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Tinea corporis caused by Microsporum canis is usually associated with exposure to animals, but outbreaks with anthropophilic transmission were described. A large outbreak in a military base was investigated. We investigated the outbreak's source and risk factors for infection in order to contain and eliminate it. All staff-members at the base were interviewed and examined. A case-control analysis of symptomatic patients was used to elucidate risk factors. Stray cats were captured and sampled. M. canis isolated from skin and fur specimens of patients and cats were genotyped by microsatellite sequencing. Fifty-three of 502 staff-members were symptomatic. Logistic regression showed risk associated with female gender, cat contact at base and performance of guarding duty. Multiple stray cats were found at the base. M. canis isolates from 4 cats and 4 patients had an identical genotype, while 2 patients had different genotypes. We describe the largest M. canis outbreak reported until now. Epidemiological and phylogenetic tools were used to investigate the source of the outbreak. Multiple exposures to stray cats caused infection of mainly young female soldiers performing guarding duty. Other persons were infected by person-to-person transmission. These findings aided in the termination of the outbreak.

Background no updated data currently exist regarding Neisseria meningitidis carriage and genomic epidemiology among young Israeli adults. Methods oropharyngeal swabs were collected from 1,801 military recruits at the day of recruitment during 2019. Neisseria meningitidis was detected and identified by culture and qPCR. Confirmed isolates were serotyped by qPCR and encapsulated strains underwent whole genome sequencing. Risk factors for carriage were determined by analyzing focused questionnaires using uni- and multivariate models. Genomic typing was performed by means of core genome multilocus sequence typing. Results carriage rates overall and of encapsulated strains were 20.1% and 6.7%, respectively. Genogroup B (49.2%) and Y (26.7%) were the most common encapsulated strains. Genogroups C, W and X were scarce and genogroup A was absent. The most notable clonal complexes were CC23 (n=30), CC32 (n=16) and CC44/41 (n=9). Carriage was significantly associated with smoking (OR=1.82, CI[1.43-2.33) and boarding school attendance prior to recruitment (OR=1.49, CI[1.14-1.96]). Conclusions the prevalence of meningococcal carriage among young Israeli adults is high, compared to similar studies in other developed countries. This might be due to sociocultural characteristics including smoking and boarding school attendance during and after high school. The dominant genogroups and CCs found were compatible with those implicated in invasive disease in Israel.

Pertussis is a highly contagious, vaccine preventable upper respiratory disease. The incidence of the disease has been rising in the past few decades. During the winter of 2015, an upper respiratory outbreak occurred in one of Israel Defense Forces basic training bases in northern Israel. Following the detection of the first primary cases, a suspected outbreak investigation was initiated in conjunction with more rigorous clinical and laboratory testing efforts to include specific antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay assays and polymerase chain reaction to diagnose pertussis. Initially, 1,596 soldiers were surveyed clinically using a questionnaire and physicians' interviews for upper respiratory disease symptoms. A total of 158 soldiers were further evaluated and 38.6% (61) of those were diagnosed as having pertussis (with laboratory evidence). Based on the protocol that we developed during the course of this outbreak, a postexposure prophylaxis was given to every soldier for whom there was a high level of suspicion for infection and met the inclusion criteria for the postexposure prophylaxis protocol. The effects of the postvaccination waning immunity among a vaccinated population were demonstrated, thus the need of maintaining a high index of suspicion of Brodetella pertussis as a causative agent during respiratory diseases outbreaks in young soldiers.