Facilitators and barriers to implementing successful exclusion among children with shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli: a qualitative analysis of public health case management records.

Background: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections are a significant public health concern as they can cause serious illness and outbreaks. In England, STEC incidence is highest among children and guidance recommends that children under six diagnosed with STEC are excluded from childcare until two consecutive stool cultures are negative. We aimed to describe the barriers and facilitators to implementing exclusion and the impact of exclusion policies on young children and their families.

Shedding and exclusion from childcare in children with Shiga toxin-producing , 2018-2022.

Excluding children with Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) from childcare until microbiologically clear of the pathogen, disrupts families, education, and earnings. Since PCR introduction, non-O157 STEC serotype detections in England have increased. We examined shedding duration by serotype and transmission risk, to guide exclusion advice.

Factors associated with preterm birth in women undergoing cervical cerclage.

Objectives: Cervical cerclage is used to manage women at high risk of late miscarriage (LM) and spontaneous preterm birth (PTB) due to factors such as history of cervical insufficiency (CI), uterine anomaly, cervical surgery and ultrasound (US) diagnosed cervical shortening. Urinary tract infection (UTI) and subsequent pyelonephritis, and bacterial infection are associated with PTB, but their role in PTB after cervical cerclage is unknown. We examined the relationship between UTI and bacterial vaginosis (BV), fetal fibronectin (fFN) test and PTB in women undergoing elective- or US-indicated cervical cerclage.