One of several recent CDC authored articles on a large mumps outbreak leads off this week's featured articles. AE Barskey and colleagues, writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, conclude that this outbreak within an Orthodox Jewish community was facilitated by intensity of exposure, while high rates of full vaccination coverage reduced disease severity and overall transmission. A disease more newly preventable by vaccination, rotavirus, is the subject of the modeling study conducted by MM Patel et al, who find that in low and middle income countries, less age-restrictive use of rotavirus vaccine has the potential to save additional lives.

The complex intertwinings of two globally important communicable diseases-TB and HIV-are analyzed by a JS Cavanaugh led group, who find a difference in mortality between smear-negative pulmonary TB in patients with HIV in the US compared to similar patients in high-burden TB countries. Staying "globally local", a report from Oregon led by ML Eberhard documents only the second domestic case of ocular onchocerciasis.

Diverse aspects of laboratory science are featured prominently in Clips this week. A report from the Association for Molecular Pathology first authored by I Schrijver provides a comprehensive overview of clinical diagnostic genome sequencing. The study by GS Buzard et al, which represents a collaboration between CDC and the U.S. Army Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, provides details on optimal use of real-time PCR for detection of bioterrorism threat agents. Also writing about real-time PCR, KM Tatti and ML Tondella summarize use of this method for diagnosis of Bordatella species, including the causative agent of pertussis.

We conclude this week's features with articles related broadly to environmental and occupational health. Perceptions of the safety of tap water might impact intake of plain water and sugar-sweetened beverages, according to survey data published by SJ Onufrak and colleagues. EJ Sinkule and colleagues report an evaluation of N95 respirator use with a surgical mask cover on breathing resistance and inhaled carbon dioxide, an analysis which may have implications for pandemic respiratory protection recommendations. Finally, the animal data presented by P Stapleton et al about the impact of inhaled carbon nanotubes on coronary vascular resistance provides a cautionary note about potential toxicities of nanotechnology.

John Iskander

Editor, Science Clips

1. Top Ten Articles of the Week
   Selected weekly by a senior CDC scientist from the standard sections listed below.
   • Communicable Diseases
     • Mumps outbreak in Orthodox Jewish communities in the United States
       Barskey AE, Schulte C, Rosen JB, Handschur EF, Rausch-Phung E, Doll MK, Cummings KP, Alleyne EO, High P, Lawler J, Apostolou A, Blog D, Zimmerman CM, Montana B, Harpaz R, Hickman CJ, Rota PA, Rota JS, Bellini WJ, Gallagher KM.
       N Engl J Med. 2012 Nov;367(18):1704-13.
       
     • Survival among patients with HIV infection and smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis - United States, 1993-2006
       Cavanaugh JS, Shah NS, Cain KP, Winston CA.
       PLoS One. 2012 ;7(10):e47855.
       
   • Genetics and Genomics
     • Opportunities and challenges associated with clinical diagnostic genome sequencing: a report of the association for molecular pathology
       Schrijver I, Aziz N, Farkas DH, Furtado M, Gonzalez AF, Greiner TC, Grody WW, Hambuch T, Kalman L, Kant JA, Klein RD, Leonard DG, Lubin IM, Mao R, Nagan N, Pratt VM, Sobel ME, Voelkerding KV, Gibson JS.
       J Mol Diagn. 2012 Nov;14(6):525-40.
       
   • Immunity and Immunization
     • Removing the age restrictions for rotavirus vaccination: a benefit-risk modeling analysis
       Patel MM, Clark AD, Sanderson CF, Tate J, Parashar UD.
       PLoS Med. 2012 Oct;9(10):e1001330.
       
   • Laboratory Sciences
     • Multi-platform comparison of ten commercial master mixes for probe-based real-time polymerase chain reaction detection of bioterrorism threat agents for surge preparedness
       Buzard GS, Baker D, Wolcott MJ, Norwood DA, Dauphin LA.
       Forensic Sci Int. 2012 Oct 26.
       
     • Impairment of coronary arteriolar endothelium-dependent dilation after multi-walled carbon nanotube inhalation: a time-course study
       Stapleton P, Minarchick V, Cumpston A, McKinney W, Chen B, Sager T, Frazer D, Mercer R, Scabilloni J, Andrew M, Castranova V, Nurkiewicz T.
       Int J Mol Sci. 2012 ;13(11):13781-13803.
       
     • Utilization of multiple real-time PCR assays for the diagnosis of Bordetella spp. in clinical specimens
       Tatti KM, Tondella ML.
       Methods Mol Biol. 2013 ;943:135-47.
       
