Last data update: Oct 28, 2024. (Total: 48004 publications since 2009)
Records 1-30 (of 204 Records) |
Query Trace: Hernandez N[original query] |
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Leptospirosis outbreak in aftermath of Hurricane Fiona - Puerto Rico, 2022
Jones FK , Medina AG , Ryff KR , Irizarry-Ramos J , Wong JM , O'Neill E , Rodríguez IA , Cardona I , Hernández L , Hernandez-Romieu AC , Phillips MT , Johansson MA , Bayleyegn T , Atherstone C , DeBord KR , Negrón ME , Galloway R , Adams LE , Marzán-Rodríguez M . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024 73 (35) 763-768 Leptospirosis, an acute bacterial zoonotic disease, is endemic in Puerto Rico. Infection in approximately 10%-15% of patients with clinical disease progresses to severe, potentially fatal illness. Increased incidence has been associated with flooding in endemic areas around the world. In 2022, Hurricane Fiona, a Category 1 hurricane, made landfall and inundated Puerto Rico with heavy rainfall and severe flooding, increasing the risk for a leptospirosis outbreak. In response, the Puerto Rico Department of Health (PRDH) changed guidelines to make leptospirosis cases reportable within 24 hours, centralized the case investigation management system, and provided training and messaging to health care providers. To evaluate changes in risk for leptospirosis after Hurricane Fiona to that before the storm, the increase in cases was quantified, and patient characteristics and geographic distribution were compared. During the 15 weeks after Hurricane Fiona, 156 patients experienced signs and symptoms of leptospirosis and had a specimen with a positive laboratory result reported to PRDH. The mean weekly number of cases during this period was 10.4, which is 3.6 as high as the weekly number of cases during the previous 37 weeks (2.9). After Hurricane Fiona, the proportion of cases indicating exposure to potentially contaminated water increased from 11% to 35%, and the number of persons receiving testing increased; these factors likely led to the resulting overall surge in reported cases. Robust surveillance combined with outreach to health care providers after flooding events can improve leptospirosis case identification, inform clinicians considering early initiation of treatment, and guide public messaging to avoid wading, swimming, or any contact with potentially contaminated floodwaters. |
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a neglected tropical disease in Latin America
Álvarez-Hernández G , Paddock CD , Walker DH , Valenzuela JG , Calleja-López JRT , Rivera-Rosas CN , Sotelo-Mundo RR . PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024 18 (7) e0012276 Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), a severe and extraordinarily lethal infectious disease, has emerged as a widespread public health crisis among predominantly vulnerable populations in several countries of Latin America, particularly evident in northern Mexico. Historically, RMSF has gained less attention than many other tropical infectious diseases, resulting in insufficient allocations of resources and development of capabilities for its prevention and control in endemic regions. We argue that RMSF fulfills accepted criteria for a neglected tropical disease (NTD). The relative neglect of RMSF in most Latin American countries contributes to disparities in morbidity and mortality witnessed in this region. By recognizing RMSF as an NTD, an increased public policy interest, equitable and more appropriate allocation of resources, scientific interest, and social participation can ameliorate the impact of this potentially treatable disease, particularly in vulnerable populations. |
On alert for Ebola: public health risk assessment of travellers from Uganda to the U.S. during the 2022 outbreak
Fowler JJ , Preston LE , Gearhart SL , Figueroa A , LChristensen D , Mitchell C , Hernandez E , Grills AW , Morrison SM , Wilkinson M , Talib T , Marie Lavilla K , Watson T , Mitcham D , Nash R , Veguilla MAC , Hansen S , Cohen NJ , Nu Clarke SA , Smithson A , Shearer E , Pella DG , Morris JD , Meehan S , Aboukheir M , Adams K , Sunavala Z , Conley J , Abouattier M , Palo M , Pimentel LC , Berro A , Mainzer H , Byrkit R , Kim D , Katebi V , Alvarado-Ramy F , Roohi S , Wojno AE , Brown CM , Gertz AM . J Travel Med 2024 31 (5) BACKGROUND: On 20 September 2022, the Ugandan Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Sudan ebolavirus. METHODS: From 6 October 2022 to 10 January 2023, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff conducted public health assessments at five US ports of entry for travellers identified as having been in Uganda in the past 21 days. CDC also recommended that state, local and territorial health departments ('health departments') conduct post-arrival monitoring of these travellers. CDC provided traveller contact information, daily to 58 health departments, and collected health department data regarding monitoring outcomes. RESULTS: Among 11 583 travellers screened, 132 (1%) required additional assessment due to potential exposures or symptoms of concern. Fifty-three (91%) health departments reported receiving traveller data from CDC for 10 114 (87%) travellers, of whom 8499 (84%) were contacted for monitoring, 1547 (15%) could not be contacted and 68 (1%) had no reported outcomes. No travellers with high-risk exposures or Ebola disease were identified. CONCLUSION: Entry risk assessment and post-arrival monitoring of travellers are resource-intensive activities that had low demonstrated yield during this and previous outbreaks. The efficiency of future responses could be improved by incorporating an assessment of risk of importation of disease, accounting for individual travellers' potential for exposure, and expanded use of methods that reduce burden to federal agencies, health departments, and travellers. |
Rocky Mountain spotted fever mimicking multisystem inflammatory syndrome in hospitalized children, Sonora, Mexico
Álvarez-Hernández G , Rivera-Rosas CN , Calleja-López JRT , McCormick DW , Paddock CD , Álvarez-Meza JB , Correa-Morales F . Emerg Infect Dis 2024 30 (7) We describe 5 children who had Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and manifested clinical symptoms similar to multisystem inflammatory syndrome in Sonora, Mexico, where RMSF is hyperendemic. Physicians should consider RMSF in differential diagnoses of hospitalized patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome to prevent illness and death caused by rickettsial disease. |
Enhancements to the National HIV Surveillance System, United States, 2013-2023
Satcher Johnson A , Peruski A , Oster AM , Balaji A , Siddiqi AE , Sweeney P , Hernandez AL . Public Health Rep 2024 333549241253092 HIV infection is monitored through the National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS) to help improve the health of people with HIV and reduce transmission. NHSS data are routinely used at federal, state, and local levels to monitor the distribution and transmission of HIV, plan and evaluate prevention and care programs, allocate resources, inform policy development, and identify and respond to rapid transmission in the United States. We describe the expanded use of HIV surveillance data since the 2013 NHSS status update, during which time the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) coordinated to revise the HIV surveillance case definition to support the detection of early infection and reporting of laboratory data, expanded data collection to include information on sexual orientation and gender identity, enhanced data deduplication processes to improve quality, and expanded reporting to include social determinants of health and health equity measures. CDC maximized the effects of federal funding by integrating funding for HIV prevention and surveillance into a single program; the integration of program funding has expanded the use of HIV surveillance data and strengthened surveillance, resulting in enhanced cluster response capacity and intensified data-to-care activities to ensure sustained viral suppression. NHSS data serve as the primary source for monitoring HIV trends and progress toward achieving national initiatives, including the US Department of Health and Human Services' Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States initiative, the White House's National HIV/AIDS Strategy (2022-2025), and Healthy People 2030. The NHSS will continue to modernize, adapt, and broaden its scope as the need for high-quality HIV surveillance data remains. |
