We present the results from a novel surveillance system for detecting excess all-cause mortality by age group in England and Wales developed during the pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 period from April 2009 to March 2010. A Poisson regression model was fitted to age-specific mortality data from 1999 to 2008 and used to predict the expected number of weekly deaths in the absence of extreme health events. The system included adjustment for reporting delays. During the pandemic, excess all-cause mortality was seen in the 5–14 years age group, where mortality was flagged as being in excess for 1 week after the second peak in pandemic influenza activity; and in age groups >45 years during a period of very cold weather. This new system has utility for rapidly estimating excess mortality for other acute public health events such as extreme heat or cold weather.

A time-series analysis was performed to identify the impact of bed occupancy rates and length of hospital stay on the incidence of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI). Between January 2003 and July 2008, a mean incidence of 0·5 CDI cases/1000 patient days was recorded. Application of a multivariate model (R2=0·50) showed that bed occupancy rates on general wards (P<0·01) and length of stay in intensive care units (ICUs) (P<0·01) influenced the incidence of CDI. Overcrowding on general wards and long periods in ICUs were identified as being positively associated with the incidence of CDI.

Salmonella is a frequent cause of foodborne illness. However, since most symptomatic cases are not diagnosed, the true infection pressure is unknown. Furthermore, national surveillance systems have different sensitivities that limit inter-country comparisons. We have used recently developed methods for translating measurements of Salmonella antibodies into estimates of seroincidence: the frequency of infections including asymptomatic cases. This methodology was applied to cross-sectional collections of serum samples obtained from the general healthy population in three European countries. Denmark and The Netherlands had the lowest seroincidence (84169 infections/1000 person-years), whereas Poland had the highest seroincidence (547/1000 person-years). A Bayesian method for obtaining incidence rate ratios was developed; this showed a 6·3 (95% credibility interval 3·3–12·5) higher incidence in Poland than in Denmark which demonstrates that this methodology has a wider applicability for studies of surveillance systems and evaluation of control programmes.

The incidence of serious skin infections in New Zealand children is significantly higher than in comparative countries. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of these infections and identify changes in disease distribution over time. Discharge data were analysed for all children admitted to a New Zealand public hospital with a serious skin infection during the period 1990–2007. Patient and admission variables were compared between 1990–1999 and 2000–2007. The incidence of serious skin infections almost doubled from 298·0/100 000 in 1990 to 547·3/100 000 in 2007. The highest rates were observed in boys, preschool-aged children, Māori and Pacific children, those living in deprived neighbourhoods, urban areas and northern regions. Over time there were disproportionate increases in infection rates in Māori and Pacific children and children from highly deprived areas. Serious skin infections are an increasing problem for New Zealand children. Worsening ethnic and socioeconomic health inequalities may be contributing to increasing rates.

Brucellosis is a worldwide disease. Although it has been eradicated in some countries, it continues to be an important disease in many farming areas. Previous works have described the evolution and diffusion of brucellosis in antiquity through direct analysis of ancient human remains collected by the University Museum of Chieti, Italy, and by using paleopathological and historical data. The earliest published case was reported in a skeletal individual dated to the Middle Bronze Age. However, our research group has diagnosed vertebral brucellosis in the partial skeleton of the late Pliocene Australopithecus africanus, demonstrating that this infectious disease occasionally affected our direct ancestors 2·3–2·5 million years ago. The frequency of brucellosis increased during the Roman period, when the disease would almost certainly have been endemic in Roman society, and during the Middle Ages. Most paleopathological cases involve adult male skeletal individuals, and lumbar vertebrae and sacroiliac joints are most commonly involved.

Risk factors for Brucella infection, the association and impact of Brucella seropositivity on abortions were investigated in cattle (n=1291) reared in smallholder household herds (n=203) from six geographical areas of Zimbabwe between September 2004 and 2005. Data on management, abortion and herd structure were collected. Sera were tested for Brucella antibodies using the Rose Bengal test and a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data were analysed by generalized estimating equation and logistic regression models. Brucella antibodies were estimated at 5·5% and 22·9% for individual cattle and herds, respectively. Abortions were reported in 3·2% of cows and 22·0% herds. The age of cows and Brucella seropositivity predicted abortion. For herds, Brucella seropositivity, geographical area, purchase of cattle and large herd size were independently associated with increased odds of abortion. Exposure to Brucella had a significant impact on abortion. These results highlight the important risk factors for Brucella spp. infection in smallholder herds. Thus, brucellosis control programmes which take these factors into consideration will be beneficial.

Two models were used for colonizing pigs under experimental conditions. In the first model, six 5-week old piglets were challenged by nasal and gastrointestinal inoculation with a mixture of four strains representing the most prevalent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sequence types (ST398, ST9) and spa types (t08, t011, t034, t899) associated with pig farming. In the second model, the vagina of a pregnant sow was inoculated with the same MRSA mixture shortly before farrowing. While MRSA carriage was unstable following nasal-gastrointestinal inoculation of piglets, vaginal inoculation of the sow resulted in persistent carriage of t011-ST398 and t899-ST9 in all newborn piglets. The results from the two models provide evidence that livestock-associated MRSA can efficiently spread by vertical perinatal transmission and that direct colonization of weaned piglets is hampered by unknown host, bacterial or environmental factors. The vaginal inoculation model described in this study represents a useful tool for studying MRSA–host interactions in pigs having the same genetic background.