Estimating vaccine effectiveness against laboratory-confirmed influenza among children and adolescents in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, 2012-2016.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) has to be estimated anew for every season to explore vaccines' protective effect in the population. We report VE estimates against laboratory-confirmed influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and influenza B among children aged 2-17 years, using test-negative design. Pooled data from two German federal states' surveillance systems for acute respiratory illness from week 40/2012 to 20/2016 was used, yielding a total of 10 627 specimens.

Effectiveness of the 2012/13 trivalent live and inactivated influenza vaccines in children and adolescents in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany: a test-negative case-control study.

A live attenuated influenza vaccine has been available in Germany since the influenza season 2012/13, which is approved for children aged 2-17 years. Using data from our laboratory-based surveillance system, we described the circulation of influenza and non-influenza respiratory viruses during the influenza season 2012/13 in Saxony-Anhalt. We estimated the effectiveness of live and inactivated trivalent influenza vaccines in preventing laboratory-confirmed cases among children and adolescents.

[Investigation of a family cluster of influenza A/H1N1 infections in Germany, 2009].

Introduction: On May 3, 2009, a first case of influenza A/H1N1 infection occurred in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. In order to stop the possible spread of the virus and to study the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the infection, an investigation was launched by the local health authorities and the RKI.

Methods: Standardised questionnaires were used to assess demographic and clinical data.

Chlamydophila psittaci infections in humans during an outbreak of psittacosis from poultry in Germany.

In 2005, an outbreak of severe respiratory disease in a mixed poultry flock that was infected with Chlamydophila (C.) psittaci led to dissemination of the infection to at least 100 small poultry farms in 11 districts of Central Germany. At the same time, a total of 24 persons in contact with poultry from one of the flocks reported flu-like symptoms to their physician, thus suggesting zoonotic transmission.

[Meningococcal carriers in high school students and possible risk factors].

From August 2004 to January 2005 a cluster of 7 cases of serogroup B meningococcal disease occurred in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in the town of Sangerhausen and the surrounding area. This led to an investigation of meningococcal carriage in 816 high school students (grades 9 to 13). The students were also asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding possible risk factors for carriage.