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Abstract Background Although vaccination has been proved to be a safe, efficacious, and cost-effective intervention, immunisation rates remain suboptimal in many European countries, resulting in poor control of many vaccine-preventable diseases. Discussion The Summit of Independent European Vaccination Experts focused on the perception of vaccines and vaccination by the general public and healthcare professionals and discussed ways to improve vaccine uptake in Europe. Despite the substantial impact and importance of the media, healthcare professionals were identified as the main advocates for vaccination and the most important source of information about vaccines for the general public. Healthcare professionals should receive more support for their own education on vaccinology, have rapid access to up-to-date information on vaccines, and have easy access to consultation with experts regarding vaccination-related problems. Vaccine information systems should be set up to facilitate promotion of vaccination. Summary Every opportunity to administer vaccines should be used, and active reminder systems should be set up. A European vaccine awareness week should be established.

Aim: The aim of this article is to analyse fire and explosion properties of LNG along with the identification of hazards that may arise during emergency incidents involving it. The article is based on an analysis of the available literature and a full-scale experimental study involving a 200-liter LNG tank leading to a jet fire. Introduction: Safe use and proper transport of flammable and harmful substances, together with the analysis of the effects of threats, enable the reduction of the number of accidents and provide possible conditions for the evacuation of people and property in a hazard zone. The compilation and systematization of knowledge on the safe use of the environmentally friendly LNG fuel will allow for an increase in the scope of its use. It is consistent with the state’s sustainable development policy consisting in identifying threats or adjusting technical solutions that minimize losses in transport or industry. Methodology: There are many legal acts in the world regarding safe storage and transport of LNG. One of the most important is Directive 2012/18/EC known as “Seveso III”. This document contains requirements for the prevention of major accidents involving hazardous substances – including LNG – and ways to reduce their negative effects on human health and the environment. Relevant requirements have also been specified in standards, tests, articles and other international acts, including in the European agreement on the international carriage of dangerous goods by road (the so-called ADR Agreement). The article compares flammable and explosive parameters of LNG. Possible scenarios occurring during the release and ignition of the LNG vapour cloud have been shown. The change of pressure of LNG vapour in the 200 l tank as a function of its heating time in the burning spill of a mixture of gasoline and diesel fuel is presented. In such a thermal exposure, a jet fire with a flame length of up to 5 meters was obtained. Conclusions: The proper use of flammable gases should be a priority in ensuring fire and explosion safety in facilities, during transport, etc. Hence, recognizing the threats and comparing them, or matching technical solutions that minimize the effects of LNG failures will allow active inclusion of knowledge in this field in the process of protection against fire and explosion. In case of LNG storage, attention should be paid to the types of materials in the immediate vicinity of this liquefied gas in order to have sufficient mechanical properties at the lowest liquefied gas temperature

The first epidemic in the world of meningococcal disease due to serogroup W-135 was reported during the Hajj in 2000, with subsequent spread. The aims of the present study were to investigate whether the Hajj 2000 Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W-135 had also been carried to Sudan in the eastern part of the African meningitis belt, by examining healthy Sudanese pilgrims (Hajj 2000) and members of their families, and whether the strain was causing meningitis. The phenotypic character of W-135 meningococci from Sudanese carriers (n = 5) and patients (n = 2) 1 y later was similar to W-135 strains associated with Hajj 2000. The present study, using the combination of the 2 molecular techniques; sequencing of the porA gene for variable regions (VR1, VR2 and VR3) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of the entire genome (using SpeI and NheI), shows that the Hajj 2000 serogroup W-135 clone (P1.5,2,36-2 of the ET-37 complex) most probably was introduced into Sudan, by pilgrims returning from the Hajj 2000. This strain has not been diagnosed before in Sudan. Close epidemiological surveillance is required to identify a possible new emerging meningitis epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive disease caused by the encapsulated bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, despite the introduction of successful conjugate polysaccharide vaccines that target disease-associated strains. In addition, resistance, or more accurately reduced susceptibility, to therapeutic antibiotics is spreading in populations of these organisms. There is therefore a continuing requirement for the surveillance of vaccine and non-vaccine antigens and antibiotic susceptibilities among isolates from invasive disease, which is only partially met by conventional methods. This need can be met with molecular and especially nucleotide sequence-based typing methods, which are fully developed in the case of N. meningitidis and which could be more widely deployed in clinical laboratories for S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae.

With the aim of studying the molecular diversity of the antigens of a new recombinant vaccine against meningococcus serogroup B, the three genes coding for the main vaccine components GNA (Genome-derived Neisseria Antigen) 1870 (fHbp, factor H Binding Protein), GNA1994 (NadA, Neisseria adhesin A) and GNA2132 were sequenced in a panel of 85 strains collected worldwide and selected as representative of the serogroup B meningococcal diversity. No correlations were found between vaccine antigen variability and serogroup, geographic area and year of isolation. Although a relevant clustering was found with MLST clonal complexes, each showing an almost specific antigen variant repertoire, the prediction of the antigen assortment was not possible on the basis of MLST alone. Therefore, classification of meningococcus on the basis of MLST only is not sufficient to predict vaccine antigens diversity. Sequencing each gene in the different strains will be important to evaluate antigen conservation and assortment and to allow a future prediction of potential vaccine coverage.

