SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence survey among health care providers in a Belgian public multiple-site hospital.

Although the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is lasting for more than 1 year, the exposition risks of health-care providers are still unclear. Available evidence is conflicting. We investigated the prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in the staff of a large public hospital with multiple sites in the Antwerp region of Belgium. Risk factors for infection were identified by means of a questionnaire and human resource data. We performed hospital-wide serology tests in the weeks following the first epidemic wave (16 March to the end of May 2020) and combined the results with the answers from an individual questionnaire. Overall seroprevalence was 7.6%. We found higher seroprevalences in nurses [10.0%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 8.9-11.2] than in physicians 6.4% (95% CI 4.6-8.7), paramedical 6.0% (95% CI 4.3-8.0) and administrative staff (2.9%; 95% CI 1.8-4.5). Staff who indicated contact with a confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) colleague had a higher seroprevalence (12.0%; 95% CI 10.7-13.4) than staff who did not (4.2%; 95% CI 3.5-5.0). The same findings were present for contacts in the private setting. Working in general COVID-19 wards, but not in emergency departments or intensive care units, was also a significant risk factor. Since our analysis points in the direction of active SARS-CoV-2 transmission within hospitals, we argue for implementing a stringent hospital-wide testing and contact-tracing policy with special attention to the health care workers employed in general COVID-19 departments. Additional studies are needed to establish the transmission dynamics.

Clostridium perfringens splenic abscess treated with percutaneous drainage and antibiotic therapy: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Splenic abscesses are a rare medical entity with high mortality, with Clostridium perfringens being an exceptional pathogen. We present the first case describing an abscess of the spleen in a patient undergoing treatment with adalimumab, an anti-tumour necrosis factor commonly used in inflammatory bowel diseases. PATIENT: We describe the case of a 73-year-old woman, treated with adalimumab therapy, who was found to have a splenic abscess, caused by C. perfringens. RESULT: After antibiotic treatment and percutaneous drainage, the patient recovered both clinically and radiographically. DISCUSSION: We reviewed literature about C. perfringens splenic abscesses. In all cases identified, a splenectomy was performed. This is the first case description of splenic abscess caused by C. perfringens where a percutaneous drainage was performed, leading to complete recovery in our patient. This seems to indicate that a splenectomy is not necessary in all C. perfringens splenic abscesses.

Treatment as Prevention for HIV Infection: Current Data, Challenges, and Global Perspectives

In 2008, the Swiss National AIDS Commission issued a statement about the safety of HIV treatment in terms of reduced transmission in serodiscordant couples to reduce transmission in serodiscordant couples. This was subjected to debate until 2011 when the HIV prevention trial network 052 published the first randomized study about HIV transmission in serodiscordant couples, where no transmission was observed when the infected person was under effective antiretroviral treatment (ART). Later, the Partners of People on ART-A New Evaluation of the Risks (PARTNER) and the opposites attract studies, which first involved a large number of men who have sex with men (MSM), also showed no transmission, even in condomless receptive anal intercourse (CLAI). In this article, we first review the major studies' data showing the efficacy of ART in HIV transmission in serodiscordant couples at public health scale. Second, we discuss the implications and challenges behind the treatment as prevention strategy regarding the 90-90-90 UNAIDS targets to end the HIV epidemic.We now have strong evidence that ART reduces the risk of transmission of HIV from a positive partner to their negative partner. However, far beyond ART, combining prevention policies is crucial to avoid a new increase in the overall HIV incidence.