Secondary prevention of lung cancer in the Czech Republic - pitfalls, risks, benefits.

Lung cancer (LC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the Czech Republic, the prevalence of which is steadily increasing. There is scientific evidence that LC screening through low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) reduces the risk of death from LC. No systematic LC screening strategy has been currently in place in the Czech Republic. Since the beginning of 2022, the methodology of early detection of LC using LDCT has been piloted to test the feasibility of the screening program. The primary purpose of the project is an early and accurate diagnosis of the disease, which, in combination with follow-up treatment, will lead to a reduction in LC mortality. The pilot data will definitely serve as a basis for an expert discussion of the acceptability of the program to the Czech population and its impact on the healthcare system. It is clear that by introducing such a screening program, we will join the countries that, based on scientific data, enable the population to profit from an actively implemented LC prevention strategy. Public awareness of the benefits of early non-invasive LC detection can contribute to higher compliance of at-risk persons and their willingness to participate in the program. The key role in the entire process is played by general practitioners and/or outpatient pulmologists who address at-risk individuals and can positively influence their involvement in the program.

If a vaccine against COVID-19 was available, would you like to be vaccinated? And are you vaccinated against flu and other diseases? A survey among university students during state of emergency.

AIM: Achieving sufficient vaccination rate (and herd immunity respectively) is considered to be the most promising strategy for prevention of outbreaks of novel coronavirus disease in future. The main aim of this work was to compare willingness of university students to receive vaccine against COVID-19 with vaccines for adults against other well-known diseases. Another aim was to assess students´ opinion on growing trend of parents refusing to vaccinate children. METHODS: The online questionnaire shared with students consisted of 12 questions. It was distributed via university bulk emails and social media. RESULTS: 3,133 students responded to our questionnaire. Overall university response rate was 15.9%. Students of our university showed significantly much stronger interest in receiving vaccine against COVID-19 than vaccine against other diseases (p < 0.0001). Students also showed strong pro-vaccination attitude to vaccination of children. CONCLUSION: The study showed very well sudden change of attitude of university students to vaccination of adults at the time of strong restrictive regulations. Most of university students had pro-vaccination attitude to vaccination of children.

Acceptance of a vaccine against COVID-19 - a systematic review of surveys conducted worldwide.

OBJECTIVES: The most promising strategy for managing COVID-19 pandemic is achieving sufficient vaccination rate worldwide. The question is how many people will be willing to get vaccinated. STUDY DESIGN: We systematically reviewed peer-reviewed manuscripts monitoring people´s intention to receive a vaccine against COVID-19. METHODS: Up to December 28, 2020 we identified 62 relevant peer-reviewed articles in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and GoogleScholar. RESULTS: Total sample size was 118 855 respondents with overall average COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate of 72.5% which is "just" the level estimated to be sufficient for reaching herd immunity threshold. Surprisingly, healthcare workers showed smaller interest in receiving the vaccine when compared to general adult population and university students. On the other hand, their attitude to vaccination did not change over time. In case of general adult population, the longer the pandemic lasts, the smaller proportion of population wants to get vaccinated. Vaccination intentions were independent of gross domestic product and human development index. CONCLUSION: Willingness of population to receive COVID-19 is just at the herd immunity threshold and it is decreasing over time (Tab. 2, Fig. 3, Ref. 110).  Keywords: vaccination, survey, COVID-19, pandemic, review.

Changes in the quality of eggs during storage depending on the housing system and the age of hens.

The objective of the study was to evaluate changes during storage time (0, 7, 14, and 21 D) in the weight, albumen quality and its functional properties, and protein content of eggs from enriched cage and free range at 26 and 51 wk of age. Egg weight was affected by a significant interaction between the housing system and the age of hens. Regarding individual factors, heavier eggs (P < 0.001) were obtained with the enriched cage (61.7 g) environment than with free range (59.6 g) environment at 51 wk (P < 0.001) (63.3 g vs. 58.0 g), and freshly laid eggs were heavier compared to eggs stored for 14 and 21 D (P < 0.001). The significant interaction of evaluated factors affecting egg weight loss included the Haugh unit score and pH. Albumen dry matter content was significantly higher in free-range eggs (14.70% vs. 14.0%), in eggs from younger hens (15.0% vs. 13.7%) and in eggs that were stored 21 D. Free-range eggs contained more lysozyme (P < 0.001), and younger hens produced eggs with higher ovotransferrin (P < 0.05) and ovalbumin content (P < 0.01). The data from the study show that the evaluated factors and their interactions significantly affected the physical parameters of the eggs, whereas albumen functional properties and lysozymes, ovalbumin, and ovotransferrin were negligibly affected.

