Reactive vaccination as control strategy for an outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis C:P1.5-1,10-8:F3-6:ST-11(cc11), Bergamo province,Italy, December 2019 to January 2020

In Italy, serogroup C meningococci of the clonal complex cc11 (MenC/cc11) have caused several outbreaks of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) during the past 20 years. Between December 2019 and January 2020, an outbreak of six cases of IMD infected with MenC/cc11 was identified in a limited area in the northern part of Italy. All cases presented a severe clinical picture, and two of them were fatal. This report is focused on the microbiological and molecular analysis of meningococcal isolates with the aim to reconstruct the chain of transmission. It further presents the vaccination strategy adopted to control the outbreak. The phylogenetic evaluation demonstrated the close genetic proximity between the strain involved in this outbreak and a strain responsible for a larger epidemic that had occurred in 2015 and 2016 in the Tuscany Region. The rapid identification and characterisation of IMD cases and an extensive vaccination campaign contributed to the successful control of this outbreak caused by a hyperinvasive meningococcal strain.     

重症手足口病危险因素分析

目的探讨重症手足口病(hand,foot and mouth disease,HFMD)发生的危险因素,为提前预判病情并选择合适的治疗方案提供思路。方法收集2008年1月—2013年6月我院收治、确诊、系统治疗且有完整病案记录的HFMD患儿116例,其中重症HFMD 39例(重症组),普通HFMD 77例(普通组)。对21项可能与普通HFMD发展为重症HFMD的有关因素进行单因素和多因素logistic回归分析。结果与普通组相比,重症组年龄更小,首次就诊医院类型以社区/个人诊所为主,发病至首次就诊时间间隔更短,发病前1个月内有呼吸道病史的病例更多;重症组发热比例更大,发热程度更重,热程更长,呕吐发生更频繁,而手部疹、口腔溃疡或疱疹较少,更易出现神经症状如嗜睡及手足抖动;重症组血糖更高、外周血WBC计数10.8×109/L及感染肠道病毒71型(enterovirus 71,EV71)例数更多(P0.05)。而性别、是否早产、是否为低体重儿、咳嗽、足部疹和中性粒细胞百分比比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。进一步多因素logistic回归分析显示,影响重症HFMD发生的独立危险因素包括年龄1岁、发病至首次就诊时间间隔≤1 d、WBC计数10.8×109/L、呕吐、感染病毒为EV71(OR分别为1.982、2.296、2.359、5.553、13.127,P均0.05)。结论重症HFMD的发生与多因素有关,建议严格筛查各危险因素并提早对病情进行预判。     

非酒精性脂肪性肝病发生及进展的危险因素

非酒精性脂肪性肝病(NAFLD)的患病率逐年增加,目前成为我国成年人中最常见的慢性肝病之一。NAFLD可由非酒精性肝脂肪变性进展为非酒精性脂肪性肝炎、肝硬化、肝细胞癌及NAFLD相关性心血管事件、死亡等重大疾病。现对NAFLD发生的危险因素以及进展为肝纤维化、肝硬化、肝癌、相关心血管事件和死亡等重大疾病的相关危险因素进行综述,以便进一步探讨NAFLD发生发展的机制,降低NAFLD的患病率,减缓NAFLD的进展程度,降低相关疾病的病死率。     