Sentinel enhanced dengue surveillance system - Puerto Rico, 2012-2022
Madewell ZJ , Hernandez-Romieu AC , Wong JM , Zambrano LD , Volkman HR , Perez-Padilla J , Rodriguez DM , Lorenzi O , Espinet C , Munoz-Jordan J , Frasqueri-Quintana VM , Rivera-Amill V , Alvarado-Domenech LI , Sainz D , Bertran J , Paz-Bailey G , Adams LE . MMWR Surveill Summ 2024 73 (3) 1-29 PROBLEM/CONDITION: Dengue is the most prevalent mosquitoborne viral illness worldwide and is endemic in Puerto Rico. Dengue's clinical spectrum can range from mild, undifferentiated febrile illness to hemorrhagic manifestations, shock, multiorgan failure, and death in severe cases. The disease presentation is nonspecific; therefore, various other illnesses (e.g., arboviral and respiratory pathogens) can cause similar clinical symptoms. Enhanced surveillance is necessary to determine disease prevalence, to characterize the epidemiology of severe disease, and to evaluate diagnostic and treatment practices to improve patient outcomes. The Sentinel Enhanced Dengue Surveillance System (SEDSS) was established to monitor trends of dengue and dengue-like acute febrile illnesses (AFIs), characterize the clinical course of disease, and serve as an early warning system for viral infections with epidemic potential. REPORTING PERIOD: May 2012-December 2022. DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM: SEDSS conducts enhanced surveillance for dengue and other relevant AFIs in Puerto Rico. This report includes aggregated data collected from May 2012 through December 2022. SEDSS was launched in May 2012 with patients with AFIs from five health care facilities enrolled. The facilities included two emergency departments in tertiary acute care hospitals in the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo metropolitan area and Ponce, two secondary acute care hospitals in Carolina and Guayama, and one outpatient acute care clinic in Ponce. Patients arriving at any SEDSS site were eligible for enrollment if they reported having fever within the past 7 days. During the Zika epidemic (June 2016-June 2018), patients were eligible for enrollment if they had either rash and conjunctivitis, rash and arthralgia, or fever. Eligibility was expanded in April 2020 to include reported cough or shortness of breath within the past 14 days. Blood, urine, nasopharyngeal, and oropharyngeal specimens were collected at enrollment from all participants who consented. Diagnostic testing for dengue virus (DENV) serotypes 1-4, chikungunya virus, Zika virus, influenza A and B viruses, SARS-CoV-2, and five other respiratory viruses was performed by the CDC laboratory in San Juan. RESULTS: During May 2012-December 2022, a total of 43,608 participants with diagnosed AFI were enrolled in SEDSS; a majority of participants (45.0%) were from Ponce. During the surveillance period, there were 1,432 confirmed or probable cases of dengue, 2,293 confirmed or probable cases of chikungunya, and 1,918 confirmed or probable cases of Zika. The epidemic curves of the three arboviruses indicate dengue is endemic; outbreaks of chikungunya and Zika were sporadic, with case counts peaking in late 2014 and 2016, respectively. The majority of commonly identified respiratory pathogens were influenza A virus (3,756), SARS-CoV-2 (1,586), human adenovirus (1,550), respiratory syncytial virus (1,489), influenza B virus (1,430), and human parainfluenza virus type 1 or 3 (1,401). A total of 5,502 participants had confirmed or probable arbovirus infection, 11,922 had confirmed respiratory virus infection, and 26,503 had AFI without any of the arboviruses or respiratory viruses examined. INTERPRETATION: Dengue is endemic in Puerto Rico; however, incidence rates varied widely during the reporting period, with the last notable outbreak occurring during 2012-2013. DENV-1 was the predominant virus during the surveillance period; sporadic cases of DENV-4 also were reported. Puerto Rico experienced large outbreaks of chikungunya that peaked in 2014 and of Zika that peaked in 2016; few cases of both viruses have been reported since. Influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus seasonality patterns are distinct, with respiratory syncytial virus incidence typically reaching its annual peak a few weeks before influenza A. The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 led to a reduction in the circulation of other acute respiratory viruses. PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION: SEDSS is the only site-based enhanced surveillance system designed to gather information on AFI cases in Puerto Rico. This report illustrates that SEDSS can be adapted to detect dengue, Zika, chikungunya, COVID-19, and influenza outbreaks, along with other seasonal acute respiratory viruses, underscoring the importance of recognizing signs and symptoms of relevant diseases and understanding transmission dynamics among these viruses. This report also describes fluctuations in disease incidence, highlighting the value of active surveillance, testing for a panel of acute respiratory viruses, and the importance of flexible and responsive surveillance systems in addressing evolving public health challenges. Various vector control strategies and vaccines are being considered or implemented in Puerto Rico, and data from ongoing trials and SEDSS might be integrated to better understand epidemiologic factors underlying transmission and risk mitigation approaches. Data from SEDSS might guide sampling strategies and implementation of future trials to prevent arbovirus transmission, particularly during the expansion of SEDSS throughout the island to improve geographic representation. |
Awareness, willingness to use pre-exposure prophylaxis, and use of post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention among men who have sex with men in Mexico
Chapin-Bardales J , Algarin AB , Baruch-Dominguez R , Smith LR , Hernandez-Avila M , Sanchez T . Int J STD AIDS 2024 9564624241248254 BACKGROUND: Little is known about awareness and willingness to use or purchase HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Mexico. METHODS: MSM in Mexico were recruited via advertisements on online social venues to participate in Encuesta de Sexo Entre Hombres, an online behavioral survey. Awareness of PrEP, willingness to take PrEP if available for free, willingness to purchase PrEP, awareness of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and ever PEP use were assessed in descriptive and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Overall, 54.8% (4588/8376) of participants were aware of PrEP. Of those aware, 77.6% were willing to use PrEP if free and 52.6% were willing to purchase PrEP, generally at a maximum monthly cost of $500MXP. Both awareness of and willingness to use PrEP if free or for purchase were significantly greater among MSM who were younger, and varied by demographic, recent healthcare use, and behavioral risk factors. Only 8.2% had ever used PEP, which was highly associated with healthcare utilization. CONCLUSIONS: About half of Mexican MSM were aware of PrEP. The majority of those aware were willing to use PrEP if available for free and many were willing to purchase PrEP at low cost. Leveraging demographic, recent healthcare use, and behavioral risk characteristics associated with awareness and willingness to use PrEP could be useful in designing future PrEP programs for MSM in Mexico. Expanding healthcare settings in which PEP is available may also support identifying candidates for PrEP and scaling up PrEP implementation. |
Clinical Course of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Adults with ESKD Receiving Outpatient Hemodialysis
