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Issue 25, June 21, 2022

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CDC Science Clips: Volume 14, Issue 25, June 21, 2022

Science Clips is produced weekly to enhance awareness of emerging scientific knowledge for the public health community. Each article features an Altmetric Attention score to track social and mainstream media mentions.

The report consists of these components:

  1. 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. Longitudinal changes in arterial stiffness and heart rate variability in youth-onset type 1 versus type 2 diabetes: The SEARCH for Diabetes In Youth Study
        Shah AS, Isom S, D'Agostino R, Dolan LM, Dabelea D, Imperatore G, Mottl A, Lustigova E, Pihoker C, Marcovina S, Urbina EM.
        Diabetes Care. 2022 Jun 6.
        OBJECTIVE: We compared arterial stiffness and heart rate variability (HRV) over time by diabetes type and determined the risk factors associated with worsening arterial stiffness and HRV in young adults with youth-onset diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, augmentation index) and six indices of heart rate variability were measured twice, 4.5 years apart, among participants with either youth-onset type 1 or type 2 diabetes in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study. Multivariable linear regression models were used to assess risk factors associated with arterial stiffness and HRV at follow-up. RESULTS: Of 1,159 participants studied, 949 had type 1 diabetes (mean age 17.1 ± 4.7 years, 60.3% non-Hispanic White, 55% female) and 210 had type 2 diabetes (mean age 22.1 ± 3.5 years, 23.8% non-Hispanic White, 71% female) at initial assessment when diabetes duration was 7.9 years (both groups). Participants with type 2 versus type 1 diabetes had greater arterial stiffness and more abnormalities in HRV at initial and follow-up assessment and a greater change over time (all P < 0.05). Risk factors associated with worse arterial stiffness and HRV at follow-up in both types of diabetes included higher blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, waist circumference and triglycerides overtime and longer diabetes duration. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial stiffness and HRV worsened over time with greater changes among participants with type 2 versus type 1 diabetes and among those with features of the metabolic syndrome. The risk factor profile documents potentially modifiable pathways to prevent or limit cardiovascular complications in young adults with youth-onset diabetes.

      2. Potential misclassification of diabetes and prediabetes in the U.S.:Mismatched hba1c and glucose in NHANES 2005-2016
        Staimez LR, Kipling LM, Nina Ham J, Legvold BT, Jackson SL, Wilson PW, Rhee MK, Phillips LS.
        Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2022 Jun 1:109935.
        AIMS: To assess the prevalence and clinical implications of "mismatches" between HbA1c and glucose levels in the United States across the life course. METHODS: Participants ages 12-79 years from U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2016 without known diagnosis of diabetes and who had a 75g oral glucose tolerance test were included. Previously undiagnosed diabetes (DM), prediabetes, and normal glucose metabolism (NGM) were defined using American Diabetes Association cut-points. Mismatches were defined by the hemoglobin glycation index (HGI). RESULTS: In 10,361 participants, 5% and 41% had diabetes and prediabetes, respectively, by fasting or 2-hour glucose criteria. By HbA1c criteria, the high HGI tertile consisted of mostly abnormal classification (3% DM, 52% prediabetes) and the low HGI tertile contained mostly normal classification (78% NGM). Across all ages, 15% (weighted: 30 million individuals) had clinically significant mismatches of HGI magnitude ≥+0.5% (i.e., high mismatch) or ≤-0.5% (low mismatch). Mismatch was most common in older adults and non-Hispanic Black participants. CONCLUSIONS: Mismatches of clinically significant magnitude could lead to HbA1c-related misdiagnosis or inappropriate management in up to 30 million Americans. Older adults, non-Hispanic Black individuals, and others with high mismatches may benefit from complementing HbA1c with additional diagnostic and management strategies.


      4. Population-based incidence and time to classification of systemic lupus erythematosus by three different classification criteria: a Lupus Midwest Network (LUMEN) study
        Duarte-García A, Hocaoglu M, Osei-Onomah SA, Dabit JY, Giblon RE, Helmick CG, Crowson CS.
        Rheumatology (Oxford). 2022 May 30;61(6):2424-2431.
        OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence and time-to-classification of SLE by the 1997 ACR (ACR97) criteria, the SLICC criteria, and the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology/ACR (EULAR/ACR) criteria. METHODS: We identified all incident SLE cases from 2000-2018 in the well-defined Olmsted County population. Clinical data included in the ACR97, SLICC and EULAR/ACR criteria were manually abstracted from medical records. All incident cases met at least one of the three classification criteria. Time-to-classification was estimated from the first documented lupus-attributable disease manifestation to the time of criteria fulfilment by each of the three definitions. Annual incidence rates were age or age/sex adjusted to the 2000 US population. RESULTS: Of 139 incident cases there were 126 cases by the EULAR/ACR criteria, corresponding to an age/sex-adjusted incidence of 4.5 per 100 000 population (95% CI: 3.7, 5.2). The age/sex-incidence was higher than that of the SLICC criteria (113 cases; 4.0 per 100 000 [95% CI: 3.3, 4.7], P = 0.020) and the ACR97 (92 cases; 3.3 per 100 000 [95% CI: 2.6, 3.9], P < 0.001). The median time from first disease manifestation to criteria fulfilment was shorter for the EULAR/ACR criteria (29.4 months) than the ACR97 criteria (47.0 months, P < 0.001) and similar to the SLICC criteria (30.6 months, P = 0.83). CONCLUSION: The incidence of SLE was higher by the EULAR/ACR criteria compared with the ACR97 and the SLICC criteria, and the EULAR/ACR criteria classified patients earlier that the ACR97 criteria but similar to the SLICC criteria.

    • Communicable Diseases
      1. BACKGROUND: Retention of patients who are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains a challenge especially in the setting of rapid expansion of HIV services. Retention in care remains vital to the HIV care continuum, and has been associated with viral suppression and improved survival. This study aimed to ascertain survival rates, time to loss to follow-up (LTFU) or mortality events and factors associated with time to LTFU or mortality among patients enrolled on antiretroviral therapy at health facilities in central Kenya. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study among patients initiated on ART between 2004 and 2012 in central Kenya. Demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics and outcomes data were analyzed using Stata version 15.1. Competing risks regression analysis and cummulative incidence functions were used to estimate survival. RESULTS: A total of 31,346 patients were included, of whom 65.6% were female, 76.0% were aged between 20 and 50 years old, and 38.9% were diagnosed at WHO stage III. At 36 months, overall retention was 68.8%, LTFU was 27.1%, and mortality was 4.1%. The total person-years of follow up was 74,986. The incidence rate of LTFU was 9.99 per 100 person years for a total of 9383.25 person-years of follow up. The mortality rate was 1.25 per 100 person years for a total of 875.5 person-years among those who died. The median time to LTFU was 11 months (IQR 3-22) while median time to death was 3 months (IQR 0-13). Men, unmarried patients, patients presenting with advanced HIV, not on TB treatment, and enrolled into the HIV program in later cohorts, had a shorter time to mortality and LTFU. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated evidence of scale-up of HIV treatment programs in central Kenya. While most patients were enrolled at an advanced WHO clinical stage, overall 36-month mortality remained low, but occurred earlier during follow-up. Cohort LTFU at 36-months reduced in later years with the losses occurring within the 1st year of follow-up. Predictors of early mortality and LTFU included being male, single, separated or divorced, advanced WHO clinical stage, and among patients not on TB treatment.

      2. SARS-CoV-2 outbreak at a college with high COVID-19 vaccination coverage-Connecticut, August-September 2021
        Bart SM, Curtiss CC, Earnest R, Lobe-Costonis R, Peterson H, McWilliams C, Billig K, Hadler JL, Grubaugh ND, Arcelus VJ, Sosa LE.
        Clin Infect Dis. 2022 Jun 8.
        BACKGROUND: During August-September 2021, a Connecticut college experienced a large SARS-CoV-2 Delta outbreak despite high (99%) vaccination coverage, indoor masking policies, and twice weekly reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing. The Connecticut Department of Public Health investigated characteristics associated with infection and phylogenetic relationships among cases. METHODS: A case was a SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosed by RT-PCR or antigen test during August-September 2021 in a student. College staff provided enrollment data, case information, and class rosters. An anonymous online student survey collected demographics, SARS-CoV-2 case and vaccination history, and activities the weekend before the outbreak. Multivariate logistic regression identified characteristics associated with infection. Phylogenetic analyses compared 115 student viral genome sequences with contemporaneous community genomes. RESULTS: Overall, 199/1788 students (11%) had lab-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection; most were fully vaccinated (194/199, 97%). Attack rates were highest among sophomores (72/414, 17%) and unvaccinated students (5/18, 28%). Attending in-person classes with an infectious student was not associated with infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.0; 95%CI 0.5-2.2). Compared with uninfected students, students reporting an infection were more likely sophomores (aOR 3.3; 95%CI 1.1-10.7), attended parties/gatherings before the outbreak (aOR 2.8; 95%CI 1.3-6.4), and completed a vaccine series ≥180 days prior (aOR 5.5; 95%CI 1.8-16.2). Phylogenetic analyses suggested most cases derived from a common viral source. CONCLUSIONS: This college SARS-CoV-2 outbreak occurred in a highly vaccinated population with prevention strategies in place. Infection was associated with unmasked off-campus parties/gatherings, not in-person classes. Students should stay up-to-date on vaccination to reduce infection.

      3. SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections among US Embassy staff members, Uganda, May-June 2021
        Harris JR, Owusu D, O'Laughlin K, Cohen AL, Ben Hamida A, Patel JC, Freeman MM, Nsibambi T, Nieves R, Marston BJ, Wasike S, Galbraith JS, Boore AL, Nelson LJ, Guagliardo SA, Klena JD, Patel K, Ma M.
        Emerg Infect Dis. 2022 Jun;28(6):1279-1280.
        The SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant emerged shortly after COVID-19 vaccines became available in 2021. We describe SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in a highly vaccinated, well-monitored US Embassy community in Kampala, Uganda. Defining breakthrough infection rates in highly vaccinated populations can help determine public health messaging, guidance, and policy globally.