Risk factors for self-reported colon polyps

OBJECTIVE: Investigate risk factors for colon polyp using multivariate analyses. DESIGN: In a group responding to a 1992 mail survey, we assessed the association between physician-diagnosed colon polyp and possible risk factors reported primarily 10 years earlier. SETTING: Survey respondents within the Cancer Prevention Study II. PARTICIPANTS: Respondents, 72,868 men and 81,356 women, who reported no polyp diagnosis when questioned in 1982 at ages 40 to 64 years. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The characteristics of 7,504 men (10.3%) and 5,111 women (6.3%) reporting a first colon polyp were compared with those of participants who did not report a polyp. After adjustments for age, family history of colorectal cancer, and other potential risk factors, polyp occurrence was associated with 1982 histories of smoking, former smoking, alcohol use of at least two drinks per day (odds ratios [ORs] from 1.5 to 1.1; all p<.005), and a body mass index ≥ 28 kg/m² (men’s OR 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00, 1.13; women’s OR 1.08; 95% CI 0.99, 1.17). Polyps were also associated with a diagnosis of gallbladder disease or gallstone at any time and with gallbladder surgery up to 1982 (OR from 2.7 to 1.3; all p<.001). Polyp occurrence was inversely associated with 1982 histories of high exercise level (men’s OR 0.83; 95% CI 0.76, 0.91; women’s OR 0.90; 95% CI 0.78, 1.03), frequent aspirin use in women (OR 0.85; 95% CI 0.77, 0.95), and high parity in women (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.75, 0.94). Among participants lacking a clinically normal gallbladder, the polyp risks associated with smoking and high body mass index were reduced (p<.04 for interactions). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limitations and potential biases in these self-reported data, the risk factors described here may be useful for identifying persons at modestly increased risk of having a colon polyp. The effect-modifying role of gallbladder status deserves further investigation. Received from the Department of Epidemiology and Surveillance Research, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Ga. Dr. Kahn is also affiliated with the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga.     

Risk factors for optic nerve disease in communities mesoendemic for savannah onchocerciasis, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Ophthalmic examinations on 6831 individuals aged 5 years or more, living in 34 guinea savannah communities mesoendemic for onchocerciasis, in Kaduna State, Nigeria, revealed a relatively high prevalence (9%) of optic nerve disease (OND). Further investigations were performed to determine what proportion of this burden of OND might be due to onchocercal infection. Information on history of cerebro‐spinal meningitis (CSM), past use of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and chloroquine, consumption of cassava and locally produced alcohol was collected for all individuals by questioning. In addition, a nested case‐control study of 81 cases of OND and 136 age and sex‐matched controls was performed to investigate whether syphilis or a variety of other neurological disorders were responsible for a substantial proportion of cases of OND. Our data suggest that in this population, onchocercal infection is the single most important cause of OND and may account for 50% of all cases. Some 13% of cases were associated with signs suggestive of glaucoma. DEC use might be responsible for up to 30% of all OND. We found no evidence to suggest that any of the following are important causes of OND in the communities studied: CSM, syphilis, neurological syndromes such as polyneuropathy or other generalized neurological disease, consumption of raw cassava, consumption of locally prepared alcohol.     

Risk factors for invasive disease among children in Spain

OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors related to invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Neisseria meningitidis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. METHODS: Case-control study. All hospitals of the region of Valencia in Spain (covering 95% of the population of Valencia). The patients are children aged less than 15 years in whom Hib, N. meningitidis or S. pneumoniae are isolated from normally sterile sites. RESULTS: From 1995 to 1998, 275 cases of invasive disease were analysed, and 243 hospital controls were selected in the month after the onset of the case. The paediatrician completed a survey administered to the relatives at the time of admission. The risk factors related to invasive disease by Hib were exposure to tobacco smoke (number of smokers, adjusted OR (aOR) 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-2.96) and living with more than four people (aOR 3.72, 95% CI 1.3-3.7). For N. meningitidis, there is a dose-response relationship; if more than 60 cigarettes are smoked daily at home, the aOR is 3.61 (95% CI 1.04-12.57). If there are more than four people living in the household, aOR 1.69 (95% CI 1.01-2.85). In children under two years of age, having siblings less than 15 years of age (OR 1.76, 95% CI 0.75-4.17) and attending a day nursery represents a risk for suffering invasive pneumococcal disease (aOR 4.21, 95% CI 1.28-13.83). CONCLUSIONS: Among the variables tested, the modifiable risk factor is smoking; if smoking was reduced at home, the number of cases of invasive disease could be reduced in children, mainly in those under 5 years of age. Identification and vaccination of these risk groups would significantly reduce these diseases.     

Risk factors for benign oesophageal disease in a random population sample

The association of sex, age, relative weight, smoking and drinking habits, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and economic and marital status, with benign oesophageal disease (BOD) was investigated by means of a point-prevalence study of BOD in a Danish population. A total of 346 individuals, representing subjects who gave positive responses to the discriminating questions pertaining to BOD and risk factors in a previously described questionnaire, as well as control subjects, were invited to participate in a clinical examination. Invasive investigation was accepted by 175 subjects, 114 of whom were diagnosed as having BOD. A statistically significant relationship between BOD and COPD was demonstrated by univariate analysis, and later confirmed by multivariate analysis (P less than 0.01). Odds ratios suggested a non-significant association between BOD and smoking at least 20 g tobacco a day and consuming greater than or equal to 50 alcoholic drinks per week. Obesity, sex, age, marital and economic status were not risk factors for BOD.     

