Relationship between natural and infection-induced antibodies in systemic autoimmune diseases (SAD): SLE, SSc and RA.

Infection or vaccine-induced T cell-dependent immune response and the subsequent high-affinity neutralizing antibody production have been extensively studied, while the connection between natural autoantibodies (nAAbs) and disease-specific antibodies has not been thoroughly investigated. Our goal was to find the relationship between immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgG isotype nAAbs and infection or vaccine-induced and disease-related autoantibody levels in systemic autoimmune diseases (SAD). A previously described indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test was used for detection of IgM/IgG nAAbs against citrate synthase (anti-CS) and F4 fragment (anti-F4) of DNA topoisomerase I in 374 SAD samples, with a special focus on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (n = 92), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 73) and systemic sclerosis (n = 157) disease groups. Anti-measles IgG and anti-dsDNA IgG/IgM autoantibodies were measured using commercial and in-house indirect ELISA tests. In all SAD groups the anti-measles IgG-seropositive cases showed significantly higher anti-CS IgG titers (P = 0·011). In anti-dsDNA IgG-positive SLE patients, we detected significantly higher levels of anti-CS and anti-F4 IgG nAAbs (P = 0·001 and < 0·001, respectively). Additionally, we found increased levels of IgM isotypes of anti-CS and anti-F4 nAAbs in anti-dsDNA IgM-positive SLE patients (P = 0·002 and 0·016, respectively). The association between IgG isotypes of pathogen- or autoimmune disease-related antibodies and the IgG nAAbs may underscore the immune response-inducible nature of the diseases investigated. The relationship between protective anti-dsDNA IgM and the IgM isotype of anti-F4 and anti-CS may provide immunoserological evidence for the beneficial roles of nAAbs in SLE patients.

Application of a fast and cost-effective 'three-in-one' MMR ELISA as a tool for surveying anti-MMR humoral immunity: the Hungarian experience.

In Hungary, between February 2017 and July 2019, 70 confirmed measles cases were reported, raising questions about the adequacy of population-level immunity. Although the assumed vaccination coverage is ≥99%, in a recent study, we detected potential gaps in the anti-measles humoral immunity. In Hungary, according to a decree by the Ministry of Public Welfare, beginning from 2021, the healthcare provider should conduct a serosurvey of anti-measles protection levels of healthcare professionals. To facilitate the compliance with this requirement, we developed a quick 'three-in-one' or 'triple' MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) indirect ELISA (IgG); an assay format that is currently not available commercially. High throughput applicability of the 'three-in-one' ELISA was verified using 1736 sera from routine laboratory residual samples, using an automated platform (Siemens BEP 2000 Advance). Assay verification was performed by comparing the full antigen repertoire-based 'target' assay with in-house 'control' assays using recombinant viral antigen coatings, and by validated commercially available kits. Indirect immunofluorescence was used as an independent reference method. Data were analysed using OriginLab, IBM SPSS, RStudio and MedCalc. In case of measles, we combined our current results with previously published data (Ntotal measles = 3523). Evaluation of anti-mumps and anti-rubella humoral antibody levels was based on the measurement of 1736 samples. The lowest anti-measles seropositivity (79.3%) was detected in sera of individuals vaccinated between 1978 and 1987. Considering the antigen-specific seropositivity ratios of all samples measured, anti-measles, -mumps and -rubella IgG antibody titres were adequate in 89.84%, 91.82% and 92.28%, respectively. Based on the virus-specific herd immunity threshold (HIT) values (HITMeasles = 92-95%, HITMumps = 75-86%, HITRubella = 83-86), it can be stated that regarding anti-measles immunity, certain age clusters of the population may have inadequate levels of humoral immunity. Despite the potential gaps in herd immunity, the use of MMR vaccine remains an effective and low-cost approach for the prevention of measles, mumps and rubella infections.

Hospital-acquired infections due to multidrug-resistant organisms in Hungary, 2005-2010.

Healthcare-associated infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms are associated with prolonged medical care, worse outcome and costly therapies. In Hungary, hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) due to epidemiologically important multidrug-resistant organisms are notifiable by law since 2004. Overall, 6,845 case-patients (59.8% men; median age: 65 years) were notified in Hungary from 2005 to 2010. One third of case-patients died in hospital. The overall incidence of infections increased from 5.4 in 2005 to 14.7 per 100,000 patient-days in 2010. Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was the most frequently reported pathogen (52.2%), but while its incidence seemed to stabilise after 2007, notifications of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative organisms have significantly increased from 2005 to 2010. Surgical wound and bloodstream were the most frequently reported sites of infection. Although MRSA incidence has seemingly reached a plateau in recent years, actions aiming at reducing the burden of HAIs with special focus on Gram-negative multidrug-resistant organisms are needed in Hungary. Continuing promotion of antimicrobial stewardship, infection control methodologies, reinforced HAI surveillance among healthcare and infection control practitioners, and engagement of stakeholders, hospital managers and public health authorities to facilitate the implementation of existing guidelines and protocols are essential.

