scholarly journals Biocidal Resistance in Clinically Relevant Microbial Species: A Major Public Health Risk

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 598
Author(s):  
Elaine Meade ◽  
Mark Anthony Slattery ◽  
Mary Garvey

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest dangers to public health of the 21st century, threatening the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases globally. Disinfection, the elimination of microbial species via the application of biocidal chemicals, is essential to control infectious diseases and safeguard animal and human health. In an era of antimicrobial resistance and emerging disease, the effective application of biocidal control measures is vital to protect public health. The COVID-19 pandemic is an example of the increasing demand for effective biocidal solutions to reduce and eliminate disease transmission. However, there is increasing recognition into the relationship between biocide use and the proliferation of Antimicrobial Resistance species, particularly multidrug-resistant pathogens. The One Health approach and WHO action plan to combat AMR require active surveillance and monitoring of AMR species; however, biocidal resistance is often overlooked. ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) pathogens and numerous fungal species have demonstrated drug and biocidal resistance where increased patient mortality is a risk. Currently, there is a lack of information on the impact of biocide application on environmental habitats and ecosystems. Undoubtedly, the excessive application of disinfectants and AMR will merge to result in secondary disasters relating to soil infertility, loss of biodiversity and destruction of ecosystems.

Author(s):  
Katharina Hauck

Economics can make immensely valuable contributions to our understanding of infectious disease transmission and the design of effective policy responses. The one unique characteristic of infectious diseases makes it also particularly complicated to analyze: the fact that it is transmitted from person to person. It explains why individuals’ behavior and externalities are a central topic for the economics of infectious diseases. Many public health interventions are built on the assumption that individuals are altruistic and consider the benefits and costs of their actions to others. This would imply that even infected individuals demand prevention, which stands in conflict with the economic theory of rational behavior. Empirical evidence is conflicting for infected individuals. For healthy individuals, evidence suggests that the demand for prevention is affected by real or perceived risk of infection. However, studies are plagued by underreporting of preventive behavior and non-random selection into testing. Some empirical studies have shown that the impact of prevention interventions could be far greater than one case prevented, resulting in significant externalities. Therefore, economic evaluations need to build on dynamic transmission models in order to correctly estimate these externalities. Future research needs are significant. Economic research needs to improve our understanding of the role of human behavior in disease transmission; support the better integration of economic and epidemiological modeling, evaluation of large-scale public health interventions with quasi-experimental methods, design of optimal subsidies for tackling the global threat of antimicrobial resistance, refocusing the research agenda toward underresearched diseases; and most importantly to assure that progress translates into saved lives on the ground by advising on effective health system strengthening.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. V. Tuat ◽  
P. T. Hue ◽  
N. T. P. Loan ◽  
N. T. Thuy ◽  
L. T. Hue ◽  
...  

Antimicrobial use (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are a growing public health and economic threat in Vietnam. We conducted a pilot surveillance programme in five provinces of Vietnam, two in the south and three in the north, to identify antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in rectal swab samples from pigs and fecal samples from chickens at slaughter points during three different points in time from 2017 to 2019. Escherichia coli (E. coli) and non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using disk diffusion assay for 19 antimicrobial agents belonging to nine antimicrobial classes and Etest for colistin (polymyxin). Almost all E. coli (99%; 1029/1042) and NTS (96%; 208/216) isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent; 94% (981/1042) of E. coli and 89% (193/216) of NTS isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR). Higher proportions of E. coli and NTS isolated from chickens were resistant to all antimicrobial classes than those isolates from pigs. There was a significantly higher proportion of MDR NTS isolates from the southern provinces of Ho Chi Minh City and Long An (p = 0.008). Although there were increasing trends of NTS in proportion of resistance to fluoroquinolone over the three surveillance rounds, there was a significant decreasing trend of NTS in proportion of resistance to polymyxin (p = 0.002). It is important to establish an annual AMR surveillance program for livestock in Vietnam to assess the impact of interventions, observe trends and drive decision making that ultimately contributes to reducing AMR public health threat.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  

