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Adopting World Health Organization Multimodal Infection Prevention and Control Strategies to Respond to COVID-19, Kenya Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-16 Daniel Kimani, Linus Ndegwa, Mercy Njeru, Eveline Wesangula, Frankline Mboya, Catherine Macharia, Julius Oliech, Herman Weyenga, George Owiso, Kamau Irungu, Ulzii-Orshikh Luvsansharav, Amy Herman-Roloff
The World Health Organization advocates a multimodal approach to improving infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, which Kenya adopted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kenya Ministry of Health formed a national IPC committee for policy and technical leadership, coordination, communication, and training. During March–November 2020, a total of 69,892 of 121,500 (57.5%) healthcare workers
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Lessons Learned from CDC’s Global COVID-19 Early Warning and Response Surveillance System Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-16 Philip M. Ricks, Gibril J. Njie, Fatimah S. Dawood, Amy E. Blain, Alison Winstead, Adebola Popoola, Cynthia Jones, Chaoyang Li, James Fuller, Puneet Anantharam, Natalie Olson, Allison Taylor Walker, Matthew Biggerstaff, Barbara J. Marston, Ray R. Arthur, Sarah D. Bennett, Ronald L. Moolenaar
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
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Experimental Infection of Peromyscus Species Rodents with Sin Nombre Virus Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-16 Kaye Quizon, Kimberly Holloway, Mahmood Iranpour, Bryce M. Warner, Yvon Deschambault, Geoff Soule, Kevin Tierney, Darwyn Kobasa, Angela Sloan, David Safronetz
We demonstrate that 6 distinct Peromyscus rodent species are permissive to experimental infection with Sin Nombre orthohantavirus (SNV). Viral RNA and SNV antibodies were detected in members of all 6 species. P. leucopus mice demonstrated markedly higher viral and antibody titers than P. maniculatus mice, the established primary hosts for SNV.
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Fetal Loss and Preterm Birth Caused by Intraamniotic Haemophilus influenzae Infection, New Zealand Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-16 Thomas Hills, Caitlin Sharpe, Thomas Wong, Tim Cutfield, Arier Lee, Stephen McBride, Matthew Rogers, May Ching Soh, Amanda Taylor, Susan Taylor, Mark Thomas
Invasive Haemophilus influenzae infection during pregnancy can cause preterm birth and fetal loss, but the mechanism is unclear. We investigated 54 cases of pregnancy-associated invasive H. influenzae disease in 52 unique pregnancies in the Auckland region of New Zealand during October 1, 2008‒September 30, 2018. Intraamniotic infection was identified in 36 (66.7%) of 54 cases. Outcome data were available
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Human Monkeypox without Viral Prodrome or Sexual Exposure, California, USA, 2022 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-15 Abraar Karan, Ashley R. Styczynski, ChunHong Huang, Malaya K. Sahoo, Krithika Srinivasan, Benjamin A. Pinsky, Jorge L. Salinas
We report human monkeypox in a man who returned to the United States from the United Kingdom and reported no sexual contact. He had vesicular and pustular skin lesions but no anogenital involvement. The potential modes of transmission may have implications for the risk of spread and for epidemic control.
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Rapid Increase in Suspected SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections, Clark County, Nevada, USA, December 2021 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-15 Jeanne Ruff, Ying Zhang, Matthew Kappel, Sfurti Rathi, Kellie Watkins, Lei Zhang, Cassius Lockett
Genetic differences between SARS-CoV-2 variants raise concerns about reinfection. Public health authorities monitored the incidence of suspected reinfection in Clark County, Nevada, USA, during March 2020–March 2022. Suspected reinfections, defined as a second positive PCR test collected >90 days after an initial positive test, were monitored through an electronic disease surveillance system. We calculated
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Epidemiology of Early Monkeypox Virus Transmission in Sexual Networks of Gay and Bisexual Men, England, 2022 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-12 Amoolya Vusirikala, Hannah Charles, Sooria Balasegaram, Neil Macdonald, Deepti Kumar, Ceri Barker-Burnside, Kerry Cumiskey, Michelle Dickinson, Michelle Watson, Oluwakemi Olufon, Katie Thorley, Paula Blomquist, Charlotte Anderson, Thomas Ma, Hamish Mohammed, Samantha Perkins, Karthik Paranthaman, Petra Manley, Obaghe Edeghere, Katy Sinka, Mateo Prochazka
After community transmission of monkeypox virus was identified in Europe, interviews of 45 case-patients from England indicated transmission in international sexual networks of gay and bisexual men since April 2022. Interventions targeting sex-on-premises venues, geospatial dating applications, and sexual health services are likely to be critical for outbreak control.
