Adherence to diabetes quality indicators in primary care and all-cause mortality: A nationwide population-based historical cohort study.

Background: In the last three decades, much effort has been invested in measuring and improving the quality of diabetes care. We assessed the association between adherence to diabetes quality indicators and all-cause mortality in the primary care setting.

Methods: A nationwide, population-based, historical cohort study of all people aged 45-80 with pharmacologically-treated diabetes in 2005 (n = 222,235).

Invasive Disease Due to : Surveillance and Trends in Israel Prior to and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a devastating disease with significant mortality and long-term morbidity. The COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures have affected the epidemiology of infectious pathogens. This study's aim was to assess IMD trends in Israel prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leishmania donovani Transmission Cycle Associated with Human Infection, Phlebotomus alexandri Sand Flies, and Hare Blood Meals, Israel.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major or L. tropica and visceral leishmaniasis caused by L. infantum have been reported in Israel.

What is important for people with type 2 diabetes? A focus group study to identify relevant aspects for Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in diabetes care.

Background: Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) aim to evaluate the quality of care based on the perspectives of patients rather than clinical indicators. Qualitative research is needed to identify these perspectives in people with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To identify, for the first time in Israel, aspects valuable for people with type 2 diabetes that can be relevant for PROMs in diabetes care.

Longitudinal Adherence to Diabetes Quality Indicators and Cardiac Disease: A Nationwide Population-Based Historical Cohort Study of Patients With Pharmacologically Treated Diabetes.

Background Evidence of the cardiovascular benefits of adherence to quality indicators in diabetes care over a period of years is lacking. Methods and Results We conducted a population-based, historical cohort study of 105 656 people aged 45 to 80 with pharmacologically treated diabetes and who were free of cardiac disease in 2010. Data were retrieved from electronic medical records of the 4 Israeli health maintenance organizations.

MRSA in Israel-genomic analysis, prevalence and global perspective.

Background: MRSA is a major global healthcare problem. In 2011, a new variant designated was described, presenting partial identity at the DNA level, thus undetectable by routine PCR.

Objectives: Until now, no reliable information regarding MRSA prevalence was available in Israel.

Effect of ethnicity, country of origin and workplace on health behaviors and health perception among nurses: Cross-sectional study.

Purpose: The study aimed to (1) examine health behaviors and perceived health among nurses; (2) analyze the effect of nurses' personal and work characteristics on these variables; and (3) explore the relationship between health behaviors and nurses' health perception.

Design And Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among nurses working in health care organizations (HCOs) across Israel. An email with the online questionnaire was sent to nurses working in 19 HCOs across Israel during September-December 2018.

Invasive Multidrug-Resistant emm93.0 Streptococcus pyogenes Strain Harboring a Novel Genomic Island, Israel, 2017-2019.

Invasive group A Streptococcus (iGAS) infections have increased in Israel since 2016 as successful lineages have emerged. We report the emergence and outbreak of a multidrug-resistant S. pyogenes emm93.

Timely childhood vaccination in Israel: a national retrospective study of ethnic and socioeconomic disparities.

A large proportion of children do not receive vaccines within the recommended timeframe. This study examined ethnic and socioeconomic differences in age-appropriate immunization of children in Israel, where immunization is freely available. Percent of children receiving MMR/V at 12-13 months, and four doses of DTP/IPV/Hib by 18 months were obtained from the National Programme for Quality Measures between 2015 and 2018.

Ribosome-binding and anti-microbial studies of the mycinamicins, 16-membered macrolide antibiotics from Micromonospora griseorubida.

Macrolides have been effective clinical antibiotics for over 70 years. They inhibit protein biosynthesis in bacterial pathogens by narrowing the nascent protein exit tunnel in the ribosome. The macrolide class of natural products consist of a macrolactone ring linked to one or more sugar molecules.

Developing a National Set of Health Equity Indicators Using a Consensus Building Process.

Background: Considerable health inequities documented in Israel between communities, populations and regions, undermine the rights of all citizens to optimal health. The first step towards health equity is agreement on a set of national indicators, reflecting equity in healthcare provision and health outcomes, and allowing monitoring of the impact of interventions on the reduction of disparities. We describe the process of reaching a consensus on a defined set of national equity indicators.

Barriers to completing colonoscopy after a positive fecal occult blood test.

Background: Colorectal cancer leads to significant morbidity and mortality. Early detection and treatment are essential. Screening using fecal occult blood tests has increased significantly, but adherence to colonoscopy follow-up is suboptimal, increasing CRC mortality risk.

A Nationwide Outbreak of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Israel Caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotype 2.

Background: Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 2 (Sp2) is infrequent. Large-scale outbreaks were not been reported following pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) implementation. We describe a Sp2 IPD outbreak in Israel, in the PCV13 era, with focus on Sp2 population structure and evolutionary dynamics.

WGS-Based Prediction and Analysis of Antimicrobial Resistance in Isolates From Israel.

