Firsts come first in this week's Science Clips featured articles. CI Bandea and colleagues report the development of highly sensitive and specific PCR assays for the detection of Trichomonas vaginalis in urine. The initial report in the United States of human infection with the zoonotic parasite Onchocerca lupi is documented by a group of investigators led by ML Eberhard. PA Kristiansen, along with an international group of authors, provides the first evidence of a herd immunity effect of the serogroup A meningococcal conjugate vaccine MenAfriVac.

Infectious and non-infectious health conditions need not be completely novel for us to learn more about them through surveillance and research. In a report in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, OD Lorenzi et al report on the difficulty of differentiating dengue from influenza infections, and identify clinical criteria that may be used to distinguish between them. A re-analysis of a cluster randomized trial conducted in Pakistan finds that children under five are at increased risk of pneumonia following recent diarrheal illness, implying that interventions that reduce diarrhea might decrease lower respiratory illnesses as well. Following up to data published in MMWR in 2009, a group led by SJ Vagi reports on multistate surveillance for cases of neutropenia following exposure to illicit drugs potentially contaminated with levamisole. Finally, a "farm to table" investigation of an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli associated with romaine lettuce was able to implicate a single lot of lettuce from a single farm.

Diverse and global issues in chronic disease assessment and control round out the features for this week. A non-CDC authored article by DE King and colleagues focuses on the health status of the "Baby Boom" generation in the United States. A case-control study led by JT Brophy finds evidence linking breast cancer with exposure to carcinogens and endocrine disrupting chemicals. Finally, Yu, Zhang, and Wang report on free provision of antihypertensive medications to selected patients in a Chinese province; their findings include improved patient adherence and reduced medical costs.

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
     • Acute febrile illness surveillance in a tertiary hospital emergency department: comparison of influenza and dengue virus infections
       Lorenzi OD, Gregory CJ, Santiago LM, Acosta H, Galarza IE, Hunsperger E, Munoz J, Bui DM, Oberste MS, Penaranda S, Garcia-Gubern C, Tomashek KM.
       Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2013 Feb 4.
       
     • Effect of recent diarrhoeal episodes on risk of pneumonia in children under the age of 5 years in Karachi, Pakistan
       Ashraf S, Huque MH, Kenah E, Agboatwalla M, Luby SP.
       Int J Epidemiol. 2013 Feb 1.
       
   • Epidemiology and Surveillance
     • The status of baby boomers' health in the United States: the healthiest generation?
       King DE, Matheson E, Chirina S, Shankar A, Broman-Fulks J.
       JAMA Intern Med. 2013 Feb 4:1-2.
       
   • Food Safety
     • Outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 associated with romaine lettuce consumption, 2011
       Slayton RB, Turabelidze G, Bennett SD, Schwensohn CA, Yaffee AQ, Khan F, Butler C, Trees E, Ayers TL, Davis ML, Laufer AS, Gladbach S, Williams I, Gieraltowski LB.
       PLoS One. 2013 ;8(2):e55300.
       
   • Healthcare Economics
     • Full coverage for hypertension drugs in rural communities in China
       Yu B, Zhang X, Wang G.
       Am J Manag Care. 2013 ;19(1):e22-9.
       
   • Immunity and Immunization
     • Impact of the serogroup A meningococcal conjugate vaccine, MenAfriVac, on carriage and herd immunity
       Kristiansen PA, Diomande F, Ba AK, Sanou I, Ouedraogo AS, Ouedraogo R, Sangare L, Kandolo D, Ake F, Saga IM, Clark TA, Misegades L, Martin SW, Thomas JD, Tiendrebeogo SR, Hassan-King M, Djingarey MH, Messonnier NE, Preziosi MP, Laforce FM, Caugant DA.
       Clin Infect Dis. 2013 Feb;56(3):354-63.
       
   • Laboratory Sciences
     • Development of PCR assays for detection of Trichomonas vaginalis in urine specimens
       Bandea CI, Joseph K, Secor EW, Jones LA, Igietseme JU, Sautter RL, Hammerschlag MR, Fajman NN, Girardet RG, Black CM.
       J Clin Microbiol. 2013 Feb 6.
       
   • Occupational Safety and Health
     • Breast cancer risk in relation to occupations with exposure to carcinogens and endocrine disruptors: a Canadian case-control study
       Brophy JT, Keith MM, Watterson A, Park R, Gilbertson M, Maticka-Tyndale E, Beck M, Abu-Zahra H, Schneider K, Reinhartz A, Dematteo R, Luginaah I.
       Environ Health. 2012 ;11:87.
       
   • Substance Use and Abuse
     • Passive multistate surveillance for neutropenia after use of cocaine or heroin possibly contaminated with levamisole
       Vagi SJ, Sheikh S, Brackney M, Smolinske S, Warrick B, Reuter N, Schier JG.
       Ann Emerg Med. 2013 Jan 25.
       
