Investigation of increased listeriosis revealed two fishery production plants with persistent Listeria contamination in Finland in 2010.

In 2010, a marked increase in listeriosis incidence was observed in Finland. Listeria monocytogenes PFGE profile 96 was responsible for one-fifth of the reported cases and a cluster of PFGE profile 62 was also detected. Investigations revealed two fishery production plants with persistent Listeria contamination. It appears likely that the plants were at least partly responsible for the increase of listeriosis. Epidemiological investigation revealed that 57% (31/54) of cases with underlying immunosuppressive condition or medication reported eating gravad or cold-smoked fish. Two public notices were issued by THL and Evira informing which groups were most at risk from the effects of listeriosis and should therefore be cautious in consuming certain products. Systematic sampling of foods and adequate epidemiological investigation methods are required to identify the sources of Listeria infections. Continuous control measures at fishery production plants producing risk products are essential.

A longitudinal 2-year follow-up of quality of life in women referred for colposcopy after an abnormal cervical smear.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term impact on quality of life (QoL) in women referred for colposcopy after an abnormal cervical smear. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred consecutive women referred for colposcopy for the first time subsequent to receiving notification of an abnormal cervical smear. Women in the study group completed the Swedish Health Survey Short Form-36 (SF-36), the State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI, Form Y), and the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Self-rate (MADRS-S). The women had follow-up visits at 6 months and 2 years. RESULTS: The baseline mean for the mental component summary score and for all mental subscale scores on the SF-36 were statistically significantly lower than Swedish normative data for women. At the end of 2 years, the mental component summary scale and vitality were still significantly lower than such data. There were no differences in QoL between women having had treatment with Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone (LLETZ) compared to those who did not. When studied separately, non-depressed women felt no impact on QoL whereas women with higher depression scores judged their mental health QoL worse. CONCLUSIONS: Women experienced long-lasting negative effects on their mental health, but not on their physical health after referral for colposcopy. LLETZ had no measurable influence on QoL at any of the visits. This indicates that it is not the severity of the lesions or the treatment itself that affects women but the fact of having had an abnormal cervical smear identified. Depressive mood may be a major variable for the perception of low QoL.

A 2-year follow-up study of anxiety and depression in women referred for colposcopy after an abnormal cervical smear.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine if there were any long-lasting elevated anxiety levels in women attending colposcopy after an abnormal cervical smear. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Malmö University Hospital, Sweden. POPULATION: One hundred consecutive women were invited to participate when referred for colposcopy. METHODS: Women in the study group completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale-self-rate (MADRS-S) and had a psychosocial interview prior to colposcopy at their two follow-up visits. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: State anxiety levels and depression scores at first visit, 6 months and 2 years. RESULTS: At follow up, levels of state anxiety and the depression scores of the women studied had decreased and were comparable to those of Swedish normative data. Two variables from the MADRS-S, 'ability to focus on different activities' and 'emotional involvement with others and in activities' were the most prominent for women with moderate to severe depression. At the 2-year visit, 30% of the women still had a fear of cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Referral for colposcopy after an abnormal cervical smear does not seem to result in long-lasting anxiety and depression. However, a subgroup of women, with the initially highest depression scores, still had at 2-year state anxiety levels and depression scores significantly higher than normal. Almost one-third of the women still had a fear of cancer in spite of lower 2-year state anxiety levels.

A longitudinal study of sexual functioning in women referred for colposcopy: a 2-year follow up.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate psychosexual problems in women referred for colposcopy after an abnormal cervical smear and a 6-month and 2-year follow up. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Department of Gynaecology, Malmö University Hospital, Sweden. POPULATION: One hundred consecutive women referred for colposcopy for the first time subsequent to receiving notification of an abnormal cervical smear. METHODS: The women completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, a psychosexual questionnaire and had one psychosocial interview prior to colposcopy at all three visits. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Depending upon the result of the cervical biopsy, women had either a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) or not. Psychosexual variables, anxiety measures, and psychosocial variables were used to estimate sexual functioning at the beginning of the study and at follow up. Differences in sexual functioning between LEEP and non-LEEP groups were estimated. RESULTS: 'Spontaneous interest in sex', 'frequency of intercourse', and 'sexual arousal' were reported to be statistically significant lower at 6 months compared with the first visit, and at 2 years, 'spontaneous interest in sex' and 'frequency of intercourse' still remained low. There was no difference in sexual functioning between the LEEP and non-LEEP groups at follow up. CONCLUSIONS: Two years after referral for colposcopy, women still had an effect on sexual functioning, that is, lesser 'spontaneous interest' and decreased 'frequency of intercourse'. We found no support for a relationship between treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia by LEEP and deterioration in sexual functioning.

