Transition to PCR diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in the Norwegian healthcare system: could the increase in reported cases be due to higher sensitivity or a change in the testing algorithm?

Cryptosporidiosis has been a notifiable infection in Norway since 2012 and giardiasis since 1977. For both infections, there has been an increase in notified cases. We used a questionnaire to explore whether this may be associated with implementation of molecular diagnostic methods. We received responses from 14 of 16 laboratories, most of which had implemented molecular diagnostic methods for these parasites. Algorithms for testing had also been modified, and several laboratories now test more faecal samples than previously for both parasites. The increase in reported cases may reflect not only higher sensitivity of diagnostic methods, but also more sample testing.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes in hospitalized adult influenza patients: an observational study from Norway 2014-2018.

BACKGROUND: Seasonal influenza causes substantial numbers of hospitalizations annually. We have characterized the clinical picture and treatment practice in hospitalized adult influenza patients and assessed whether clinical risk scores on admission or influenza type were associated with severe outcomes. METHODS: Clinical characteristics and risk scores on admission (CRB65, CRB, SIRS and quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment [qSOFA]), treatment and severe outcomes (defined as: stay in intensive care unit (ICU), receiving oxygen supplementation or staying ≥5 days in hospital), were recorded in patients hospitalized with influenza at Oslo University Hospital, Norway, between 2014 and 2018. RESULTS: Among the 156 included patients, 52.6% had influenza A(H3N2), 32.6% influenza B and 12.8% influenza A(H1N1). Median age was 70 years and 59.6% of patients were ≥65 years. Nine (5.8%) of the patients were treated in ICU, 43.0% received oxygen and 47.4% stayed ≥5 days in hospital. Overall, 34.6% of the patients had a high CRB score on admission which was associated with stay in ICU and oxygen supplementation. Multivariate analyses identified age, and pneumonia (46.8%), but not influenza type, to be associated with severe outcomes. Antiviral treatment was given to 37.2% of the patients, while 77.6% received antibiotics. Only 25.5% of patients with influenza B received antiviral therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The influenza patients were mostly elderly, and few patients were treated in ICU. A high CRB score was associated with severe outcomes with possible implications for patient monitoring. Less than 40% of the patients received antiviral therapy, whereas the majority were treated with antibiotics, indicating potential for optimising treatment strategies.

Surveillance of leishmaniasis cases from 15 European centres, 2014 to 2019: a retrospective analysis.

BackgroundSurveillance of human leishmaniasis in Europe is mostly limited to country-specific information from autochthonous infections in the southern part. As at the end of 2021, no integrated analysis has been performed for cases seen across centres in different European countries.AimTo provide a broad perspective on autochthonous and imported leishmaniasis cases in endemic and non-endemic countries in Europe.MethodsWe retrospectively collected records from cutaneous, mucosal and visceral leishmaniasis cases diagnosed in 15 centres between 2014 and 2019. Centres were located in 11 countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Data on country of infection, reason for travelling, infecting species, age and sex were analysed.ResultsWe obtained diagnostic files from 1,142 cases, of which 76%, 21% and 3% had cutaneous, visceral, and mucosal disease, respectively. Of these, 68% were men, and 32% women, with the median age of 37 years (range: 0-90) at diagnosis. Visceral leishmaniasis was mainly acquired in Europe (88%; 167/190), while cutaneous leishmaniasis was primarily imported from outside Europe (77%; 575/749). Sixty-two percent of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases from outside Europe were from the Old World, and 38% from the New World. Geographic species distribution largely confirmed known epidemiology, with notable exceptions.ConclusionsOur study confirms previous reports regarding geographic origin, species, and traveller subgroups importing leishmaniasis into Europe. We demonstrate the importance of pooling species typing data from many centres, even from areas where the aetiology is presumably known, to monitor changing epidemiology.

Late onset periprosthetic infection of the hip caused by the fish pathogen Lactococcus garvieae in a patient not associated with fish exposure.

Lactococcus garvieae is a fish pathogen, rarely causing opportunistic infections in humans. There are only a few cases reported in the literature, mainly endocarditis, suggesting an association with raw fish consumption. We report a case of a periprosthetic hip infection successfully treated with a two-stage revision surgery.