   • Zoonoses
     • Zoonotic Onchocerca lupi infection in a 22-month-old child in Arizona: first report in the United States and a review of the literature
       Eberhard ML, Ostovar GA, Chundu K, Hobohm D, Feiz-Erfan I, Mathison BA, Bishop HS, Cantey PT.
       Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2013 Feb 4.
       
   
   
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. Drinking pattern and blood pressure among non-hypertensive current drinkers: findings from 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
        Fan AZ, Li Y, Elam-Evans LD, Balluz L.
        Clin Epidemiol. 2013 ;5:21-7.
        
     2. Transferrin saturation and hospital length of stay and mortality in Medicare beneficiaries
        Mainous AG, Diaz VA, Knoll ME, Hulihan MM, Grant AM, Wright RU.
        J Am Geriatr Soc. 2013 Jan;61(1):132-6.
        
     3. Variation in primary care physicians' colorectal cancer screening recommendations by patient age and comorbidity
        Haggstrom DA, Klabunde CN, Smith JL, Yuan G.
        J Gen Intern Med. 2013 Jan;28(1):18-24.
        
     4. The importance of natural experiments in diabetes prevention and control and the need for better health policy research
        Gregg EW, Ali MK, Moore BA, Pavkov M, Devlin HM, Garfield S, Mangione CM.
        Prev Chronic Dis. 2013 Jan;10:E14.
        
   • Communicable Diseases
     5. The epidemiology and clinical characteristics of young children hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus infections in Guatemala (2007-2010)
        Langley GF, McCracken J, Arvelo W, Estevez A, Villarruel G, Prill M, Iwane M, Gray J, Moscoso F, Reyes L, Moir JC, Ortiz J, Lindblade K.
        Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2013 Feb 1.
        
     6. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09-associated pneumonia deaths in Thailand
        Bunthi C, Thamthitiwat S, Baggett HC, Akarasewi P, Ruangchira-Urai R, Maloney SA, Ungchusak K.
        PLoS One. 2013 ;8(2):e54946.
        
   • Disease Reservoirs and Vectors
     7. A comparison of bats and rodents as reservoirs of zoonotic viruses: are bats special?
        Luis AD, Hayman DT, O'Shea TJ, Cryan PM, Gilbert AT, Pulliam JR, Mills JN, Timonin ME, Willis CK, Cunningham AA, Fooks AR, Rupprecht CE, Wood JL, Webb CT.
        Proc Biol Sci. 2013 ;280(1756):20122753.
        
   • Environmental Health
     8. Maternal urinary bisphenol A during pregnancy and maternal and neonatal thyroid function in the CHAMACOS study
        Chevrier J, Gunier RB, Bradman A, Holland NT, Calafat AM, Eskenazi B, Harley KG.
        Environ Health Perspect. 2013 Jan;121(1):138-44.
        
     9. Genetic modification of the association between peripubertal dioxin exposure and pubertal onset in a cohort of Russian boys
        Humblet O, Korrick SA, Williams PL, Sergeyev O, Emond C, Birnbaum LS, Burns JS, Altshul LM, Patterson Jr DG, Turner WE, Lee MM, Revich B, Hauser R.
        Environ Health Perspect. 2013 January;121(1):111-117.
        
     10. Biomonitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in pregnant women in Trujillo, Peru - comparison of different fuel types used for cooking
         Adetona O, Li Z, Sjodin A, Romanoff LC, Aguilar-Villalobos M, Needham LL, Hall DB, Cassidy BE, Naeher LP.
         Environ Int. 2013 Mar;53:1-8.
         
   • Epidemiology and Surveillance
     11. Causal pie bingo!
         Johnson CY, Howards PP.
         Epidemiology. 2013 Mar;24(2):331.
         
   • Genetics and Genomics
     12. CTNNA3 (alpha-catenin) gene variants are associated with diisocyanate asthma: a replication study in a caucasian worker population
         Bernstein DI, Kashon M, Lummus ZL, Johnson VJ, Fluharty K, Gautrin D, Malo JL, Cartier A, Boulet LP, Sastre J, Quirce S, Germolec D, Tarlo SM, Cruz MJ, Munoz X, Luster MI, Yucesoy B.
         Toxicol Sci. 2012 Jan;131(1):242-6.
         
   • Health Disparities
     13. Migration status in relation to clinical characteristics and barriers to care among youth with diabetes in the US
         Jaacks LM, Oza-Frank R, D'Agostino R, Dolan LM, Dabelea D, Lawrence JM, Pihoker C, O'Connor MR, Linder B, Imperatore G, Seid M, Narayan KM, Mayer-Davis EJ.
         J Immigr Minor Health. 2012 Dec;14(6):949-58.
         
