Comparison of Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing data quality for Clostridioides difficile genome analysis and their application for epidemiological surveillance.

Background: The burden of Clostridioides difficile as a nosocomial- and community-acquired pathogen has been increasing over the recent decades, including reports of severe outbreaks. Molecular and virulence genotyping are central for the epidemiological surveillance of this pathogen, but need to balance accuracy and rapid turnaround time of the results. While Illumina short-read sequencing has been adopted as the gold standard to investigate C.

and through the pig meat chain in Sardinia: occurrence, antimicrobial resistance and genetic insight.

This study aimed to characterize Salmonella and Yersinia enterocolitica detected in fattening pigs in Sardinia, examining genetic similarity and antimicrobial resistance of isolates from farms and slaughterhouses and evaluating carcass hygiene. Environmental samples were collected from six pig farms, and the same pigs were also sampled at the slaughterhouses. Palatine tonsils, mesenteric lymph nodes, colon content, and carcass surface samples were collected and tested for Salmonella and Y.

Long COVID and its risk factors in migrants: a nationwide register study from Sweden.

Background: Many studies have found more severe COVID-19 outcomes in migrants and ethnic minorities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while recent evidence also suggests higher risk of longer-term consequences. We studied the risk of a long COVID diagnosis among adult residents in Sweden, dependent on country of birth and accounting for known risk factors for long COVID.

Methods: We used linked Swedish administrative registers between March 1, 2020 and April 1, 2023, to estimate the risk of a long COVID diagnosis in the adult population that had a confirmed COVID-19 infection.

Association between biosecurity and zoonotic transmission of LA-MRSA CC398 from industrial pig farms to farm workers and their household members.

Background: Zoonotic transmission of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant clonal complex 398 (LA-MRSA CC398) from industrial pig farms to farm workers and their household members and secondary transmission to elderly and immunocompromised persons has led to a growing number of serious infections and even death.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that conventional pig farms confer a higher risk for LA-MRSA CC398 carriage among farm workers and their household members than specific pathogen-free (SPF) farms, which follow a set of stringent rules concerning biosecurity, health control and transportation of pigs between herds.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of farm workers and their household members from 25 Danish pig farms positive for LA-MRSA CC398.

Protozoocidal activity of against .

is a major pathogen of the gastrointestinal tract, and infections impact both human health and the economy. The ongoing issues with drug resistance and the side effects of current anti- treatments highlight the urgent need for new therapeutic options. This study focused on investigating the efficacy of crude extracts of from Thailand against .

Global impact of 10- and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on pneumococcal meningitis in all ages: the PSERENADE project.

Background: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) introduced in childhood national immunization programs lowered vaccine-type invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), but replacement with non-vaccine-types persisted throughout the PCV10/13 follow-up period. We assessed PCV10/13 impact on pneumococcal meningitis incidence globally.

Methods: The number of cases with serotyped pneumococci detected in cerebrospinal fluid and population denominators were obtained from surveillance sites globally.

Interpretation of COVID-19 Epidemiological Trends in Mexico Through Wastewater Surveillance Using Simple Machine Learning Algorithms for Rapid Decision-Making.

Detection and quantification of disease-related biomarkers in wastewater samples, denominated Wastewater-based Surveillance (WBS), has proven a valuable strategy for studying the prevalence of infectious diseases within populations in a time- and resource-efficient manner, as wastewater samples are representative of all cases within the catchment area, whether they are clinically reported or not. However, analysis and interpretation of WBS datasets for decision-making during public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, remains an area of opportunity. In this article, a database obtained from wastewater sampling at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and university campuses in Monterrey and Mexico City between 2021 and 2022 was used to train simple clustering- and regression-based risk assessment models to allow for informed prevention and control measures in high-affluence facilities, even if working with low-dimensionality datasets and a limited number of observations.

Assessing Virus Survival in African Swine Fever Virus-Contaminated Materials-Implications for Indirect Virus Transmission.

Introduction of African swine fever virus (ASFV) into pig herds can occur via virus-contaminated feed or other objects. Knowledge about ASFV survival in different matrices and under different conditions is required to understand indirect virus transmission. Maintenance of ASFV infectivity can occur for extended periods outside pigs.

Discordance and Performance of the ARC-HBR and PRECISE-DAPT High Bleeding Risk Definitions After Coronary Stenting.

Background: The aim of the ARC-HBR (Academic Research Consortium for High Bleeding Risk) and PRECISE-DAPT (Predicting Bleeding Complications in Patients Undergoing Stent Implantation and Subsequent Dual Antiplatelet Therapy) score definitions for high bleeding risk is to identify patients who would benefit from shorter or less intensive antiplatelet therapy after coronary stenting.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the ARC-HBR and PRECISE-DAPT score definitions for high bleeding risk in routine clinical practice.

Methods: Using nationwide registers, all patients in Stockholm, Sweden, who were discharged after coronary stenting with dual antiplatelet therapy (January 1, 2013, to July 1, 2018) were included.

Genomics yields biological and phenotypic insights into bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder is a leading contributor to the global burden of disease. Despite high heritability (60-80%), the majority of the underlying genetic determinants remain unknown. We analysed data from participants of European, East Asian, African American and Latino ancestries (n = 158,036 cases with bipolar disorder, 2.

