Last data update: Dec 02, 2024. (Total: 48272 publications since 2009)
Records 1-20 (of 20 Records) |
Query Trace: Pomeroy M[original query] |
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Outbreak of foodborne botulism associated with a commercially produced multipack potato product, Colorado: September 2019
Gayou N , Plumb ID , Edwards L , Pomeroy M , Herlihy RK , Johnson R , Pattison K , Dykes J , Gómez GA , Jervis RH . Foodborne Pathog Dis 2022 19 (10) 713-715 During September 2019, public health authorities in El Paso County, Colorado, were notified of four patients who had presented to nearby hospitals with clinical features consistent with botulism, a paralytic illness caused by botulinum neurotoxin. One patient died soon after presentation; the other three patients required intensive care but recovered after receiving botulism antitoxin. Botulinum toxin type A was detected in serum from all patients. On further investigation, all four patients had shared a meal that included commercially prepared roasted potatoes from an individual package without refrigeration instructions that had been left unrefrigerated for 15 d. Storage of the product at ambient temperature likely allowed botulism spores to produce botulinum toxin, resulting in severe illness and death. The manufacturer improved labeling in response to this outbreak. Public health officials should consider unrefrigerated potato products as a potential source of botulism; clinicians should consider botulism as a possible cause of paralytic illness. |
Primary and Secondary Attack Rates by Vaccination Status after a SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant Outbreak at a Youth Summer Camp - Texas, June 2021.
Baker JM , Shah MM , O'Hegarty M , Pomeroy M , Keiser P , Ren P , Weaver SC , Maknojia S , Machado RRG , Mitchell BM , McConnell A , Tate JE , Kirking HL . J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2022 11 (12) 550-556 Children are capable of initiating COVID-19 transmission into households, but many questions remain about the impact of vaccination on transmission. Data from a COVID-19 Delta variant outbreak at an overnight camp in Texas during June 23-27, 2021 were analyzed. The camp had 451 attendees, including 364 youths aged <18 years and 87 adults. Detailed interviews were conducted with 92 (20.4%) of consenting attendees and 117 household members of interviewed attendees with COVID-19. Among 450 attendees with known case status, the attack rate was 41%, including 42% among youths; attack rates were lower among vaccinated (13%) than among unvaccinated youths (48%). The secondary attack rate was 51% among 115 household contacts of 55 interviewed index patients. Secondary infections occurred in 67% of unvaccinated household members and 33% of fully or partially vaccinated household members. Analyses suggested that household member vaccination and camp attendee masking at home protected against household transmission. |
Characteristics Associated With US Adults' Self-Reported COVID-19 Protective Behaviors When Getting Food From Restaurants, Winter 2021.
Wittry BC , Hoover ER , Pomeroy MA , Dumas BL , Marshall KE , Yellman MA , StLouis ME , Garcia-Williams AG , Brown LG . Public Health Rep 2022 137 (6) 333549221116360 OBJECTIVES: Visiting restaurants and bars, particularly when doing so indoors, can increase transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, among people who are not fully vaccinated. We aimed to understand US adults' self-reported protective behaviors when getting food from restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic when vaccines were not widely available. METHODS: We used online nationwide survey data from January 2021 to assess self-reported restaurant-related behaviors of respondents (n = 502). We also used multiple logistic regression models to examine associations between respondents' characteristics and these restaurant-related behaviors. RESULTS: Half (49.7%) of respondents reported eating indoors at a restaurant at least once in the month before the survey. Respondents most likely to report eating inside restaurants were in the youngest age category (18-34 y), had personal COVID-19 experience, or indicated they felt safe eating inside a restaurant. Among respondents who had gotten food from a restaurant, more than 65% considered each of the following factors as important in their restaurant dining decision: whether the restaurant staff were wearing face masks, the restaurant requires face masks, other customers are wearing face masks, seating was spaced at least 6 feet apart, someone in their household was at risk for severe COVID-19 illness, and the restaurant was crowded. The most common protective behavior when eating at a restaurant was wearing a face mask; 44.9% of respondents who had eaten at a restaurant wore a face mask except when actively eating or drinking. CONCLUSION: The need for practicing prevention strategies, especially for those not up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, will be ongoing. Our findings can inform COVID-19 prevention messaging for public health officials, restaurant operators, and the public. |
