Increasing the Efficiency of a National Laboratory Response to COVID-19: a Nationwide Multicenter Evaluation of 47 Commercial SARS-CoV-2 Immunoassays by 41 Laboratories

In response to the worldwide pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the subsequent antibody tests that flooded the market, a nationwide collaborative approach in the Netherlands was employed. Forty-one Dutch laboratories joined forces and shared their evaluation data to allow for the evaluation of a quantity of serological assays for SARS-CoV-2 that exceeds the capacity of each individual laboratory. As of April 2020, these performance data had been aggregated and shared in regularly updated reports with other laboratories, Dutch government, public health organizations, and the public. This frequently updated overview of assay performance increased the efficiency of our national laboratory response, supporting laboratories in their choice and implementation of assays. Aggregated performance data for 47 immunoassays for SARS-CoV-2 showed that none of the evaluated immunoassays that detect only IgM or IgA met the diagnostic criteria, indicating that they are not suitable for diagnosing acute infections. For the detection of IgG, only the Biozek Corona virus COVID rapid test, Euroimmun SARS-CoV-2 IgG, and Wantai SARS-CoV-2 antibody (Ab) ELISA met predefined performance criteria in hospitalized patients where samples were collected 14 days post-onset of symptoms (DPO), while for patients with mild or asymptomatic infections, only the Wantai SARS-CoV-2 Ab ELISA met the predefined performance criteria if samples were collected 14 days postonset. Here, we describe this unique nationwide collaboration during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; the collected data and their results are an example of what can be accomplished when forces are joined during a public health crisis

Surveillance en monitoring van Salmonella bij de mens, landbouwhuisdieren en in voedsel in Nederland, 2019

Na een jarenlange continu dalende trend in Nederland van Salmonella-infecties bij de mens is het aantal sinds 2013 gestabiliseerd op ruim 1500 laboratoriumbevestigde patiënten per jaar met een geschatte 26.000 patiënten in de gehele bevolking. Deze stabilisatie komt overeen met het beeld dat wordt gezien in de monitoring van landbouwhuisdieren en levensmiddelen. Opvallend in 2019 was de stijging in humane gevallen met S. Enteritidis-infecties (meestal gerelateerd aan eieren) en de daling van infecties met S. Typhimurium (meestal gerelateerd aan varkensvlees). Tevens is vanaf 2012 een significante stijging te zien van het aandeel invasieve infecties ten opzichte van het totaal aantal infecties door Salmonella. Alhoewel er in 2019 6 clusters werden gedetecteerd, was het een relatief rustig jaar wat betreft uitbraken (de laatste grote uitbraak dateert van 2016/2017 met S. Enteritidis in Poolse eieren). Whole genome sequencing (WGS) speelt een steeds belangrijkere rol in de surveillance bij het aantonen van clusters en het relateren van bronnen aan uitbraken. Alhoewel redelijk stabiel, is de resistentie tegen fluoroquinolonen nog steeds een zorg, evenals multiresistentie en ESBL(Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases)-producerende Salmonella-isolaten

The National Immunisation Programme in the Netherlands: surveillance and developments in 2021-2022.

Synopsis The National Immunisation Programme in the Netherlands Surveillance and developments in 2021-2022 RIVM tracks how many people fall ill due to a disease that is included in the National Immunisation Programme (NIP). In 2021, fewer people got such a disease compared to 2020. This is very likely due to COVID-19 control measures such as social distancing and handwashing. There were especially fewer people with invasive pneumococcal disease (about 1,205 people), pertussis (74), and mumps (1). The number of notifications for meningococcal disease caused by serotype W (4) decreased further, after introduction of the vaccine for adolescents into the NIP in 2020. There were no notifications of diphtheria, tetanus, measles, rubella, or polio in 2021. The number of chronic hepatitis B notifications (743) was about the same as in 2020. Between 2014 and 2019 there were many more notifications, with about 1,000 to 1,100 people being made aware they had this disease. The decrease is probably the result of a decrease in doctors’ visits and therefore diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Only Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) occurred more frequently than before the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 and 2021 there were 68 notifications per year, compared to 39 in 2019. RIVM currently investigates the cause. The vaccine seems to be as effective as in previous years. In 2021, 1,703,102 children were vaccinated as part of the NIP. They received a total of 2,219,341 vaccinations. Also, 115,886 pregnant women received a vaccination that protects their baby immediately after birth against, amongst others, whooping cough. Vaccination coverage in the Netherlands is slightly lower than last year. This is partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused some vaccinations to be given later than normally planned. The Health Council of the Netherlands recommended in June 2021 to offer rotavirus vaccination to young babies. In September 2021, the Health Council recommended inviting more risk groups for flu vaccination, including pregnant women. The ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport adopted both recommendations in 2022. Vaccination against COVID-19 works well to prevent severe illness and death, but the protection slowly decreases. Booster vaccinations increase protection again