Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Gateway

Polio eradication and routine immunization

Routine polio immunization coverage in Uttar Pradesh has increased concurrently with intensive polio eradication activities, suggesting that polio eradication efforts do not interfere with routine immunization, and that targeted health communications can improve routine immunization performance.

Epidemiology and molecular virology of Schmallenberg virus

Schmallenberg virus (SBV) emerged in 2011 as a new livestock disease, causing late abortion or birth defects in cattle, goats and sheep. Virginie Doceul and colleagues review the emergence, epidemiology, clinical signs and molecular virology of SBV.

Survey of mosquito-borne viruses in Kenya

This survey of almost half a million mosquitoes over 5 years in Kenya identified 83 different viruses including alphavirus, flavivirus and orthobunyavirus species that cause human and animal disease, adding greatly to our understanding of arbovirus ecology in this region.

Patterns of respiratory infection in China

A study of respiratory disease in Zhuhai, China, found seasonal patterns of influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and human metapneumovirus as well as correlations between some viruses with air temperature or air humidity.

Depression linked to C.difficile infection

The risk of Clostridium difficile infection is increased in adults with depression and in those taking antidepressants during hospitalization, indicating that physicians should be aware of the elevated infection risk in these patients.

Cysteine proteases show Toxoplasma vaccine promise

Mice immunized with the Toxoplasma gondii cysteine proteases cathepsin B-like (TgCPB) and cathepsin L-like (TgCPL) show strong humoral and cellular immune responses and are protected against subsequent infection with tachyzoites of the virulent RH strain.

The risks of H7N9 infection mapped

In view of the rapid geographic spread and increased number of confirmed cases of novel influenza A(H7N9) virus infections in eastern China, this study develops a model to characterize the impacts of bird migration and poultry distribution on the geographic spread of the infection.

Unusual mechanism for influenza virulence

A virulent outbreak of H7N3 avian influenza in Mexican chickens was due to a virus that acquired its multi-basic cleavage site from host 28S rRNA, the first time this has been observed in nature.

Outbreak genomics

Mark Pallen and co-authors review advances in applying high-throughput sequencing approaches for outbreak investigation (focusing on bacterial infections), and discuss the implications for clinical microbiology.

Targeted RV vaccination is cost-effective

When compared with universal rotavirus (RV) vaccination, targeted vaccination of high-risk children is highly cost-effective in the Netherlands, suggesting that targeted strategies should be used to reduce RV hospitalizations in Europe.