Answering the Call: The Response of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Federal Public Health Nursing Workforce to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Zauche LH , Pomeroy M , Demeke HB , MetteeZarecki SL , Williams JL , Newsome K , Hill L , Dooyema CA . Am J Public Health 2022 112 S226-s230 Many public health challenges face our world today, including systemic racism, the opioid epidemic, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses are well-qualified and well-positioned to respond to these challenges, as nurses represent 50% of the global health workforce and are leaders not only in clinical settings but also in public health.1 The professions of nursing and public health have been closely intertwined since the founding of the modern-day nursing profession by Florence Nightingale, a pioneer in the field of epidemiology.2 |
A qualitative content analysis of responses to CDCs foodborne outbreak messages on Facebook
Ablan M , Pomeroy M , Sood NJ , Marshall KE . Food Prot Trends 2022 42 (3) 174-185 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) coordinates investigations of multistate foodborne outbreaks. To better inform future communication efforts with the public during these outbreaks, we conducted a qualitative content analysis of comments on multistate foodborne outbreak Facebook posts distributed on the CDCs Facebook page September to December 2018. The CDC created 27 Facebook posts for nine multistate foodborne outbreaks (one to eight posts per outbreak), and 2,612 comments were analyzed. The CDC used two Web tools to deliver outbreak information: food safety alerts (FSAs) and investigation notices (INs). Qualitative analyses were conducted separately for Facebook posts resulting from FSAs and INs. Using an inductive coding approach, we identified nine categories of comments: information sharing (e.g., tagging others), actions (e.g., discarding contaminated food), convictions and beliefs (e.g., food-related preconceived notions), questions (e.g., clarifying outbreak location), emotional responses (e.g., worry), blame (e.g., responsibility for outbreak), food specific (e.g., repackaging ground beef and losing identifying information), promoting another cause (e.g., vaccine hesitancy), and unrelated. No differences were found between FSAs and INs. Facebook users helped further disseminate important outbreak information but identified barriers that prevented them from taking recommended actions. Real-time evaluation of social media during outbreaks provides opportunities to refine messaging and improve communication. 2022, International Association for Food Protection. |
A qualitative content analysis of responses to CDC’s foodborne outbreak messages on Facebook
Ablan M , Pomeroy M , Sood NJ , Marshall KE . Food Prot Trends 2022 42 (3) 174-185 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) coordinates investigations of multistate foodborne outbreaks. To better inform future communication efforts with the public during these outbreaks, we conducted a qualitative content analysis of comments on multistate foodborne outbreak Facebook posts distributed on the CDC’s Facebook page September to December 2018. The CDC created 27 Facebook posts for nine multistate foodborne outbreaks (one to eight posts per outbreak), and 2,612 comments were analyzed. The CDC used two Web tools to deliver outbreak information: food safety alerts (FSAs) and investigation notices (INs). Qualitative analyses were conducted separately for Facebook posts resulting from FSAs and INs. Using an inductive coding approach, we identified nine categories of comments: information sharing (e.g., tagging others), actions (e.g., discarding contaminated food), convictions and beliefs (e.g., food-related preconceived notions), questions (e.g., clarifying outbreak location), emotional responses (e.g., worry), blame (e.g., responsibility for outbreak), food specific (e.g., repackaging ground beef and losing identifying information), promoting another cause (e.g., vaccine hesitancy), and unrelated. No differences were found between FSAs and INs. Facebook users helped further disseminate important outbreak information but identified barriers that prevented them from taking recommended actions. Real-time evaluation of social media during outbreaks provides opportunities to refine messaging and improve communication. © 2022, International Association for Food Protection. |
Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Associated With a Large Indoor Convention - New York City, November-December 2021.
