Temporal trends, 2000-2017, of perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) concentrations in serum of Swedish adolescents

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been extensively used as surfactants because of their high stability and good water/oil-repellent properties. PFASs, especially perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), have long biological half-lives, and exposure may cause adverse health effects in humans. We assessed temporal trends of concentrations of eight PFAAs in serum of Swedish adolescents (age 16-21 years) from the general population, and estimated the stability of PFAAs and serum samples after 6 years of storage. Repeated cross-sectional sampling was performed on five occasions (covering in total 1213 individuals, 83% males) in southern Sweden between 2000 and 2017. We analyzed serum for perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We assessed time trends using linear regression, long-term stability was assessed by reanalyzing samples collected 2013, and the comparison was done using Pearson correlation and Bland-Altman plots. PFHxS, PFOS, and PFOA decreased by 6.7% (CI: -7.0, -6.3%), 12.6% (CI: -12.9, -12.3%), and 6.5% (CI: -6.8, -6.1%) per year, respectively, and year of sampling explained 48-81% of the variation in concentrations. PFNA and PFDA seemed to increase up to 2009 and decrease thereafter. The trends were consistent after sensitivity analyses excluding women. Strong correlations of 94-97% were observed for concentrations of all compounds, except PFHxS, after storage. The observed trends closely followed the timing of manufacturers' voluntary phaseout initiatives, and of regulatory measures governing the compounds implemented in the EU and USA. This indicates that these actions mitigated the population's exposure to PFHxS, PFOS, and PFOA and, in recent years, to PFNA and PFDA, in southern Sweden. Furthermore, the results suggest that PFAAs remain stable in serum samples after long-term storage

Orthomyxo-, paramyxo- and flavivirus infections in wild waterfowl in Finland

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Screening wild birds for viral pathogens has become increasingly important. We tested a screening approach based on blood and cloacal and tracheal swabs collected by hunters to study the prevalence of influenza A, paramyxo-, flavi-, and alphaviruses in Finnish wild waterfowl, which has been previously unknown. We studied 310 blood samples and 115 mixed tracheal and cloacal swabs collected from hunted waterfowl in 2006. Samples were screened by RT-PCR and serologically by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for influenza A (FLUAV), type 1 avian paramyxo-(APMV-1), Sindbis (SINV), West Nile (WNV) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBEV) virus infections.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>FLUAV RNA was found in 13 tracheal/cloacal swabs and seven strains were isolated. Five blood samples were antibody positive. Six APMV-1 RNA-positive samples were found from which four strains were isolated, while two blood samples were antibody positive. None of the birds were positive for flavivirus RNA but three birds had flavivirus antibodies by HI test. No antibodies to SINV were detected.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that circulation of both influenza A virus and avian paramyxovirus-1 in Finnish wild waterfowl was documented. The FLUAV and APMV-1 prevalences in wild waterfowl were 11.3% and 5.2% respectively, by this study. The subtype H3N8 was the only detected FLUAV subtype while APMV-1 strains clustered into two distinct lineages. Notably, antibodies to a likely mosquito-borne flavivirus were detected in three samples. The screening approach based on hunted waterfowl seemed reliable for monitoring FLUAV and APMV by RT-PCR from cloacal or tracheal samples, but antibody testing in this format seemed to be of low sensitivity.</p

Lintuinfluenssarokotukset Suomessa : Suosituksen perusteet ja rokotusten kohderyhmät