      4. Multistate outbreak of infection with SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant after event in Chicago, Illinois, USA, 2021
        Spencer H, Teran RA, Barbian HJ, Love S, Berg R, Black SR, Ghinai I, Kerins JL.
        Emerg Infect Dis. 2022 Jun;28(6):1281-1283.
        Bars and restaurants are high-risk settings for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. A multistate outbreak after a bar gathering in Chicago, Illinois, USA, highlights Omicron variant transmissibility, the value of local genomic surveillance and interstate coordination, vaccination value, and the potential for rapid transmission of a novel variant across multiple states after 1 event.

      5. Factors associated with severe illness in patients aged <21 years hospitalized for COVID-19
        Choudhary R, Webber BJ, Womack LS, Dupont HK, Chiu SK, Wanga V, Gerdes ME, Hsu S, Shi DS, Dulski TM, Idubor OI, Wendel AM, Agathis NT, Anderson K, Boyles T, Click ES, Silva JD, Evans ME, Gold JA, Haston JC, Logan P, Maloney SA, Martinez M, Natarajan P, Spicer KB, Swancutt M, Stevens VA, Rogers-Brown J, Chandra G, Light M, Barr FE, Snowden J, Kociolek LK, McHugh M, Wessel DL, Simpson JN, Gorman KC, Breslin KA, DeBiasi RL, Thompson A, Kline MW, Boom JA, Singh IR, Dowlin M, Wietecha M, Schweitzer B, Morris SB, Koumans EH, Ko JY, Siegel DA, Kimball AA.
        Hosp Pediatr. 2022 Jun 8.
        OBJECTIVES: To describe COVID-19-related pediatric hospitalizations during a period of B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant predominance and to determine age-specific factors associated with severe illness. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We abstracted data from medical charts to conduct a cross-sectional study of patients aged <21 years hospitalized at 6 US children's hospitals during July-August 2021 for COVID-19 or with an incidental positive SARS-CoV-2 test. Among patients with COVID-19, we assessed factors associated with severe illness by calculating age-stratified prevalence ratios (PR). We defined severe illness as receiving high-flow nasal cannula, positive airway pressure, or invasive mechanical ventilation. RESULTS: Of 947 hospitalized patients, 759 (80.1%) had COVID-19, of whom 287 (37.8%) had severe illness. Factors associated with severe illness included coinfection with RSV (PR 3.64) and bacteria (PR 1.88) in infants; RSV coinfection in patients aged 1-4 years (PR 1.96); and obesity in patients aged 5-11 (PR 2.20) and 12-17 years (PR 2.48). Having ≥2 underlying medical conditions was associated with severe illness in patients aged <1 (PR 1.82), 5-11 (PR 3.72), and 12-17 years (PR 3.19). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients hospitalized for COVID-19, factors associated with severe illness included RSV coinfection in those aged <5 years, obesity in those aged 5-17 years, and other underlying conditions for all age groups <18 years. These findings can inform pediatric practice, risk communication, and prevention strategies, including vaccination against COVID-19.

      6. Viral load scale-up in south Sudan: Strategic implementation of tools to monitor HIV treatment success among people living with HIV
        Chun H, Russell A, Abe G, Katoro J, Songok J, Lesuk G, Worku H, Ukaejiofo O, Lodiongo D, Olemukun R, Kenigsberg T, Aragaw S, Deng LL, Bunga S, Ellenberger D.
        Int J STD AIDS. 2022 May 26:9564624221103045.
        INTRODUCTION: As access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people with HIV (PWH) in the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) increases, viral load (VL) suppression is critical to protect global HIV response investments. We describe VL scale-up between 2017-2020 in the RSS President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)-supported program. METHODS: President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) South Sudan developed a VL scale-up plan and tools spanning the VL cascade: pre-test, test and post-test and included assessment of clinical facility and laboratory readiness; clinical and laboratory forms and standard operating procedures for test ordering, specimen collection, processing, results return and utilization; procedures to map clients, monitor turn-around-times (TAT), and an electronic system to monitor VL performance. RESULTS: Between 2017 to 2020, VL monitoring was established in 58 facilities, with 59,600 VL samples processed, and improvements in TAT (150-28 days) and rejection rates (1.9%-0.8%). VL documentation improved for dates of ART initiation, VL test request and dispatch, and HIV regimen. Total average time from high VL to repeat VL decreased from 15.9 months to 6.4 months in 2017 and 2019, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A concerted approach to VL scale-up has been fundamental as South Sudan strives towards UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets for PWH on ART.

      7. Estimating COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States with surveillance data using a Bayesian hierarchical model: Modeling study
        Couture A, Iuliano AD, Chang HH, Patel NN, Gilmer M, Steele M, Havers FP, Whitaker M, Reed C.
        JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2022 Jun 2;8(6):e34296.
        BACKGROUND: In the United States, COVID-19 is a nationally notifiable disease, meaning cases and hospitalizations are reported by states to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Identifying and reporting every case from every facility in the United States may not be feasible in the long term. Creating sustainable methods for estimating the burden of COVID-19 from established sentinel surveillance systems is becoming more important. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to provide a method leveraging surveillance data to create a long-term solution to estimate monthly rates of hospitalizations for COVID-19. METHODS: We estimated monthly hospitalization rates for COVID-19 from May 2020 through April 2021 for the 50 states using surveillance data from the COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET) and a Bayesian hierarchical model for extrapolation. Hospitalization rates were calculated from patients hospitalized with a lab-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 test during or within 14 days before admission. We created a model for 6 age groups (0-17, 18-49, 50-64, 65-74, 75-84, and ≥85 years) separately. We identified covariates from multiple data sources that varied by age, state, and month and performed covariate selection for each age group based on 2 methods, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and spike and slab selection methods. We validated our method by checking the sensitivity of model estimates to covariate selection and model extrapolation as well as comparing our results to external data. RESULTS: We estimated 3,583,100 (90% credible interval [CrI] 3,250,500-3,945,400) hospitalizations for a cumulative incidence of 1093.9 (992.4-1204.6) hospitalizations per 100,000 population with COVID-19 in the United States from May 2020 through April 2021. Cumulative incidence varied from 359 to 1856 per 100,000 between states. The age group with the highest cumulative incidence was those aged ≥85 years (5575.6; 90% CrI 5066.4-6133.7). The monthly hospitalization rate was highest in December (183.7; 90% CrI 154.3-217.4). Our monthly estimates by state showed variations in magnitudes of peak rates, number of peaks, and timing of peaks between states. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel approach to estimate hospitalizations for COVID-19 has potential to provide sustainable estimates for monitoring COVID-19 burden as well as a flexible framework leveraging surveillance data.

      8. Accelerating measles elimination in the Western Pacific Region during the calm between the storms
        Durrheim DN, Baker MG, Capeding MR, Goh KT, Lee D, Papania M, Rota PA, Soo TL, Tsang TH, Xu A.
        Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2022 Jun;23:100495.

      9. Monkeypox outbreak - nine states, May 2022
        Minhaj FS, Ogale YP, Whitehill F, Schultz J, Foote M, Davidson W, Hughes CM, Wilkins K, Bachmann L, Chatelain R, Donnelly MA, Mendoza R, Downes BL, Roskosky M, Barnes M, Gallagher GR, Basgoz N, Ruiz V, Kyaw NT, Feldpausch A, Valderrama A, Alvarado-Ramy F, Dowell CH, Chow CC, Li Y, Quilter L, Brooks J, Daskalakis DC, McClung RP, Petersen BW, Damon I, Hutson C, McQuiston J, Rao AK, Belay E, McCollum AM.
        MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022 Jun 10;71(23):764-769.
        On May 17, 2022, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) Laboratory Response Network (LRN) laboratory confirmed the presence of orthopoxvirus DNA via real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from lesion swabs obtained from a Massachusetts resident. Orthopoxviruses include Monkeypox virus, the causative agent of monkeypox. Subsequent real-time PCR testing at CDC on May 18 confirmed that the patient was infected with the West African clade of Monkeypox virus. Since then, confirmed cases* have been reported by nine states. In addition, 28 countries and territories,(†) none of which has endemic monkeypox, have reported laboratory-confirmed cases. On May 17, CDC, in coordination with state and local jurisdictions, initiated an emergency response to identify, monitor, and investigate additional monkeypox cases in the United States. This response has included releasing a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory, developing interim public health and clinical recommendations, releasing guidance for LRN testing, hosting clinician and public health partner outreach calls, disseminating health communication messages to the public, developing protocols for use and release of medical countermeasures, and facilitating delivery of vaccine postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) and antivirals that have been stockpiled by the U.S. government for preparedness and response purposes. On May 19, a call center was established to provide guidance to states for the evaluation of possible cases of monkeypox, including recommendations for clinical diagnosis and orthopoxvirus testing. The call center also gathers information about possible cases to identify interjurisdictional linkages. As of May 31, this investigation has identified 17(§) cases in the United States; most cases (16) were diagnosed in persons who identify as gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men (MSM). Ongoing investigation suggests person-to-person community transmission, and CDC urges health departments, clinicians, and the public to remain vigilant, institute appropriate infection prevention and control measures, and notify public health authorities of suspected cases to reduce disease spread. Public health authorities are identifying cases and conducting investigations to determine possible sources and prevent further spread. This activity was reviewed by CDC and conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.(¶).

      10. Epidemiologic surveillance has revealed decoupling of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths from case counts following emergence of the Omicron (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 variant globally. However, assessment of the relative severity of Omicron variant infections presents challenges because of differential acquired immune protection against Omicron and prior variants, and because longer-term changes have occurred in testing and healthcare practices. Here we show that Omicron variant infections were associated with substantially reduced risk of progression to severe clinical outcomes relative to time-matched Delta (B.1.617.2) variant infections within a large, integrated healthcare system in southern California. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for any hospital admission, symptomatic hospital admission, intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, and death comparing cases with Omicron versus Delta variant infection were 0.59 (95% confidence interval: 0.51-0.69), 0.59 (0.51-0.68), 0.50 (0.29-0.87), 0.36 (0.18-0.72), and 0.21 (0.10-0.44) respectively. This reduced severity could not be explained by differential history of prior infection among cases with Omicron or Delta variant infection, and was starkest among cases not previously vaccinated against COVID-19 (aHR=0.40 [0.33-0.49] for any hospital admission and 0.14 [0.07-0.28] for death). Infections with the Omicron BA.2 subvariant were not associated with differential risk of severe outcomes in comparison to BA.1/BA.1.1 subvariant infections. Lower risk of severe clinical outcomes among cases with Omicron variant infection should inform public health response amid establishment of the Omicron variant as the dominant SARS-CoV-2 lineage globally.