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Invasive Meningococcal X Disease during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Brazil Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-11 Lucila O. Fukasawa, Bernadete L. Liphaus, Maria Gisele Gonçalves, Fabio T. Higa, Carlos H. Camargo, Telma R.M.P. Carvalhanas, Ana Paula S. Lemos
Invasive meningococcal disease persists as a fulminant disorder worldwide. Although cases caused by Neisseira meningitidis serogroup X (MenX) occur infrequently, outbreaks have been reported in countries in Africa in recent decades. We report 2 cases of MenX invasive meningococcal disease in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2021 and 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Feline Panleukopenia Virus in Dogs from Italy and Egypt Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-11 Georgia Diakoudi, Costantina Desario, Gianvito Lanave, Stefania Salucci, Linda A. Ndiana, Aya Attia Koraney Zarea, Ehab Ali Fouad, Alessio Lorusso, Flora Alfano, Alessandra Cavalli, Canio Buonavoglia, Vito Martella, Nicola Decaro
Canine parvovirus and feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) are variants of Carnivore protoparvovirus 1. We identified and characterized FPV in dogs from Italy and Egypt using genomic sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. Cost-effective sequencing strategies should be used to monitor interspecies spread, evolution dynamics, and potential host jumping of FPV.
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Arthritis Caused by Nannizziopsis obscura, France Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-11 Hélène Mascitti, Valérie Sivadon-Tardy, Marie-Elisabeth Bougnoux, Clara Duran, Mickael Tordjman, Marie-Alice Colombier, Isabelle Bourgault-Villada, Aurélien Dinh
Nannizziopsis spp., fungi responsible for emerging diseases, are rarely involved in human bone and joint infections. We present a rare case of septic arthritis with necrotizing cellulitis caused by N. obscura in a patient in France who had undergone kidney transplant. Rapid, aggressive medical and surgical management led to a favorable outcome.
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International Spread of Multidrug-Resistant Rhodococcus equi Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-11 Jorge Val-Calvo, Jane Darcy, James Gibbons, Alan Creighton, Claire Egan, Thomas Buckley, Achim Schmalenberger, Ursula Fogarty, Mariela Scortti, José A. Vázquez-Boland
A multidrug-resistant clone of the animal and human pathogen Rhodococcus equi, MDR-RE 2287, has been circulating among equine farms in the United States since the 2000s. We report the detection of MDR-RE 2287 outside the United States. Our finding highlights the risk for MDR-RE spreading internationally with horse movements.
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Sequestration and Destruction of Rinderpest Virus–Containing Material 10 Years after Eradication Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-11 Christine M. Budke, Dirk U. Pfeiffer, Bryony A. Jones, Guillaume Fournié, Younjung Kim, Mariana Marrana, Heather Simmons
In 2021, the world marked 10 years free from rinderpest. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and World Organisation for Animal Health have since made great strides in consolidating, sequencing, and destroying stocks of rinderpest virus–containing material, currently kept by only 14 known institutions. This progress must continue.
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Sporadic Occurrence of Enteroaggregative Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 Similar to 2011 Outbreak Strain Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-11 Claudia E. Coipan, Ingrid H. Friesema, Maaike J.C. van den Beld, Thijs Bosch, Sabine Schlager, Menno van der Voort, Christina Frank, Christina Lang, Angelika Fruth, Eelco Franz
We describe the recent detection of 3 Shiga toxin–producing enteroaggregative Escherichia coli O104:H4 isolates from patients and 1 from pork in the Netherlands that were genetically highly similar to isolates from the 2011 large-scale outbreak in Europe. Our findings stress the importance of safeguarding food supply production chains to prevent future outbreaks.
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Introduction and Differential Diagnosis of Monkeypox in Argentina, 2022 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-12 Adrian Lewis, Alejandro Josiowicz, Stella Maris Hirmas Riade, Monica Tous, Gustavo Palacios, Daniel M. Cisterna
We report detection of cases of monkeypox virus infection in Argentina in the context of a marked increase in confounding cases of atypical hand-foot-and-mouth syndrome caused by enterovirus coxsackie A6. We recommend performing an accurate differential virological diagnosis for exanthematous disease in suspected monkeypox cases.