Influenssa A(H5) -alatyypin lintuinfluenssavirukset ovat levinneet maailman lintupopulaatioissa vuo-desta 1996 lähtien aiheuttaen satunnaisia infektioita nisäkkäissä ja ihmisissä. Vuodesta 2020 alkaen H5-virus on vakiintunut Euroopan lintupopulaatioihin aiheuttaen suuria taudinpurkauksia sekä luonnonvaraisissa linnuissa että siipikarjassa. Virus on aiheuttanut entistä enemmän tartuntoja myös nisäkkäissä. Yksittäisten nisäkästartuntojen lisäksi on esiintynyt myös suuria epidemioita nisäkäspopulaatioissa. H5N1-lintuinfluenssavirus aiheutti Suomessa vuonna 2023 laajan epidemian tarhatuissa turkiseläimissä ja altisti satoja ihmisiä korkeapatogeeniselle lintuinfluenssavirukselle. Epidemiat nisäkkäissä ovat erityisen huolestuttavia viruksen muuntumisen ja mahdollisen pandeemisen viruksen syntymisen kannalta. Adaptiivisten mutaatioiden kautta tai sekoittumalla ihmisen kausi-influenssavirusten kanssa, eli ns. reassortoitumisen avulla, virus voi muuntua tartunta- ja taudinaiheuttamiskyvyltään ihmisväestössä herkemmin leviäväksi. Kuluneen vuosisadan aikana ihmiskuntaa on koetellut viisi influenssa A -pandemiaa, joissa H1-, H2- ja H3-alatyyppien virukset ovat syntyneet suoraan tai reassortaation kautta lintuinfluenssaviruksista. Influenssa A(H5) -alatyypin virusten muuntumista pidetään erityisen huolestuttavana, sillä väestöllä ei ole aiempaa immuniteettia viruksen H5-antigeenia kohtaan. Poikkeuksellisen epidemiatilanteen vuoksi ja viruksen muuttumisen estämiseksi sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö päätti hankkia lintuinfluenssarokotetta lintuinfluenssalle altistumisvaarassa oleville henkilöille. Rokotusten avulla pyritään suojaamaan altistumisvaarassa olevia viruksen aiheuttamalta vakavalta taudilta sekä torjumaan lintuinfluenssaviruksen muuntumista ihmisten välillä tarttuvaksi ja siten pandemian syntyä. THL on laatinut lintuinfluenssarokotuksen kohderyhmät yhteistyössä Ruokaviraston kanssa. Tässä työpaperissa kuvataan lintuinfluenssarokotusten perusteet sekä rokotusten kohderyhmät

Invasive Group B Streptococcal Disease in Neonates and Infants, Italy, Years 2015–2019

Invasive infections by group B streptococci (iGBS) are the leading cause of sepsis and meningitis in the first three months of life worldwide. The clinical and microbiological characteristics of neonatal and infant iGBS in Italy during the years 2015–2019 were investigated. Voluntary-based surveillance reported 191 cases (67 early-onset (EOD) and 124 late-onset disease (LOD)) and 89 bacterial isolates were received. The main clinical manifestations were sepsis (59.2%) followed by meningitis (21.5%), bacteremia (12.0%) and septic shock (6.3%). Hospitalized preterm babies accounted for one third of iGBS and constituted the most fragile population in terms of mortality (8.2%) and brain damage (16.4%). GBS serotype III was predominant in EOD (56%) and caused almost all LOD (95%). The rate of resistance to clindamycin reached 28.8%. Most of clindamycin-resistant GBS strains (76%) were serotype III-ST17 and possessed the genetic markers of the emerging multidrug resistant (MDR) CC-17 sub-clone. Our data revealed that iGBS is changing since it is increasingly reported as a healthcare-associated infection (22.6%), mainly caused by MDR-CC17. Continuous monitoring of the clinical and microbiological characteristics of iGBS remains of primary importance and it represents, at present, the most effective tool to support prevention strategies and the research on the developing GBS vaccine

Invasive Group B Streptococcal Disease in Neonates and Infants, Italy, Years 2015–2019

