Sciensano Publications Repository
Not a member yet
11597 research outputs found
Sort by
Real-time cluster detection to enhance outbreak investigation in Belgium
No full textIn Belgium, the annual incidence of Listeria monocytogenes infections reported at the National Reference Centre (NRC) ranges between 0.65 and 0.75 cases/100 000 inhabitants over the last ten years. An exceptional high number was notified in 2016 (0.94) mainly due to a multi-country CC8 cluster (UI-492), while the lower number in 2020 (0.47) was probably linked to the Covid-pandemic. Although the number of perinatal cases has been stable, varying between 5 to 10 cases per year, a peak of 16 cases (18.4% of the total number) was reported in 2022. The 6 deaths in utero or after birth and 5 premature births related to these infections, highlight the need to maintain active prevention campaigns among pregnant women.
Since 2020, our NRC has increased its activities to perform real-time sequencing on each isolated strain and thereby augmented its efforts on cluster detection and outbreak investigation. From January 2020 until June 2024, in total 26 genetic clusters were identified for which at least two samples were isolated within a 12 months’ timeframe (≤7 AD, using Moura scheme). 20 of them contain a smaller amount of cases (2-6), while 6 clusters consist of a larger number of cases (8 to 35). 12 clusters are persistent, with strains isolated over a period of more than 2 years (range 2-13 years). Several of these are part of cross-county outbreaks as the Omikron1, Tau1, My2 and Rho8 outbreaks (2020-FWD-00012) linked to fish products. The last numerous outbreak peaked in the winter of 2023-2024 (2023-FWD-00088). In total 22 cases were involved, of which 20 were isolated last winter. Moreover, 2 Dutch and 4 German cases were reported to be related. Investigations by the related food authorities revealed (under-)cooked pig meat (e.g. pâté) as the source of this outbreak, after which actions were taken at the involved firms.</p
Monitoring of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in vulnerable populations: the COVICO study (2023-2026)
No full textSpatial configuration of green space matters: Associations between urban land cover and air temperature
No full textGlobal warming and urbanization have exacerbated urban heat island issues in cities, affecting the liveability and long-term health and well-being of its citizens. This study explores how landscape composition and configuration regulate diurnal air temperature variations and the cooling potential of urban green spaces.
Using a spatially-dense citizen science weather station network in Leuven (Belgium), mean night temperature, mean day temperature, and diurnal temperature range were recorded during summer heat periods of 2022. Urban land cover data were collected at two buffer scales (50m and 250m) and analysed using composition (relative cover) and configuration metrics (aggregation and shape indices). Multiple linear (mixed) models were used to investigate associations between the composition and configuration of various land covers and air temperature at different temporal and spatial scales.
Results reveal dynamic effects of urban landscape on air temperature. A 10% increase in tree cover mitigated daytime warming by 0.11 °C, likely through shading and evapotranspiration. Aggregated trees further improved daytime cooling by 0.42 °C. A 10% increase in grasses and shrubs offered significant night-time cooling up to 0.47 °C, probably due to high albedo and ventilation potential. Additionally, increasing the aggregation of grasses and shrubs by 10% enhanced nocturnal cooling by 1.62 °C, while increasing the shape complexity of trees promotes night-time cooling by 0.44 °C.
This study further highlights the need for context-specific strategies. Conserving green locations as urban forests, while designing enclosed grey locations as urban savannas, characterized by interconnected grasses and shrubs interspersed with standalone trees, could mitigate urban heat stress and enhance urban resilience.</p
Using a Stakeholder Analysis to Implement the Belgian One Health National Report for Antimicrobial Use and Resistance.
No full text(1) Background. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a substantial global health threat with profound economic implications. Acknowledging the imperative for a One Health (OH) strategy to combat this menace, Belgium introduced an annual national OH report, known as the “BELMAP report,” encompassing antimicrobial use (AMU) and AMR, with the first edition completed in 2021. The integration of innovations for the healthcare system demands a meticulously planned process. (2) Methods. We introduced a three-step stakeholder analysis (SA) as a prospective framework for navigating this new report process, fostering complementary collaboration, pinpointing obstacles, suggesting approaches to overcome them, and facilitating national policy development. The SA unfolds in three steps: stakeholders identify and list their relevant activities, assess their positions regarding the BELMAP report, and complete “actor mapping” of national AMR and AMU stakeholders. (3) Results. Stakeholder identification reveals a fragmented landscape of AMR and AMU activities across Belgium. Assessment of stakeholder positions uncovers diverse expectations, collaborative challenges, and resource considerations. “Actor mapping” identifies key stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of high-interest and high-power actors. (4) Conclusions. This SA approach not only provides insights into the present stakeholder landscape in Belgium, it can also serve as a blueprint for other countries in the process of developing OH reports.</p
Surveillance van de mortaliteit door alle oorzaken in België, Vlaanderen, Wallonië en Brussel in de winters van 2022-2023 en 2023-2024. Be-MOMO: the Belgian Mortality Monitoring
No full textDe winterperiode 2022-2023 werd gekenmerkt door ondersterfte in België, relatief laag (-0,3 %, met 203 sterfgevallen minder dan verwacht), voornamelijk waargenomen bij mensen tussen 65 en 84 jaar. Deze ondersterfte kwam voornamelijk voor bij mannen, terwijl oversterfte werd waargenomen bij vrouwen, die alle leeftijdsgroepen trof. Er zijn gewestelijke verschillen, met een lichte ondersterfte in Wallonië (-0,3 %, met 80 sterfgevallen minder dan verwacht), maar een oversterfte, hoewel laag, in Vlaanderen (+0,3 %, met 115 extra sterfgevallen) en Brussel (+2,8 %, met 146 extra sterfgevallen). Gedurende deze periode kende België twee opeenvolgende weken van oversterfte (weken 51 en 52, van 19 december 2022 tot 1 januari 2023) die de gehele bevolking troffen, samenvallend met een daling van de temperaturen, de 9e COVID-19-golf, een griepepidemie, een RSV-epidemie, humaan metapneumovirusinfecties en een smogperiode.
