Publications by authors named "M Toropainen"
Microbiology reference laboratories perform a crucial role within public health systems. This role was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this Viewpoint, we emphasise the importance of microbiology reference laboratories and highlight the types of digital data and expertise they provide, which benefit national and international public health.
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- Many Western European countries have strong surveillance and reporting systems for invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), primarily caused by serogroup B (MenB), and they implement standardized testing and vaccination programs.
- Despite these efforts, there is still a significant need for advocacy to improve diagnosis, testing, and treatment of meningococcal disease.
- Recent awareness campaigns have highlighted the dangers of antibiotic resistance, with some countries reporting strains of meningococcus that are resistant to key antibiotics.
Background: Group B streptococcus is a major cause of neonatal disease. Natural history studies have linked maternally transferred anti-group B streptococcus capsular polysaccharide antibodies with protection against infant group B streptococcus disease. Previous studies of capsular polysaccharide antibody concentration in European populations have used maternal (not infant) sera and a non-standardised assay.
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- The IRIS Consortium investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on invasive diseases caused by specific bacteria over a four-year period, comparing data from before and during the pandemic.
- Laboratories from 30 countries provided surveillance data, revealing a significant decrease in cases of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis during the pandemic, while Streptococcus agalactiae cases remained unchanged.
- An estimated 36,289 cases of invasive bacterial disease were prevented due to COVID-19 containment measures during the first two years of the pandemic.
Background: Limited data are available on long-term indirect effects of ten-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) programmes. We evaluated changes in invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) incidence, mortality, and serotype distribution in adults up to 9 years after infant PCV10 introduction.
Methods: Culture-confirmed IPD cases ≥18 years (n = 5610; 85% were pneumonia) were identified through national, population-based laboratory surveillance; data were linked with population registry to conduct nationwide follow-up study.