楚雄市心血管疾病流行病学及相关危险因素调查

目的：探索楚雄市人群心血管疾病流行病学及相关危险因素水平,为综合防治提供科学依据。方法：采用多阶段抽样的方法,抽取辖区15个乡镇和4个社区医疗卫生服务中心,18岁及以上居民2397人进行了心血管疾病危险因素随机抽样调查。结果：人群高血压患病率20.5%;高血压知晓率为59.35%;冠心病患病率为1.9%;脑卒中患病率0.3%。人群吸烟率为18.69%,其中男性居民和女性居民的吸烟率分别为36.33%和1.64%;被调查人群中超重401人,超重率为16.7%,肥胖58人,肥胖率为2.4%;空腹血糖受损者占11.4%;糖尿病患病率17.8%;结论：本地区上述危险因素水平均相当突出 ,采取社区综合防治措施 ,进行有效控制已刻不容缓。     

Laboratory Biosafety: Paediatric Investigators Collaborative Network on Infections in Canada (PICNIC) study of the current landscape of invasive meningococcal disease in children

BackgroundImmunizations have led to a decrease in the incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in Canada, but this infection still leads to significant morbidity and mortality.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to determine the burden of illness and management of IMD in paediatric hospitals.MethodsData were collected on all cases of IMD in eight paediatric hospitals from 2013 to 2017.ResultsThere were 17 cases of IMD. Three of eight hospitals had no cases. Just over half of the cases were serogroup B (n=9); a quarter (n=4) were serogroup W; less than a quarter (n=3) were serogroup Y; and one was unknown. Two infected children were not started on antibiotics until day one and day five after the initial blood culture was collected, but had uneventful recoveries. Six cases required admission to intensive care units; two died. Six cases had probable or proven meningitis. Thrombocytopenia was documented in seven cases. All cases had elevated C-reactive protein levels. Seven children received more than seven days of antibiotics; of these seven, only two had complications that justified prolonged therapy (subdural empyema and septic knee). Six cases had a central line placed.ConclusionIMD is now rare in Canadian children, but about one-third of the cases in our study required treatment in the intensive care unit and two died. Clinicians appear to not always be aware that a five to seven-day course is adequate for uncomplicated cases of bacteremia or meningitis.     

Risk factors for coronary heart disease in 55- and 35-year-old men and women in Sweden and Estonia

OBJECTIVE: To illustrate the geographical West-to-East division of coronary heart disease (CHD) by comparing a population from Sweden, that represents a Western country to a population from Estonia, that represents an Eastern country. Estonia has an approximately 2-4-fold higher CHD prevalence for 55-year-old women and men, respectively, than Sweden. DESIGN: Randomized screening of 35- and 55-year-old men and women in Sollentuna county, Sweden and Tartu county, Estonia. Eight hundred subjects, 100 from each cohort, were invited to participate in the study, 272 Swedes and 277 Estonians participated. SETTING: Preventive cardiology, administered by a primary health care centre at the Karolinska Hospital, Sweden and a cardiology centre at Tartu University Hospital, Estonia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The CHD risk factors (smoking, blood pressure, concentrations of lipoproteins, fibrinogen, and glucose) and certain environmental factors and attitudes related to CHD risk by questionnaires (fat-type and alcohol ingestion, self-assessed rating of CHD susceptibility). RESULTS: Of the 55-year-old men, 57% smoked in Estonia and 20% smoked in Sweden. Similar, although less pronounced differences showing higher smoking prevalence, were seen for 35-year-old Estonian men and women, whilst for 55-year-old women, less than 20% smoked in either country. Estonian 55-year-old women had lower HDL cholesterol and higher LDL cholesterol serum concentrations than Swedish 55-year-old women. Estonians reportedly ate food containing more saturated fats than Swedes, as indicated by the scale-score questionnaire. Estonians, relative to Swedes, rated their chance of developing CHD higher, and paradoxically, Estonians did to a much lesser degree believe that life style influences the risk of developing CHD. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated smoking prevalence is a striking difference between the Estonian and Swedish populations likely to explain the much higher CHD prevalence in Estonian men. The lower HDL cholesterol and higher LDL cholesterol in Estonian 55-year-old women may explain the higher CHD prevalence in Estonian women. Furthermore, the SWESTONIA CHD study (i.e. comparison between Sweden and Estonia) shows several environmental differences between the countries populations related to fat content in food, alcohol drinking patterns, and views on CHD risk and the importance of lifestyle intervention, that could contribute to the higher CHD prevalence in Estonia.     