Sami S , Horter L , Valencia D , Thomas I , Pomeroy M , Walker B , Smith-Jeffcoat SE , Tate JE , Kirking HL , Kyaw NTT , Burns R , Blaney K , Dorabawila V , Hoen R , Zirnhelt Z , Schardin C , Uehara A , Retchless AC , Brown VR , Gebru Y , Powell C , Bart SM , Vostok J , Lund H , Kaess J , Gumke M , Propper R , Thomas D , Ojo M , Green A , Wieck M , Wilson E , Hollingshead RJ , Nunez SV , Saady DM , Porse CC , Gardner K , Drociuk D , Scott J , Perez T , Collins J , Shaffner J , Pray I , Rust LT , Brady S , Kerins JL , Teran RA , Hughes V , Sepcic V , Low EW , Kemble SK , Berkley A , Cleavinger K , Safi H , Webb LM , Hutton S , Dewart C , Dickerson K , Hawkins E , Zafar J , Krueger A , Bushman D , Ethridge B , Hansen K , Tant J , Reed C , Boutwell C , Hanson J , Gillespie M , Donahue M , Lane P , Serrano R , Hernandez L , Dethloff MA , Lynfield R , Como-Sabetti K , Lutterloh E , Ackelsberg J , Ricaldi JN . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022 71 (7) 243-248 During November 19-21, 2021, an indoor convention (event) in New York City (NYC), was attended by approximately 53,000 persons from 52 U.S. jurisdictions and 30 foreign countries. In-person registration for the event began on November 18, 2021. The venue was equipped with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration, and attendees were required to wear a mask indoors and have documented receipt of at least 1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.* On December 2, 2021, the Minnesota Department of Health reported the first case of community-acquired COVID-19 in the United States caused by the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant in a person who had attended the event (1). CDC collaborated with state and local health departments to assess event-associated COVID-19 cases and potential exposures among U.S.-based attendees using data from COVID-19 surveillance systems and an anonymous online attendee survey. Among 34,541 attendees with available contact information, surveillance data identified test results for 4,560, including 119 (2.6%) persons from 16 jurisdictions with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results. Most (4,041 [95.2%]), survey respondents reported always wearing a mask while indoors at the event. Compared with test-negative respondents, test-positive respondents were more likely to report attending bars, karaoke, or nightclubs, and eating or drinking indoors near others for at least 15 minutes. Among 4,560 attendees who received testing, evidence of widespread transmission during the event was not identified. Genomic sequencing of 20 specimens identified the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant (AY.25 and AY.103 sublineages) in 15 (75%) cases, and the Omicron variant (BA.1 sublineage) in five (25%) cases. These findings reinforce the importance of implementing multiple, simultaneous prevention measures, such as ensuring up-to-date vaccination, mask use, physical distancing, and improved ventilation in limiting SARS-CoV-2 transmission, during large, indoor events.(†). |
Multistate Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Infections Among Persons in a Social Network Attending a Convention - New York City, November 18-December 20, 2021.
Smith-Jeffcoat SE , Pomeroy MA , Sleweon S , Sami S , Ricaldi JN , Gebru Y , Walker B , Brady S , Christenberry M , Bart S , Vostok J , Meyer S , Seys S , Markelz A , Ditto N , Newbern V , Thomas FJ , Thomas D , Cabredo E , Kellner S , Brown VR , Tate JE , Kirking HL . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022 71 (7) 238-242 On December 2, 2021, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) notified CDC of a COVID-19 case caused by sequence-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant in a Minnesota resident (patient A), the first such case identified in the state and one of the earliest identified in the United States. Patient A had attended a large indoor convention in New York, New York with approximately 53,000 attendees from 52 U.S jurisdictions and 30 foreign countries during November 19-21, 2021, and had close contact(†) during 5 days with 29 fellow attendees. The convention required attendees to have received ≥1 COVID-19 vaccine dose and enforced mask-use while indoors. On November 22, these close contact attendees were directly and immediately notified by patient A of their exposure to SARS-CoV-2, and they sought testing over the next few days while quarantined or isolated. As part of the larger investigation into SARS-CoV-2 transmission at the convention, a subinvestigation was conducted during December by CDC, MDH, and respective state and local health departments to characterize the epidemiology of Omicron variant infection among this group of close contacts and determine the extent of secondary household transmission. Among 30 convention attendees that included patient A (the index patient) and the 29 other close contacts, 23 were interviewed, among whom all were fully vaccinated, including 11 (48%) who had received a booster dose; all 23 sought testing, and 16 (70%) received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. Fewer attendees who had received a booster dose before the convention received a positive test result (six of 11) compared with those who had not received a booster dose (10 of 12). The 16 attendees with positive test results had a total of 20 household contacts, 18 of whom sought testing after exposure; six received a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2. None of the persons with positive test results was hospitalized or died. There was limited convention-associated transmission identified outside of this cluster; the larger investigation included cases of both SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) and Omicron, and all Omicron cases were associated with this group (1). Data from this investigation reinforces the importance of COVID-19 booster doses in combination with early notification and other multicomponent prevention measures to limit transmission and prevent severe illness from Omicron and other SARS-CoV-2 variants. |
Decisions to attend holiday gatherings during COVID-19 and engagement in key prevention strategies - United States, January 2021.
