Publications by authors named "Stijn Raven"
Background: In 2021, a novel group of Chlamydia strains in wild birds was classified as avian Chlamydia abortus, with unknown zoonotic potential. We report relevant features of avian C abortus infections from a Dutch family cluster and unrelated historical cases using clinical, epidemiological, and microbiological data.
Methods: An outbreak of avian C abortus started in the Netherlands in December, 2022.
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are increasingly identified as Legionnaires' disease (LD) sources. An outbreak investigation was initiated following five LD cases reported in September 2022 in Houten, the Netherlands. Case identification was based on the European LD case definition, with symptom onset from 1 September 2022, residence in or within 5 km of Houten, or visit to Houten within the incubation period, without other likely sources.
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- - The study explored the prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria in children at daycare centers (DCCs) in The Netherlands and Belgium, finding notable differences in the rates of antimicrobial resistant bacteria like ESBL-E and CipR-E between the two countries.
- - Data was collected from 28 Dutch and 18 Belgian DCCs through stool samples and parental questionnaires, assessing various hygiene practices and identifying factors that may influence the presence of these resistant bacteria.
- - Results indicated that the prevalence of ESBL-E was higher in Belgium (16%) compared to the Netherlands (6%), and children travelling to Asia or using antimicrobials were at greater risk, while proper cleaning practices could reduce risks of CipR-E.
Article Synopsis
- * A study in the Netherlands analyzed 109 pairs of mpox cases and found that in 34 cases, transmission was likely with an average serial interval of 10.1 days.
- * The research suggests that presymptomatic transmission may occur, highlighting the importance of taking precautions even when symptoms are not visible.
Objectives: Case finding is one of the priority actions to reduce the disease burden of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We estimated the contribution of CHB case finding at sexual health centres (SHCs) to the total national number of newly diagnosed CHB cases in the Netherlands and determined the characteristics of CHB cases detected at SHCs.
Methods: This observational study used surveillance data from all outpatient SHCs in the Netherlands (SOAP database) and the number of CHB from national notification data (Osiris) from 2008 to 2016.
Article Synopsis
- A study by the Dutch municipal health service Utrecht examined the effects of mass testing (MT) for COVID-19 in the town of Bunschoten over six weeks in early 2021.
- The results showed that MT significantly increased both the number of tests conducted and detected infections, particularly among older residents, while the rest of the province saw stable numbers.
- While MT identified more asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic cases and reduced the time between symptom onset and testing, questions remain about its overall effectiveness and proportionality for broader community health strategies.
BackgroundDifferential SARS-CoV-2 exposure between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals may confound vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates.AimWe conducted a test-negative case-control study to determine VE against SARS-CoV-2 infection and the presence of confounding by SARS-CoV-2 exposure.MethodsWe included adults tested for SARS-CoV-2 at community facilities between 4 July and 8 December 2021 (circulation period of the Delta variant).
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- The study aimed to evaluate different anti-HBs antibody tests to identify low antibody levels in hepatitis B vaccine non-responders and suggest a revaccination approach based on these results.
- Non-responders were given a series of Fendrix vaccines, and tests from four different assays were compared to see how well they predicted seroconversion, revealing a significant difference between "zero-responders" (those without detectable antibodies) and "poor-responders" (those with low levels of antibodies).
- The findings suggest that using a titre-based revaccination strategy could reduce the need for extra doses by 17% while maintaining high seroconversion rates across both groups after three doses.
Article Synopsis
- * Investigations uncovered five additional local infections linked to the virus.
- * Analysis confirmed the presence of West Nile virus lineage 2 in two of the cases, with the virus having been detected earlier in birds and mosquitoes in the area.
Background: Serological non-response can be present after hepatitis B vaccination in healthy adults. We aimed to establish which of three revaccination regimens is most effective at inducing protective immunity METHODS: Healthy adults (aged 18-80 years) from 16 Dutch centres (13 public health services, two university hospitals, and one travel clinic) were included in this multicentre, parallel group, randomised, controlled, superiority trial. The inclusion criterion was vaccine non-response (hepatitis B surface antibody [anti-HBs] titre <10 IU/L) after a primary series with three doses of one type of recombinant vaccine against hepatitis B virus (either HBVaxPro-10 or Engerix-B at months 0, 1, and 6).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Targeted vaccination strategies are necessary to prevent people who use drugs (PWUD) becoming infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). The aims of this study were to provide an overview of the activities for PWUD in a decentralised vaccination program in the Netherlands and to explore the determinants associated with completing a standard hepatitis B vaccination series.
Methods: We used data for behavioural risk groups from the register of the national vaccination program.
Article Synopsis
- Post-vaccination testing for hepatitis B vaccination is crucial for assessing long-term immunity, with specific antibody levels used to define protection.
- A study in 2013 evaluated the performance of various anti-HBs assays from 45 laboratories to determine the accuracy of measurements around cutoff values of 10IU/l and 100IU/l.
- Results indicated significant differences in anti-HBs titres among assays, with varying sensitivity and specificity; some assays, particularly Access and Architect, may lead to false negatives near both cutoff values, potentially impacting immunological assessment.
Objective: To determine the longitudinal changes in viral load of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected healthcare workers (HCWs) and its consequences for exclusion of infected HCWs performing exposure-prone procedures, various HBV DNA safety thresholds, and the frequency of monitoring.
Design: Retrospective cohort study June 1, 1996-January 31, 2013. Participants In the Netherlands, chronically HBV-infected HCWs performing exposure-prone procedures are notified to the Committee for Prevention of Iatrogenic Hepatitis B.