Search

We investigated and compared current national vaccination policies for health-care personnel (HCP) in Europe with results from our previous survey. Data from 36 European countries were collected using the same methodology as in 2011. National policies for HCP immunization were in place in all countries. There were significant differences in terms of number of vaccinations, target HCP and healthcare settings, and implementation regulations (recommended or mandatory vaccinations). Vaccination policies against hepatitis B and seasonal influenza were present in 35 countries each. Policies for vaccination of HCP against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella existed in 28, 24, 25 and 19 countries, respectively; and against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis and poliomyelitis in 21, 20, 19, and 18 countries, respectively. Recommendations for hepatitis A immunization existed in 17 countries, and against meningococcus B, meningococcus C, meningococcus A, C, W, Y, and tuberculosis in 10, 8, 17, and 7 countries, respectively. Mandatory vaccination policies were found in 13 countries and were a pre-requisite for employment in ten. Comparing the vaccination programs of the 30 European countries that participated in the 2011 survey, we found that more countries had national vaccination policies against measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis A, diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, pertussis, meningococcus C and/or meningococcus A, C, W, Y; and more of these implemented mandatory vaccination policies for HCP. In conclusion, European countries now have more comprehensive national vaccination programs for HCP, however there are still gaps. Given the recent large outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in Europe and the occupational risk for HCP, vaccination policies need to be expanded and strengthened in several European countries. Overall, vaccination policies for HCP in Europe should be periodically re-evaluated in order to provide optimal protection against vaccine-preventable diseases and infection control within healthcare facilities for HCP and patients. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd

BackgroundThe Global Influenza Hospital Surveillance Network is an international platform whose primary objective is to study severe cases of influenza requiring hospitalization.MethodsDuring the 2015-2016 influenza season, 11 sites in the Global Influenza Hospital Surveillance Network in nine countries (Russian Federation, Czech Republic, Turkey, France, China, Spain, Mexico, India, and Brazil) participated in a prospective, active-surveillance, hospital-based epidemiological study. Influenza infection was confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) against laboratory-confirmed influenza was estimated using a test-negative approach.Results9882 patients with laboratory results were included of which 2415 (24.4%) were positive for influenza, including 1415 (14.3%) for A(H1N1)pdm09, 235 (2.4%) for A(H3N2), 180 (1.8%) for A not subtyped, 45 (0.5%) for B/Yamagata-lineage, 532 (5.4%) for B/Victoria-lineage, and 33 (0.3%) for B not subtyped. Of included admissions, 39% were

BackgroundThe Global Influenza Hospital Surveillance Network (GIHSN) aims to determine the burden of severe influenza disease and Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness (IVE). This is a prospective, active surveillance and hospital-based epidemiological study to collect epidemiological data in the GIHSN. In the 2016-2017 influenza season, 15 sites in 14 countries participated in the GIHSN, although the analyses could not be performed in 2 sites. A common core protocol was used in order to make results comparable. Here we present the results of the GIHSN 2016-2017 influenza season.MethodsA RT-PCR test was performed to all patients that accomplished the requirements detailed on a common core protocol. Patients admitted were included in the study after signing the informed consent, if they were residents, not institutionalised, not discharged in the previous 30days from other hospitalisation with symptoms onset within the 7days prior to admission. Patients 5years old or more must also complied the Influenza-Like Illness definition. A test negative-design was implemented to perform IVE analysis. IVE was estimated using a logistic regression model, with the formula IVE=(1-aOR)x100, where aOR is the adjusted Odds Ratio comparing cases and controls.ResultsAmong 21,967 screened patients, 10,140 (46.16%) were included, as they accomplished the inclusion criteria, and tested, and therefore 11,827 (53.84%) patients were excluded. Around 60% of all patients included with laboratory results were recruited at 3 sites. The predominant strain was A(H3N2), detected in 63.6% of the cases (1840 patients), followed by B/Victoria, in 21.3% of the cases (618 patients). There were 2895 influenza positive patients (28.6% of the included patients). A(H1N1)pdm09 strain was mainly found in Mexico. IVE could only be performed in 6 sites separately. Overall IVE was 27.24 (95% CI 15.62-37.27. Vaccination seemed to confer better protection against influenza B and in people 2-4years, or 85years old or older. The aOR for hospitalized and testing positive for influenza was 3.02 (95% CI 1.59-5.76) comparing pregnant with non-pregnant women.ConclusionsVaccination prevented around 1 in 4 hospitalisations with influenza. Sparse numbers didn't allow estimating IVE in all sites separately. Pregnancy was found a risk factor for influenza, having 3 times more risk of being admitted with influenza for pregnant women.