   • Nutritional Sciences
     • The relationship of perceptions of tap water safety with intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and plain water among US adults
       Onufrak SJ, Park S, Sharkey JR, Sherry B.
       Public Health Nutr. 2012 Oct 26:1-7.
       
   • Occupational Safety and Health
     • Evaluation of N95 respirator use with a surgical mask cover: effects on breathing resistance and inhaled carbon dioxide
       Sinkule EJ, Powell JB, Goss FL.
       Ann Occup Hyg. 2012 Oct 29.
       
   • Parasitic Diseases
     • Ocular zoonotic Onchocerca infection in a resident of Oregon
       Eberhard ML, Sims AC, Bishop HS, Mathison BA, Hoffman RS.
       Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2012 Oct 29.
       
   
   
2. CDC Authored Publications
   The names of CDC authors are indicated in bold text.
   Articles published in the past 6-8 weeks authored by CDC or ATSDR staff.
   • Chronic Diseases and Conditions
     1. Disparities in prevalence of key chronic diseases by gender and race/ethnicity among antiretroviral-treated HIV-infected adults in the US
        Buchacz K, Baker RK, Palella FJ, Shaw L, Patel P, Lichtenstein KA, Chmiel JS, Vellozzi C, Debes R, Henry K, Overton ET, Bush TJ, Tedaldi E, Carpenter C, Mayer KH, Brooks JT.
        Antivir Ther. 2012 Oct 30.
        
     2. Esophageal cancer in Canada: trends according to morphology and anatomical location
        Otterstatter MC, Brierley JD, De P, Ellison LF, Macintyre M, Marrett LD, Semenciw R, Weir HK.
        Can J Gastroenterol. 2012 Oct;26(10):723-7.
        
     3. Mental and physical health-related quality of life among U.S. cancer survivors: population estimates from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey
        Weaver KE, Forsythe LP, Reeve BB, Alfano CM, Rodriguez JL, Sabatino SA, Hawkins NA, Rowland JH.
        Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2012 Oct 30.
        
     4. Removing the stress from selecting instruments: arming social workers to take leadership in routine distress screening implementation
        Rohan EA.
        J Psychosoc Oncol. 2012 Nov;30(6):667-78.
        
   • Communicable Diseases
     5. Infectious disease mortality rates, Thailand, 1958-2009
        Aungkulanon S, McCarron M, Lertiendumrong J, Olsen SJ, Bundhamcharoen K.
        Emerg Infect Dis. 2012 Nov;18(11):1794-801.
        
     6. Bartonella spp. bacteremia and rheumatic symptoms in patients from Lyme disease-endemic region
        Beard CB, Nelson CA, Mead PS, Petersen LR.
        Emerg Infect Dis. 2012 Nov;18(11):1918-9.
        
     7. Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 15A in psychiatric unit, Rhode Island, USA, 2010-2011
        Fleming-Dutra K, Mbaeyi C, Link-Gelles R, Alexander N, Guh A, Forbes E, Beall B, Winchell JM, Carvalho MG, Pimenta F, Kodani M, Vanner C, Stevens H, Brady D, Caulcrick-Grimes M, Bandy U, Moore MR.
        Emerg Infect Dis. 2012 Nov;18(11):1889-93.
        
     8. Call to action on World Pneumonia Day
        Hajjeh R, Whitney CG.
        Emerg Infect Dis. 2012 Nov;18(11):1898-9.
        
     9. Burden of Clostridium difficile infection in long-term care facilities in Monroe County, New York
        Pawar D, Tsay R, Nelson DS, Elumalai MK, Lessa FC, McDonald LC, Dumyati G.
        Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2012 Nov;33(11):1107-12.
        
     10. The first reported cases of Q fever endocarditis in Thailand
         Pachirat O, Fournier PE, Pussadhamma B, Taksinachanekij S, Lulitanond V, Baggett HC, Thamthitiwat S, Watt G, Raoult D, Maloney SA.
         Infect Dis Rep. 2012 ;4(1):17-18.
         
     11. Epidemiology of a mumps outbreak in a highly vaccinated island population and use of a third dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine for outbreak control- Guam 2009-2010
         Nelson GE, Aguon A, Valencia E, Oliva R, Guerrero ML, Reyes R, Lizama A, Diras D, Mathew A, Camacho EJ, Monforte MN, Chen TH, Mahamud A, Kutty PK, Hickman C, Bellini WJ, Seward JF, Gallagher K, Fiebelkorn AP.
         Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2012 Oct 24.
         