De winterperiode 2023-2024 vertoonde een gematigde ondersterfte in België (-2,0 %, oftewel 1 434 sterfgevallen minder dan verwacht). Deze ondersterfte was groter dan die van het voorgaande winterseizoen. Er was geen algehele oversterfte in België gedurende een volledige week voor de gehele bevolking. Deze winterperiode valt op door een RSV-epidemie van 14 weken, die werd gevolgd door een relatief lange seizoensgebonden griepepidemie (11 weken) en een koudegolf in januari 2024.
Gedurende de winterperiodes 2022-2023 en 2023-2024 was een wekelijkse samenvatting van de monitoring van de oversterfte via Be-MOMO bijgevoegd aan het bulletin over acute luchtweginfecties van Sciensano, evenals aan het wekelijkse bulletin van de epidemiologische surveillance van COVID19 (tot 21 juli 2023). </p
Metals and alloys used in food contact materials and articles. Second edition of the technical guide for manufacturers and regulators.
No full textCognitive Fatigue, Humor, and Physical Activity: A Field Experiment Testing Whether Humorous Messages Promote Walking in Cognitively Fatigued Individuals
No full textVERMEER FCM: A tool integrating exposure and hazard modelling for chemicals migrating from food contact materials
No full textA new tool, VERMEER FCM, was developed to support the risk assessment of single organic chemicals migrating from plastic food contact materials (FCM). The freely available tool is integrated into MERLIN-Expo and has been designed in line with Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 for plastic FCM. Overall, the tool consists of three modules that allow (i) to model the migration of chemicals into food, (ii) to predict toxicological endpoints relevant to risk assessment of FCM chemicals, and (iii) to automatically check whether the chemical of interest is included in Regulation (EU) No 10/2011. To apply the VERMEER FCM tool, users need to provide information regarding the chemical(s) of interest, the FCM, the food and other parameters (e.g. contact time and temperature). The three modules can be run either separately or in combination. Migration is predicted by a recently developed migration model, whereas hazard predictions for genotoxicity, subchronic toxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity and carcinogenicity are provided by QSAR models selected from the publicly available VEGA HUB. The major novelty of the tool is that it combines information on hazard and exposure (i.e. migration) with regulatory information. Several case studies were performed to demonstrate the application of the tool.</p
Re: 'Availability of drugs and resistance testing for BPaLM regimen for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis in Europe' by Lange et al
No full textChemoprophylaxis of close contacts of invasive cases of haemophilus influenzae: a review
No full textBackground
Chemoprophylaxis to close contacts is recommended in case of invasive infection with Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib). Since the introduction of generalized vaccination in 1993 in Belgium the number of invasive Hib infections decreased dramatically. Currently, the majority of invasive cases are caused by non-Hib strains. Considering these epidemiological changes, we wanted to find out if there are recent recommendations on antibiotic prophylaxis for invasive Hib infections and non-Hib infections.
Methods
We systematically searched PubMed and Embase for articles published from 2000 to 2023, using any combination of “Haemophilus influenzae”, “Haemophilus influenzae invasive”, “Haemophilus infections” or “bacterial meningitis” with “antibiotic prophylaxis”, “post exposure prophylaxis”, “secondary cases” or “communicable disease control”.
Additionally, we hand-searched relevant references cited by retrieved papers and used the abovementioned search terms in Google Scholar to identify research reports and government documents. We allowed inclusion articles published in English, French and Dutch. Finally, we looked for relevant references in the following standard works: the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Red Book, the Plotkin’s vaccines and the Mandell’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases.
Results
We found 5 articles, 5 regional/national guidelines (with one duplicate) and 3 mentions in reference books. We excluded 1 article because of lack of specificity (no difference between meningococcus and Hib chemoprophylaxis). We did not find any changes since 2000 regarding chemoprophylaxis for close contact of an invasive case of Hib. Regarding non-Hib strains, the Red Book recommends to consider chemoprophylaxis in case of H. influenzae serotype a (Hia) for household contacts and pre-school and child care under certain conditions. This recommendation is based on evidence of secondary cases with Hia especially in some North American Indigenous populations. Based on the same evidence, Ulanova et al. in 2014 concluded that chemoprophylaxis might prevent secondary Hia infections, although no data are available for drug choice, dosage, and effectiveness in prevention of development of disease and carriage.
Conclusion
The AAP recommends to consider antibioprophylaxis for HIa, but this recommendation is based on limited evidence in a specific population and not included in guidance of the CDC nor any other organisation we could identify.</p