The objective of this study was to examine temporal and regional variations of sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (sCJD) in a retrospective study using Japanese national surveillance data from 2001 to 2010. We calculated the incidence of sCJD by age and sex, derived the standardized incidence in each of the 47 prefectures, and performed spatial disease clustering analysis. The average annual incidence of sCJD was 1·026 per million in men (637 patients) and 1·132 per million in women (733 patients), a significant sex difference after adjustment for age (P = 0·001). The ratios of familial CJD to sCJD apparently increased between 2001–2005 and 2006–2010, possibly as a result of the nationwide introduction of genetic testing after 2006. Based on the data of 2006–2010, certain geographical clusters of sCJD were identified. The incidence of sCJD was higher in several specific prefectures compared to the national average. Thus, sCJD appears to have regional variations, suggesting the existence of genetic or region-specific factors affecting the incidence of the disease.

We analysed data from a prospective cohort of 255024 adults aged ⩾45 years recruited from 2006–2009 to identify characteristics associated with a zoster diagnosis. Diagnoses were identified by linkage to pharmaceutical treatment and hospitalization records specific for zoster and hazard ratios were estimated. Over 940583 person-years, 7771 participants had a zoster diagnosis; 253 (3·3%) were hospitalized. After adjusting for age and other factors, characteristics associated with zoster diagnoses included: having a recent immunosuppressive condition [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1·58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·32–1·88], female sex (aHR 1·36, 95% CI 1·30–1·43), recent cancer diagnosis (aHR 1·35, 95% CI 1·24–1·46), and severe physical limitation vs. none (aHR 1·33, 95% CI 1·23–1·43). The relative risk of hospitalization for zoster was higher for those with an immunosuppressive condition (aHR 3·78, 95% CI 2·18–6·55), those with cancer (aHR 1·78, 95% CI 1·24–2·56) or with severe physical limitations (aHR 2·50, 95% CI 1·56–4·01). The novel finding of an increased risk of zoster diagnoses and hospitalizations in those with physical limitations should prompt evaluation of the use of zoster vaccine in this population.

The emergence of invasive fungal wound infections (IFIs) in combat casualties led to development of a combat trauma-specific IFI case definition and classification. Prospective data were collected from 1133 US military personnel injured in Afghanistan (June 2009–August 2011). The IFI rates ranged from 0·2% to 11·7% among ward and intensive care unit admissions, respectively (6·8% overall). Seventy-seven IFI cases were classified as proven/probable (n = 54) and possible/unclassifiable (n = 23) and compared in a case-case analysis. There was no difference in clinical characteristics between the proven/probable and possible/unclassifiable cases. Possible IFI cases had shorter time to diagnosis (P = 0·02) and initiation of antifungal therapy (P = 0·05) and fewer operative visits (P = 0·002) compared to proven/probable cases, but clinical outcomes were similar between the groups. Although the trauma-related IFI classification scheme did not provide prognostic information, it is an effective tool for clinical and epidemiological surveillance and research.

Balamuthia mandrillaris is an emerging cause of encephalitis in humans. The transmission dynamics are poorly understood due to the high fatality rate and the sporadic nature of cases. Seventy-two soil samples were collected from beaches and the banks of lagoons, rivers, ponds, mineral springs and streams from across Jamaica and assayed for the presence of B. mandrillaris. Seventy-nine sites were sampled and the mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene of B. mandrillaris was amplified and sequenced to confirm the presence of the amoeba. One isolate of B. mandrillaris was recovered from soil from mineral spring which hosts an informal therapeutic mud bath business. Although B. mandrillaris is less frequently isolated from soil than other free-living amoebae, rubbing mud containing the organism onto the skin increases the likelihood of exposure and infection. This first report on the isolation of B. mandrillaris in the Caribbean and its presence in soil where human contact is likely warrants further investigation using serological methods to elucidate exposure patterns.