Abstract Europe is experiencing high volumes of migration, both within and to the region. Globally, several factors contributing to high-volume migration, ranging from economic ones (migrant workers) to forced displacement caused by conflict, persecution and climate changes (draught or other extreme weather conditions) severely affecting living conditions. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has estimated that in 2017, the number of international migrants living in Europe reached 78 million, over 10% of the European population, and that two-thirds of international migrants live in Europe or Asia. In EU countries, an estimated 22.3 million migrants are non-EU citizens (data as of 1 January 2018) and in 2017 alone, the EU has seen 2.4 million new arrivals from non-EU citizens to its Member States. Inevitably, this trend has significant implications for public health in Europe. Migration has significant implications for public health in Europe. Beyond potential pressures on healthcare systems, that can occur especially in instances of large scale rapid migration, some subgroups of migrants, particularly those forcibly displaced or those originating from countries with weak health systems (i.e. refugees, asylum seekers and irregular migrants) are particularly vulnerable and susceptible to infections. This may be due to the fact that they could come from countries with high prevalence of infectious diseases and/or low vaccine coverage. In addition, the migration journeys or substandard living conditions in overcrowded migrant centres may have increased the risk of contracting an infection. This plenary session will showcase several bridges contributing to strengthening public health functions and services in terms of migration, pinpointing the crucial importance of: public health resources and cross-sectoral cooperation: the case of the Mediterranean Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (MediPIET) building capacity in the EU enlargement and European Neighbourhood countries with particular focus on global health security; the impact of the programme on capacity building among infectious disease epidemiologists in a small country with a large influx of migrants;public health guidance: the case of guidance on screening and vaccination for infectious diseases in newly arrived migrants within the EU/EEA;public health policy and advocacy: the case of WHO Global Action Plan to promote the health of refugees and migrants;involvement of the affected population in the discussion and decision-making. The aim of this one-hour session is to stir the debate around migrant health issues and infectious diseases in the European context. The panel will start with a keynote speaker, followed by a lively expert discussion reflecting different perspectives. Key question/s addressed: How important is cross-sectoral and cross-regional cooperation in terms of migration and public health? How can we approach migration within and to Europe as a benefit for the region? Keynote speaker Sally Hargreaves Lecturer in Global Health, St George's University of London, United Kingdom Panellists Nada Ghosn Epidemiological Surveillance Unit, Ministry of Public Health, Lebanon Sally Hargreaves Imperial College London, UK Abal Moindazde France Isabel de la Mata DG SANTE, European Commission


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (F) ◽  
pp. 601-607
Author(s):  
Nor Rumaizah Mohd Nordin ◽  
Fadly Syah Arsad ◽  
Puteri Sofia Nadira Megat Kamaruddin ◽  
Muhammad Hilmi ◽  
Mohd Faizal Madrim ◽  
...  

Background   Similar to other coronaviruses, COVID-19 is transmitted mainly by droplets and is highly transmissible through close proximity or physical contact with an infected person. Countries across the globe have implemented public health control measures to prevent onwards transmission and reduce burden on health care settings. Social or physical distancing was found to be one of appropriate measure based on previous experience with epidemic and pandemic contagious diseases. This study aims to review the latest evidence of the impact of social or physical distancing implemented during COVID-19 pandemic towards COVID-19 and other related infectious disease transmission.   Methodology   The study uses PRISMA review protocol and formulation of research question was based on PICO. The selected databases include Ovid MEDLINE and Scopus. Thorough identification, screening and eligibility process were done, revealed selected 8 articles. The articles then ranked in quality through MMAT.   Results   A total of eight papers included in this analysis. Five studies (USA, Canada, South Korea and the United Kingdom) showed physical distancing had resulted in a reduction in Covid-19 transmission. In comparison, three other studies (Australia, South Korea and Finland) showed a similar decline on other infectious diseases (Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), other sexually transmitted infections (STI), Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Vaccine-Preventive Disease (VPD). The degree of the distancing policy implemented differ between strict and lenient, with both result in effectiveness in reducing transmission of infectious disease.   Conclusion   Physical or social distancing may come in the form of extreme or lenient measure in effectively containing contagious disease like COVID-19, however the stricter the measure will give more proportionate impact towards the economy, education, mental health issues, morbidity and mortality of non-COVID-19 diseases. Since we need this measure to ensure the reduction of infectious diseases transmission in order to help flattening the curve which allow much needed time for healthcare system to prepare adequately to response, ‘Precision physical distancing” can be implemented which will have more benefit towards the survival of the community as a whole.


