Contribution of Other Respiratory Viruses During Influenza Epidemic Activity in Catalonia, Spain, 2008-2020.

Background: During seasonal influenza activity, circulation of other respiratory viruses (ORVs) may contribute to the increased disease burden that is attributed to influenza without laboratory confirmation. The objective of this study was to characterize and evaluate the magnitude of this contribution over 12 seasons of influenza using the Acute Respiratory Infection Sentinel Surveillance system in Catalonia (PIDIRAC).

Methods: A retrospective descriptive study of isolations from respiratory samples obtained by the sentinel surveillance network of physicians was carried out from 2008 to 2020 in Catalonia, Spain.

Hepatitis B Virus-Related Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Hospital Discharge Rates from 2005 to 2021 in Spain: Impact of Universal Vaccination.

The main consequences of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), both associated with frequent hospitalization. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of universal HBV vaccination in Spain on chronic HBV-related hospital discharges from 2005 to 2021. Using data from the Minimum Basic Data Set of the Spanish National Health System, we calculated the hospital discharge rate ratio (HDRR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) values for chronic HBV-related discharges between 2005 and 2021.

Correction: Risk factors associated with severe outcomes in adult hospitalized patients according to influenza type and subtype.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Impact of the Universal Implementation of Adolescent Hepatitis B Vaccination in Spain.

The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of the introduction of universal adolescent HBV vaccination on the incidence of acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. Acute HBV cases reported to the Spanish National Epidemiological Surveillance Network between 2005 and 2021 were included. For regions starting adolescent vaccination in 1991-1993 and in 1994-1996, HBV incidence rates were compared by calculating the incidence rate ratio (IRR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccination and Early Antiviral Treatment in Reducing Pneumonia Risk in Severe Influenza Cases.

Introduction: Influenza vaccination may be effective in preventing influenza infection and may reduce the risk of influenza-associated pneumonia. The study aim was to evaluate the effect of influenza vaccination in preventing pneumonia when it failed to prevent influenza hospitalization.

Methods: This was a case-control study comparing hospitalized cases of influenza with and without pneumonia in patients aged ≥18 years in 16 hospitals in Catalonia over 10 influenza seasons (2010-11 to 2019-20).

Factors Associated with Treatment Prescription to Pulmonary Tuberculosis Contacts in Catalonia (2019-2021): A Population-Based Epidemiological Study.

In countries with low tuberculosis (TB) incidence, the systematic testing and treatment of latent TB infection (LTBI) in contacts of pulmonary TB index cases is the standard of care. The objective of this study, conducted in Catalonia over 2019-2021, was to assess the factors associated with LTBI treatment prescription to close contacts of pulmonary TB index cases. In this population-based epidemiological study of LTBI prevalence among pulmonary TB contacts between 2019 and 2021, multiple logistic backward stepwise regression was used to identify the factors associated with treatment prescription, for which the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

Assessment of Knowledge and Attitudes Over Time in Postacute COVID-19 Environments: Protocol for an Epidemiological Study.

Background: Globally, COVID-19 is in transition from the acute pandemic phase into a postacute phase, and special attention should be paid at this time to COVID-19 control strategies. Understanding public knowledge and attitudes plays a pivotal role in controlling COVID-19's spread and provides information about the public's adherence to preventive and control measures.

Objective: This study protocol describes the planning and management of a survey to investigate the persistent or changing trends in knowledge and attitudes regarding COVID-19, vaccination, and nonpharmaceutical preventive measures among COVID-19 cases' household contacts aged 18 years and older, after the acute phase of the pandemic in Catalonia and Navarre in Spain.

Effect of air pollutants on ambulatory blood pressure.

Background And Methodology: Air pollutants have a significant impact on public health. The aim of the study was to find out the relationship between ambulatory blood pressure measured by 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and the atmospheric pollutants that are measured regularly (PM, PM, NO and SO). An observational study of temporal and geographic measurements of individual patients (case-time series design) was carried out in Primary Care Centres and Hypertension Units in the Barcelona metropolitan area.

Two successive outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis due to norovirus GII.6 in a holiday camp house.

When two outbreaks occur in the same institution within a short period of time, an important health and social concern is generated. Two gastroenteritis outbreaks occurring a week apart in the same facility were reported in Lleida, Spain, in 2018. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical, epidemiological and microbiological investigation carried out and to determine the risk factors.

Epidemiology of GII.4 and GII.2 norovirus outbreaks in closed and semi-closed institutions in 2017 and 2018.

Norovirus infections are a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide, with genotypes GII.2 and GII.4 being the most prevalent.

Epidemiological Characteristics and Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Hepatitis A in Spain in the Context of the 2016/2017 European Outbreak.

The aim of our study was to describe the results of the epidemiological surveillance of hepatitis A infections in Spain in the context of the 2016/2017 European outbreak, particularly of hepatitis A outbreaks reported in the MSM population, incorporating the results of a spatio-temporal analysis of cases. Hepatitis A cases and outbreaks reported in 2016-2017 to the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network were reviewed: outbreaks in which some of the cases belonged to the MSM group were described, and clusters of hepatitis A cases in men and women were analysed using a space-time scan statistic. Twenty-six outbreaks were identified, with a median size of two cases per outbreak, with most of the outbreak-related cases belonging to the 15-44 years-old group.