China has recently experienced a marked increase in the incidence of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). Effective spatio-temporal monitoring of HFMD incidence is important for successful implementation of control and prevention measures. This study monitored county-level HFMD reported incidence rates for Sichuan province, China by examining spatio-temporal patterns. County-level data on HFMD daily cases between January 2008 and December 2013 were obtained from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. We first conducted purely temporal and purely spatial descriptive analyses to characterize the distribution patterns of HFMD. Then, the global Moran's I statistic and space–time scan statistic were used to detect the spatial autocorrelation and identify the high-risk clusters in each year, respectively. A total of 212267 HFMD cases were reported in Sichuan province during the study period (annual average incidence 43·65/100000), and the incidence seasonal peak was between April and July. Relatively high incidence rates appeared in the northeastern–southwestern belt. HFMD had positive spatial autocorrelation at the county level with global Moran's I increasing from 0·27 to 0·52 (P < 0·001). Spatio-temporal cluster analysis detected six most-likely clusters and several secondary clusters from 2008 to 2013. The centres of the six most-likely clusters were all located in the provincial capital city Chengdu. Chengdu and its neighbouring cities had always been spatio-temporal clusters, which indicated the need for further intensive space–time surveillance. Allocating more resources to these areas at suitable times might help to reduce HFMD incidence more effectively.

Prevention and control of leptospirosis are based on the knowledge of locally circulating strains. Thus, efforts to obtain local isolates are paramount to the epidemiological understanding of leptospirosis. We report and discuss here the first isolation of members of serogroups Autumnalis and Panama from cattle, both belonging to Leptospira noguchii species. Urine samples (n = 167) were collected directly by puncture of the bladder from randomly selected cows from a slaughterhouse in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for bacteriological culture. Isolates were characterized by serogrouping and sequencing (rrs and secY genes). Overall, 10/167 positive urine samples (6%) were obtained. Sequencing of amplicons targeting for both rrs and secY genes identified two of them (2013_U73 and 2013_U232) as L. noguchii. Serogrouping of those strains indicated that 2013_U73 belonged to the Panama serogroup (titre 1600), and 2013_U232 to the Autumnalis serogroup (titre 12800). Both Panama and Autumnalis are known agents of incidental leptospirosis in cattle. This group of leptospires could be particularly important in tropical countries. This is the first report of members of serogroups Autumnalis and Panama belonging to L. noguchii species from cattle. Although related to previously reported strains, these isolates have been shown to be genetically diverse from them.

A longitudinal study of nasal colonization and hand contamination of food handlers with Staphylococcus aureus commenced in 2002 prior to the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome. In the follow-up in 2003 when hygiene measures were strictly implemented, significant reductions in carriage were observed. To investigate if this change was sustained, nasal and hand carriage rates were compared between the earlier studies and a further sampling in 2011. The initial nasal carriage rate was 35% and hand contamination 41·2%, decreasing to 23·5% and 11·6%, respectively in 2003 (P < 0·001). In 2011, nasal carriage was similar to 2003 (22·9%), while hand contamination dropped further to 3·7% (P < 0·001). Spa-typing revealed 39 types in 2002 and 42 in 2011. This study reveals that the marked reduction in colonization had been sustained. This may be attributed to reduced opportunities for spread due to enhanced hygiene and reinforces its importance for control of disease.

Dengue is regarded as the most important arboviral disease. Although sporadic cases have been reported, serotypes responsible for outbreaks have not been identified from central India over the last 20 years. We investigated two outbreaks of febrile illness, in August and November 2012, from Korea district (Chhattisgarh) and Narsinghpur district (Madhya Pradesh), respectively. Fever and entomological surveys were conducted in the affected regions. Molecular and serological tests were conducted on collected serum samples. Dengue-specific amplicons were sequenced and phylogenetic analyses were performed. In Korea and Narsinghpur districts 37·3% and 59% of cases were positive, respectively, for dengue infection, with adults being the worst affected. RT–PCR confirmed dengue virus serotype 1 genotype III as the aetiology. Ninety-six percent of infections were primary. This is the first time that dengue virus 1 outbreaks have been documented from central India. Introduction of the virus into the population and a conducive mosquitogenic environment favouring increased vector density caused the outbreak. Timely diagnosis and strengthening vector control measures are essential to avoid future outbreaks.

