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BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is of public health concern worldwide. AimWe aimed to summarise the German AMR situation for clinicians and microbiologists. MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 60 published studies and data from the German Antibiotic-Resistance-Surveillance (ARS). Primary outcomes were AMR proportions in bacterial isolates from infected patients in Germany (2016–2021) and the case fatality rates (2010–2021). Random and fixed (common) effect models were used to calculate pooled proportions and pooled case fatality odds ratios, respectively. ResultsThe pooled proportion of meticillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus infections (MRSA) was 7.9% with a declining trend between 2014 and 2020 (odds ratio (OR) = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.886–0.891; p 

Pneumonia -- IraqFollowing a surge in meningitis cases in Halabjah City and Sulaymaniyah governorate since mid-April 2023, an expert team from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health was deployed to the affected areas to perform a joint epidemiological investigation of the reported cases and develop a swift response plan to curb the transmission of the disease.Preliminary laboratory results from 24 collected samples showed a mixture of bacterial (_Streptococcus pneumoniae_) and viral…

Hospital-Related Infection -- United StatesA bacterial outbreak at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle has sickened 31 patients since October [2022]. Seven of them have since died, but it\'s unknown what caused those deaths -- the infection or the diagnoses that brought them to the hospital in the first place._Klebsiella pneumoniae_ is a bacterium usually found in health care settings, and often resistant to antibiotics. It can cause pneumonia, meningitis, and wound or bloodstream infections.Virginia Mason is working with…

Porcine Circovirus -- United StatesThe latest Swine Disease Reporting System report has some people scratching their heads. For the 1st time in recent memory, porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) jumped into the top 10 most-diagnosed diseases list at the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab. At No. 9, it surpassed porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and came in just behind _Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae_.Porcine-circovirus-associated disease (PCVAD) can be caused by any PCV2 strain. When PCVAD 1st showed up in the US in…

Meningitis -- NigeriaBetween 1 Oct 2022 and 16 Apr 2023, Nigeria reported a total of 1686 suspected cases of meningitis, including 124 deaths, for a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 7%.Meningitis is a serious infection of the meninges, the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It is a devastating disease and a major public health challenge. _Neisseria meningitidis_ (meningococcus), _Streptococcus pneumoniae_ (pneumococcus), _Haemophilus influenzae_ [serotype b or Hib] and _Streptococcus agalactiae_ (group…

Klebsiella pneumoniae -- United StatesFour patients at a downtown Seattle hospital are dead in connection to an outbreak of a bacterium often found in healthcare settings that has developed resistance to some antibiotics.The [31] infected patients, who contracted _Klebsiella_, were hospitalized in various departments, including inpatient medical beds, an ICU, and an operating room at Virginia Mason Medical Center, the hospital said in a statement released Wednesday [26 Apr 2023].Beginning in October 2022, hospital staff…

A hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae SL218 (ST23-KL57), phylogenetically distinct from the classical hypervirulent SL23 (ST23-KL1) lineage, was transmitted between hospitalised patients in Denmark in 2021. The isolate carried a hybrid resistance and virulence plasmid containing blaNDM-1 and a plasmid containing blaOXA-48 (pOXA-48); the latter plasmid was horizontally transferred within-patient to Serratia marcescens. The convergence of drug resistance and virulence factors in single plasmids and in different lineages of K. pneumoniae is concerning and requires surveillance. …

Legionnaires' -- United StatesThe New Jersey Department of Health is conducting an investigation after 7 people contracted Legionnaire's disease -- and 2 have died -- in areas of Mercer County that are served by Trenton Water Works.In announcing the investigation on Monday [27 Mar 2023], officials said that, between October of last year [2022] and this month [March 2023], 7 people throughout Trenton, Ewing Township, Lawrence Township, and Hamilton Township have contracted the disease -- a type of pneumonia. Of the 7…

Meningitis - Strep/Pneumoccocal -- TogoIn a follow-up on the meningitis outbreak in Togo, the Togolese Ministry of Health now reports a total of 123 suspected cases of meningitis reported in the Oti Sud district [Savanes region], including 12 deaths, through 19 Mar 2023.The national reference laboratory confirmed the presence of _Streptococcus pneumoniae_ in 17 cases by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and culture. Nearly 85% of the cases are over 10 years of age, individuals born before the introduction of the pneumococcal…