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Plagues Upon the Earth: Disease and the Course of Human History Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-10 W. Clyde Partin
Books and Media
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Molecular Epidemiology of Blastomyces gilchristii Clusters, Minnesota, USA Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-10 Ujwal R. Bagal, Malia Ireland, Annastasia Gross, Jill Fischer, Meghan Bentz, Elizabeth L. Berkow, Anastasia P. Litvintseva, Nancy A. Chow
We characterized 2 clusters of blastomycosis cases in Minnesota, USA, using whole-genome sequencing and single-nucleotide polymorphism analyses. Blastomyces gilchristii was confirmed as the cause of infection. Genomic analyses corresponded with epidemiologic findings for cases of B. gilchristii infections, demonstrating the utility of genomic methods for future blastomycosis outbreak investigations
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Trichodysplasia Spinulosa Polyomavirus Endothelial Infection, California, USA Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-10 Lauren Lawrence, Aihui Wang, Gregory Charville, Angus Toland, Benjamin Pinsky, Yasodha Natkunam, Sheren Younes, Henning Stehr, Dita Gratzinger
We describe 3 patients in California, USA, with trichodysplasia spinulosa polyomavirus (TSPyV) infection of endothelium after steroid administration. We detected TSPyV RNA in cutaneous tissue specimens by in situ hybridization. These cases suggest endothelium as a potential cellular reservoir for TSPyV. Diseases associated with endothelial inflammation could be associated with TSPyV infection.
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Fatal Fungicide-Associated Triazole-Resistant Aspergillus fumigatus Infection, Pennsylvania, USA Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-10 Kennedy Bradley, Audrey Le-Mahajan, Beth Morris, Tiina Peritz, Tom Chiller, Kaitlin Forsberg, Natalie S. Nunnally, Shawn R. Lockhart, Jeremy A.W. Gold, Jane M. Gould
We report a fatal infection in a 65-year-old immunocompromised male patient caused by pan-triazole–resistant Aspergillus fumigatus containing a TR34/L98H genetic mutation linked to agricultural fungicide use. Clinical and environmental surveillance of triazole-resistant A. fumigatus is needed in the United States to prevent spread and guide healthcare and agricultural practices.
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Experimental Infection of Peromyscus Species Rodents with Sin Nombre Virus Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-10 Kaye Quizon, Kimberly Holloway, Mahmood Iranpour, Bryce M. Warner, Yvon Deschambault, Geoff Soule, Kevin Tierney, Darwyn Kobasa, Angela Sloan, David Safronetz
We demonstrate that 6 distinct Peromyscus rodent species are permissive to experimental infection with Sin Nombre orthohantavirus (SNV). Viral RNA and SNV antibodies were detected in members of all 6 species. P. leucopus mice demonstrated markedly higher viral and antibody titers than P. maniculatus mice, the established primary hosts for SNV.
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Coccidioidomycosis Seroincidence and Risk among Military Personnel, Naval Air Station Lemoore, San Joaquin Valley, California, USA Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-10 Graham C. Ellis, Charlotte A. Lanteri, Hsing-Chuan Hsieh, Paul C.F. Graf, Gabriel Pineda, Nancy F. Crum-Cianflone, Catherine M. Berjohn, Terrel Sanders, Ryan C. Maves, Robert Deiss
We conducted a retrospective cohort study that tested 2,000 US military personnel for Coccidioides antibodies in a disease-endemic region. The overall incidence of seroconversion was 0.5 cases/100 person-years; 12.5% of persons who seroconverted had illnesses requiring medical care. No significant association was found between demographic characteristics and seroconversion or disease.
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Detection of Endosymbiont Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii and Tickborne Pathogens in Humans Exposed to Tick Bites, Italy Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-10 Giovanni Sgroi, Roberta Iatta, Piero Lovreglio, Angela Stufano, Younes Laidoudi, Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan, Marcos Antonio Bezerra-Santos, Vincenzo Veneziano, Francesco Di Gennaro, Annalisa Saracino, Maria Chironna, Claudio Bandi, Domenico Otranto
During 2021, we collected blood and serum samples from 135 persons exposed to tick bites in southern Italy. We serologically and molecularly screened for zoonotic tickborne pathogens and molecularly screened for Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii. Overall, 62 (45.9%) persons tested positive for tickborne pathogens. Coxiella burnetii was detected most frequently (27.4%), along with Rickettsia spp.
