Last data update: Jun 03, 2024. (Total: 46935 publications since 2009)
Records 1-4 (of 4 Records) |
Query Trace: Kondas Ashley [original query] |
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Detection and Genetic Characterization of Community-Based SARS-CoV-2 Infections - New York City, March 2020.
Greene SK , Keating P , Wahnich A , Weiss D , Pathela P , Harrison C , Rakeman J , Langley G , Tong S , Tao Y , Uehara A , Queen K , Paden CR , Szymczak W , Orner EP , Nori P , Lai PA , Jacobson JL , Singh HK , Calfee DP , Westblade LF , Vasovic LV , Rand JH , Liu D , Singh V , Burns J , Prasad N , Sell J , CDC COVID-19 Surge Laboratory Group , Abernathy Emily , Anderson Raydel , Bankamp Bettina , Bell Melissa , Galloway Renee , Graziano James , Kim Gimin , Kondas Ashley , Lee Christopher , Radford Kay , Rogers Shannon , Smith Peyton , Tiller Rebekah , Weiner Zachary , Wharton Adam , Whitaker Brett . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020 69 (28) 918-922 To limit introduction of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the United States restricted travel from China on February 2, 2020, and from Europe on March 13. To determine whether local transmission of SARS-CoV-2 could be detected, the New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) conducted deidentified sentinel surveillance at six NYC hospital emergency departments (EDs) during March 1-20. On March 8, while testing availability for SARS-CoV-2 was still limited, DOHMH announced sustained community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (1). At this time, twenty-six NYC residents had confirmed COVID-19, and ED visits for influenza-like illness* increased, despite decreased influenza virus circulation.(†) The following week, on March 15, when only seven of the 56 (13%) patients with known exposure histories had exposure outside of NYC, the level of community SARS-CoV-2 transmission status was elevated from sustained community transmission to widespread community transmission (2). Through sentinel surveillance during March 1-20, DOHMH collected 544 specimens from patients with influenza-like symptoms (ILS)(§) who had negative test results for influenza and, in some instances, other respiratory pathogens.(¶) All 544 specimens were tested for SARS-CoV-2 at CDC; 36 (6.6%) tested positive. Using genetic sequencing, CDC determined that the sequences of most SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens resembled those circulating in Europe, suggesting probable introductions of SARS-CoV-2 from Europe, from other U.S. locations, and local introductions from within New York. These findings demonstrate that partnering with health care facilities and developing the systems needed for rapid implementation of sentinel surveillance, coupled with capacity for genetic sequencing before an outbreak, can help inform timely containment and mitigation strategies. |
SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Serologic Responses from a Sample of U.S. Navy Service Members - USS Theodore Roosevelt, April 2020.
Payne DC , Smith-Jeffcoat SE , Nowak G , Chukwuma U , Geibe JR , Hawkins RJ , Johnson JA , Thornburg NJ , Schiffer J , Weiner Z , Bankamp B , Bowen MD , MacNeil A , Patel MR , Deussing E , CDC COVID-19 Surge Laboratory Group , Tiller Rebekah , Galloway Rene , Rogers Shannon , Whitaker Brett , Kondas Ashley , Smith Peyton , Lee Christopher , Graziano James , Gillingham BL . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020 69 (23) 714-721 Compared with the volume of data on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks among older adults, relatively few data are available concerning COVID-19 in younger, healthy persons in the United States (1,2). In late March 2020, the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt arrived at port in Guam after numerous U.S. service members onboard developed COVID-19. In April, the U.S. Navy and CDC investigated this outbreak, and the demographic, epidemiologic, and laboratory findings among a convenience sample of 382 service members serving aboard the aircraft carrier are reported in this study. The outbreak was characterized by widespread transmission with relatively mild symptoms and asymptomatic infection among this sample of mostly young, healthy adults with close, congregate exposures. Service members who reported taking preventive measures had a lower infection rate than did those who did not report taking these measures (e.g., wearing a face covering, 55.8% versus 80.8%; avoiding common areas, 53.8% versus 67.5%; and observing social distancing, 54.7% versus 70.0%, respectively). The presence of neutralizing antibodies, which represent antibodies that inhibit SARS-CoV-2, among the majority (59.2%) of those with antibody responses is a promising indicator of at least short-term immunity. This report improves the understanding of COVID-19 in the U.S. military and among young adults in congregate settings and reinforces the importance of preventive measures to lower risk for infection in similar environments. |
Variola virus-specific diagnostic assays: characterization, sensitivity, and specificity.
Kondas AV , Olson VA , Li Y , Abel J , Laker M , Rose L , Wilkins K , Turner J , Kline R , Damon IK . J Clin Microbiol 2015 53 (4) 1406-10 Public health response relies upon rapid and reliable confirmation of disease by diagnostic assays. Here we detail design and validation of two variola virus-specific real-time PCR assays, since previous assays cross-reacted with newly identified cowpox viruses. Assay specificity must continually be reassessed as other closely related viruses are identified. |
High prevalence and two dominant host-specific genotypes of Coxiella burnetii in U.S. milk.
Pearson T , Hornstra HM , Hilsabeck R , Gates LT , Olivas SM , Birdsell DM , Hall CM , German S , Cook JM , Seymour ML , Priestley RA , Kondas AV , Clark Friedman CL , Price EP , Schupp JM , Liu CM , Price LB , Massung RF , Kersh GJ , Keim P . BMC Microbiol 2014 14 (1) 41 BACKGROUND: Coxiella burnetii causes Q fever in humans and Coxiellosis in animals; symptoms range from general malaise to fever, pneumonia, endocarditis and death. Livestock are a significant source of human infection as they shed C. burnetii cells in birth tissues, milk, urine and feces. Although prevalence of C. burnetii is high, few Q fever cases are reported in the U.S. and we have a limited understanding of their connectedness due to difficulties in genotyping. Here, we develop canonical SNP genotyping assays to evaluate spatial and temporal relationships among C. burnetii environmental samples and compare them across studies. Given the genotypic diversity of historical collections, we hypothesized that the current enzootic of Coxiellosis is caused by multiple circulating genotypes. We collected A) 23 milk samples from a single bovine herd, B) 134 commercial bovine and caprine milk samples from across the U.S., and C) 400 bovine and caprine samples from six milk processing plants over three years. RESULTS: We detected C. burnetii DNA in 96% of samples with no variance over time. We genotyped 88.5% of positive samples; bovine milk contained only a single genotype (ST20) and caprine milk was dominated by a second type (mostly ST8). CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence and lack of genotypic diversity is consistent with a model of rapid spread and persistence. The segregation of genotypes between host species is indicative of species-specific adaptations or dissemination barriers and may offer insights into the relative lack of human cases and characterizing genotypes. |
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