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Background: Tularemia is a rarely identified disease in Slovenia. In summer 2024, we detected a tularemia outbreak in the Kranjsko-Sorško polje, located in North-Western part of Slovenia. Aim: To describe the epidemiological investigations and preventive measures to contain the outbreak. Methods: The patients with confirmed tularemia were interviewed. Serology and PCR was used for microbiological confirmation of tularemia and in some patients by isolation from blood or by RT-PCR. Results: The majority of confirmed tularemia cases in 2024 were infected in the geographically limited area in North-Western part of Slovenia (38/46). Tularemia was confirmed in two patients by isolation Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica from blood or wound, in one by blood PCR, and in the others by serology. Most cases were associated with mowing or harvesting hay with intensive dusting. Twenty-eight (75.7%) out of 37 cases developed pulmonary tularemia. Sixteen cases were hospitalized. After confirming the outbreak, we alerted medical professionals in the region and the general public using the regional and national media and website of National Institute of Public Health. Conclusions: Endemic tularemia in Slovenia is associated with handling wild life and presents in ulceroglandular form. In the localized outbreak in year 2024 there was an extraordinary upsurge of pulmonary tularemia, with many of the cases initially investigated for lung cancer based on the radiology reports. Due to dry weather condition in summer 2024, excessive dusting associated with mowing the grass and handling hay resulted in inhalation of infective aerosols leading to the infection with F. tularensis.

Although the distinction between the Community-Associated-Methicillin-Resistant (CA-MRSA) and Hospital-Associated-Methicillin-Resistant (HA-MRSA) has blurred in recent years, the CA-MRSA is an important group because of its potential to cause fulminant and severe infections. Its importance has further increased with the emergence of Livestock-Associated-Methicillin-Resistant (LA-MRSA). In the present study we analysed clonal distributions and virulence factors in presumptive CA-MRSA isolated from January 2014 to December 2015 and compared the results with our previous study from 2010. Phenotypic definition for presumptive CA-MRSA was based on resistance to cefoxitin and oxacillin and susceptibility to at least two of the following four antibiotics: ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, clindamycin and gentamicin. In 2014 and 2015 altogether 304 MRSA isolates fulfilled our screening phenotypic definition, 45 isolates were cultivated from clinical specimens and 259 from screening specimens. Sequence types ST398, LA-MRSA and C MRSA increased significantly in 2015 compared to 2010 (p-value <0.05) and were spread over Slovenia. The clonal distribution of presumptive CA-MRSA has changed within the study period in Slovenia. In 2015 the most frequent clone among clinical and screening specimens was a pig-associated clone, ST398, but the number of confirmed ST398 infections remains low. While previously ST398 and C positive MRSA strains were geographically limited, they have spread throughout the country since 2010.

► Incidence of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in Gorenjska region (Slovenia) is 30/100,000. ► The number of subjects protected by vaccination is only 6.8% of the population of Gorenjska. ► Charity activities to reduce the price of vaccination increase the vaccination rate. Slovenia is one of the countries with the highest incidence of thick-borne encephalitis (TBE) (13.5/100,000) and has one of the lowest immunisation rates (3.1%). Gorenjska (approximately 10% Slovene inhabitants) is a region of Slovenia with the highest incidence (30/100,000). The Institute of Public Health Kranj in collaboration with Lions club Brnik and mayors of the municipalities initiated a campaign aimed to improve the vaccination rate. By obtaining funds that covered the expenses for the vaccination team we managed to reduce the price of vaccination by 30%. The vaccination events were held on Saturdays in primary schools of the towns/villages with the highest TBE incidence. Over the course of the 12 events, 5599 doses were injected. Most of people (92%) were vaccinated for the first time with two doses. In addition, we offered free-of-charge vaccinations for 850 children from socially underprivileged families. The charity project added a significant increase to the number of protected persons.