A man in his nineties with fever and dry cough. / En mann i 90-årene med feber og tørrhoste.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 can cause a fatal outcome in elderly patients, as this case report illustrates. CASE PRESENTATION: An active male in his nineties with a high level of function, despite several severe chronic diseases, was admitted to Oslo University Hospital after two days of fatigue, fever, dyspnoea and dry cough. He scored qSOFA 1 of 3 points due to high respiratory rate, and SIRS 2 of 4 points due to high respiratory rate and fever of 39.4º C. PCR for influenza virus was negative and he received benzylpenicillin for pneumonia. The chest X-ray taken initially showed no lung affection. On day 5 after symptom debut he was tested for COVID-19 which was positive. He had not been travelling to high-risk areas or been exposed to any known confirmed COVID-19 patients. On the same day, a chest CT scan was performed that showed ground-glass opacities. In subsequent days the patient's health rapidly deteriorated. He developed irreversible respiratory failure with hypoxia without hypercapnia despite substantial oxygen support. Chest X-ray taken on disease day 7 showed progression of consolidations. The patient died 9 days after symptom debut. INTERPRETATION: This case illustrates a severe course of COVID-19 with fatal outcome. The patient was also one of the earliest admitted with COVID-19 in a Norwegian hospital and marked a new phase of the epidemic, as he had not been travelling to high-risk areas or been exposed to any confirmed COVID-19 patients.

Bacteriology in uncomplicated urinary tract infections in Norwegian general practice from 2001-2015.

BACKGROUND: Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women are common, and urine samples from these patients are not routinely cultured. Empirical treatment is based on knowledge of resistance patterns for common uropathogens. AIM: To evaluate the bacteriological findings and resistance patterns in urine samples from women with uncomplicated urinary tract infections, and to assess the relationship between antimicrobial use and resistance patterns from 2000-2015 in Norway. METHOD: Bacteriology and resistance patterns were compared in 184 urine cultures from 2001, 406 urine cultures from 2010-2011 and 259 urine cultures from 2013-2015. Antibiotic use data from 2000-2015 were obtained from national databases. RESULTS: Escherichia coli (E. coli) was the main bacterial agent in 80% of the cultures. Staphylococcus saprophyticus (Staph. saprophyticus) represented 6-17%. For E. coli, resistance to mecillinam showed some variation but remained below 9%. There was negligible resistance to nitrofurantoin. Resistance to trimethoprim seemed to stabilise over the last 5 years at around 20%. Amoxicillin resistance had some variations, but remained stable around 30%. There was a steady rise in total consumption of selected antibiotics commonly used to treat urinary tract infections for the period 2000-2015. CONCLUSION: Mecillinam and nitrofurantoin are both excellent first choices for empirical treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections. This study suggests that increasing resistance to trimethoprim challenges the rationale for its use as a first-line agent.

[A man in his thirties with icterus and itching]. / En mann i 30-årene med icterus og kløe.

BACKGROUND: We present a patient from South-East Asia who has been living in Norway for five years. He was referred to our department with jaundice caused by opisthorchiasis/clonorchiasis. This reason for jaundice is highly unusual in Europe. Worldwide, however about 35,000,000 people are infected. CASE PRESENTATION: A male in his thirties, originally from South-East Asia, experienced diffuse itching for five weeks and painless jaundice for two weeks. Blood samples showed increasing cholestasis. Abdominal ultrasound, MRCP and computed tomography showed no sign of bile duct obstruction or liver tumour. Serological tests and liver biopsy revealed no infectious or autoimmune liver disease. ERCP showed normal bile ducts, but large quantities of typical hookworms in the duodenum. Stool samples showed at least one egg typical of Opisthorchis/Clonorchis and a large quantity of hookworm eggs. We interpreted these findings as parasite-induced obstruction of some of the small bile ducts. The patient recovered completely after treatment with Praziquantel. INTERPRETATION: Jaundice due to bile duct obstruction by opisthorchiasis/clonorchiasis is a well-known problem in South-East Asia. It may become more common in Europe as well as a result of increasing migration. Treatment with Praziquantel is simple and effective.

[From tonsillitis to coxitis]. / Fra tonsillitt til koksitt.

We present a 19-year-old woman with a throat infection, increased temperature, a positive mononucleosis monospot test and clinical signs of a lower respiratory tract infection. The diagnosis was thought to be mononucleosis complicated by bacterial pneumonia, but she was later found to have Fusobacterium necrophorum in blood cultures. She subsequently developed metastatic abscesses in her lungs and hip joint and was diagnosed with Lemierre's Syndrome. This case report highlights the importance of close links between clinicians and microbiologists in order to prevent morbidity and mortality in patients with an infectious disease.