Costs and Factors Associated with Hospitalizations Due to Severe Influenza in Catalonia (2017-2020).

This study aimed to estimate the cost and factors associated with severe hospitalized patients due to influenza in unvaccinated and vaccinated cases. The study had a cross-sectional design and included three influenza seasons in 16 sentinel hospitals in Catalonia, Spain. Data were collected from a surveillance system of influenza and other acute respiratory infections.

Does knowing the influenza epidemic threshold has been reached influence the performance of influenza case definitions?

Background: Disease surveillance using adequate case definitions is very important. The objective of the study was to compare the performance of influenza case definitions and influenza symptoms in the first two epidemic weeks with respect to other epidemic weeks.

Methods: We analysed cases of acute respiratory infection detected by the network of sentinel primary care physicians of Catalonia for 10 seasons.

Estimation of the incidence of invasive meningococcal disease using a capture-recapture model based on two independent surveillance systems in Catalonia, Spain.

Objectives: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is an urgent notifiable disease and its early notification is essential to prevent cases. The objective of the study was to assess the sensitivity of two independent surveillance systems and to estimate the incidence of IMD.

Design: We used capture-recapture model based on two independent surveillance systems, the statutory disease reporting (SDR) system and the microbiological reporting system (MRS) of the Public Health Agency of Catalonia, between 2011 and 2015.

Surveillance of influenza B severe hospitalized cases during 10 seasons in Catalonia: Does the lineage make a difference?

Influenza B viruses circulate in two lineages (B/Victoria and B/Yamagata). Although classically affecting children, recently it has shown a high rate of infection and increased hospitalization in the elderly. To describe and analyze the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of severe hospitalized laboratory-confirmed influenza B virus (SHLCI-B) cases in Catalonia associated with mismatch from Influenza B virus strain included in the trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV).

Outbreaks of Gastroenteritis Due to Norovirus in Schools and Summer Camps in Catalonia, 2017-2019.

We studied outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis due to norovirus in schools and summer camps during 2017-2019 in Catalonia (Spain). The overall attack rate was 21.27% in schools and 33.

Role of ambulatory blood pressure on prediction of cardiovascular disease. A cohort study.

Ambulatory blood pressure (BP) is associated with mortality, but it is also interesting to expand its association with cardiovascular morbidity. This study sought to evaluate association with cardiovascular morbidity and cardiovascular mortality. Patients without cardiovascular disease who had a first 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring were followed-up until the onset of the first event (a combined variable of cardiovascular mortality, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arteriopathy, or hospital admission for heart failure).

Epidemiological and Genetic Characterization of Norovirus Outbreaks That Occurred in Catalonia, Spain, 2017-2019.

Molecular characterization of human norovirus (HuNoV) genotypes enhances the understanding of viral features and illustrates distinctive evolutionary patterns. The aim of our study was to describe the prevalence of the genetic diversity and the epidemiology of the genotypes involved in HuNoV outbreaks in Catalonia (Spain) between 2017 and 2019. A total of 100 HuNoV outbreaks were notified with the predominance of GII (70%), followed by GI (27%) and mixed GI/GII (3%).

Necrotizing pneumonia due to Streptococcus pneumoniae in children during the period of non-systematic use of PCV13 in Catalonia, Spain.

Background: Some studies have observed an increased incidence of necrotizing pneumonia (NP) in recent years. This might be related to the emergence of non-vaccine S. pneumoniae serotypes after PCV7 introduction although it is suggested that evolutionary factors may have modified the virulence and the interactions of pneumococci.

Hepatitis A Outbreak Characteristics: A Comparison of Regions with Different Vaccination Strategies, Spain 2010-2018.

We compared the cumulative incidence and characteristics of hepatitis A outbreaks in two groups of Spanish autonomous regions according to whether a universal or risk group vaccination strategy was followed. Outbreaks between 2010 and 2018 were analyzed. The cumulative incidence rate of outbreaks was estimated and compared by estimating the rate ratio (RR).

A Waterborne Gastroenteritis Outbreak Caused by a GII Norovirus in a Holiday Camp in Catalonia (Spain), 2017.

On 2 February 2017, Epidemiological Surveillance Services were notified of an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) among schoolchildren who had taken part of a school trip from 30 January to 3 February 2017 at a holiday camp in Catalonia. A retrospective cohort study was performed to identify the causative agent, estimate the magnitude of the outbreak and identify its source, as well as to determine the route of transmission. Data collected by standardised questionnaires identified 41 episodes of AGE among 174 individuals who attended the camp.

Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness in Preventing Severe Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza during the 2017-2018 Season. A Retrospective Cohort Study in Catalonia (Spain).

Seasonal influenza is a common cause of hospital admission, especially in older people and those with comorbidities. The objective of this study was to determine influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) in preventing intensive care admissions and shortening the length of stay (LOS) in hospitalized laboratory-confirmed influenza cases (HLCI) in Catalonia (Spain). A retrospective cohort study was carried out during the 2017-2018 season in HLCI aged ≥18 years from 14 public hospitals.