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Detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in Children Migrating to Australia Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-10 Ingrid Laemmle-Ruff, Stephen M. Graham, Bridget Williams, Danielle Horyniak, Suman S. Majumdar, Georgia A. Paxton, Lila V. Soares Caplice, Margaret E. Hellard, James M. Trauer
In 2015, Australia updated premigration screening for tuberculosis (TB) disease in children 2–10 years of age to include testing for infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and enable detection of latent TB infection (LTBI). We analyzed TB screening results in children <15 years of age during November 2015–June 2017. We found 45,060 child applicants were tested with interferon-gamma release assay
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Costs of Tuberculosis at 3 Treatment Centers, Canada, 2010–2016 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-10 Jonathon R. Campbell, Placide Nsengiyumva, Leslie Y. Chiang, Frances Jamieson, Hadeel Khadawardi, Henry K.-H. Mah, Olivia Oxlade, Hayden Rasberry, Elizabeth Rea, Kamila Romanowski, Natasha F. Sabur, Beate Sander, Aashna Uppal, James C. Johnston, Kevin Schwartzman, Sarah K. Brode
We estimated costs of managing different forms of tuberculosis (TB) across Canada by conducting a retrospective chart review and cost assessment of patients treated for TB infection, drug-susceptible TB (DS TB), isoniazid-resistant TB, or multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB) at 3 treatment centers. We included 90 patients each with TB infection and DS TB, 71 with isoniazid-resistant TB, and 62 with MDR
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Environmental Persistence of Monkeypox Virus on Surfaces in Household of Person with Travel-Associated Infection, Dallas, Texas, USA, 2021 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-11 Clint N. Morgan, Florence Whitehill, Jeffrey B. Doty, Joann Schulte, Audrey Matheny, Joey Stringer, Lisa J. Delaney, Richard Esparza, Agam K. Rao, Andrea M. McCollum
In July 2021, we conducted environmental sampling at the residence of a person in Dallas, Texas, USA, who had travel-associated human West African monkeypox virus (MPXV-WA). Targeted environmental swab sampling was conducted 15 days after the person who had monkeypox left the household. Results indicate extensive MPXV-WA DNA contamination, and viable virus from 7 samples was successfully isolated in
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Laboratory Misidentifications Resulting from Taxonomic Changes to Bacillus cereus Group Species, 2018–2022 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-09 Laura M. Carroll, Itumeleng Matle, Jasna Kovac, Rachel A. Cheng, Martin Wiedmann
Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is being applied increasingly to Bacillus cereus group species; however, misinterpretation of WGS results may have severe consequences. We report 3 cases, 1 of which was an outbreak, in which misinterpretation of B. cereus group WGS results hindered communication within public health and industrial laboratories.
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Acute Q Fever with Atrioventricular Block, Israel Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-09 Karawan Badarni, Miry Blich, Yafit A. Nasagi, Nesrin G. Zoubi
Cardiac involvement in acute Q fever is rare. We report 2 cases of an advanced atrioventricular block in young adult patients in Israel who sought care for acute Q fever without evidence of myocarditis. Q fever should be suspected in unexplained conduction abnormalities, especially in febrile young patients residing in disease-endemic areas.
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Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Incidence, South Korea, 2001–2019 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-09 Yong-Chan Kim, Byung-Hoon Jeong
We found increasing trends of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) cases and annual incidence in South Korea during 2001–2019. We noted relatively low (5.7%) distribution of familial CJD. An unusually high percentage (≈1%) of patients were in the 30–39 age group, which should prompt a preemptive CJD control system.
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Ancylostoma ceylanicum Hookworms in Dogs, Grenada, West Indies Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-09 Patsy A. Zendejas-Heredia, Vito Colella, Maxine L. A. Macpherson, Wayne Sylvester, Robin B. Gasser, Calum N. L. Macpherson, Rebecca J. Traub
Ancylostoma ceylanicum hookworms are recognized agents of human infection in the Asia–Pacific region. We investigated prevalence of zoonotic hookworm infection in dogs in Grenada in 2021; 40.8% were infected by hookworms, including Ancylostoma ceylanicum. Surveillance of this parasite in dogs and humans is needed in tropical/subtropical countries in the Americas.
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Zoonotic Ancylostoma ceylanicum Hookworm Infections, Ecuador Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-09 William J. Sears, Jorge Cardenas, Joseph Kubofcik, Thomas B. Nutman, Philip J. Cooper
Ancylostoma ceylanicum hookworms are zoonotic parasites that can infect humans. To detect autochthonous transmission, we analyzed human fecal samples collected in 2000. Multiparallel quantitative PCR detected infection in persons who had never traveled outside Ecuador. These data indicate human transmission of A. ceylanicum in the Americas, although endemicity remains unknown.
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Revised Definitions of Tuberculosis Resistance and Treatment Outcomes, France, 2006–2019 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-09 Yousra Kherabi, Mathilde Fréchet-Jachym, Christophe Rioux, Yazdan Yazdanpanah, Frédéric Méchaï, Valérie Pourcher, Jérôme Robert, Lorenzo Guglielmetti
Definitions of resistance in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB) have been updated. Pre–XDR TB, defined as MDR TB with additional resistance to fluoroquinolones, and XDR TB, with additional resistance to bedaquiline or linezolid, are frequently associated with treatment failure and toxicity. We retrospectively determined the effects of pre-XDR/XDR
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Fulminant Transfusion-Associated Hepatitis E Virus Infection Despite Screening, England, 2016–2020 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-09 Heli Harvala, Claire Reynolds, Su Brailsford, Katy Davison
In England, all blood donations are screened in pools of 24 by nucleic acid test (NAT) for hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA. During 2016–2020, this screening successfully identified and intercepted 1,727 RNA-positive donations. However, review of previous donations from infected platelet donors identified 9 donations in which HEV RNA detection was missed, of which 2 resulted in confirmed transmission: 1
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Highly Divergent SARS-CoV-2 Alpha Variant in Chronically Infected Immunocompromised Person Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-04 Bas B. Oude Munnink, Roel H.T. Nijhuis, Nathalie Worp, Marjan Boter, Babette Weller, Babs E. Verstrepen, Corine GeurtsvanKessel, Maarten L. Corsten, Anne Russcher, Marion Koopmans
We detected a highly divergent SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant in an immunocompromised person several months after the latest detection of the Alpha variant in the Netherlands. The patient was infected for 42 weeks despite several treatment regimens and disappearance of most clinical symptoms. We identified several potential immune escape mutations in the spike protein.