Pomeroy MA , Hoover ER , Dumas BL , Kennedy KS , Wittry B , Laughlin ME , Harris DM , Gieraltowski L , Yellman MA , Garcia-Williams AG , Marshall KE . Epidemiol Infect 2022 150 1-29 Gatherings where people are eating and drinking can increase the risk of getting and spreading SARS-CoV-2 among people who are not fully vaccinated; prevention strategies like wearing masks and physical distancing continue to be important for some groups. We conducted an online survey to characterise fall/winter 2020-2021 holiday gatherings, decisions to attend and prevention strategies employed during and before gatherings. We determined associations between practicing prevention strategies, demographics and COVID-19 experience. Among 502 respondents, one-third attended in person holiday gatherings; 73% wore masks and 84% practiced physical distancing, but less did so always (29% and 23%, respectively). Younger adults were 44% more likely to attend gatherings than adults >/=35 years. Younger adults (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 1.53, 95% CI 1.19-1.97), persons who did not experience COVID-19 themselves or have relatives/close friends experience severe COVID-19 (aPR 1.56, 95% CI 1.18-2.07), and non-Hispanic White persons (aPR 1.57, 95% CI 1.13-2.18) were more likely to not always wear masks in public during the 2 weeks before gatherings. Public health messaging emphasizing consistent application of COVID-19 prevention strategies is important to slow the spread of COVID-19. |
A Series of Papaya-Associated Salmonella Illness Outbreak Investigations in 2017 and 2019: A Focus on Traceback, Laboratory, and Collaborative Efforts.
Whitney BM , McClure M , Hassan R , Pomeroy M , Seelman SL , Singleton LN , Blessington T , Hardy C , Blankenship J , Pereira E , Davidson CN , Luo Y , Pettengill J , Curry P , McConnell T , Gieraltowski L , Schwensohn C , Basler C , Fritz K , McKenna C , Nieves K , Oliveira J , Sandoval AL , Crosby A , Williams D , Crocker K , Thomas D , Fulton T , Muetter L , Li L , Omoregie E , Holloman K , Brennan C , Thomas N , Barnes A , Viazis S . J Food Prot 2021 84 (11) 2002-2019 In 2017 and 2019, five outbreaks of infections from multiple strains of Salmonella linked to the consumption of whole, fresh Maradol papayas were reported in the United States, resulting in 325 ill persons. Traceback, laboratory, and epidemiologic evidence indicated papayas as the likely vehicle for each of these outbreaks and identified the source of papayas. State and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) laboratories recovered Salmonella from papaya samples from various points of distribution, including at import entry, and conducted serotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and phylogenetic analyses of whole genome sequencing data. Federal and state partners led traceback investigations to determine the source of papayas. Four different suppliers of papayas were linked by traceback and laboratory results to five separate outbreaks of Salmonella infections associated with papayas. In 2017, multiple states tested papaya samples collected at retail, and Maryland and Virginia investigators recovered strains of Salmonella associated with one outbreak. FDA collected 183 papaya samples in 2017, and 11 samples yielded 62 isolates of Salmonella. Eleven serotypes of Salmonella were recovered from FDA papaya samples, and nine serotypes were closely related genetically by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and whole genome sequencing to clinical isolates of four outbreaks, including the outbreak associated with positive state sample results. Four farms in Mexico were identified, and their names were released to the general public, retailers, and foreign authorities. In 2019, FDA collected 119 papaya samples, three of which yielded Salmonella; none yielded the 2019 outbreak strain. Investigators determined that papayas of interest had been sourced from a single farm in Campeche, Mexico, through traceback. This information was used to protect public health through public guidance, recalls, and import alerts and helped FDA collaborate with Mexican regulatory partners to enhance the food safety requirements for papayas imported from Mexico. |
Characteristics Associated With Self-Reported Worry Among Adults About Food Availability and Food Safety During the COVID-19 Pandemic-United States, June 2020 Survey Data.