Emergence of a colistin-resistant KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae ST258 clone in Hungary.

Nine Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates showing non-susceptibility to carbapenems were collected from three centres in the north-eastern region of Hungary. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antibiotics were determined by Etest. The putative production of a carbapenemase was tested by the modified Hodge test. The presence of bla (KPC) genes was verified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Furthermore, molecular typing was performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). All isolates showed extensively drug-resistant (XDR) phenotype, and of these, eight isolates were highly resistant to colistin. The isolates carried bla (KPC-2), bla (SHV-12), bla (TEM-1) and bla (SHV-11). PFGE analysis of the nine KPC-2-producing Hungarian ST258 K. pneumoniae isolates, two KPC-2-producing Norwegian ST258 isolates and 33 CTX-M-15-producing ST11 isolates revealed the existence of one genetic cluster at an 88% similarity level. The overall results of the PFGE clustering, MLST and the presence of SHV-11 in both ST11 and ST258 suggest that this is the first hyperepidemic clonal complex of multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae, probably CC258/CC340, possibly undergoing worldwide spread.

National hand hygiene campaigns in Europe, 2000-2009.

Hand hygiene represents the single most effective way to prevent healthcare-associated infections. The World Health Organization, as part of its First Global Patient Safety Challenge, recommends implementation of multi-faceted strategies to increase compliance with hand hygiene. A questionnaire was sent by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to 30 European countries, regarding the availability and organisation of their national hand hygiene campaigns. All countries responded. Thirteen countries had organised at least one national campaign during the period 2000-2009 and three countries were in the process of organising a national campaign. Although the remaining countries did not have a national campaign, several reported regional and local hand hygiene activities or educational resources on national websites.

The national nosocomial surveillance network in Hungary: results of two years of surgical site infection surveillance.

In 2004, a secure web-based national nosocomial infection surveillance system was established in Hungary. The system, named NNSR (Nemzeti Nosocomiális Surveillance Rendszer), is based on the US National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System (NNIS). Surgical procedures, definitions, surveillance methodology and patient risk indices are those established by NNIS. In this paper, we present the results of the first two years of the surgical patient component of our system. During this period, 41 hospitals participated and selected 11 surgical procedures for surveillance. Altogether 15812 procedures were surveyed and 360 resulting surgical site infections (SSI) were recorded. The overall SSI rate was 2.27%. The most commonly selected procedures and corresponding SSI rates were caesarean section (1.31%), herniorrhaphy (2.09%), cholecystectomy (1.52%) and hip replacement (2.91%). Standardised infection ratios (SIR) were calculated for chosen surgical procedures in order to compare against NNIS published rates. SSI rates for colonic surgery, caesarean section and mastectomy were lower than expected according to the NNIS data but higher for cholecystectomy, herniorrhaphy and hip prosthesis infection rates. We intend to recruit more participating hospitals, leading to a robust national database that can be used to target infection control interventions for patients in Hungary.

[Nosocomial surveillance--compass for infection control]. / Nosocomialis surveillance--az infekciókontroll iránytúje.

The authors, after defining basic concepts, make the case that nosocomial surveillance is an indispensable tool without which up-to-date infection control is impossible. They provide an overview of the nosocomial surveillance practices in many countries in Europe and overseas, comparing their methods, results and protocols, keeping in mind cost effectiveness and quality assurance considerations. The authors' view is that in Hungary two kinds of nosocomial surveillance programs should be established: 1. There should be reliable surveys to follow up the incidence of nosocomial infections. Without such data any national infection control strategy is at best uncertain. Obtaining this information is mostly in the interest of the government. Procedures should be coordinated from a central office, financial backing for the surveys should be provided, and the personal and institutional infrastructure should be built up in a consensual manner, with much care and technical expertise, relying on domestic and foreign experience. 2. Each institution should decide, based on their current goals, which selective nosocomial surveillance method is most appropriate for a given occasion. This decision should be voluntary and government regulation of these activities would be counterproductive.