Establishment of a national surveillance system to monitor community HIV testing, Ireland, 2018.

Background: HIV continues to be an important public health issue. Voluntary community-based HIV testing (VCBT) helps to reduce the undiagnosed population of HIV-positive individuals, enabling early diagnosis and treatment. Monitoring is essential to determine whether at-risk groups are being effectively reached.

Barriers and facilitators to seasonal influenza vaccination uptake among nurses: A mixed methods study.

Aim: To identify the barriers and facilitators to seasonal influenza vaccination uptake among nurses.

Background: Seasonal influenza causes significant mortality and morbidity among older people and high-risk groups. Vaccinating nurses against influenza is an essential public health measure to reduce the burden of disease.

Ongoing mumps outbreak among adolescents and young adults, Ireland, August 2018 to January 2020.

Between 18 August 2018 and 24 January 2020, 3,736 mumps cases were notified in Ireland. The highest numbers of notifications were observed in the age group 15-24 years. Vaccination status was reported for 32% (n = 1,199) of cases: 72% of these had received two doses of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Determinants of influenza and pertussis vaccine uptake in pregnant women in Ireland: A cross-sectional survey in 2017/18 influenza season.

In Ireland seasonal influenza and pertussis vaccination during pregnancy is recommended and every year national campaigns are organised to raise awareness and improve uptake. We estimated influenza and pertussis vaccine uptake and identified factors associated with vaccination status in pregnant women in 2017/18. We conducted a face-to-face omnibus survey, with quota sampling, among women aged 18-55 years and collected socio-demographic characteristics, self-reported vaccination status, awareness of vaccine campaigns, and attitudes towards vaccination.

Preparedness and management of global public health threats at points of entry in Ireland and the EU in the context of a potential Brexit.

Health security in the European Union (EU) aims to protect citizens from serious threats to health such as biological agents and infectious disease outbreaks- whether natural, intentional or accidental. Threats may include established infections, emerging diseases or chemical and radiological agents. Co-ordinated international efforts attempt to minimize risks and mitigate the spread of infectious disease across borders.

A comparative analysis of prophylactic antimicrobial use in long-term care facilities in Ireland, 2013 and 2016.

BackgroundLong-term care facilities (LTCFs) are important locations of antimicrobial consumption. Of particular concern is inappropriate prescribing of prophylactic antimicrobials. AimWe aimed to explore factors related to antimicrobial prophylaxis in LTCFs in Ireland.

Identifying hospital-acquired infections using retrospective record review from the Irish National Adverse Events Study (INAES) and European point prevalence survey case definitions.

Background: Point prevalence surveys (PPSs) collect data on hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) at one point in time but do not provide information on incidence over the entire admission or impact on patients or healthcare resources. Retrospective record review examines the entire admission to determine adverse event prevalence, incidence, preventability, physical impairment and additional length of stay.

Aim: To establish whether European HAI surveillance definitions can be applied to the Irish National Adverse Events Study (INAES) retrospective record review data to determine HAI burden.

Improving Antimicrobial Prescribing: A Multinomial Model Identifying Factors Associated With First- and Second-Line Prescribing.

Background/objectives: Broad-spectrum, second-line antimicrobials may be prescribed when initial first-line options prove ineffective. This study compares prescribing practices and identifies potential influencing factors for first- and second-line antimicrobials in long-term care facilities.

Design: Point prevalence survey of health care-associated infections and antimicrobial use in long-term care facilities (HALT), expanded by additional data collection.

Antimicrobial prescribing and infections in long-term care facilities (LTCF): a multilevel analysis of the HALT 2016 study, Ireland, 2017.

BackgroundThe 2016 point prevalence survey (PPS) of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and antimicrobial use (AMU) in Irish long-term care facilities (LTCF) (HALT) showed a 9.8% AMU and 4.4% HAI prevalence, based on aggregated data analysis.

Inequalities in HIV testing uptake and needs among men who have sex with men living in Ireland: findings from an internet survey.

Objectives: HIV disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM) in Ireland. The aim of this study was to improve understanding of HIV testing among MSM living in Ireland to inform prevention and testing initiatives.

Methods: We used data from the MSM Internet Survey Ireland 2015 (MISI 2015), a cross-sectional survey of MSM living in Ireland.

Effect of childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccination on invasive disease in older adults of 10 European countries: implications for adult vaccination.

Background: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have the potential to prevent pneumococcal disease through direct and indirect protection. This multicentre European study estimated the indirect effects of 5-year childhood PCV10 and/or PCV13 programmes on invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in older adults across 13 sites in 10 European countries, to support decision-making on pneumococcal vaccination policies.