      11. Prognostic indicators and outcomes of hospitalised COVID-19 patients with neurological disease: An individual patient data meta-analysis
        Singh B, Lant S, Cividini S, Cattrall JW, Goodwin LC, Benjamin L, Michael BD, Khawaja A, Matos AM, Alkeridy W, Pilotto A, Lahiri D, Rawlinson R, Mhlanga S, Lopez EC, Sargent BF, Somasundaran A, Tamborska A, Webb G, Younas K, Al Sami Y, Babu H, Banks T, Cavallieri F, Cohen M, Davies E, Dhar S, Fajardo Modol A, Farooq H, Harte J, Hey S, Joseph A, Karthikappallil D, Kassahun D, Lipunga G, Mason R, Minton T, Mond G, Poxon J, Rabas S, Soothill G, Zedde M, Yenkoyan K, Brew B, Contini E, Cysique L, Zhang X, Maggi P, van Pesch V, Lechien J, Saussez S, Heyse A, Brito Ferreira ML, Soares CN, Elicer I, Eugenín-von Bernhardi L, Ñancupil Reyes W, Yin R, Azab MA, Abd-Allah F, Elkady A, Escalard S, Corvol JC, Delorme C, Tattevin P, Bigaut K, Lorenz N, Hornuss D, Hosp J, Rieg S, Wagner D, Knier B, Lingor P, Winkler AS, Sharifi-Razavi A, Moein ST, SeyedAlinaghi S, JamaliMoghadamSiahkali S, Morassi M, Padovani A, Giunta M, Libri I, Beretta S, Ravaglia S, Foschi M, Calabresi P, Primiano G, Servidei S, Biagio Mercuri N, Liguori C, Pierantozzi M, Sarmati L, Boso F, Garazzino S, Mariotto S, Patrick KN, Costache O, Pincherle A, Klok FA, Meza R, Cabreira V, Valdoleiros SR, Oliveira V, Kaimovsky I, Guekht A, Koh J, Fernández Díaz E, Barrios-López JM, Guijarro-Castro C, Beltrán-Corbellini Á, Martínez-Poles J, Diezma-Martín AM, Morales-Casado MI, García García S, Breville G, Coen M, Uginet M, Bernard-Valnet R, Du Pasquier R, Kaya Y, Abdelnour LH, Rice C, Morrison H, Defres S, Huda S, Enright N, Hassell J, D'Anna L, Benger M, Sztriha L, Raith E, Chinthapalli K, Nortley R, Paterson R, Chandratheva A, Werring DJ, Dervisevic S, Harkness K, Pinto A, Jillella D, Beach S, Gunasekaran K, Rocha Ferreira Da Silva I, Nalleballe K, Santoro J, Scullen T, Kahn L, Kim CY, Thakur KT, Jain R, Umapathi T, Nicholson TR, Sejvar JJ, Hodel EM, Tudur Smith C, Solomon T.
        PLoS One. 2022 ;17(6):e0263595.
        BACKGROUND: Neurological COVID-19 disease has been reported widely, but published studies often lack information on neurological outcomes and prognostic risk factors. We aimed to describe the spectrum of neurological disease in hospitalised COVID-19 patients; characterise clinical outcomes; and investigate factors associated with a poor outcome. METHODS: We conducted an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis of hospitalised patients with neurological COVID-19 disease, using standard case definitions. We invited authors of studies from the first pandemic wave, plus clinicians in the Global COVID-Neuro Network with unpublished data, to contribute. We analysed features associated with poor outcome (moderate to severe disability or death, 3 to 6 on the modified Rankin Scale) using multivariable models. RESULTS: We included 83 studies (31 unpublished) providing IPD for 1979 patients with COVID-19 and acute new-onset neurological disease. Encephalopathy (978 [49%] patients) and cerebrovascular events (506 [26%]) were the most common diagnoses. Respiratory and systemic symptoms preceded neurological features in 93% of patients; one third developed neurological disease after hospital admission. A poor outcome was more common in patients with cerebrovascular events (76% [95% CI 67-82]), than encephalopathy (54% [42-65]). Intensive care use was high (38% [35-41]) overall, and also greater in the cerebrovascular patients. In the cerebrovascular, but not encephalopathic patients, risk factors for poor outcome included breathlessness on admission and elevated D-dimer. Overall, 30-day mortality was 30% [27-32]. The hazard of death was comparatively lower for patients in the WHO European region. INTERPRETATION: Neurological COVID-19 disease poses a considerable burden in terms of disease outcomes and use of hospital resources from prolonged intensive care and inpatient admission; preliminary data suggest these may differ according to WHO regions and country income levels. The different risk factors for encephalopathy and stroke suggest different disease mechanisms which may be amenable to intervention, especially in those who develop neurological symptoms after hospital admission.

    • Community Health Services
      1. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the stability over time of prevalence estimates of mental disorders among school-aged children from the same community. METHODS: We compared screening status and weighted prevalence of selected mental disorders from the two-stage school-based South Carolina Project to Learn About Youth-Mental Health (Time 1) and its replication study (Time 2) conducted between 2014 and 2017. During stage 1, two teacher screeners were used to group students into high or low risk for a mental disorder. During stage 2, parents of selected students completed a structured diagnostic interview to assess whether their child met criteria for specific disorders. RESULTS: For stage 1, 19.9% of students screened as high risk for a mental disorder at Time 2 compared to 17.8% at Time 1. Among students included at both timepoints, 9.1% screened as high risk at both timepoints while screening status changed for 20.7%. The overall prevalence of included mental disorders was approximately 18% at both timepoints. There were no differences (p-values>0.05) in prevalence of individual mental disorders between Time 1 (range:0.3%-6.7%) and Time 2 (range:1.2%-7.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Study findings demonstrate that similar methodology yielded similar prevalence estimates of mental disorders and can inform community-level planning for improving mental health in children.

      2. Dosage in implementation of an effective school-based health program impacts youth health risk behaviors and experiences
        Li J, Timpe Z, Suarez NA, Phillips E, Kaczkowski W, Cooper AC, Dittus PJ, Robin L, Barrios LC, Ethier KA.
        J Adolesc Health. 2022 Jun 1.
        PURPOSE: This study is part of a larger evaluation of a multilevel, multistrategy federal program to reduce high school students' risk for HIV/sexually transmitted infection and unintended pregnancy. Local education agencies supported schools in implementing three strategies: delivering exemplary sexual health education, increasing student access to quality sexual health services, and enhancing safe and supportive school environments (SSE). We examined how levels of school implementation of these strategies moderated program effects on targeted student outcomes. METHODS: The Youth Risk Behavior Survey was implemented in participating local education agencies in 2015 and 2017 to assess student behaviors and experiences, whereas the School Health Profiles surveys assessed school policies and practices in 2014 and 2016. We used these surveys to measure student-level outcomes and school-level program delivery, respectively, which were analyzed using multilevel modeling in a difference-in-differences framework. RESULTS: Levels of SSE implementation significantly moderated program effects on multiple student outcomes, including ever having sex, having four or more lifetime sexual partners, being sexually active, using hormonal birth control, dual use of a condom and hormonal birth control, ever being forced to have sex, missing school because of safety concerns, and lifetime and current marijuana use. However, we found few moderating effects of exemplary sexual health education and sexual health services dosage. DISCUSSION: We found a significant relationship between incremental increases in implementation of activities to increase the safety and supportiveness of school environments and enhanced program effects in improving multiple student health outcomes. These findings suggest that school implementation of SSE activities contributed to intended program effects.

      3. Partnership between a federal agency and 4 tribal nations to improve COVID-19 response capacities
        Kaur H, Welch S, Bhairavabhotla R, Weidle PJ, Santibanez S, Haberling DL, Smith EM, Ferris-George W, Hayashi K, Hostler A, Ao T, Dieke A, Boyer D, King E, Teton R, Williams-Singleton N, Flying EM, Hladik W, Marshall KJ, Pourier D, Ruiz Z, Yatabe G, Abe K, Parise M, Anderson M, Evans ME, Hunt H, Balajee SA.
        Public Health Rep. 2022 Jun 6:333549221099239.
        Upon request from tribal nations, and as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) emergency response, CDC staff provided both remote and on-site assistance to tribes to plan, prepare, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. From April 2, 2020, through June 11, 2021, CDC deployed a total of 275 staff to assist 29 tribal nations. CDC staff typically collaborated in multiple work areas including epidemiology and surveillance (86%), contact tracing (76%), infection prevention control (72%), community mitigation (72%), health communication (66%), incident command structure (55%), emergency preparedness (38%), and worker safety (31%). We describe the activities of CDC staff in collaboration with 4 tribal nations, Northern Cheyenne, Hoopa Valley, Shoshone-Bannock, and Oglala Sioux Tribe, to combat COVID-19 and lessons learned from the engagement.

    • Disease Reservoirs and Vectors
      1. New tools for Aedes control: Mass trapping
        Barrera R.
        Curr Opin Insect Sci. 2022 Jun 3:100942.
        Aedes aegypti, the main vector of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses uses artificial containers around homes to undergo immature development, making household-level detection and control extremely difficult in large urban areas. Mass trapping is an emerging methodology to control container-Aedes species such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus because effective traps for adult stages of these mosquitoes were developed recently. There are three main approaches to mass-trapping these mosquitoes: 1) Pull (attract/kill), 2) push (repel) - pull (attract/kill), and 3) pull (attract/contaminate/infect) - push (fly away). Effective mass-trapping depends on trap quality (capture efficiency, sturdiness, frequency of servicing), trap density and areal coverage, community involvement, and safety. Recent studies showed that Ae. aegypti populations can be sustainably controlled by mass trapping, although more area-wide studies showing effectiveness at preventing disease are needed for all trapping systems. Cost-effectiveness studies are needed for all emerging Aedes control approaches.