Dumas BL , Lee SH , Harris DM , Yaroch AL , Pomeroy MA , Blanck HM . Am J Health Promot 2021 36 (1) 194-196 PURPOSE: During a pandemic, persons might experience worry because of threats (real or perceived), or as part of stress-related reactions. We aimed to provide insight into Americans' worry about food during COVID-19. Design, Subjects, Measures: Online survey data from June 2020 (n = 4,053 U.S. adults; 62.7% response rate) was used to assess 2 outcomes: worry about food availability (FA); food safety (FS). Adults with missing information about FA and FS were excluded from analysis (final n = 3,652). ANALYSIS: We used descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression to examine characteristics associated with the outcomes and estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for associations between sociodemographic variables and outcomes. RESULTS: 58.3% of respondents reported worry about FA; 57.5% about FS, with higher odds of worry for FA and FS (versus referents) in lower income households (FA: aOR = 1.76 95%CI [1.30, 2.39]; FS: 1.84[1.35, 2.51]); unemployed (1.54[1.05, 2.28]; 1.90[1.26,2.81]); non-Hispanic Black (1.55[1.14,2.12]); 2.25[1.65,3.07]); Hispanic (1.39[1.06,1.82]; 1.94[1.46,2.56]). CONCLUSION: Findings highlight the importance of strategies to reduce consumer worry about FA and FS and negative food behaviors, and the need for continued access to hunger safety net programs, which could have positive effects on nutrition security. |
Using Event-Based Web-Scraping Methods and Bidirectional Transformers to Characterize COVID-19 Outbreaks in Food Production and Retail Settings
Miano J , Hilton C , Gangrade V , Pomeroy M , Siven J , Flynn M , Tilashalski F . International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Medicine 2021 187-198 Current surveillance methods may not capture the full extent of COVID-19 spread in high-risk settings like food establishments. Thus, we propose a new method for surveillance that identifies COVID-19 cases among food establishment workers from news reports via web-scraping and natural language processing (NLP). First, we used web-scraping to identify a broader set of articles (n = 67,078) related to COVID-19 based on keyword mentions. In this dataset, we used an open-source NLP platform (ClarityNLP) to extract location, industry, case, and death counts automatically. These articles were vetted and validated by CDC subject matter experts (SMEs) to identify those containing COVID-19 outbreaks in food establishments. CDC and Georgia Tech Research Institute SMEs provided a human-labeled test dataset containing 388 articles to validate our algorithms. Then, to improve quality, we fine-tuned a pretrained RoBERTa instance, a bidirectional transformer language model, to classify articles containing ≥ 1 positive COVID-19 cases in food establishments. The application of RoBERTa decreased the number of articles from 67,078 to 1,112 and classified (≥ 1 positive COVID-19 cases in food establishments) articles with 88% accuracy in the human-labeled test dataset. Therefore, by automating the pipeline of web-scraping and COVID-19 case prediction using RoBERTa, we enable an efficient human in-the-loop process by which COVID-19 data could be manually collected from articles flagged by our model, thus reducing the human labor requirements. Furthermore, our approach could be used to predict and monitor locations of COVID-19 development by geography and could also be extended to other industries and news article datasets of interest. © 2021, Springer Nature Switzerland AG. |
Comparison of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein ELISA and the Abbott Architect SARS-CoV-2 IgG nucleocapsid protein assays for detection of antibodies.
Wadhwa A , Yin S , Freeman B , Hershow RB , Killerby M , Yousaf AR , Lester S , Mills L , Buono SA , Pomeroy M , Owusu D , Chu VT , Tate JE , Bhattacharyya S , Hall P , Thornburg NJ , Kirking HL . PLoS One 2021 16 (7) e0255208 Serologic assays developed for SARS-CoV-2 detect different antibody subtypes and are based on different target antigens. Comparison of the performance of a SARS-CoV-2 Spike-Protein ELISA and the nucleocapsid-based Abbott ArchitectTM SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay indicated that the assays had high concordance, with rare paired discordant tests results. |
Persistent SARS-CoV-2 RNA Shedding without Evidence of Infectiousness: A Cohort Study of Individuals with COVID-19.