According to the existing literature, a heterogeneous sequence type (ST) or clones of community-associated methicillin-resistant [Staphylococcus aureus] (CA-MRSA) circulate in Europe. In Europe, the European clone that belongs to sequence type ST80 is predominant. Methods The aim of the study was to investigate the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics and epidemiological data of CA-MRSA ST80 and its occurrence in Slovenia. We retrospectively analyzed those CA-MRSA isolates that were isolated during microbiological procedures in microbiological laboratories between 2006 and 2013. Only CA-MRSA isolates from the national collection of CA-MRSA strains that belonged to ST80 (European clone) were analyzed. We determined the Pantone-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), [mec] A genes, exfoliative toxin genes and type of staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC[mec]) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We determined also spa type and sequence type. Results ST80 was confirmed in only 2 (0.5%) out of 385 CA-MRSA isolates, collected in a national collection of CAMRSA. Both isolates were positive for the PVL genes, [mec] A gene, exfoliative toxin type D gene and SCC[mec] IV. One CA-MRSA isolate was confirmed in a wound swab taken from a 47-year-old male, and the second was isolated from blood cultures of a 69-year-old female. No epidemiological connections between them were found. Conclusions In Slovenia CA-MRSA infections caused by ST80 are rare. In the future, it is necessary that a surveillance study of CA-MRSA at the national level continues and CA-MRSA be considered as a public health threat.

An outbreak of gastroenteritis of etiologically unspecified origin and an outbreak of Salmonellosis occurred simultaneously in September 2011 in Tržič. The purpose of the investigation of both outbreaks was to identify the most probable source and the mode of transmission and to implement preventive measures. In two retrospective case-control studies, the association between gastroenteritis of etiologically unspecified origin or Salmonellosis and food from a restaurant or drinking tap water were tested by univariate and multivariate analysis. The subject in the first study was a sick person with salmonellosis, and the subject in the second study was a resident that developed diarrhoea and/ or vomiting. Cases were reported by doctors, and controls were selected from healthy persons who responded to the questionnaire. A person exposed to food from the restaurant had a 24.8 times higher odds ratio (univariate analysis OR 24.8, 95% CI 7.5 to 82.3, p <0.05; multivariate analysis OR 14.7, 95% CI 3.5 - 61.3, p <0.05) for salmonellosis than non-exposed. A resident exposed to tap water from specific water source had a 3.4 times higher odds ratio (univariate analysis of OR 3.4, 95% CI 2.2 to 5.1 is p <0.05, multivariate analysis of RO 2.9, 95% CI 1, 7 to 5.3, p <0.05), for gastroenteritis of unspecific etiology than non-exposed. The dose response relationship was also statistically significant. Analytical cases - controls studies confirmed a causal relationship between salmonellosis and food from the specific restaurant and the causal relationship between gastroenteritis of etiologically unspecified origin and drinking tap water from specific water source. Salmonella enteritidis may have entered into the restaurant through tap water.

