Early identification of common-source foodborne virus outbreaks in Europe.

The importance of foodborne viral infections is increasingly recognized. Food handlers can transmit infection during preparation or serving; fruit and vegetables may be contaminated by fecally contaminated water used for growing or washing. And the globalization of the food industry mean that a contaminated food item may not be limited to national distribution. International outbreaks do occur, but little data are available about the incidence of such events and the food items associated with the highest risks. We developed a combined research and surveillance program for enteric viruses involving 12 laboratories in 9 European countries. This project aims to gain insight into the epidemiology of enteric viruses in Europe and the role of food in transmission by harmonizing (i.e., assessing the comparability of data through studies of molecular detection techniques) and enhancing epidemiologic surveillance. We describe the setup and preliminary results of our system, which uses a Web-accessible central database to track viruses and provides the foundation for an early warning system of foodborne and other common-source outbreaks

Gastroenteritis Caused by Norovirus GGII.4, the Netherlands, 1994–2005

From 1994 through 2005, gastroenteritis outbreaks caused by norovirus generally increased in the Netherlands, with 3 epidemic seasons associated with new GGII.4 strains. Increased percentages of GGII.4 strains during these epidemics, followed by a sharp decrease in their absolute and relative numbers, suggest development of immunity

Risk groups for clinical complications of norovirus infections: an outbreak investigation.

Norovirus infections have been described as self-limiting diseases of short duration. An investigation of a norovirus outbreak in a university hospital provided evidence for severe clinical features in patients with several underlying diseases. Clinical outcomes of norovirus infection were defined. Risk-factor analysis targeting underlying diseases and medication was performed using multivariate analyses. In five outbreak wards, 84 patients and 60 nurses were infected (an overall attack rate of 32% in patients, and 76% in nurses). The causative agent was the new variant Grimsby virus. Severe clinical features, including acute renal failure, arrhythmia and signs of acute graft organ rejection in renal transplant patients, were observed in seven (8.3%) patients. In multivariate analyses, cardiovascular disease (OR 17.1, 95% CI 2.17-403) and renal transplant (OR 13.0, 95% CI 1.63-281) were risk-factors for a potassium decrease of >20%. Age >65 years (OR 11.6, 95% CI 1.89-224) was a risk-factor for diarrhoea lasting >2 days. Immunosuppression (OR 5.7, 95% CI 1.78-20.1) was a risk-factor for a creatinine increase of >10%. Norovirus infections in patients with underlying conditions such as cardiovascular disease, renal transplant and immunosuppressive therapy may lead to severe consequences typified by decreased potassium levels, increased levels of C-reactive protein and creatine phosphokinase. In the elderly, norovirus infection may lead to an increased duration of diarrhoea. Therefore patients at risk should be hospitalised early and monitored frequently. Strict preventional measures should be implemented as early as possible to minimise the risk of nosocomial outbreaks

The Lantern Vol. 29, No. 1, December 1961

• King Fitzgerald\u27s Court • Deliberate Beyond Conception • Jean • The Dumb Superman • Epilogue to Death • Afternoon in August • Eichmann • A Nose Thumbed • Observation • The Forgetful Evening • Truditur Dies Die • The Deserted Pier • Thoughts on Love • Laughter • A Waste? • Villanelle: Interlude • Lines on a Rhetorical Question • Villanellehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1081/thumbnail.jp

The Lantern Vol. 29, No. 2, Spring 1962

• A Deadly Diatribe on Daydreaming • Iter Animae • In Retrospection • Collegiate, Collegiate, Yes We Are Collegiate • Saint Zachary • Lost Horizons • Rune Green Stones • Druidics • Leanthalamion • Thoughts on Leaving Derr Hall • Opus 36; Literature 3 • Chinese Gill • Times of Sandhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1082/thumbnail.jp

An Integrated Approach to Identifying International Foodborne Norovirus Outbreaks1

Surveillance gaps can be bridged through analysis of combined molecular and epidemiologic data

Spillover of a hepatitis A outbreak among men who have sex with men (MSM) to the general population, the Netherlands, 2017.

Since 2015, outbreaks of hepatitis A among men who have sex with men (MSM) have been reported worldwide. To examine the impact of these MSM outbreaks in the Netherlands, we combined notification and epidemiological data with sequence analysis. Our results show the hazards of outbreaks within risk-groups spilling over into the largely susceptible general population. One third of the outbreak-related hepatitis A virus genotypes were detected in non-MSM cases

The Lantern Vol. 30, No. 1, February 1963

• Mechanical Duplicity • The Practical Profits of Purism • \u27Tis Better • Misha • Manuel • An American Fairy Tale • The Christ of Christopher Street • Nocturne • Various Reflections • He Came and Gently Lifted Me • Poem, In a Minor Key • World Fell to Ruin • The Map • On Being Jilted • Manna • Traitor • The Leaves Cling • Oh Freedom! • The Insurance Man • Translation - The Vampire • Four Poems • Sanguis • Phoney is the Color of My Love\u27s Life • To a Barmaidhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1083/thumbnail.jp

The Lantern Vol. 32, No. 1, January 1965

• The Wise Man • Of Men and Lobsters • Deliberate-Beyond Conception • Villanelle • Villanelle: Interlude • Rune Green Stones • Redemption • John Ten • Torch Ends • The General and the Birdnest • Not Quite Free • Hymn to the Morning • Walking Togetherhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1087/thumbnail.jp