BACKGROUND: The emergence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in early 2020 and subsequent implementation of public health and social measures (PHSM) disrupted the epidemiology of respiratory viruses. This work describes the epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) observed during two winter seasons (weeks 40-20) and inter-seasonal periods (weeks 21-39) during the pandemic between October 2020 and September 2022. METHODS: Using data submitted to The European Surveillance System (TESSy) by countries or territories in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region between weeks 40/2020 and 39/2022, we aggregated country-specific weekly RSV counts of sentinel, non-sentinel and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) surveillance specimens and calculated percentage positivity. Results for both 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons and inter-seasons were compared with pre-pandemic 2016/17 to 2019/20 seasons and inter-seasons. RESULTS: Although more specimens were tested than in pre-COVID-19 pandemic seasons, very few RSV detections were reported during the 2020/21 season in all surveillance systems. During the 2021 inter-season, a gradual increase in detections was observed in all systems. In 2021/22, all systems saw early peaks of RSV infection, and during the 2022 inter-seasonal period, patterns of detections were closer to those seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: RSV surveillance continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with an initial reduction in transmission, followed by very high and out-of-season RSV circulation (summer 2021) and then an early start of the 2021/22 season. As of the 2022/23 season, RSV circulation had not yet normalised.

• Klíčová slova
• COVID‐19 pandemic, Europe, epidemiology, respiratory syncytial virus, severity, surveillance,
• MeSH
• COVID-19 * epidemiologie   MeSH
• infekce respiračními syncytiálními viry * epidemiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lidský respirační syncytiální virus * MeSH
• pandemie MeSH
• roční období MeSH
• SARS-CoV-2 MeSH
• surveillance populace MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: Morbidity, severity, and mortality associated with annual influenza epidemics are of public health concern. We analyzed surveillance data on hospitalized laboratory-confirmed influenza cases admitted to intensive care units to identify common determinants for fatal outcome and inform and target public health prevention strategies, including risk communication. METHODS: We performed a descriptive analysis and used Poisson regression models with robust variance to estimate the association of age, sex, virus (sub)type, and underlying medical condition with fatal outcome using European Union data from 2009 to 2017. RESULTS: Of 13 368 cases included in the basic dataset, 2806 (21%) were fatal. Age ≥40 years and infection with influenza A virus were associated with fatal outcome. Of 5886 cases with known underlying medical conditions and virus A subtype included in a more detailed analysis, 1349 (23%) were fatal. Influenza virus A(H1N1)pdm09 or A(H3N2) infection, age ≥60 years, cancer, human immunodeficiency virus infection and/or other immune deficiency, and heart, kidney, and liver disease were associated with fatal outcome; the risk of death was lower for patients with chronic lung disease and for pregnant women. CONCLUSIONS: This study re-emphasises the importance of preventing influenza in the elderly and tailoring strategies to risk groups with underlying medical conditions.

• Klíčová slova
• EU, age, influenza virus, intensive care units, underlying medical conditions,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Invasive meningococcal disease surveillance in Europe combines isolate characterisation and epidemiological data to support public health intervention. A representative European Meningococcal Strain Collection (EMSC) of IMD isolates was obtained, and whole genome sequenced to characterise 799 EMSC isolates from the epidemiological year July 2011-June 2012. To establish a genome library (GL), the isolate information was deposited in the pubMLST.org/neisseria database. Genomes were curated and annotated at 2,429 meningococcal loci, including those defining clonal complex, capsule, antigens, and antimicrobial resistance. Most genomes contained genes encoding B (n = 525; 65.7%) or C (n = 163; 20.4%) capsules; isolates were genetically highly diverse, with >20 genomic lineages, five of which comprising 60.7% (n = 485) of isolates. There were >350 antigenic fine-types: 307 were present once, the most frequent (P1.7-2,4:F5-1) comprised 8% (n = 64) of isolates. Each genome was characterised for Bexsero Antigen Sequence Typing (BAST): 25.5% (n = 204) of isolates contained alleles encoding the fHbp and/or the PorA VR1 vaccine component, but most genomes (n = 513; 64.2%) did not contain the NadA component. EMSC-GL will support an integrated surveillance of disease-associated genotypes in Europe, enabling the monitoring of hyperinvasive lineages, outbreak identification, and supporting vaccine programme implementation.

• Klíčová slova
• Neisseria meningitidis, genome library, monitor vaccine coverage, surveillance, track antimicrobial susceptibility,
• MeSH
• bakteriální geny genetika   MeSH
• genetická variace MeSH
• genetické lokusy MeSH
• genom bakteriální MeSH
• genomika MeSH
• genomová knihovna * MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• meningokoková meningitida genetika   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• meningokokové infekce genetika   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• molekulární epidemiologie MeSH
• Neisseria meningitidis séroskupiny B genetika   MeSH
• Neisseria meningitidis klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• sekvenování celého genomu * MeSH
• séroskupina MeSH
• surveillance populace MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