    • Environmental Health
      1. Environmentally just futures: A collection of community-driven African environmental education and improvement initiatives
        Nwanaji-Enwerem O, Baccarelli AA, Curwin BD, Zota AR, Nwanaji-Enwerem JC.
        Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 29;19(11).
        Advocating for healthy environments is a matter of justice. Changes in environments have tremendous impacts on the health of communities, and oftentimes, individuals are unable to safeguard themselves through individual actions alone. Efforts frequently require collective action and are often most effective when led by the communities most impacted. In this spirit, we launched "Vibrations", an African environment photo essay contest. Through funding and publicity, we aimed to support community-led environmental improvement and education initiatives presently taking place on the continent. We received nearly two dozen submissions and selected eight winners. The winners come from five countries (Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa) and have taken on a range of projects aimed at improving environments across a variety of African regions. Projects included efforts to combat pollution, create environmentally conscious school curricula, utilize clean energy sources, and spread awareness about environmental justice concerns in local communities. It is our hope that this report highlights these transformative community-driven efforts, promotes continued conversations on environmental justice in Africa, and encourages meaningful action via policy changes and collaborations throughout the African continent and beyond.

      2. Reducing SARS-CoV-2 in shared indoor air
        Dowell D, Lindsley WG, Brooks JT.
        Jama. 2022 Jun 7.

    • Food Safety
      1. Public health response to multistate Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak associated with prepackaged chicken salad, United States, 2018
        Greening B, Whitham HK, Aldous WK, Hall N, Garvey A, Mandernach S, Kahn EB, Nonnenmacher P, Snow J, Meltzer MI, Hoffmann S.
        Emerg Infect Dis. 2022 Jun;28(6):1254-1256.
        Quantifying the effect of public health actions on population health is essential when justifying sustained public health investment. Using modeling, we conservatively estimated that rapid response to a multistate foodborne outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium in the United States in 2018 potentially averted 94 reported cases and $633,181 in medical costs and productivity losses.

      2. Foodborne illness outbreaks reported to national surveillance, United States, 2009-2018
        White AE, Tillman AR, Hedberg C, Bruce BB, Batz M, Seys SA, Dewey-Mattia D, Bazaco MC, Walter ES.
        Emerg Infect Dis. 2022 Jun;28(6):1117-1127.
        Foodborne outbreaks reported to national surveillance systems represent a subset of all outbreaks in the United States; not all outbreaks are detected, investigated, and reported. We described the structural factors and outbreak characteristics of outbreaks reported during 2009-2018. We categorized states (plus DC) as high (highest quintile), middle (middle 3 quintiles), or low (lowest quintile) reporters on the basis of the number of reported outbreaks per 10 million population. Analysis revealed considerable variation across states in the number and types of foodborne outbreaks reported. High-reporting states reported 4 times more outbreaks than low reporters. Low reporters were more likely than high reporters to report larger outbreaks and less likely to implicate a setting or food vehicle; however, we did not observe a significant difference in the types of food vehicles identified. Per capita funding was strongly associated with increased reporting. Investments in public health programming have a measurable effect on outbreak reporting.

    • Genetics and Genomics
      1. Addressing the routine failure to clinically identify monogenic cases of common disease
        Murray MF, Khoury MJ, Abul-Husn NS.
        Genome Med. 2022 Jun 7;14(1):60.
        Changes in medical practice are needed to improve the diagnosis of monogenic forms of selected common diseases. This article seeks to focus attention on the need for universal genetic testing in common diseases for which the recommended clinical management of patients with specific monogenic forms of disease diverges from standard management and has evidence for improved outcomes.We review evidence from genomic screening of large patient cohorts, which has confirmed that important monogenic case identification failures are commonplace in routine clinical care. These case identification failures constitute diagnostic misattributions, where the care of individuals with monogenic disease defaults to the treatment plan offered to those with polygenic or non-genetic forms of the disease.The number of identifiable and actionable monogenic forms of common diseases is increasing with time. Here, we provide six examples of common diseases for which universal genetic test implementation would drive improved care. We examine the evidence to support genetic testing for common diseases, and discuss barriers to widespread implementation. Finally, we propose recommendations for changes to genetic testing and care delivery aimed at reducing diagnostic misattributions, to serve as a starting point for further evaluation and development of evidence-based guidelines for implementation.

      2. Mycosnp: A portable workflow for performing whole-genome sequencing analysis of Candida auris
        Bagal UR, Phan J, Welsh RM, Misas E, Wagner D, Gade L, Litvintseva AP, Cuomo CA, Chow NA.
        Methods Mol Biol. 2022 ;2517:215-228.
        Candida auris is an urgent public health threat characterized by high drug-resistant rates and rapid spread in healthcare settings worldwide. As part of the C. auris response, molecular surveillance has helped public health officials track the global spread and investigate local outbreaks. Here, we describe whole-genome sequencing analysis methods used for routine C. auris molecular surveillance in the United States; methods include reference selection, reference preparation, quality assessment and control of sequencing reads, read alignment, and single-nucleotide polymorphism calling and filtration. We also describe the newly developed pipeline MycoSNP, a portable workflow for performing whole-genome sequencing analysis of fungal organisms including C. auris.

    • Health Economics

    • Health Equity and Health Disparities
      1. Objectives. To assess geographic differences in reaching national targets for viral suppression, homelessness, and HIV-related stigma among people with HIV and key factors associated with these targets. Methods. We used data from the Medical Monitoring Project (2017-2020) and the National HIV Surveillance System (2019) to report estimates nationally and for 17 US jurisdictions. Results. Viral suppression (range = 55.3%-74.7%) and estimates for homelessness (range = 3.6%-11.9%) and HIV-related stigma (range for median score = 27.5-34.4) varied widely by jurisdiction. No jurisdiction met any of the national 2025 targets, except for Puerto Rico, which exceeded the target for homelessness (3.6% vs 4.6%). Viral suppression and antiretroviral therapy dose adherence were lowest, and certain social determinants of health (i.e., housing instability, HIV-related stigma, and HIV health care discrimination) were highest in Midwestern states. Conclusions. Jurisdictions have room for improvement in reaching the national 2025 targets for ending the HIV epidemic and in addressing other measures associated with adverse HIV outcomes-especially in the Midwest. Working with local partners will help jurisdictions determine a tailored approach for addressing barriers to meeting national targets. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 2, 2022: e1-e9. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306843).

    • Healthcare Associated Infections
      1. An outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia bloodstream infections in a tertiary-care facility in northern India detected by a healthcare-associated infection surveillance network
        Fomda B, Velayudhan A, Siromany VA, Bashir G, Nazir S, Ali A, Katoch O, Karoung A, Gunjiyal J, Wani N, Roy I, VanderEnde D, Gupta N, Sharma A, Malpiedi P, Walia K, Mathur P.
        Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2022 Jun 7:1-7.
        OBJECTIVE: The burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is higher in low- and middle-income countries, but HAIs are often missed because surveillance is not conducted. Here, we describe the identification of and response to a cluster of Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) bloodstream infections (BSIs) associated with high mortality in a surgical ICU (SICU) that joined an HAI surveillance network. SETTING: A 780-bed, tertiary-level, public teaching hospital in northern India. METHODS: After detecting a cluster of BCC in the SICU, cases were identified by reviewing laboratory registers and automated identification and susceptibility testing outputs. Sociodemographic details, clinical records, and potential exposure histories were collected, and a self-appraisal of infection prevention and control (IPC) practices using assessment tools from the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was conducted. Training and feedback were provided to hospital staff. Environmental samples were collected from high-touch surfaces, intravenous medications, saline, and mouthwash. RESULTS: Between October 2017 and October 2018, 183 BCC BSI cases were identified. Case records were available for 121 case patients. Of these 121 cases, 91 (75%) were male, the median age was 35 years, and 57 (47%) died. IPC scores were low in the areas of technical guidelines, human resources, and monitoring and evaluation. Of the 30 environmental samples, 4 grew BCC. A single source of the outbreak was not identified. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing standardized HAI surveillance in a low-resource setting detected an ongoing Burkholderia cepacia outbreak. The outbreak investigation and use of a multimodal approach reduced incident cases and informed changes in IPC practices.

      2. Donor-derived tuberculosis among solid organ transplant recipients in the United States-2008 to 2018
        Malinis M, La Hoz RM, Vece G, Annambhotla P, Aslam S, Basavaraju SV, Bucio J, Danziger-Isakov L, Florescu DF, Jones JM, Rana M, Wolfe CR, Michaels MG.
        Transpl Infect Dis. 2022 Apr;24(2):e13800.
        Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be transmitted via organ donation and result in severe outcomes. To better understand donor-derived tuberculosis (DDTB), all potential transmissions reported to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Ad Hoc Disease Transmission Advisory Committee between 2008 and 2018 were analyzed. Among 51 total reports, nine (17%) (9 donors/35 recipients) had ≥ 1 recipient with proven/probable disease transmission. Of these, eight were reported due to recipient disease, and one was reported due to a positive donor result. Proven/probable DDTB transmissions were reported in six lung and five nonlung recipients. The median time to diagnosis was 104 days posttransplant (range 0-165 days). Pulmonary TB, extrapulmonary TB, pulmonary plus extrapulmonary TB, and asymptomatic TB infection with positive interferon-gamma release assay were present in five, three, one, and two recipients, respectively. All recipients received treatment and survived except for one whose death was not attributed to TB. All donors associated with proven/probable DDTB had ≥ 1 TB risk factor. Six were born in a TB-endemic country, five had traveled to a TB-endemic country, three had been incarcerated, and three had latent TB infection. These cases highlight the importance of evaluating donors for TB based on risk factors. Early posttransplant TB in organ recipients of donors with TB risk factors requires prompt reporting to OPTN to identify other potential affected recipients and implement timely treatment interventions.