Relationship between smoking and cardiovascular risk factors in the development of peripheral arterial disease and coronary artery disease: Edinburgh Artery Study.

AIMS: The aim was to determine whether the effect of smoking on the development of peripheral or coronary artery disease might be mediated by other cardiovascular risk factors, including dietary antioxidant vitamin intake, serum low and high density lipoproteins, blood pressure, plasma fibrinogen, blood viscosity and markers of endothelial disturbance and fibrin turnover. METHODS AND RESULTS: 1592 men and women aged 55-74 years were selected at random from 11 general practices in Edinburgh, Scotland and followed-up for 5 years. The incidences of peripheral arterial disease and coronary artery disease were 5.1% and 11.1%, respectively. Both conditions were more common in moderate and heavy smokers than in never smokers: cigarette smoking was a stronger risk factor for peripheral arterial disease than for coronary artery disease. Smoking was associated with reduced dietary antioxidant vitamin intake, serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure and with increased alcohol intake, serum triglycerides, blood viscosity, plasma fibrinogen, and markers of endothelial disturbance (tissue plasminogen activator and von Willebrand factor antigens). Simultaneous adjustment for these risk factors reduced the relative risk of peripheral arterial disease only slightly, from 3.94 (95% CI 2.04, 7.62) to 2.72 (95% CI 1.13, 6.53) in heavy smokers and from 1.87 (95% CI 0.91, 3.85) to 1.70 (95% CI 0.72, 3.99) in moderate smokers. Similar adjustment also had little effect on the risk of coronary artery disease associated with smoking. CONCLUSION: The combined effect of smoking on the cardiovascular risk factors studied may explain part of its influence on peripheral and coronary arterial disease, but the majority of the effect appears to be due to other mechanisms.     

老年冠心病患者合并非酒精性脂肪性肝病的危险因素分析

目的探讨老年冠心病患者合并非酒精性脂肪性肝病(NAFLD)的患病率和危险因素。方法入选冠状动脉造影诊断为冠心病的老年患者359例,NAFLD组172例,非NAFLD组187例,住院期间经腹部超声检查和采集病史,观察2组患病率、肝脏酶学异常比例及其与冠状动脉病变程度的关系。结果 NAFLD组糖尿病、丙氨酸转氨酶、天冬氨酸转氨酶水平明显高于非NAFLD组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05,P<0.01)。NAFLD与冠状动脉病变严重程度呈正相关(χ2=16.182,P<0.01)。NAFLD组患者斑块检出率、斑块数目明显高于非NAFLD组,差异有统计学意义[89.7%vs 78.3%,(2.27±1.20)个vs(1.81±1.32)个,P<0.05]。多因素logistic回归分析显示,糖尿病和冠状动脉多支病变(或左主干病变)与NAFLD的发生相关。结论老年冠心病患者NAFLD的患病率随着冠状动脉病变程度加重而增加。     

Risk factors of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Shiraz, southern Iran