The growth of turkeys 2. Body components and allometric relationships.

1. The relationships between the main components of the body and body protein among males and females of BUT 6 (BUT) and Hybrid Converter (HYB) turkey strains were examined. 2. The weights of breast meat, breast skin, drumstick meat, drumstick skin, thigh meat, thigh skin and wing-plus-skin as well as the head, neck, feet, blood, heart, liver and gizzard were measured at different stages of growth after which all components of each bird were minced together in order to determine the feather-free body protein weight of each bird sampled. Using the weights of the components and the protein content of each bird the allometric relationships between the components and body protein were determined and then compared for each strain x sex combination. 3. By excluding the breast weights at day-old and at 7 d, the remaining points produced an acceptable allometric relationship (R2 = 0.992). Thigh weight could be predicted for all strain x sex combinations using one allometric equation, as could drumstick skin weight. Breast and thigh skin weights differed between males and females. Females of the HYB strain exhibited heavier drumstick and wing-plus-skin weights at a given body protein weight than the other three strain x sex combinations. These differences in both the constant term and regression coefficient in the allometric equations between genotypes are probably due to differences in the amount of lipid that is deposited in these tissues. 4. Sexes differed in the allometric relationships for head, feet, heart and liver, while breeds differed in gizzard weight. A common relationship between the four genotypes could be used to predict the weight of blood in the carcass. 5. The allometric equations fitted to the data in this trial enable the accurate prediction of the weights of the different physical components given the weight of body protein.

The growth of turkeys 1. Growth of the body and feathers and the chemical composition of growth.

1. The potential growth of modern turkey genotypes was measured using male and female BUT 6 (BUT) and Hybrid Converter (HYB) strains. At one-day-old, 720 male and 960 female poults were randomly allocated to 48 littered pens in two houses with 30 males or 40 females of each strain per pen. Five feeds of decreasing protein content were fed to both sexes during the growing period. 2. Birds were weighed at 1, 7, 14, 21, 35, 56, 77, 119 d (males only), 126 d (females only) and 140 d (males only) and, on each occasion, six birds were selected and removed for carcass analysis. 3. Growth was similar in both strains, but the growth rate of females appeared to decline relative to the earlier trajectory after 70 d, and this tendency being greater in HYB females. 4. HYB birds of both sexes had more feathers than BUT to 77 d, but thereafter these differences were non-significant. A single allometry between feather and body protein weight was observed over all genotypes with no differences apparent between sexes within strains. The Gompertz curve adequately described the growth of body protein, water and ash. 5. Body lipid (g/100g bodyweight) declined in the early stages of growth. This might reflect an energy deficiency in the diet or might indicate that the present description of lipid growth does not apply in turkeys as it does in other species. 6. Whereas the description of body growth, feather growth and the chemical components of growth given in this paper may not fully reflect the true potential of the genotypes used, nevertheless they provide useful information regarding the latest genotypes available in the turkey industry. Some of the observations suggested that current performance might be improved if further research is conducted regarding dietary energy transactions.

Epidemiology of hepatitis E virus infection.

Hepatitis E is a major concern to public health, it is estimated that 44,000 people die annually due to hepatitis E. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis in the world. HEV has been found with 7 genotypes, only 4 can infect humans. Genotypes 1 and 2 are major causes of the epidemic and endemic acute hepatitis in developing countries. In the poor hygienic conditions, these genotypes are obligate human pathogens transmitted between humans by the fecal-oral route and via contaminated water. On the contrary, in developed countries, genotypes 3 and 4 are of zoonotic origin and they are transmitted by alimentary route and via direct contact with the infected animal. Transmission by blood, blood products and tissues from infected persons or animals and even mother-to-infant transmission is also possible. Hepatitis E clinical course varies from self-limiting disease to fulminant hepatic failure, and extrahepatic manifestations have occurred. Management to control and prevent this infection is mainly hygienic measures. The provision of clean drinking water and ameliorating the sanitation of human wastes are the most effective preventive approaches as in any infection outbreak transmitted through the fecal-oral route. Nevertheless, dietary habits, distribution of different zoonotic reservoirs and the hygienic level play a crucial role in limiting and preventing the spread of hepatitis E in the developed countries. Although HEV vaccine was developed, it is still available only in China. It protects against genotype 4 with no clear evidence of protection against other genotypes.

[The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) - biology, medical relevance, possibilities for the detection and control]. / Stenice domácí (Cimex lectularius) - biologie, zdravotnický význam, moznosti detekce a hubení.