Izhodišče: Oktobra 2010 smo imeli na Gorenjskem v eni izmed osnovnih šol z vrtcem izbruh stafilokokne zastrupitve s hrano. Metode: Izvedli smo retrospektivno kohortno epidemiološko raziskavo in izračunali stopnjo obolevnosti v izbruhu ter relativno tveganje (RT) za vsako živilo. Pri obolelih smo kultivirali blato in izbruhanino. Opravili smo terenski ogled z odvzemom vzorca hrane, brisov delovnih površin na snažnost in brisa rok zaposlenih v kuhinji. V okviru usmerjenega pregleda smo trem zaposlenim v kuhinji odvzeli kužnine za mikrobiološke preiskave. Izolatom bakterije Staphylococcus aureus smo določili enterotoksine s testom aglutinacije SET RPLA (Oxoid). Za primerjavo sorodnosti bakterije S. aureus iz živila in humanih vzorcev smo opravili tipizacijo izolatov s pulzno elektroforezo (PFGE). Rezultati: Obolelo je 73 oseb od 374 izpostavljenih. Stopnja obolevnosti je bila 19,5-odstotna. Najpogostejši bolezenski znaki so bili: bruhanje (87,7 %), bolečine v trebuhu (75,3 %), driska (64,2 %) in slabost (59,3 %). Največje relativno tveganje (RT) za zastrupitev je bilo povezano z uživanjem mesnega sira (RT= 24,2 (95 % CI 12,1-48,5; p<0,001) in krompirjeve solate (RT= 19,4 (95 % CI 10,7-35,2; p<0,001). S kože rok osebe, zaposlene v kuhinji, iz vzorca hrane in kužnin obolelih otrok smo izolirali bakterijo S. aureus, ki je izločala enterotoksina A; po občutljivosti za antibiotike se ni razlikovala od drugih; z metodo PFGE se je pokazala 96,3-odstotna sorodnost med sevi. Zaključki: Opisana raziskava je vzorčen primer dela in ukrepanja področnega epidemiologa in mikrobiologa ob pojavu izbruha. V izbruhu smo dokazali epidemiološko povezane izolate in opredelili pomen posameznih preiskav. Background: In October 2010 an outbreak of staphylococcal food poisoning occurred in an elementary school with a kindergarten in Gorenjska. Methods: Using a questionnaire we performed a retrospective cohortanalytical epidemiological study. We calculated attack rate (AR) and relative risk for each food item. In patients we cultivated stools and vomit. We performed an onsite audit where the food samples, environmental samples, and swabs of the hands of the cooks were taken. We performed medical examination of those employed in the kitchen where specimens were taken for microbiological examination. Staphylococcal enterotoxins were detected with agglutination test SET RPLA (Oxoid) and genotypes determined by the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Results: Out of 374 exposed 73 subjects got ill. Attack rate in the outbreak was 19,5 %. The most frequent symptoms were vomiting (87,7 %), stomach ache (75,3 %), diarrhea (64,2 %) and nausea ( 59,3 %). The highest relative risk (RR) were found for the meatloaf (RR= 24,2 (95 % CI 12,1-48,5; p<0,001)) and potato salad (RR= 19,4 (95 % CI 10,7 - 35,2; p<0,001)). Enterotoxin A producing S. aureus was isolated from hand of a cook, from potato salad and meatlof, from vomit and stools of patients. These strains had the same antibiotic sensitivity and were genetically closely related (96,3 %). Conclusions: In the article an optimal team approaches of a community epidemiologist and microbiologist in the occasion of outbreak are described. We confirmed epidemiologically related isolates and determined the importance of individual methods.

Izhodišča: V šoli otroci preživijo velik del dneva, zato ima šola pomembno vlogo pri zdravju otrok in mladostnikov pa tudi pri sodelovanju z zdravstvenimi službami. Ugotoviti stališče ravnateljev o pomenu, smotrnosti in o možnosti umestitve šolske medicinske sestre v osnovne šole. Podatki so zbrani s strukturiranim anketnim vprašalnikom. Vzorec zajema 55,6 % (n = 266) celotne populacije ravnateljev osnovnih šol. Uporabljena je deskriptivna statistika. Soodvisnost je analizirana z multiplo regresijsko in dimenzije odvisne spremenljivke s faktorsko analizo. Na osnovnih šolah najpogosteje ukrepajo zaradi akutnega bolezenskega stanja (PV = 3,48), psihosomatskih (PV = 3,42) in kroničnih bolezni (PV = 3,22) (lestvica 1-6). Ravnatelji prepoznavajo potrebo po nalogah šolske medicinske sestre iz promocije zdravja in zdravstvenih storitev, saj je 11 od 13 predlogov dobilo v povprečju oceno nad 4 (lestvica 1-5). Najprimernejšo umestitev šolske medicinske sestre vidijo deloma v zdravstvenem domu, deloma v šoli (60,2 %); najprimernejši delodajalec je zdravstveni dom (59,4 %). Mnenja se ne razlikujejo glede na velikost šole in vključitev v mrežo Zdravih šol. Ravnatelji s šol, v katerih je telesnih poškodb učencev več, izražajo značilno večjo potrebo po šolski medicinski sestri (b = 0,208, p < 0,014), kar velja tudi za ravnatelje z mnenjem, da je usposabljanje učiteljev za prepoznavanje in ukrepanje ob zdravstvenih težavah v odgovornosti zdravstvenega doma (b = 0,270, p < 0,000). Ravnatelji menijo, da se v šolah srečujejo z zdravstvenimi težavami učencev, a učitelji za ukrepanje nimajo dovolj znanja niti kompetenc. Pozitivno prepoznavajo umestitev šolske medicinske sestre v šolo. Background: Children spend most of their days in schools, therefore schools play an important role in children’s inter-institutional health care. To identify views of school principals on the importance, relevance and possible placement of school nurses in Slovenian schools. A structured questionnaire was used. The sample consisted of 55.6% (n=266) of the total population of elementary school principals; descriptive statistics was used. Interdependence was analysed with multiple regression, while dependent variable dimensions were obtained with factor analysis. The most frequent interventions in schools are the result of acute medical conditions (M=3.48), psychosomatic disorders (M=3.42) and chronic diseases (M=3.22) (1-6 scale). Principals ranked the need for suggested services of school nurses highly, as 11 out of 13 suggestions received a mean value of over 4 (on a 1-5 scale), not only in health promotion/education but also in other medical services. The most appropriate work location of school nurses is partly in primary health centres and partly in schools (60.2%); the most appropriate employer is the primary health centre (59.4%). Opinions of principals do not differ according to the size of school or participation in the network ‘Schools for health’. Principals of schools with a higher number of interventions due to children’s injuries expressed a significantly higher need for school nurse services in the school (b=0.208, p<0.014); the same also goes for principals who feel that training teachers to recognise and act upon children’s health problems has to be organised by a primary health centre (b=0.270, p<0.000). In school principals’ view, schools are faced with children’s health problems but teachers do not have enough knowledge or competences to take appropriate measures. They positively recognise the placement of school nurses in schools.