Invasive infections by group B streptococci (iGBS) are the leading cause of sepsis and meningitis in the first three months of life worldwide. The clinical and microbiological characteristics of neonatal and infant iGBS in Italy during the years 2015–2019 were investigated. Voluntary-based surveillance reported 191 cases (67 early-onset (EOD) and 124 late-onset disease (LOD)) and 89 bacterial isolates were received. The main clinical manifestations were sepsis (59.2%) followed by meningitis (21.5%), bacteremia (12.0%) and septic shock (6.3%). Hospitalized preterm babies accounted for one third of iGBS and constituted the most fragile population in terms of mortality (8.2%) and brain damage (16.4%). GBS serotype III was predominant in EOD (56%) and caused almost all LOD (95%). The rate of resistance to clindamycin reached 28.8%. Most of clindamycin-resistant GBS strains (76%) were serotype III-ST17 and possessed the genetic markers of the emerging multidrug resistant (MDR) CC-17 sub-clone. Our data revealed that iGBS is changing since it is increasingly reported as a healthcare-associated infection (22.6%), mainly caused by MDR-CC17. Continuous monitoring of the clinical and microbiological characteristics of iGBS remains of primary importance and it represents, at present, the most effective tool to support prevention strategies and the research on the developing GBS vaccine

Koronarokotukset syystalvella 2023 : suositus ja näyttöpohja

THL antoi toukokuussa 2023 ennakkoarvion koronarokotusten tehosteannoskierroksesta syystalvelle 2023 toteutettavaksi influenssarokotusten yhteydessä. Toukokuussa ei vielä ollut tiedossa syksyllä käytettävissä olevien uusien rokotevalmisteiden koostumus eikä Suomeen saatavien rokotteiden määrä. Sen vuoksi THL antoi ennakkoarvion, jota luvattiin tarkentaa elokuussa. Vuosi sitten THL antoi syystalven tehosteannossuosituksen kaikille 65 vuotta täyttäneille, 18 vuotta täyttäneille riskiryhmiin kuuluville sekä 12 vuotta täyttäneille voimakkaasti immuunipuutteisille. Olennaista oli, että rokotettava sai yhden varianttiräätälöidyn tehosteannoksen, kun oli kulunut vähintään 3 kuukautta edellisestä rokoteannoksesta tai sairastetusta koronataudista. Tällä yhdellä tehosteannoksella saatiin riskiryhmiin kuuluville lisäsuojaa vakavaa tautia vastaan talvikaudelle, jolloin hengitystieinfektioiden ilmaantuvuus yleensä kasvaa. Tehosteannos suositeltiin annettavaksi influenssarokotusten yhteydessä. Syystalvelle 2023 annetaan samanlainen suositus, mutta rokotteena käytetään XBB.1.5-räätälöityä rokotetta. THL on seurannut jatkuvasti koronan epidemiatilannetta, rokotusten suojatehoa ja turvallisuutta, sairaalahoidon ilmaantuvuutta sekä kertynyttä tutkimustietoa. THL julkaisi maaliskuussa 2023 kattavan työpaperin koronarokotuksista numeroinnilla 11/2023. Nykyhetkeen verrattuna muuttumattomina pysyneet asiat on jätetty pois tästä työpaperista. Tämä työpaperi esittelee tilannetta touko-elokuussa 2023. Työpaperi sisältää toukokuun ennakkoarvion sekä kesän aikana tehdyt tarkennukset syystalven 2023 koronarokotuksista

Genomic and epidemiological report of the recombinant XJ lineage SARS-CoV-2 variant, detected in northern Finland, January 2022

Recombinant sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant were detected in surveillance samples collected in north-western Finland in January 2022. We detected 191 samples with an identical genome arrangement in weeks 3 to 11, indicating sustained community transmission. The recombinant lineage has a 5'-end of BA.1, a recombination breakpoint between orf1a and orf1b (nucleotide position 13,296-15,240) and a 3'-end of BA.2 including the S gene. We describe the available genomic and epidemiological data about this currently circulating recombinant XJ lineage.Peer reviewe

Genomic and epidemiological report of the recombinant XJ lineage SARS-CoV-2 variant, detected in northern Finland, January 2022