     14. Understanding ethnic and nativity-related differences in low cardiovascular risk status among Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic Whites
         Kershaw KN, Greenlund KJ, Stamler J, Shay CM, Daviglus ML.
         Prev Med. 2012 Dec;55(6):597-602.
         
   • Healthcare Associated Infections
     15. Evaluating the accuracy of sampling to estimate central line-days: simplification of the National Healthcare Safety Network surveillance methods
         Thompson ND, Edwards JR, Bamberg W, Beldavs ZG, Dumyati G, Godine D, Maloney M, Kainer M, Ray S, Thompson D, Wilson L, Magill SS.
         Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2013 Mar;34(3):221-8.
         
   • Healthcare Economics
     16. Antifungal therapy and length of hospitalization in transplant patients with invasive aspergillosis
         Baddley JW, Andes DR, Marr KA, Kauffman CA, Kontoyiannis DP, Ito JI, Schuster MG, Brizendine KD, Patterson TF, Lyon GM, Boeckh M, Oster RA, Chiller T, Pappas PG.
         Med Mycol. 2013 Feb;51(2):128-35.
         
   • Immunity and Immunization
     17. Associated factors for recommending HBV vaccination to children among Georgian health care workers
         Butsashvili M, Kamkamidze G, Topuridze M, Morse D, Triner W, Dehovitz J, Nelson K, McNutt LA.
         BMC Infect Dis. 2012 ;12:362.
         
     18. Safety of a tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine when used off-label in an elderly population
         Tseng HF, Sy LS, Qian L, Marcy SM, Jackson LA, Glanz J, Nordin J, Baxter R, Naleway A, Donahue J, Weintraub E, Jacobsen SJ.
         Clin Infect Dis. 2013 Feb;56(3):315-321.
         
   • Injury and Violence
     19. Beyond correlates: a review of risk and protective factors for adolescent dating violence perpetration
         Vagi KJ, Rothman EF, Latzman NE, Tharp AT, Hall DM, Breiding MJ.
         J Youth Adolesc. 2013 Feb 6.
         
   • Laboratory Sciences
     20. Functional and structural characterization of neutralizing epitopes of measles virus hemagglutinin protein
         Tahara M, Ito Y, Brindley MA, Ma X, He J, Xu S, Fukuhara H, Sakai K, Komase K, Rota PA, Plemper RK, Maenaka K, Takeda M.
         J Virol. 2013 Jan;87(1):666-75.
         
     21. Systematic analysis of multi-walled carbon nanotube-induced cellular signaling and gene expression in human small airway epithelial cells
         Snyder-Talkington BN, Pacurari M, Dong C, Leonard SS, Schwegler-Berry D, Castranova V, Qian Y, Guo NL.
         Toxicol Sci. 2013 Feb 1.
         
   • Maternal and Child Health
     22. Determinants of anemia among preschool children in rural, western Kenya
         Foote EM, Sullivan KM, Ruth LJ, Oremo J, Sadumah I, Williams TN, Suchdev PS.
         Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2013 Feb 4.
         
     23. Genomics and autism spectrum disorder
         Johnson NL, Giarelli E, Lewis C, Rice CE.
         J Nurs Scholarsh. 2013 Jan 31.
         
     24. Factors affecting antenatal care attendance: results from qualitative studies in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi
         Pell C, Menaca A, Were F, Afrah NA, Chatio S, Manda-Taylor L, Hamel MJ, Hodgson A, Tagbor H, Kalilani L, Ouma P, Pool R.
         PLoS One. 2013 ;8(1):e53747.
         
   • Occupational Safety and Health
     25. Markers of upper airway inflammation associated with microbial exposure and symptoms in occupants of a water-damaged building
         Akpinar-Elci M, White SK, Siegel PD, Park JH, Visotcky A, Kreiss K, Cox-Ganser JM.
         Am J Ind Med. 2013 Feb 6.
         
     26. Concentration-dependent half-lives of polychlorinated biphenyl in sera from an occupational cohort
         Hopf NB, Ruder AM, Waters MA, Succop P.
         Chemosphere. 2013 .
         
     27. Impulse noise generated by starter pistols
         Meinke DK, Finan DS, Soendergaard J, Flamme GA, Murphy W, Lankford J, Stewart M.
         Int J Audiol. 2013 ;52(S1):S9-S19.
         
     28. Nanotechnology: toxicologic pathology
         Hubbs AF, Sargent LM, Porter DW, Sager TM, Chen BT, Frazer DG, Castranova V, Sriram K, Nurkiewicz TR, Reynolds SH, Battelli LA, Schwegler-Berry D, McKinney W, Fluharty KL, Mercer RR.
         Toxicol Pathol. 2013 Feb 6.
         