Objectives: The pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) affected a disproportionately high percentage of healthcare workers (HCWs). The aim of the study was to assess the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibodies in nurses and clinicians working in 2 Slovenian regional hospitals, and to identify the factors associated with seropositivity. Material and Methods: The study was designed as a cross-sectional study. Clinicians and nurses were invited to participate in November-December 2020. The respondents (813, 65.8%) completed a questionnaire and consented to provide 10 ml of blood for determining the presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. Results: The authors observed a seroprevalence rate of 20.4%. The results of the univariate analysis proved that the age of a nurse or clinician was the factor most strongly associated with seropositivity–in fact, the youngest nurses and clinicians were 8.33 times more likely to be seropositive than those in the oldest age group (p = 0.041). Being in contact with a family/household member who was SARS-CoV-2-positive was also a very important factor. In the work-related factors group, being in the contact with a SARS-CoV-2-positive colleague (OR = 2.35, p = 0.026) or being in contact with a COVID-19 patient (OR = 1.96, p = 0.004) correlated with seropositivity. In the primary work location/department group, the only significant association appeared among those working in surgical, ENT or ophthalmology departments. The results of the multivariate analysis further supported the thesis that the age of nurses and clinicians was the factor most strongly associated with seropositivity. The youngest nurses and clinicians were 12.5 times more likely to be seropositive than those in the oldest age group (p = 0.024). Being in contact with a SARS-CoV-2-positive family/household member remained the second most important factor. Conclusions: A significant number of clinicians and nurses working in secondary healthcare were infected in the first 9 months of the pandemic. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2022;35(5):571 -84 Key words: seroprevalence, nurse, clinician, healthcare professional, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2