Danish parents' vaccination readiness is associated with their children's officially registered vaccination history.

Previous research has shown that parents' vaccination readiness, as measured by the 7C vaccination readiness scale, helps to understand whether and why parents are (not) willing to vaccinate their children. However, there is a lack of research investigating the association between parents' vaccination readiness and their children's actual vaccine uptake. Addressing this gap, we examined how Danish parents' level of vaccination readiness is associated with their child's vaccination status combining survey with official registry data.

Effect of the Number of Vaccine Doses Before Starting Anti-CD20 Therapy on Seroprotection Rates Against Hepatitis B Virus in People With MS.

Background And Objectives: Hepatitis B vaccination (HBV) requires 6 months to complete and is recommended for patients with multiple sclerosis (PWMS), particularly those who are candidates for anti-CD20 therapy. However, limited data exist on HBV immunogenicity in PWMS receiving disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) and the impact of starting anti-CD20 therapy during immunization. We aimed to evaluate HBV immunogenicity in PWMS starting anti-CD20 therapy during vaccination, focusing on the number of doses received before anti-CD20 initiation.

Association between exposure to pyrethroids and chlorpyrifos at age 5 years and IQ at age 7 years among children from the Odense Child Cohort, a prospective birth cohort study.

Background: Over the past decade, the use of organophosphate insecticides including chlorpyrifos has faced increasing restrictions due to health concerns, leading to a rise in use of pyrethroids. Concerns about neurodevelopmental insults following pyrethroids exposure exist, but few studies have examined the long-term effects of childhood exposure to chlorpyrifos and pyrethroids on IQ.

Objective: To investigate the prospective associations between pyrethroids and chlorpyrifos exposure at age 5 years and IQ scores assessed at age 7.

A simplified vaccination program elicits an immune response comparable to a complex standard vaccination program in commercial layers under field conditions.

Newcastle disease (ND) is a notifiable avian disease responsible for several panzootics, which has resulted in the establishment of mandatory vaccination programs against the virus in several countries including Denmark. This study compared the immune response elicited in layers by the standard vaccination program for ND of a Danish commercial egg production facility with a simplified version of the vaccination program. A commercial flock of layers was followed for 77 weeks from hatching to culling.

Pitfalls in gut single-cell eukaryote research.

Gut single-celled eukaryotes (GSCEs) are found in billions of people worldwide, but we still know little about their functions and relationships in human gut ecology. Lately, retrospective analysis of bacterial data obtained by next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods has been used to identify links between GSCEs, gut bacteria, host metabolism, and host phenotypical traits, suggesting possible direct or indirect associations to favorable gut microbiome features and other health parameters. Here, we highlight some of the pitfalls related to the research strategy typically used so far and propose action points that could pave the way for a more accurate understanding of GSCEs in human health and disease.

Risk factors for the incursion of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus into poultry and other captive bird holdings in Denmark from 2020 to 2023: A case-control study.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a major concern in terms of animal and human health. Between October 2020 and September 2023, there were 36 HPAI outbreaks detected in poultry and other captive birds in Denmark. However, it is often not possible to determine the exact route of introduction.

Iron deficiency and infection risk in Danish blood donors.

Background: We aimed to investigate if iron deficiency was associated with infection susceptibility in a large cohort of healthy individuals.

Study Design And Methods: The Danish Blood Donor Study is a national ongoing prospective study of blood donors. We included 94,628 donors with 338,290 ferritin measurements from March 2010 to October 2022.

Bacteraemia after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a nationwide cohort study.

Background: Bacteraemia and infective endocarditis (IE) are rare but severe complications of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Limited data exist on the incidence and microbiological profile of early bacteraemia in this population. This study aimed to evaluate the 6-month incidence of bacteraemia, IE and associated mortality following TAVI.

Evaluating stratified T-SPOT.TB results for diagnostic accuracy in tuberculosis disease: a retrospective cohort study with sensitivities, specificities, and predictive values.

Objectives: To investigate the association between quantitative T-SPOT.TB values and the risk of incident and prevalent tuberculosis disease (TBD), identify risk factors, and evaluate test accuracy.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study followed patients tested consecutively with T-SPOT.

Maternal autoimmune systemic connective tissue disease and vasculitis and electrocardiographic findings in the offspring.

Introduction: Maternal autoimmune systemic connective tissue diseases (CTDs) and their related antibodies have been associated with adverse fetal outcomes, including complete heart block. In this study, we assessed the association between maternal CTD or vasculitis and neonatal electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters.

Methods: Our study population was drawn from the Copenhagen Baby Heart Study (CBHS), a prospective, population-based cohort study open to all neonates born in the Copenhagen area.

New insights into the epidemiology of Streptococcus suis in pig production systems using whole genome sequencing.

Streptococcus suis (S. suis) is a major pathogen for pigs, causing large economic losses to the swine industry. Moreover, this bacterium has a zoonotic potential, being capable of infecting humans in close contact with pigs or, less frequently, through contact with pork products.