WHO European Region Influenza Network: P.Conde, I. Costa, P. Crostovão, R. Guiomar, B. Nunes, P.Pechirra, A. Rodrigues (Portugal) BACKGROUND: Countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region are reporting more severe influenza activity in the 2015-2016 season compared to previous seasons. OBJECTIVES: To conduct a rapid risk assessment to provide interim information on the severity of the current influenza season METHODS: Using the WHO manual for rapid risk assessment of acute public health events and surveillance data available from Flu News Europe, an assessment of the current influenza season from 28 September 2015 (week 40/2015) up to 31 January 2016 (week 04/2016) was made compared with the 4 previous seasons. RESULTS: The current influenza season started around week 51/2015 with higher influenza activity reported in eastern Europe compared to Western Europe. There is a strong predominance of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 compared to previous seasons, but the virus is antigenically similar to the strain included in the seasonal influenza vaccine. Compared to the 2014/2015 season, there was a rapid increase in the number of severe cases in eastern European countries with the majority of such cases occurring among adults aged

Plant life management needs a reliable estimation of radiation field parameters, including their uncertainty, to avoid the use of conservative approaches. The particular objectives of the REDOS project are the improvements of the RPV monitoring, the improvement of the neutron – gamma calculation methodologies through the LR-0 engineering benchmarks for WWER-1000 and WWER-440, and the accurate determination of radiation field parameters in the vicinity and over the thickness of the RPV. This paper is mainly devoted to the comparison and analysis of the experimental and calculated LR-0 data (WP-3). The LR-0 benchmark data consist of neutron spectra (WWER-440 Mock-ups) and neutron + photon spectra (WWER-1000 Mock-up) in several points from the barrel simulator to the outer surface of RPV and evaluated integral fluxes, space – energy indices, like the spectral indices and attenuation factors in measuring points.

The REDOS project aims to improve reactor dosimetry for radiation embrittlement monitoring of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. Benchmarking, as well as combined experimental and computational techniques, have been used. Specific objectives were the improvement of the neutron-gamma calculation methodologies through the LR-0 engineering benchmarks for WWER-1000 and WWER-440 reactor types, and the accurate determination of radiation field parameters in the vicinity and over the thickness of the RPV. A review of the available experimental reactor dosimetry data of Kozloduy Units 1, 4, 5 was performed, and attenuation coefficients through the vessel wall were calculated. Existing data for the WWER-440 and WWER-1000 Mock-ups were reviewed and the preparatory work for subsequent measurement and experimental data analysis was carried out. Measurements of the space-energy distribution of the mixed neutron-gamma field in the WWER-1000 model over the RPV simulator were performed. The most important improvements in the experimental techniques used were the multiparameter spectrometer and a new low noise precise monitoring system in the LR-0 research reactor, developed for this type of measurements. For the WWER-1000 Mock-up and the two WWER-440 Mock-ups and for all positions, where measurements had been performed, neutron-gamma transport calculations were carried out independently by the participants using deterministic and/or stochastic codes and associated nuclear data libraries, mostly based on ENDF/BVI. The calculated neutron and gamma flux integrals, DPA-rates and spectra were compared with each other and with experimental values. Seven institutions from 5 countries (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary and Spain) delivered calculation results for the WWER-1000 Mock-up, six institutions from 4 countries performed calculations for one or both WWER-440 Mock-ups. More than eight different calculational schemes were used, covering the most important methods used for pressure vessel dosimetry and shielding. The codes used were the stochastic codes MCNP and TRAMO and the deterministic codes ANISN/DORT and TORT. They were associated with different data libraries and data preparation schemes. The BUGLE 47n/20g group structure was used for comparisons of calculated spectra as well as for comparison with experimental spectra. Results of RPV attenuation calculations for WWER-440s and WWER-1000s were obtained. A comparison between Western and Eastern attenuation determination approaches was carried out. The neutron/fluence (E>0.5 MeV) wall attenuation for WWER-440 and WWER-1000 RPVs is slower than the dpa attenuation. This means that fluence above 0.5 MeV is more conservative approach than the use of dpa. Another task performed was the application/extrapolation of the WWER mock-ups results to power reactors. The attenuation through the RPV of the neutron flux/fluence with energy above 0.5 MeV was determined. The relative difference value does not exceed 10% for WWER-440. The relative difference value does not exceed 10% for WWER-1000 too, except at the position behind the RPV wall.