Bed bugs have become a major concern worldwide in the 21st century and are therefore intensively investigated. The new findings not only extend the knowledge of their biology, medical relevance, and causes of the resurgence, but also can be used in bed bug management. A brief overview is provided of some of the most important research results and opinions, published in the last few years in prestigious international journals.

[Epidemiological significance of the metabolic syndrome]. / Epidemiologický význam metabolického syndromu.

From an epidemiological point of view, the metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors causally, rather than coincidentally, related to insulin resistance. The metabolic syndrome is a condition with relatively high prevalence rates in both the Czech Republic and in other developed countries. There is a clear trend of increasing prevalence in both sexes depending on age. In the Czech Republic, the syndrome is less common in females (25.5%) than in males (37.6%). Epidemiological studies found white (Europoid race) males to be at higher risk due to abdominal obesity. The definition of the metabolic syndrome has evolved over time and helps to identify individuals at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, hence the use of the term cardiometabolic syndrome. Early detection of metabolic syndrome symptoms including insulin resistance should be performed mainly by general practitioners as part of regular check-ups.

[West Nile virus transmission risk in the Czech Republic]. / Rizika sírení viru západonilské horecky v Ceské republice.

West Nile Virus (WNV) belongs to the family Flaviviridae. It is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, capable of sucking blood on birds and mammals, most often by mosquitoes of the genus Culex. In humans, the virus was first identified in 1937 in the West Nile region, Uganda, Africa. Later, the virus spread and caused more or less severe epidemics of West Nile fever in North Africa, Europe, Asia, and North and South America. During the last two decades, WNV has been on the rise and is currently ranked as one of the most prevalent arboviruses in the world. In humans, WNV infection mostly occurs as asymptomatic, but may have a more severe or even fatal course in older and weakened patients. Humans may become infected not only by mosquitoes that acquire the virus from infected birds, but also through a blood transfusion, organ transplant, breast milk and transplacental transmission, or contact with infected animals, their blood, and tissues. The first autochthonous human case of West Nile fever in the Czech Republic was reported from South Moravia in 1997. In 2013, another case of West Nile fever emerged in this country, in the Ostrava area. The issue of WNV has recently been studied from many different perspectives, as evidenced by many original and review papers. This article briefly reviews the essential knowledge about this virus and its spread.

[The prevalence of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) among general medicine students of the Palacky University Olomouc]. / Prevalence výskytu nosního nosicství kmenu Staphylococcus aureus a meticilin rezistentních kmenu S. aureus (MRSA) u studentu vseobecného lékarství LF UP v Olomouci.

INTRODUCTION: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major agents of both healthcare- and community-associated infections. Nasal carriage of S. aureus has been reported in approximately 37% of healthy persons. OBJECTIVES: 1. To investigate the prevalence of nasal carriage of S. aureus and MRSA in healthy persons of the age group 18-26 years (general medicine students of the Palacký University Olomouc). This type of information is not available in the Czech Republic. 2. To find whether the prevalence of nasal carriage strains of S. aureus and MRSA varies over the years of studies. 3. To compare the Year 1 (baseline) and Year 5 (after a long, close contact with the indoor environment of health-care facilities) general medicine students for nasal carriage of S. aureus and MRSA strains. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The prevalence study was conducted for over 12 months in 2012 and 2013. Nasal swabs were taken from the general medicine students participating in the study. Each subject was sampled once. RESULTS: In total, 307 samples were collected: 206 samples from the Year 1 students and 101 from the Year 5 students. Sixty-one (about 32%) Year 1 students and 32 (30%) Year 5 students were positive for S. aureus. Of them, 94 (30.6%) were males and 213 (69.4%) were females. CONCLUSIONS: The observed prevalence of nasal S. aureus carriage is consistent with the literature data. No statistically significant difference in the prevalence of nasal carriage of S. aureus was found between the Year 1 and Year 5 general medicine students.

[A multifactor epidemiological analysis of risk factors for pancreatic cancer in women]. / Multifaktorová epidemiologická analýza rizikových faktoru karcinomu pankreatu u zen.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: A multifactor analysis of risk factors for pancreas cancer in women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in three centres in the Czech Republic (Olomouc, Ostrava, and Ceské Budejovice) in 2006-2009. In total, 226 women (129 pancreas cancer cases, 97 controls) were included in the study. Statistical analysis was performed, the crude odds ratio (OR) was calculated, and logistic regression analysis was used at a 5% level of statistical significance. RESULTS: A statistically significant inverse association was found between pancreatic cancer and oral contraceptives (OR 0.21; 95% CI: 0.07-0.69). Pregnancy and number of pregnancies or gynecological surgical procedures did not show any association with pancreatic cancer. No significant difference in the first menstrual period was found between pancreatic cancer patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: The study results showed inverse association between pancreatic cancer and oral contraceptives (OR 0.21; 95% CI: 0.07-0.69), controlled alcohol consumption (OR 0.26; 95% CI: 0.12-0.55), and anti-inflamatory drug use (OR 0.10; 95% CI: 0.02-0.41).