Owusu D , Pomeroy MA , Lewis NM , Wadhwa A , Yousaf AR , Whitaker B , Dietrich E , Hall AJ , Chu V , Thornburg N , Christensen K , Kiphibane T , Willardson S , Westergaard R , Dasu T , Pray IW , Bhattacharyya S , Dunn A , Tate JE , Kirking HL , Matanock A . J Infect Dis 2021 224 (8) 1362-1371 BACKGROUND: To better understand SARS-CoV-2 shedding duration and infectivity, we estimated SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding duration, described characteristics associated with viral RNA shedding resolution1, and determined if replication-competent viruses could be recovered ≥10 days after symptom onset among individuals with mild to moderate COVID-19. METHODS: We collected serial nasopharyngeal specimens at various time points from 109 individuals with rRT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 in Utah and Wisconsin. We calculated probability of viral RNA shedding resolution using the Kaplan-Meier estimator and evaluated characteristics associated with shedding resolution using Cox proportional hazards regression. We attempted viral culture for 35 rRT-PCR-positive nasopharyngeal specimens collected ≥10 days after symptom onset. RESULTS: The likelihood of viral RNA shedding resolution at 10 days after symptom onset was approximately 3%. Time to shedding resolution was shorter among participants aged <18 years (adjusted hazards ratio [aHR]: 3.01; 95% CI: 1.6-5.6) and longer among those aged ≥50 years (aHR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.3-0.9) compared to participants aged 18-49 years. No replication-competent viruses were recovered. CONCLUSIONS: Although most patients were positive for SARS-CoV-2 for ≥10 days after symptom onset, our findings suggest that individuals with mild to moderate COVID-19 are unlikely to be infectious ≥10 days after symptom onset. |
Evaluation of avocados as a possible source of Listeria monocytogenes infections, United States, 2016-2019.
Pomeroy M , Conrad A , Pettengill JB , McClure M , Wellman AA , Marus J , Huffman J , Wise M . J Food Prot 2021 84 (7) 1122-1126 Outbreaks of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) infections have historically been associated with contaminated deli meats, but recent outbreaks have been linked to produce. To date, avocados have not been identified as the source of any outbreaks of L. monocytogenes infections in the United States, but avocado samples have yielded strains that were closely related genetically to clinical L. monocytogenes isolates. To determine whether avocados have been a source of listeriosis, we conducted a retrospective review of epidemiological data for clinical isolates that were genetically related to isolates from avocados. Using a national database, we identified clusters containing clinical and at least one avocado isolate. We then selected clusters based upon isolation dates, cluster and composition size, and available food history data. For each cluster, we assessed whether (1) avocado consumption was higher among case-patients in the cluster than among those with sporadic illnesses, and (2) whether the only food isolates within the cluster were from avocados. If both conditions were met, the link was considered "likely," if one condition was met the link was considered "possible," and if neither condition was met evidence was "limited." Five of fifteen clusters met criteria for assessment. Of these, two were classified as having "limited" evidence for a link to avocados, two as "possible," and one as "likely." For the cluster considered "likely", avocado consumption was significantly higher among case-patients in the cluster compared to sporadic illnesses (Odds ratio: 8.5, 95% CI 1.5-86.5). We identified three clusters that were likely or possibly linked to avocados, suggesting avocados could be a source of listeriosis in the United States. Messaging on safe handling might be warranted for groups at higher risk, but further research is first needed to better characterize the ecology of pathogens on avocados and likelihood of internalization of L. monocytogenes. |
Household Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the United States.
Lewis NM , Chu VT , Ye D , Conners EE , Gharpure R , Laws RL , Reses HE , Freeman BD , Fajans M , Rabold EM , Dawson P , Buono S , Yin S , Owusu D , Wadhwa A , Pomeroy M , Yousaf A , Pevzner E , Njuguna H , Battey KA , Tran CH , Fields VL , Salvatore P , O'Hegarty M , Vuong J , Chancey R , Gregory C , Banks M , Rispens JR , Dietrich E , Marcenac P , Matanock AM , Duca L , Binder A , Fox G , Lester S , Mills L , Gerber SI , Watson J , Schumacher A , Pawloski L , Thornburg NJ , Hall AJ , Kiphibane T , Willardson S , Christensen K , Page L , Bhattacharyya S , Dasu T , Christiansen A , Pray IW , Westergaard RP , Dunn AC , Tate JE , Nabity SA , Kirking HL . Clin Infect Dis 2020 73 (7) 1805-1813 BACKGROUND: Although many viral respiratory illnesses are transmitted within households, the evidence base for SARS-CoV-2 is nascent. We sought to characterize SARS-CoV-2 transmission within US households and estimate the household secondary infection rate (SIR) to inform strategies to reduce transmission. METHODS: We recruited laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients and their household contacts in Utah and Wisconsin during March 22-April 25, 2020. We interviewed patients and all household contacts to obtain demographics and medical histories. At the initial household visit, 14 days later, and when a household contact became newly symptomatic, we collected respiratory swabs from patients and household contacts for testing by SARS-CoV-2 rRT-PCR and sera for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies testing by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We estimated SIR and odds ratios (OR) to assess risk factors for secondary infection, defined by a positive rRT-PCR or ELISA test. RESULTS: Thirty-two (55%) of 58 households had evidence of secondary infection among household contacts. The SIR was 29% (n = 55/188; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 23-36%) overall, 42% among children (<18 years) of the COVID-19 patient and 33% among spouses/partners. Household contacts to COVID-19 patients with immunocompromised conditions had increased odds of infection (OR: 15.9, 95% CI: 2.4-106.9). Household contacts who themselves had diabetes mellitus had increased odds of infection (OR: 7.1, 95% CI: 1.2-42.5). CONCLUSIONS: We found substantial evidence of secondary infections among household contacts. People with COVID-19, particularly those with immunocompromising conditions or those with household contacts with diabetes, should take care to promptly self-isolate to prevent household transmission. |
Symptoms and Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Among Children - Utah and Wisconsin, March-May 2020.