In Finland, all microbiology laboratories notify Legionella findings and physicians notify Legionnaires’ disease (LD) cases to the National Infectious Disease Register. All cases are interviewed, and water samples obtained from potential places of exposure. Legionella isolates from humans and water are compared by whole genome sequencing (WGS). In March 2021, Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 (Lp 1) pneumonia cases increased in one Finnish city (120,000 inhabitants) where single LD cases are detected annually. We identified 12 LD cases, nine living in different residential buildings and three nosocomial, linked by identical human and/or water isolates. Three of these cases were from January 2020, October 2020 and February 2021 and identified retrospectively. Eleven were diagnosed by urinary antigen test, 10 by PCR and five by culture; age ranged between 52 and 85 years, and 10 had underlying diseases. Nine of 12 homes of LD cases and 15 of 26 water samples from the hospital were positive for Lp 1, with concentrations up to 640,000 cfu/L. Water samples from regional storage tanks were negative. Positivity in homes and the hospital suggested inadequate maintenance measures. Enhanced surveillance combined with WGS was crucial in detecting this unusual LD outbreak related to domestic and hospital water systems.…

Hospital-Related Infection -- United StatesIncreased water testing protocols are in effect at The Christ Hospital in Mt. Auburn after 3 patients recently tested positive for the presence of _Legionella_, according to a hospital spokesperson._Legionella_ is 'a common organism routinely found in the public water supply,' the spokesperson said late Friday [10 Mar 2023]. It isn't clear whether those patients are diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease, a serious type of pneumonia caused by _Legionella_ bacteria. The hospital has not…

Q Fever -- A large number of wild [see comment] goats, which have been a long-standing problem for the inhabitants of the small Adriatic island of Unije [of the Cres-Lošinj archipelago] are infected with Q fever.As 'Novi List' writes, tissue samples from dead or shot animals show this, with the note that this infection in humans can cause symptoms similar to flu or pneumonia, and in a small number of cases, damage to the heart, brain, liver, and lungs.According to estimates, there are about 400…

Equine Herpes Virus -- SpainNine horses are receiving 'close monitoring' in hospital in Valencia, 8 of which are showing neurological signs of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1).H&H reported that the organisers of the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour in Oliva Nova, Spain, had cancelled the 2nd part of the showjumping tour (7-26 Feb [2023]) as 4 horses on-site had tested positive for EHV-1. Ten horses, 6 of whom were showing signs of illness, were put in isolation on 21 Feb [2023]. Swabs were taken, 4 of which were positive, 4…

Toxoplasmosis -- United StatesFisk EA, Cassirer EF, Huggler KS, et al. Abortion and neonatal mortality due to _Toxoplasma gondii_ in bighorn sheep (_Ovis canadensis_). J. Wildl. Dis. 2023; . Epub ahead of print.Bighorn sheep have experienced disease driven impact for several years, and thus the health dimension is a very important aspect of their conservation. Many mortality episodes have been caused by bighorn sheep pneumonia, which is mainly caused by _Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae_ (Movi), an exotic disease agent for…

Bovine Pleuropneumonia -- UgandaBovine pleuropneumonia kills 300 cattle in Agago. The disease has been confirmed in 3 sub-counties; Paimol, Laimuto, and Omiya Pachwa, where the majority of farmers were advised to keep their animals in communal kraals [enclosures for cattle or other livestock], to protect them against Karamojong cattle rustlers.--Communicated by:ProMED Rapporteur Mahmoud Orabi['Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is a disease of cattle and water buffalo caused by _Mycoplasma mycoides_ subsp.

BackgroundSince the beginning of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainians have been seeking shelter in other European countries.AimWe aimed to investigate the prevalence and the molecular epidemiology of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative (MDRGN) bacteria and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Ukrainian patients at admittance to the University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany.MethodsWe performed screening and observational analysis of all patients from March until June 2022. Genomes of MDRGN isolates were analysed for antimicrobial resistance, virulence genes and phylogenetic relatedness.ResultsWe included 103 patients (median age: 39 ± 23.7 years), 57 of whom were female (55.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 45.2–5.1). Patients were most frequently admitted to the Department of Paediatrics (29/103; 28.2%; 95% CI: 19.7–37.9). We found 34 MDRGN isolates in 17 of 103 patients (16.5%; 95% CI: 9.9–25.1). Ten patients carried 21 carbapenem-resistant (CR) bacteria, five of them more than one CR isolate. Four of six patients with war-related injuries carried eight CR isolates. In six of 10 patients, CR isolates caused infections. Genomic characterisation revealed that the CR isolates harboured at least one carbapenemase gene, blaNDM-1 being the most frequent (n = 10). Core genome and plasmid analysis revealed no epidemiological connection between most of these isolates. Hypervirulence marker genes were found in five of six Klebsiella pneumoniae CR isolates. No MRSA was found.ConclusionHospitals should consider infection control strategies to cover the elevated prevalence of MDRGN bacteria in Ukrainian patients with war-related injuries and/or hospital pre-treatment and to prevent the spread of hypervirulent CR isolates.…

