First cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the WHO European Region, 24 January to 21 February 2020.

In the WHO European Region, COVID-19 surveillance was implemented 27 January 2020. We detail the first European cases. As at 21 February, nine European countries reported 47 cases. Among 38 cases studied, 21 were linked to two clusters in Germany and France, 14 were infected in China. Median case age was 42 years; 25 were male. Late detection of the clusters' index cases delayed isolation of further local cases. As at 5 March, there were 4,250 cases.

Factors Associated With Severe Nonmeningitis Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Adults in France.

BACKGROUND: In France, pneumococcal vaccination in adults is recommended for risk groups (chronic conditions/immunosuppression). We conducted a study on invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in adults to identify factors associated with disease severity and death. METHODS: We included IPD cases, excluding meningitis, from 25 acute care hospitals in 6 regions. We defined severe cases as those with shock or severe sepsis or intensive care unit admission/mechanical ventilation. We included deaths occurring within 30 days of hospitalization. Infectious disease specialists collected clinical/microbiological data on cases. RESULTS: During 2014-2017, 908 nonmeningitis IPD cases were diagnosed; 48% were severe, 84% had comorbidities, 21% died. Ninety percent of cases with comorbidities who previously sought health care were not vaccinated against pneumococcus. Compared with previously healthy cases, the risk of severe IPD increased from 20% (adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-1.4) in cases with 1-2 chronic diseases to 30% (aRR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0-7.0) in those with >2 chronic diseases. Among risk groups, 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) serotypes and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) nonPCV13 serotypes were more likely to induce severe IPD compared with nonvaccine serotypes (aRR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.3-1.9; aRR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0-1.5, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We observed a cumulative effect of concurrent comorbidities on severe IPD. Vaccine serotypes were more likely to induce severe IPD among risk groups. The missed opportunities for vaccination underscore the need to enhance vaccination in risk groups.

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). We calculated pooled IRR and 95% CI using random-effects meta-analysis and PCV10/13 effect as (1 - IRR)*100. RESULTS: After five PCV10/13 years, the incidence of IPD caused by all types, PCV7 and additional PCV13 serotypes declined 9% (95% CI -4% to 19%), 77% (95% CI 67% to 84%) and 38% (95% CI 19% to 53%), respectively, while the incidence of non-PCV13 serotypes increased 63% (95% CI 39% to 91%). The incidence of serotypes included in PCV13 and not in PCV10 decreased 37% (95% CI 22% to 50%) in six PCV13 sites and increased by 50% (95% CI -8% to 146%) in the four sites using PCV10 (alone or with PCV13). In 2015, PCV13 serotypes represented 20-29% and 32-53% of IPD cases in PCV13 and PCV10 sites, respectively. CONCLUSION: Overall IPD incidence in older adults decreased moderately after five childhood PCV10/13 years in 13 European sites. Large declines in PCV10/13 serotype IPD, due to the indirect effect of childhood vaccination, were countered by increases in non-PCV13 IPD, but these declines varied according to the childhood vaccine used. Decision-making on pneumococcal vaccination for older adults must consider the indirect effects of childhood PCV programmes. Sustained monitoring of IPD epidemiology is imperative.

Effect of high-valency pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on invasive pneumococcal disease in children in SpIDnet countries: an observational multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: The Streptococcus pneumoniae Invasive Disease network (SpIDnet) actively monitors populations in nine sites in seven European countries for invasive pneumococcal disease. Five sites use 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) alone and four use the ten-valent PCV (PCV10) and PCV13. Vaccination uptake is greater than 90% in six sites and 67-78% in three sites. We measured the effects of introducing high-valency PCVs on the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease in children younger than 5 years. METHODS: We compared the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease in each of the 4 years after the introduction of PCV13 alone or PCV10 and PCV13 with the average incidence during the preceding period of heptavalent PCV (PCV7) use, overall and by serotype category. We calculated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% CIs for each year and pooled the values for all sites in a random effects meta-analysis. FINDINGS: 4 years after the introduction of PCV13 alone or PCV10 and PCV13, the pooled IRR was 0·53 (95% CI 0·43-0·65) for invasive pneumococcal disease in children younger than 5 years caused by any serotype, 0·16 (0·07-0·40) for disease caused by PCV7 serotypes, 0·17 (0·07-0·42) for disease caused by 1, 5, and 7F serotypes, and 0·41 (0·25-0·69) for that caused by 3, 6A and 19A serotypes. We saw a similar pattern when we restricted the analysis to sites where only PCV13 was used. The pooled IRR for invasive pneumococcal disease caused by non-PCV13 serotypes was 1·62 (1·09-2·42). INTERPRETATION: The incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease caused by all serotypes decreased due to a decline in the incidence of vaccine serotypes. By contrast, that of invasive pneumococcal disease caused by non-PCV13 serotypes increased, which suggests serotype replacement. Long-term surveillance will be crucial to monitor the further effects of PCV10 and PCV13 vaccination programmes in young children. FUNDING: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Czech National Institute of Public Health, French National Agency for Public Health, Irish Health Services Executive, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Public Health Agency of Catalonia, Public Health Department of Community of Madrid, Navarra Hospital Complex, Public Health Institute of Navarra, CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health, Institute of Health Carlos III, Public Health Agency of Sweden, and NHS Scotland.

