Estimated number of lives directly saved by COVID-19 vaccination programmes in the WHO European Region from December, 2020, to March, 2023: a retrospective surveillance study.

Background: By March, 2023, 54 countries, areas, and territories (hereafter CAT) in the WHO European Region had reported more than 2·2 million COVID-19-related deaths to the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Here, we estimated how many lives were directly saved by vaccinating adults in the WHO European Region from December, 2020, to March, 2023.

Methods: In this retrospective surveillance study, we estimated the number of lives directly saved by age group, vaccine dose, and circulating variant-of-concern (VOC) period, regionally and nationally, using weekly data on COVID-19 mortality and infection, COVID-19 vaccination uptake, and SARS-CoV-2 virus characterisations by lineage downloaded from The European Surveillance System on June 11, 2023, as well as vaccine effectiveness data from the literature.

A large multi-country outbreak of monkeypox across 41 countries in the WHO European Region, 7 March to 23 August 2022.

Following the report of a non-travel-associated cluster of monkeypox cases by the United Kingdom in May 2022, 41 countries across the WHO European Region have reported 21,098 cases and two deaths by 23 August 2022. Nowcasting suggests a plateauing in case notifications. Most cases (97%) are MSM, with atypical rash-illness presentation.

mRNA vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation due to severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) COVID-19 during Omicron variant predominance estimated from real-world surveillance data, Slovenia, February to March 2022.

For the period of predominance of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in Slovenia, February to March 2022, we estimated mRNA vaccine effectiveness (VE) against severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) COVID-19 using surveillance data. In the most vulnerable age group comprising individuals aged 65 years and more, VE against SARI COVID-19 was 95% (95% CI: 95-96%) for those vaccinated with three doses, in comparison to 82% (95% CI: 79-84%) for those vaccinated with two doses. Such levels of protection were maintained for at least 6 months.

Vaccine effectiveness against severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) COVID-19 hospitalisations estimated from real-world surveillance data, Slovenia, October 2021.

We estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) against severe COVID-19 during October 2021, using Slovenian surveillance data. For people fully vaccinated with any vaccine in age groups 18-49, 50-64, ≥ 65 years, VE was 86% (95% CI: 79-90), 89% (85-91), and 77% (74-81). Among ≥ 65 year-olds fully vaccinated with mRNA vaccines, VE decreased from 93% (95% CI: 88-96) in those vaccinated ≤ 3 months ago to 43% (95% CI: 30-54) in those vaccinated ≥ 6 months ago, suggesting the need for early boosters.

Initial assessment of the COVID-19 vaccination's impact on case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths in people aged 80 years and older, 15 EU/EEA countries, December 2020 to May 2021.

Prioritisation of elderly people in COVID-19 vaccination campaigns aimed at reducing severe outcomes in this group. Using EU/EEA surveillance and vaccination uptake, we estimated the risk ratio of case, hospitalisation and death notifications in people 80 years and older compared with 25-59-year-olds. Highest impact was observed for full vaccination uptake 80% or higher with reductions in notification rates of cases up to 65% (IRR: 0.

Enhanced national surveillance of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) within COVID-19 surveillance, Slovenia, weeks 13 to 37 2021.

We monitored trends of severe COVID-19 morbidity in Slovenia during weeks 13 to 37 2021. National weekly rates of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) cases testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 at admission in all hospitals varied between 0.2 and 16.

From mandatory to voluntary vaccination: intention to vaccinate in the case of policy changes.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the association between sociodemographic characteristics and attitudes according to health belief model (HBM) attributes with the intention to vaccinate children in cases of non-mandatory vaccination to support informed decisions in planned revision of our vaccination policy.

Study Design: This is a cross-sectional study carried out on a random sample of 3,854 women with young children in Slovenia.

Methods: The participants' attitudes were grouped within six HBM attributes (perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, clue to action and self-efficacy).

Acceptance of Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Among Slovenian Physicians, 2016.