Bardossy AC , Korhonen L , Schatzman S , Gable P , Herzig C , Brown NE , Beshearse E , Varela K , Sabour S , Lyons AK , Overton R , Hudson M , Hernandez-Romieu AC , Alvarez J , Roman K , Weng M , Soda E , Patel PR , Grate C , Dalrymple LS , Wingard RL , Thornburg NJ , Halpin ASL , Folster JM , Tobin-D'Angelo M , Lea J , Apata I , McDonald LC , Brown AC , Kutty PK , Novosad S . Kidney360 12/28/2021 2 (12) 1917-1927 BACKGROUND: Patients with ESKD on maintenance dialysis receive dialysis in common spaces with other patients and have a higher risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infections. They may have persistently or intermittently positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR tests after infection. We describe the clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the serologic response in a convenience sample of patients with ESKD to understand the duration of infectivity. METHODS: From August to November 2020, we enrolled patients on maintenance dialysis with SARS-CoV-2 infections from outpatient dialysis facilities in Atlanta, Georgia. We followed participants for approximately 42 days. We assessed COVID-19 symptoms and collected specimens. Oropharyngeal (OP), anterior nasal (AN), and saliva (SA) specimens were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, using RT-PCR, and sent for viral culture. Serology, including neutralizing antibodies, was measured in blood specimens. RESULTS: Fifteen participants, with a median age of 58 (range, 37‒77) years, were enrolled. Median duration of RT-PCR positivity from diagnosis was 18 days (interquartile range [IQR], 8‒24 days). Ten participants had at least one, for a total of 41, positive RT-PCR specimens ≥10 days after symptoms onset. Of these 41 specimens, 21 underwent viral culture; one (5%) was positive 14 days after symptom onset. Thirteen participants developed SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, 11 of which included neutralizing antibodies. RT-PCRs remained positive after seroconversion in eight participants and after detection of neutralizing antibodies in four participants; however, all of these samples were culture negative. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ESKD on maintenance dialysis remained persistently and intermittently SARS-CoV-2-RT-PCR positive. However, of the 15 participants, only one had infectious virus, on day 14 after symptom onset. Most participants mounted an antibody response, including neutralizing antibodies. Participants continued having RT-PCR-positive results in the presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, but without replication-competent virus detected. |
Changes in breastfeeding and related maternity care practices after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico
Kortsmit K , Salvesen von Essen B , Anstey E , Ellington S , Hernández Virella WI , D'Angelo DV , Strid P , Magly Olmos I , Vargas Bernal M , Warner L . Breastfeed Med 2024 19 (3) 177-186 Background: Breastfeeding is recommended globally for most infants, especially during and after natural disasters when risk of adverse outcomes increases because of unsanitary conditions and lack of potable water. Materials and Methods: Using 2017-2019 data from Puerto Rico's Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System for 2,448 respondents with a recent live birth, we classified respondents into 4 hurricane exposure time periods based on infant birth month and year relative to when Hurricanes Irma and Maria occurred: (1) prehurricane; (2) acute hurricane; (3) posthurricane, early recovery; and (4) posthurricane, long-term recovery. We examined the association between maternity care practices during delivery hospitalization and exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months overall and stratified by time period. We also examined the associations between each maternity care practice and exclusive breastfeeding separately by time period. Results: Exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months was higher during the acute hurricane time period (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 1.43, 95% confidence interval: 1.09-1.87) than the prehurricane time period. Supportive maternity care practices were positively associated with exclusively breastfeeding, and practices that are risk factors for discontinuing breastfeeding were negatively associated with exclusive breastfeeding. Breastfeeding in the first hour (aPR range: 1.51-1.92) and rooming-in (aPR range: 1.50-2.58) were positively associated with exclusive breastfeeding across all time periods, except the prehurricane time period. Receipt of a gift pack with formula was negatively associated with exclusive breastfeeding (aPR range: 0.22-0.54) across all time periods. Conclusions: Maternity care practices during delivery hospitalization may influence breastfeeding behaviors and can improve breastfeeding during and after natural disasters. Strategies to maintain and improve these practices can be further supported during and after natural disasters. |
Association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and select symptoms and conditions 31 to 150 days after testing among children and adults
Zhang Y , Romieu-Hernandez A , Boehmer TK , Azziz-Baumgartner E , Carton TW , Gundlapalli AV , Fearrington J , Nagavedu K , Dea K , Moyneur E , Cowell LG , Kaushal R , Mayer KH , Puro J , Rasmussen SA , Thacker D , Weiner MG , Saydah S , Block JP . BMC Infect Dis 2024 24 (1) 181 BACKGROUND: An increasing number of studies have described new and persistent symptoms and conditions as potential post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). However, it remains unclear whether certain symptoms or conditions occur more frequently among persons with SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with those never infected with SARS-CoV-2. We compared the occurrence of specific COVID-associated symptoms and conditions as potential PASC 31- to 150-day following a SARS-CoV-2 test among adults and children with positive and negative test results. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using electronic health record (EHR) data from 43 PCORnet sites participating in a national COVID-19 surveillance program. This study included 3,091,580 adults (316,249 SARS-CoV-2 positive; 2,775,331 negative) and 675,643 children (62,131 positive; 613,512 negative) who had a SARS-CoV-2 laboratory test during March 1, 2020-May 31, 2021 documented in their EHR. We used logistic regression to calculate the odds of having a symptom and Cox models to calculate the risk of having a newly diagnosed condition associated with a SARS-CoV-2 positive test. RESULTS: After adjustment for baseline covariates, hospitalized adults and children with a positive test had increased odds of being diagnosed with ≥ 1 symptom (adults: adjusted odds ratio[aOR], 1.17[95% CI, 1.11-1.23]; children: aOR, 1.18[95% CI, 1.08-1.28]) or shortness of breath (adults: aOR, 1.50[95% CI, 1.38-1.63]; children: aOR, 1.40[95% CI, 1.15-1.70]) 31-150 days following a SARS-CoV-2 test compared with hospitalized individuals with a negative test. Hospitalized adults with a positive test also had increased odds of being diagnosed with ≥ 3 symptoms or fatigue compared with those testing negative. The risks of being newly diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes (adjusted hazard ratio[aHR], 1.25[95% CI, 1.17-1.33]), hematologic disorders (aHR, 1.19[95% CI, 1.11-1.28]), or respiratory disease (aHR, 1.44[95% CI, 1.30-1.60]) were higher among hospitalized adults with a positive test compared with those with a negative test. Non-hospitalized adults with a positive test also had higher odds or increased risk of being diagnosed with certain symptoms or conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially those who were hospitalized, were at higher risk of being diagnosed with certain symptoms and conditions after acute infection. |
COVID-related excess missed HIV diagnoses in the United States in 2021: follow-up to 2020
Viguerie A , Song R , Johnson AS , Lyles CM , Hernandez A , Farnham PG . AIDS 2024 OBJECTIVE: :COVID-19 and related disruptions led to a significant decline in HIV diagnoses in the US in 2020. A previous analysis estimated 18% fewer diagnoses than expected among persons with HIV (PWH) acquiring infection in 2019 or earlier, suggesting that the decline in overall diagnoses cannot be attributed solely to decreased transmission. This analysis evaluates the progress made towards closing the 2020 diagnosis deficit in 2021. METHODS: :We apply previously developed methods analyzing 2021 diagnosis data from the National HIV Surveillance System to determine whether 2021 diagnosis levels of PWH infected pre2020 are above or below the expected pre-COVID trends. Results are stratified by assigned sex at birth, transmission group, geographic region, and race/ethnicity. RESULTS: :In 2021, HIV diagnoses returned to pre-COVID levels among all PWH acquiring infection 2011-19. Among Hispanic/Latino PWH and males, diagnoses returned to pre-COVID levels. White PWH, men who have sex with men, and PWH living in the south and northeast showed higher-than-expected levels of diagnosis in 2021. For the remaining populations, there were fewer HIV diagnoses in 2021 than expected. CONCLUSIONS: :While overall diagnoses among persons acquiring HIV pre2020 returned to pre-COVID levels, the diagnosis gap observed in 2020 remained unclosed at the end of 2021. Fewer than expected diagnoses among certain populations indicate that COVID-19 related disruptions to HIV diagnosis trends remained in 2021. Although some groups showed higher-than-expected levels of diagnoses, such increases were smaller than corresponding 2020 decreases. Expanded testing programs designed to close these gaps are essential. |