    • Immunity and Immunization
      1. OBJECTIVE: Persons with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are at increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ). In 2018, CDC recommended a highly efficacious vaccine, recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV), for prevention of HZ in immunocompetent ≥50 years-olds. We estimated RZV vaccination among adults age ≥50 years with IMIDs during 2018-2019 and examined possible vaccine-related flares following RZV. METHODS: We identified a cohort of IMID patients using medical claims data from IBM® MarketScan® (age 50-64 years) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Medicare (age ≥65 years). Presumed flares were defined as hospitalization/emergency department visit for their respective IMIDs, or steroid treatment with a short-acting oral glucocorticoid or parenteral glucocorticoid injection. We conducted a self-controlled case series (SCCS) analysis to examine a temporal association between RZV and flares. RESULTS: Among enrollees with IMIDs, 14.8% of 55,654 MarketScan and 43.2% of 160,545 Medicare enrollees received ≥1-dose of RZV during 2018-2019. Two-dose series completion was 76.6% in MarketScan and 85.4% in Medicare enrollees. In the SCCS analysis, 10% and 13% developed flares in the control as compared to 9% and 11-12% in the risk window following 1- or 2-doses of RZV among MarketScan and Medicare enrollees, respectively. We found no statistically significant increase in flares following RZV administration for any IMID in either age group following RZV dose-1 or dose-2. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find an increase in presumed flares following RZV vaccination. Among adults aged ≥50 years with IMIDs, a substantial proportion received RZV compared to general zoster coverage estimates and series-completion was high. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

      2. Effectiveness of the Ad26.COV2.S (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine for preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations and progression to high disease severity in the United States
        Lewis NM, Self WH, Gaglani M, Ginde AA, Douin DJ, Keipp Talbot H, Casey JD, Mohr NM, Zepeski A, Ghamande SA, McNeal TA, Shapiro NI, Gibbs KW, Files DC, Hager DN, Shehu A, Prekker ME, Erickson HL, Gong MN, Mohamed A, Johnson NJ, Srinivasan V, Steingrub JS, Peltan ID, Brown AM, Martin ET, Monto AS, Khan A, Busse LW, Ten Lohuis CC, Duggal B, Wilson JG, Gordon AJ, Qadir N, Chang SY, Mallow C, Rivas C, Babcock HM, Kwon JH, Exline MC, Lauring AS, Halasa N, Chappell JD, Grijalva CG, Rice TW, Rhoads JP, Jones ID, Stubblefield WB, Baughman A, Womack KN, Lindsell CJ, Hart KW, Zhu Y, Adams K, Patel MM, Tenforde MW.
        Clin Infect Dis. 2022 Jun 8.
        BACKGROUND: Adults in the United States (US) began receiving the viral vector COVID-19 vaccine, Ad26.COV2.S (Johnson & Johnson [Janssen]), in February 2021. We evaluated Ad26.COV2.S vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19 hospitalization and high disease severity during the first 10 months of its use. METHODS: In a multicenter case-control analysis of US adults (≥18 years) hospitalized March 11-December 15, 2021, we estimated VE against susceptibility to COVID-19 hospitalization (VEs), comparing odds of prior vaccination with a single dose Ad26.COV2.S vaccine between hospitalized cases with COVID-19 and controls without COVID-19. Among hospitalized patients with COVID-19, we estimated VE against disease progression (VEp) to death or invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), comparing odds of prior vaccination between patients with and without progression. RESULTS: After excluding patients receiving mRNA vaccines, among 3,979 COVID-19 case-patients (5% vaccinated with Ad26.COV2.S) and 2.229 controls (13% vaccinated with Ad26.COV2.S), VEs of Ad26.COV2.S against COVID-19 hospitalization was 70% (95% CI: 63%-75%) overall, including 55% (29%-72%) among immunocompromised patients, and 72% (64%-77%) among immunocompetent patients, for whom VEs was similar at 14-90 days (73% [59%-82%]), 91-180 days (71% [60%-80%]), and 181-274 days (70% [54%-81%]) post-vaccination. Among hospitalized COVID-19 case-patients, VEp was 46% (18%-65%) among immunocompetent patients. CONCLUSIONS: The Ad26.COV2.S COVID-19 vaccine reduced the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization by 72% among immunocompetent adults without waning through 6 months post-vaccination. After hospitalization for COVID-19, vaccinated immunocompetent patients were less likely to require IMV or die compared to unvaccinated immunocompetent patients.

      3. Use of JYNNEOS (smallpox and monkeypox vaccine, live, nonreplicating) for preexposure vaccination of persons at risk for occupational exposure to orthopoxviruses: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices - United States, 2022
        Rao AK, Petersen BW, Whitehill F, Razeq JH, Isaacs SN, Merchlinsky MJ, Campos-Outcalt D, Morgan RL, Damon I, Sánchez PJ, Bell BP.
        MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022 Jun 3;71(22):734-742.
        Certain laboratorians and health care personnel can be exposed to orthopoxviruses through occupational activities. Because orthopoxvirus infections resulting from occupational exposures can be serious, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has continued to recommend preexposure vaccination for these persons since 1980 (1), when smallpox was eradicated (2). In 2015, ACIP made recommendations for the use of ACAM2000, the only orthopoxvirus vaccine available in the United States at that time (3). During 2020-2021, ACIP considered evidence for use of JYNNEOS, a replication-deficient Vaccinia virus vaccine, as an alternative to ACAM2000. In November 2021, ACIP unanimously voted in favor of JYNNEOS as an alternative to ACAM2000 for primary vaccination and booster doses. With these recommendations for use of JYNNEOS, two vaccines (ACAM2000 and JYNNEOS) are now available and recommended for preexposure prophylaxis against orthopoxvirus infection among persons at risk for such exposures.

      4. Influenza vaccination among pregnant women: Self-report compared with vaccination data from electronic health records, 2018-2020 influenza seasons
        Daley MF, Reifler LM, Shoup JA, Glanz JM, Naleway AL, Jackson ML, Hambidge SJ, McLean H, Kharbanda EO, Klein NP, Lewin BJ, Weintraub ES, McNeil MM, Razzaghi H, Singleton JA.
        Public Health Rep. 2022 Jun 8:333549221099932.
        OBJECTIVES: Having accurate influenza vaccination coverage estimates can guide public health activities. The objectives of this study were to (1) validate the accuracy of electronic health record (EHR)-based influenza vaccination data among pregnant women compared with survey self-report and (2) assess whether survey respondents differed from survey nonrespondents by demographic characteristics and EHR-based vaccination status. METHODS: This study was conducted in the Vaccine Safety Datalink, a network of 8 large medical care organizations in the United States. Using EHR data, we identified all women pregnant during the 2018-2019 or 2019-2020 influenza seasons. Surveys were conducted among samples of women who did and did not appear vaccinated for influenza according to EHR data. Separate surveys were conducted after each influenza season, and respondents reported their influenza vaccination status. Analyses accounted for the stratified design, sampling probability, and response probability. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 50.5% (630 of 1247) for 2018-2019 and 41.2% (721 of 1748) for 2019-2020. In multivariable analyses combining both survey years, non-Hispanic Black pregnant women had 3.80 (95% CI, 2.13-6.74) times the adjusted odds of survey nonresponse; odds of nonresponse were also higher for Hispanic pregnant women and women who had not received (per EHR data) influenza vaccine during current or prior influenza seasons. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of EHR documentation of influenza vaccination compared with self-report were ≥92% for both survey years combined. The negative predictive value of EHR-based influenza vaccine status was 80.5% (95% CI, 76.7%-84.0%). CONCLUSIONS: EHR-based influenza vaccination data among pregnant women were generally concordant with self-report. New data sources and novel approaches to mitigating nonresponse bias may be needed to enhance influenza vaccination surveillance efforts.

    • Informatics
      1. Improving efficiency of COVID-19 aggregate case and death surveillance data transmission for jurisdictions: current and future role of application programming interfaces (APIs)
        Khan D, Park M, Lerma S, Soroka S, Gaughan D, Bottichio L, Bray M, Fukushima M, Bregman B, Wiedeman C, Duck W, Dee D, Gundlapalli A, Suthar AB.
        J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2022 Jun 6.
        During the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supplemented traditional COVID-19 case and death reporting with COVID-19 aggregate case and death surveillance (ACS) to track daily cumulative numbers. Later, as public health jurisdictions (PHJs) revised the historical COVID-19 case and death data due to data reconciliation and updates, CDC devised a manual process to update these records in the ACS dataset for improving the accuracy of COVID-19 case and death data. Automatic data transfer via an application programming interface (API), an intermediary that enables software applications to communicate, reduces the time and effort in transferring data from PHJs to CDC. However, APIs must meet specific content requirements for use by CDC. As of March 2022, CDC has integrated APIs from 3 jurisdictions for COVID-19 ACS. Expanded use of APIs may provide efficiencies for COVID-19 and other emergency response planning efforts as evidenced by this proof-of-concept. In this article, we share the utility of APIs in COVID-19 ACS.

      2. Mapping HIV prevalence in Nigeria using small area estimates to develop a targeted HIV intervention strategy
        O'Brien-Carelli C, Steuben K, Stafford KA, Aliogo R, Alagi M, Johanns CK, Ibrahim J, Shiraishi R, Ehoche A, Greby S, Dirlikov E, Ibrahim D, Bronson M, Aliyu G, Aliyu S, Dwyer-Lindgren L, Swaminathan M, Duber HC, Charurat M.
        PLoS One. 2022 ;17(6):e0268892.
        OBJECTIVE: Although geographically specific data can help target HIV prevention and treatment strategies, Nigeria relies on national- and state-level estimates for policymaking and intervention planning. We calculated sub-state estimates along the HIV continuum of care in Nigeria. DESIGN: Using data from the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) (July-December 2018), we conducted a geospatial analysis estimating three key programmatic indicators: prevalence of HIV infection among adults (aged 15-64 years); antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage among adults living with HIV; and viral load suppression (VLS) rate among adults living with HIV. METHODS: We used an ensemble modeling method called stacked generalization to analyze available covariates and a geostatistical model to incorporate the output from stacking as well as spatial autocorrelation in the modeled outcomes. Separate models were fitted for each indicator. Finally, we produced raster estimates of each indicator on an approximately 5×5-km grid and estimates at the sub-state/local government area (LGA) and state level. RESULTS: Estimates for all three indicators varied both within and between states. While state-level HIV prevalence ranged from 0.3% (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 0.3%-0.5%]) to 4.3% (95% UI: 3.7%-4.9%), LGA prevalence ranged from 0.2% (95% UI: 0.1%-0.5%) to 8.5% (95% UI: 5.8%-12.2%). Although the range in ART coverage did not substantially differ at state level (25.6%-76.9%) and LGA level (21.9%-81.9%), the mean absolute difference in ART coverage between LGAs within states was 16.7 percentage points (range, 3.5-38.5 percentage points). States with large differences in ART coverage between LGAs also showed large differences in VLS-regardless of level of effective treatment coverage-indicating that state-level geographic targeting may be insufficient to address coverage gaps. CONCLUSION: Geospatial analysis across the HIV continuum of care can effectively highlight sub-state variation and identify areas that require further attention in order to achieve epidemic control. By generating local estimates, governments, donors, and other implementing partners will be better positioned to conduct targeted interventions and prioritize resource distribution.

