Dynamics of pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage in healthy children attending a day care center in northern Spain. influence of detection techniques on the results

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage precedes invasive infection and is the source for dissemination of the disease. Differences in sampling methodology, isolation or identification techniques, as well as the period (pre -or post-vaccination) when the study was performed, can influence the reported rates of colonization and the distribution of serotypes carried.</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>To evaluate the prevalence and dynamics of pneumococcal nasopharyngeal colonization in healthy children aged 6-34 months attending a day care center with a high level of hygiene and no overcrowding. The study was performed 3-4 years after the 7-valent pneumococcal vaccine was introduced, using multiple methodologies to detect and characterize the isolates.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Over 12 months, 25 children were sampled three times, 53 children twice and 27 children once. Three <it>Streptococcus pneumoniae </it>typing techniques were used: Quellung, Pneumotest-Latex-kit and multiplex-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The similarity of isolates of the same serotype was established by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and occasionally the multilocus sequence type (ST) was also determined.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overall pneumococcal carriage and multiple colonization rates were 89.5% (94/105) and 39%, respectively. Among 218 pneumococci detected, 21 different serotypes and 13 non-typeable isolates were found. The most prevalent serotypes were 19A, 16F and 15B. Serotypes 15B, 19A and 21 were mainly found as single carriage; in contrast serotypes 6B, 11A and 20, as well as infrequent serotypes, were isolated mainly as part of multiple carriage. Most 19A isolates were ST193 but most serotypes showed high genetic heterogeneity. Changes in the pneumococci colonizing each child were frequent and the same serotype detected on two occasions frequently showed a different genotype. By multiplex-PCR, 100% of pneumococci could be detected and 94% could be serotyped versus 80.3% by the Quellung reaction and Pneumotest-Latex in combination (p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Rates of <it>S. pneumoniae </it>carriage and multiple colonization were very high. Prevalent serotypes differed from those found in similar studies in the pre-vaccination period. In the same child, clearance of a pneumococcal strain and acquisition of a new one was frequent in a short period of time. The most effective technique for detecting pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriers was multiplex-PCR.</p

Spread of a SARS-CoV-2 variant through Europe in the summer of 2020.

Following its emergence in late 2019, the spread of SARS-CoV-21,2 has been tracked by phylogenetic analysis of viral genome sequences in unprecedented detail3–5. Although the virus spread globally in early 2020 before borders closed, intercontinental travel has since been greatly reduced. However, travel within Europe resumed in the summer of 2020. Here we report on a SARS-CoV-2 variant, 20E (EU1), that was identified in Spain in early summer 2020 and subsequently spread across Europe. We find no evidence that this variant has increased transmissibility, but instead demonstrate how rising incidence in Spain, resumption of travel, and lack of effective screening and containment may explain the variant’s success. Despite travel restrictions, we estimate that 20E (EU1) was introduced hundreds of times to European countries by summertime travellers, which is likely to have undermined local efforts to minimize infection with SARS-CoV-2. Our results illustrate how a variant can rapidly become dominant even in the absence of a substantial transmission advantage in favourable epidemiological settings. Genomic surveillance is critical for understanding how travel can affect transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and thus for informing future containment strategies as travel resumes. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited

Molecular characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae invasive serotype 19A isolates from adults in two Spanish regions (1994-2009)

From 1994 to 2009, the incidence of invasive serotype 19A pneumococci isolated from adults in Barcelona and San Sebastian almost doubled every 4 years. Genotyping of the 167 invasive isolates studied showed serotype 19A to be highly heterogeneous, with 35 different sequence types (STs) and a different clonal structure in each region and time period. Multiresistance, defined as non-susceptibility to three or more antimicrobials, was found in 86 (51.5%) isolates. The most frequent ST was the multidrug-resistant ST276 (n = 28), which is a single-locus variant of the Denmark14-ST230 global clone. The ST276 clone, only present in San Sebastian before 2001, was successfully disseminated from 2002 in both cities and was the main contributor to the overall increase of serotype 19A infections

The educational landscape of the digital age: Communication practices pushing (us) forward