An observational study was conducted to describe the epidemiology of bacteriuria and candiduria in the intensive care unit (ICU), and the occurrence of blood stream infection (BSI) associated with ICU-acquired positive urine culture. Between 2006 and 2011, 444 episodes of either bacteriuria or candiduria defined by positive urine culture (microorganisms ⩾105 c.f.u./ml) occurred in 406 patients. Three hundred and seventy-seven (85%) were hospital-acquired including 221 which were ICU-acquired (6·4 ± 0·8 episodes/1000 ICU days). Escherichia coli was the most common bacteria of both community- and ICU-acquired bacteriuria/candiduria (49·2% and 29%, respectively). Candida spp. represented 55% (129/236) of pathogens responsible for ICU-acquired positive urine cultures. Patients with ICU-acquired candiduria had greater illness severity at ICU admission than those with ICU-acquired bacteriuria (APACHE III score 79 ± 25 vs. 66 ± 31, P = 0·0015). BSI associated with ICU-acquired positive urine culture occurred in 0·15/1000 ICU days and was more often due to Candida. In this study, Candida was the most common pathogen responsible for ICU-acquired positive urine cultures and illness severity was a risk factor for candiduria in the study population.

This paper reports the first detection of Borrelia miyamotoi in UK Ixodes ricinus ticks. It also reports on the presence and infection rates of I. ricinus for a number of other tick-borne pathogens of public health importance. Ticks from seven regions in southern England were screened for B. miyamotoi, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Neoehrlichia mikurensis using qPCR. A total of 954 I. ricinus ticks were tested, 40 were positive for B. burgdorferi s.l., 22 positive for A. phagocytophilum and three positive for B. miyamotoi, with no N. mikurensis detected. The three positive B. miyamotoi ticks came from three geographically distinct areas, suggesting a widespread distribution, and from two separate years, suggesting some degree of endemicity. Understanding the prevalence of Borrelia and other tick-borne pathogens in ticks is crucial for locating high-risk areas of disease transmission.

Socioeconomic conditions and health of the Roma population, the most numerous minority in Europe, are worse than that of the non-Roma population. Information about the occurrence of human toxocarosis and other parasitic diseases in the Roma population is scarce or completely missing. The aim of this study was to map the seroprevalence of toxocarosis in the population living in segregated Roma settlements and to compare the data with the occurrence of antibodies in the non-Roma population of Eastern Slovakia. The seropositivity to Toxocara in 429 examined Roma inhabitants of segregated settlements reached 22·1%, while only 4/394 samples of the non-Roma population were found to be positive (odds ratio 27·7, P < 0·0001). Headache, muscle pain, influenza-like symptoms and diarrhoea occurred significantly more often in seropositive persons than in seronegative individuals. In the Roma population positivity was not influenced by gender, level of education and poverty, but age, lack of sanitary facilities and heating with wood significantly increased the risk of infection. It can be assumed that besides the high prevalence of toxocarosis, other parasitic diseases and communicable diseases will also be more prevalent in the Roma population living in segregated settlements.

