Questions Under Study: The A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza virus is a highly contagious pathogen which caused the 2009 influenza pandemic. The virus is known to affect mainly younger people and may be a problem in crowded living conditions. The aim of the study was to describe a major A(H1N1)pdm09 outbreak in a Swiss military boot camp and to develop suggestions for similar future situations.
Methods: Retrospective chart analysis of a A(H1N1)pdm09 outbreak between 14 December and 23 December 2010. Symptoms, signs and lab parameters were documented.
Results: 105 of 750 male recruits were affected by the outbreak. All nasopharyngeal swabs of 16 patients with high fever were tested positive. Common clinical symptoms included high fever, myalgia and bronchitis with persistent cough and throat aches. Fever progression typically occurred in two peaks within three days. Median length of stay at the infirmary was 3 days (range: 0.5-9 days).
Conclusion: A(H1N1)pdm09 has become a ubiquitous seasonal virus in the region. Complications were uncommon and non life threatening. In the event of new influenza outbreaks, hygienic and containment measures must be quickly and correctly implemented, in order to avoid an epidemic. This should also be considered in non-military settings like school camps or in retirement homes.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.4414/smw.2011.13307 | DOI Listing |
Environ Int
January 2025
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address:
Background: The independent and interrelated long-term effects of the exposome such as air pollution, greenness, and ambient temperature on lung function are not well understood, yet relevant in the light of climate change.
Methods: Pre-bronchodilation FEV1 from five mature birth cohorts (N = 4724) and three adult cohorts (N = 6052) from five European countries were used to assess cross-sectional associations with air pollution, greenness, and ambient temperature, assigned to their residential address. All two-way interactions and square terms were a priori included in building the final elastic net regression model.
Insects
December 2024
Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Department, Ifakara Health Institute, Morogoro P.O. Box 53, Tanzania.
Interspecific competition between mosquito larvae may affects adult vectorial capacity, potentially reducing disease transmission. It also influences population dynamics, and cannibalistic and predatory behaviors. However, knowledge of interspecific competition between and species is limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFoods
January 2025
Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Africa is grappling with severe food security challenges driven by population growth, climate change, land degradation, water scarcity, and socio-economic factors such as poverty and inequality. Climate variability and extreme weather events, including droughts, floods, and heatwaves, are intensifying food insecurity by reducing agricultural productivity, water availability, and livelihoods. This study examines the projected threats to food security in Africa, focusing on changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, and the frequency of extreme weather events.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground & Aims: Chronic liver diseases pose a serious public health issue. Identifying patients at risk for advanced liver fibrosis is crucial for early intervention. The Fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4), a simple non-invasive test, classifies patients into three risk groups for advanced fibrosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
January 2025
Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
T-cell response plays an important role in SARS-CoV-2 immunogenicity. For people living with HIV (PWH) and solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients there is limited evidence on the reliability of commercially available T-cell tests. We assessed 173 blood samples from 81 participants (62 samples from 35 PWH; 111 samples from 46 SOT recipients [lung and kidney]) with two commercial SARS-CoV-2 Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) release assays (IGRA; SARS-CoV-2 IGRA by Euroimmun, and IGRA SARS-CoV-2 by Roche).
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