|
1
|
Vilibic-Cavlek T, Stevanovic V, Brlek-Gorski D, Ferencak I, Ferenc T, Ujevic-Bosnjak M, Tabain I, Janev-Holcer N, Perkovic I, Anticevic M, Bekavac B, Kaic B, Mrzljak A, Ganjto M, Zmak L, Mauric Maljkovic M, Jelicic P, Bucic L, Barbic L. Emerging Trends in the Epidemiology of COVID-19: The Croatian 'One Health' Perspective. Viruses 2021; 13:2354. [PMID: 34960623 PMCID: PMC8707935 DOI: 10.3390/v13122354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During the four pandemic waves, a total of 560,504 cases and 10,178 deaths due to COVID-19 were reported in Croatia. The Alpha variant, dominant from March 2021 (>50% of positive samples), was rapidly replaced by Delta variants (>90%) by August 2021. Several seroprevalence studies were conducted in different populations (general population, children/adolescents, professional athletes, healthcare workers, veterinarians) and in immunocompromised patients (hemodialysis patients, liver/kidney transplant recipients). After the first pandemic wave, seroprevalence rates of neutralizing (NT) antibodies were reported to be 0.2-5.5%. Significantly higher seropositivity was detected during/after the second wave, 2.6-18.7%. Two studies conducted in pet animals (February-June 2020/July-December 2020) reported SARS-CoV-2 NT antibodies in 0.76% of cats and 0.31-14.69% of dogs, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 NT antibodies were not detected in wildlife. Environmental samples taken in the households of COVID-19 patients showed high-touch personal objects as most frequently contaminated (17.3%), followed by surfaces in patients' rooms (14.6%), kitchens (13.3%) and bathrooms (8.3%). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was also detected in 96.8% affluent water samples, while all effluent water samples tested negative. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in humans, animals and the environment suggests that the 'One Health' approach is critical to controlling COVID-19 and future pandemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.F.); (I.T.)
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Vladimir Stevanovic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Diana Brlek-Gorski
- Environmental Health Department, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (D.B.-G.); (M.U.-B.); (N.J.-H.); (I.P.); (M.A.); (B.B.); (P.J.); (L.B.)
| | - Ivana Ferencak
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.F.); (I.T.)
| | - Thomas Ferenc
- Clinical Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Merkur University Hospital, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Magdalena Ujevic-Bosnjak
- Environmental Health Department, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (D.B.-G.); (M.U.-B.); (N.J.-H.); (I.P.); (M.A.); (B.B.); (P.J.); (L.B.)
| | - Irena Tabain
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.F.); (I.T.)
| | - Natasa Janev-Holcer
- Environmental Health Department, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (D.B.-G.); (M.U.-B.); (N.J.-H.); (I.P.); (M.A.); (B.B.); (P.J.); (L.B.)
- Department of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Ivana Perkovic
- Environmental Health Department, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (D.B.-G.); (M.U.-B.); (N.J.-H.); (I.P.); (M.A.); (B.B.); (P.J.); (L.B.)
| | - Mario Anticevic
- Environmental Health Department, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (D.B.-G.); (M.U.-B.); (N.J.-H.); (I.P.); (M.A.); (B.B.); (P.J.); (L.B.)
| | - Barbara Bekavac
- Environmental Health Department, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (D.B.-G.); (M.U.-B.); (N.J.-H.); (I.P.); (M.A.); (B.B.); (P.J.); (L.B.)
| | - Bernard Kaic
- Department of Epidemiology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Anna Mrzljak
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Center Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marin Ganjto
- Zagreb Wastewater-Management and Operation Ltd., 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Ljiljana Zmak
- Department for Tuberculosis, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Maja Mauric Maljkovic
- Department for Animal Breeding and Livestock Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Pavle Jelicic
- Environmental Health Department, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (D.B.-G.); (M.U.-B.); (N.J.-H.); (I.P.); (M.A.); (B.B.); (P.J.); (L.B.)
| | - Lovro Bucic
- Environmental Health Department, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (D.B.-G.); (M.U.-B.); (N.J.-H.); (I.P.); (M.A.); (B.B.); (P.J.); (L.B.)
| | - Ljubo Barbic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| |
Collapse
|