Linkage of Whole Genome Sequencing, Epidemiological, and Clinical Data to Understand the Genetic Diversity and Clinical Outcomes of Shigella flexneri among Men Who Have Sex with Men in England.

The public health value of whole genome sequencing (WGS) for spp. in England has been limited by a lack of information on sexual identity and behavior. We combined WGS data with other data sources to better understand Shigella flexneri transmission in men who have sex with men (MSM).

Utility of whole-genome sequencing during an investigation of multiple foodborne outbreaks of .

In April 2018, Public Health England was notified of cases of Shigella sonnei who had eaten food from three different catering outlets in England. The outbreaks were initially investigated as separate events, but whole-genome sequencing (WGS) showed they were caused by the same strain. The investigation included analyses of epidemiological data, the food chain and microbiological examination of food samples.

Analysis Shiga Toxin-Encoding Bacteriophage in a Rare Strain of Shiga Toxin-Producing O157:H7 .

In December 2015, six cases of Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing (STEC) O157:H7 phage type (PT) 24 were identified by the national gastrointestinal disease surveillance system at Public Health England (PHE). Frozen grated coconut imported from India was implicated as the vehicle of infection. Short and long read sequencing data were interrogated for genomic markers to provide evidence that the outbreak strain was from an imported source.

Persistent Transmission of Shigellosis in England Is Associated with a Recently Emerged Multidrug-Resistant Strain of Shigella sonnei.

Whole-genome sequencing has enhanced surveillance and facilitated detailed monitoring of the transmission of species in England. We undertook an epidemiological and phylogenetic analysis of isolates from all cases of shigellosis referred to Public Health England between 2015 and 2018 to explore recent strain characteristics and the transmission dynamics of species. Of the 4,950 confirmed cases of shigellosis identified during this period, the highest proportion of isolates was (54.

Use of whole-genome sequencing to identify clusters of associated with sexual transmission in men who have sex with men in England: a validation study using linked behavioural data.

Since the 1970s, shigellosis has been reported as a sexually transmissible infection, and in recent years, genomic data have revealed the breadth of spp. transmission among global networks of men who have sex with men (MSM). In 2015, Public Health England (PHE) introduced routine whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of spp.

Highly Pathogenic Clone of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157:H7, England and Wales.

We used whole-genome sequencing to investigate the evolutionary context of an emerging highly pathogenic strain of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 in England and Wales. A timed phylogeny of sublineage IIb revealed that the emerging clone evolved from a STEC O157:H7 stx-negative ancestor ≈10 years ago after acquisition of a bacteriophage encoding Shiga toxin (stx) 2a, which in turn had evolved from a stx2c progenitor ≈20 years ago. Infection with the stx2a clone was a significant risk factor for bloody diarrhea (OR 4.

Prevalence of Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infections Among Afghan National Army Recruits in Afghanistan.

Objective: To measure prevalence of prior/current Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum (PV and PF), Brucella spp. (BR), dengue virus (DENV), Leishmania donovani (visceral leishmaniasis; VL), and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus exposure among Afghan National Army (ANA) recruits.

Methods: Randomly chosen, nationally representative serum samples from consenting men aged 18-40 years and who were screened between February 2010 and January 2011 were tested, with ∼25 samples/province.

Seroprevalence and Determinants of Immunity to Diphtheria for Children Living in Two Districts of Contrasting Incidence During an Outbreak in East Java, Indonesia.

Background: In 2012, an ongoing outbreak of diphtheria in Indonesia was focused in the province of East Java. There was a need to assess vaccine coverage and immunity gaps in children.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional seroprevalence and vaccine coverage survey of children 1-15 years of age in 2 districts of East Java: one of high incidence (on the island of Madura) and one of low incidence (on the mainland).

Field trial of three different Plasmodium vivax-detecting rapid diagnostic tests with and without evaporative cool box storage in Afghanistan.

Background: Accurate parasitological diagnosis of malaria is essential for targeting treatment where more than one species coexist. In this study, three rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) (AccessBio CareStart (CSPfPan), CareStart PfPv (CSPfPv) and Standard Diagnostics Bioline (SDBPfPv)) were evaluated for their ability to detect natural Plasmodium vivax infections in a basic clinic setting. The potential for locally made evaporative cooling boxes (ECB) to protect the tests from heat damage in high summer temperatures was also investigated.