[Prevention of tick-borne meningoencephalitis--summary report]. / Prevence klíst'ové meningoencefalitidy--souhrnné sdelení.

Tick-borne meningoencephalitis is a zoonosis that shows an upward trend. The causative agent is an RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae whose vector in Central Europe is the castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus). The infection is most often transmitted via tick bite or, less commonly, by the alimentary route, through the consumption of unpasteurized milk of infected animals. Preventive measures consist in personal protection from ticks, exceptionally in blanket treatment with contact insecticides, in preventing consumption of unpasteurized milk and dairy products from areas with a high incidence of tick-borne encephalitis, and particularly in vaccination of the susceptible population.

[In vitro efficacy of three novel delousing formulations against the head louse (Pediculus capitis L.)]. / Ucinnost trí nových odvsivovacích prípravku na ves detskou (Pediculus capitis L.) v in vitro testech--krátké sdelení.

A total of 498 head lice (2nd and 3rd instar larvae, females and males) combed out of the hair of 38 children, were exposed to the delousing formulations Diffusil H Forte Spray (carbaryl 1%), Diffusil Care (isopropyl myristate, cyclomethicone, and dimethiconol) and Paranit (coconut oil, anise oil, and ylang ylang oil) in in vitro tests. The first two formulations, i. e. Diffusil H Forte Spray and Diffusil Care, caused 100% mortality of exposed lice, while Paranit only killed 12.2% of exposed lice.

[Pediatric head lice: taxonomy, incidence, resistance, delousing]. / Ves detská: systematika, výskyt, rezistence, odvsivování.

Based on the current knowledge, head louse (Pediculus capitis) and body louse (Pediculus humanus) are two different species that infest specific parts of the human body and do not interbreed in vivo. In 1991-2002, 6 257 cases of pediculosis were reported in the Czech Republic while 3 138 000 pediculicide packagings, i.e. about 500 times as many as the number of cases, were marketed. Between October 2004 and February 2005, a total of 531 children aged between 6 and 15 years from 16 selected schools in the Zlín and Olomouc regions were screened by dry hair combing. Living lice were detected in 14.1% of the enrolled children and dead nits alone were observed in other 9.8% of the subjects. In vitro tests revealed that the collected head lice were highly resistant to malathion, the active ingredient of Diffusil H 92 M. The number of reported cases of pediculosis roughly doubled in 2005.

[Study of long-term and multiple carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in a healthy population using molecular biology methods]. / Studie dlouhodobosti a mnohocetnosti nosicství Neisseria meningitidis ve zdravé populaci molekulárními biologickými metodami.

The aim of the study was to investigate the long-term duration and multiple carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in a healthy population. In this prospective study, 206 students at the age of 15 to 19 years were monitored from October 2002 to March 2003. Nasopharyngeal and laryngeal swabs were sampled in one-month intervals and cultured on a selective medium. All colonies detected in primary culture were saved for the study, a maximum of 20 colonies in cases of massive growth. A total of 1,242 isolates were obtained, all of them being examined by a molecular biology method RAPD (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis). By other methods (determination of phenotype by slide agglutination and whole-cell ELISA test, the determination of sequence type, ST by multilocus sequence typing, testing of susceptibility to antibiotics) were always tested the first isolates from individual carriers and isolates from the same carrier with different RAPD characteristics, being 35 altogether. There were thirty three carriers of N. meningitidis detected among the 206 students (16%). The carriage of N. meningitidis was of long-term duration. The study of strains of N. meningitidis with molecular biology methods made it clear that the carrier population of meningococci is heterogeneous. The population of carrier meningococci was of clonal character and mostly non-virulent ST-complexes were detected. Multiple carriage of different clones of N. meningitidis is rare and usually of short-term duration. The colonization of upper respiratory tract by a single clone of N. meningitidis does not protect from colonization by other clone.

[Factors affecting Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica carrier state]. / Faktory ovlivnující nosicství Neisseria meningitidis a Neisseria lactamica.