A prospective Swedish cohort study on psychosocial factors influencing anxiety in women referred for colposcopy.

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate risk factors for high state anxiety in women referred for colposcopy. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Department of Gynaecology, Malmö University Hospital, Sweden. POPULATION: A total of 100 consecutive women referred for colposcopy for the first time after an abnormal cervical smear. METHODS: Women in the study group completed prior to colposcopy the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale-self-rate, and were interviewed about their psychosocial situation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Variables related to high state anxiety were determined in bivariate and multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: High depression scores and the wording of the referral letter for colposcopy were related to high state anxiety in a multivariate analysis. Women with high depression scores had a nine-fold risk for higher levels of state anxiety and did not respond with lower state anxiety levels after information and examination. Women who received a letter stating 'some changes' were at a five-fold increased risk for high levels of state anxiety than those who received a letter stating 'light changes'. CONCLUSION: A depressive mood and the wording of the referral letter for colposcopy after an abnormal smear were predictive of high state anxiety levels.

ST analysis of the fetal electrocardiogram during labor: Nordic observational multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic power of cardiotocography (CTG) plus the ST interval of the electrocardiogram (ECG) clinical guidelines with combined fetal heart rate and ST waveform analysis of the fetal ECG recorded during labor, to identify an adverse labor outcome (neonatal neurological symptoms and/or metabolic acidosis). STUDY DESIGN: An observational, multicenter study was undertaken in 12 Nordic labor wards. A total of 573 women in labor were monitored using a prototype of the STAN S 21 recorder with fetal ECG data and computerized ST analysis. RESULTS: Fifteen cases of intrapartum fetal hypoxia identified from neurological neonatal symptoms and/or cord artery pH < 7.05 with base deficit in extracellular fluid > 12.0 mmol/l were recorded. All these cases were identified by CTG + ST clinical guidelines. Five developed neonatal symptoms and had ECG abnormalities during the first stage of labor and, of the remaining ten, eight showed ST changes during active pushing in the second stage. Another eight cases had acidemia only and normal neonatal outcome. Seven of these displayed CTG + ST abnormalities. The high sensitivity of CTG + ST to predict fetal acidosis was associated with a marked increase in positive predictive values compared with conventional CTG. CONCLUSION: The STAN clinical guidelines identify fetuses at risk of intrapartum asphyxia.

Cardiotocography only versus cardiotocography plus ST analysis of fetal electrocardiogram for intrapartum fetal monitoring: a Swedish randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies indicate that analysis of the ST waveform of the fetal electrocardiogram provides information on the fetal response to hypoxia. We did a multicentre randomised controlled trial to test the hypothesis that intrapartum monitoring with cardiotocography combined with automatic ST-waveform analysis results in an improved perinatal outcome compared with cardiotocography alone. METHODS: At three Swedish labour wards, 4966 women with term fetuses in the cephalic presentation entered the trial during labour after a clinical decision had been made to apply a fetal scalp electrode for internal cardiotocography. They were randomly assigned monitoring with cardiotocography plus ST analysis (CTG+ST group) or cardiotocography only (CTG group). The main outcome measure was rate of umbilical-artery metabolic acidosis (pH <7.05 and base deficit >12 mmol/L). Secondary outcomes included operative delivery for fetal distress. Results were first analysed according to intention to treat, and secondly after exclusion of cases with severe malformations or with inadequate monitoring. FINDINGS: The CTG+ST group showed significantly lower rates of umbilical-artery metabolic acidosis than the cardiotocography group (15 of 2159 [0.7%] vs 31 of 2079 [2%], relative risk 0.47 [95% CI 0.25-0.86], p=0.02) and of operative delivery for fetal distress (193 of 2519 [8%] vs 227 of 2447 [9%], 0.83 [0.69-0.99], p=0.047) when all cases were included according to intention to treat. The differences were more pronounced after exclusion of 291 in the CTG+ST group and 283 in the CTG group with malformations or inadequate recording. INTERPRETATION: Intrapartum monitoring with cardiotocography combined with automatic ST-waveform analysis increases the ability of obstetricians to identify fetal hypoxia and to intervene more appropriately, resulting in an improved perinatal outcome.