Rapid developments in the field of whole genome sequencing (WGS) make antimicrobial resistance (AMR) a target within reach. is a leading cause of foodborne infections in Israel with increasing rates of resistance. We applied WGS analysis to study the prevalence and genetic basis of AMR in 263 human and veterinary representative isolates retrieved from a national collection during 2003-2012.

A Snapshot of the Prevalence and Molecular Diversity of in the Water Systems of Israeli Hotels.

Exposure to spp. contaminated aerosols in hotel settings confers risk for travel-associated Legionnaire's disease (TALD). In this study, we investigated the prevalence of contamination and its molecular diversity in hotels and resorts across Israel.

Adherence to national guidelines for colorectal cancer screening in Israel: Comprehensive multi-year assessment based on electronic medical records.

Objectives: To assess time trends in colorectal cancer screening uptake, time-to-colonoscopy completion following a positive fecal occult blood test and associated patient factors, and the extent and predictors of longitudinal screening adherence in Israel.

Setting: Nation-wide population-based study using data collected from four health maintenance organizations for the Quality Indicators in Community Healthcare Program.

Methods: Screening uptake for the eligible population (aged 50-74) was recorded 2003-2018 using aggregate data.

Emergence of new variants of antibiotic resistance genomic islands among multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica in poultry.

Non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica (NTS) are diverse and important bacterial pathogens consisting of more than 2600 different serovars, with varying host-specificity. Here, we characterized the poultry-associated serovars in Israel, analysed their resistome and illuminated the molecular mechanisms underlying common multidrug resistance (MDR) patterns. We show that at least four serovars including Infantis, Muenchen, Newport and Virchow present a strong epidemiological association between their temporal trends in poultry and humans.

Azithromycin non-susceptible Shigella circulating in Israel, 2014-2016.

Shigella species remains a major diarrhoeagenic agent, affecting mostly children, with global high incidence and high mortality rate specially in developing areas. Although azithromycin is recommended for treatment of shigellosis, there are currently no CLSI susceptibility breakpoints, accordingly no routine antimicrobial susceptibility test is performed in the clinical laboratory. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence, resistance profile and molecular epidemiology of azithromycin non-susceptible Shigella strains in Israel during a three year period.

A real-time PCR for specific detection of the Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 ST1 complex.

Objective: Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 (Lp1) sequence type (ST) 1 is globally widespread in the environment and accounts for a significant proportion of Legionella infections, including nosocomial Legionnaires' disease (LD). This study aimed to design a sensitive and specific detection method for Lp ST1 that will underpin epidemiological investigations and risk assessment.

Methods: A total of 628 Lp genomes (126 ST1s) were analyzed by comparative genomics.

Surveillance of invasive meningococcal disease in the Tel Aviv District, Israel, 2007-2017.

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is one of the leading causes of bacterial meningitis and septicemia in Israel. The purpose of the study was to describe the IMD in the Tel Aviv District and to identify specific populations who could benefit from vaccine introduction. In the Tel Aviv District, the incidence rates ranged from 0.

Molecular typing of Cryptosporidium in Israel.

Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite associated with gastrointestinal illness. In immune-compromised individuals, the infection may become life-threatening. Cryptosporidiosis is a mandatory-reported disease but little was known about its prevalence and associated morbidity in Israel.

Screening asymptomatic households for Streptococcus pyogenes pharyngeal carriage as a part of in-hospital investigation of puerperal sepsis.

Background: Invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) infection in the peripartum setting is a rare but devastating disease occasionally occurring as a health care-associated infection (HAI). Current guidelines suggest enhanced surveillance and streptococcal isolate storage after a single case of iGAS, as well as a full epidemiological investigation that includes screening health care workers (HCWs) from several sites after 2 cases. Current guidelines do not recommend routine screening of household members of a patient with iGAS.

Quadrivalent versus trivalent influenza vaccine: clinical outcomes in two influenza seasons, historical cohort study.

Objectives: The quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) contains two influenza B antigens (one of each B lineage), while the trivalent vaccine (TIV) contains solely one. As a result, a mismatch between the circulating B lineage and the lineage in the TIV occurs frequently. We aimed to compare the frequency of clinically significant outcomes in a large cohort of vaccinees receiving either TIV or QIV.

Differences in the expression of SPI-1 genes pathogenicity and epidemiology between the emerging Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis and the model Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.

Background: Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis (S. Infantis) is one of the ubiquitous serovars of the bacterial pathogen S. enterica and recently has been emerging in many countries worldwide.

Repeated Automated Mobile Text Messaging Reminders for Follow-Up of Positive Fecal Occult Blood Tests: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Fecal occult blood tests (FOBTs) are recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force as a screening method for colorectal cancer (CRC), but they are only effective if positive results are followed by colonoscopy. Surprisingly, a large proportion of patients with a positive result do not follow this recommendation.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of text messaging (short message service, SMS) in increasing adherence to colonoscopy follow-up after a positive FOBT result.