A survey of the representativeness and usefulness of wastewater-based surveillance systems in 10 countries across Europe in 2023.

Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) has become a widespread method to monitor transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other human pathogens in Europe. We conducted a survey about WBS systems' objectives, approaches, representativeness and usefulness in 10 invited European countries in 2023, i.e.

Effectiveness of environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 as an early-warning system: Update of a systematic review during the second year of the pandemic.

The aim of this updated systematic review was to offer an overview of the effectiveness of environmental surveillance (ES) of SARS-CoV-2 as a potential early-warning system (EWS) for COVID-19 and new variants of concerns (VOCs) during the second year of the pandemic. An updated literature search was conducted to evaluate the added value of ES of SARS-CoV-2 for public health decisions. The search for studies published between June 2021 and July 2022 resulted in 1,588 publications, identifying 331 articles for full-text screening.

Does integration with national registers improve the data completeness of local COVID-19 contact tracing tools? A register-based study in Norway, May 2020 - September 2021.

Background: During the COVID-19 response in Norway, many municipalities used the Fiks contact tracing tool (FiksCT) to register positive individuals and follow-up contacts. This tool is based on DHIS2, an open source, web-based platform. In this study we examined if data completeness in FiksCT improved after integration with national registers between May 2020 and September 2021.

Evaluation of the pilot wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in Norway, June 2022 - March 2023.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater-based surveillance gained great international interest as an additional tool to monitor SARS-CoV-2. In autumn 2021, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health decided to pilot a national wastewater surveillance (WWS) system for SARS-CoV-2 and its variants between June 2022 and March 2023. We evaluated the system to assess if it met its objectives and its attribute-based performance.

Lower transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 among asymptomatic cases: evidence from contact tracing data in Oslo, Norway.

Background: Asymptomatic COVID-19 cases have complicated the surveillance and tracking of the pandemic. Previous studies have estimated that 15-25% of all infectees remain asymptomatic.

Methods: Based on contact tracing data from Oslo, Norway, we estimated transmission and susceptibility dynamics among symptomatic and asymptomatic cases and their contacts as identified by manual contact tracing between September 1, 2020, and September 1, 2021.

The First GAEN-Based COVID-19 Contact Tracing App in Norway Identifies 80% of Close Contacts in "Real Life" Scenarios.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response in most countries has relied on testing, isolation, contact tracing, and quarantine (TITQ), which is labor- and time-consuming. Therefore, several countries worldwide launched Bluetooth-based apps as supplementary tools. The aim of using contact tracing apps is to rapidly notify people about their possible exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and thus make the process of TITQ more efficient, especially upon exposure in public places.

Increased transmissibility of the alpha SARS-CoV-2 variant: evidence from contact tracing data in Oslo, January to February 2021.

Background: Information about the contagiousness of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the alpha lineage, and how they spread in various locations is essential. Country-specific estimates are needed because local interventions influence transmissibility.

Methods: We analysed contact tracing data from Oslo municipality, reported from January through February 2021, when the alpha lineage became predominant in Norway and estimated the relative transmissibility of the alpha lineage with the use of Poisson regression.

Molecular Monitoring of Enteropathogens in Sewage During NATO Exercise Trident Juncture 2018: Potential Tool in Early Outbreak Warning?

Introduction: Outbreaks of gastrointestinal disease among military service personnel can have severe impact on operational effectivity and force readiness. Thus, early outbreak detection is critical to minimize spread. This pilot study aimed to explore field-based molecular screening of sewage as a supplemental tool in early outbreak warning before disease is diagnosed in personnel seeking medical care.

Multiplex polymerase chain reaction detection of enteropathogens in sewage in Norway.

The primary objective of this small-scale study was to investigate the occurrence of enteropathogens in sewage (municipal wastewater) in Norway using the commercially available FilmArray multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system with the gastrointestinal (GI) panel. Our findings indicate that DNA/RNA of several enteropathogens are present simultaneously in Norwegian wastewater systems. The spectre was broad even in smaller communities.

Complete Genome Sequences of Six Legionella pneumophila Isolates from Two Collocated Outbreaks of Legionnaires' Disease in 2005 and 2008 in Sarpsborg/Fredrikstad, Norway.

Here, we report the complete genome sequences of Legionella pneumophila isolates from two collocated outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease in 2005 and 2008 in Sarpsborg/Fredrikstad, Norway. One clinical and two environmental isolates were sequenced from each outbreak. The genome of all six isolates consisted of a 3.

Effects of Supplemental Energy on Protein Balance during 4-d Arctic Military Training.

Unlabelled: Soldiers often experience negative energy balance during military operations that diminish whole-body protein retention, even when dietary protein is consumed within recommended levels (1.5-2.0 g·kg·d).

Identification and quantification of lichenysin - a possible source of food poisoning.

Lichenysin produced by 53 different Bacillus licheniformis strains has been structurally examined with a qualitative liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method using quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The same lichenysin isoforms are produced from all strains, indicating that the growth conditions have a stronger influence on the lipopeptide production than the genotype. A rapid method for the quantification of lichenysin from bacterial cell cultures with LC-MS/MS after a simple methanol extraction has been refined.