      3. The National Hospital Care Survey is a unique source of data on rare diseases
        Strashny A, Alford J, Rappole C, Santo L.
        Value Health. 2022 May 30.
        OBJECTIVES: This study aims to demonstrate the usefulness of the National Hospital Care Survey (NHCS) for studying rare diseases. METHODS: NHCS contains data on millions of hospital patients from participating US hospitals, including diagnoses coded using 10th revision of International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification, making it likely that some of the patients have a diagnosed rare disease. The data for 2016 are unweighted and are not nationally representative. The Orphanet Nomenclature Pack lists 877 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases codes that correspond to 536 rare diseases. Using Orphanet Nomenclature Pack, we identified NHCS patients with diagnosed rare diseases. We demonstrate the usefulness of NHCS for studying rare diseases by reporting, for each rare disease, the number of patients in NHCS with the disease, the average number of hospital encounters per patient, the average length of hospital stay, and the percent of patients who died either in-hospital or within 90 days after discharge. RESULTS: In just 1 year of NHCS, we identified hundreds of rare diseases with ≥30 patients each (313 rare diseases in the inpatient setting and 273 in the emergency department setting). Although 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification codes identify a small percent of known rare diseases, 12.9% of inpatient patients and 3.4% of emergency department patients had a diagnosed rare disease. CONCLUSIONS: NHCS is a rich source of administrative and electronic health record data on hospital patients with rare diseases, providing unique variables and observations on many patients. Although the percent of patients with each rare disease is low, a large percent of hospital patients has a rare disease.

    • Laboratory Sciences
      1. Recommendation on Orbiting Sample cleanliness
        Cockell CS, Chitale R, Clement B, Davila A, Freeman KH, French KL, Glavin DP, Hays LE, Hummel K, Meyer MA, Pratt LM, Salvo C, Seasly E, Tsang KW.
        Astrobiology. 2022 Jun;22(S1):S238-s241.
        The National Aeronautics and Space Administration-European Space Agency (NASA-ESA) Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign involves the collection of samples on Mars by the Perseverance (Mars 2020) rover and their return to Earth. To accomplish this, the Orbiting Sample container (OS) will be sent to Mars to accommodate the collected samples then launched from Mars and returned to Earth, where the samples will be removed for examination in the Sample Return Facility (SRF). Crucial to this entire sequence will be establishment of the required level of cleanliness inside the OS. In February 2021, the NASA Headquarters' Mars Sample Return Program and Office of Planetary Protection assembled an MSR OS Tiger Team (OSTT) to discuss the appropriate cleanliness level options of the interior of the OS. The team's remit was primarily focused on evaluating the trade-offs between Planetary Protection cleanliness levels 4a and 4b. These cleanliness levels are determined by the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) planetary protection regulations, where 4a requires <300 bacterial spores/m(2) and <3 x 10(5) bacterial spores on the spacecraft (in this case, the interior of the OS) and 4b mandates the more stringent requirement of <30 bacterial spores on the spacecraft. This report documents the consensus opinion submitted by the OSTT that recommended the interior of the OS be cleaned to a 4a requirement with any feasible added effort toward 4b. This report provides, as well, the rationale for that decision.

      2. Improved diagnostic and multiplex RT-qPCR for detecting rubella viral RNA
        Chen MH, Abernathy E, Icenogle JP, Perelygina LM.
        J Virol Methods. 2022 Aug;306:114555.
        An examination of the nucleic acid sequence alignment of 48 full-length rubella virus genomes revealed that the 5' terminus of the genome is more conserved than the commonly used detection windows for rubella virus RNA located in the E1 protein coding region, suggesting that the 5' terminus could be a target for improving detection of all rubella virus genotypes. Two candidate primer sets were tested and the window between nucleotides (nts) 98 and 251 was found to have the greatest analytical sensitivity for detection of different genotypes. The new method had a limit of detection of four copies of rubella RNA per reaction with high specificity. The average coefficient variation of Ct was 2.2%. Concordance between the new method and currently used method, based on testing 251 clinical specimens collected from a rubella outbreak, was 99.4%. The assay was further improved upon by the incorporation of detection of both rubella virus RNA and mRNA from a cellular reference gene in a multiplex format. The multiplex format did not reduce the sensitivity or the reproducibility of rubella RNA detection and, of 60 specimens tested, the concordance between the single target and multiplex assays was 85.0%. To assess the utility of the multiplex assay for molecular surveillance, 62 rubella IgM positive serum samples from a rubella outbreak were tested, and eleven tested positive using the multiplex method while none were positive using the method targeting E1. These results show that the assay based on the new detection window near the 5' terminus of the genome can improve the detection of rubella virus for the purpose of molecular surveillance and case confirmation, with the added benefit of improved efficiency due to multiplexing.

      3. Detection and stability of SARS-CoV-2 in three self-collected specimen types: Flocked midturbinate swab (MTS) in viral transport media, foam MTS, and saliva
        Veguilla V, Fowlkes AL, Bissonnette A, Beitel S, Gaglani M, Porucznik CA, Stockwell MS, Tyner HL, Naleway AL, Yoon SK, Caban-Martinez AJ, Wesley MG, Duque J, Jeddy Z, Stanford JB, Daugherty M, Dixon A, Burgess JL, Odean M, Groom HC, Phillips AL, Schaefer-Solle N, Mistry P, Rolfes MA, Thompson M, Dawood FS, Meece J.
        Microbiol Spectr. 2022 Jun 6:e0103322.
        Respiratory specimen collection materials shortages hampers severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing. We compared specimen alternatives and evaluated SARS-CoV-2 RNA stability under simulated shipping conditions. We compared concordance of RT-PCR detection of SARS-CoV-2 from flocked midturbinate swabs (MTS) in viral transport media (VTM), foam MTS without VTM, and saliva. Specimens were collected between August 2020 and April 2021 from three prospective cohorts. We compared RT-PCR cycle quantification (C(q)) for Spike (S), Nucleocapsid (N), and the Open Reading Frame 1ab (ORF) genes for flocked MTS and saliva specimens tested before and after exposure to a range of storage temperatures (4-30°C) and times (2, 3, and 7 days). Of 1,900 illnesses with ≥2 specimen types tested, 335 (18%) had SARS-CoV-2 detected in ≥1 specimen; 304 (91%) were concordant across specimen types. Among illnesses with SARS-CoV-2 detection, 97% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 94-98%) were positive on flocked MTS, 99% (95% CI: 97-100%) on saliva, and 89% (95% CI: 84-93%) on foam MTS. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in flocked MTS and saliva stored up to 30°C for 7 days. All specimen types provided highly concordant SARS-CoV-2 results. These findings support a range of viable options for specimen types, collection, and transport methods that may facilitate SARS-CoV-2 testing during supply and personnel shortages. IMPORTANCE Findings from this analysis indicate that (1) self-collection of flocked and foam MTS and saliva samples is feasible in both adults and children, (2) foam MTS with VTM and saliva are both viable and reasonable alternatives to traditional flocked MTS in VTM for SARS-CoV-2 detection, and (3) these sample types may be stored and transported at ambient temperatures for up to 7 days without compromising sample quality. These findings support methods of sample collection for SARS-CoV-2 detection that may facilitate widespread community testing in the setting of supply and personnel shortages during the current pandemic.

    • Maternal and Child Health
      1. Risk of birth defects by pregestational type 1 or type 2 diabetes: National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011
        Marchincin SL, Howley MM, Van Zutphen AR, Fisher SC, Nestoridi E, Tinker SC, Browne ML.
        Birth Defects Res. 2022 Jun 6.
        BACKGROUND: Previous studies found consistent associations between pregestational diabetes and birth defects. Given the different biological mechanisms for type 1 (PGD1) and type 2 (PGD2) diabetes, we used National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) data to estimate associations by diabetes type. METHODS: The NBDPS was a study of major birth defects that included pregnancies with estimated delivery dates from October 1997 to December 2011. We compared self-reported PGD1 and PGD2 for 29,024 birth defect cases and 10,898 live-born controls. For case groups with ≥5 exposed cases, we estimated adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between specific defects and each diabetes type. We calculated crude ORs (cORs) and 95% CIs with Firth's penalized likelihood for case groups with 3-4 exposed cases. RESULTS: Overall, 252 (0.9%) cases and 24 (0.2%) control mothers reported PGD1, and 357 (1.2%) cases and 34 (0.3%) control mothers reported PGD2. PGD1 was associated with 22/26 defects examined and PGD2 was associated with 29/39 defects examined. Adjusted ORs ranged from 1.6 to 70.4 for PGD1 and from 1.6 to 59.9 for PGD2. We observed the strongest aORs for sacral agenesis (PGD1: 70.4, 32.3-147; PGD2: 59.9, 25.4-135). For both PGD1 and PGD2, we observed elevated aORs in every body system we evaluated, including central nervous system, orofacial, eye, genitourinary, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and cardiac defects. CONCLUSIONS: We observed positive associations between both PGD1 and PGD2 and birth defects across multiple body systems. Future studies should focus on the role of glycemic control in birth defect risk to inform prevention efforts.

