During the autumn/winter respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) epidemics, bacterial co-infection is common and affects the disease severity. We aimed to understand the relationship between RSV-bacterial co-infections and clinical severity since the RSV seasonality change after COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a prospective, sentinel surveillance study at 20 sites in Portugal in children under 2 years hospitalized with RSV, between April 21 and January 23.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Repeated COVID-19 booster vaccination was recommended in healthcare workers (HCWs) to maintain protection. We measured the relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) of the second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine compared to the first booster, against laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCWs.
Methods: In a prospective cohort study among HCWs from 12 European hospitals, we collected nasopharyngeal or saliva samples at enrolment and during weekly/fortnightly follow-up between October 2022 and May 2023.
Influenza Other Respir Viruses
November 2024
We estimated XBB.1.5 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection among adults aged ≥ 65 years during the 2023/2024 JN.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe aimed to access the genetic diversity of Apergillus fumigatus strains obtained from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients from southern Brazil. A. fumigatus sensu stricto isolates from respiratory clinical specimens were genotyped by microsatellite markers and azole resistance was evaluated by azole-agar screening.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe East African Community (EAC) is experiencing an unprecedented, emerging mpox outbreak since July 2024 in five of eight partner states. We highlight rapid regional response measures, initiated August 2024 coordinated by EAC: field deployment of six mobile laboratories in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan to high-risk areas, donation of one mobile laboratory to Democratic Republic of the Congo and genomic monkeypox virus (MPXV) surveillance support. These interventions aim to limit local mpox spread and support international containment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInfluenza Other Respir Viruses
August 2024
Importance: In the context of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants or lineages and new vaccines, it is key to accurately monitor COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (CVE) to inform vaccination campaigns.
Objective: To estimate the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines administered in autumn and winter 2022 to 2023 against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection (with all circulating viruses and XBB lineage in particular) among people aged 60 years or older in Europe, and to compare different CVE approaches across the exposed and reference groups used.
Design, Setting, And Participants: This case-control study obtained data from VEBIS (Vaccine Effectiveness, Burden and Impact Studies), a multicenter study that collects COVID-19 and influenza data from 11 European sites: Croatia; France; Germany; Hungary; Ireland; Portugal; the Netherlands; Romania; Spain, national; Spain, Navarre region; and Sweden.
In autumn 2023, European vaccination campaigns predominantly administered XBB.1.5 vaccine.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackgroundScarce European data in early 2021 suggested lower vaccine effectiveness (VE) against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron lineages than previous variants.AimWe aimed to estimate primary series (PS) and first booster VE against symptomatic BA.1/BA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe conducted a multicentre hospital-based test-negative case-control study to measure the effectiveness of adapted bivalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during the Omicron XBB lineage-predominant period in patients aged ≥ 60 years with severe acute respiratory infection from five countries in Europe. Bivalent vaccines provided short-term additional protection compared with those vaccinated > 6 months before the campaign: from 80% (95% CI: 50 to 94) for 14-89 days post-vaccination, 15% (95% CI: -12 to 35) at 90-179 days, and lower to no effect thereafter.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUsing a test-negative case-control design, we aim to estimate influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) against medically attended laboratory-confirmed influenza in Portugal in 2022/2023 season. Between week 41/2022 and week 14/2023, data on 592 patients with influenza-like illness aged 18 or more years old were collected by the national sentinel influenza surveillance system in primary care settings. Of those, 218 were positive for influenza and 374 were negative controls.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAspergillosis is an uncommon disease in horses, but it can be fatal. We report two cases of systemic aspergillosis in foals that occurred in a short period in the same region of southern Brazil. In addition, a literature review of similar cases was also performed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis is a global emergent infectious disease. Due to the scarcity of therapeutic options for fungal diseases, new antifungals are urgently needed. Nikkomycin Z (NikZ) is a future option as an agent against dimorphic fungi.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiphenyl diselenide (PhSe)2 is a stable organoselenium compound with promising in vitro antifungal activity against several fungi, including Sporothrix brasiliensis. This species is associated with feline and zoonotic sporotrichosis, an emergent mycosis in Latin America. We evaluated the activity of (PhSe)2, alone and in association with itraconazole, in the treatment of sporotrichosis caused by S.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe evaluated the mortality due to aspergillosis in free-ranging Magellanic penguins during their migration and the reproductive season. A total of 98 carcasses of penguins were collected along 370 km of coastline in Southern Brazil, between June 2017 and October 2019, and from reproductive colonies in Patagonian Argentina, in January 2019. All animals were necropsied, and only proven cases were computed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAfter the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 BA.5 Omicron lineage in Portugal, we developed a seroepidemiologic survey based on a sample of 3,825 residents. Results indicated that from April 27 through June 8, 2022, the estimated seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid or spike IgG was 95.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: An out-of-season increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) incidence was observed in Portugal from June 2021 onwards, revealing a continuing surge in cases throughout 2021/2022 autumn/winter. We aimed to describe this out-of-season epidemic and define its epidemic period, by analysing RSV incidence from week 40 of 2020 (2020-W40) to week 18 of 2022 (2022-W18).
Material And Methods: Surveillance data on weekly RSV laboratory confirmed cases, in Portugal, was used to monitor RSV incidence using CUSUM test methodology for count data.
Aspergillosis is a mycosis, most commonly affecting the airways. This mycosis can worsen the clinical condition of patients with concurrent lung diseases. We assayed for the presence of serum anti-A.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Following a COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign, it is important to evaluate the population level of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence rate of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies acquired due to infection or vaccination in the Portuguese population.
Material And Methods: The National Serological Survey (third wave - ISN3COVID-19) is a cross-sectional nationwide epidemiological study developed on a sample of 4545 Portuguese residents aged one year or older, between the 28th September 2021 and the 19th November 2021.
Background: is an emergent fungal pathogen and a global concern, mostly due to its resistance to many currently available antifungal drugs.
Objective: Thus, in response to this challenge, we evaluated the in vitro activity of potential new drugs, diphenyl diselenide (PhSe) and nikkomycin Z (nikZ), alone and in association with currently available antifungals (azoles, echinocandins, and polyenes) against .
Methods: Clinical isolates of were tested in vitro.
Vaccination is considered the most important measure to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Extensive follow-up studies with distinct vaccines and populations are able to promote robust and reliable data to better understand the effectiveness of this pharmacologic strategy. In this sense, we present data regarding binding and neutralizing (achieved by surrogate ELISA assay) antibodies throughout time, from vaccinated and previously infected (PI) health care workers (HCW) in Portugal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAspergillus section Fumigati is reported in up to 99% of aspergillosis cases in penguins. So far, no data regarding molecular epidemiology and azole resistance are available for A. fumigatus isolates collected from Magellanic penguins.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFungal infections are one of the most prevalent diseases in the world and there is a lack of new antifungal drug development for these diseases. We conducted a systematic review of the literature regarding the in vitro antifungal activity of the organoselenium compounds ebselen (Eb) and diphenyl diselenide [(PhSe)2]. A systematic review was carried out based on the search for articles with data concerning Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values, indexed in international databases and published until August 2020.
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