Early warning and response surveillance (EWARS) systems were widely used during the early COVID-19 response. Evaluating the effectiveness of EWARS systems is critical to ensuring global health security. We describe the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) global COVID-19 EWARS (CDC EWARS) system and the resources CDC used to gather, manage, and analyze publicly available data during the prepandemic period. We evaluated data quality and validity by measuring reporting completeness and compared these with data from Johns Hopkins University, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and indicator-based data from the World Health Organization. CDC EWARS was integral in guiding CDC's early COVID-19 response but was labor-intensive and became less informative as case-level data decreased and the pandemic evolved. However, CDC EWARS data were similar to those reported by other organizations, confirming the validity of each system and suggesting collaboration could improve EWARS systems during future pandemics.

Purpose: Experienced homophobia-negative treatment and perceptions that gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) encounter because of their sexual orientations-may promote HIV infection among MSM. We conducted a rapid review and meta-analysis to examine experienced homophobia in relation to HIV infection risk. Methods: We searched Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Sociological Abstracts to acquire data from U.S. studies published during 1992-2017. Studies examined experienced homophobia in relation to sexual risk behavior, poor HIV care continuum engagement, and diagnosed HIV infection. Random-effects models yielded summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Experienced homophobia was associated with having any sexual risk behavior (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.25-1.42, I(2) = 89.2%), receptive condomless anal sex (CAS) (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.14-1.56, I(2) = 63.6%), HIV-discordant CAS (OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.29-2.13, I(2) = 85.3%), an increased number of sex partners (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.13-1.19, I(2) = 0.0%), diagnosed HIV infection (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.10-1.64, I(2) = 86.3%), and poor HIV care continuum engagement among MSM living with HIV (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.02-2.08, I(2) = 47.0%). Effect sizes for any sexual risk behavior were larger in samples with ≥50% Black or Latino (vs. White) MSM and for family-based mistreatment and perceived sexual minority stigma (vs. other homophobia types). Conclusion: Experienced homophobia is associated with HIV infection risk among MSM. Its association with sexual risk behavior may be stronger among Black and Latino (vs. White) MSM and for family-based mistreatment and perceived sexual minority stigma (vs. other homophobia types). Research is needed to better understand causality in these relationships and the role of interventions to reduce homophobia.

DISCLOSURE: The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases Registry. OBJECTIVE: Describe the impact of standardizing state-specific summary measures of antibiotic resistance that inform regional interventions to reduce transmission of resistant pathogens in healthcare settings. DESIGN: Analysis of public health surveillance data. METHODS: Central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) data from intensive care units (ICUs) of facilities reporting to the National Healthcare Safety Network in 2011 were analyzed. For CLABSI due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), extended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESC)-nonsusceptible Klebsiella species, and carbapenem-nonsusceptible Klebsiella species, we computed 3 state-level summary measures of nonsusceptibility: crude percent nonsusceptible, model-based adjusted percent nonsusceptible, and crude infection incidence rate. RESULTS: Overall, 1,791 facilities reported CLABSIs from ICU patients. Of 1,618 S. aureus CLABSIs with methicillin-susceptibility test results, 791 (48.9%) were due to MRSA. Of 756 Klebsiella CLABSIs with ESC-susceptibility test results, 209 (27.7%) were due to ESC-nonsusceptible Klebsiella, and among 661 Klebsiella CLABSI with carbapenem susceptibility test results, 70 (10.6%) were due to carbapenem-nonsusceptible Klebsiella. All 3 state-specific measures demonstrated variability in magnitude by state. Adjusted measures, with few exceptions, were not appreciably different from crude values for any phenotypes. When linking values of crude and adjusted percent nonsusceptible by state, a state's absolute rank shifted slightly for MRSA in 5 instances and only once each for ESC-nonsusceptible and carbapenem-nonsusceptible Klebsiella species. Infection incidence measures correlated strongly with both percent nonsusceptibility measures. CONCLUSIONS: Crude state-level summary measures, based on existing NHSN CLABSI data, may suffice to assess geographic variability in antibiotic resistance. As additional variables related to antibiotic resistance become available, risk-adjusted summary measures are preferable.

Rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) had low test sensitivity for detecting 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1pdm09) infection, causing public health authorities to recommend that treatment decisions be based primarily upon risk for influenza complications. We used multivariate Poisson regression analysis to estimate the contribution of RIDT results and risk for H1N1pdm09 complications to receipt of early antiviral (AV) treatment among 290 people with influenza-like illness (ILI) who received an RIDT ≤48 hours after symptom onset from May to December 2009 at four southwestern U.S. facilities. RIDT results had a stronger association with receipt of early AVs (rate ratio [RR] = 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4, 4.6) than did the presence of risk factors for H1N1pdm09 complications (age <5 years or high-risk medical conditions) (RR=1.9, 95% CI 1.3, 2.7). Few at-risk people (28/126, 22%) who had a negative RIDT received early AVs, suggesting the need for sustained efforts by public health to influence clinician practices.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate national data on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), device utilization, and antimicrobial resistance in long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs). DESIGN AND SETTING: Comparison of data from LTACHs and from medical and medical-surgical intensive care units (ICUs) in short-stay acute care hospitals reporting to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) during 2010. METHODS: Rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) as well as device utilization ratios were calculated. For each HAI, pathogen profiles and antimicrobial resistance prevalence were evaluated. Comparisons were made using Poisson regression and the Mood median and chi(2) tests. RESULTS: In 2010, 104 LTACHs reported CLABSIs and 57 reported CAUTIs and VAP to the NHSN. Median CLABSI rates in LTACHs (1.25 events per 1,000 device-days reported; range, 0.0-5.96) were comparable to rates in major teaching ICUs and were higher than those in other ICUs. CAUTI rates in LTACHs (median, 2.61; range, 0.0-9.92) were higher and VAP rates (median, 0.0; range, 0.0-3.29) were generally lower than those in ICUs. Central line utilization in LTACHs was higher than that in ICUs, whereas urinary catheter and ventilator utilization was lower. Methicillin resistance among Staphylococcus aureus CLABSIs (83%) and vancomycin resistance among Enterococcus faecalis CAUTIs (44%) were higher in LTACHs than in ICUs. Multidrug resistance among Pseudomonas aeruginosa CAUTIs (25%) was higher in LTACHs than in most ICUs. CONCLUSIONS: CLABSIs and CAUTIs associated with multidrug-resistant organisms present a challenge in LTACHs. Continued HAI surveillance with pathogen-level data can guide prevention efforts in LTACHs.

BACKGROUND: The true burden of reactivation of remote latent tuberculosis infection (reactivation TB) among foreign-born persons with tuberculosis (TB) within the United States is not known. Our study objectives were to estimate the proportion of foreign-born persons with TB due reactivation TB and to describe characteristics of foreign-born persons with reactivation TB. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with an M. tuberculosis isolate genotyped by the U.S. National TB Genotyping Service, 2005-2009. TB cases were attributed to reactivation TB if they were not a member of a localized cluster of cases. Localized clusters were determined by a spatial scan statistic of cases with isolates with matching TB genotype results. Crude odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used to assess relations between reactivation TB and select factors among foreign-born persons. MAIN RESULTS: Among the 36,860 cases with genotyping and surveillance data reported, 22,151 (60%) were foreign-born. Among foreign-born persons with TB, 18,540 (83.7%) were attributed to reactivation TB. Reactivation TB among foreign-born persons was associated with increasing age at arrival, incidence of TB in the country of origin, and decreased time in the U.S. at the time of TB diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Four out of five TB cases among foreign-born persons can be attributed to reactivation TB and present the largest challenge to TB elimination in the U.S. TB control strategies among foreign-born persons should focus on finding and treating latent tuberculosis infection prior to or shortly after arrival to the United States and on reducing the burden of LTBI through improvements in global TB control.