Annual periodicities of reported chickenpox cases have been observed in several countries. Of these, Japan has reported a two-peaked, bimodal annual cycle of reported chickenpox cases. This study investigated the possible underlying association of the bimodal cycle observed in the surveillance data of reported chickenpox cases with the meteorological factors of temperature, relative humidity and rainfall. A time-series analysis consisting of the maximum entropy method spectral analysis and the least squares method was applied to the chickenpox data and meteorological data of 47 prefectures in Japan. In all of the power spectral densities for the 47 prefectures, the spectral lines were observed at the frequency positions corresponding to the 1-year and 6-month cycles. The optimum least squares fitting (LSF) curves calculated with the 1-year and 6-month cycles explained the underlying variation of the chickenpox data. The LSF curves reproduced the bimodal and unimodal cycles that were clearly observed in northern and southern Japan, respectively. The data suggest that the second peaks in the bimodal cycles in the reported chickenpox cases in Japan occurred at a temperature of approximately 8·5 °C.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is endemic in the southeast of Iran. This study aimed to predict the incidence of CCHF and its related factors and explore the possibility of developing an empirical forecast system using time-series analysis of 13 years’ data. Data from 2000 to 2012 were obtained from the Health Centre of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Climate Organization and the Veterinary Organization in the southeast of Iran. Seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) and Markov switching models (MSM) were performed to examine the potential related factors of CCHF outbreaks. These models showed that the mean temperature (°C), accumulated rainfall (mm), maximum relative humidity (%) and legal livestock importation from Pakistan (LIP) were significantly correlated with monthly incidence of CCHF in different lags (P < 0·05). The modelling fitness was checked with data from 2013. Model assessments indicated that the MSM had better predictive ability than the SARIMA model [MSM: root mean square error (RMSE) 0·625, Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) 266·33; SARIMA: RMSE 0·725, AIC 278·8]. This study shows the potential of climate indicators and LIP as predictive factors in modelling the occurrence of CCHF. Our results suggest that MSM provides more information on outbreak detection and can be a better predictive model compared to a SARIMA model for evaluation of the relationship between explanatory variables and the incidence of CCHF.

Scabies is an important public health problem in residential care homes. Delayed diagnosis contributes to outbreaks, which may be prolonged and difficult to control. We investigated factors influencing outbreak recognition, diagnosis and treatment, and staff experiences of outbreak control, identifying areas for intervention. We carried out a semi-structured survey of managers, affected residents and staff of seven care homes reporting suspected scabies outbreaks in southern England over a 6-month period. Attack rates ranged from 2% to 50%, and most cases had dementia (37/39, 95%). Cases were diagnosed clinically by GPs (59%) or home staff (41%), none by dermatologists. Most outbreaks were attributable to avoidably late diagnosis of the index case. Participants reported considerable challenges in managing scabies outbreaks, including late diagnosis and recognition of outbreaks; logistically difficult mass treatment; distressing treatment processes and high costs. This study demonstrates the need for improved support for care homes in detecting and managing these outbreaks.

It is important to assess the suitability of sentinel sites for human disease; however, there have been few publications documenting the process of formal evaluation. We describe an approach to examining the representativeness of a single sentinel site employed for campylobacteriosis surveillance and source attribution, utilizing a selection of data sources and statistical comparisons of demographic, epidemiological and pathogen genotyping data across selected regions of New Zealand. Our findings showed that while this region captured the national variability in many variables, for example by containing sizable urban and rural populations, the relative frequency of these features did vary from other regions of New Zealand. We discuss the value of choosing a sentinel site that represents the national distribution of key variables, compared to a site that captures the broad features of the wider population, but provides greater power for the monitoring of sub-populations.

System dynamics approach offers great potential for addressing how intervention policies can affect the spread of emerging infectious diseases in complex and highly networked systems. Here, we develop a model that explains the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) epidemic that occurred in Hong Kong in 2003. The dynamic model developed with system dynamics methodology included 23 variables (five states, four flows, eight auxiliary variables, six parameters), five differential equations and 12 algebraic equations. The parameters were optimized following an iterative process of simulation to fit the real data from the epidemics. Univariate and multivariate sensitivity analyses were performed to determine the reliability of the model. In addition, we discuss how further testing using this model can inform community interventions to reduce the risk in current and future outbreaks, such as the recently Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) epidemic.