Search

Between 28 March and 2 April 2023, a total of 135 persons (52 males and 83 females) aged between 2 and 79 years contracted acute gastroenteritis after consuming food, out of a total of 339 exposed persons (339 servings dispensed). The attack rate was 39.82%. The course of the infection was moderate to severe with a duration of up to several days, and a total of 8 persons were hospitalized in health care facilities, while dozens of other persons were treated as outpatients. A total of 102 biological material samples and 51 food and environmental samples were taken in this case. Concurrently, multiple epidemiological investigations were also carried out and close cooperation was maintained, in particular with the Division of Food Hygiene. The laboratory results of bacteriological testing of the collected biological materials (rectal swabs) were positive for Salmonella Thompson in 99 cases, and positivity was confirmed 3 times in food and environmental samples. Finally, it was confirmed that the S. Thompson strains from the collected samples formed a uniquely identifiable cluster, namely an isolated cluster of genetically related isolates that was found only in the Czech Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One Health is a science-based holistic concept that recognises the close link between human, animal and environmental health and has many benefits. For successful implementation, it requires a multi-sectoral, multidisciplinary approach at the local, national and global levels. It is associated with many challenges, such as overcoming reluctance from individual scientific disciplines, insufficient harmonisation of terminology, priorities and concepts across disciplines and sectors and many uncertainties to be assessed and inputs for activities to be identified. Other challenges include problematic assessment of cost-benefit ratios as there are few comparable measures, imbalances between sectors in capacity, resource and capacity allocation, legal or other structural barriers to cooperation and comprehensive holistic solutions that can be difficult to sell politically and may require creation of new systems and capacities (even with costs). Despite the many challenges it poses, it is a solution for effective risk management not only for human health, but also for animal health and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global reports of infectious diseases show that measles, tuberculosis, HIV, syphilis, cholera, a persistently high incidence of malaria and other transmissible diseases continue to occur periodically, often accompanied by an increase in the number of affected people. Moreover, new infectious diseases are emerging whose aetiology has not been reliably identified or have been considered non-pathogenic to humans. The current pandemic of Covid-19 caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has highlighted the necessity of redirecting biomedical research to early diagnosis and rational therapy of respiratory viruses in particular, as well as prevention of their spread by conventional means: limitation of direct contact among persons, protection by masks, hand hygiene, testing and tracing and quarantine of positively tested persons and their contacts. Ensuring the rapid development of safe and effective vaccines by means of the latest findings of contemporary biomedicine, including that of molecular-genomic technologies (sequencing the SARS-CoV-2 genome) is essential, in the hope that the newly constructed vaccines will, after inevitable modifications, be equally effective against genetic variants of the virus elicited by its expected mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAME) occurred in Ústí nad Labem in the first half of the 1960s, where in total 16 young people (age 8 - 25) died in four clusters. Common exposure was swimming in one artificial swimming pool. Various bacteria were originally suspected as the causative infectious agent, but the true pathogen was identified not until 2 years after the outbreak. The reservoir of amoebas (cavern behind the front wall of the pool) was found even later - after another 11 years. It was not only the worst Czech outbreak relating to bathing waters in modern history, but also a unique event from a worldwide perspective due to the extent of the outbreak and also the environment of infection. Finally two additional sporadic cases of PAME in the Czech Republic are mentioned as well as the work of parasitologist Lubor Červa, who had the greatest merit in elucidating the cause of the outbreak. The purpose of this paper is to recall this extraordinary event, which is remembered by few people nowadays and some false notions are circulating. The risk of PAME may be still topical under certain conditions in the Czech Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It is a worldwide spread disease occurring especially in countries with a low vaccination level, that means developing countries in particular, from which it can be spread further. In developed countries cases of measles are mostly imported; an equally important group of infections, however, is the circulation of the virus in specific social groups rejecting vaccination (e.g.religious reasons, as a result of disinformation, consequence of an alternative lifestyle). In recent years, the incidence of measles is increasing in Europe, especially in Ukraine, Romania, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, and other countries. Deaths due to measles were also recorded. Consistent vaccination of the whole population based on a valid vaccination scheme is the most important measure to prevent measles occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]