Nosocomial transmission of NDM-1-containing Klebsiella pneumoniae ST147 in a Dutch pediatric oncology center associated with patients from Ukraine.

We studied nosocomial transmission of multidrug-resistant bla-containing Klebsiella pneumoniae ST147 in a Dutch pediatric oncology center. Whole-genome multilocus sequence typing revealed two genetic clusters consisting of 2 and 5 K. pneumoniae isolates, both from Ukrainian medical evacuees and Dutch patients.

Twenty Years of Lyme Borreliosis in the Netherlands: Temporal Trends in Seroprevalence and Risk Factors.

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is not notifiable in many European countries, and the patchwork of surveillance strategies in Europe perpetuates knowledge gaps. In the Netherlands, LB incidence has been estimated from recurring general practitioner surveys since the 1990s. To complement the incidence data, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of antibodies against sensu lato in the general population of the Netherlands in 1995/1996, identify risk factors for seropositivity, and compare these findings to data from 2016/2017 to identify temporal trends.

Association of Bacterial Load and Colonization Sites With the Risk of Postoperative Infection.

Background: The independent effects of extranasal-only carriage, carriage at multiple bodily sites, or the bacterial load of colonizing (SA) on the risk of developing SA surgical site infections and postoperative bloodstream infections (SA SSI/BSIs) are unclear. We aimed to quantify these effects in this large prospective cohort study.

Methods: Surgical patients aged 18 years or older were screened for SA carriage in the nose, throat, or perineum within 30 days before surgery.

Regional spread of an atypical ESBL-producing ST131H89 clone among different human and environmental reservoirs in Western Switzerland.

We describe the inter-regional spread of a novel ESBL-producing subclone (ST131H89) in long-term care facility residents, general population, and environmental water sources in Western Switzerland between 2017 and 2020. The study highlights the importance of molecular surveillance for tracking emerging antibiotic-resistant pathogens in healthcare and community settings.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers in Dutch hospitals after the 2020 first wave: a multicentre cross-sectional study with prospective follow-up.

Background: We aimed to estimate the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence and describe its determinants and associated symptoms among unvaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs) after the first wave of the pandemic.

Methods: HCWs from 13 Dutch hospitals were screened for antibodies against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 in June-July 2020 and after three months. Participants completed a retrospective questionnaire on determinants for occupational and community exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 experienced since January 2020.

Postoperative Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Patients With and Without Preoperative Colonization.

Importance: Staphylococcus aureus surgical site infections (SSIs) and bloodstream infections (BSIs) are important complications of surgical procedures for which prevention remains suboptimal. Contemporary data on the incidence of and etiologic factors for these infections are needed to support the development of improved preventive strategies.

Objectives: To assess the occurrence of postoperative S aureus SSIs and BSIs and quantify its association with patient-related and contextual factors.

Gut microbiome dynamics in index patients colonized with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales after hospital discharge and their household contacts.

Colonization with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-PE) often precedes infections and is therefore considered as a great threat for public health. Here, we studied the gut microbiome dynamics in eight index patients colonized with ESBL-PE after hospital discharge and the impact of exposure to this index patient on the gut microbiome dynamics of their household contacts. We showed that the microbiome composition from index patients is different from their household contacts upon hospital discharge and that, in some of the index patients, their microbiome composition over time shifted toward the composition of their household contacts.

"From Nares to Wound: Exploring the mechanisms for Staphylococcal surgical site infections, implications for infection prevention".

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are important healthcare-associated infections, leading to increased morbidity and mortality, healthcare costs, and prolonged hospital stays. is an important and common microbial cause of SSI. Nasal carriage of has been shown to be an important determinant for the development of SSI, and interventions aimed at eradicating preoperative nasal carriage are associated with a reduced risk of infection.

Plasma protein biomarkers reflective of the host response in patients developing Intensive Care Unit-acquired pneumonia.

Background: Immune suppression has been implicated in the occurrence of pneumonia in critically ill patients. We tested the hypothesis that Intensive Care Unit (ICU)-acquired pneumonia is associated with broad host immune aberrations in the trajectory to pneumonia, encompassing inflammatory, endothelial and coagulation responses. We compared plasma protein biomarkers reflecting the systemic host response in critically ill patients who acquire a new pneumonia (cases) with those who do not (controls).

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Lyme Borreliosis in The Netherlands: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is not notifiable in many European countries, and accurate data on the incidence are often lacking. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of sensu lato (s.l.

Diagnostic accuracy of SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen self-tests in asymptomatic individuals in the omicron period: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To assess the performances of three commonly used antigen rapid diagnostic tests used as self-tests in asymptomatic individuals in the Omicron period.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional diagnostic test accuracy study in the Omicron period in three public health service COVID-19 test sites in the Netherlands, including 3600 asymptomatic individuals aged ≥ 16 years presenting for SARS-CoV-2 testing for any reason except confirmatory testing after a positive self-test. Participants were sampled for RT-PCR (reference test) and received one self-test (either Acon Flowflex [Flowflex], MP Biomedicals (MPBio), or Siemens-Healthineers CLINITEST [CLINITEST]) to perform unsupervised at home.