Methods: For each site we calculated IPD incidence rate ratios (IRR) in people aged ≥65 years by serotype for each PCV10/13 year (2011-2015) compared with 2009 (pre-PCV10/13).

Hepatitis A outbreak disproportionately affecting men who have sex with men (MSM) in the European Union and European Economic Area, June 2016 to May 2017.

Between 1 June 2016 and 31 May 2017, 17 European Union (EU) and European Economic Area countries reported 4,096 cases associated with a multi-country hepatitis A (HA) outbreak. Molecular analysis identified three co-circulating hepatitis A virus (HAV) strains of genotype IA: VRD_521_2016, V16-25801 and RIVM-HAV16-090. We categorised cases as confirmed, probable or possible, according to the EU outbreak case definitions.

A national measles outbreak in Ireland linked to a single imported case, April to September, 2016.

Endemic measles transmission was interrupted for the first time in Ireland in 2015. In May 2016, a case of measles was confirmed in an adult who had travelled from Hungary to Ireland (index case). Cases subsequently arose in five of the eight public health regions around the country.

Sexual transmission of Hepatitis C Virus infection in a heterosexual population: A systematic review.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an important cause of liver disease worldwide. Identification of risk factors can guide screening and prevention. Sexual transmission in monogamous heterosexual relationships is rare but it is uncertain which sexual behaviours are linked to HCV transmission.

Economic Evaluation of Selective Neonatal Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Vaccination of High-risk Infants in Ireland.

Background: In Western Europe, currently only Ireland and Portugal continue to provide universal neonatal bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination programs, despite not being considered as high tuberculosis (TB) incidence countries. Other European countries only vaccinate infants considered at high risk of contracting TB. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of selective BCG vaccination compared with strategies of universal and no vaccination.

Decrease in the Uptake of Seasonal Influenza Vaccine in Persons Aged 65 Years and Older In Ireland since the 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Pdm09 Pandemic.

In Ireland, there is year-on-year variation in the seasonal influenza vaccine uptake for people aged 65 years and older. We obtained aggregate vaccine uptake data (2004/05-2014/15) by area and age group and applied the 2011 relative deprivation score and GP-density by area. Using Poisson regression model, we estimated the associations between those variables and uptake before and after the 2009 pandemic.

The Uptake of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine In Irish Schools: The Impact Of Disadvantage.

HPV vaccine Gardasil© is offered to girls in first year of secondary school in Ireland. We aimed to determine the association between HPV vaccine uptake among girls for academic year 2013/2014, by school and school characteristics: socioeconomic disadvantage and religious ethos. The National Schools Immunisation System (SIS) was searched to determine HPV vaccine uptake in schools for 2013/2014 (prior to recent anti-HPV vaccine publicity).

Advancing STI priorities in the SDG era: priorities for action.

The Sustainable Development Goals present an opportunity to reimagine and then reconfigure the approach to controlling sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The predilection of STIs for women and for vulnerable populations means that services that ameliorate STIs, by their nature, enhance equity, a key focus of the goals. Given the considerable breadth and depth of the goals, it is important to locate points of convergence between the SDGs and STIs, further craft synergies with HIV and select a few population groups and settings to prioritise.

How close are countries of the WHO European Region to achieving the goal of vaccinating 75% of key risk groups against influenza? Results from national surveys on seasonal influenza vaccination programmes, 2008/2009 to 2014/2015.

Background: Influenza vaccination is recommended especially for persons at risk of complications. In 2003, the World Health Assembly urged Member States (MS) to increase vaccination coverage to 75% among older persons by 2010.

Objective: To assess progress towards the 2010 vaccination goal and describe seasonal influenza vaccination recommendations in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region.

Chemsex, risk behaviours and sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men in Dublin, Ireland.

Background: Drug use for or during sex ('chemsex') among MSM has caused concern, because of the direct effects of the drugs themselves, and because of an increased risk of transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of chemsex, associated behaviours and STIs among attendees at Ireland's only MSM-specific sexual health clinic in Dublin over a six week period in 2016.

Methods: The questionnaire collected demographic data, information on sexuality and sexual practice, self-reported history of treatment for STIs, and chemsex use.

Using data from a behavioural survey of men who have sex with men (MSM) to estimate the number likely to present for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Ireland, 2017.

In Ireland, men who have sex with men (MSM) have increased HIV risk. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), combined with safe sex practices, can reduce HIV acquisition. We estimated MSM numbers likely to present for PrEP by applying French PrEP criteria to Irish MSM behavioural survey data.