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(Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health) With financing from the GAVI Alliance, Pakistan is introducing a new 5-in-1 vaccine that will protect its children against the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and four other common childhood diseases. Hib, a bacterium that can cause deadly meningitis and pneumonia, is one of the top killers of young children in the developing world. The introduction of the pentavalent vaccine represents a major stride toward enabling Pakistan's 160 million inhabitants to make further progress towards the MDGs.

Background: In March 2007, the Norwegian Institute of Public health was notified of Swedish individuals diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis after staying at a Norwegian hotel. In Norway, cryptosporidiosis is not reportable, and human infections are rarely diagnosed. Methods: A questionnaire on illness and exposure history was e-mailed to seven organised groups who had visited the hotel in March. Cases were defined as persons with diarrhoea for more than two days or laboratory-confirmed cryptosporidiosis during or within two weeks of the hotel visit. The risk factor analysis was restricted to two groups with the highest attack rates (AR) and same hotel stay period. Local food safety authorities conducted environmental investigations. Results: In total, 25 diarrhoeal cases (10 laboratory-confirmed) were identified among 89 respondents. Although environmental samples were negative, epidemiological data suggest an association with in-house water consumption. In one group, the AR was higher am