Within the European Environment and Health Action Plan an initiative to establish a coherent human biomonitoring approach in Europe was started. The project COPHES (COnsortium to Perform Human biomonitoring on a European Scale ) developed recommendations for a harmonized conduct of a human biomonitoring (HBM) survey which came into action as the pilot study DEMOCOPHES (DEMOnstration of a study to COordinate and Perform Human biomonitoring on a European Scale). Seventeen European countries conducted a survey with harmonized instruments for, inter alia, recruitment, fieldwork and sampling, in autumn/winter 2011/2012. Based on the countries' experiences of conducting the pilot study, following lessons learnt were compiled: the harmonized fieldwork instruments (basic questionnaire, urine and hair sampling) turned out to be very valuable for future HBM surveys on the European scale. A school approach was favoured by most of the countries to recruit school-aged children according to the established guidelines and country specific experiences. To avoid a low participation rate, intensive communication with the involved institutions and possible participants proved to be necessary. The communication material should also include information on exclusion criteria and offered incentives. Telephone contact to the participants the day before fieldwork during the survey can prevent the forgetting of appointments and first morning urine samples. To achieve comparable results on the European scale, training of interviewers in all issues of recruitment, fieldwork and sampling through information material and training sessions is crucial. A survey involving many European countries needs time for preparation and conduct. Materials for quality control prepared for all steps of recruitment, fieldwork and sampling proved to be important to warrant reliable results.

• Klíčová slova
• DEMO/COPHES, Fieldwork, Human biomonitoring, Lessons learned, Recruitment,
• MeSH
• automatizované zpracování dat MeSH
• environmentální zdraví metody   organizace a řízení   normy   MeSH
• informovaný souhlas pacienta MeSH
• interprofesionální vztahy MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mezinárodní spolupráce * MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   normy   MeSH
• pilotní projekty MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky normy   MeSH
• řízení kvality MeSH
• rozvoj plánování * MeSH
• směrnice jako téma MeSH
• výzkumný projekt zákonodárství a právo   normy   MeSH
• vzorkové studie MeSH
• zdravotnický personál normy   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

A communication strategy was developed by The Consortium to Perform Human Biomonitoring on a European Scale (COPHES), as part of its objectives to develop a framework and protocols to enable the collection of comparable human biomonitoring data throughout Europe. The framework and protocols were tested in the pilot study DEMOCOPHES (Demonstration of a study to Coordinate and Perform Human biomonitoring on a European Scale). The aims of the communication strategy were to raise awareness of human biomonitoring, encourage participation in the study and to communicate the study results and their public health significance. It identified the audiences and key messages, documented the procedure for dissemination of results and was updated as the project progressed. A communication plan listed the tools and materials such as press releases, flyers, recruitment letters and information leaflets required for each audience with a time frame for releasing them. Public insight research was used to evaluate the recruitment material, and the feedback was used to improve the documents. Dissemination of results was coordinated in a step by step approach by the participating countries within DEMOCOPHES, taking into account specific national messages according to the needs of each country. Participants received individual results, unless they refused to be informed, along with guidance on what the results meant. The aggregate results and policy recommendations were then communicated to the general public and stakeholders, followed by dissemination at European level. Several lessons were learnt that may assist other future human biomonitoring studies. Recruitment took longer than anticipated and so social scientists, to help with community engagement, should be part of the research team from the start. As a European study, involving multiple countries, additional considerations were needed for the numerous organisations, different languages, cultures, policies and priorities. Therefore, communication documents should be seen as templates with essential information clearly indicated and the option for each country to tailor the material to reflect these differences. Future studies should consider setting up multidisciplinary networks of medical professionals and communication experts, and holding training workshops to discuss the interpretation of results and risk communication. Publicity and wide dissemination of the results helped to raise awareness of human biomonitoring to the general public, policy makers and other key stakeholders. Effective and timely communication, at all stages of a study, is essential if the potential of human biomonitoring research to improve public health is to be realised.

• Klíčová slova
• Biomonitoring, Communication, Participatory research, Public insight,
• MeSH
• komunikace * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mezinárodní spolupráce * MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• rozvoj plánování * MeSH
• šíření informací MeSH
• účast komunity * MeSH
• veřejná politika MeSH
• výzkumný projekt MeSH
• vzorkové studie MeSH
• zdravotní politika MeSH
• zjišťování skupinových postojů * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a relatively rare disease worldwide. Over the past 10 years, five cases of AK were reported in Slovakia. Four preserved Slovak strains and one strain from the Czech Republic isolated from corneal scrapes of patients with AK are characterised in this study. Genotype identification of isolates is based on sequences of the PCR amplimer GTSA.B1 amplified from 18S ribosomal DNA. A strain isolated from the first patient in 1999 was classified as a rare sequence type T15. This is just the second report in which genotype T15 has been associated with AK. The other three Slovak strains were identified as belonging to the most common genotype T4. The only strain originating from the Czech Republic was classified as sporadically appearing sequence type T3. All isolates were also studied for their temperature tolerance and growth characteristics. The cythopatic effect was tested in vitro on Vero cell cultures.

• MeSH
• Acanthamoeba klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   fyziologie   MeSH
• akantamébová keratitida parazitologie   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• geny rRNA MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• protozoální DNA chemie   genetika   MeSH
• ribozomální DNA chemie   genetika   MeSH
• RNA protozoální genetika   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 18S genetika   MeSH
• rohovka parazitologie   MeSH
• sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
• shluková analýza MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Slovenská republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• protozoální DNA MeSH
• ribozomální DNA MeSH
• RNA protozoální MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 18S MeSH