Human salmonellosis outbreak linked to salmonella typhimurium epidemic in wild songbirds, United States, 2020-2021
Patel K , Stapleton GS , Trevejo RT , Tellier WT , Higa J , Adams JK , Hernandez SM , Sanchez S , Nemeth NM , Debess EE , Rogers KH , Mete A , Watson KD , Foss L , Low MSF , Gollarza L , Nichols M . Emerg Infect Dis 2023 29 (11) 2298-2306 Salmonella infection causes epidemic death in wild songbirds, with potential to spread to humans. In February 2021, public health officials in Oregon and Washington, USA, isolated a strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium from humans and a wild songbird. Investigation by public health partners ultimately identified 30 illnesses in 12 states linked to an epidemic of Salmonella Typhimurium in songbirds. We report a multistate outbreak of human salmonellosis associated with songbirds, resulting from direct handling of sick and dead birds or indirect contact with contaminated birdfeeders. Companion animals might have contributed to the spread of Salmonella between songbirds and patients; the outbreak strain was detected in 1 ill dog, and a cat became ill after contact with a wild bird. This outbreak highlights a One Health issue where actions like regular cleaning of birdfeeders might reduce the health risk to wildlife, companion animals, and humans. |
Sexual exposures associated with mpox infection: California, November 2022 to June 2023
Snyder RE , Saadeh K , Tang EC , Johnson KA , Holland SN , Quint J , Burghardt NO , Chai SJ , Fernando R , Barrera KG , Hernandez C , McManus K , Lorenz K , Maycott J , McGinley J , Lewnard JA . J Infect Dis 2023 BACKGROUND: Exposures associated with mpox infection remain imperfectly understood. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study enrolling participants who received molecular tests for mpox/orthopoxvirus in California from November 2022 through June 2023. We collected data on behaviors during a 21-day risk period before symptom onset or testing among mpox cases and test-negative controls. RESULTS: Thirteen of 54 (24.1%) cases and 5/117 (4.3%) controls reported sexual exposure to individuals they identified as potential mpox cases ("index contacts"; odds ratio [OR] = 7.7 [95% confidence interval: 2.5-19.3]). Among these participants, 10/13 (76.9%) cases and 2/5 (40.0%) controls reported their index contacts were not experiencing symptoms visible to participants during sex (OR = 14.9 [3.6-101.8]). Only 3/54 cases (5.6%) reported exposure to symptomatic index contacts. Cases reported greater numbers of anal/vaginal sex partners than controls (adjusted OR = 2.2 [1.0-4.8] for 2-3 partners and 3.8 [1.7-8.8] for ≥4 partners). Male cases with penile lesions more commonly reported insertive anal/vaginal sex than those without penile lesions (adjusted OR = 9.3 [1.6-54.8]). Cases with anorectal lesions more commonly reported receptive anal sex than cases without anorectal lesions (adjusted OR = 14.4 [1.0-207.3]). CONCLUSIONS: Sexual exposure to contacts known or suspected to have experienced mpox was associated with increased risk of infection, often when index contacts lacked apparent symptoms. Exposure to greater numbers of sex partners, including those whom participants did not identify as index contacts, was associated with increased risk of infection in a site-specific manner. While participants' assessment of symptoms in partners may be imperfect, these findings suggest individuals without visibly prominent mpox symptoms transmit infection. |
Incomplete tissue product tracing during an investigation of a tissue-derived tuberculosis outbreak
Marshall KE , Free RJ , Filardo TD , Schwartz NG , Hernandez-Romieu AC , Thacker TC , Lehman KA , Annambhotla P , Dupree PB , Glowicz JB , Scarpita AM , Brubaker SA , Czaja CA , Basavaraju SV . Am J Transplant 2023 24 (1) 115-122 In the United States, there is currently no system to track donated human tissue products to individual recipients. This posed a challenge during an investigation of a nationwide tuberculosis outbreak that occurred when bone allograft contaminated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Lot A) was implanted into 113 patients in 18 U.S. states, including two patients at one healthcare facility in Colorado. A third patient at the same facility developed spinal tuberculosis with an isolate genetically identical to the Lot A outbreak strain. However, healthcare records indicated this patient had received bone allograft from a different donor (Lot B). We investigated the source of this newly identified infection, including the possibilities of Lot B donor infection, product switch or contamination during manufacturing, product switch at the healthcare facility, person-to-person transmission, and laboratory error. Findings included gaps in tissue traceability at the healthcare facility, creating the possibility for a product switch at the point-of-care despite detailed tissue-tracking policies. Nationally, 6 (3.9%) of 155 Lot B units could not be traced to final disposition. This investigation highlights the critical need to improve tissue-tracking systems to ensure unbroken traceability, facilitating investigations of recipient adverse events and enabling timely public health responses to prevent morbidity and mortality. |
Outbreak of locally acquired mosquito-transmitted (autochthonous) malaria - Florida and Texas, May-July 2023
Blackburn D , Drennon M , Broussard K , Morrison AM , Stanek D , Sarney E , Ferracci C , Huard S , Brennan W , Eaton J , Nealeigh S , Barber N , Zimler RA , Adams JN , Blackmore C , Gordillo M , Mercado R , Vore H , Scanlan K , Motie I , Stanfield L , Farooq A , Widel K , Tomson K , Kerr N , Nasir J , Cone M , Rice C , Larkin T , Hernandez E , Bencie J , Lesser CR , Dersch M , Ramirez-Lachmann S , Clark M , Rollo S , Bashadi A , Tyler R , Bolling B , Moore B , Sullivan B , Fonken E , Castillo R , Gonzalez Y , Olivares G , Mace KE , Sayre D , Lenhart A , Sutcliffe A , Dotson E , Corredor C , Rogers E , Raphael BH , Sapp SGH , Qvarnstrom Y , Ridpath AD , McElroy PD . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023 72 (36) 973-978 Eight cases of locally acquired, mosquito-transmitted (i.e., autochthonous) Plasmodium vivax malaria, which has not been reported in the United States since 2003, were reported to CDC from state health departments in Florida and Texas during May 18-July 17, 2023. As of August 4, 2023, case surveillance, mosquito surveillance and control activities, and public outreach and education activities continue in both states. U.S. clinicians need to consider a malaria diagnosis in patients with unexplained fever, especially in areas where autochthonous malaria has been recently reported, although the risk for autochthonous malaria in the United States remains very low. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of malaria can prevent severe disease or death and limit ongoing transmission to local Anopheles mosquitoes and other persons. Preventing mosquito bites and controlling mosquitoes at home can prevent mosquitoborne diseases, including malaria. Before traveling internationally to areas with endemic malaria, travelers should consult with a health care provider regarding recommended malaria prevention measures, including potentially taking malaria prophylaxis. Malaria is a nationally notifiable disease; continued reporting of malaria cases to jurisdictional health departments and CDC will also help ensure robust surveillance to detect and prevent autochthonous malaria in the United States. |
The use of saliva samples to test for congenital cytomegalovirus infection in newborns: Examination of false-positive samples associated with donor milk use