     12. Prevalence of seropositivity to pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus in the United States following the 2009 pandemic
         Reed C, Katz J, Hancock K, Balish A, Fry A.
         PLoS One. 2012 .
         
     13. Selecting nonpharmaceutical strategies to minimize influenza spread: the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic and beyond
         Barrios LC, Koonin LM, Kohl KS, Cetron M.
         Public Health Rep. 2012 Nov;127(6):565-71.
         
   • Disease Reservoirs and Vectors
     14. Entomologic investigations during an outbreak of West Nile virus disease in Maricopa County, Arizona, 2010
         Godsey MS, Burkhalter K, Young G, Delorey M, Smith K, Townsend J, Levy C, Mutebi JP.
         Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2012 Oct 29.
         
     15. Transmission ecology of Sin Nombre hantavirus in naturally infected North American deermouse populations in outdoor enclosures
         Bagamian KH, Towner JS, Kuenzi AJ, Douglass RJ, Rollin PE, Waller LA, Mills JN.
         PLoS One. 2012 ;7(10):e47731.
         
   • Environmental Health
     16. Lactational exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and its relation to social and emotional development among toddlers
         Hoffman K, Adgent M, Goldman BD, Sjodin A, Daniels JL.
         Environ Health Perspect. 2012 Oct;120(10):1438-42.
         
     17. Prenatal exposure to butylbenzyl phthalate and early eczema in an urban cohort
         Just AC, Whyatt RM, Perzanowski MS, Calafat AM, Perera FP, Goldstein IF, Chen Q, Rundle AG, Miller RL.
         Environ Health Perspect. 2012 Oct;120(10):1475-80.
         
     18. Maternal concentrations of polyfluoroalkyl compounds during pregnancy and fetal and postnatal growth in British girls
         Maisonet M, Terrell ML, McGeehin MA, Christensen KY, Holmes A, Calafat AM, Marcus M.
         Environ Health Perspect. 2012 Oct;120(10):1432-7.
         
   • Epidemiology and Surveillance
     19. HIV screening in the health care setting: status, barriers, and potential solutions
         Rizza SA, MacGowan RJ, Purcell DW, Branson BM, Temesgen Z.
         Mayo Clin Proc. 2012 Sep;87(9):915-24.
         
     20. Assessing measurement error in Medicare coverage from the National Health Interview Survey
         Gindi R, Cohen RA.
         Medicare Medicaid Res Rev. 2012 ;2(2):E1-E15.
         
     21. Comparison of acute viral hepatitis data quality using two methodologies, 2005-2007
         Iqbal K, Klevens RM, Jiles R.
         Public Health Rep. 2012 Nov;127(6):591-7.
         
   • Immunity and Immunization
     22. Detection of anti-yellow fever virus immunoglobulin M antibodies at 3-4 years following yellow fever vaccination
         Gibney KB, Edupuganti S, Panella AJ, Kosoy OI, Delorey MJ, Lanciotti RS, Mulligan MJ, Fischer M, Staples JE.
         Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2012 Oct 29.
         
   • Laboratory Sciences
     23. Miniature dual-corona ionizer for bipolar charging of aerosol
         Qi C, Kulkarni P.
         Aerosol Sci Tech. 2012 2013/01/01;47(1):81-92.
         
     24. Organic and elemental carbon filter sets: preparation method and interlaboratory results
         Chai M, Birch ME, Deye G.
         Ann Occup Hyg. 2012 Oct;56(8):959-67.
         
     25. Additional diagnostic yield of adding serology to PCR in diagnosing viral acute respiratory infections in Kenyan patients >/= 5 years old
         Feikin DR, Njenga MK, Bigogo G, Aura B, Gikunju S, Balish A, Katz MA, Erdman D, Breiman RF.
         Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2012 Oct 31.
         
     26. Interlaboratory standardization of the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay designed for MATS, a rapid, reproducible method for estimating the strain coverage of investigational vaccines
         Plikaytis BD, Stella M, Boccadifuoco G, Detora LM, Agnusdei M, Santini L, Brunelli B, Orlandi L, Simmini I, Giuliani M, Ledroit M, Hong E, Taha MK, Ellie K, Rajam G, Carlone GM, Claus H, Vogel U, Borrow R, Findlow J, Gilchrist S, Stefanelli P, Fazio C, Carannante A, Oksnes J, Fritzsonn E, Klem AM, Caugant DA, Abad R, Vazquez JA, Rappuoli R, Pizza M, Donnelly JJ, Medini D.
         Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2012 Oct;19(10):1609-17.
         
