The role of the (in)accessibility of social media data for infodemic management: a public health perspective on the situation in the European Union in March 2024.

Public health institutions rely on the access to social media data to better understand the dynamics and impact of an overabundance of information during a disease outbreak, potentially including mis-and disinformation. The scope of the COVID-19 infodemic has led to growing concern in the public health community. The spread of harmful information or information voids may negatively impact public health.

Science Communication as a Collective Intelligence Endeavor: A Manifesto and Examples for Implementation.

Effective science communication is challenging when scientific messages are informed by a continually updating evidence base and must often compete against misinformation. We argue that we need a new program of science communication as collective intelligence-a collaborative approach, supported by technology. This would have four key advantages over the typical model where scientists communicate as individuals: scientific messages would be informed by (a) a wider base of aggregated knowledge, (b) contributions from a diverse scientific community, (c) participatory input from stakeholders, and (d) better responsiveness to ongoing changes in the state of knowledge.

Establishing Infodemic Management in Germany: A Framework for Social Listening and Integrated Analysis to Report Infodemic Insights at the National Public Health Institute.

Background: To respond to the need to establish infodemic management functions at the national public health institute in Germany (Robert Koch Institute, RKI), we explored and assessed available data sources, developed a social listening and integrated analysis framework, and defined when infodemic management functions should be activated during emergencies.

Objective: We aimed to establish a framework for social listening and integrated analysis for public health in the German context using international examples and technical guidance documents for infodemic management.

Methods: This study completed the following objectives: identified (potentially) available data sources for social listening and integrated analysis; assessed these data sources for their suitability and usefulness for integrated analysis in addition to an assessment of their risk using the RKI's standardized data protection requirements; developed a framework and workflow to combine social listening and integrated analysis to report back actionable infodemic insights for public health communications by the RKI and stakeholders; and defined criteria for activating integrated analysis structures in the context of a specific health event or health emergency.

Changes in emergency department utilisation in Germany before and during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, using data from a national surveillance system up to June 2021.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health and social measures, decreasing patient numbers have been described in various healthcare settings in Germany, including emergency care. This could be explained by changes in disease burden, e.g.

National medical specialty guidelines of HIV indicator conditions in Europe lack adequate HIV testing recommendations: a systematic guideline review.

BackgroundAdequate identification and testing of people at risk for HIV is fundamental for the HIV care continuum. A key strategy to improve timely testing is HIV indicator condition (IC) guided testing.AimTo evaluate the uptake of HIV testing recommendations in HIV IC-specific guidelines in European countries.

Using routine emergency department data for syndromic surveillance of acute respiratory illness, Germany, week 10 2017 until week 10 2021.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic expanded the need for timely information on acute respiratory illness at population level.AimWe explored the potential of routine emergency department data for syndromic surveillance of acute respiratory illness in Germany.MethodsWe used routine attendance data from emergency departments, which continuously transferred data between week 10 2017 and 10 2021, with ICD-10 codes available for > 75% of attendances.

Long-term HIV treatment outcomes and associated factors in sub-Saharan Africa: multicountry longitudinal cohort analysis.

Objective: In a multicountry prospective cohort of persons with HIV from six countries between 2007 and 2015, we evaluated long-term outcomes of first-line non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor-based antiretroviral therapy (ART), and risk factors for loss-to-follow-up, mortality, virological failure, and incomplete CD4 + T-cell recovery.

Methods: We calculated cumulative incidence of lost-to-follow-up, death, virological failure (VL ≥ 1000 cps/ml) and incomplete CD4 + T-cell recovery (<500 cells/μl) at successive years, using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression.

Results: Of 2735 participants, 58.

Risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome after vaccination against human papillomavirus: a systematic review and meta-analysis, 1 January 2000 to 4 April 2020.

BackgroundGuillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare autoimmune disease that can follow viral infections and has in a few cases been linked to vaccinations. Pre-licensure clinical trials did not observe an association between human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and GBS, a post-marketing study from 2017 reported an increased relative risk.AimWe assessed the risk of GBS after HPV vaccination through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated non-pharmaceutical interventions on other notifiable infectious diseases in Germany: An analysis of national surveillance data during week 1-2016 - week 32-2020.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) affect healthcare seeking behaviour, access to healthcare, test strategies, disease notification and workload at public health authorities, but may also lead to a true change in transmission dynamics. We aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic and NPIs on other notifiable infectious diseases under surveillance in Germany.

Methods: We included 32 nationally notifiable disease categories with case numbers >100/year in 2016-2019.

Factors preventing SARS-CoV-2 transmission during unintentional exposure in a GP practice: a cohort study of patient contacts; Germany, 2020.

Two general practitioners (GPs) with SARS-CoV-2 infection provided in-person patient care to patients of their joint medical practice before and after symptom onset, up until SARS-CoV-2 laboratory confirmation. Through active contact tracing, the local public health authorities recruited the cohort of patients that had contact with either GP in their putative infectious period. In this cohort of patient contacts, we assess the frequency and determinants of SARS-CoV-2-transmission from GPs to patients.

Social media for field epidemiologists (#SoMe4epi): How to use Twitter during the #COVID19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way that public health professionals work and communicate. Over a very short time span, remote working arrangements have become the norm, and meetings have shifted online. Physical distancing measures have accelerated a trend toward digital communication and social exchange.

[Real-time data from medical care settings to guide public health action].

Real-time data from medical care settings play an increasing role in guiding public health action. The COVID-19 pandemic is a good example; public health decisions depend on current data from the various clinical care settings. The automated processing and communication of health-related data is essential to ensure continuity of reporting and safe resources.