Wunderlich W , Sidebottom AC , Schulte AK , Taghon J , Dollard S , Hernandez-Alvarado N . Int J Neonatal Screen 2023 9 (3) A universal screening research study was conducted in six hospitals to identify the clinical sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing on newborn dried blood spots (DBSs) versus saliva specimens for the diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV). CMV DNA positive results from DBSs or saliva were confirmed with urine testing. Findings of several false-positive (FP) saliva PCR results prompted an examination of a possible association with donor milk. Documentation of the frequency of positive saliva results, including both true-positive (TP) and FP status from clinical confirmation, occurred. The frequency of donor milk use was compared for TP and FP cases. Of 22,079 participants tested between 2016 and 2022, 96 had positive saliva results, 15 were determined to be FP, 79 TP, and 2 were excluded for incomplete clinical evaluation. Newborn donor milk use was identified for 18 (19.14%) of all the positive saliva screens. Among the 15 FPs, 11 (73.33%) consumed donor milk compared to 7 of the 79 TPs (8.8%) (OR 28.29, 95% CI 7.10-112.73, p < 0.001). While milk bank Holder pasteurization inactivates CMV infectivity, CMV DNA may still be detectable. Due to this possible association, screening programs that undertake testing saliva for CMV DNA may benefit from documenting donor milk use as a potential increased risk for FP results. |
Protocol for a sequential, prospective meta-analysis to describe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the pregnancy and postpartum periods (preprint)
Smith ER , Oakley E , He S , Zavala R , Ferguson K , Miller L , Grandner GW , Abejirinde IO , Afshar Y , Ahmadzia H , Aldrovandi G , Akelo V , Tippett Barr BA , Bevilacqua E , Brandt JS , Broutet N , Fernández Buhigas I , Carrillo J , Clifton R , Conry J , Cosmi E , Delgado-López C , Divakar H , Driscoll AJ , Favre G , Flaherman V , Gale C , Gil MM , Godwin C , Gottlieb S , Hernandez Bellolio O , Kara E , Khagayi S , Kim CR , Knight M , Kotloff K , Lanzone A , Le Doare K , Lees C , Litman E , Lokken EM , Laurita Longo V , Magee LA , Martinez-Portilla RJ , McClure E , Metz TD , Money D , Mullins E , Nachega JB , Panchaud A , Playle R , Poon LC , Raiten D , Regan L , Rukundo G , Sanin-Blair J , Temmerman M , Thorson A , Thwin S , Tolosa JE , Townson J , Valencia-Prado M , Visentin S , von Dadelszen P , Adams Waldorf K , Whitehead C , Yang H , Thorlund K , Tielsch JM . medRxiv 2022 2020.11.08.20228056 We urgently need answers to basic epidemiological questions regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant and postpartum women and its effect on their newborns. While many national registries, health facilities, and research groups are collecting relevant data, we need a collaborative and methodologically rigorous approach to better combine these data and address knowledge gaps, especially those related to rare outcomes. We propose that using a sequential, prospective meta-analysis (PMA) is the best approach to generate data for policy- and practice-oriented guidelines. As the pandemic evolves, additional studies identified retrospectively by the steering committee or through living systematic reviews will be invited to participate in this PMA. Investigators can contribute to the PMA by either submitting individual patient data or running standardized code to generate aggregate data estimates. For the primary analysis, we will pool data using two-stage meta-analysis methods. The meta-analyses will be updated as additional data accrue in each contributing study and as additional studies meet study-specific time or data accrual thresholds for sharing. At the time of publication, investigators of 25 studies, including more than 76,000 pregnancies, in 41 countries had agreed to share data for this analysis. Among the included studies, 12 have a contemporaneous comparison group of pregnancies without COVID-19, and four studies include a comparison group of non-pregnant women of reproductive age with COVID-19. Protocols and updates will be maintained publicly. Results will be shared with key stakeholders, including the World Health Organization (WHO) Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (MNCAH) Research Working Group. Data contributors will share results with local stakeholders. Scientific publications will be published in open-access journals on an ongoing basis.Competing Interest StatementClare Whitehead declares a a relationship with the following entities, Ferring Pharmaceuticals COVID19 Investigational, Grant, NHMRC Fellowship (salary support). Alice Panchaud declares the following research grants to institution: H2020-Grant (Consortium member of Innovative medicine initiative call 13 topic 9) (ConcePTION), Efficacy and safety studies on Medicines EMA/2017/09/PE/11, Lot 4, WP 2 lead (CONSIGN: Study on impact of COVID-19 infection and medicines in pregnancy), Safety monitoring of COVID-19 vaccines in the EU Reopening of competition no. 20 under a framework contract following procurement procedure EMA/2017/09/PE (Lot 3) 4. Federal Office of Public Health (207000 CHF). (The COVI-Preg registry). Edward Mullins declares a relationship with the following entities National Institute for Health Research (Project grant for PAN COVID study) Deborah Money declares a relationship with the following entities, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (payments to my institution only), Public Health Agency of Canada (payments to my institution only), BC Womens Foundation (payments to my institution only) and is a Member of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force sponsored by the Canadian government. Torri D. Metz declares a relationship with the following entities, Pfizer (site Principal Investigator for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in pregnancy study, money paid to institution and member of Medical Advisory Board for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in pregnancy study, money paid to me), NICHD (subcommittee Chair for the NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network Gestational Research Assessments of COVID-19 (GRAVID) study), and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (board member). Erica Lokken declares a relationship with the following entity, US NIH (paid institution). Karen L. Kotloff declares a relationship with the following entity, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Siran He declares a relationship with the following entity, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundtion (payments made to my institution). Valerie Flaherman declares a relationship with the following entities, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (payments to my institution), Yellow Chair Foundati n (payments to my institution), Robert Woods Johnson Foundation (payments to my institution), CDC Foundation, California Health Care Foundation (payments to my institution), Tara Health Foundation (payments to my institution), UCSF Womens Health Center of Excellence (payments to my institution) and California Department of Health Care Services (payments made to my institution). Jose Sanin-Blair declares a relationship with the following entity, Ferring Pharmaceuticals which give a grant ($10,000) for the expenses of RECOGEST trial and is a part of the Columbian Federation of Perinatology Yalda Afshar declares a relationship with the following entities, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (payments made to my institution), CDC Foundation (payments made to my institution), Robert Woods Johnson Foundation (payments made to my institution), and UCLA Deans Office COVID-19 research (payments made to my institution). Rebecca Cliffton declares a relationship with the following entity, NIH HD36801 (MFMU Network DCC).Clinical TrialPROSPERO ID: 188955Funding StatementFunded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant to Emily Smith (INV-022057) at George Washington University and a grant to Emily Smith via a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Stephanie Gaw (INV-017035) at University of California San Francisco.Author DeclarationsI confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.YesThe details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:This is a protocol paper and thus exempt from ethical approval. Ultimately, the meta-analysis study is exempt from human research ethics approval as the study authors will be synthesizing de-identified or aggregate data.I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.YesI understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).YesI have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable.YesThis is a protocol paper and there is no related data to share. |
Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Puerto Rico reveals emergence of an autochthonous lineage and early detection of variants (preprint)