Izhodišče: Gripa je sezonska virusna bolezen dihal, ki se pojavlja v zimskih mesecih. Povzročajo jo virusi influence tipa A in B. Izbruhi gripe v bolnišnicah so posebno neugodni, saj zboli ranljiva populacija. Pojavijo se številni zapleti, podaljša se bolnišnično zdravljenje, poveča se umrljivost. Hkrati lahko zbolijo tudi zdravstveni delavci (ZD). Zaradi njihovega absentizma se pojavijo težave pri organizaciji dela.Metode: Izvedli smo retrospektivno kohortno preiskavo izbruha gripe v Splošni bolnišnici Jesenice (SBJ), ki smo ga zaznali v januarju 2017. Kot primer izbruha je bil opredeljen vsak bolnik ali zaposleni (ZD) v SBJ, ki je od 01. 01. 2017 do 16. 02. 2017 imel simptome gripi podobne bolezni (temperaturo nad 37,7 °C s kašljanjem ali bolečinami v žrelu), v brisu nosno-žrelnega prostora potrjen virus influence A ali B ali epidemiološko povezavo s potrjenimi primeri (hospitalizacija v isti sobi) ter odsotnosti ostalih vzrokov za okužbo. Primer smo opredelili kot bolnišničen pri osebah, ki so bile v bolnišnico sprejete zaradi drugih vzrokov in pri katerih so se simptomi in znaki v dihalih razvili kasneje kot 72 ur po sprejemu. Obolele zdravstvene delavce smo spraševali o demografskih podatkih, predhodnem cepljenju proti gripi in o subjektivni oceni poteka bolezni.Rezultati: Med 250 izpostavljenimi je zbolelo 117 oseb (46,8 %). Primeri obolelih so se najprej začeli kopičiti na internem oddelku, sledil je kirurški in negovalni oddelek SBJ. Največ zbolelih je bilo starejših od 65 let. Pri 74 zbolelih bolnikih in zaposlenih, ki so ustrezali definiciji primera v izbruhu, smo odvzeli brise nosno-žrelnega prostora. V 68 (87 %) vzorcih smo dokazali influenco A (87 %) ali B (13 %). Ostalih 49 zbolelih, ki niso bili laboratorijsko potrjeni, so zadostili merilu epidemiološke povezanosti. Ob pregledu dokumentacije 13 umrlih bolnikov smo ugotovili, da je bila pri vseh ena od diagnoz gripa, pri 4 od njih tudi navedena kot neposredni vzrok smrti. 6 umrlih bolnikov je prebolevalo pljučnico, ki je sledila gripi. 45 zbolelih je prejelo oseltamivir, 61 hospitaliziranih oseb in ZD pa je jemalo oseltamivir kot kemoprofilakso. Izbruh gripe je neugodno vplival na načrtovano delo kirurškega oddelka – zaradi izbruha so v bolnišnici zmanjšali število elektivnih operacij, del kirurških postelj pa so namenili preobremenjenemu internističnemu oddelku.Zaključek: V zgodnji fazi izbruha gripe v bolnišnici je potrebna visoka stopnja upoštevanja preventivnih ukrepov. K zbolevanju bolnikov namreč prispevajo predhodne bolezni in slabo zdravstveno stanje, težave pri zagotavljanju izolacije, neupoštevanje priporočil za osebno higieno, necepljenost proti gripi in slaba odzivnost imunskega sistema starejših bolnikov na cepljenje.

The identification of patients infected and/or colonised by methicillin resistant (MRSA) is necessary for the timely introduction of measures for infection control. We compared the diagnostic efficacy of combinations of MRSA surveillance swabs routinely taken by health institutions in the country. All surveillance samples, which were sent for a microbiological analysis to detect MRSA with the culture method in 2014, in the three departments for medical microbiology of the National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, were included in this study. Among 65,251 surveillance cultures from 13,274 persons, 1,233 (2.1%) were positive (490 positive persons). Prevailing positive surveillance cultures were throat swabs (31.3%), followed by nose swab (31.2%), skin swab (18.9%), perineum (16.4%) and wound swabs (1.4%). The contribution of other samples, such as aspirate, urine and excreta, was under 1%. We found no statistically significant differences in the frequency of detection of a positive patient, if the combination of samples NTS (nose, throat, skin) or NTP (nose, throat, perineum) was analysed. However, statistically significant differences were confirmed when any of the anatomic sites would be omitted from the sets of NTP and NTS (chi square; p<0.01). Adding additional samples resulted in only 24 additional positive patients (4.9%). The results indicate that increasing the number of surveillance cultures above three does not add much to the sensitivity of MRSA surveillance, the exception could be wound. The swabs from the perineum and from the skin are exchangeable.