Last data update: May 06, 2024. (Total: 46732 publications since 2009)
Records 1-5 (of 5 Records) |
Query Trace: Yendell SJ[original query] |
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Lead exposure among workers at a shipyard - Wisconsin, 2015-2016
Weiss D , Baertlein LA , Yendell SJ , Christensen KY , Tomasallo CD , Creswell PD , Camponeschi JL , Meiman JG , Anderson HA . J Occup Environ Med 2018 60 (10) 928-935 OBJECTIVE: In March 2016, the state health departments of Wisconsin and Minnesota learned of three shipyard workers with blood lead levels (BLLs) >40 mug/dL. An investigation was conducted to determine the extent of and risk factors for the exposure. METHODS: We defined a case as an elevated BLL >/=5 mug/dL in a shipyard worker. Workers were interviewed regarding their symptoms and personal protective equipment (PPE) use. RESULTS: Of 357 workers, 65.0% had received >/=1 BLL test. Among tested workers, 171 (73.7%) had BLLmax >/=5 mug/dL. Workers who received respirator training or fit testing had a median BLLmax of 18.0 mug/dL, similar to the median BLLmax of workers who did not receive such training (22.6 mug/dL, P = 0.20). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings emphasize the importance of adequate provision and use of PPE to prevent occupational lead exposure. |
Notes from the field: Occupational lead exposures at a shipyard - Douglas County, Wisconsin, 2016
Weiss D , Yendell SJ , Baertlein LA , Christensen KY , Tomasallo CD , Creswell PD , Camponeschi JL , Meiman JG , Anderson HA . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2017 66 (1) 34 On March 28, 2016, the Minnesota Poison Control System was consulted by an emergency department provider regarding clinical management of a shipyard worker with a blood lead level (BLL) >60 μg/dL; the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health defines elevated BLLs as ≥5 μg/dL (1). The Minnesota Poison Control System notified the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Concurrently, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WDHS) received laboratory reports concerning two workers from the same shipyard with BLLs >40 μg/dL. These three workers had been retrofitting the engine room of a 690-foot vessel since January 4, 2016. | Work was suspended during March 29–April 4 in the vessel’s engine room, the presumptive primary source of lead exposure. On March 29, the shipyard partnered with a local occupational health clinic to provide testing for workers. Employees and their household members were also tested by general practitioners and local laboratories. The shipyard hired sanitation crews for lead clean-up and abatement and provided personal protective equipment for its employees. On April 1, WDHS and MDH issued advisories to alert regional health care organizations, local public health agencies, and tribal health departments to the situation and launched a joint investigation on April 4. Subsequently, WDHS activated its Incident Command System and worked with MDH to compile a list of potentially exposed workers. By August 31, a total of 357 workers who might have been employed at the shipyard during December 2015–March 2016 had been identified. | During April–July 2016, WDHS and MDH attempted telephone interviews with workers. The goal of the interviews was to gather information regarding employment history, work tasks, personal exposure prevention, symptoms commonly associated with lead exposures, and take-home contamination prevention and household composition and to convey health messages. |
A multistate investigation of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype I 4,[5],12:i:- infections as part of an international outbreak associated with frozen feeder rodents
Cartwright EJ , Nguyen T , Melluso C , Ayers T , Lane C , Hodges A , Li X , Quammen J , Yendell SJ , Adams J , Mitchell J , Rickert R , Klos R , Williams IT , Barton Behravesh C , Wright J . Zoonoses Public Health 2015 63 (1) 62-71 While most human Salmonella infections result from exposure to contaminated foods, an estimated 11% of all Salmonella infections are attributed to animal exposures, including both direct animal handling and indirect exposures such as cleaning cages and handling contaminated pet food. This report describes the epidemiologic, environmental and laboratory investigations conducted in the United States as part of the response to an international outbreak of tetracycline-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype I 4,[5],12:i:- infections with over 500 illnesses occurring from 2008 to 2010. This investigation found that illness due to the outbreak strain was significantly associated with exposure to pet reptiles and frozen feeder rodents used as food for pet reptiles. Salmonella isolates indistinguishable from the outbreak strain were isolated from a frozen feeder mice-fed reptile owned by a case patient, as well as from frozen feeder mice and environmental samples collected from a rodent producing facility (Company A). An international voluntary recall of all Company A produced frozen feeder animals sold between May 2009 and July 2010 occurred. Only 13% of cases in our investigation were aware of the association between Salmonella infection and mice or rats. Consumers, the pet industry, healthcare providers and veterinarians need to be aware of the potential health risk posed by feeder rodents, whether live or frozen. Frozen feeder rodent producers, suppliers and distributors should follow the animal food labelling requirements as described in 21 CFR section sign501.5, and all packages of frozen feeder rodents should include safe handling instructions. Persons should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling live or frozen feeder rodents, as well as reptiles or anything in the area where the animals live. Continued opportunities exist for public health officials, the pet industry, veterinarians and consumers to work together to prevent salmonellosis associated with pet food, pets and other animals. |
Colorado tick fever in the United States, 2002-2012
Yendell SJ , Fischer M , Staples JE . Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2015 15 (5) 311-6 BACKGROUND: Colorado tick fever (CTF) is an acute systemic febrile illness caused by the CTF virus (CTFV). The last national summary of CTF cases in the United States included cases reported through 2001. This study summarizes national surveillance data for CTF from 2002 through 2012 and examines trends in the epidemiology and testing of identified CTF cases. METHODS: Because CTF is not nationally notifiable, we identified CTF cases through solicited reports from state health departments and diagnostic laboratory records. For all cases, we collected data on age, sex, county of residence, travel history, symptom onset date, laboratory testing, and clinical outcome. Poisson regression was used to examine trends over time in case counts, and simple linear regression and logistic regression were used to examine trends in case characteristics. RESULTS: From 2002 through 2012, 75 CTF cases were identified with a median of five cases per year (range 3-14). Forty-seven (63%) cases occurred in males and 49 (65%) occurred in people aged ≥40 years. The majority (80%) of cases had onset of illness during May through July. Cases occurred in residents of 14 states but the infections were acquired in six western states. Wyoming had the highest annual incidence of CTF among residents (3.4 cases per million population), followed by Montana (1.5 per million), and Utah (0.5 per million). Over the 11 years, there was an increase in the proportion of cases diagnosed by RT-PCR testing and in the proportion of cases among travelers to another state. CONCLUSIONS: CTF cases continue to occur annually among residents and visitors to the western United States. Public health prevention messages about decreasing tick exposure should be targeted to residents and travelers who will spend time outdoors in an endemic region during the spring and summer months. |
Use of laboratory reports as predictors of West Nile virus disease cases, Texas, 2008-2012
Yendell SJ , Taylor J , Biggerstaff BJ , Tabony L , Staples JE , Fischer M . Epidemiol Infect 2014 143 (2) 1-8 We evaluated laboratory reports as early indicators of West Nile virus (WNV) disease cases in Texas. We compared WNV laboratory results in the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System Base System (NBS) to WNV disease cases reported to the state health department from 2008 to 2012. We calculated sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of NBS reports, estimated the number of disease cases expected per laboratory report, and determined lead and lag times. The sensitivity and PPV of NBS laboratory reports were 86% and 77%, respectively. For every 10 positive laboratory reports, we expect 9.0 (95% confidence interval 8.9-9.2) reported disease cases. Laboratory reports preceded case reports with a lead time of 7 days. Electronic laboratory reports provided longer lead times than manually entered reports (P < 0.01). NBS laboratory reports are useful estimates of future reported WNV disease cases and may provide timely information for planning public health interventions. |
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