Santiago GA , Flores B , Gonzalez GL , Charriez KN , Cora-Huertas L , Volkman HR , Van Belleghem S , Rivera-Amill V , Adams LE , Marzan M , Hernandez L , Cardona I , O'Neill E , Paz-Bailey G , Papa R , Munoz-Jordan JL . Res Sq 2022 Puerto Rico has experienced the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, was first detected on the island in March of 2020, it spread rapidly though the island’s population and became a critical threat to public health. We conducted a genomic surveillance study through a partnership with health agencies and academic institutions to understand the emergence and molecular epidemiology of the virus on the island. We sampled COVID-19 cases monthly over 19 months and sequenced a total of 753 SARS-CoV-2 genomes between March 2020 and September 2021 to reconstruct the local epidemic in a regional context using phylogenetic inference. Our analyses revealed that multiple importation events propelled the emergence and spread of the virus throughout the study period, including the introduction and spread of most SARS-CoV-2 variants detected world-wide. Lineage turnover cycles through various phases of the local epidemic were observed, where the predominant lineage was replaced by the next competing lineage or variant after approximately 4 months of circulation locally. We also identified the emergence of lineage B.1.588, an autochthonous lineage that predominated circulation in Puerto Rico from September to December 2020 and subsequently spread to the United States. The results of this collaborative approach highlight the importance of timely collection and analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance data to inform public health responses. |
Isolating the effect of COVID-19 related disruptions on HIV diagnoses in the United States in 2020 (preprint)
Viguerie A , Song R , Johnson AS , Lyles CM , Hernandez A , Farnham PG . medRxiv 2022 01 Background: Diagnoses of HIV in the US decreased by 17% in 2020 due to COVID-related disruptions. The extent to which this decrease is attributable to changes in HIV testing versus HIV transmission is unclear. We seek to better understand this issue by analyzing the discrepancy in expected versus observed HIV diagnoses in 2020 among persons who acquired HIV between 2010-2019, as changes in diagnosis patterns in this cohort cannot be attributed to changes in transmission. Method(s): We developed three methods based on the CD4-depletion model to estimate excess missed diagnoses in 2020 among persons with HIV (PWH) infected from 2010-2019. We stratified the results by transmission group, sex assigned at birth, race/ethnicity, and region to examine differences by group and confirm the reliability of our estimates. We performed similar analyses projecting diagnoses in 2019 among PWH infected from 2010-2018 to evaluate the accuracy of our methods against surveillance data. Result(s): There were approximately 3100-3300 (approximately 18%) fewer diagnoses than expected in 2020 among PWH infected from 2010-2019. Females (at birth), heterosexuals, persons who inject drugs, and Hispanic/Latino PWH missed diagnoses at higher levels than the overall population. Validation and stratification analyses confirmed the accuracy and reliability of our estimates. Conclusion(s): The substantial drop in number of previously infected PWH diagnosed in 2020, suggests that changes in testing played a substantial role in the observed decrease. Levels of missed diagnoses differed substantially across population subgroups. Increasing testing efforts and innovative strategies to reach undiagnosed PWH are needed to offset this diagnosis gap. These analyses may be used to inform future estimates of HIV transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic. Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. This article is a US Government work. It is not subject to copyright under 17 USC 105 and is also made available for use under a CC0 license. |
Self-Reported Mask Use among Persons with or without SARS CoV-2 Vaccination -United States, December 2020-August 2021 (preprint)
Calamari LE , Weintraub WS , Santos R , Gibbs M , Bertoni AG , Ward LM , Saydah S , Plumb ID , Runyon MS , Wierzba TF , Sanders JW , Herrington D , Espeland MA , Williamson J , Mongraw-Chaffin M , Bertoni A , Alexander-Miller MA , Castri P , Mathews A , Munawar I , Seals AL , Ostasiewski B , Ballard CAP , Gurcan M , Ivanov A , Zapata GM , Westcott M , Blinson K , Blinson L , Mistysyn M , Davis D , Doomy L , Henderson P , Jessup A , Lane K , Levine B , McCanless J , McDaniel S , Melius K , O'Neill C , Pack A , Rathee R , Rushing S , Sheets J , Soots S , Wall M , Wheeler S , White J , Wilkerson L , Wilson R , Wilson K , Burcombe D , Saylor G , Lunn M , Ordonez K , O'Steen A , Wagner L , McCurdy LH , Gibbs MA , Taylor YJ , Calamari L , Tapp H , Ahmed A , Brennan M , Munn L , Dantuluri KL , Hetherington T , Lu LC , Dunn C , Hogg M , Price A , Leonidas M , Manning M , Rossman W , Gohs FX , Harris A , Priem JS , Tochiki P , Wellinsky N , Silva C , Ludden T , Hernandez J , Spencer K , McAlister L , Weintraub W , Miller K , Washington C , Moses A , Dolman S , Zelaya-Portillo J , Erkus J , Blumenthal J , Romero Barrientos RE , Bennett S , Shah S , Mathur S , Boxley C , Kolm P , Franklin E , Ahmed N , Larsen M , Oberhelman R , Keating J , Kissinger P , Schieffelin J , Yukich J , Beron A , Teigen J , Kotloff K , Chen WH , Friedman-Klabanoff D , Berry AA , Powell H , Roane L , Datar R , Correa A , Navalkele B , Min YI , Castillo A , Ward L , Santos RP , Anugu P , Gao Y , Green J , Sandlin R , Moore D , Drake L , Horton D , Johnson KL , Stover M , Lagarde WH , Daniel L , Maguire PD , Hanlon CL , McFayden L , Rigo I , Hines K , Smith L , Harris M , Lissor B , Cook V , Eversole M , Herrin T , Murphy D , Kinney L , Diehl P , Abromitis N , Pierre TSt , Heckman B , Evans D , March J , Whitlock B , Moore W , Arthur S , Conway J , Gallaher TR , Johanson M , Brown S , Dixon T , Reavis M , Henderson S , Zimmer M , Oliver D , Jackson K , Menon M , Bishop B , Roeth R , King-Thiele R , Hamrick TS , Ihmeidan A , Hinkelman A , Okafor C , Bray Brown RB , Brewster A , Bouyi D , Lamont K , Yoshinaga K , Vinod P , Peela AS , Denbel G , Lo J , Mayet-Khan M , Mittal A , Motwani R , Raafat M , Schultz E , Joseph A , Parkeh A , Patel D , Afridi B , Uschner D , Edelstein SL , Santacatterina M , Strylewicz G , Burke B , Gunaratne M , Turney M , Zhou SQ , Tjaden AH , Fette L , Buahin A , Bott M , Graziani S , Soni A , Mores C , Porzucek A , Laborde R , Acharya P , Guill L , Lamphier D , Schaefer A , Satterwhite WM , McKeague A , Ward J , Naranjo DP , Darko N , Castellon K , Brink R , Shehzad H , Kuprianov D , McGlasson D , Hayes D , Edwards S , Daphnis S , Todd B , Goodwin A , Berkelman R , Hanson K , Zeger S , Hopkins J , Reilly C , Edwards K , Gayle H , Redd S . medRxiv 2022 10 Wearing a facemask can help to decrease the transmission of COVID-19. We investigated self-reported mask use among subjects aged 18 years and older participating in the COVID-19 Community Research Partnership (CRP), a prospective longitudinal COVID-19 surveillance study in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern United States. We included those participants who completed >=5 daily surveys each month from December 1, 2020 through August 31, 2021. Mask use was defined as self-reported use of a face mask or face covering on every interaction with others outside the household within a distance of less than 6 feet. Participants were considered vaccinated if they reported receiving >=1 COVID-19 vaccine dose. Participants (n=17,522) were 91% non-Hispanic White, 68% female, median age 57 years, 26% healthcare workers, with 95% self-reported receiving >=1 COVID-19 vaccine dose through August; mean daily survey response was 85%. Mask use was higher among vaccinated than unvaccinated participants across the study period, regardless of the month of the first dose. Mask use remained relatively stable from December 2020 through April (range 71-80% unvaccinated; 86-93% vaccinated) and declined in both groups beginning in mid-May 2021 to 34% and 42% respectively in June 2021; mask use has increased again since July 2021. Mask use by all was lower during weekends and on Christmas and Easter, regardless of vaccination status. Independent predictors of higher mask use were vaccination, age >=65 years, female sex, racial or ethnic minority group, and healthcare worker occupation, whereas a history of self-reported prior COVID-19 illness was associated with lower use. Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. This article is a US Government work. It is not subject to copyright under 17 USC 105 and is also made available for use under a CC0 license. |