Laws RL , Chancey RJ , Rabold EM , Chu VT , Lewis NM , Fajans M , Reses HE , Duca LM , Dawson P , Conners EE , Gharpure R , Yin S , Buono S , Pomeroy M , Yousaf AR , Owusu D , Wadhwa A , Pevzner E , Battey KA , Njuguna H , Fields VL , Salvatore P , O'Hegarty M , Vuong J , Gregory CJ , Banks M , Rispens J , Dietrich E , Marcenac P , Matanock A , Pray I , Westergaard R , Dasu T , Bhattacharyya S , Christiansen A , Page L , Dunn A , Atkinson-Dunn R , Christensen K , Kiphibane T , Willardson S , Fox G , Ye D , Nabity SA , Binder A , Freeman BD , Lester S , Mills L , Thornburg N , Hall AJ , Fry AM , Tate JE , Tran CH , Kirking HL . Pediatrics 2020 147 (1) BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Limited data exist on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in children. We described infection rates and symptom profiles among pediatric household contacts of individuals with coronavirus disease 2019. METHODS: We enrolled individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 and their household contacts, assessed daily symptoms prospectively for 14 days, and obtained specimens for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and serology testing. Among pediatric contacts (<18 years), we described transmission, assessed the risk factors for infection, and calculated symptom positive and negative predictive values. We compared secondary infection rates and symptoms between pediatric and adult contacts using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Among 58 households, 188 contacts were enrolled (120 adults; 68 children). Secondary infection rates for adults (30%) and children (28%) were similar. Among households with potential for transmission from children, child-to-adult transmission may have occurred in 2 of 10 (20%), and child-to-child transmission may have occurred in 1 of 6 (17%). Pediatric case patients most commonly reported headache (79%), sore throat (68%), and rhinorrhea (68%); symptoms had low positive predictive values, except measured fever (100%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 44% to 100%). Compared with symptomatic adults, children were less likely to report cough (odds ratio [OR]: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.57), loss of taste (OR: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.74), and loss of smell (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.96) and more likely to report sore throat (OR: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.04 to 11.18). CONCLUSIONS: Children and adults had similar secondary infection rates, but children generally had less frequent and severe symptoms. In two states early in the pandemic, we observed possible transmission from children in approximately one-fifth of households with potential to observe such transmission patterns. |
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Prevalence, Seroprevalence, and Exposure among Evacuees from Wuhan, China, 2020.
Hallowell BD , Carlson CM , Jacobs JR , Pomeroy M , Steinberg J , Tenforde MW , McDonald E , Foster L , Feldstein LR , Rolfes MA , Haynes A , Abedi GR , Odongo GS , Saruwatari K , Rider EC , Douville G , Bhakta N , Maniatis P , Lindstrom S , Thornburg NJ , Lu X , Whitaker BL , Kamili S , Sakthivel SK , Wang L , Malapati L , Murray JR , Lynch B , Cetron M , Brown C , Roohi S , Rotz L , Borntrager D , Ishii K , Moser K , Rasheed M , Freeman B , Lester S , Corbett KS , Abiona OM , Hutchinson GB , Graham BS , Pesik N , Mahon B , Braden C , Behravesh CB , Stewart R , Knight N , Hall AJ , Killerby ME . Emerg Infect Dis 2020 26 (9) 1998-2004 To determine prevalence of, seroprevalence of, and potential exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among a cohort of evacuees returning to the United States from Wuhan, China, in January 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional study of quarantined evacuees from 1 repatriation flight. Overall, 193 of 195 evacuees completed exposure surveys and submitted upper respiratory or serum specimens or both at arrival in the United States. Nearly all evacuees had taken preventive measures to limit potential exposure while in Wuhan, and none had detectable SARS-CoV-2 in upper respiratory tract specimens, suggesting the absence of asymptomatic respiratory shedding among this group at the time of testing. Evidence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 1 evacuee, who reported experiencing no symptoms or high-risk exposures in the previous 2 months. These findings demonstrated that this group of evacuees posed a low risk of introducing SARS-CoV-2 to the United States. |
A prospective cohort study in non-hospitalized household contacts with SARS-CoV-2 infection: symptom profiles and symptom change over time.
