Epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales in the Netherlands 2017-2019.

BACKGROUND: The Netherlands is currently considered a low endemic country for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), experiencing only sporadic hospital outbreaks. This study aims to describe susceptibility to carbapenems and the epidemiology of carbapenemase production in Enterobacterales in the Netherlands in 2017-2019. METHODS: Three complementary nationwide surveillance systems are in place to monitor carbapenem susceptibility in the Netherlands. Routine antimicrobial susceptibility test results from medical microbiology laboratories were used to study phenotypic susceptibility of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Pathogen surveillance (of all Enterobacterales species) and mandatory notifications were used to describe the characteristics of CPE positive isolates and affected persons. RESULTS: The prevalence of isolates with gradient strip test-confirmed elevated meropenem (> 0.25 mg/L) or imipenem (> 1 mg/L) minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) in the Netherlands was very low in 2017-2019, with percentages of 0.06% in E. coli and 0.49% in K. pneumoniae, and carbapenem resistances of 0.02% and 0.18%, respectively. A total of 895 unique species/carbapenemase-encoding allele combinations of CPE from 764 persons were submitted between 2017 and 2019, with the annual number of submissions increasing slightly each year. Epidemiological data was available for 660 persons. Screening because of presumed colonisation risk was the reason for sampling in 70.0% (462/660) of persons. Hospitalization abroad was the most common risk factor, being identified in 45.9% of persons. CONCLUSIONS: Carbapenem resistance of E. coli and K. pneumoniae remains low in the Netherlands. The annual number of CPE isolates slightly increased during the period 2017-2019. Recent hospitalization abroad is the main risk factor for acquisition of CPE.

Multidrug-resistant organisms in patients from Ukraine in the Netherlands, March to August 2022.

Since March 2022, there has been an emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) in the Netherlands in patients originating from Ukraine (58 patients, 75 isolates). For about half of these patients, recent hospitalisation in Ukraine was reported. Genomic surveillance revealed that the majority of the MDRO represent globally spread epidemic lineages and that 60% contain New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase (NDM) genes. Professionals should be aware of an increase in such MDRO associated with migration and medical evacuation of people from Ukraine.

Nitrogen reduction to ammonia at high efficiency and rates based on a phosphonium proton shuttle.

Ammonia (NH3) is a globally important commodity for fertilizer production, but its synthesis by the Haber-Bosch process causes substantial emissions of carbon dioxide. Alternative, zero-carbon emission NH3 synthesis methods being explored include the promising electrochemical lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction reaction, which has nonetheless required sacrificial sources of protons. In this study, a phosphonium salt is introduced as a proton shuttle to help resolve this limitation. The salt also provides additional ionic conductivity, enabling high NH3 production rates of 53 ± 1 nanomoles per second per square centimeter at 69 ± 1% faradaic efficiency in 20-hour experiments under 0.5-bar hydrogen and 19.5-bar nitrogen. Continuous operation for more than 3 days is demonstrated.

Seroprevalence of hantaviruses and Leptospira in muskrat and coypu trappers in the Netherlands, 2016.

Aims: Seoul orthohantavirus (SEOV) and Leptospira spp. are zoonotic pathogens with rats as main reservoir. Recently, the presence of SEOV in brown rats was reported in one region in the Netherlands. Brown rats are a frequent bycatch in traps placed to catch muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) and coypus (Myocastor coypus), and thus are a potential health risk for trappers. It was our aim to determine the seroprevalence of orthohantavirus, specifically SEOV, and Leptospira spp in Dutch trappers. Methods and results: Participating trappers provided serum samples and completed an online questionnaire. The serum was tested for the presence of antibodies against six orthohantaviruses and eight Leptospira serovars. Two hundred-sixty trappers completed the online questionnaire (65%), and 246 (61%) and 162 (40%) serum samples were tested for relevant orthohantaviruses and Leptospira spp., respectively. The seroprevalence of Puumala orthohantavirus in Dutch trappers was 0.4% (95% CI: 0.1-2.3%). None of the participants tested positive for SEOV. The seroprevalence of leptospirosis was 1.2% (95% CI: 0.3-4.4%), although Leptospira spp. are present in brown rats in the Netherlands.Significance of study: The results indicate that the infections with orthohantaviruses and leptospires is low for muskrat and coypu trappers.

Human hantavirus infections in the Netherlands.

We report the recent epidemiology and estimated seroprevalence of human hantavirus infections in the Netherlands. Sixty-two cases were reported during December 2008-December 2013. The estimated seroprevalence in the screened municipalities in 2006-2007 was 1.7% (95% CI 1.3%-2.3%). Findings suggest that hantavirus infections are underdiagnosed in the Netherlands.

Lanthanoid-transition-metal bonding in bismetallocenes.

Bismetallocenes [Cp2 LuReCp2 ] and [Cp*2 LaReCp2 ] (Cp=cyclopentadienyl; Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) were prepared using different synthetic strategies. Salt metathesis-performed in aromatic hydrocarbons to avoid degradation pathways caused by THF-were identified as an attractive alternative to alkane elimination. Although alkane elimination is more attractive in the sense of its less elaborate workup, the rate of the reaction shows a strong dependence on the ionic radius of Ln(3+) (Ln=lanthanide) within a given ligand set. Steric hindrance can cause a dramatic decrease in the reaction rate of alkane elimination. In this case, salt metathesis should be considered the better alternative. Covalent bonding interactions between the Ln and transition-metal (TM) cations has been quantified on the basis of the delocalization index. Its magnitude lies within the range characteristic for bonds between transition metals. Secondary interactions were identified between carbon atoms of the Cp ligand of the transition metal and the Ln cation. Model calculations clearly indicated that the size of these interactions depends on the capability of the TM atom to act as an electron donor (i.e., a Lewis base). The consequences can even be derived from structural details. The observed clear dependency of the LuRu and interfragment LuC bonding on the THF coordination of the Lu atom points to a tunable Lewis acidity at the Ln site, which provides a method of significantly influencing the structure and the interfragment bonding.

Underdiagnosis of chikungunya virus infections in symptomatic dutch travelers returning from the Indian ocean area.

A putative underdiagnosis of clinical chikungunya virus infection in Dutch travelers to the Indian Ocean area was addressed by retrospective screening of all sera for which requested dengue virus serology was negative in the period 2007 to 2010. Evidence for a recent infection was observed in 6.5% of 107 patients, indicating a substantial underdiagnosis and the need for increased awareness among physicians.