A scoping review on how field epidemiology training programs are addressing regional and global health priorities.

Introduction: Recent global health events underscore the critical need to strengthen public health capacity worldwide, with epidemiologists playing a key role in disease management at the population level. The international community has recognized the importance of enhancing the public health workforce, including epidemiology capacity. This scoping review explores how Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) trainees and graduates have been engaged by their respective health ministries to address public health threats.

Estimating the annual burden of tick-borne encephalitis to inform vaccination policy, Slovenia, 2009 to 2013.

With an annual incidence between 8 and 15 per 100,000 population in the period from 2009 to 2013, Slovenia has one of the highest notified incidences of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in Europe. TBE vaccination coverage remains at about 7.3%.

Complications of varicella after implementation of routine childhood varicella vaccination in Germany.

A country-wide sentinel surveillance system was initiated in Germany after implementation of routine varicella vaccination of children >11 months. Sentinel physicians report monthly the number of cases and of severe varicella complications (VC). Case-based questionnaires are completed for VC.

Gripenet: an internet-based system to monitor influenza-like illness uniformly across Europe.

Gripenet has been monitoring the activity of influenza-like-illness (ILI) with the aid of volunteers via the internet in the Netherlands and Belgium since 2003 and in Portugal since 2005. In contrast with the traditional system of sentinel networks of mainly primary care physicians coordinated by the European Influenza Surveillance Scheme (EISS), Gripenet obtains its data directly from the population. Any resident of the three countries can participate in Gripenet by completing an application form on the appropriate websites (http://www.

Implications of partial immunity on the prospects for tuberculosis control by post-exposure interventions.

One-third of the world population (approximately 2 billion individuals) is currently infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the vast majority harboring a latent infection. As the risk of reactivation is around 10% in a lifetime, it follows that 200 million of these will eventually develop active pulmonary disease. Only therapeutic or post-exposure interventions can tame this vast reservoir of infection.

Major outbreak of hepatitis A associated with orange juice among tourists, Egypt, 2004.

In 2004, a major outbreak of hepatitis A among tourists returning from Egypt involved 351 case-patients from 9 European countries who were infected with a single strain (genotype 1 b). The case-control study identified orange juice as the most likely infection vehicle. Vaccination against hepatitis A virus is strongly recommended before travel to disease-endemic areas.

Hepatitis A vaccination policy for travellers to Egypt in eight European countries, 2004.

In 2004, an outbreak of hepatitis A occurred in European tourists returning from Egypt. The reported hepatitis A attack rates varied considerably between tourists from different European countries. To determine the reason for this divergence in attack rates, a survey was undertaken with the following objectives: (a) documentation of national hepatitis A prevention policies for people travelling to Egypt and (b) documentation of hepatitis A reporting practices in these countries.

Hepatitis A vaccination policy for travellers to Egypt in eight European countries, 2004.

In 2004, an outbreak of hepatitis A occurred in European tourists returning from Egypt. The reported hepatitis A attack rates varied considerably between tourists from different European countries. To determine the reason for this divergence in attack rates, a survey was undertaken with the following objectives: (a) documentation of national hepatitis A prevention policies for people travelling to Egypt and (b) documentation of hepatitis A reporting practices in these countries.

Identifying risk factors for tungiasis and heavy infestation in a resource-poor community in northeast Brazil.

Tungiasis is a neglected parasitic skin disease caused by penetration of female sand fleas into the epidermis. The ectoparasitosis is widespread in resource-poor communities in South America, the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa. To identify risk factors for the presence of sand fleas and severe infestation in an endemic community, we examined the entire population of a traditional fishing village for the presence of embedded sand fleas and determined the number and type of lesions.

Selective mass treatment with ivermectin to control intestinal helminthiases and parasitic skin diseases in a severely affected population.

Objective: To assess the short-term and long-term impact of selective mass treatment with ivermectin on the prevalence of intestinal helminthiases and parasitic skin diseases in an economically depressed community in north-east Brazil.

Methods: An intervention was carried out in a traditional fishing village in north-east Brazil where the population of 605 is heavily affected by ectoparasites and enteroparasites. The prevalence of intestinal helminths was determined by serial stool examination and the prevalence of parasitic skin diseases by clinical inspection.

Malarone treatment failure not associated with previously described mutations in the cytochrome b gene.

Malarone (atovaquone-proguanil) is an effective drug for the treatment and prophylaxis of multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria. However, first cases of resistance have been reported, which are associated with mutations at codon 268 of the parasite's cytochrome b gene. We report the first case of Malarone treatment failure from Central Africa.

Short communication: Prevalence of mutations associated with resistance to atovaquone and to the antifolate effect of proguanil in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from northern Ghana.

Atovaquone-proguanil has recently been introduced for the treatment and prophylaxis of malaria. However, resistance of Plasmodium falciparum is increasingly reported. We assessed P.

Investigations on the biology, epidemiology, pathology and control of Tunga penetrans in Brazil. II. Prevalence, parasite load and topographic distribution of lesions in the population of a traditional fishing village.

Tungiasis is hyperendemic in many poor communities in Brazil and is associated with considerable morbidity. In order to understand the factors that determine the distribution of this ectoparasitosis in a rural community, an epidemiological study was carried out in a traditional fishing village in Ceará State, north-eastern Brazil. Based on active case detection and voluntary participation, 91% of the population (belonging to 95% of all families) was examined.