   • Parasitic Diseases
     29. Key diagnostic features of granulomatous interstitial nephritis due to Encephalitozoon cuniculi in a lung transplant recipient
         Levine DJ, Riley DJ, Jorgensen JH, McClain WD, Tio F, Visvesvara GS, Abboud-Werner SL.
         Am J Surg Pathol. 2013 Mar;37(3):447-52.
         
     30. The effects of ACT treatment and TS prophylaxis on Plasmodium falciparum gametocytemia in a cohort of young Ugandan children
         Kakuru A, Jagannathan P, Arinaitwe E, Wanzira H, Muhindo M, Bigira V, Osilo E, Homsy J, Kamya MR, Tappero JW, Dorsey G.
         Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2013 Feb 4.
         
     31. Gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis treated with posaconazole
         Rose SR, Lindsley MD, Hurst SF, Paddock CD, Damodaran T, Bennett J.
         Med Mycol Case Reports. 2013 ;2(1):11-14.
         
   • Physical Activity
     32. Trends in no leisure-time physical activity--United States, 1988-2010
         Moore LV, Harris CD, Carlson SA, Kruger J, Fulton JE.
         Res Q Exerc Sport. 2012 Dec;83(4):587-91.
         
   • Program Evaluation
     33. Evaluation of a federally funded workforce development program: the Centers for Public Health Preparedness
         Sobelson RK, Young AC.
         Eval Program Plann. 2013 Jan 16;37C:50-57.
         
   • Zoonoses
     34. Coxiella burnetii in humans, domestic ruminants, and ticks in rural western Kenya
         Knobel DL, Maina AN, Cutler SJ, Ogola E, Feikin DR, Junghae M, Halliday JE, Richards AL, Breiman RF, Cleaveland S, Njenga MK.
         Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2013 Feb 4.
         
     35. Exceptional simian hemorrhagic fever virus diversity in a wild African primate community
         Lauck M, Sibley SD, Hyeroba D, Tumukunde A, Weny G, Chapman CA, Ting N, Switzer WM, Kuhn JH, Friedrich TC, O'Connor DH, Goldberg TL.
         J Virol. 2013 Jan;87(1):688-91.
         
   
   
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).
   • Chronic Diseases and Conditions - Obesity
     36. Urban-rural differences in BMI in low- and middle-income countries: the role of socioeconomic status
         Neuman M, Kawachi I, Gortmaker S, Subramanian SV.
         Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Feb;97(2):428-36.
         
     37. What "price" means when buying food: insights from a multisite qualitative study with black Americans
         Disantis KI, Grier SA, Odoms-Young A, Baskin ML, Carter-Edwards L, Young DR, Lassiter V, Kumanyika SK.
         Am J Public Health. 2013 Jan 17.
         
     38. Comparison of individual-level versus area-level socioeconomic measures in assessing health outcomes of children in Olmsted County, Minnesota
         Pardo-Crespo MR, Narla NP, Williams AR, Beebe TJ, Sloan J, Yawn BP, Wheeler PH, Juhn YJ.
         J Epidemiol Community Health. 2013 Jan 15.
         
     39. Cash and in-kind transfers lead to excess weight gain in a population of women with a high prevalence of overweight in rural Mexico
         Leroy JL, Gadsden P, Gonzalez de Cossio T, Gertler P.
         J Nutr. 2013 Jan 23.
         
     40. Systematic literature review of the effects of food and drink advertising on food and drink-related behaviour, attitudes and beliefs in adult populations
         Mills SD, Tanner LM, Adams J.
         Obes Rev. 2013 Jan 9.
         
     41. The critical period of infant feeding for the development of early disparities in obesity
         Thompson AL, Bentley ME.
         Soc Sci Med. 2012 Dec 17.
         
   
   
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
     42. Notes from the field: botulism from drinking prison-made illicit alcohol - Arizona, 2012
         MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2013 Feb 8;62(5):88.
         
     43. Progress in increasing breastfeeding and reducing racial/ethnic differences - United States, 2000-2008 births
         MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2013 Feb 8;62(5):77-80.
         
     44. Vital signs: current cigarette smoking among adults aged >/=18 years with mental illness - United States, 2009-2011
         MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2013 Feb 8;62(5):81-7.
         
   • Chronic Diseases and Conditions
     45. Increasing incidence of type 1 diabetes in youth: twenty years of the Philadelphia Pediatric Diabetes Registry
         Lipman TH, Levitt Katz LE, Ratcliffe SJ, Murphy KM, Aguilar A, Rezvani I, Howe CJ, Fadia S, Suarez E.
         Diabetes Care. 2013 Jan 22.
         
   
   

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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.