Investigation of a COVID-19 outbreak in Germany resulting from a single travel-associated primary case: a case series.

Background: In December, 2019, the newly identified severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China, causing COVID-19, a respiratory disease presenting with fever, cough, and often pneumonia. WHO has set the strategic objective to interrupt spread of SARS-CoV-2 worldwide. An outbreak in Bavaria, Germany, starting at the end of January, 2020, provided the opportunity to study transmission events, incubation period, and secondary attack rates.

Acute hepatitis C infection among adults with HIV in the Netherlands between 2003 and 2016: a capture-recapture analysis for the 2013 to 2016 period.

BackgroundWith regards to the global strategy towards eliminating viral hepatitis, reliable surveillance systems are essential to assess the national response for eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV).AimWe aimed to assess the completeness of the two national registries with data on acute HCV infection in people with HIV, and estimated the number of acute HCV infections among adults (aged ≥ 18 years) with HIV in the Netherlands.MethodsIn this observational study, cases of HCV infection and reinfection among adults with a positive or unknown HIV-serostatus were identified from 2003 to 2016 in two national registries: the ATHENA cohort and the National Registry for Notifiable Diseases.

Effectiveness of Transmitted Drug Resistance Testing Before Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV-Positive Individuals.

Background: For people living with HIV, major guidelines in high-income countries recommend testing for transmitted drug resistance (TDR) to guide the choice of first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, individuals who fail a first-line regimen can now be switched to one of several effective regimens. Therefore, the virological and clinical benefit of TDR testing needs to be evaluated.

Compliance with laboratory monitoring guidelines in outpatient HIV care: a qualitative study in the Netherlands.

Evidence-based guidelines in HIV care aim to improve patients' health outcomes, quality of care, and cost-effectiveness. Laboratory monitoring plays an important role in assessing clinical status of patients and forms an integral part of HIV treatment guidelines. The Dutch HIV monitoring foundation (Stichting HIV Monitoring) previously observed variation between HIV treatment centres in the Netherlands in terms of compliance with guidelines for performing laboratory tests.

Previous antiretroviral drug use compromises standard first-line HIV therapy and is mediated through drug-resistance.

In ART programs in sub-Saharan Africa, a growing proportion of HIV-infected persons initiating first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) have a history of prior antiretroviral drug use (PAU). We assessed the effect of PAU on the risk of pre-treatment drug resistance (PDR) and virological failure (VF) in a multicountry cohort of HIV-infected adults initiated on a standard non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based first-line ART. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the associations between PAU, PDR and VF (defined as viral load ≥400 cps/mL).

Suboptimal immune recovery during antiretroviral therapy with sustained HIV suppression in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective: To assess incidence, determinants and clinical consequences of suboptimal immune recovery in HIV-1 infected adults in sub-Saharan Africa with sustained viral suppression on antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Design: Multicountry prospective cohort.

Methods: Suboptimal immune recovery was defined as proportions of participants who failed to attain clinically relevant CD4+ cell count thresholds (>200, >350 and >500 cells/μl) despite sustained viral suppression on continuous first-line ART.

Effect of immediate initiation of antiretroviral treatment on the risk of acquired HIV drug resistance.

Objective: We estimated and compared the risk of clinically identified acquired drug resistance under immediate initiation [the currently recommended antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation strategy], initiation with CD4 cell count less than 500 cells/μl and initiation with CD4 cell count less than 350 cells/μl.

Design: Cohort study based on routinely collected data from the HIV-CAUSAL collaboration.

Methods: For each individual, baseline was the earliest time when all eligibility criteria (ART-naive, AIDS free, and others) were met after 1999.

Pretreatment HIV drug resistance results in virological failure and accumulation of additional resistance mutations in Ugandan children.

Background: Pretreatment HIV drug resistance (PDR) can impair virological response to ART, jeopardizing effective treatment for children.

Methods: Children aged ≤12 years initiated first-line ART in Uganda during 2010-11. Baseline and 6 monthly viral load (VL) and genotypic resistance testing if VL >1000 copies/mL was done.

High levels of pre-treatment HIV drug resistance and treatment failure in Nigerian children.

Introduction: Pre-treatment HIV drug resistance (PDR) is an increasing problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Children are an especially vulnerable population to develop PDR given that paediatric second-line treatment options are limited. Although monitoring of PDR is important, data on the paediatric prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa and its consequences for treatment outcomes are scarce.

Suboptimal Viral Suppression Rates Among HIV-Infected Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Meta-analysis.

Background:  The 90-90-90 goal to achieve viral suppression in 90% of all human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected people on antiretroviral treatment (ART) is especially challenging in children. Global estimates of viral suppression among children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are lacking.

Methods:  We searched for randomized controlled trials and observational studies and analyzed viral suppression rates among children started on ART during 3 time periods: early (2000-2005), intermediate (2006-2009), and current (2010 and later), using random effects meta-analysis.

Second-line HIV Treatment in Ugandan Children: Favorable Outcomes and No Protease Inhibitor Resistance.

Background: Data on pediatric second-line antiretroviral treatment (ART) outcomes are scarce, but essential to evaluate second-line and design third-line regimens.

Methods: Children ≤12 years switching to second-line ART containing a protease inhibitor (PI) in Uganda were followed for 24 months. Viral load (VL) was determined at switch to second-line and every 6 months thereafter; genotypic resistance testing was done if VL ≥ 1000 cps/ml.