Outbreak of a beta-lactam resistant non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae sequence type 14 associated with severe clinical outcomes.

Background: During October 2011 several residents and staff members at a long-term care facility (LTCF) for elderly fell ill with respiratory symptoms. Several of the residents required hospitalization and one died. Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) was identified as the causative pathogen.

Possible zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium felis in a household.

In humans, the risk of contracting cryptosporidiosis caused by Cryptosporidium felis is considered to be relatively low, and most of the confirmed cases have been observed in immunocompromised patients. Both anthroponotic and zoonotic transmission routes have been suggested. Here, we report a case of suspected zoonotic transmission of C.

[Results of the hepatitis A epidemic in Blekinge. Transmission links surveyed with the help of sequence analysis of viral RNA].

In 1994-1995 there was an epidemic of hepatitis A (HAV) among drug abusers in the county of Blekinge, Sweden. There were also a number of other cases in which the epidemiological links were unclear. In order to uncover possible links between unclear cases retrospective sequencing was carried out of the VP1 region of HAV-RNA from patient sera.

Imported rocket salad partly responsible for increased incidence of hepatitis A cases in Sweden, 2000-2001.

An increased incidence of domestic hepatitis A without any obvious source of infection in Sweden and a small outbreak in late spring 2001 led to the undertaking of a case-control study. Consumption of imported rocket salad was clearly associated with disease (odds ratio 9.1, 95% confidence interval 1.

Contact tracing for genital Chlamydia trachomatis in a Swedish county.

Background: Contact tracing is one of the measures used to control genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections.

Goal Of This Study: To assess important variables of contact tracing in an everyday clinical setting.

Study Design: Patients reported according to the STD Act were studied in a prospective, consecutive county-based study.

Long-term study of Lyme borreliosis in a highly endemic area in Sweden.

From May 1991 to May 1994, Lyme borreliosis was studied prospectively in 301 residents living on Aspö, a highly endemic area for the disease. The study included annual questionnaires and blood samples for serology. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 63/301 (21%) of the residents at the start of the study.

An epidemiologic study of Lyme disease in southern Sweden.

Background: Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne infection in some temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. However, for most areas of endemic disease reliable epidemiologic data are sparse.

Methods: Over a one-year period, we conducted a prospective, population-based survey of cases of Lyme disease in southern Sweden.

Lyme arthritis--a common manifestation in a highly endemic area in Sweden.

Objective: To study the prevalence and the clinical features of Lyme arthritis in a Swedish area highly endemic for Lyme borreliosis.

Methods: Sera from 480 of 540 individuals living in a tick endemic area on an island in southern Sweden were tested by ELISA for IgG antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi. A questionnaire was completed at the time serum was obtained.

Tick-borne borreliosis in the archipelago of southern Sweden.

Sera from 480 individuals living on an island at the Baltic coast in southern Sweden were tested by ELISA for detection of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi. The area was found to be highly endemic for Lyme borreliosis with elevated IgG antibody levels in 90/480 individuals (19%). Of 149 ticks collected on the island 16 nymphs (17%) and 15 adults (26%) were infected by B.

Dengue fever among Swedish tourists.

Serologically confirmed cases of dengue fever among Swedish tourists were studied retrospectively. Dengue fever was found to be the most commonly diagnosed imported arbovirus disease in Sweden during the period December 1989-November 1990. 24 cases were diagnosed.

High prevalence rates of antibody to three sandfly fever viruses (Sicilian, Naples, and Toscana) among Cypriots.

Neutralizing antibodies to sandfly fever Naples, sandfly fever Sicilian and Toscana viruses were investigated among 479 sera collected from a normal human population in Cyprus. Antibody prevalence rates of 57%, 32% and 20% were found to Naples, Sicilian and Toscana viruses, respectively. The observed frequency of dual and triple infections was higher than would be expected with a random chance of infection.

ELISA for detection of IgM and IgG antibodies to sandfly fever Sicilian virus.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detect specific human immunoglobulin G and M antibodies to sandfly fever Sicilian (SFS) virus. Acute and early convalescent serum pairs with greater than or equal to 7 days between the 2 specimens were available from 20 patients and all showed significant optical density (OD) increase and significant titre rise (greater than or equal to 4-fold) by IgG ELISA. However, negative or borderline-positive sera were found as late as 11 days after onset of symptoms when tested by IgG ELISA.