ABSTRACT
We investigated an increase of human cases of Salmonella Enteritidis occurring from August until November 2010 in Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany involving an estimated three hundred laboratory confirmed cases. Molecular typing indicated that the increase in Luxembourg and Belgium was due a particular strain having phage type 14b, MLVA pattern 4-7-3-13-10-2-2 and fully susceptible to the Enternet panel of antibiotics. MLVA and phage typing were found to have similar discriminatory power on a collection of 40 Belgian and Luxembourg strains isolated during 2010. Epidemiological investigations in Luxembourg suggested eggs as a possible source for some cases, although supermarket eggs tested were negative. No other EU countries observed a substantial increase of cases, although three smaller outbreaks in Germany were also due to a strain with the same phage type and MLVA pattern. In 2010 the EU directive banning battery cages came into force in Germany followed by a dioxin food scare incident. Given that the EU Laying Hens Directive will come into force across all Member States in 2012, a closer monitoring of Salmonella contamination of imported eggs at retail and wholesale level is recommended.
Subject(s)
Bacteriophage Typing , Salmonella Infections/epidemiology , Salmonella Infections/microbiology , Salmonella Phages/classification , Salmonella enteritidis/virology , Bacteriophage Typing/methods , Belgium , Disease Outbreaks , Eggs/microbiology , Food Microbiology , Germany , Humans , Luxembourg , Minisatellite Repeats , Salmonella Food Poisoning/epidemiology , Salmonella Food Poisoning/microbiology , Salmonella Phages/genetics , Salmonella enteritidis/classification , Salmonella enteritidis/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
The genetic diversity of norovirus strains obtained from gastroenteritis outbreaks, sporadic case surveillance and wastewater plants was compared in Luxembourg from October 2008 until June 2009. Except for GI.6 and GIV.1 strains detected exclusively in wastewater, all other genotypes were also found in human samples. Of the nine NoV genotypes detected, only three (GII.4, GIIb/II.3 and GIIc/II.12) were associated with institutional outbreaks. The majority of sequences from all sources belonged to genotype GII.4, including two potentially new sub-variants. Strains collected in the context of outbreaks may significantly under-represent the overall genetic diversity of NoVs circulating in a country.
Subject(s)
Caliciviridae Infections/epidemiology , Disease Outbreaks , Gastroenteritis/epidemiology , Genetic Variation , Norovirus/genetics , Water Microbiology , Aged , Caliciviridae Infections/microbiology , Child , Child Day Care Centers/statistics & numerical data , Child, Preschool , Gastroenteritis/microbiology , Genotype , Geriatrics , Hospital Units/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Luxembourg/epidemiology , Molecular Epidemiology , Norovirus/classification , Norovirus/isolation & purification , Nursing Homes/statistics & numerical data , Population Surveillance/methods , Waste Disposal, Fluid/methodsABSTRACT
In the last quarter of 2008, an outbreak of mumps occurred in Luxembourg affecting initially 10 young adults at a military centre. Following a mass vaccination campaign, no further clinical cases were observed. 90% of 136 vaccine recipients were IgG positive one month after vaccination compared to 54% before vaccination. Until 31 December 2008, 19 mumps cases were also reported from the community. The outbreak strain belonged to genogroup G.