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Quantifying Population Burden and Effectiveness of Decentralized Surveillance Strategies for Skin-Presenting Neglected Tropical Diseases, Liberia Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-04 Joseph W.S. Timothy, Emerson Rogers, Katherine E. Halliday, Tarnue Mulbah, Michael Marks, Zeela Zaizay, Romeo Giddings, Marie Kempf, Estelle Marion, Stephen L. Walker, Karsor K. Kollie, Rachel L. Pullan
We evaluated programmatic approaches for skin neglected tropical disease (NTD) surveillance and completed a robust estimation of the burden of skin NTDs endemic to West Africa (Buruli ulcer, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, and yaws). In Maryland, Liberia, exhaustive case finding by community health workers of 56,285 persons across 92 clusters identified 3,241 suspected cases. A total of 236 skin NTDs
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Infection with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant 24 Days after Non-Omicron Infection, Pennsylvania, USA Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-01 Arlene G. Seid, Tigist Yirko, Sameera Sayeed, Nottasorn Plipat
A 42-year-old man, with up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination, experienced symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in December 2021. Mutation tests suggested a non-Omicron variant. After his recovery, and 24 days after the first positive SARS-CoV-2 test, he had onset of symptomatic infection with the BA.1.1 (Omicron) variant, which was confirmed by whole-genome sequencing.
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Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Suggestive of Single Events of Spillover to Cattle, Germany Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-01 Kerstin Wernike, Jens Böttcher, Silke Amelung, Kerstin Albrecht, Tanja Gärtner, Karsten Donat, Martin Beer
Human infection with SARS-CoV-2 poses a risk for transmission to animals. To characterize the risk for cattle, we serologically investigated 1,000 samples collected from cattle in Germany in late 2021. Eleven antibody-positive samples indicated that cattle may be occasionally infected by contact with SARS-CoV-2–positive keepers, but we found no indication of further spread.
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Effect of Frequent SARS-CoV-2 Testing on Weekly Case Rates in Long-Term Care Facilities, Florida, USA Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-01 Lao-Tzu Allan-Blitz, Belal Aboabdo, Isaac Turner, Jeffrey D. Klausner
We analyzed 1,292,165 SARS-CoV-2 test results from residents and employees of 361 long-term care facilities in Florida, USA. A 1% increase in testing resulted in a 0.08% reduction in cases 3 weeks after testing began. Increasing SARS-CoV-2 testing frequency is a viable tool for reducing virus transmission in these facilities.
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Evaluation of Effectiveness of Global COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-01 Daihai He, Sheikh Taslim Ali, Guihong Fan, Daozhou Gao, Haitao Song, Yijun Lou, Shi Zhao, Benjamin J. Cowling, Lewi Stone
To model estimated deaths averted by COVID-19 vaccines, we used state-of-the-art mathematical modeling, likelihood-based inference, and reported COVID-19 death and vaccination data. We estimated that >1.5 million deaths were averted in 12 countries. Our model can help assess effectiveness of the vaccination program, which is crucial for curbing the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Epidemiology of Infections with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 Variant, Hong Kong, January–March 2022 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-01 Yonatan M. Mefsin, Dongxuan Chen, Helen S. Bond, Yun Lin, Justin K. Cheung, Jessica Y. Wong, Sheikh Taslim Ali, Eric H.Y. Lau, Peng Wu, Gabriel M. Leung, Benjamin J. Cowling
Our analysis of data collected from multiple epidemics in Hong Kong indicated a shorter serial interval and generation time of infections with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. The age-specific case-fatality risk for Omicron BA.2.2 case-patients without complete primary vaccination was comparable to that of persons infected with ancestral strains in earlier waves.
