Incidence of laboratory-confirmed influenza and RSV and associated presenteeism and absenteeism among healthcare personnel, Israel, influenza seasons 2016 to 2019.

BackgroundHealthcare personnel (HCP) are at high risk for respiratory infections through occupational exposure to respiratory viruses.AimWe used data from a prospective influenza vaccine effectiveness study in HCP to quantify the incidence of acute respiratory infections (ARI) and their associated presenteeism and absenteeism.MethodsAt the start and end of each season, HCP at two Israeli hospitals provided serum to screen for antibodies to influenza virus using the haemagglutination inhibition assay.

Implementing a multiplex-PCR test for the diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis in hospitalized children: Are all enteric viruses the same?

Background: Multiplex-PCR is a valuable tool for diagnosing viral acute gastroenteritis (AGE), enabling the detection of multiple pathogens. However, distinguishing between active disease and shedding poses challenges. This study aimed to evaluate viral AGE epidemiology and compare clinical characteristics among the five most common viruses.

Effectiveness of BNT162b2 Vaccination During Pregnancy in Preventing Hospitalization for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Infants.

Objective: To assess the clinical effectiveness of the BNT162b2 vaccine during pregnancy in preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) hospitalizations of infants.

Study Design: A retrospective, multicenter, 1:3 case-control (test-negative) study. Symptomatic hospitalized infants less than 6 months of age, with a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test between January 3, 2021, and March 11, 2021, were matched by age and time to negative controls, hospitalized with symptoms compatible with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Prevalence of Common Infectious Diseases After COVID-19 Vaccination and Easing of Pandemic Restrictions in Israel.

Importance: Social restrictions intended to limit the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 may have also been associated with decreased rates of other communicable diseases. Evidence suggests that infection incidence rates (IRs) are rebounding after easing of social restrictions (eg, mask mandates). The reemergence of infectious disease complicates efforts to manage the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Decline in Pneumococcal Disease in Young Children During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic in Israel Associated With Suppression of Seasonal Respiratory Viruses, Despite Persistent Pneumococcal Carriage: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: The incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies hypothesized that this was due to reduced pneumococcal transmission resulting from nonpharmaceutical interventions. We used multiple ongoing cohort surveillance projects in children <5 years to test this hypothesis.

Early effectiveness of BNT162b2 Covid-19 vaccine in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare personnel in six Israeli hospitals (CoVEHPI).

Background: Methodologically rigorous studies on Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection are critically needed to inform national and global policy on Covid-19 vaccine use. In Israel, healthcare personnel (HCP) were initially prioritized for Covid-19 vaccination, creating an ideal setting to evaluate early real-world VE in a closely monitored population.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study among HCP in 6 hospitals to estimate the effectiveness of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Maternal hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus carrier status and long-term infectious morbidity of the offspring: A population-based cohort study.

The objective of the study was to investigate the long-term effects of maternal hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) carrier status on the long-term infectious morbidity of their offspring. A population-based cohort study was conducted, including all singleton deliveries between the years 1991 and 2014 at a tertiary medical centre. The mothers were subdivided into three groups: HBV carriers, HCV carriers and non-carriers.

Measles Virus Persistent Infection of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

In this study, we found that the measles virus (MV) can infect human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Wild-type MV strains generally use human signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM; CD150) as a cellular receptor, while vaccine strains such as the Edmonston strain can use both CD150 and CD46 as receptors. It is not yet known how early in the embryonal differentiation stages these receptors are expressed.

Nasopharyngeal Pneumococcal Carriage During Childhood Community-Acquired Alveolar Pneumonia: Relationship Between Specific Serotypes and Coinfecting Viruses.

Background: Respiratory viruses and Streptococcus pneumoniae are known to be copathogens in childhood pneumonia. However, it is unclear whether all pneumococcal serotypes are equally prone to such interaction. We attempted to determine association between carried pneumococcal serotypes and respiratory viruses during childhood community-acquired alveolar pneumonia (CAAP).

Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum in Southern Israel.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania major is common in southern Israel, while Leishmania infantum (sub-strain of L. donovani, causing zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis) infections were rarely reported in Israel and only in other regions. We report the first case of L.

In vivo expression of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) microRNAs during latency.

Viral encoded microRNAs play key roles in regulating gene expression and the life cycle of human herpes viruses. Latency is one of the hallmarks of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV or HHV5) life cycle, and its control may have immense practical applications. The present study aims to identify HCMV encoded microRNAs during the latency phase of the virus.

The microRNA Transcriptome of Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV).

The purpose of the present study was to characterize the microRNA transcriptome (miRNAome) of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV or HHV5). We used deep sequencing and real time PCR (qPCR) together with bioinformatics to analyze the pattern of small RNA expression in cells infected with low-passage isolates of HCMV as well as in plasma and amniotic fluid. We report here on the discovery of four new precursors and ten new miRNAs as well as eleven microRNA-offset-RNAs (moRs) that are all encoded by HCMV.

The prevalence of human papillomavirus and cervical cytology abnormalities in women infected with human immunodeficiency virus in southern Israel.

Background: Concomitant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection increases both HPV persistence and the risk of invasive cervical cancer. An estimation of HPV prevalence among HIV-positive women in Israel would contribute to improving care for this population and preventing morbidity and mortality related to cervical cancer.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of HPV infection and cervical cytology abnormalities, and to assess the possible influence of HIV infection on HPV carriage in HIV-positive women attending the Infectious Disease Clinic at Soroka University Medical Center.

A novel qPCR assay for viral encoded microRNAs.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that postranscriptionally regulate viral and host gene expression. Reliable and simple assays for detecting and analyzing miRNAs during viral infections are critical for clinical and research purposes. A highly sensitive quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay was developed.