Deep dive into gaps and barriers to implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs in hospitals in Latin America
Fabre V , Secaira C , Cosgrove SE , Lessa FC , Patel TS , Alvarez AA , Anchiraico LM , Del Carmen Bangher M , Barberis MF , Burokas MS , Castañeda X , Colque AM , De Ascencao G , Esquivel C , Ezcurra C , Falleroni LA , Frassone N , Garzón MI , Gomez C , Gonzalez JA , Hernandez D , Laplume D , Lemir CG , Maldonado Briones H , Melgar M , Mesplet F , Martinez G , Pertuz CM , Moreno C , Nemirovsky C , Nuccetelli Y , Palacio B , Sandoval N , Vergara H , Videla H , Villamandos S , Villareal O , Viteri A , Quiros R . Clin Infect Dis 2023 77 S53-s61 BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance has worsened in Latin America. There is an urgent need to understand the development of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) and the barriers to implementing effective ASPs in light of limited national action plans or policies to promote ASPs in the region. METHODS: We performed a descriptive mixed-methods study of ASPs in 5 Latin American countries in March-July 2022. An electronic questionnaire with an associated scoring system (hospital ASP self-assessment) was used, and ASP development was classified based on the scores (inadequate, 0-25; basic, 26-50; intermediate, 51-75; or advanced, 76-100). Interviews among healthcare workers (HCWs) involved in antimicrobial stewardship (AS) inquired about behavioral and organizational factors that influence AS activities. Interview data were coded into themes. Results from the ASP self-assessment and interviews were integrated to create an explanatory framework. RESULTS: Twenty hospitals completed the self-assessment, and 46 AS stakeholders from these hospitals were interviewed. ASP development was inadequate/basic in 35% of hospitals, intermediate in 50%, and advanced in 15%. For-profit hospitals had higher scores than not-for-profit hospitals. Interview data validated the self-assessment findings and provided further insight into ASP implementation challenges, which included limited formal hospital leadership support, inadequate staffing and tools to perform AS work more efficiently, limited awareness of AS principles by HCWs, and limited training opportunities. CONCLUSIONS: We identified several barriers to ASP development in Latin America, suggesting the need to create accurate business cases for ASPs to obtain the necessary funding for their effective implementation and sustainability. |
Systematic contact investigation: an essential infection prevention skill to prevent tuberculosis transmission in healthcare settings
Adams T , Miller K , Law M , Pitcher E , Chinpar B , White K , Deutsch-Feldman M , Li R , Filardo TD , Romieu-Hernandez AC , Schwartz NG , Haddad MB , Glowicz J . Am J Infect Control 2023 A systematic approach to contact investigations has long been a cornerstone of interrupting transmission of tuberculosis (TB) in community settings. This paper describes the implementation of a systematic 10-step contact investigation within an acute care setting during a multistate outbreak of healthcare-associated TB. A systematic approach to contact investigations might have applicability to the prevention of other communicable infections within healthcare settings. |
Patterns of prescription medication use during the first trimester of pregnancy in the United States, 1997-2018
Werler MM , Kerr SM , Ailes EC , Reefhuis J , Gilboa SM , Browne ML , Kelley KE , Hernandez-Diaz S , Smith-Webb RS , Huezo Garcia M , Mitchell AA . Clin Pharmacol Ther 2023 114 (4) 836-844 The objective of this analysis was to describe patterns of prescription medication use during pregnancy, including secular trends, with consideration of indication, and distributions of use within demographic subgroups. We conducted a descriptive secondary analysis using data from 9,755 women whose infants served as controls in two large United States case-control studies from 1997-2011 and 2014-2018. After excluding vitamin, herbal, mineral, vaccine, IV fluid, and topical products and over-the-counter medications, the proportion of women that reported taking at least one prescription medication in the first trimester increased over the study years, from 37% to 50% of women. The corresponding proportions increased with increasing maternal age and years of education, were highest for non-Hispanic White women (47%) and lowest for Hispanic women (24%). The most common indication for first trimester use of a medication was infection (12-15%). Increases were observed across the years for medications used for indications related to nausea/vomiting, depression/anxiety, infertility, thyroid disease, diabetes, and epilepsy. The largest relative increase in use among women was observed for medications to treat nausea/vomiting, which increased from 3.8% in the earliest years of the study (1997-2001) to 14.8% in 2014-2018, driven in large part by ondansetron use. Prescription medication use in the first trimester of pregnancy is common and increasing. Many medical conditions require treatments among pregnant women, often involving pharmacotherapy, which necessitates consideration of the risk and safety profiles for both mother and fetus. |
Application of multi-criteria decision analysis techniques and decision support framework for informing select agent designation for agricultural animal pathogens
Pillai SP , West T , Anderson K , Fruetel JA , McNeil C , Hernandez P , Ball C , Beck N , Morse SA . Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023 11 1185743 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Division of Agricultural Select Agents and Toxins (DASAT) established a list of biological agents and toxins (Select Agent List) that potentially threaten agricultural health and safety, the procedures governing the transfer of those agents, and training requirements for entities working with them. Every 2 years the USDA DASAT reviews the Select Agent List, using subject matter experts (SMEs) to perform an assessment and rank the agents. To assist the USDA DASAT biennial review process, we explored the applicability of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques and a Decision Support Framework (DSF) in a logic tree format to identify pathogens for consideration as select agents, applying the approach broadly to include non-select agents to evaluate its robustness and generality. We conducted a literature review of 41 pathogens against 21 criteria for assessing agricultural threat, economic impact, and bioterrorism risk and documented the findings to support this assessment. The most prominent data gaps were those for aerosol stability and animal infectious dose by inhalation and ingestion routes. Technical review of published data and associated scoring recommendations by pathogen-specific SMEs was found to be critical for accuracy, particularly for pathogens with very few known cases, or where proxy data (e.g., from animal models or similar organisms) were used to address data gaps. The MCDA analysis supported the intuitive sense that select agents should rank high on the relative risk scale when considering agricultural health consequences of a bioterrorism attack. However, comparing select agents with non-select agents indicated that there was not a clean break in scores to suggest thresholds for designating select agents, requiring subject matter expertise collectively to establish which analytical results were in good agreement to support the intended purpose in designating select agents. The DSF utilized a logic tree approach to identify pathogens that are of sufficiently low concern that they can be ruled out from consideration as a select agent. In contrast to the MCDA approach, the DSF rules out a pathogen if it fails to meet even one criteria threshold. Both the MCDA and DSF approaches arrived at similar conclusions, suggesting the value of employing the two analytical approaches to add robustness for decision making. |
Integration of cancer screening data into routine cancer surveillance systems: A Florida pilot project