SARS-CoV-2 Alpha-Variant Outbreak Amongst a Partially Vaccinated Long-Term Care Facility Population in The Netherlands-Phylogenetic Analysis and Infection Control Observations.

Despite extensive vaccination and booster programs, SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in long-term care facilities (LTCF) continue to occur. We retrospectively describe a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak amongst a partially vaccinated LTCF population in The Netherlands which occurred in March 2021. The facility comprised three floors functioning as separate wards.

Head-to-head comparison of the accuracy of saliva and nasal rapid antigen SARS-CoV-2 self-testing: cross-sectional study.

Background: The diagnostic accuracy of unsupervised self-testing with rapid antigen diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) is mostly unknown. We studied the diagnostic accuracy of a self-performed SARS-CoV-2 saliva and nasal Ag-RDT in the general population.

Methods: This large cross-sectional study consecutively included unselected individuals aged ≥ 16 years presenting for SARS-CoV-2 testing at three public health service test sites.

Diagnostic accuracy of covid-19 rapid antigen tests with unsupervised self-sampling in people with symptoms in the omicron period: cross sectional study.

Objective: To assess the performance of rapid antigen tests with unsupervised nasal and combined oropharyngeal and nasal self-sampling during the omicron period.

Design: Prospective cross sectional diagnostic test accuracy study.

Setting: Three public health service covid-19 test sites in the Netherlands, 21 December 2021 to 10 February 2022.

Genetic analysis of plasmid-encoded resistance in Enterobacteriaceae derived from poultry meat in the Netherlands.

Background: Colistin is classified as the highest priority and critically important antimicrobial for human medicine by WHO as it is the last resort agent for treatment of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in humans. Additional research is necessary to elucidate the genetic structure of resistance genes, commonly found on plasmids, using WGS.

Objectives: To map and compare the genetic characteristics of 35 -mediated colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolated from chicken meat to highlight the genetic variation of the containing plasmids.

Self-testing for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection with rapid antigen tests for people with suspected COVID-19 in the community.

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of nasal mid-turbinate self-testing using rapid antigen detection tests (RDT) for persons with suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the community. Self-testing for COVID-19 infection with lateral flow assay severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RDT, provides rapid results and could enable frequent and extensive testing in the community, thereby improving the control of SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: Participants visiting a municipal SARS-CoV-2 testing centre, received self-testing kits containing either the BD Veritor System (BD-RDT) or Roche SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection test (Roche-RDT).

Populations of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae are different in human-polluted environment and food items: a multicentre European study.

Objectives: To assess the extent to which food items are a source of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) -producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec) and ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-Kp) for humans in five European cities.

Methods: We sampled 122 human polluted (hp)-environments (sewers and polluted rivers, as a proxy of human contamination) and 714 food items in Besançon (France), Geneva (Switzerland), Sevilla (Spain), Tübingen (Germany) and Utrecht (The Netherlands). A total of 254 ESBL-Ec and 39 ESBL-Kp isolates were cultured.

Evaluation of the test accuracy of a SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test in symptomatic community dwelling individuals in the Netherlands.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is well suited for the diagnosis of clinically ill patients requiring treatment. Application for community testing of symptomatic individuals for disease control purposes however raises challenges. SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests might offer an alternative, but quality evidence on their performance is limited.

Genome-wide analysis in unravels a high level of genetic homoplasy associated with cefotaxime resistance.

Cefotaxime (CTX) is a third-generation cephalosporin (3GC) commonly used to treat infections caused by . Two genetic mechanisms have been associated with 3GC resistance in . The first is the conjugative transfer of a plasmid harbouring antibiotic-resistance genes.

Distinguishing Gene-Containing IncF Plasmids from Epidemiologically Related and Unrelated Based on Short- and Long-Read Sequence Data.

Limited information is available on whether -containing plasmids from isolates in a hospital outbreak can be differentiated from epidemiologically unrelated -containing plasmids based on sequence data. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of three approaches to distinguish epidemiologically related from unrelated -containing pKpQiL-like IncFII(k2)-IncFIB(pQiL) plasmids. Epidemiologically related isolates were subjected to short- and long-read whole-genome sequencing.

Household acquisition and transmission of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) -producing Enterobacteriaceae after hospital discharge of ESBL-positive index patients.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine rates and risk factors of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) acquisition and transmission within households after hospital discharge of an ESBL-PE-positive index patient.

Methods: Two-year prospective cohort study in five European cities. Patients colonized with ESBL-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec) or Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-Kp), and their household contacts were followed up for 4 months after hospital discharge of the index case.

Clinical performance and sample freeze-thaw stability of the cobas®6800 SARS-CoV-2 assay for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in oro-/nasopharyngeal swabs and lower respiratory specimens.

Introduction: Studies describing the performance characteristics of the cobas®6800 system for SARS-CoV-2 detection in deep respiratory specimens and freeze-thaw stability are limited. The current study compares the clinical performance of the automated SARS-CoV-2 assay on the cobas®6800 system to a lab-developed assay (LDA) and the cobas impact of freeze-thawing combined with lysis buffer.

Methods: Both retrospective and prospectively selected deep respiratory samples and oro- and nasopharyngeal samples in either E-swab® or GLY- were tested using the SARS-CoV-2 assay on the cobas®6800 System and compared to a lab developed assay.