Subjects: Sets of sera were obtained from 30 children <6 years of age with invasive type b (Hib) infection and their mothers. Duration and mode of breast-feeding were monitored. Titers of IgG1, IgG2, IgA and IgM antibodies against Hib capsular polysaccharide were determined in sera taken during the acute illness and during early and late convalescence., Results: Children 18 months or older with longer durations of exclusive breast-feeding (13 weeks or more; mean, 19.3 weeks) had higher Hib antibody concentrations of the IgG1, IgG2, IgA and IgM isotypes than those with a shorter duration of exclusive breast-feeding (<13 weeks; mean, 5.4 weeks). The difference was greatest for the IgG2 isotype. In regression analyses the association between the duration of exclusive breast-feeding and the anti-Hib IgG2 concentration was significant when breast-feeding, type of Hib infection, maternal Hib antibody titer and age were used as explanatory factors. In the group of 14 children <18 months of age no significant differences were noted., Discussion: This study indicates the presence of a long lasting enhancing effect of breast-feeding on the antibody response to Hib in children, in particular on IgG2 Hib antibody production. This may result from the content in the milk of IFN-gamma and IFN-gamma-producing cells and possibly other factors, which can support IgG2 antibody production.

Background: The increasing incidence of gonorrhea in Sweden in 1998 was due to mostly domestic cases. Among these, two core groups were identified: homosexual men with serovar IB-2 and young heterosexuals with serovar IB-3., Goals: To explore the genetic homogeneity/heterogeneity within the predominant serovars, IB-2 and IB-3, of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Sweden by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and to compare these results to epidemiologic information, as well as examine the genetic diversity within and between the 25 other represented serovars of N gonorrhoeae., Study Design: By PFGE, 237 N gonorrhoeae isolates were examined, and the results were compared with epidemiologic data for the IB-2 and IB-3 isolates., Results: In 79% of the domestic IB-2 cases involving homosexuals and 66% of the domestic IB-3 cases involving young heterosexuals, the isolates were genetically indistinguishable by PFGE. A high genetic diversity was identified within and between the 27 included serovars., Conclusions: Examination by means of PFGE indicated that one N gonorrhoeae clone each of the serovars IB-2 and IB-3 created the majority of the two core groups of domestic cases.

In a retrospective 10-year study of 57 adult patients admitted to Orebro Medical Center Hospital, Sweden, with RS virus infections, pneumonia was diagnosed in 36. A primary episode of obstructive airway symptoms was observed in 20% of the patients with pneumonia. Several patients had a long period of fever and a protracted stay in the hospital. No fatal cases or serious complications were registered. Compromised hosts did not appear to be overrepresented in the material, nor did patients with impaired immune responses seem to be more seriously ill. Laboratory findings indicated that the RS virus pneumonia in adults was in some cases due to a mixed bacterial and RS virus infection, but in a few cases it was caused by the RS virus alone. Positive epidemiologic findings were found only in a few cases. The length of the period between the seasonal peak incidences of RS virus infection varied. A tendency to recurrent long and short intervals between the peak incidences was observed. An IgM antibody response to RS virus was common, and IgM detection was found to be a useful complement in the diagnosis of RS virus disease.

Three rapid diagnostic methods for the detection of bacterial antigen-COA (Coagglutination), LA (latex agglutination) and IEOP (immunoelectroosmophoresis); DM (direct microscopy after Gram staining) and culture of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been compared in 53 bacterial meningitis patients and in 13 controls. Urine samples were assayed for antigens in connection with CSF in 32 for COA, LA, and IEOP. The cause of meningitis was S. pneumoniae in 31, H. influenzae type b in 16 and N. meningitidis in 6 using the methods for diagnosis by LA in 100%, COA in 94%, culture in 89%, IEOP in 81% and DM in 78% of the CSF samples. None of the CSF from controls were positive by any of the methods. LA and COA detected antigen in CSF in all 4 patients on 4th and 5th day of treatment but none of the tests were helpful 7-10 days later. LA was effective in detecting antigen in urine in 10/10 (100%) H. influenzae type b, 17/20 (85%) S. pneumoniae prior to antibiotic treatment. IEOP was helpful in antigen detection better in serum than in urine in 5/6 H. influenzae type b and 9/11 S. pneumoniae meningitis. In general we have found LA and COA as simple, rapid specific and sensitive tests and can be applied even in field situations and that LA can be used for antigen detection in urine and IEOP in serum. A large scale study is needed in order to standardize methods for antigen detection in serum and urine.