A5004905005- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Respiratory viral infections research
- Virology and Viral Diseases
- HIV Research and Treatment
- Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
- Influenza Virus Research Studies
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Hepatitis Viruses Studies and Epidemiology
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- HIV/AIDS drug development and treatment
- Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
- Immunodeficiency and Autoimmune Disorders
- Data-Driven Disease Surveillance
- Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- Prion Diseases and Protein Misfolding
- Hepatitis B Virus Studies
- Colorectal Cancer Screening and Detection
- Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk
Sciensano (Belgium)
2018-2022
Institut Scientifique de Santé Publique
2009-2020
Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde
2006-2008
On 6 July 2009 the Belgian enhanced surveillance system for influenza-like illness among travellers returning from influenza A(H1N1)v affected areas detected a case linked to rock festival which took place on 2-5 July. The health authorities implemented communication and control measures leading detection of additional cases. This paper describes outbreak its impact management pandemic in Belgium.
In order to evaluate alternative tests and strategies simplify pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening at the district hospital level, a cross-sectional exploratory study was organized in Democratic Republic of Congo. Venous capillary phlebotomies were performed on 941 Congolese children, aged 1 month 12 years (153 children under 18 months 788 more than old). The HIV prevalence rate 4.7%. An algorithm for old, using serial rapid (Determine, InstantScreen, Uni-Gold) blood...
Prevalence data of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are needed to estimate the budgetary impact reimbursement direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). In Belgium, restricted criteria mainly guided by regional seroprevalence estimates 0.87% from 1993 1994. this first Belgian nationwide HCV prevalence study, we set out update and in general population order guide decisions on DAA reimbursement.Residual sera were collected through clinical laboratories. We age, sex district. antibody status...
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Muong Lat town (Thanh Hoa province, North Vietnam), following the confirmed diagnosis of trichinellosis six patients from that who had eaten hunted wild boar meat during Vietnamese lunar year celebration. All inhabitants declared to have undercooked or raw at celebration and showed least one clinical symptom compatible with were included blood sampled. Anti- Trichinella IgG determined by ELISA Western Blot. Seropositive persons given appropriate...
Our work was motivated by the need to, given serum availability and/or financial resources, decide on which samples to test in a bank for different pathogens. Simulation-based sample size calculations were performed determine age-based sampling structures and optimal allocation of number testing across various age groups best suited estimate key epidemiological parameters (e.g., seroprevalence or force infection) with acceptable precision levels cross-sectional survey.Statistical...
Mumps used to affect children between 2 and 15 years old. The mumps-measles-rubella (MMR) vaccine is available, with coverage rate of about 85% after two doses. Recently new mumps outbreaks have emerged in highly vaccinated populations; the causes for these are yet unknown. We tested if a difference seroneutralizing capacity against wild-type viruses existed waning immunity could be detected.In this study, 570 serum samples (age group 2-3 (n = 96), 8-9 95), 13-14 94), 18-20 24-26 92) 50 +...
Serological surveillance, based on the measurement of presence specific antibodies in a given population, can be used addition to traditional and routine disease surveillance methods. The added value this has been largely documented for vaccine-preventable diseases, but lesser extent vector-borne diseases. This study aimed evaluate utility seroprevalence data as additional source information epidemiology Lyme borreliosis Belgium. In total, 3215 residual blood samples collected 2013–2015 were...
In 1998, following the detection of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in UK, Belgium installed a surveillance system for (CJD). The objectives this were to identify vCJD cases and detect increases CJD incidence. Diagnostic confirmation is based on autopsy after referral by neurologists. Reference centres perform autopsies report system. aim study was assess whether met its acceptability. For 1999–2010, we linked data with hospital discharge data. We calculated proportion suspected...
Summary: Alternative, affordable, and simple assays to monitor antiretroviral therapy (ART) in resource-poor settings are needed. We have evaluated compared a heat-denatured (HD) HIV p24 amplified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay from Perkin-Elmer CD38+CD8+ T-cell levels, determined by flow cytometry, for their capacity predict viral load (VL) HIV-1-infected patients Senegal. Median fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD38 expression on memory (CD45RO+) CD8+ T cells correlated better with RNA...
Abstract Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) remains a common condition in both low- and high-income countries. In Belgium, however, there is currently lack of information on the societal health economic impact AGE. We conducted retrospective study using mortality cause-of-death data, hospital primary care interview survey data other published data. estimated burden illness during 5-year period (2010–2014) Belgium terms deaths, patients admitted to hospitals, consulting their general practitioner...
Recent European studies suggest an emergence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection. We evaluated trends in birth cohort-specific HEV seroprevalence and regional differences Belgium. IgG was analysed on national serum banks (1579 2087 samples for 2006 2014, respectively. Hepatitis antigen tested positive samples. Observed data were modelled using a generalized additive model with complementary log-log link. No significant between cohorts or sexes found. Modelling identified the individual's...
Abstract The measurement of CD4 counts and viral loads on a single instrument such as an affordable flow cytometer could considerably reduce the cost related to follow‐up antiretroviral therapy in resource‐poor settings. aim this study was assess whether HIV‐1 p24 antigen be measured using microsphere‐based cytometric (FC) assay experimental conditions necessary for processing plasma samples. A commercial anti‐p24 antibody pair from Biomaric used develop microsphere immunoassay (MIA) HIV...
Mid-April 2009, two cases of a novel Influenza A(H1N1) virus were identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [1]. On 26 April, Government Mexico also reported 18 laboratory confirmed this [2]. 29 World Health Organization (WHO) announced pandemic phase 5, characterised human-to-human spread in at least countries one WHO region [3]. By time had been detected Austria, Canada, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Spain United Kingdom [4]. The Belgian National Reference...
Vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, have been re-emerging in countries with moderate to high vaccine uptake. It is increasingly important identify and close immunity gaps increase coverage of routine childhood vaccinations, including two doses the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR). Here, we present a simple cohort model relying on Bayesian approach evaluate evolution measles seroprevalence Belgium using three most recent cross-sectional serological survey data collections (2002, 2006...
In September 2009, as part of the surveillance during Influenza A(2009) pandemic, Bel-gium introduced a web-based system aimed at recording hospitalisations and deaths attributable to in real time. We present application developed for pandemic well descriptive analysis Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases reported through this system. From 1 31 December 1723 SARI-related potentially due influenza were Belgium. The median age patients was 29 years (range: < year-99 years). Among...
Abstract Background Our work was motivated by the need to, given serum availability and/or financial resources, decide on which samples to test for different pathogens in a bank. Simulation-based sample size calculations were performed determine age-based sampling structures and optimal allocation of number testing across various age groups best suited estimate key epidemiological parameters (e.g., seroprevalence or force infection) with acceptable precision levels cross-sectional survey....