Strep -- United StatesAbstract---------'Based on a survey sent to 7 Dutch hospitals, we observed a substantial increase in invasive group A streptococcal infections in children in the Netherlands, comparing the pre-COVID-19 pandemic cohort of 2018-2019 to 2021-2022. The most affected age group were children between 0-5 years. Main diagnosis was pneumonia with empyema. Necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome were also reported in 11% and 7%, respectively. A significant number was admitted to…

Legionnaires' -- United StatesCamden County [New Jersey] and state health authorities on Friday [16 Dec 2022] reported a cluster of Legionnaires' disease, a type of pneumonia, in 4 Pennsauken residents.Camden County Health Officer Paschal Nwako said that officials are trying to determine how and where the people got infected so they can prevent further transmission. The source could be outside Pennsauken, he added.One person is hospitalized, while the other 3 are recovering at home, Nwako said. The 1st case was…

In 2022, German surveillance systems observed rapidly increasing numbers of NDM-1- and NDM-1/OXA-48-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, which may in part reflect recurring pre-pandemic trends. Among these cases, however, a presence in Ukraine before diagnosis was frequently reported. Whole genome sequencing of 200 isolates showed a high prevalence of sequence types ST147, ST307, ST395 and ST23, including clusters corresponding to clonal dissemination and suggesting onward transmission in Germany. Screening and isolation of patients from Ukraine may help avoid onward transmission.…

Older adults who received the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine were less likely to be hospitalized for pneumonia, a new study found. Medscape Medical News…

Aspergillosis -- United StatesThe Minnesota (MN) Department of Natural Resources has determined the cause of death of the over 100 geese that were found at Loon Lake in Waseca.The DNR says the birds died of pneumonia, pulmonary aspergillosis, which is a fungal disease.The source of the fungal infection is still unknown at the moment, but they said it is unusual for this disease to cause a mass die-off like this.DNR speculates that the weather and fall migration may have made the birds more vulnerable.The…

BackgroundModern laboratory methods such as next generation sequencing and MALDI-TOF allow identification of novel bacterial species. This can affect surveillance of infections and antimicrobial resistance. From 2017, increasing numbers of medical microbiology laboratories in Switzerland differentiated Klebsiella variicola from Klebsiella pneumoniae complex using updated MALDI-TOF databases, whereas many laboratories still report them as K. pneumoniae or K. pneumoniae complex.AimOur study explored whether separate reporting of K. variicola and the Klebsiella pneumoniae complex affected the ANRESIS surveillance database.MethodsWe analysed antibiotic susceptibility rates and specimen types of K. variicola and non-K. variicola-K. pneumoniae complex isolates reported by Swiss medical laboratories to the ANRESIS database (Swiss Centre for Antibiotic Resistance) from January 2017 to June 2022.ResultsAnalysis of Swiss antimicrobial resistance data revealed increased susceptibility rates of K. variicola compared with species of the K. pneumoniae complex other than K. variicola in all six antibiotic classes tested. This can lead to underestimated resistance rates of K. pneumoniae complex in laboratories that do not specifically identify K. variicola. Furthermore, K. variicola strains were significantly more often reported from blood and primarily sterile specimens than isolates of the K. pneumoniae complex other than K. variicola, indicating increased invasiveness of K. variicola.ConclusionOur data suggest that refined differentiation of the K. pneumoniae complex can improve our understanding of its taxonomy, susceptibility, epidemiology and clinical significance, thus providing more precise information to clinicians and epidemiologists.…

Equine Herpes Virus -- IndiaGuru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, has cautioned horse-rearing farmers against possible outbreak of equine herpesvirus disease in Punjab. For the last 2 months, a large number of horses with nervous form have been presented at the university hospital for the complaint of this disease.The disease is present in almost all the parts of the state with most of the cases being reported from Malwa region of Bathinda, Faridkot, Mukatsar Sahib, Mansa, and Moga,…

Bovine Pleuropneumonia --…

Hospital-Related Infection -- Jamaica…

A nosocomial outbreak by cefiderocol (FDC)-resistant NDM-1-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (NDM-Kp) occurred in a large tertiary care hospital from August 2021–June 2022 in Florence, Italy, an area where NDM-Kp strains have become endemic. Retrospective analysis of NDM-Kp from cases observed in January 2021–June 2022 revealed that 21/52 were FDC-resistant. The outbreak was mostly sustained by clonal expansion of a mutant with inactivated cirA siderophore receptor gene, which exhibited high-level resistance to FDC (MIC ≥ 32 mg/L) and spread independently of FDC exposure.…

