The article describes measures developed to counter the spread of coronavirus infection in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The first cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Kazakhstan were detected on March 13, 2020, among people who arrived from Germany. After declaring the state of emergency in the country, the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan began to formulate and implement a comprehensive package of measures aimed at slowing down and stopping the transmission of infection, preventing outbreaks, ensuring optimal care for all patients, especially the seriously ill, minimizing the negative impact of the pandemic on health systems, social services, and economic activities. Developed set of restrictive measures was approved by the Country Office of Word Health Organization (WHO) in Kazakhstan, being later adapted by the European Union (EU) countries and applied in Kyrgyzstan. In addition, article identifies Kazakhstan’s experience in creating epidemiological surveillance systems, studying virus mutations, and the clinical aspects of dealing with it to combat the infection. It also indicates the impact of the epidemic on health-care workers and the development of measures to protect them, strengthening infection prevention, and control in medical organizations.

The public health measures implemented to control coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may influence also other infectious diseases. Using national laboratory surveillance data, we assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on human salmonellosis in the Netherlands until March 2021. Salmonellosis incidence decreased significantly after March 2020: in the second, third and fourth quarters of 2020, and in the first quarter of 2021, the incidence decreased by 55%, 57%, 47% and 37%, respectively, compared to the same quarters of 2016–2019. The decrease was strongest among travel-related cases (94%, 84%, 79% and 93% in the aforementioned quarters, respectively). Other significant changes were: increased proportion of cases among older adults and increased proportion of invasive infections, decreased proportion of trimethoprim resistance and increased proportion of serovar Typhimurium monophasic variant vs. Enteritidis. This led to decreased contributions of laying hens and increased contributions of pigs and cattle as sources of human infections. The observed changes probably reflect a combination of reduced exposure to Salmonella due to restrictions on international travels and gatherings, closure of dine-in restaurants, catering and hospitality sectors at large and changes in healthcare-seeking and diagnostic behaviours.

Monitoring the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) community-wide transmission with a suitable and effective sampling method would be of great support for public health response to the spreading due to asymptomatic subjects in the community.

Here, we describe how using saliva samples for SARS-CoV-2 detection has allowed for a weekly surveillance of a small business company and the early detection of coronavirus disease 2019 cases.

As on 23rd March, two cases were detected and investigated, and control measures were rapidly applied.

In 2016, we reviewed preventive control measures for secondary transmission of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in humans in European Union (EU)/European Free Trade Association (EEA) countries to inform the revision of the respective Norwegian guidelines which at that time did not accommodate for the varying pathogenic potential of STEC. We interviewed public health experts from EU/EEA institutes, using a semi-structured questionnaire. We revised the Norwegian guidelines using a risk-based approach informed by the new scientific evidence on risk factors for HUS and the survey results. All 13 (42%) participating countries tested STEC for Shiga toxin (stx) 1, stx2 and eae (encoding intimin). Five countries differentiated their control measures based on clinical and/or microbiological case characteristics, but only Denmark based their measures on routinely conducted stx subtyping. In all countries, but Norway, clearance was obtained with ⩽3 negative STEC specimens. After this review, Norway revised the STEC guidelines and recommended only follow-up of cases infected with high-virulent STEC (determined by microbiological and clinical information); clearance is obtained with three negative specimens. Implementation of the revised Norwegian guidelines will lead to a decrease of STEC cases needing follow-up and clearance, and will reduce the burden of unnecessary public health measures and the socioeconomic impact on cases. This review of guidelines could assist other countries in adapting their STEC control measures.

The main objective of our study was to describe the epidemiological and microbiological features of an oligoclonal hospital-wide outbreak caused by OXA-48-producing Enterobacteriaceae (OXA-48-PE). OXA-48 is a carbapenemase belonging to Ambler class D beta-lactamases, identified frequently in the Mediterranean and Southern European countries, and associated with several Enterobacteriaceae species. An outbreak of OXA-48-PE with a complex epidemic pattern was detected in January 2011. Initial control measures included contact precautions and the reinforcement of infection control practices, but despite all efforts made, the epidemiological situation hardly changed and new measures were implemented during 2013. An observational retrospective study was performed to describe the main features of the outbreak and to analyse the cumulative incidence (CI) trends. Eight hundred and 16 patients colonised or infected by OXA-48-PE were identified during the 2-year period (January 2013–December 2014), female 46%, mean age (s.d.), 71.6 (15.2). The samples isolated in the incident cases were rectal swabs (80%), urine samples (10.7%), blood samples (2.8%) and other clinical samples (6.6%). The most frequent OXA-48-PE was Klebsiella pneumoniae. Eleven different clones were identified, but K. pneumoniae sequence types 11 and 405 were predominant: ST11 (64.2%) and ST405 (29.3%). OXA-48-PE CI trend suffered a statistically significant change in August 2013, which continued the following months. Though we could not eradicate the outbreak, we observed a statistically significant drop in CI after an intervention for OXA-48-PE control, based on patient cohort, active surveillance, electronic alerts and reinforcement of infection control measures in a tertiary hospital.

Recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Asia, Europe, and Africa have caused severe impacts on the poultry sector through bird mortality and culling, as well as resulting trade restrictions and negative demand shocks. Although poultry producers play a major role in preventing and controlling avian influenza, little research has examined the influence of their farm-level decision making on the spread of the disease. In this study, we describe farm behavior under livestock disease risk and discuss data and analyses necessary to generate sound empirical evidence to inform public avian influenza prevention and control measures.

We investigated the cost-effectiveness of different influenza control strategies in a school setting in Taiwan. A susceptible-exposure-infected-recovery (SEIR) model was used to simulate influenza transmission and we used a basic reproduction number (R0)–asymptomatic proportion (θ) control scheme to develop a cost-effectiveness model. Based on our dynamic transmission model and economic evaluation, this study indicated that the optimal cost-effective strategy for all modelling scenarios was a combination of natural ventilation and respiratory masking. The estimated costs were US$10/year per person in winter for one kindergarten student. The cost for hand washing was estimated to be US$32/year per person, which was much lower than that of isolation (US$55/year per person) and vaccination (US$86/year per person) in containing seasonal influenza. Transmission model-based, cost-effectiveness analysis can be a useful tool for providing insight into the impacts of economic factors and health benefits on certain strategies for controlling seasonal influenza.

This paper reports the results of a seminar on poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae. Eighteen researchers from eight European countries discussed life cycle issues of the mite, effects of mites on hens and egg production, and monitoring and control methods for PRM in poultry facilities. It was determined that PRM probably causes more damage than envisaged, with the cost in The Netherlands alone reaching 11 million euro per annum. However a great deal is still unknown about PRM (e.g. reproduction, survival methods, etc.) and that PRM monitoring is an important instrument in recognising and admitting the problem and in taking timely measures. Currently, the most promising control method combines heating the hen house in combination with chemical treatments. Future areas of development which show promise include the use of entomopathogenic fungi, vaccination and predatory mites. The final aim is to solve the problem of D. gallinae in housing systems for laying hens.

Broiler meat is one of the sources of Salmonella contamination of humans. Concerns about food safety have prompted the poultry industry and governments to introduce control plans to combat Salmonella. This has been strengthened by legislation, as is the case in the EU, where targets have been set forcing member states to decrease Salmonella prevalence in poultry flocks. Strategies to prevent transmission of Salmonella to humans should focus on the whole production chain of broiler meat and on the subsequent storage and handling of meat, thus from farm to fork. In the primary production phase, both hygienic measures and general farm management strategies are important. These management strategies should include in-feed Salmonella control and product administration. A wide range of feed additives is currently available for that purpose. Hygienic measures and logistic slaughter are tools to reduce the Salmonella contamination in the slaughterhouse. At retail and in the consumer's kitchen, care needs to be taken of product storage and handling to avoid contamination and bacterial growth. The numbers of contaminated Salmonella broiler flocks will most likely decrease in the future due to the established action plans, but complete eradication of Salmonella is unrealistic. The main issue is, however, to keep the flock prevalence, the within-flock prevalence and the numbers of bacteria in infected animals at such a low level, that contamination of meat, and thus transmission to humans, becomes a highly unlikely event. This clearly underlines the need for coordinated action of governments and poultry-related industries (including feed industry and slaughterhouses), at all stages of the production chain.