En aquest article, s’identificaran alguns models i tendències emergents en la producció de coneixement. Es farà èmfasi especialment en com els individus implicats en els processos de consum i de distribució de la informació expressen diferents nivells de solidaritat i de compromís, i se suggerirà que és crucial que les persones no només coneguin aquests processos, sinó que també estiguin obertes a altres models, oportunitats i possibilitats que, donades les condicions sociotecnològiques i comunicatives actuals, encara s’han de desenvolupar. S’abordarà amb especial interès l’àmbit de l’educació, ja que s’entén que els educadors estan participant de forma compromesa en una profunda renovació pedagògica a través de projectes compartits cimentats en interaccions professionals i personals facilitades per les xarxes. Aquestes interaccions afavoreixen l’emergència de models pedagògics que permeten a professors i a alumnes convertir-se en experts al mateix temps que trenquen amb moltes convencions epistemològiques clàssiques. Aquestes pedagogies generades d’avall cap amunt no només fomenten la creativitat i la col·laboració i se sustenten en l’ús de noves eines digitals, sinó que les promouen i impulsen els interessos de l’alumnat, i per això, tenen el potencial suficient per tornar l’alegria al procés d’aprenentatge. Per acabar, s’argumentarà que els models emergents en la construcció del coneixement a través de les TIC ofereixen nous paisatges culturals i ecologies d’aprenentatge que trastoquen les inscripcions tradicionals de les identitats individuals i les afinitats racials i culturals.This paper identifies trends in the emerging models of knowledge production available in our society. We suggest it is crucial not only to be aware of these emerging models but also to be open to opportunities and possibilities that may still develop. We consider how people may express different levels of solidarity and commitment to these trends and models in their information consumption and distribution processes. We discuss how educators are now engaging in profound pedagogical renewal by expressing deeper levels of solidarity and commitment to knowledge production and educational projects through professional and personal interactions. These interactions are producing pedagogical models that allow both teachers and learners to become knowledgeable while simultaneously breaking away from domain conventions. These bottom-up pedagogies foster creativity, collaboration and the use of new digital tools. They are driven by learner interests and, as such, have the potential to bring the joy back into the learning process. Finally, we argue that emerging models of knowledge construction mediated by ICT provide new cultural landscapes and ecologies of learning that disrupt traditional inscriptions of individual identities and racial-cultural affinities.En este artículo, se identificarán algunos modelos y tendencias emergentes en la producción de conocimiento. Se hará hincapié especialmente en cómo los individuos implicados en los procesos de consumo y de distribución de la información expresan diferentes niveles de solidaridad y de compromiso, y se sugerirá que es crucial que las personas no solo conozcan estos procesos, sino que también estén abiertas a otros modelos, oportunidades y posibilidades que, dadas las condiciones sociotecnológicas y comunicativas actuales, aún deben desarrollarse. Se abordará con especial interés el ámbito de la educación, puesto que se entiende que los educadores están participando de forma comprometida en una profunda renovación pedagógica a través de proyectos compartidos cimentados en interacciones profesionales y personales facilitadas por las redes. Estas interacciones favorecen la emergencia de modelos pedagógicos que permiten a profesores y a alumnos convertirse en expertos al mismo tiempo que rompen con muchas convenciones epistemológicas clásicas. Estas pedagogías generadas de abajo arriba no solo fomentan la creatividad y la colaboración, y se sustentan en el uso de nuevas herramientas digitales, sino que las promueven e impulsan los intereses del alumnado, y por ello, tienen el potencial suficiente para devolverle la alegría al proceso de aprendizaje. Por último, se argumentará que los modelos emergentes en la construcción del conocimiento a través de las TIC ofrecen nuevos paisajes culturales y ecologías de aprendizaje que trastocan las inscripciones tradicionales de las identidades individuales y las afinidades raciales y culturales

Epidemiological analysis of invasive Haemophilus influenzae clinical isolates obtanied from Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands

Background. Haemophilus influenzae is a human-restricted pathogen that forms part of the normal nasopharyngeal microbiota. The introduction of the H. influenzae serotype b vaccine has drastically decreased the number of bacteremia cases caused by H. influenzae serotype b (Hib). Conversely, the cases of non-typeable H. influenzae (NTHi) bacteremia have increased substantially. Therefore, we aimed to perform an epidemiological study comparing invasive H. influenzae clinical isolates from three European countries. Material & Methods. Clinical isolates were obtained from two southern European countries, Spain (Hospital de Bellvitge, n=44; Hospital de Donostia, n=18) and Portugal (n=55), and a northern country, the Netherlands (n=146) between 2013 and 2015. The clinical source of the samples was blood (n=250), cerebrospinal fluid (n=4) and pleural effusion (n=9). Capsular serotyping was done by PCR and genotyping by PFGE (SmaI), followed by FingerPrinting analysis. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested by disk diffusion and microdilution against Ampicillin (AP), Tetracycline (TC), Chloramphenicol (CL), Ciprofloxacin (CP) and Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole (T/S). Results. Overall, NTHi were the most prevalent isolates (201/263, 76%), followed by Hib (38/263, 14%), Hif (16/263, 6%) and other capsulated H. influenzae (Hia=3; Hid=1; Hie=4). By countries, NTHi was also the major pathogen identified in Spain (82%), Portugal (80%) and the Netherlands (73%), while Hib was slightly more frequent in the Netherlands (27/146, 18%) and Portugal (7/55, 13%) than in Spain (4/62, 6%). PFGE clustering identified high diversity among the NTHi strains, although some strains from different countries were found to be highly related (14 clusters of two or three strains). Hib were grouped together in four main clusters including isolates from different countries: Cluster I (5 strains Netherlands; 4 strains Portugal), Cluster II (18 strains Netherlands, 2 strains Portugal; 1 strain Spain), Cluster III (5 strains Netherlands), Cluster IV (1 strain Portugal; 1 strain Spain).N/