AIM： To determine the prevalence and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease （GERD） in a healthy general population in relation to demographic, lifestyle and health-seeking behaviors in Shiraz, southern Iran.
METHODS： A total of 1978 subjects aged 〉 35 years who referred to Gastroenterohepatology Research Center and who completed a questionnaire consisting of 27 questions for GERD in relation to demographic, lifestyle and health-seeking behaviors were included in this study for a period of five months. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were determined.
RESULTS： The prevalence of GERD was 15.4%, which was higher in females （17.3%）, in rural areas （19.8%）, and in illiterate subjects （21.5%） and those with a mean age of 50.25 years. The prevalence was significantly lower in subjects having fried food （14.8%）, and fruit and vegetables （14.6%）. More symptoms were noticed in subjects consuming pickles （22.1%）, taking aspirin （21%） and in subjects with psychological distresses （27.2%） and headaches （22%）. The correlation was statistically significant between GERD and halitosis （18.3%）, dyspepsia （30.6%）, anxiety （19.5%）, nightmares （23.9%） and restlessness （18.5%）. Their health seeking behavior showed that there was a significant restriction of diet （20%）, consumption of herbal medicine （19%）, using over-the-counter drugs （29.9%） and consulting with physicians （24.8%）. Presence of GERD symptoms was also significantly related to a previous family history of the disease （22.3%）.
CONCLUSION： GERD is more common in females, rural and illiterate subjects and correlated with consumption of pickles, occurrence of headache, psychological distress, dyspepsia, halitosis, anxiety, nightmare and restlessness, and a family history of GERD and aspirin intake, but the correlation was negative with consumption of fat and fiber intake.     

脂肪肝危险因素Logistic回归分析

目的调查、分析我市城镇成年人群脂肪肝的患病率、发展趋势，同时试对脂肪肝危险因素进行Logistic回归分析，以进一步探求防治措施。方法通过询问病史、生活史及既往史，测量身高、体重、血压，检测血脂、血尿酸、血糖、胰岛素、肝功能、华支睾吸虫抗体、肝脏B超等，收集2003-2005年连续3年来在我科健康普查的11956名成人的临床资料，进行临床医学统计处理和分析。结果我市城镇成年人群脂肪肝患病率呈逐年上升趋势（由14．11％→16．33％→20．76％），其中以20～39岁患病率上升较明显，患病率随年龄增长而上升，脂肪肝患者中肝功能异常率为28．5％，饮酒、肥胖、高甘油三酯血症、高胆固醇血症、糖尿病或糖耐量异常、高尿酸血症、高血压、华支睾吸虫病均为脂肪肝的危险因素，其中脂肪肝各危险因素按危险风险大小顺序排列如下：饮酒〉肥胖〉高甘油三酯血症〉高胆固醇血症〉糖尿病或糖耐量异常〉高尿酸血症〉高血压〉华支睾吸虫病。结论中山市城镇成年人群近3年来脂肪肝患病率呈上升趋势，并随着年龄增长而上升，有呈年轻化的趋势，而且与华支睾吸虫病发病呈相关性。     

COPD继发曲霉菌感染危险因素分析

目的分析慢性阻塞性肺病继发曲霉菌感染的危险因素。方法采用回顾性病例对照分析方法,收集我院呼吸内科住院期间慢性阻塞性肺病继发曲霉菌感染36例作为感染组,随机抽取同期呼吸内科住院的无曲霉菌感染慢性阻塞性肺病患者36例作为对照组,对比分析两组患者的临床资料。结果血清白蛋白水平、机械通气、侵入性操作及使用激素是引起曲霉菌感染的主要诱因,两组间比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。结论血清白蛋白水平、机械通气、侵入性操作及使用激素是慢性阻塞性肺病继发曲霉菌感染的危险因素。     

Risk factors for the development of invasive fungal infections in allogeneic blood and marrow transplant recipients

Abstract: Blood and marrow transplantation (BMT) is increasingly used to treat malignant and nonmalignant diseases. Despite significant advances in the management of transplant recipients, however, fungal infections remain important life-threatening complications of BMT. Over the past two decades, the incidence of fungal infections in this population has continued to rise. Several factors predispose BMT recipients to invasive fungal infections. These include but are not limited to use of intensive myeloablative chemotherapy and radiation therapy combined with prolonged granulocytopenia; development of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease; administration of immunosuppressive therapy, particularly using corticosteroids; use of central venous catheters; and prolonged impairment of cell-mediated immunity secondary to the underlying disease and post-transplant immunodeficiency. Environmental factors also play a key part in the pathogenesis of fungal infections. Therefore, infection-control measures are critical to the prevention of such infections. In addition, although Candida and Aspergillus species are still the major culprits, other opportunistic fungi have emerged in recent years.