Assessment of Food and Waterborne Viral Outbreaks by Using Field Epidemiologic, Modern Laboratory and Statistical Methods-Lessons Learnt from Seven Major Norovirus Outbreaks in Finland.

Seven major food- and waterborne norovirus outbreaks in Western Finland during 2014-2018 were re-analysed. The aim was to assess the effectiveness of outbreak investigation tools and evaluate the Kaplan criteria. We summarised epidemiological and microbiological findings from seven outbreaks.

Long-term population effects of infant 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination on pneumococcal meningitis in Finland.

Background: No previous studies have reported long-term follow-up of ten-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) program impact on pneumococcal meningitis (PM). We assessed the effects of infant PCV10 program on PM incidence, mortality and serotype distribution in children and adults during 7 years after introduction.

Methods: We conducted a population-based observational study.

Pneumococcal meningitis before the introduction of 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine into the National Childhood Immunization Program in Poland.

Background: Poland introduced the 10-valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine (PCV10) into the childhood immunization program in January 2017. During previous decades, considerable changes had occurred in the surveillance system for invasive pneumococcal disease. Therefore, to provide baseline data on pneumococcal diseases before PCV10 introduction, we evaluated the epidemiology of pneumococcal meningitis (PM), the only syndrome monitored consistently since 1970.

Bacterial meningitis in Finland, 1995-2014: a population-based observational study.

Objectives: Bacterial meningitis remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Its epidemiological characteristics, however, are changing due to new vaccines and secular trends. Conjugate vaccines against type b and (10-valent) were introduced in 1986 and 2010 in Finland.

Rubella in Poland in 2014.

Background: In 2004, Poland has adopted the WHO goal of rubella elimination and congenital rubella syndrome prevention. The main target of the Programme is to stop transmission of the virus in the environment and prevention of congenital rubella in children. In Poland participation in the rubella elimination program requires clinical diagnosis of rubella cases and their confirmation with laboratory tests.

An Outbreak of Norovirus Infections Among Lunch Customers at a Restaurant, Tampere, Finland, 2015.

On January 29, 2015, the city of Tampere environmental health officers were informed of a possible foodborne outbreak among customers who had eaten lunch in restaurant X. Employees of electric companies A and B had a sudden onset of gastrointestinal symptoms. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to identify the vehicle, source, and causative agent of the outbreak.

[Meningitis and encephalitis in Poland in 2010].

Introduction: Annually 2 000-3 000 cases of meningitis and encephalitis are notified to the Polish surveillance system. The leading etiologic agents of the bacterial infections are: N. meningitidis, S.

[Meningitis and encephalitis in Poland in 2009].

In Poland, 2 517 cases of neuroinfections were reported in 2009, of which 865 had bacterial aetiology, 1 244--viral aetiology, and 408-- other or unknown origin. The etiological agent was determined in 493 (57%) cases of bacterial neuroinfections. Among them Neisseria meningitidis was found in 190 cases, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) in 13 cases and Streptococcus pneumoniae in 163 cases.

Reliable surveillance of tick-borne encephalitis in European countries is necessary to improve the quality of vaccine recommendations.

In July-November 2009, 26 European Union (EU) Member States (MSs), Norway and Iceland, participated in a survey seeking information on national tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccination recommendations. Information on TBE surveillance, methods used to ascertain endemic areas, vaccination recommendations, vaccine coverage and methods of monitoring of vaccine coverage were obtained. Sixteen countries (57%) reported presence of TBE endemic areas on their territory.

[Meningitis and encephalitis in Poland in 2008].

In Poland, 2 475 cases of neuroinfections were reported in 2008, of which 979 had bacterial aetiology, 1 122--viral aetiology, and 374--other or unknown origin. The etiological agent was determined in 555 (56%) cases of bacterial neuroinfections. Among them Neisseria meningitidis was found in 220 cases, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) in 23 cases and Streptococcus pneumoniae in 151 cases.

[Meningitis and encephalitis in Poland in 2007].

In Poland, 3,361 cases of neuroinfections were reported in 2007, of which 1,078 had bacterial etiology, 1,717--viral aetiology, and 566--other or unknown origin. The etiological agent was determined in 611 (57%) cases of bacterial neuroinfections. Among them N.