Introduction: Vaccination against seasonal influenza is recommended for all healthcare workers including physicians in Slovenia to protect vulnerable individuals and reduce transmission of influenza viruses. The aim of our study is to determine the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccination among Slovenian physicians, to identify factors associated with that vaccination and assess their attitudes and beliefs regarding vaccination and vaccine-preventable diseases.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed among physician members of the Slovenian Medical Chamber.

Vaccine confidence among mothers of young children, Slovenia, 2016.

Objectives: We conducted the first nationwide survey in Slovenia to measure and characterise vaccine confidence among mothers of young children. This survey measured confidence in routine vaccines for children <2 years of age and in the information sources about these vaccinations to provide baseline data for public health actions to maintain and improve vaccination coverage.

Methods: We randomly selected women giving birth in 2014-15 from the national perinatal information system (N = 39,497).

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%.

Adverse events following school-based vaccination of girls with quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine in Slovenia, 2009 to 2013.

Adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) with qHPV reported to the Slovenian AEFI Registry for the first four school years of the vaccination programme were analysed. We calculated annual reporting rates for 11-14 year-old vaccinees with AEFIs, using the number of qHPV doses distributed within the school-based vaccination programme as the denominator. Between September 2009 and August 2013, 211 AEFIs that occurred in 89 vaccinees were reported, a rate of 149.

A Five Site Clostridium Perfringens Food-Borne Outbreak: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Introduction: In May of 2012, we investigated a food-borne Clostridium perfringens outbreak in Slovenia involving a single kitchen and five venues, with 477 exposed persons.

Methods: In order to identify the causative agent, vehicle of infection and source of contamination, we conducted microbiological and environmental investigations and an analytical cohort study (n = 138).

Results: The case definition in the outbreak was met by 104 persons.

An outbreak of acute gastroenteritis associated with group A Rotavirus in long-term care facility in Slovenia.

Background: In April 2013, an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis was reported in a residential long-term care facility (LTCF) in Ljubljana. We carried out an outbreak investigation to describe the outbreak, identify factors associated with contracting infection and to recommend control measures.

Methods: We conducted descriptive epidemiology of the outbreak and a case-control study among residents; a case was a resident or staff member of the LTCF with acute diarrhoea and at least one of the following symptoms: fever, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, headache and abdominal pain between 11 and 23 April 2013.

A comparison of the demographic and clinical characteristics of laboratory-confirmed influenza B Yamagata and Victoria lineage infection.

Background: The evolution of influenza viruses is characterized by the co-circulation of two antigenically and genetically distinct lineages B/Victoria/2/87-like viruses (Victoria) and B/Yamagata/16/88-like viruses (Yamagata). To date, there is not much data associating lineages variation with demographic and clinical data.

Objectives: We compared the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with laboratory-confirmed influenza B Victoria or Yamagata lineage infection.

Pre-vaccination prevalence of infections with 25 non-high-risk human papillomavirus types among 1,000 Slovenian women in cervical cancer screening.

Cervical infections with non-high-risk human papillomavirus (non-HR-HPV) types have been associated with genital warts and a fraction of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. The pre-vaccination prevalence of cervical infections with 25 non-HR-HPV types has been estimated, regardless of and without the coexistence of infection with HR-HPV types among Slovenian women 20-64 years old in cervical cancer screening, overall and according to age and cytology result. One thousand cervical specimens selected randomly from 4,455 specimens collected in 2010 in the Slovenian HPV prevalence survey were tested with Linear Array HPV Genotyping Test.

An outbreak of Microsporum canis in two elementary schools in a rural area around the capital city of Slovenia, 2012.

An outbreak of Microsporum canis infection affected 12 persons in two elementary schools over a period of 48 days in 2012 in Slovenia. Epidemiological, microbiological, and animal investigations were conducted. We defined cases as pupils or employees with skin lesions and confirmed or probable M.

Pre-vaccination seroprevalence of 15 human papillomavirus (HPV) types among women in the population-based Slovenian cervical screening program.

