MRSA on belgian mixed species farms

After the recognition of hospital-associated MRSA and community-associated MRSA, recently a new lineage of MRSA was found in livestock, mainly in pigs (LA-MRSA). It was hypothesized that the presence of different livestock species could contribute to a higher prevalence of LA-MRSA on a farm.The aim of the study was to gain insights into the prevalence on Belgian mixed farms and to compare the antibacterial resistance pattern of MRSA

An integrated modelling methodology for estimating the prevalence of centronuclear myopathy

Centronuclear myopathies (CNM) are a group of rare inherited muscular disorders leading to a significantly reduced quality of life and lifespan. To date, CNM epidemiologic reports provide limited incidence and prevalence data. Here, an integrated model utilizing available literature is proposed to obtain a better estimate of overall CNM patient numbers by age, causative gene, severity and geographic region. This model combines published epidemiology data and extrapolates limited data over CNM subtypes, resulting in patient numbers related to age and disease subtype. Further, the model calculates a CNM incidence twofold the current estimates. The estimated incidence of 17 per million births for severe X-linked myotubular myopathy (XLMTM), the main subtype of CNM, corresponds to an estimated prevalence of 2715 in the US, 1204 in the EU, 688 in Japan and 72 in Australia. In conclusion, the model provides an estimate of the CNM incidence, prevalence and survival, and indicates that the current estimates do not fully capture the true incidence and prevalence. With rapid advances in genetic therapies, robust epidemiologic data are needed to further quantify the reliability of incidence, prevalence and survival rates for the different CNM subtypes

Feedback Amplifier based on an Embedded HEMT in Thin-film Multilayer MCM-D Technology

In this paper a feedback amplifier circuit integrated in MCM-D (MultiChip Module with Deposited thin films) on glass technology is presented. The active device of the amplifier is a thin-film Ge (germanium) -based HEMT. The HEMT is embedded in the bottom dielectric layer of the MCM-D. The combination of passive MCM-D technology and HEMTs on Ge allows for efficient semi-monolithic integration of active devices and realization of MCMs with embedded passive and active components for amplifier circuits

Optical Control of a Backside Illuminated Thin-Film Metamorphic HEMT

One of the aspects of the merging of microwave and optical technologies is the use of optical signals to switch electronic circuits in general and microwave circuits in particular. It is shown in this paper how a thin-film M(etamorpic) HEMT can be used as a photosensitive component. The advantage of this novel approach is the possibility of illuminating the backside of the thin (2-3 Pm) device. The contact metal (of gate, source and drain) is not hindering the light, penetrating into the semiconductor. The thin-film device has a much larger responsivity than a regular, frontside illuminated device. A test set-up, consisting of a 1550 nm laser and a large signal network analyser, enables us not only to do DC and S-parameter measurements, but also time-domain measurements with a modulated telecom laser source

Occupational risk of infection by varicella zoster virus in Belgian healthcare workers: a seroprevalence study

OBJECTIVES—To assess the prevalence of varicella zoster virus (VZV) antibodies in Flemish (Belgian) healthcare workers, to investigate the association between seronegativity and selected variables, and to assess the reliability of recall about disease as a predictor of immunity.
METHODS—A seroprevalence study of VZV antibodies (IgG) was conducted among a systematic sample of 4923 employees in various professional groups, employed in 22 hospitals in Flanders and Brussels (Belgium). Information about sex, age, department, job, and years of employment, the country of origin, and history of varicella was obtained. The presence of VZV antibodies was investigated with the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Enzygnost anti VZV / IgG (Dade Behring, Marburg, Germany). Statistical analysis was performed by calculating prevalences and prevalence ratios (PRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) of the recalled history were determined.
RESULTS—The prevalence of VZV seropositivity in Flemish healthcare workers was 98.5% (95% CI 98.1 to 98.8). Seronegativity was significantly associated with age and job, increasing with both older and younger age. The prevalence of seronegative workers was significantly less in nursing staff than non-nursing staff. There was no significant difference for sex and years of employment. The PPV and NPV of recalled history were 98.9% and 3.4%. Sensitivity and specificity were 83% and 38.9%.
CONCLUSION—The prevalence of VZV seropositivity was very high in this sample of Flemish healthcare workers. Because of this low overall susceptibility, VZV infection seems not to be an important occupational risk among healthcare workers in Flanders. The increasing seronegativity above the age of 45 is possibly due to a loss of detectable antibodies. A positive history of varicella was a good predictor of immunity, but a negative history had no value as a predictor of susceptibility in adults.


Keywords: varicella; healthcare workers; occupational ris