Recombinant sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant were detected in surveillance samples collected in north-western Finland in January 2022. We detected 191 samples with an identical genome arrangement in weeks 3 to 11, indicating sustained community transmission. The recombinant lineage has a 5'-end of BA.1, a recombination breakpoint between orf1a and orf1b (nucleotide position 13,296-15,240) and a 3'-end of BA.2 including the S gene. We describe the available genomic and epidemiological data about this currently circulating recombinant XJ lineage.Peer reviewe

Viral Antigen and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Cerebrospinal Fluid in Patients With COVID-19 Infection and Neurologic Symptoms Compared With Control Participants Without Infection or Neurologic Symptoms

Importance: Neurologic symptoms are common in COVID-19, but the central nervous system (CNS) pathogenesis is unclear, and viral RNA is rarely detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). / Objective: To measure viral antigen and inflammatory biomarkers in CSF in relation to neurologic symptoms and disease severity. Design, Setting, and / Participants: This cross-sectional study was performed from March 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, in patients 18 years or older who were admitted to Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden, with COVID-19. All patients had CSF samples taken because of neurologic symptoms or within a study protocol. Healthy volunteer and prepandemic control groups were included. / Exposure: SARS-CoV-2 infection. / Main Outcomes and Measures: Outcomes included CSF SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen (N-Ag) using an ultrasensitive antigen capture immunoassay platform and CSF biomarkers of immune activation (neopterin, β2-microglobulin, and cytokines) and neuronal injury (neurofilament light protein [NfL]). / Results: Forty-four patients (median [IQR] age, 57 [48-69] years; 30 [68%] male; 26 with moderate COVID-19 and 18 with severe COVID-19 based on the World Health Organization Clinical Progression Scale), 10 healthy controls (median [IQR] age, 58 [54-60] years; 5 [50%] male), and 41 patient controls (COVID negative without evidence of CNS infection) (median [IQR] age, 59 [49-70] years; 19 [46%] male) were included in the study. Twenty-one patients were neuroasymptomatic and 23 were neurosymptomatic (21 with encephalopathy). In 31 of 35 patients for whom data were available (89%), CSF N-Ag was detected; viral RNA test results were negative in all. Nucleocapsid antigen was significantly correlated with CSF neopterin (r = 0.38; P = .03) and interferon γ (r = 0.42; P = .01). No differences in CSF N-Ag concentrations were found between patient groups. Patients had markedly increased CSF neopterin, β2-microglobulin, interleukin (IL) 2, IL-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor α compared with controls. Neurosymptomatic patients had significantly higher median (IQR) CSF interferon γ (86 [47-172] vs 21 [17-81] fg/mL; P = .03) and had a significantly higher inflammatory biomarker profile using principal component analysis compared with neuroasymptomatic patients (0.54; 95% CI, 0.03-1.05; P = .04). Age-adjusted median (IQR) CSF NfL concentrations were higher in patients compared with controls (960 [673-1307] vs 618 [489-786] ng/L; P = .002). No differences were seen in any CSF biomarkers in moderate compared with severe disease. / Conclusions and Relevance: In this study of Swedish adults with COVID-19 infection and neurologic symptoms, compared with control participants, viral antigen was detectable in CSF and correlated with CNS immune activation. Patients with COVID-19 had signs of neuroaxonal injury, and neurosymptomatic patients had a more marked inflammatory profile that could not be attributed to differences in COVID-19 severity. These results highlight the clinical relevance of neurologic symptoms and suggest that viral components can contribute to CNS immune responses without direct viral invasion

Introduction and Rapid Spread of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant and Dynamics of BA.1 and BA.1.1 Sublineages, Finland, December 2021

Multiple introductions of SARS-COV-2 Omicron variant BA.1 and BA.1.1. lineages to Finland were detected in early December 2021. Within 3 weeks, Omicron overtook Delta as the most common variant in the capital region. Sequence analysis demonstrated the emergence and spread through community transmission of a large cluster of BA.1.1 virus.Peer reviewe