Objectives: To estimate seroprevalence of 11 high-risk (hr) HPV types and four low-risk (lr) HPV types among 20-64 years old Slovenian women participating in the population-based cervical cancer screening program.

Methods: Serum samples from 3259 women were tested for HPV type-specific antibodies with a multiplexed pseudovirion-based serological assay (PsV-Luminex).

Results: Seropositivity for any of the 15 HPV types was 65.

The impact of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus on hospitalizations for lower respiratory tract infections in young children: Slovenia, 2006-2011.

Background: Influenza and respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) are important viral pathogens in childhood.

Objectives: Our aim was to estimate the effect of influenza and RSV on excess hospitalizations for acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTI) in children aged≤5.

Methods: Retrospective, population-based study was performed for five seasons (2006-2011).

Current status of human papillomavirus vaccination implementation in central and eastern Europe.

We present a review of the current implementation status of vaccination against human papillomaviruses (HPV) and available data concerning the burden of HPV infection and HPV type-specific distribution in 16 central and eastern European countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. At least one current HPV prophylactic vaccine is registered in all central and eastern European countries except Montenegro. Six counties-Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Romania, Slovenia, and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia-have integrated the HPV vaccination into their national immunization program and currently provide routine vaccination free of charge to the primary target population.

Serum antibodies to human papillomavirus (HPV) pseudovirions correlate with natural infection for 13 genital HPV types.

Background: Serology for human papillomaviruses (HPV) types -16 and -18 is established as an important tool for studies of HPV vaccinology and epidemiology. However, as there are a large number of oncogenic genital types of HPV there is a need for development of high-throughput, validated HPV serological assays that can be used for more comprehensive seroepidemiological studies and for research on multivalent HPV vaccines.

Objectives: To develop a multiplexed pseudovirion-based serological assay (PsV-Luminex) encompassing 21 HPV types and validate the method by correlating the serology with the presence of type specific HPV DNA in cervical samples.

Pre-vaccination prevalence and distribution of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types in Slovenian women: a cervical cancer screening based study.

To estimate the pre-vaccination prevalence of cervical infections with 14 high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) types among 20-64 years old Slovenian women screened for cervical cancer in 2010, we consecutively enrolled 4431 women in 16 outpatient gynaecology services. All were screened with Digene Hybrid Capture 2 HPV DNA Test and Abbott Real Time High Risk HPV Test and all positive specimens genotyped. Prevalence of cervical infection with any hr-HPV type examined was 12.

Comparison of clinical and analytical performance of the Abbott Realtime High Risk HPV test to the performance of hybrid capture 2 in population-based cervical cancer screening.

The clinical performance of the Abbott RealTime High Risk HPV (human papillomavirus) test (RealTime) and that of the Hybrid Capture 2 HPV DNA test (hc2) were prospectively compared in the population-based cervical cancer screening setting. In women >30 years old (n = 3,129), the clinical sensitivity of RealTime for detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 (CIN2) or worse (38 cases) and its clinical specificity for lesions of less than CIN2 (3,091 controls) were 100% and 93.3%, respectively, and those of hc2 were 97.

Surveillance of adverse events following immunization against pandemic influenza in Slovenia in season 2009/10.

The results of Slovenian surveillance system of AEFI which was in place for the early detection and investigation of rare adverse events were analysed. The reports about AEFI obtained from physicians, and self-assessment questionnaires from vaccinated persons showed predominantly non-serious and expected side effects. Nine reports (3%) included serious AEFI.

Spotlight on measles 2010: a cluster of measles in a hospital setting in Slovenia, March 2010.

After ten years of being measles free, Slovenia experienced a cluster with secondary transmission in a hospital setting in March 2010. The index case, a resident of Ireland, was hospitalised on the day after his arrival to Slovenia and diagnosed with measles two days later. After his discharge, two cases of measles were notified, a hospital staff member and a visitor to the clinic, suggesting transmission in a hospital setting.