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Lack of Evidence for Ribavirin Treatment of Lassa Fever in Systematic Review of Published and Unpublished Studies1. Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-08-01 Hung-Yuan Cheng,Clare E French,Alex P Salam,Sarah Dawson,Alexandra McAleenan,Luke A McGuinness,Jelena Savović,Peter W Horby,Jonathan A C Sterne
Ribavirin has been used widely to treat Lassa fever in West Africa since the 1980s. However, few studies have systematically appraised the evidence for its use. We conducted a systematic review of published and unpublished literature retrieved from electronic databases and gray literature from inception to March 8, 2022. We identified 13 studies of the comparative effectiveness of ribavirin versus
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Rapid Adaptation of Established High-Throughput Molecular Testing Infrastructure for Monkeypox Virus Detection Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-29 Dominik Nörz, Hui Ting Tang, Petra Emmerich, Katja Giersch, Nicole Fischer, Stephan Schmiedel, Marylyn M. Addo, Martin Aepfelbacher, Susanne Pfefferle, Marc Lütgehetmann
Beginning in May 2022, a rising number of monkeypox cases were reported in non–monkeypox-endemic countries in the Northern Hemisphere. We adapted 2 published quantitative PCRs for use as a dual-target monkeypox virus test on widely used automated high-throughput PCR systems. We determined analytic performance by serial dilutions of monkeypox virus reference material, which we quantified by digital
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Longitudinal SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Antibody Kinetics, Seroreversion, and Implications for Seroepidemiologic Studies Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-22 Michael Loesche, Elizabeth W. Karlson, Opeyemi Talabi, Guohai Zhou, Natalie Boutin, Rachel Atchley, Gideon Loevinsohn, Jun Bai Park Chang, Mohammad A. Hasdianda, Adetoun Okenla, Elizabeth Sampson, Haley Schram, Karen Magsipoc, Kirsten Goodman, Lauren Donahue, Maureen MacGowan, Lewis A. Novack, Petr Jarolim, Lindsey R. Baden, Eric J. Nilles
Given widespread use of spike antibody in generating coronavirus disease vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibodies are increasingly used to indicate previous infection in serologic surveys. However, longitudinal kinetics and seroreversion are poorly defined. We found substantial seroreversion of nucleocapsid total immunoglobulin, underscoring the need to account for seroreversion in seroepidemiologic
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Tracking Emergence and Spread of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant in Large and Small Communities by Wastewater Monitoring in Alberta, Canada Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-22 Casey R.J. Hubert, Nicole Acosta, Barbara J.M. Waddell, Maria E. Hasing, Yuanyuan Qiu, Meghan Fuzzen, Nathanael B.J. Harper, María A. Bautista, Tiejun Gao, Chloe Papparis, Jenn Van Doorn, Kristine Du, Kevin Xiang, Leslie Chan, Laura Vivas, Puja Pradhan, Janine McCalder, Kashtin Low, Whitney E. England, Darina Kuzma, John Conly, M. Cathryn Ryan, Gopal Achari, Jia Hu, Jason L. Cabaj, Chris Sikora, Larry
Wastewater monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 enables early detection and monitoring of the COVID-19 disease burden in communities and can track specific variants of concern. We determined proportions of the Omicron and Delta variants across 30 municipalities covering >75% of the province of Alberta (population 4.5 million), Canada, during November 2021–January 2022. Larger cities Calgary and Edmonton exhibited
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Weighing Potential Benefits and Harms of Mycoplasma genitalium Testing and Treatment Approaches Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-20 Lisa E. Manhart, William M. Geisler, Catriona S. Bradshaw, Jørgen S. Jensen, David H. Martin
Since Mycoplasma genitalium was identified 40 years ago, much of the epidemiology has been described, diagnostic tests have been developed and approved, and recommended treatment approaches have been identified. However, the natural history remains incompletely understood, and antimicrobial resistance has rapidly increased. This review summarizes evidence published since the US Centers for Disease
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Correlation between Clinical and Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Surveillance, Oregon, USA Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-15 Devrim Kaya, Rebecca Falender, Tyler Radniecki, Matthew Geniza, Paul Cieslak, Christine Kelly, Noah Lininger, Melissa Sutton
SARS-CoV-2 variant proportions in a population can be estimated through genomic sequencing of clinical specimens or wastewater samples. We demonstrate strong pairwise correlation between statewide variant estimates in Oregon, USA, derived from both methods (correlation coefficient 0.97). Our results provide crucial evidence of the effectiveness of community-level genomic surveillance.
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Pathogenesis and Transmissibility of North American Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in Ferrets Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-15 Joanna A. Pulit-Penaloza, Jessica A. Belser, Nicole Brock, Poulami Basu Thakur, Terrence M. Tumpey, Taronna R. Maines
Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses have spread rapidly throughout North American flyways in recent months, affecting wild birds in over 40 states. We evaluated the pathogenicity and transmissibility of a representative virus using a ferret model and examined replication kinetics of this virus in human respiratory tract cells.