     27. Optimization of a small tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) agonist 7,8-dihydroxyflavone active in mouse models of depression
         Liu X, Chan CB, Qi Q, Xiao G, Luo HR, He X, Ye K.
         J Med Chem. 2012 Oct 11;55(19):8524-37.
         
     28. Species identification of invasive yeasts including Candida in Pakistan: limitations of phenotypic methods
         Farooqi J, Jabeen K, Saeed N, Zafar A, Brandt ME, Hasan R.
         J Pak Med Assoc. 2012 October;62(10):995-998.
         
     29. Detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp. through real-time PCR (qPCR) targeting the lipL32 gene
         Stoddard RA.
         Methods Mol Biol. 2013 ;943:257-66.
         
     30. Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae by real-time PCR
         Winchell JM, Mitchell SL.
         Methods Mol Biol. 2013 ;943:149-58.
         
   • Maternal and Child Health
     31. Febrile illness with papular and vesicular exanthem and ulceronecrotic plaques
         Castelo-Soccio LA, Nguyen J, Rubin AI, Paddock CD, Shah KN.
         Pediatr Dermatol. 2012 Nov;29(6):765-6.
         
     32. Modelling fortification of corn masa flour with folic acid and the potential impact on Mexican-American women with lower acculturation
         Hamner HC, Tinker SC, Flores AL, Mulinare J, Weakland AP, Dowling NF.
         Public Health Nutr. 2012 Nov 1:1-9.
         
   • Occupational Safety and Health
     33. Serial evaluations at an indium-tin oxide production facility
         Cummings KJ, Suarthana E, Edwards N, Liang X, Stanton ML, Day GA, Saito R, Kreiss K.
         Am J Ind Med. 2012 Oct 25.
         
     34. Effects of common agricultural tasks on measures of hearing loss
         Humann MJ, Sanderson WT, Gerr F, Kelly KM, Merchant JA.
         Am J Ind Med. 2012 Oct;55(10):904-16.
         
     35. Interventions to prevent occupational noise-induced hearing loss
         Verbeek JH, Kateman E, Morata TC, Dreschler WA, Mischke C.
         Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 ;10:CD006396.
         
     36. The value of periodic spirometry for early recognition of long-term excessive lung function decline in individuals
         Hnizdo E.
         J Occup Environ Med. 2012 Oct 30.
         
     37. The Upper Midwest Health Study: gliomas and occupational exposure to chlorinated solvents
         Ruder AM, Yiin JH, Waters MA, Carreon T, Hein MJ, Butler MA, Calvert GM, Davis-King KE, Schulte PA, Mandel JS, Morton RF, Reding DJ, Rosenman KD, Stewart PA.
         Occup Environ Med. 2012 Oct 26.
         
     38. Differences in folic acid use, prenatal care, smoking, and drinking in early pregnancy by occupation
         Agopian AJ, Lupo PJ, Herdt-Losavio ML, Langlois PH, Rocheleau CM, Mitchell LE.
         Prev Med. 2012 Oct;55(4):341-345.
         
   • Public Health Leadership and Management
     39. Appropriate antibiotic use: family physicians have the power of the pen
         Roberts RM, Hicks LA.
         Am Fam Physician. 2012 Nov 1;86(9):810.
         
     40. Experience and education of home health administrators and nursing home administrators and the relationship to establishment ownership
         Decker FH, Decker SL.
         J Health Hum Serv Adm. 2012 Fall;35(2):149-69.
         
   • Public Health, General
     41. National Bone Health Alliance Bone Turnover Marker Project: current practices and the need for US harmonization, standardization, and common reference ranges
         Bauer D, Krege J, Lane N, Leary E, Libanati C, Miller P, Myers G, Silverman S, Vesper HW, Lee D, Payette M, Randall S.
         Osteoporos Int. 2012 Oct;23(10):2425-33.
         
   • Reproductive Health
     42. The effect of follow-up visits or contacts after contraceptive initiation on method continuation and correct use
         Steenland MW, Zapata LB, Brahmi D, Marchbanks PA, Curtis KM.
         Contraception. 2012 Oct 29.
         
     43. Preconception health of reproductive aged women of the Mississippi River Delta
         Bish CL, Farr S, Johnson D, McAnally R.
         Matern Child Health J. 2012 Oct 26.
         
   
   
3. Key Scientific Articles in Featured Topic Areas
   Subject matter experts decide what topic to feature, and articles are selected from the last 3 to 6 months of published literature. Key topic coincides monthly with other CDC products (e.g. Vital Signs).
   • Communicable Diseases - Influenza
     44. Efficacy and immunogenicity of influenza vaccine in HIV-infected children: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial
         Madhi SA, Dittmer S, Kuwanda L, Venter M, Cassim H, Lazarus E, Thomas T, et al.
         AIDS. 2012 Oct 1.
         