Antibody Binding and Complement-Mediated Killing of Invasive Haemophilus influenzae Isolates from Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands

Haemophilus influenzae is a Gram-negative bacterium that can be classified into typeable (types a through f) and nontypeable (NTHi) groups. This opportunistic pathogen asymptomatically colonizes the mucosal epithelium of the upper respiratory tract, from where it spreads to other neighboring regions, potentially leading to disease. Infection with NTHi can cause otitis media, sinusitis, conjunctivitis, exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pneumonia, but it is increasingly causing invasive disease, including bacteremia and meningitis. Invasive NTHi strains are more resistant to complement-mediated killing. However, the mechanisms of complement resistance have never been studied in large numbers of invasive NTHi strains. In this study, we determined the relationship between binding of IgG or IgM and the bacterial survival in normal human serum for 267 invasive H. influenzae strains from Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands, of which the majority (200 [75%]) were NTHi. NTHi bacteria opsonized with high levels of IgM had the lowest survival in human serum. IgM binding to the bacterial surface, but not IgG binding, was shown to be associated with complement-mediated killing of NTHi strains. We conclude that evasion of IgM binding by NTHi strains increases survival in blood, thereby potentially contributing to their ability to cause severe invasive diseases.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

‘Tradescapes’ in the forest : framing infrastructure’s relation to territory, commodities, and flows

Pressure to facilitate the flow of commodities and capital across global and national markets has translated into narratives and programs prioritizing integration and development of forested regions. The 2009 World Bank Development Report argues that to reduce distance, infrastructure development is crucial. The infrastructure imperative, however, reworks a broader array of investment flows, property regimes, forest cover, and socio-political rights across scales as it drives increases in the speed of commodity extraction, production, mobility, and consumption. With illustrations from Amazonia and Selva Maya, the paper proposes ‘tradescapes’ as a useful framework to analyze infrastructure projects as part of multi-scalar mega-corridor networks and financial flows. Tradescapes transform relations between society, territory, and environment, with implications for infrastructure governance, resilience, and sustainability

Pneumococcal Serotypes Associated with Community-Acquired Pneumonia Hospitalizations in Adults in Spain, 2016–2020: The CAPA Study

Newer higher valency pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have the potential to reduce the adult community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) burden. We describe the evolution and distribution of adult community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) serotypes in Spain, focusing on serotypes contained in the 20-valent PCV (PCV20). This was a prospective, observational study of chest X-ray (CXR)-confirmed CAP in immunocompetent adults hospitalized in one of four Spanish hospitals between November 2016 and November 2020. Pneumococci were isolated from cultures and detected in urine using BinaxNow® and Pfizer serotype-specific urinary antigen tests UAD1 and UAD2. We included 1948 adults hospitalized with CXR-CAP. The median age was 69.0 years (IQR: 24 years). At least one comorbidity was present in 84.8% (n = 1653) of patients. At admission, 76.1% of patients had complicated pneumonia. Pneumococcus was identified in 34.9% (n = 680) of study participants. The PCV20 vaccine-type CAP occurred in 23.9% (n = 465) of all patients, 68.4% (n = 465) of patients with pneumococcal CAP, and 82.2% (83/101) of patients who had pneumococcus identified by culture. Serotypes 8 (n = 153; 7.9% of all CAP) and 3 (n = 152; 7.8% of all CAP) were the most frequently identified. Pneumococcus is a common cause of hospitalized CAP among Spanish adults and serotypes contained in PCV20 caused the majority of pneumococcal CAP