Author(s):  
L. Vaillant ◽  
◽  
G. Birgand ◽  
M. Esposito-Farese ◽  
P. Astagneau ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Much effort has been made over the last two decades to educate and train healthcare professionals working on antimicrobial resistance in French hospitals. However, little has been done in France to assess perceptions, attitudes and knowledge regarding multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) and, more globally, these have never been evaluated in a large-scale population of medical and non-medical healthcare workers (HCWs). Our aim was to explore awareness among HCWs by evaluating their knowledge of MDROs and the associated control measures, by comparing perceptions between professional categories and by studying the impact of training and health beliefs. Methods A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted in 58 randomly selected French healthcare facilities with questionnaires including professional and demographic characteristics, and knowledge and perception of MDRO transmission and control. A knowledge score was calculated and used in a logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with higher knowledge of MDROs, and the association between knowledge and perception. Results Between June 2014 and March 2016, 8716/11,753 (participation rate, 74%) questionnaires were completed. The mean knowledge score was 4.7/8 (SD: 1.3) and 3.6/8 (SD: 1.4) in medical and non-medical HCWs, respectively. Five variables were positively associated with higher knowledge: working in a university hospital (adjusted odds ratio, 1.41, 95% CI 1.16–1.70); age classes 26–35 years (1.43, 1.23–1.6) and 36–45 years (1.19, 1.01–1.40); medical professional status (3.7, 3.09–4.44), working in an intensive care unit (1.28, 1.06–1.55), and having been trained on control of antimicrobial resistance (1.31, 1.16–1.48). After adjustment for these variables, greater knowledge was significantly associated with four cognitive factors: perceived susceptibility, attitude toward hand hygiene, self-efficacy, and motivation. Conclusions We found a low level of MDRO awareness and knowledge of associated control measures among French HCWs. Training on hand hygiene and measures to control MDRO spread may be helpful in shaping beliefs and perceptions on MDRO control among other possible associated factors. Messages should be tailored to professional status and their perception. Other approaches should be designed, with more effective methods of training and cognitive interventions. Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov NCT02265471. Registered 16 October 2014 - Retrospectively registered.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s125-s126
Author(s):  
I.K. Kouadio ◽  
T. Kamigai ◽  
O. Hitoshi

Communicable diseases represent a public health problem in developing countries, especially in those affected by disasters, and necessitate an appropriate and coordinated response from national and international partners. The importance of rapid epidemiological assessment for public health planning and resources allocation is critical. This review assesses infectious disease outbreaks during and after disasters caused by natural hazards and describes comprehensive prevention and control measures. The natural hazard event that causes a disaster does not transmit infectious diseases in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, nor do dead bodies. During the impact phase, most of the deaths are associated to blunt trauma, crush-related injuries, burns, and drowning rather than from infectious diseases. Most pathogens cannot not continue to survive in a corpse. The remaining survivors are the ones from which infectious diseases can be transmitted under appropriate conditions created by the natural disasters. Among several diseases, diarrheal diseases, leptospirosis, viral hepatitis, typhoid fever, acute respiratory infections, measles, meningitides, tuberculosis, malaria, dengue fever, and West Nile Virus commonly were described days, weeks, or months after the disaster event in areas where they are endemic. Therefore, diseases can also be imported by healthy carriers among a susceptible population. The objective of the public health intervention is to prevent and control epidemics among the disaster-affected populations. The rapid implementation of control measures should be a public health priority especially in the absence of pre-disaster surveillance data, through the re-establishment and improvement of the delivery of primary health care and restoration of affected health services. Adequate shelter and sanitation, water and food safety, appropriate surveillance, immunization and management approaches, as well health education will be strongly required for the reduction of morbidity and mortality.


2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-231
Author(s):  
Anil Reddy ◽  
Shankar Gouda Patil ◽  
Raghunath Puttaiah