Yousaf AR , Duca LM , Chu V , Reses HE , Fajans M , Rabold EM , Laws RL , Gharpure R , Matanock A , Wadhwa A , Pomeroy M , Njuguna H , Fox G , Binder AM , Christiansen A , Freeman B , Gregory C , Tran CH , Owusu D , Ye D , Dietrich E , Pevzner E , Conners EE , Pray I , Rispens J , Vuong J , Christensen K , Banks M , O'Hegarty M , Mills L , Lester S , Thornburg NJ , Lewis N , Dawson P , Marcenac P , Salvatore P , Chancey RJ , Fields V , Buono S , Yin S , Gerber S , Kiphibane T , Dasu T , Bhattacharyya S , Westergaard R , Dunn A , Hall AJ , Fry AM , Tate JE , Kirking HL , Nabity S . Clin Infect Dis 2020 73 (7) e1841-e1849 BACKGROUND: Improved understanding of SARS-CoV-2 spectrum of disease is essential for clinical and public health interventions. There are limited data on mild or asymptomatic infections, but recognition of these individuals is key as they contribute to viral transmission. We describe the symptom profiles from individuals with mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: From March 22 to April 22, 2020 in Wisconsin and Utah, we enrolled and prospectively observed 198 household contacts exposed to SARS-CoV-2. We collected and tested nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens by RT-PCR two or more times during a 14-day period. Contacts completed daily symptom diaries. We characterized symptom profiles on the date of first positive RT-PCR test and described progression of symptoms over time. RESULTS: We identified 47 contacts, median age 24 (3-75) years, with detectable SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. The most commonly reported symptoms on the day of first positive RT-PCR test were upper respiratory (n=32, 68%) and neurologic (n=30, 64%); fever was not commonly reported (n=9, 19%). Eight (17%) individuals were asymptomatic at the date of first positive RT-PCR collection; two (4%) had preceding symptoms that resolved and six (13%) subsequently developed symptoms. Children less frequently reported lower respiratory symptoms (age <18: 21%, age 18-49: 60%, age 50+ years: 69%; p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Household contacts with lab-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection reported mild symptoms. When assessed at a single time-point, several contacts appeared to have asymptomatic infection; however, over time all developed symptoms. These findings are important to inform infection control, contact tracing, and community mitigation strategies. |
Launching the dialogue: Safety and innovation as partners for success in advanced manufacturing
Geraci CL , Tinkle SS , Brenner SA , Hodson LL , Pomeroy-Carter CA , Neu-Baker N . J Occup Environ Hyg 2018 15 (6) 1-14 Emerging and novel technologies, materials, and information integrated into increasingly automated and networked manufacturing processes or into traditional manufacturing settings are enhancing the efficiency and productivity of manufacturing. Globally, there is a move toward a new era in manufacturing that is characterized by: (1) the ability to create and deliver more complex designs of products; (2) the creation and use of materials with new properties that meet a design need; (3) the employment of new technologies, such as additive and digital techniques that improve on conventional manufacturing processes; and (4) a compression of the time from initial design concept to the creation of a final product. Globally, this movement has many names, but "advanced manufacturing" has become the shorthand for this complex integration of material and technology elements that enable new ways to manufacture existing products, as well as new products emerging from new technologies and new design methods. As the breadth of activities associated with advanced manufacturing suggests, there is no single advanced manufacturing industry. Instead, aspects of advanced manufacturing can be identified across a diverse set of business sectors that use manufacturing technologies, ranging from the semiconductors and electronics to the automotive and pharmaceutical industries. The breadth and diversity of advanced manufacturing may change the occupational and environmental risk profile, challenge the basic elements of comprehensive health and safety (material, process, worker, environment, product, and general public health and safety), and provide an opportunity for development and dissemination of occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) guidance and best practices. It is unknown how much the risk profile of different elements of OEHS will change, thus requiring an evolution of health and safety practices. These changes may be accomplished most effectively through multi-disciplinary, multi-sector, public-private dialogue that identifies issues and offers solutions. |
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