The application of HIV molecular epidemiology to public health.

HIV is responsible for one of the largest viral pandemics in human history. Despite a concerted global response for prevention and treatment, the virus persists. Thus, urgent public health action, utilizing novel interventions, is needed to prevent future transmission events, critical to eliminating HIV.

Enhanced HIV-1 surveillance using molecular epidemiology to study and monitor HIV-1 outbreaks among intravenous drug users (IDUs) in Athens and Bucharest.

Background: A significant increase in HIV-1 diagnoses was reported among Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) in the Athens (17-fold) and Bucharest (9-fold) metropolitan areas starting 2011.

Methods: Molecular analyses were conducted on HIV-1 sequences from IDUs comprising 51% and 20% of the diagnosed cases among IDUs during 2011-2013 for Greece and Romania, respectively. Phylodynamic analyses were performed using the newly developed birth-death serial skyline model which allows estimating of important epidemiological parameters, as implemented in BEAST programme.

Antibiotic prescription and knowledge about antibiotic costs of physicians in primary health care centers in Greece.

The aim of this questionnaire-based study is to investigate antibiotic prescription practices among primary health care physicians in Greece using the 2007 Hellenic Center for Diseases Control and Prevention guidelines as the gold standard. Seven case scenarios were used. A total of 527 physicians participated.

Extremely low risk for acquisition of a respiratory viral infection in the emergency room of a large pediatric hospital during the winter season.

The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of transmission of respiratory viral infections to children visiting the emergency room of a large pediatric hospital during winter. A total of 615 children were prospectively studied. Twenty-two (3·6%) children developed at least one symptom compatible with a respiratory viral infection within 1-7 days after the visit, including cough (12 children), fever (8), rhinorrhea (7), and/or respiratory distress (1).

Attitudes regarding occupational vaccines and vaccination coverage against vaccine-preventable diseases among healthcare workers working in pediatric departments in Greece.

We studied the attitudes with regard to occupational vaccines and vaccination coverage among healthcare workers in pediatric departments. Completed vaccination rates were 33%, 33%, 41.7%, 3%, 5.

Post‒cataract surgery endophthalmitis outbreak caused by multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

In June 2010, a severe outbreak of 13 cases of post-cataract surgery endophthalmitis caused by multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa occurred. Pulse-field gel electrophoresis in eye isolates found 95% genetic similarity; however, extensive environmental and carriage investigation revealed no source of infection.

Determinants of intention to get vaccinated against novel (pandemic) influenza A H1N1 among health-care workers in a nationwide survey.

A nationwide survey was conducted in October-November 2009 to investigate determinants of intention to get vaccinated against novel (pandemic) influenza A H1N1 among health-care workers (HCWs) in Greece. Out of 12,879 participating HCWs (response rate: 12.1%) working in 152 (40%) of 380 health-care facilities in Greece, 2814 (21.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever: risk for emergence of new endemic foci in Europe?

During recent years, new foci of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) have emerged in several Balkan countries, southwest Russia, and Turkey. Starting in 2002, Turkey experiences the largest ever recorded outbreak with more than 2500 cases. Potential reasons for the emergence or re-emergence of CCHF include climate changes which may have a significant impact on the reproduction rate of the vector Hyalomma ticks, as well as anthropogenic factors (e.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Europe: current situation calls for preparedness.

During the last decade Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) emerged and/or re-emerged in several Balkan countries, Turkey, southwestern regions of the Russian Federation, and the Ukraine, with considerable high fatality rates. Reasons for re-emergence of CCHF include climate and anthropogenic factors such as changes in land use, agricultural practices or hunting activities, movement of livestock that may influence host-tick-virus dynamics. In order to be able to design prevention and control measures targeted at the disease, mapping of endemic areas and risk assessment for CCHF in Europe should be completed.

Cowpox virus infection: an emerging health threat.

Purpose Of Review: Human cowpox, a rare zoonotic infection, evokes a self-limited disease, except for immunocompromised and eczematous patients, particularly children, where it can become severe. The causative agent, cowpox virus, is distributed in Europe, west former USSR, and adjacent areas of Northern and Central Asia, with an increasing number of reports in Europe. The purpose of this paper is to review cowpox with an emphasis on its epidemiology and management.