Publications by authors named "Jokelainen P"

Cystic and alveolar echinococcosis are severe zoonotic diseases characterized by long asymptomatic periods lasting months or years. Viable Echinococcus spp. eggs released into the environment through the feces of canids can infect humans through accidental ingestion via hand-to-mouth contact or consumption of contaminated food or water.

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  • The risk of zoonotic diseases, which are diseases transmitted from animals to humans, is particularly high for individuals in close contact with both domestic and wild animals, especially in remote Arctic regions.
  • Approximately 75% of human infectious diseases are zoonotic, and the potential health impacts increase in areas with limited healthcare access and disease surveillance.
  • The Arctic is facing changes from pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss, which heighten the risk of these diseases, necessitating a One Health approach that integrates human, animal, and environmental health to address these challenges effectively.
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  • Bluetongue (BT) is a viral disease affecting various ruminants across Africa, but data on its prevalence is limited, prompting a systematic review and meta-analysis.
  • The study found a pooled seroprevalence of the bluetongue virus (BTV) to be 45.02%, with higher rates seen in cattle (49.70%) and goats (47.00%), particularly in the southeastern region of Africa.
  • It was noted that female animals showed a significantly higher seroprevalence (53.30%) compared to males (28.10%), highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and surveillance to prevent the disease's spread.
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Vast amounts of pathogen genomic, demographic and spatial data are transforming our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 emergence and spread. We examined the drivers of molecular evolution and spread of 291,791 SARS-CoV-2 genomes from Denmark in 2021. With a sequencing rate consistently exceeding 60%, and up to 80% of PCR-positive samples between March and November, the viral genome set is broadly whole-epidemic representative.

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The application of a One Health approach recognizes that human health, animal health, plant health and ecosystem health are intrinsically connected. Tackling complex challenges associated with foodborne zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance, and emerging threats is imperative. Therefore, the One Health European Joint Programme was established within the European Union research programme Horizon 2020.

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We report an epidemic of parvovirus B19 infections in Denmark during the first quarter of 2024, with a peak incidence 3.5 times higher than during the most recent epidemic in 2017. In total, 20.

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Among the potential animal reservoirs of the zoonotic parasite , birds have received relatively little attention. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the global status and to provide an overview of the epidemiology of infection in birds. The standard protocol of preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed.

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Background: The mosquito-borne zoonotic parasite Dirofilaria immitis continues to spread northwards in Europe. This parasite can cause potentially life-threatening heartworm disease in dogs and pulmonary dirofilariasis in humans and is, therefore, a major health concern in both the veterinary medicine and human medical fields. This is the first report of D.

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Background: Veterinarians are at risk for numerous zoonotic infections. In this paper, we summarise descriptions of zoonotic infections from a questionnaire study and a series of work-related zoonotic cases, aiming to add to the knowledge on occupational zoonotic risks of veterinarians.

Methods: We collected data on zoonotic infections contracted by veterinarians in Finland in two studies:1) using a questionnaire in 2009, and 2) inviting veterinarians who had encountered an occupational zoonosis to report it in structured interviews in 2019.

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is an important zoonotic parasite worldwide, but it has received limited attention in Ukraine. A seroepidemiological study was conducted and samples from 452 wild boars that had been hunted in 2006-2011 in 23 of the 25 regions of Ukraine were tested to estimate . seroprevalence.

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  • Echinococcus multilocularis is a parasitic cestode causing a deadly disease called alveolar echinococcosis, primarily spread by red foxes in Europe.
  • The study investigated genetic diversity among E. multilocularis isolates from 19 European countries, analyzing 4,968 base pairs from five mitochondrial genes and identifying 43 different haplotypes.
  • Findings indicated that most of the isolates shared four predominant haplotypes concentrated in mainland Europe, while Svalbard's isolates were genetically distinct, highlighting the need for more research in underrepresented eastern European regions to understand genetic variability.
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We report a surge of patients, especially children and adolescents, with respiratory disease caused by in Denmark since October 2023. While the surge has reached an epidemic level, no impact on hospital capacity has been observed; only 14% (446/3,195) of cases, primarily adults, required hospitalisation. Macrolide resistance was detected in less than 2% of samples tested.

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Rodents may serve as reservoirs of zoonotic species of ; however, data from molecular surveys in support of this hypothesis are still scarce. In this study, we screened faeces and rectal content from murid and cricetid rodents ( = 58) caught around three farms in Zealand, Denmark, for spp. by amplicon-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) of ribosomal genes.

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Purpose: A new high-resolution next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based method was established to type closely related European type II Toxoplasma gondii strains.

Methods: T. gondii field isolates were collected from different parts of Europe and assessed by whole genome sequencing (WGS).

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Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan protozoan parasite that can infect mammals and birds. The infection can cause acute toxoplasmosis and death in susceptible hosts. Bioassay using cats and mice has been the standard for the isolation of T.

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is a zoonotic parasite infecting all warm-blooded animals, including humans. The contribution of environmental contamination by oocysts to infections is understudied. The aim of the current work was to explore serology as a means of attributing the source of infection using a robust stepwise approach.

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  • A study in Denmark identified 10 cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.2.86, showcasing its genetic characteristics and presence in low levels through wastewater analysis.
  • The World Health Organization classified BA.2.86 as a variant under monitoring on August 17, 2023, due to its numerous mutations in the spike gene.
  • There is an ongoing need for global monitoring of COVID-19 and its variants, including BA.2.86, to track their spread and impact.
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The cancer profile of veterinarians has received little research attention, despite the profession potentially being exposed to a wide range of known and suspected carcinogens. In this large-scale cohort study, we assessed cancer incidence in veterinarians in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, across more than 40 years (1961-2005). The cohort comprised 4708 veterinarians and 119,503 person-years at follow-up.

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