Poultry and poultry products have repeatedly been implicated as a source of foodborne infection for humans. The significant increase in the number of reported foodborne disease outbreaks worldwide has altered opinions on food safety. It has become clear that current legislation alone is inadequate, and that industry must accept a greater share of responsibility for the quality and safety of the food it produces. The fact that processing plants are not able to reduce the incidence of pathogenic bacteria effectively in poultry products means that every effort must be made to reduce infection in and/or contamination of the live birds with foodborne pathogens before dispatch to processing plants. The main control strategy should include the following: cleaning the production pyramid from the top, as in the case of Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium, by destroying infected flocks (with compensation), sanitising hatching eggs and limiting the introduction and spread of pathogens at the farm through Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHPs). To achieve GAHPs, effective measures of hygiene should be applied to poultry houses and the feed. Reducing salmonella colonisation by using antimicrobial feed additives, competitive exclusion treatment or vaccines is worth consideration. Fur-thermore, hygienic systems for catching and transporting live poultry must be included. To reduce carcass contamination during processing, thorough schedules for cleaning and disinfection of the equipment and plant are essential. Machine design must permit easy and thorough cleaning. Because the success of any food safety programme on the farm and in the processing plant depends on the hygiene practices of the staff, it is essential to incorporate education programmes for all people involved in the poultry production chain. In the farm-to-fork concept, post-processing food handling is also a very important factor in reducing foodborne infections. Finally, the development and application of acceptable methods for end product decontamination and preservation in the processing plant must be pursued.

In recent years it has been shown that Campylobacter jejuni is the most common cause of gastroenteritis or enterocolitis in man, especially in developed countries. Numerous studies have demonstrated a high prevalence of C. jejuni in chickens and it is evident that chicken meat is a significant source of human gastroenteritis due to lack of care in handling raw products and inadequate cooking. Campylobacter spp. are frequently found in the intestinal tract of poultry where colonization leads to contamination of carcasses during processing, especially at the defeathering and evisceration stages. This paper reviews the occurrence of C. jejuni in poultry, particularly in the live bird and on processed carcasses. It also considers possible factors in the introduction and spread of C. jejuni on farms and discusses progress in developing measures for controlling Campylobacter spp. in the production chain.

Survey questionnaires were administered to 50 farmers in three chiefdoms in the Moyamba District of southern Sierra Leone. The study was undertaken to gain insight into the indigenous farming practices for cowpea with emphasis on pest management. This is to serve as a guide in drawing up a research agenda and identifying appropriate measures for the control of cowpea pests. Farm sizes were generally small, usually less than 2 ha of intercropped cowpea. This suggests that the farmers were mostly subsistent and would require low cost inputs to boost production. Vertebrate and insect pests were identified by the farmers as limiting cowpea grain production. Insect pests were considered more serious than vertebrates. Pest control was mostly traditional and involved cultural measures such as weeding of plots, fencing, trapping and scaring of birds. These may be inefficient and labour intensive. Varieties planted by the farmers were mostly land races that have low yield potential and lack some other desirable agronomic character like semi-erectness and bold seeds. Selection criteria in breeding programmes should incorporate farmers' preferences which include high yields, sweet taste, resistance to pests and diseases, compatibility with the farming systems and acceptable seed appearance that would enhance marketing. The study further revealed that at present cowpea is grown mostly as a secondary crop. Therefore, introduced pest control efforts would have to be cheap, easy to adopt and integrative. These would include:

(a) education on control options hitherto unknown to the farmers;

(b) identifying and developing effective strategies that are low cost, labour insensitive, environmentally friendly and compatible with the socioculturel background of the farming community; and

(c) creating awareness on the necessity for the inputs to be readily available and affordable at the local government level.

Pearl millet, Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. is attacked by over 100 species of insect pests, but only a few of these are of economic importance. The two major ones, the millet stem borer, Coniesta ignefusalis Hampson and the earhead caterpillar Heliocheilus albipunctella de Joannis have been the subject of research in the Sahel during the last decade. The various methods that have been suggested for the control of these species are briefly discussed. Generally, the control strategy adopted by farmers involves the use of cultural operations that will reduce insect damage. There are no control measures that have been developed for farmers. The more scientific methods that have been suggested are the results from research trials and experiments. These have several limitations. Future perspectives and considerations for developing sound and practical farmer-oriented practices are discussed.

In this paper we develop a model for describing the spread of the parasitic disease bilharziasis. The detailed model first developed (Model A) is made more tractable by replacing infecting population sizes by their expected values in the transition probabilities, giving Model B. Using this approximating model it is possible to examine the nature of the spread of the disease and the effects of control measures. The effects of a particular control measure are examined in order to compare Models A and B.