     45. Neighborhood determinants of 2009 pandemic A/H1N1 influenza vaccination in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
         Brien S, Kwong JC, Charland KM, Verma AD, Brownstein JS, Buckeridge DL.
         Am J Epidemiol. 2012 Oct 16.
         
     46. Effectiveness of a school district closure for pandemic influenza A (H1N1) on acute respiratory illnesses in the community: a natural experiment
         Copeland DL, Basurto-Davila R, Chung W, Kurian A, Fishbein DB, Szymanowski P, Zipprich J, et al.
         Clin Infect Dis. 2012 Oct 19.
         
     47. Moderate influenza vaccine effectiveness with variable effectiveness by match between circulating and vaccine strains in Australian adults aged 20-64 years, 2007-2011
         Kelly HA, Sullivan SG, Grant KA, Fielding JE.
         Influenza Other Respi Viruses. 2012 Oct 19.
         
     48. Validation of a PLEX-ID flu device for simultaneous detection and identification of influenza viruses A and B
         Tang YW, Lowery KS, Valsamakis A, Schaefer VC, Chappell JD, White-Abell J, Quinn CD, et al.
         J Clin Microbiol. 2012 Oct 17.
         
     49. Increase in rates of hospitalization due to laboratory-confirmed influenza among children and adults during the 2009-10 influenza pandemic
         Cox CM, D'Mello T, Perez A, Reingold A, Gershman K, Yousey-Hindes K, Arnold KE, et al.
         J Infect Dis. 2012 Nov;206(9):1350-1358.
         
     50. 1976 and 2009 H1N1 influenza virus vaccines boost anti-hemagglutinin stalk antibodies in humans
         Miller MS, Tsibane T, Krammer F, Hai R, Rahmat S, Basler CF, Palese P.
         J Infect Dis. 2012 Oct 18.
         
     51. A Phase II study of DAS181, a novel host directed antiviral for the treatment of influenza infection
         Moss RB, Hansen C, Sanders RL, Hawley S, Li T, Steigbigel RT.
         J Infect Dis. 2012 Oct 8.
         
     52. Mortality burden of the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza pandemic in France: comparison to seasonal influenza and the A/H3N2 pandemic
         Lemaitre M, Carrat F, Rey G, Miller M, Simonsen L, Viboud C.
         PLoS One. 2012 ;7(9):e45051.
         
     53. Autoimmune disorders after immunisation with Influenza A/H1N1 vaccines with and without adjuvant: EudraVigilance data and literature review
         Isai A, Durand J, Le Meur S, Hidalgo-Simon A, Kurz X.
         Vaccine. 2012 Sep 26.
         
   
   
4. Public Health Articles Noted in the Media
   Articles about important public health topics that have been mentioned in the press.
   • MMWR in the Media
     54. Diabetes death rates among youths aged </=19 years - United States, 1968-2009
         MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2012 Nov 2;61(43):869-72.
         
     55. Evaluation of 11 commercially available rapid influenza diagnostic tests - United States, 2011-2012
         MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2012 Nov 2;61(43):873-6.
         
   • Communicable Diseases
     56. Prevalence of seropositivity to pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus in the United States following the 2009 pandemic
         Reed C, Katz J, Hancock K, Balish A, Fry A.
         PLoS One. 2012 .
         
   • Substance Use and Abuse
     57. Myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death in Olmsted County, Minnesota, before and after smoke-free workplace laws
         Hurt RD, Weston SA, Ebbert JO, McNallan SM, Croghan IT, Schroeder DR, Roger VL.
         Arch Intern Med. 2012 Oct 29:1-7.
         
   
   

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DISCLAIMER: Articles listed in the CDC Science Clips are selected by the CDC Public Health Library and Information Center to provide current awareness of the public health literature. An article's inclusion does not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nor does it imply endorsement of the article's methods or findings. CDC and DHHS assume no responsibility for the factual accuracy of the items presented. The selection, omission, or content of items does not imply any endorsement or other position taken by CDC or DHHS. Opinion, findings and conclusions expressed by the original authors of items included in the Clips, or persons quoted therein, are strictly their own and are in no way meant to represent the opinion or views of CDC or DHHS. References to publications, news sources, and non-CDC Websites are provided solely for informational purposes and do not imply endorsement by CDC or DHHS.