User login
West Nile Virus Hits California Hard
California reported one-third of the annual U.S. total of West Nile virus cases through December 1, 2005, and 25% of the cases of the viral neuroinvasive disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
A total of 2,744 human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) disease were reported in 42 states in 2005, compared with 2,359 in 2004. There was a spread of the disease in both humans and animals into counties not previously affected, as well as recurrence where the disease had previously been reported. “The increase … suggests that endemic transmission of WNV in the United States will continue for the foreseeable future,” the CDC said (MMWR 2005;54:1253–6).
WNV infections in humans, birds, mosquitoes, and nonhuman mammals are reported to the CDC through ArboNET, an Internet-based arbovirus surveillance system managed by state health departments and the CDC.
Of the cases reported, 1,165 (43%) were WNV neuroinvasive disease (WNND), which includes meningitis, encephalitis, or acute flaccid paralysis; 1,434 (52%) were West Nile fever (WNF); and 145 (5%) were unspecified illnesses. WNND had its highest incidence in the central United States, including South Dakota, Nebraska, and North Dakota, but there were also focal outbreaks in Illinois, Texas, and Louisiana.
Nongonococcal Urethritis in Men
Results from a case-control study involving both heterosexual and homosexual men indicate that the organism responsible for nongonococcal urethritis differs depending on the mode of transmission.
Adenoviruses and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) were associated with nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) in men who have sex with men and in those who have insertive oral sex. On the other hand, Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium were associated with the infections in men who have sex with women and in those who have unprotected vaginal sex (J. Infect. Dis. 2006;193:336–45).
In addition, oral sex was associated with NGU in which no pathogen was detected, suggesting that some organisms that cause these infections have not yet been identified.
The study, conducted by Dr. Catriona S. Bradshaw of the University of Melbourne and her colleagues involved 329 men with NGU and 307 controls. All were tested for several possible causative agents with highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction or DNA strand-displacement assays.
In an editorial, Dr. H. Hunter Handsfield of the University of Washington, Seattle, noted that NGU is probably the most common sexually transmitted disease in both men and women. Despite that, the prevention and management of NGU have been impeded by a lack of basic knowledge about the syndrome (J. Infect. Dis. 2006;193:333–5).
Dr. Handsfield described the Australian study as the most comprehensive investigation yet reported and noted that the results have important implications for clinical management. For example, severe dysuria and meatitis are both associated with the presence of a viral pathogen, and the presence of both findings has a 31% positive predictive value for infections with adenoviruses or HSV.
U.S. Data: MRSA Colonization Is Rare
Nearly a third of the U.S. population aged 1 year and older are colonized with Staphylococcus aureus, but only about 1% are colonized with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), according to prevalence estimates from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2002.
The estimates, based on nasal samples obtained from 9,622 persons, suggest that more than 89 million people in this country are colonized with S. aureus and more than 2 million are colonized with MRSA. The data also suggest that prevalence rates differ demographically, reported Dr. Matthew J. Kuehnert and his colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta.
Individuals aged 6–11 years in this study had the highest prevalence of S. aureus nasal colonization (about 45%, compared with an estimated 32% overall), and MRSA colonization was shown on multivariate analysis to be associated with age of at least 60 years (odds ratio 4.3), and female gender (odds ratio 2.0). MRSA colonization was not associated with recent health care exposure (J. Infect. Dis. 2006;193:172–9).
The findings suggest that although S. aureus carriage is common, MRSA carriage is unusual in healthy persons, the investigators said. “Continued national surveillance of S. aureus carriage will help to determine future trends in the characteristics of carriage and the potential effectiveness of targeted population-based intervention,” they concluded.
West Nile Virus Hits California Hard
California reported one-third of the annual U.S. total of West Nile virus cases through December 1, 2005, and 25% of the cases of the viral neuroinvasive disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
A total of 2,744 human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) disease were reported in 42 states in 2005, compared with 2,359 in 2004. There was a spread of the disease in both humans and animals into counties not previously affected, as well as recurrence where the disease had previously been reported. “The increase … suggests that endemic transmission of WNV in the United States will continue for the foreseeable future,” the CDC said (MMWR 2005;54:1253–6).
WNV infections in humans, birds, mosquitoes, and nonhuman mammals are reported to the CDC through ArboNET, an Internet-based arbovirus surveillance system managed by state health departments and the CDC.
Of the cases reported, 1,165 (43%) were WNV neuroinvasive disease (WNND), which includes meningitis, encephalitis, or acute flaccid paralysis; 1,434 (52%) were West Nile fever (WNF); and 145 (5%) were unspecified illnesses. WNND had its highest incidence in the central United States, including South Dakota, Nebraska, and North Dakota, but there were also focal outbreaks in Illinois, Texas, and Louisiana.
Nongonococcal Urethritis in Men
Results from a case-control study involving both heterosexual and homosexual men indicate that the organism responsible for nongonococcal urethritis differs depending on the mode of transmission.
Adenoviruses and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) were associated with nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) in men who have sex with men and in those who have insertive oral sex. On the other hand, Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium were associated with the infections in men who have sex with women and in those who have unprotected vaginal sex (J. Infect. Dis. 2006;193:336–45).
In addition, oral sex was associated with NGU in which no pathogen was detected, suggesting that some organisms that cause these infections have not yet been identified.
The study, conducted by Dr. Catriona S. Bradshaw of the University of Melbourne and her colleagues involved 329 men with NGU and 307 controls. All were tested for several possible causative agents with highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction or DNA strand-displacement assays.