      2. Maternal and perinatal outcomes associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy, Florida, 2020-2021: A retrospective cohort study
        Doyle TJ, Kiros GE, Schmitt-Matzen EN, Propper R, Thompson A, Phillips-Bell GS.
        Clin Infect Dis. 2022 Jun 8.
        BACKGROUND: The objective was to estimate risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy and assess adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. METHODS: We used a population-based, retrospective cohort of all pregnancies with a live birth or fetal death in Florida from March 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021. COVID-19 case reports were matched to vital registries. Outcomes assessed were risk of infection in pregnancy, preterm birth, maternal or neonatal admission to an intensive care unit (ICU), perinatal or fetal death, and maternal death. Modified Poisson and multinomial logistic regression models were used to derive relative risk estimates. RESULTS: Of 234,492 women with a live birth or fetal death during the study period, 12,976 (5.5%) were identified with COVID-19 during pregnancy. Risk factors for COVID-19 in pregnancy included Hispanic ethnicity (relative risk [RR] = 1.89), Black race (RR = 1.34), being unmarried (RR = 1.04), and being overweight or obese pre-pregnancy (RR = 1.08-1.32). COVID-19 during pregnancy was associated with preterm birth (RR = 1.31), Cesarean delivery (RR = 1.04), and neonatal (RR = 1.17) and maternal (RR = 3.10) ICU admission; no association was found with increased risk of perinatal (RR = 0.72) or fetal death (RR = 0.86). Women infected during any trimester showed increased risk of preterm birth. Fourteen maternal deaths were identified among COVID-19 cases; of those who died 12 were obese. The death rate per 10,000 was 22.09 among obese and 1.22 among non-obese gravida with COVID-19 during pregnancy (RR = 18.99, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Obesity is a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy and for more severe COVID-19 illness among pregnant women. SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with preterm birth.

      3. Prepregnancy and gestational diabetes and cessation of breastfeeding <1 week postpartum, United States, 2016-2018
        Kortsmit K, Boone KI, Warner L, Horan J, Bower JK, Gallo MF.
        Public Health Rep. 2022 Jun 8:333549221099082.
        OBJECTIVES: Diabetes may delay milk letdown, and perceiving milk production as insufficient can lead to breastfeeding cessation. We evaluated whether prepregnancy or gestational diabetes is associated with cessation of breastfeeding by 1 week postpartum. METHODS: We analyzed 2016-2018 data from 42 sites in the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, a population-based survey of women with a recent live birth. Participants were surveyed 2-6 months after childbirth. We used logistic regression models to evaluate the relationship between prepregnancy or gestational diabetes only and breastfeeding <1 week postpartum among women who had initiated breastfeeding. RESULTS: Among 82 050 women who initiated breastfeeding, 4.5% reported breastfeeding <1 week postpartum. Overall, 11.7% of women reported any history of diabetes in the 3 months before becoming pregnant; 3.3% reported prepregnancy diabetes, and 8.4% reported gestational diabetes only. In both unadjusted and adjusted models, the prevalence of breastfeeding <1 week postpartum did not differ significantly among women with prepregnancy diabetes or gestational diabetes only compared with women without any history of diabetes. The prevalence of breastfeeding <1 week postpartum was 4.4% among women without any history of diabetes, 5.6% among women with prepregnancy diabetes (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 1.15; 95% CI, 0.91-1.46), and 4.5% among women with gestational diabetes only (aPR = 1.01; 95% CI, 0.84-1.20). CONCLUSIONS: We found no association between a history of diabetes prepregnancy or gestational diabetes only and breastfeeding <1 week postpartum in a large, population-based survey of postpartum women who initiated breastfeeding. Regardless of their diabetes status, women who want to breastfeed might benefit from interventions that support their ability to continue breastfeeding.

    • Occupational Safety and Health
      1. On September 13-14, 2019, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) hosted a national forum entitled "Working hours, sleep and fatigue: Meeting the needs of American workers and employers." The purpose of this inaugural meeting was to discuss current evidence about the broad-based risks and effective countermeasures related to working hours, sleep, and fatigue, with further considerations to tailor solutions for specific industries and worker populations. We aimed to identify the knowledge gaps and needs in this area and future directions for research. We also sought to identify similarities across industries with the goal of sharing lessons learned and successful mitigation strategies across sectors. Participants included an international representation of academics, scientists, government representatives, policymakers, industry leaders, occupational health and safety professionals, and labor representatives. A total of eight manuscripts were developed following stakeholder comments and forum discussions. Six focused on sector-specific approaches (i.e., Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing; Healthcare & Social Assistance; Mining; Oil and Gas Extraction; Public Safety; Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities) to identify unique factors for fatigue-risk and effective countermeasures. Two additional manuscripts addressed topic areas that cut across all industries (disproportionate risks, and economic evaluation). Findings from the Forum highlight that the identification of common risk factors across sectors allows for transfer of information, such as evidence for effective mitigation strategies, from sectors where fatigue risk has been more widely studied to those sectors where it has been less so. Further considerations should be made to improve knowledge translation activities by incorporating different languages and modes of dissemination such that information is accessible for all workers. Additionally, while economic evaluation can be an important decision-making tool for organizational- and policy-level activities, multi-disciplinary approaches combining epidemiology and economics are needed to provide a more balanced approach to economic evaluation with considerations for societal impacts. Although fatigue risk management must be tailored to fit industries, organizations, and individuals, knowledge gained in this forum can be leveraged, modified, and adapted to address these variabilities. Our hope is to continue sharing lessons learned to encourage future innovative, multi-disciplinary, cross-industry collaborations that will meet the needs of workers and employers to mitigate the risks and losses related to workplace fatigue.

      2. Occupational risk factors for severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among healthcare personnel: A cross-sectional analysis of subjects enrolled in the COVID-19 Prevention in Emory Healthcare Personnel (COPE) study
        Howard-Anderson JR, Adams C, Sherman AC, Dube WC, Smith TC, Edupuganti N, Chea N, Magill SS, Espinoza DO, Zhu Y, Phadke VK, Edupuganti S, Steinberg JP, Lopman BA, Jacob JT, Collins MH, Fridkin SK.
        Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2022 Mar;43(3):381-386.
        Among 353 healthcare personnel in a longitudinal cohort in 4 hospitals in Atlanta, Georgia (May-June 2020), 23 (6.5%) had severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies. Spending >50% of a typical shift at the bedside (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.2-10.5) and black race (OR, 8.4; 95% CI, 2.7-27.4) were associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity.

      3. Evaluation of pulmonary effects of 3-D printer emissions from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene using an air-liquid interface model of primary normal human-derived bronchial epithelial cells
        Farcas MT, McKinney W, Coyle J, Orandle M, Mandler WK, Stefaniak AB, Bowers L, Battelli L, Richardson D, Hammer MA, Friend SA, Service S, Kashon M, Qi C, Hammond DR, Thomas TA, Matheson J, Qian Y.
        Int J Toxicol. 2022 May 18:10915818221093605.
        This study investigated the inhalation toxicity of the emissions from 3-D printing with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) filament using an air-liquid interface (ALI) in vitro model. Primary normal human-derived bronchial epithelial cells (NHBEs) were exposed to ABS filament emissions in an ALI for 4 hours. The mean and mode diameters of ABS emitted particles in the medium were 175 ± 24 and 153 ± 15 nm, respectively. The average particle deposition per surface area of the epithelium was 2.29 × 10(7) ± 1.47 × 10(7) particle/cm(2), equivalent to an estimated average particle mass of 0.144 ± 0.042 μg/cm(2). Results showed exposure of NHBEs to ABS emissions did not significantly affect epithelium integrity, ciliation, mucus production, nor induce cytotoxicity. At 24 hours after the exposure, significant increases in the pro-inflammatory markers IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-15, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-17A, VEGF, MCP-1, and MIP-1α were noted in the basolateral cell culture medium of ABS-exposed cells compared to non-exposed chamber control cells. Results obtained from this study correspond with those from our previous in vivo studies, indicating that the increase in inflammatory mediators occur without associated membrane damage. The combination of the exposure chamber and the ALI-based model is promising for assessing 3-D printer emission-induced toxicity.

      4. Understanding particle detachment from surfaces is necessary to better characterize dust generation and entrainment. Previous work has studied the detachment of particles from flat surfaces. The present work generalizes this to investigate the aerodynamics of a particle attached to various locations on a model hill. The present work serves as a model for dust aerosolization in a tube, as powder is injected into the Venturi Dustiness Tester. The particle is represented as a sphere in a parallel plate channel, or, in two dimensions, as a cylinder oriented perpendicular to the flow. The substrate is modified to include a conical hill (3D) or wedge (2D), and the test particle is located at various positions on this hill. The governing incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved using the finite-volume FLUENT code. The coefficients of lift and drag are compared with the results on the flat substrate. Enhanced drag and significantly enhanced lift are observed as the test particle is situated near the summit of the hill.

      5. The role of worker age in Ohio Workers' Compensation claims in the landscaping services industry
        Alexander BM, Wurzelbacher SJ, Zeiler RJ, Naber SJ, Kaur H, Grosch JW.
        J Occup Environ Med. 2022 Jun 8.
        OBJECTIVE: This study employed analysis of workers' compensation (WC) claims in the landscaping services industry to identify occupational factors associated with claims from workers of different ages. METHODS: Private sector claims for 2005-2017 to the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (OHBWC) and their free-text descriptions were used along with data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey to examine rates and types of WC claims by worker age. RESULTS: Although the claim rate for younger workers was higher than for older workers overall (593 vs. 261 per 10,000 full-time equivalent employees, p < 0.001), claims from older workers had higher nonzero median cost ($1002 vs. $522, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Analysis of WC claim rates shows significant differences between claims in different age groups. These differences can be used to target safety interventions for the greatest impact.

      6. Development of the NIOSH Worker Well-Being Questionnaire (WellBQ)
        Chari R, Sauter SL, Petrun Sayers EL, Huang W, Fisher GG, Chang CC.
        J Occup Environ Med. 2022 Jun 8.
        OBJECTIVE: This article describes development of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Worker Well-being Questionnaire (WellBQ). METHODS: The NIOSH WellBQ was developed through literature reviews and expert panel recommendations. We drew from a representative sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized, U.S. working population to pilot the questionnaire. Psychometric analyses were performed on data from 975 respondents to finalize items and optimize validity. RESULTS: The final questionnaire consists of 16 scales, five indices, and 31 single items across five domains: (1) work evaluation and experience, (2) workplace policies and culture, (3) workplace physical environment and safety climate, (4) health status, and (5) home, community, and society (experiences and activities outside of work). The instrument demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. CONCLUSIONS: The NIOSH WellBQ is a reliable and valid instrument that comprehensively measures worker well-being.

