Publications by authors named "Andrew S Webster"

Article Synopsis
  • A study in Fulton County, Georgia, assessed the incidence of infections in 2017, focusing on all clinically relevant diseases from community and healthcare settings.
  • The overall incidence of clinically relevant infections was found to be 405.7 cases per 100,000 people, with higher rates in the Black population (500.84 cases) compared to White patients (363.67 cases).
  • Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) were the most common, with 30% of cases requiring hospitalization, influenced by factors like methicillin-resistant infections and homelessness.
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Immunocompromised patients with prolonged coronavirus disease 2019 symptoms present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. We measured viral nucleocapsid antigenemia in 3 patients treated with anti-CD20 immunotherapy who acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and experienced protracted symptoms. Our results support nucleocapsid antigenemia as a marker of persistent infection and therapeutic response.

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Background: Invasive mold diseases (IMDs) cause severe illness, but public health surveillance data are lacking. We describe data collected from a laboratory-based, pilot IMD surveillance system.

Methods: During 2017-2019, the Emerging Infections Program conducted active IMD surveillance at 3 Atlanta-area hospitals.

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Background: polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is a sensitive diagnostic tool but does not distinguish infection from colonization. Cycle threshold (C) may correlate with fungal burden and could be considered in clinical decision making. Clinical use of PCR and significance of C values have not previously been examined with the DiaSorin Molecular platform.

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Evidence varies as to how far aerosols spread from individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 in hospital rooms. We investigated the presence of aerosols containing SARS-CoV-2 inside of dedicated COVID-19 patient rooms. Three National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health BC 251 two-stage cyclone samplers were set up in each patient room for a six-hour sampling period.

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We performed an epidemiological investigation and genome sequencing of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to define the source and scope of an outbreak in a cluster of hospitalized patients. Lack of appropriate respiratory hygiene led to SARS-CoV-2 transmission to patients and healthcare workers during a single hemodialysis session, highlighting the importance of infection prevention precautions.

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Introduction: Mounting evidence demonstrates potential for fecal-oral transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The US Food and Drug Administration now requires SARS-CoV-2 testing of potential feces donors before the use of stool manufactured for fecal microbiota transplantation. We sought to develop and validate a high-sensitivity SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) procedure for testing stool specimens.

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There are few detailed investigations of neurologic complications in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. We describe 3 patients with laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease who had encephalopathy and encephalitis develop. Neuroimaging showed nonenhancing unilateral, bilateral, and midline changes not readily attributable to vascular causes.

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Background And Objective: The epidemiology of the forty percent of tuberculosis patients who present with disseminated and/or extrapulmonary disease is in need of further study. Further study of such dissemination using published data from international indices may provide data which assist with control of tuberculosis.

Methods: For each clinical or epidemiologic factor studied, summary odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated showing associations between such factors and documented extrapulmonary dissemination of tuberculosis.

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