In an editorial, Dr. H. Hunter Handsfield of the University of Washington, Seattle, noted that NGU is probably the most common sexually transmitted disease in both men and women. Despite that, the prevention and management of NGU have been impeded by a lack of basic knowledge about the syndrome (J. Infect. Dis. 2006;193:333–5).
Dr. Handsfield described the Australian study as the most comprehensive investigation yet reported and noted that the results have important implications for clinical management. For example, severe dysuria and meatitis are both associated with the presence of a viral pathogen, and the presence of both findings has a 31% positive predictive value for infections with adenoviruses or HSV.
U.S. Data: MRSA Colonization Is Rare
Nearly a third of the U.S. population aged 1 year and older are colonized with Staphylococcus aureus, but only about 1% are colonized with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), according to prevalence estimates from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2002.
The estimates, based on nasal samples obtained from 9,622 persons, suggest that more than 89 million people in this country are colonized with S. aureus and more than 2 million are colonized with MRSA. The data also suggest that prevalence rates differ demographically, reported Dr. Matthew J. Kuehnert and his colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta.
Individuals aged 6–11 years in this study had the highest prevalence of S. aureus nasal colonization (about 45%, compared with an estimated 32% overall), and MRSA colonization was shown on multivariate analysis to be associated with age of at least 60 years (odds ratio 4.3), and female gender (odds ratio 2.0). MRSA colonization was not associated with recent health care exposure (J. Infect. Dis. 2006;193:172–9).
The findings suggest that although S. aureus carriage is common, MRSA carriage is unusual in healthy persons, the investigators said. “Continued national surveillance of S. aureus carriage will help to determine future trends in the characteristics of carriage and the potential effectiveness of targeted population-based intervention,” they concluded.
West Nile Virus Hits California Hard
California reported one-third of the annual U.S. total of West Nile virus cases through December 1, 2005, and 25% of the cases of the viral neuroinvasive disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
A total of 2,744 human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) disease were reported in 42 states in 2005, compared with 2,359 in 2004. There was a spread of the disease in both humans and animals into counties not previously affected, as well as recurrence where the disease had previously been reported. “The increase … suggests that endemic transmission of WNV in the United States will continue for the foreseeable future,” the CDC said (MMWR 2005;54:1253–6).
WNV infections in humans, birds, mosquitoes, and nonhuman mammals are reported to the CDC through ArboNET, an Internet-based arbovirus surveillance system managed by state health departments and the CDC.
Of the cases reported, 1,165 (43%) were WNV neuroinvasive disease (WNND), which includes meningitis, encephalitis, or acute flaccid paralysis; 1,434 (52%) were West Nile fever (WNF); and 145 (5%) were unspecified illnesses. WNND had its highest incidence in the central United States, including South Dakota, Nebraska, and North Dakota, but there were also focal outbreaks in Illinois, Texas, and Louisiana.
Nongonococcal Urethritis in Men
Results from a case-control study involving both heterosexual and homosexual men indicate that the organism responsible for nongonococcal urethritis differs depending on the mode of transmission.
Adenoviruses and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) were associated with nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) in men who have sex with men and in those who have insertive oral sex. On the other hand, Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium were associated with the infections in men who have sex with women and in those who have unprotected vaginal sex (J. Infect. Dis. 2006;193:336–45).
In addition, oral sex was associated with NGU in which no pathogen was detected, suggesting that some organisms that cause these infections have not yet been identified.
The study, conducted by Dr. Catriona S. Bradshaw of the University of Melbourne and her colleagues involved 329 men with NGU and 307 controls. All were tested for several possible causative agents with highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction or DNA strand-displacement assays.
In an editorial, Dr. H. Hunter Handsfield of the University of Washington, Seattle, noted that NGU is probably the most common sexually transmitted disease in both men and women. Despite that, the prevention and management of NGU have been impeded by a lack of basic knowledge about the syndrome (J. Infect. Dis. 2006;193:333–5).
Dr. Handsfield described the Australian study as the most comprehensive investigation yet reported and noted that the results have important implications for clinical management. For example, severe dysuria and meatitis are both associated with the presence of a viral pathogen, and the presence of both findings has a 31% positive predictive value for infections with adenoviruses or HSV.
U.S. Data: MRSA Colonization Is Rare
Nearly a third of the U.S. population aged 1 year and older are colonized with Staphylococcus aureus, but only about 1% are colonized with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), according to prevalence estimates from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2002.
The estimates, based on nasal samples obtained from 9,622 persons, suggest that more than 89 million people in this country are colonized with S. aureus and more than 2 million are colonized with MRSA. The data also suggest that prevalence rates differ demographically, reported Dr. Matthew J. Kuehnert and his colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta.
Individuals aged 6–11 years in this study had the highest prevalence of S. aureus nasal colonization (about 45%, compared with an estimated 32% overall), and MRSA colonization was shown on multivariate analysis to be associated with age of at least 60 years (odds ratio 4.3), and female gender (odds ratio 2.0). MRSA colonization was not associated with recent health care exposure (J. Infect. Dis. 2006;193:172–9).
The findings suggest that although S. aureus carriage is common, MRSA carriage is unusual in healthy persons, the investigators said. “Continued national surveillance of S. aureus carriage will help to determine future trends in the characteristics of carriage and the potential effectiveness of targeted population-based intervention,” they concluded.