Animal Die-off --…

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency, but iron is also required for the survival and growth of pathogens, experts say. …

Pneumonia -- United Kingdom…

Plague -- China…

Bovine Pleuropneumonia --…

Bovine Pleuropneumonia -- Namibia…

An increase in the use of two types of antibiotics to treat COVID-19 may have contributed to a rise in antimicrobial-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae. …

Healthcare workers at a private clinic in the city of San Miguel de Tucumán likely contracted legionellosis, subsequent investigations showed. …

Legionnaires' -- Argentina…

Legionnaires' -- Argentina…

Pneumonia -- Argentina…

Pneumonia -- Argentina…

The virus, which is related to measles and mumps, causes symptoms ranging from a cough to severe pneumonia. Some patients are asymptomatic. …

Bovine Pleuropneumonia -- Namibia…

Bovine Pleuropneumonia -- Namibia…

Plague -- United States…

This report describes and investigation of pneumonic plague in Wyoming during 2021.

Plague -- DR Congo…

Background

Mycoplasma pneumoniae respiratory infections are transmitted by aerosol and droplets in close contact.

Aim

We investigated global M. pneumoniae incidence after implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) against COVID-19 in March 2020.

Methods

We surveyed M. pneumoniae detections from laboratories and surveillance systems (national or regional) across the world from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 and compared them with cases from corresponding months between 2017 and 2020. Macrolide-resistant M. pneumoniae (MRMp) data were collected from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2021.

Results

Thirty-seven sites from 21 countries in Europe, Asia, America and Oceania submitted valid datasets (631,104 tests). Among the 30,617 M. pneumoniae detections, 62.39% were based on direct test methods (predominantly PCR), 34.24% on a combination of PCR and serology (no distinction between methods) and 3.37% on serology alone (only IgM considered). In all countries, M. pneumoniae incidence by direct test methods declined significantly after implementation of NPIs with a mean of 1.69% (SD ± 3.30) compared with 8.61% (SD ± 10.62) in previous years (p < 0.01). Detection rates decreased with direct but not with indirect test methods (serology) (–93.51% vs + 18.08%; p < 0.01). Direct detections remained low worldwide throughout April 2020 to March 2021 despite widely differing lockdown or school closure periods. Seven sites (Europe, Asia and America) reported MRMp detections in one of 22 investigated cases in April 2020 to March 2021 and 176 of 762 (23.10%) in previous years (p = 0.04).

Conclusions

This comprehensive collection of M. pneumoniae detections worldwide shows correlation between COVID-19 NPIs and significantly reduced detection numbers.…

Pneumonia -- United States…

Background

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the predominant cause of clinical pneumonia among infants and young children, often peaking during the winter months in temperate regions.

Aim

To describe RSV seasonality in 13 European countries and examine its association with meteorological factors.

Methods

We included weekly RSV seasonality data from 13 European countries between week 40 2010 and week 39 2019. Using local weighted regression method, we modelled weekly RSV activity with meteorological factors using data from the 2010/11 to the 2017/18 season. We predicted the weekly RSV activity of the 2018/19 season across 41 European countries and validated our prediction using empirical data.

Results

All countries had annual wintertime RSV seasons with a longitudinal gradient in RSV onset (Pearson’s correlation coefficient, r = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.80). The RSV season started 3.8 weeks later (95% CI: −0.5 to 8.0) in countries in the eastern vs western parts of Europe, and the duration ranged from 8–18 weeks across seasons and countries. Lower temperature and higher relative humidity were associated with higher RSV activity, with a 14-day lag time. Through external validation, the prediction error in RSV season onset was −2.4 ± 3.2 weeks. Similar longitudinal gradients in RSV onset were predicted by our model for the 2018/19 season (r = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.16 to 0.66).

Conclusion

Meteorological factors, such as temperature and relative humidity, could be used for early warning of RSV season onset. Our findings may inform healthcare services planning and optimisation of RSV immunisation strategies in Europe.…

Use of Gram stains to select antibiotics for ventilator-associated pneumonia offers similar clinical outcomes as guideline-based broad-spectrum treatment, study reports. …

Also on the top 10 list are healthcare workers' mental health, vaccine errors, non-ventilator-associated pneumonia, emergency use authorization, and telemetry monitoring. …

Treatment of uncomplicated pediatric community-acquired pneumonia with a short, 5-day course of antibiotics results in a superior clinical response compared to the standard 10-day course. …