ABSTRACT Dentistry, predominantly a surgical field with frequent exposure to blood and body fluids, is a high-risk occupation with respect to occupationally acquiring infectious diseases. On the same note, patients are also at risk of being infected, if adequate infection control measures are not strictly followed. Traditionally, based on the routes of disease transmission, we can categorize diseases that are bloodborne, airborne and also through fomites. Within these traditional categories also fall the new and emerging diseases that have had serious public health consequences of morbidity and mortality. As a health care provider, dentists must understand the impact of these diseases, and strictly implement practical disease control measures during provision of dental care and reduce the spread within the clinical arena. Common diseases of public health concern that need to be addressed are bloodborne diseases, such as hepatitis A, E, B, C, D and G, HIV; respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis, influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), AH1N1 influenza and immunizable childhood diseases. Apart from infection control measures, we must implement public health policy measures, such as immunization of current and prospective health care personnel (students in the dental profession) against immunizable diseases, utilize disease screening measures, postexposure disease control measures and utilize standard and additional precautions, the latter as required in certain instances.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Roberts ◽  
Euzebiusz Jamrozik ◽  
George S. Heriot ◽  
Michael J. Selgelid ◽  
Joel C. Miller

AbstractCompliance with infectious disease control measures can benefit public health but be burdensome for individuals. This raises ethical questions regarding the value of the public health benefit created by individual and collective compliance. Answering such questions requires estimating the total benefit from an individual’s compliance, and how much of that benefit is experienced by others. This is complicated by “overdetermination” in infectious disease transmission: each susceptible person may have contact with more than one infectious individual, such that preventing one transmission may have no net effect if the same susceptible person is infected later. This article explores mathematical techniques enabling quantification of the impacts of individuals and groups complying with three types of public health measures: quarantine of arrivals, isolation of infected individuals, and vaccination/prophylaxis. The models presented suggest that these interventions all exhibit synergy: each intervention becomes more effective on a per-individual basis as the number complying increases, because overdetermination of outcomes is reduced, Thus additional compliance reduces transmission to a greater degree.


Author(s):  
Markus Frischhut

This chapter discusses the most important features of EU law on infectious diseases. Communicable diseases not only cross borders, they also often require measures that cross different areas of policy because of different vectors for disease transmission. The relevant EU law cannot be attributed to one sectoral policy only, and thus various EU agencies participate in protecting public health. The key agency is the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Other important agencies include the European Environment Agency; European Food Safety Authority; and the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency. However, while integration at the EU level has facilitated protection of the public's health, it also has created potential conflicts among the different objectives of the European Union. The internal market promotes the free movement of products, but public health measures can require restrictions of trade. Other conflicts can arise if protective public health measures conflict with individual human rights. The chapter then considers risk assessment and the different tools of risk management used in dealing with the challenges of infectious diseases. It also turns to the external and ethical perspective and the role the European Union takes in global health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Zhu ◽  
Blanca Gallego

AbstractEpidemic models are being used by governments to inform public health strategies to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2. They simulate potential scenarios by manipulating model parameters that control processes of disease transmission and recovery. However, the validity of these parameters is challenged by the uncertainty of the impact of public health interventions on disease transmission, and the forecasting accuracy of these models is rarely investigated during an outbreak. We fitted a stochastic transmission model on reported cases, recoveries and deaths associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection across 101 countries. The dynamics of disease transmission was represented in terms of the daily effective reproduction number ($$R_t$$ R t ). The relationship between public health interventions and $$R_t$$ R t was explored, firstly using a hierarchical clustering algorithm on initial $$R_t$$ R t patterns, and secondly computing the time-lagged cross correlation among the daily number of policies implemented, $$R_t$$ R t , and daily incidence counts in subsequent months. The impact of updating $$R_t$$ R t every time a prediction is made on the forecasting accuracy of the model was investigated. We identified 5 groups of countries with distinct transmission patterns during the first 6 months of the pandemic. Early adoption of social distancing measures and a shorter gap between interventions were associated with a reduction on the duration of outbreaks. The lagged correlation analysis revealed that increased policy volume was associated with lower future $$R_t$$ R t (75 days lag), while a lower $$R_t$$ R t was associated with lower future policy volume (102 days lag). Lastly, the outbreak prediction accuracy of the model using dynamically updated $$R_t$$ R t produced an average AUROC of 0.72 (0.708, 0.723) compared to 0.56 (0.555, 0.568) when $$R_t$$ R t was kept constant. Monitoring the evolution of $$R_t$$ R t during an epidemic is an important complementary piece of information to reported daily counts, recoveries and deaths, since it provides an early signal of the efficacy of containment measures. Using updated $$R_t$$ R t values produces significantly better predictions of future outbreaks. Our results found variation in the effect of early public health interventions on the evolution of $$R_t$$ R t over time and across countries, which could not be explained solely by the timing and number of the adopted interventions.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document