Insight Into Resistance Phenotypes of Emergent Non 13-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Type Pneumococci Isolated From Invasive Disease After 13-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Implementation in France.

Background. In 2010, the pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV13), containing 6 additional serotypes including the multidrug-resistant 19A, replaced the PCV7 in France. This study aimed at analyzing trends in antibiotic resistance in invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) isolates in France after PCV13 introduction. Methods. A total of 5243 pneumococci isolated from IPD in 2008-2009 (late PCV7 era) and 2011-2012 (PCV13 era) were studied according to their serotype and antibiotic resistance profile. Multilocus sequence typing analysis was performed on strains of the predominant serotypes (12F and 24F) isolated from young children. Results. Overall, the prevalence of antibiotic resistance decreased in France (-21.5% for penicillin from 2008-2009 to 2011-2012), mainly driven by the decline of the 19A serotype. Among non-PCV13 serotypes that concomitantly emerged, serotypes 12F, 24F, 15A, and 35B were consistently associated with resistance to 1 or more antibiotics. In children under 2 years, serotypes 15A, 35B, and 24F accounted together for 37.8% and 31.9% of penicillin-nonsusceptible and erythromycin-resistant isolates, respectively. Chloramphenicol and cotrimoxazole resistance were mainly associated with serotypes 12F and 24F, respectively. Genetic analysis showed that although emergence of serotype 12F pneumococci resulted from the expansion of various pre-existing lineages, increase in serotype 24F was related to the clonal expansion of the ST162 penicillin-susceptible cotrimoxazole-resistant lineage. Conclusions. We showed that decline of PCV13-related IPD was associated with a decline in antibiotic resistance in France, but that it likely favored the spread of several resistant nonvaccine serotypes. However, antibiotic resistance does not seem to be the only element that may drive this phenomenon.

Clonal expansion of the macrolide resistant ST386 within pneumococcal serotype 6C in France.

In France, the use of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) lead to an overall significant decrease in PCV7 invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) incidence. However, the decrease in vaccine serotype prevalence was partially counterbalanced by the serotype replacement phenomenon. In this study, we analyzed the role of the newly described serotype 6C as one of the replacement serotypes. This work was conducted on a large time scale from the early PCV7 era (2002-2003) to the PCV13 era (2010-2011), both on IPD strains recovered from the whole population and nasopharyngeal colonizing strains isolated in infant less than two years, who are known to be the main reservoir for pneumococci. Serotype 6C took advantage over 6A and 6B serotypes, which both decreased over time. A continuous and significant increase in 6C IPD was observed in adults along the study period; in contrast, in children less than two years, only an increase in 6C nasopharyngeal carriage was found, the prevalence of serotype 6C in IPD remaining very low over time. Among 101 6C invasive and colonizing strains studied by MLST, 24 STs were found to be related to three major clonal complexes, CC395, CC176, and CC315. STs related to CC176 tend to disappear after 2009 and were essentially replaced by ST386 (CC315), which dramatically increased over time. This clonal expansion may be explained by the erythromycin and tetracycline resistances associated with this clone. Finally, the decrease observed in nasopharyngeal 6C carriage since 2010, likely related to the PCV13 introduction in the French immunization schedule, is expected to lead to a decrease in 6C IPD in adults thereafter.

Epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae in France in 2007: data from the pneumococcus surveillance network.

Antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae in France is closely monitored by the pneumococcus surveillance network, founded in 1995, which collects data from regional observatories (Observatoire Régionaux du Pneumocoque [ORP]). In 2007, 23 ORPs analyzed the antibiotic susceptibility of 5,302 isolates of S. pneumoniae recovered in France from cerebrospinal fluid, blood, middle ear fluid, and pleural fluid, as well as from adult respiratory samples. The study showed that 38.2% of the strains were nonsusceptible to penicillin, 19.3% nonsusceptible to amoxicillin, and 10.5% nonsusceptible to cefotaxime. The percentage of pneumococcus nonsusceptible to penicillin varied according to both the sample and the age of the patient (child/adult): blood (27.8%/32.5%), cerebrospinal fluid (33.7%/34.6%), middle ear fluid (60.2%/27.5%), and pleural fluid (50.0%/31.0%). Between 2003 and 2007, the frequency of penicillin resistance in invasive pneumococcal disease gradually decreased from 46.4% to 29.0% in children and from 43.8% to 32.7% in adults. This decrease coincided with the introduction of a seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine into immunization programs and with a general reduction in levels of antibiotic consumption in France.

Pneumococcal serotypes in children in 4 European countries.

After heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was marketed in France, Spain, Belgium, and England and Wales (United Kingdom), invasive disease from non-PCV7 serotypes (NVT) increased. Adjusted serotype-specific incidences among children <15 years of age were compared between 1999-2002 (prevaccine) and 2005-2006 (postmarketing). Vaccine coverage increased to approximately 32%-48% in France, Spain, and Belgium but remained <1% in England and Wales. Serotype 1 incidence rose in all age groups and countries (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.3-4.2; p<0.004), independently of PCV7 use, but incidence of serotypes 7F and 19A increased most in France, Spain, and Belgium (IRR 1.9-16.9 in children <5 years; p<0.001), where PCV7 coverage was greater. Vaccine-induced replacement of PCV7 serotypes possibly contributed to NVT increases, as did secular trends. New vaccines targeting these serotypes are available, but serotype dynamics needs further exploration that accounts for underreporting and prevaccine trends.

Severe group a streptococcus infection after thyroidectomy: report of three cases and review.

BACKGROUND: Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is an uncommon cause of infection after clean surgery in non-pregnant adults. METHODS: Report of three cases and review of the literature. results: For the first time in France, severe GAS infections were observed in three patients who underwent thyroidectomy at three hospitals. Two of them developed streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. CONCLUSION: Better knowledge of physiopathologic mechanisms would help in the detection and prevention of severe GAS infections.

A large nosocomial outbreak of hepatitis C virus infections at a hemodialysis center.

OBJECTIVE: To identify modes of HCV transmission during an outbreak of HCV infection in a hemodialysis unit. DESIGN: An epidemiologic study, virologic analysis, assessment of infection control practices and procedures, and technical examination of products and dialysis machines. SETTING: A private hemodialysis unit treating approximately 70 patients. PATIENTS: Detection of HCV RNA by PCR was performed among patients receiving dialysis in 2001. Case-patients were patients who had a first positive result for HCV RNA between January 2001 and January 2002 and either acute hepatitis, a seroconversion for HCV antibodies, or a previous negative result. Three control-patients were randomly selected per case-patient. RESULTS: Of the 61 patients treated in the unit in 2001 and not infected with HCV, 22 (36.1%) became case-patients with onset from May 2001 to January 2002 for an incidence density rate of 70 per 100 patient-years. Phylogenic analysis identified four distinct HCV groups and an index case-patient for each with a similar virus among patients already known to be infected. No multidose medication vials or material was shared between patients. Connection to a dialysis machine by a nurse who had connected an HCV-infected patient "just before" or "one patient before" increased the risk of HCV infection, whereas using the same dialysis machine after a patient infected with HCV did not. Understaffing, lack of training, and breaches in infection control were documented. Direct observation of practices revealed frequent flooding of blood into the double filter on the arterial pressure tubing set. CONCLUSIONS: During this outbreak, HCV transmission was mainly patient to patient via healthcare workers' hands. However, transmission via dialysis machines because of possible contamination of internal components could not be excluded.

Introduction of SARS in France, March-April, 2003.

We describe severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in France. Patients meeting the World Health Organization definition of a suspected case underwent a clinical, radiologic, and biologic assessment at the closest university-affiliated infectious disease ward. Suspected cases were immediately reported to the Institut de Veille Sanitaire. Probable case-patients were isolated, their contacts quarantined at home, and were followed for 10 days after exposure. Five probable cases occurred from March through April 2003; four were confirmed as SARS coronavirus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, serologic testing, or both. The index case-patient (patient A), who had worked in the French hospital of Hanoi, Vietnam, was the most probable source of transmission for the three other confirmed cases; two had been exposed to patient A while on the Hanoi-Paris flight of March 22-23. Timely detection, isolation of probable case-patients, and quarantine of their contacts appear to have been effective in preventing the secondary spread of SARS in France.

Modalities of preoperative imaging of the internal carotid artery used in France.

A survey of the 382 members of the Société de Chirurgie Vasculaire de Langue Française was conducted to determine preferred imaging techniques for preoperative assessment of the proximal internal carotid artery. A total of 180 questionnaires were returned concerning 9390 carotid stenoses treated in the year 2000. Doppler ultrasound (DUS), angiography, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and computed tomography angiography (CTA) were routinely used in 99%, 51.5%, 4%, and 3% of cases. Usual work-up methods involved DUS and angiography in 64% of cases, DUS and MRA in 7%, and DUS and CTA in 4% of cases. Indications for endarterectomy were based on DUS and angiography findings in 69% of cases, on DUS and MRA findings in 14%, on DUS and CTA findings in 9%, and on DUS findings alone in 8%. In-house access to CTA or MRA was more frequent at state-run institutions (p = 0.00001). Indication of endarterectomy based on DUS and MRA was more common at institutions equipped with technical facilities for MRA (21% vs. 8%; p = 0.001). An inverse correlation was observed between the number of carotid artery procedures performed and use of DUS and angiography work-up. The number of carotid endarterectomies without angiography is increasing in France. Preoperative DUS is still routinely used. Combined DUS and MRA is the preferred work-up for endarterectomy without angiography. Lack of access to MRA is still a limiting factor. Further study will be needed to evaluate the benefits and risks of endarterectomy without angiography.