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Association of Environmental Factors with Seasonal Intensity of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Seropositivity among Arctic Caribou Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-10 O. Alejandro Aleuy, Michele Anholt, Karin Orsel, Fabien Mavrot, Catherine A. Gagnon, Kimberlee Beckmen, Steeve D. Côté, Christine Cuyler, Andrew Dobson, Brett Elkin, Lisa-Marie Leclerc, Joëlle Taillon, Susan Kutz
Several caribou (Rangifer tarandus) populations have been declining concurrently with increases in infectious diseases in the Arctic. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a zoonotic bacterium, was first described in 2015 as a notable cause of illness and death among several Arctic wildlife species. We investigated epidemiologic and environmental factors associated with the seroprevalence of E. rhusiopathiae
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CDC’s COVID-19 International Vaccine Implementation and Evaluation Program and Lessons from Earlier Vaccine Introductions Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-13 Heidi M. Soeters, Reena H. Doshi, Monica Fleming, Oluwasegun Joel Adegoke, Uzoamaka Ajene, Brooke Noel Aksnes, Sarah Bennett, Erin F. Blau, Julie Garon Carlton, Sara Clements, Laura Conklin, Melissa Dahlke, Lindsey M. Duca, Leora R. Feldstein, Jane F. Gidudu, Gavin Grant, Margaret Hercules, Ledor S. Igboh, Atsuyoshi Ishizumi, Sara Jacenko, Yinka Kerr, Nuadum M. Konne, Shibani Kulkarni, Archana Kumar
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supports international partners in introducing vaccines, including those against SARS-CoV-2 virus. CDC contributes to the development of global technical tools, guidance, and policy for COVID-19 vaccination and has established its COVID-19 International Vaccine Implementation and Evaluation (CIVIE) program. CIVIE supports ministries of health
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Susceptibility of Wild Canids to SARS-CoV-2 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-13 Stephanie M. Porter, Airn E. Hartwig, Helle Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth, J. Jeffrey Root
We assessed 2 wild canid species, red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and coyotes (Canis latrans), for susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. After experimental inoculation, red foxes became infected and shed infectious virus. Conversely, experimentally challenged coyotes did not become infected; therefore, coyotes are unlikely to be competent hosts for SARS-CoV-2.
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Toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae Infection in Cat, Texas, USA Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-13 Ronald Tyler, Layda Rincon, Michael R. Weigand, Lingzi Xiaoli, Anna M. Acosta, Daniel Kurien, Hong Ju, Sonia Lingsweiler, Emilie Yvonne Prot
We report a toxigenic strain of Corynebacterium diphtheriae isolated from an oozing dermal wound in a pet cat in Texas, USA. We also describe the epidemiologic public health efforts conducted to identify potential sources of infection and mitigate its spread and the molecular and genetic studies performed to identify the bacterium.
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Incidence of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Infection, by Ethnic Group, Hawaii, USA, 2005–2019 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-13 Rebekah A. Blakney, Emily E. Ricotta, Timothy B. Frankland, Stacey Honda, Adrian Zelazny, Katrin D. Mayer-Barber, Samantha G. Dean, Dean Follmann, Kenneth N. Olivier, Yihe G. Daida, D. Rebecca Prevots
To further clarify differences in the risk for nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary infection (NTM-PI) among ethnic populations in Hawaii, USA, we conducted a retrospective cohort study among beneficiaries of Kaiser Permanente Hawaii (KPH). We abstracted demographic, socioeconomic, clinical, and microbiological data from KPH electronic health records for 2005–2019. An NTM-PI case-patient was defined
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Faith Community Engagement to Mitigate COVID-19 Transmission Associated with Mass Gathering, Uman, Ukraine, September 2021 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-12 Lauren Erickson-Mamane, Alina Kryshchuk, Olga Gvozdetska, Dmytro Rossovskyi, Aaron Glatt, David Katz, Zvi Gluck, Deena Butryn, Yonathan Gebru, Laura Guerra, Alyssa Masor, Kathleen Blaney, Christopher A. Papaharalambus, Ezra J. Barzilay, Avi J. Hakim
Annually, ≈30,000 Hasidic and Orthodox Jews travel to Uman, Ukraine, during the Jewish New Year to pray at the burial place of the founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement. Many pilgrims come from the northeastern United States. The global health implications of this event were seen in 2019 when measles outbreaks in the United States and Israel were linked to the pilgrimage. The 2020 pilgrimage was
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Epidemiologic Features and Control Measures during Monkeypox Outbreak, Spain, June 2022 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-12 Berta Suárez Rodríguez, Bernardo R. Guzmán Herrador, Asunción Díaz Franco, María Paz Sánchez-Seco Fariñas, Julia del Amo Valero, Adrián Hugo Aginagalde Llorente, Juan Pablo Alonso Pérez de Agreda, Rosa Carbó Malonda, Daniel Castrillejo, María Dolores Chirlaque López, Eduardo Javier Chong, Sonia Fernández Balbuena, Virtudes Gallardo García, Manuel García-Cenoz, Laura García Hernández, Elisa Gil Montalbán
During June 2022, Spain was one of the countries most affected worldwide by a multicountry monkeypox outbreak with chains of transmission and without identified links to disease-endemic countries. We provide epidemiologic features of cases reported in Spain and the coordinated measures taken to respond to this outbreak.