Hernandez MN , Levin G , Hylton T , Pordell P , White A , Senkomago V . J Registry Manag 2022 49 (4) 132-138 INTRODUCTION: Integration of screening data into routine cancer surveillance systems can create more robust data systems to inform cancer prevention and control activities. Currently, state central cancer registries do not routinely collect breast and cervical cancer screening data as part of state cancer surveillance activities. Florida conducted a pilot study involving: (1) linkage of breast and cervical cancer screening data from the Florida Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (FBCCEDP) from 2009 to 2021 to the Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS) database to capture screening data for matched cancer cases in the FCDS; and (2) evaluation of the feasibility of developing a population-based breast and cervical cancer screening surveillance system by capturing electronic screening data from private health care providers. METHODS: In 2018, the FCDS worked with the Florida Department of Health to identify data partners for the 5-year cancer screening pilot project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Engagement of project partners required extensive review of available screening data; data standards and formatting; data transmission schedules and methods; and processing procedures. The FCDS developed a database to integrate multiple source data sets into a single database whereby linkage to the central cancer registry could be performed. RESULTS: The FCDS worked with Suncoast Health Systems, a clinical practice in the Hillsborough region of Florida, and the FBCCEDP to evaluate data availability, standardization of data sets, and data submission schedules for the pilot project. Extensive meetings and data reviews were conducted with both partners in the first phase of the project. The FCDS developed automated data processing procedures to integrate the data into a single cancer screening database and then linked records to the central cancer registry data set. DISCUSSION: Registry collaboration with the FBCCEDP and Suncoast team on data quality and standardization has produced positive results. The project required extensive review of data and produced many lessons learned for development of a cancer screening surveillance system. Our pilot project depended on partnership building, commitment to data quality, and consistency in data submission practices. |
Opportunities for improved dengue control in the US territories
Hernandez-Romieu AC , Adams LE , Paz-Bailey G . JAMA 2023 330 (1) 19-20 This Viewpoint from the CDC discusses the prevalence of dengue infection in US territories and opportunities to combat it, such as vaccines and novel vector control methods. | eng |
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron replacement of Delta as predominant variant, Puerto Rico
Santiago GA , Volkman HR , Flores B , González GL , Charriez KN , Huertas LC , Van Belleghem SM , Rivera-Amill V , Major C , Colon C , Tosado R , Adams LE , Marzán M , Hernández L , Cardona I , O'Neill E , Paz-Bailey G , Papa R , Muñoz-Jordan JL . Emerg Infect Dis 2023 29 (4) 855-857 We reconstructed the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic caused by Omicron variant in Puerto Rico by sampling genomes collected during October 2021-May 2022. Our study revealed that Omicron BA.1 emerged and replaced Delta as the predominant variant in December 2021. Increased transmission rates and a dynamic landscape of Omicron sublineage infections followed. |
Notes from the field: Prevalence of previous dengue virus infection among children and adolescents - U.S. Virgin Islands, 2022
Mac VV , Wong JM , Volkman HR , Perez-Padilla J , Wakeman B , Delorey M , Biggerstaff BJ , Fagre A , Gumbs A , Drummond A , Zimmerman B , Lettsome B , Medina FA , Paz-Bailey G , Lawrence M , Ellis B , Rosenblum HG , Carroll J , Roth J , Rossington J , Meeker JR , Joseph J , Janssen J , Ekpo LL , Carrillo M , Hernandez N , Charles P , Tosado R , Soto R , Battle S , Bart SM , Wanga V , Valentin W , Powell W , Battiste Z , Ellis EM , Adams LE . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023 72 (11) 288-289 In May 2019, the Food and Drug Administration issued approval for Dengvaxia (Sanofi Pasteur), a live-attenuated, chimeric tetravalent dengue vaccine (1). In June 2021, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended vaccination with Dengvaxia for children and adolescents aged 9–16 years with laboratory confirmation of previous dengue virus infection and who live in areas with endemic dengue transmission, such as the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI)† (2). Confirming previous dengue virus infection before vaccine administration (prevaccination screening) is important because 1) although Dengvaxia decreases hospitalization and severe disease from dengue among persons with a previous infection, it increases the risk for these outcomes among persons without a previous infection; 2) many dengue virus infections are asymptomatic; and 3) many patients with symptomatic infections do not seek medical attention or receive appropriate testing (3). Sufficient laboratory evidence of previous dengue virus infection includes a history of laboratory-confirmed dengue§ or a positive serologic test result that meets ACIP-recommended performance standards for prevaccination screening, defined as high specificity (≥98%) and sensitivity (≥75%). A seroprevalence of 20% in the vaccine-eligible population (corresponding to a positive predictive value of ≥90% for a test with minimum sensitivity of 75% and minimum specificity of 98%) is recommended to maximize vaccine safety and minimize the risk for vaccinating persons without a previous dengue virus infection (2). |
Developing and implementing in-person and virtual SoilSHOPs in Atlanta, Georgia, as a community-engaged approach to screen and prevent soil lead exposure
Saikawa E , Lebow-Skelley E , Hernandez R , Flack-Walker F , Bing L , Hunter CM . J Public Health Manag Pract 2023 29 (4) E157-E161 Urban agriculture presents the opportunity for increased availability of local, fresh foods; however, exposure to lead soil contamination can occur through gardening in urban environments. Through a community-engaged partnership, we implemented Soil Screening, Health, Outreach and Partnerships (soilSHOPs), in-person and virtually, to screen soils for lead in Atlanta, Georgia. These soilSHOPs inform best practices for increasing awareness about lead exposure and grounding interventions in residents' lived experiences and also led the US Environmental Protection Agency to identify a Superfund site. |
Isolating the effect of COVID-19-related disruptions on HIV diagnoses in the United States in 2020
Viguerie A , Song R , Johnson AS , Lyles CM , Hernandez A , Farnham PG . J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2023 92 (4) 293-299 BACKGROUND: Diagnoses of HIV in the United States decreased by 17% in 2020 due to COVID-related disruptions. The extent to which this decrease is attributable to changes in HIV testing versus HIV transmission is unclear. We seek to better understand this issue by analyzing the discrepancy in expected versus observed HIV diagnoses in 2020 among persons who acquired HIV between 2010 and 2019 because changes in diagnosis patterns in this cohort cannot be attributed to changes in transmission. METHODS: We developed 3 methods based on the CD4-depletion model to estimate excess missed diagnoses in 2020 among persons with HIV (PWH) infected from 2010 to 2019. We stratified the results by transmission group, sex assigned at birth, race/ethnicity, and region to examine differences by group and confirm the reliability of our estimates. We performed similar analyses projecting diagnoses in 2019 among PWH infected from 2010 to 2018 to evaluate the accuracy of our methods against surveillance data. RESULTS: There were approximately 3100-3300 (approximately 18%) fewer diagnoses than expected in 2020 among PWH infected from 2010 to 2019. Females (at birth), heterosexuals, persons who inject drugs, and Hispanic/Latino PWH missed diagnoses at higher levels than the overall population. Validation and stratification analyses confirmed the accuracy and reliability of our estimates. CONCLUSIONS: The substantial drop in number of previously infected PWH diagnosed in 2020 suggests that changes in testing played a substantial role in the observed decrease. Levels of missed diagnoses differed substantially across population subgroups. Increasing testing efforts and innovative strategies to reach undiagnosed PWH are needed to offset this diagnosis gap. These analyses may be used to inform future estimates of HIV transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
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