      7. Purpose: The goal of the present study is to determine the proportionate mortality and national rate of duty-related deaths from COVID-19 among US law enforcement officers during the year 2020. Design/methodology/approach: Data for the current study were obtained from the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) database for the year 2020. The database contains deaths designated as caused by incidents that occurred while in the line of duty. The chi-square test and two-sample t-test were used to compare characteristics of officers who died of COVID-19 versus other causes of death. Both the proportionate mortality and rates of death were calculated. To compute the rate of death, the authors obtained data on the total number of law enforcement officers employed in the United States (and therefore at risk) for the year 2020 from Bureau of Labor Statistics. Findings: COVID-19 deaths (n = 182) accounted for 62% of all duty-related law enforcement officer deaths during 2020. The national rate of death due to COVID-19 (12.8/100,000 per year) for law enforcement officers was higher compared to all other causes of death combined (8.0/100,000 per year). Research limitations/implications: A limitation of the study is the uncertainty of a definitive assessment that the viral infection was acquired through work (versus at home or other non-work-related community settings). Although highly unlikely, deaths designated as duty related entail financial benefits for the survivors and may be a potential source of bias. Given the complexity of personal exposures, the percentage of COVID-19 deaths attributed to duty may represent an over or under estimation of the actual value. Therefore, the data should be interpreted cautiously. Practical implications: These findings provide police organizations with information needed to understand the risk of death among officers during the COVID-19 pandemic and to make informed decisions about future preparedness strategies. Originality/value: There are presently no published scientific studies that examine both the proportionate mortality and national rate of death from COVID-19 among law enforcement officers for the year 2020. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

      8. Comparison of product safety data sheet ingredient lists with skin irritants and sensitizers present in a convenience sample of light-curing resins used in additive manufacturing
        Bowers LN, Ranpara AC, Roach KA, Knepp AK, Arnold ED, Stefaniak AB, Virji MA.
        Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2022 May 31:105198.
        Material jetting and vat photopolymerization additive manufacturing (AM) processes use liquid resins to build objects. These resins can contain skin irritants and/or sensitizers but product safety data sheets (SDSs) might not declare all ingredients. We characterized elemental and organic skin irritants and sensitizers present in 39 commercial products; evaluated the influence of resin manufacturer, system, color, and AM process type on the presence of irritants and sensitizers; and compared product SDSs to results. Among all products, analyses identified 23 irritant elements, 54 irritant organic substances, 22 sensitizing elements, and 23 sensitizing organic substances; SDSs listed 3, 9, 4, and 6 of these ingredients, respectively. Per product, the number and total mass (an indicator of potential dermal loading) of ingredients varied: five to 17 irritant elements (8.32-4756.65 mg/kg), one to 17 irritant organics (3273 to 356,000 mg/kg), four to 17 sensitizing elements (8.27-4755.63 mg/kg), and one to seven sensitizing organics (15-382,170 mg/kg). Median numbers and concentrations of irritants and sensitizers were significantly influenced by resin system and AM process type. The presence of undeclared irritants and sensitizers in these resins supports the need for more complete information on product SDSs for comprehensive dermal risk assessments.

      9. Biological effects of inhaled crude oil. VI. Immunotoxicity
        Weatherly LM, Shane HL, Baur R, Lukomska E, Roberts JR, Fedan JS, Anderson SE.
        Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022 Jun 4:116100.
        Crude oil is an unrefined petroleum product that is a mixture of hydrocarbons and other organic material. Studies on the individual components of crude oil and crude oil exposure itself suggest it has immunomodulatory potential. As investigations of the immunotoxicity of crude oil focus mainly on ingestion and dermal exposure, the effects of whole-body inhalation of 300 ppm crude oil vapor [COV; acute inhalation exposure: (6 h × 1 d); or a 28 d sub-chronic exposure (6 h/d × 4 d/wk. × 4 wks)] was investigated 1, 28, and 90 d post-exposure in Sprague-Dawley rats. Acute exposure increased bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid cellularity, CD4+ and CD8+ cells, and absolute and percent CDllb+ cells only at 1 d post-exposure; additionally, NK cell activity was suppressed. Sub-chronic exposure resulted in a decreased frequency of CD4+ T-cells at 1 d post-exposure and an increased number and frequency of B-cells at 28 d post-exposure in the lung-associated lymph nodes. A significant increase in the number and frequency of B-cells was observed in the spleen at 1 d post-exposure; however, NK cell activity was suppressed at this time point. No effect on cellularity was identified in the BALF. No change in the IgM response to sheep red blood cells was observed. The findings indicate that crude oil inhalation exposure resulted in alterations in cellularity of phenotypic subsets that may impair immune function in rats.

    • Parasitic Diseases
      1. Country reports on practical aspects of conducting large-scale community studies of the tolerability of mass drug administration with ivermectin/diethylcarbamazine/albendazole for lymphatic filariasis
        Jambulingam P, Subramanian S, Krishnamoorthy K, Supali T, Fischer P, Dubray C, Fayette C, Lemoine JF, Laman M, King C, Samuela J, Hardy M, Weil GJ.
        Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2022 Mar 15.
        This article is a compilation of summaries prepared by lead investigators for large-scale safety and efficacy studies on mass drug administration of IDA (ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, and albendazole) for lymphatic filariasis. The summaries highlight the experiences of study teams that assessed the safety and efficacy of IDA in five countries: India, Indonesia, Haiti, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji. They also highlight significant challenges encountered during these community studies and responses to those challenges that contributed to success.

      2. A key component to achieving the global goal of elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF) is the availability of appropriate tools for disease mapping, monitoring, and surveillance. However, the development of these tools for a neglected disease such as LF can be a challenge. The lack of a commercial market and low familiarity with these diseases leave little incentive for diagnostic manufacturers to invest in this space. The Filarial Test Strip (FTS) development story provides a case study on how a multi-stakeholder, public-private partnership model facilitated the development, evaluation, and introduction of a new monitoring and surveillance tool for LF. This paper will reflect on the experience with the FTS and document the process from development of the target product profile to adoption and scale-up in country programs. Lessons learned from both the successes and challenges experienced during this process may help inform future efforts to develop and introduce new diagnostic or surveillance tools for neglected diseases.

      3. Adherence to national malaria clinical management and testing guidelines in selected private clinics of Gambela Town, Gambela Region, Ethiopia: a mixed method study
        Gindola Y, Getahun D, Sugerman D, Tongren E, Tokarz R, Wossen M, Demissie K, Zemelak E, Okugn A, Wendimu J, Hailu G, Tegistu M, Begna D.
        Malar J. 2022 Jun 3;21(1):164.
        BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization World Malaria Report of 2019 indicated an estimated 228 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide in 2018. More than 75% of the total area of Ethiopia is malarious, making malaria a leading public health problem in Ethiopia. Adherence to clinical guidelines improves the quality of care received by patients, thus improving patient outcomes. This study investigates healthcare workers' adherence to malaria testing and treatment guidelines in selected private clinics of Gambela Town, Ethiopia. METHODS: A mixed study design involving a retrospective review of 425 patient files and 20 healthcare worker interviews in private clinics was implemented. Data were collected using pre-tested data collection forms. The collected data were then cleaned and entered into statistical software for analysis, with a level of significance set at < 0.05. A qualitative analysis was also conducted using healthcare worker interviews to identify the existing barriers to guideline adherence. RESULTS: Among the 430 cases of suspected malaria, only 65% were tested for malaria. Of those tested, 75% tested positive and 25% tested negative. The most common co-morbidity in patients treated for malaria was anaemia (30%), followed by gastroenteritis (10%). Patients with co-morbidities were more likely to receive appropriate treatment (p = 0.03) compared to those without co-morbidities. All healthcare workers interviewed were aware of the existence of the malaria treatment guidelines. However, many were not aware of the contents of the guidelines and only 40% had been trained to understand the guidelines. Overall, 85% of the workers claimed to adhere to guidelines, with 15% claiming non-adherence. CONCLUSION: The gap between knowledge of the malaria treatment guidelines and their application by healthcare workers remains wide. The level of knowledge of these guidelines was also low. Continuous training, follow-up, supportive supervision, and improved adherence to the malaria guidelines are therefore recommended.

    • Physical Activity
      1. Improving active travel to school and its surveillance: an overlooked opportunity in health promotion and chronic disease prevention
        George SM, Sliwa SA, Cornett KA, Do V, Bremer AA, Berrigan D.
        Transl Behav Med. 2022 Jun 5.
        Increasing active travel to school (ATS) could reduce the deficit in youth physical activity participation; however, surveillance of ATS is limited. Given that ATS contributes to our understanding of children's physical activity patterns nationwide, is influenced by local contexts and state laws, and occurs within communities, surveillance could be informative at the national, state, and local levels. Following a National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research workshop, this commentary offers insights into strengthening surveillance and data collection of ATS behavior as well as ATS environmental, policy, and program supports.

    • Substance Use and Abuse
      1. Trends in concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions in the United States, 2016 to 2019
        Zhang K, Strahan AE, Guy GP, Larochelle MR.
        Ann Intern Med. 2022 Jun 7.

    • Zoonotic and Vectorborne Diseases
      1. A cocktail of human monoclonal antibodies broadly neutralizes North American rabies virus variants as a promising candidate for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis
        Ejemel M, Smith TG, Greenberg L, Carson WC, Lowe D, Yang Y, Jackson FR, Morgan CN, Martin BE, Kling C, Hutson CL, Gallardo-Romero N, Ellison JA, Moore S, Buzby A, Sullivan-Bolyai J, Klempner M, Wang Y.
        Sci Rep. 2022 Jun 7;12(1):9403.
        Human rabies remains a globally significant public health problem. Replacement of polyclonal anti-rabies immunoglobulin (RIG), a passive component of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), with a monoclonal antibody (MAb), would eliminate the cost and availability constraints associated with RIG. Our team has developed and licensed a human monoclonal antibody RAB1 (Rabishield(©)), as the replacement for RIG where canine rabies is enzootic. However, for the highly diverse rabies viruses of North America, a cocktail containing two or more MAbs targeting different antigenic sites of the rabies glycoprotein should be included to ensure neutralization of all variants of the virus. In this study, two MAb cocktails, R172 (RAB1-RAB2) and R173 (RAB1-CR57), were identified and evaluated against a broad range of rabies variants from North America. R173 was found to be the most potent cocktail, as it neutralized all the tested North American RABV isolates and demonstrated broad coverage of isolates from both terrestrial and bat species. R173 could be a promising candidate as an alternative or replacement for RIG PEP in North America.


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Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention