveillance data from 13 European Union (EU)/ European Economic Area (EEA) countries with comprehensive surveillance systems and travel denominator data from the Statistical Office of the European Union. A travel-associated case of hepatitis A was defined as any case reported as imported.
From 2009 to 2015, the 13 countries reported 18,839 confirmed cases of hepatitis A, of which 5,233 (27.8%) were travel-associated. Of these, 39.8% were among children younger than 15 years. The overall risk associated with travel abroad decreased over the period at an annual rate of 3.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.7-2.7) from 0.70 cases per million nights in 2009 to 0.51 in 2015. The highest risk was observed in travellers to Africa (2.11 cases per million nights). Cases more likely to be reported as travel-associated were male and of younger age (< 25 years).
Travel is still a major risk factor for HAV infection in the EU/EEA, although the risk of infection may have slightly decreased in recent years. Children younger than 15 years accounted for a large proportion of cases and should be prioritised for vaccination.
Since mid-2016, hepatitis A virus (HAV) outbreaks, involving predominantly men who have sex with men (MSM), have affected countries in Europe and overseas. In France, HAV screening of blood donations ...in 2017 revealed a HAV-RNA prevalence ca fivefold higher than during 2015-16 (4.42/106 vs 0.86/106; p = 0.0005). In 2017, despite a higher male-to-female ratio (5.5 vs 0.7) and the identification of MSM-associated outbreak strains, only one of 11 infected male donors self-reported being a MSM.
Chikungunya in Europe Depoortere, E; Salmaso, S; Pompa, MG ...
Lancet,
03/2008, Volume:
371, Issue:
9614
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
... the ECDC and the European Commission assisted member states to share information, strengthen preparedness, enhance early warning and surveillance, extend Chikungunya diagnostic capacity, ...implement targeted blood-safety measures, and intensify control of imported goods such as lucky bamboos and used tyres (likely vehicles for vector importation).
Non-B HIV-1 samples collected in France between 1999 and 2001 were sequenced in the env, reverse transcriptase (RT), and protease genes (1) to characterize further the non-B strains circulating in ...the country, (2) to assess the importance of recombination, and (3) to describe the polymorphism of RT and protease genes and appreciate a possible impact on susceptibility to antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. The results show that, within a background of CRF02_AG predominance, there is a high genetic diversity of non-B isolates, including intersubtype recombinants. There is an extensive polymorphism of protease and RT genes compared with B consensus sequences; we have so far no data indicating that these non-B isolates may have reduced sensitivity to ARV drugs.
Des travaux menés à partir d'enquêtes nationales ont montré qu'à l'occasion d'une maladie sexuellement transmissible, les patients préviennent en général leur partenaire principal, mais les hommes ...sont moins nombreux que les femmes à le faire. En revanche, quel que soit leur sexe, ils préviennent plus rarement d'autres partenaires sexuels. Compte tenu du rôle des médecins dans la prise en charge de ces infections, les pratiques de 215 d'entre eux exerçant en région parisienne ont été analysées, à l'occasion d'un diagnostic récent de maladie sexuellement transmissible ou de VIH. La majorité d'entre eux incitent leurs patients à informer leur partenaire principal, mais se préoccupent moins nettement des partenaires occasionnels ou plus anciens. Les gynécologues sont les plus actifs à cet égard, à l'opposé des cliniciens exerçant dans des dispensaires antivénériens ou des structures hospitalières. Il apparaît ainsi que les hommes consultent dans des structures où on les incite moins activement à prévenir leurs partenaires. La conséquence peut en être un retard au diagnostic pour les femmes porteuses d'une infection asymptomatique, avec un impact potentiel sur leur santé en matière de reproduction.
PDF