Invasive meningococcal diseases have become in the Czech Republic since 1993 a serious epidemiological and clinical problem due to a clonus which was not present previously: Neisseria meningitidis C:2a:P1.2,P1.5, ET-15/37. In 1996 a trial was conducted focused on the problem how this altered epidemiological and clinical situation is reflected in carriership of Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica in the healthy population. Two age groups were followed up which were most severely affected by the new clonus of the meningococcus: 15-19 years (410 subjects) and 1-4 years (116 subjects). The trial was implemented in Olomouc where in 1993 the new epidemiological situation of the incidence of the invasive meningococcal disease was so serious that targeted vaccination was introduced. Of 116 children in the age group from 1-4 years in none Neisseria meningitidis was detected, in 9 Neisseria lactamica was found (7.7%). On repeated examination of children with a positive cultivation of Neisseria lactamica after two weeks in none Neisseria meningitidis nor Neisseria lactamica were found. Of 410 subjects in the age group from 15-19 years in none Neisseria lactamica was detected and in 35 Neisseria meningitidis (8.5%). Examinations were repeated after two weeks in 33 carriers: in 31 Neisseria meningitidis was again cultivated. Analysis of factors influencing carriership revealed in Neisseria lactamica two factors in young children which significantly promote this carriership: cold and close contact/kissing. A risk factor at the limit of significance are frequent respiratory diseases. In the carriership of Neisseria meningitidis in 15-19 year-old subjects six factors were revealed which promote carriership. A significant risk factor is close contact/kissing, the existence of partnership, participation in activities of the "disco" type, living in a town, flats in the centre of the town. Effort is a risk factor at the limit of significance.

Targeted vaccination with meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine in one district of the Czech Republic.

Vaccination against Neisseria meningitidis is not part of routine immunization schemes in any country; instead, targeted vaccination of groups at the highest risk is recommended during outbreaks and epidemics. After a long period of sporadic occurrence of meningococcal invasive disease, a new clone of Neisseria meningitidis C:2a:P1.2, ET-15/37, occurred in the Czech Republic, and caused local outbreaks in two neighbouring districts, Olomouc and Bruntal, in spring 1993. In Olomouc, a mass campaign was conducted during which 6191 students were vaccinated (5.6% of the total population of this locality and 96% of all students in the age group 15-19) within 2 weeks in June 1993. In Bruntal district, no such campaign was organized. In Olomouc, the incidence of invasive disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis C in the age group 10-24 decreased from 57 to 0 per 100,000 (P < 0.001) during the post-vaccination period (July 1993-August 1994), but no such decrease was observed in Bruntal. Although other factors can affect the frequency of disease, these results support the current recommendations of targeted vaccination in outbreaks of meningococcal disease.

[Evaluation of the effectiveness of targeted vaccination with the meningococcal polysaccharide A and C vaccine in one location in the Czech Republic]. / Zhodnocení úcinnosti cílené vakcinace meningokokovou polysacharidovou vakcínou A+C v jedné lokalite Ceské republiky.

In the Czech Republic where meningococcal disease occurred only sporadically for a very long period and Neisseria meningitidis B prevailed, the use of a meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine was never indicated. This situation changed in 1993 when a new clone of Neisseria meningitidis C:2a:P1.2(P1.5) appeared in the Czech Republic, found to be responsible for a new epidemiological and clinical situation. The disease caused by this new clone is more serious, showing a high fatality rate (20%) and frequently an atypical clinical course. In May 1993, the highest age-specific incidence in the most affected locality was established in the age group of 15-19 years (52.1/100,000), while in the whole Czech Republic the respective figure was 2.4. A vaccination campaign focusing on the most affected age group started in this locality at the beginning of June 1993, using a polysaccharide meningococcal vaccine A+C (Mérieux). During two weeks 6191 students of the age group of 15-19 years were vaccinated, i.e. 96% of all students of this age group, 64.5% of the population 15-19 years old and 5.6% of the whole population of this locality. This age targeted vaccination prevented the spread of the meningococcal invasive disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis C in this locality. The decrease in morbidity in this locality is statistically highly significant (p < 0.001). In another affected locality, where vaccination was not age targeted and showed a very low coverage, the incidence of the invasive disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis C did not decrease. During the following period (1993-1994) the new meningococcal clone spread to all regions of the Czech Republic. Active surveillance of meningococcal invasive disease has been conducted with the aim to recognize as early as possible an emerging epidemiological indication for targeted vaccination.

[Indications for vaccination against invasive meningococcal disease in Olomouc]. / Uvaha o indikaci k ockování proti meningokokovému invazivnímu onemocnení v Olomouci.

Problems connected with the decision about indication of vaccination in connection with the increase of invasive meningococcal disease are discussed. The epidemiological situation in the Olomouc district, where a local outbreak of invasive meningococcal diseases occurred, is briefly described and factors in favour of and against the indication of vaccination are discussed.