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Age-Dependent Effects of COVID-19 Vaccine and of Healthcare Burden on COVID-19 Deaths, Tokyo, Japan Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-12 Yura K. Ko, Hiroaki Murayama, Lisa Yamasaki, Ryo Kinoshita, Motoi Suzuki, Hiroshi Nishiura
COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against death in Japan remains unknown. Furthermore, although evidence indicates that healthcare capacity influences case-fatality risk (CFR), it remains unknown whether this relationship is mediated by age. With a modeling study, we analyzed daily COVID-19 cases and deaths during January–August 2021 by using Tokyo surveillance data to jointly estimate COVID-19 vaccine
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Novel Reassortant Avian Influenza A(H5N6) Virus, China, 2021 Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-12 Junhong Chen, Lingyu Xu, Tengfei Liu, Shumin Xie, Ke Li, Xiao Li, Mengmeng Zhang, Yifan Wu, Xinkai Wang, Jinfeng Wang, Keyi Shi, Beibei Niu, Ming Liao, Weixin Jia
Although reports of human infection with influenza A(H5N6) increased in 2021, reports of similar H5N6 virus infection in poultry are few. We detected 10 avian influenza A(H5N6) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses in poultry from 4 provinces in China. The viruses showed strong immune-escape capacity and complex genetic recombination, suggesting further transmission risk.
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Effectiveness of Naturally Acquired and Vaccine-Induced Immune Responses to SARS-CoV-2 Mu Variant Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-13 Edmilson F. de Oliveira-Filho, Bladimiro Rincon-Orozco, Natalia Jones-Cifuentes, Brigitte Peña-López, Barbara Mühlemann, Christian Drosten, Andres Moreira-Soto, Jan Felix Drexler
SARS-CoV-2 Mu variant emerged in Colombia in 2021 and spread globally. In 49 serum samples from vaccinees and COVID-19 survivors in Colombia, neutralization was significantly lower (p<0.0001) for Mu than a parental strain and variants of concern. Only the Omicron variant of concern demonstrated higher immune evasion.
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Seroprevalence of Chikungunya Virus, Jamaica, and New Tools for Surveillance (Response) Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-11 Joshua J. Anzinger
Seroprevalence of Chikungunya Virus, Jamaica, and New Tools for Surveillance (Response)
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Seroprevalence of Chikungunya Virus, Jamaica, and New Tools for Surveillance Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-11 Andre R.R. Freitas, Laura Pezzi, Luciano P.G. Cavalcanti, Fabrice Simon
Seroprevalence of Chikungunya Virus, Jamaica, and New Tools for Surveillance
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Increased Incidence of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease among Children after COVID-19 Pandemic, England Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-11 Marta Bertran, Zahin Amin-Chowdhury, Carmen L. Sheppard, Seyi Eletu, Dania V. Zamarreño, Mary E. Ramsay, David Litt, Norman K. Fry, Shamez N. Ladhani
During July–December 2021, after COVID-19 restrictions were removed in England, invasive pneumococcal disease incidence in children <15 years of age was higher (1.96/100,000 children) than during the same period in 2020 (0.7/100,000 children) and in prepandemic years 2017–2019 (1.43/100,000 children). Childhood vaccine coverage should be maintained to protect the population.
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Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Infection, Australia Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-10 Leon Caly, Ashleigh F. Porter, Joanna Chua, James P. Collet, Julian D. Druce, Michael G. Catton, Sebastian Duchene
During a mouse plague in early 2021, a farmer from New South Wales, Australia, sought treatment for aseptic meningitis and was subsequently diagnosed with locally acquired lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. Whole-genome sequencing identified a divergent and geographically distinct lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus strain compared with other published sequences.
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Hepatitis E Virus Outbreak among Tigray War Refugees from Ethiopia, Sudan Emerg. Infect. Dis. (IF 16.126) Pub Date : 2022-07-10 Ayman Ahmed, Yousif Ali, Emmanuel Edwar Siddig, Jehan Hamed, Nouh S. Mohamed, Amna Khairy, Jakob Zinsstag
We report hepatitis E virus (HEV) outbreaks among refugees from Ethiopia in Sudan during June 2021–February 2022. We identified 1,589 cases of acute jaundice syndrome and used PCR to confirm HEV infection in 64% of cases. Implementing vaccination, water, sanitation, and hygiene programs might reduce HEV outbreak risk.