Publications by authors named "B J Silk"
Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) are typically associated with mild respiratory illnesses, although severe disease and outbreaks in congregate settings occur. The National Adenovirus Type Reporting System (NATRS) is a passive, laboratory-based surveillance system that monitors trends in circulation of HAdV types in the United States. This report summarizes the distribution of HAdV types reported to NATRS during 2017-2023.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Bacterial and viral respiratory coinfections are common, but the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections among pertussis cases has not been estimated. We examine the prevalence and temporality of SARS-CoV-2 infections among pertussis patients and describe pertussis clinical severity among patients with and without SARS-CoV-2 coinfections.
Methods: Confirmed and probable pertussis cases among individuals with cough onset between January 1, 2020 and February 15, 2023 were identified through surveillance in seven Enhanced Pertussis Surveillance (EPS) sites.
Article Synopsis
- The CDC is monitoring the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, particularly the Omicron variant and its offspring, using national genomic surveillance data from May 2023 to September 2024.
- During this period, descendants of the Omicron variants, especially XBB and JN.1, emerged and became prevalent, with several lineages showing immune escape traits.
- The rise of the JN.1 variant led to a significant increase in COVID-19 cases during winter 2024, underscoring the need for ongoing genomic monitoring to inform vaccine development and public health strategies.*
A health equity science approach to assessing drivers of COVID-19 vaccination coverage disparities over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, United States, December 2020-December 2022.
Vaccine
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- Health equity science focuses on understanding the social determinants of health inequities, with tools like the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) used during the COVID-19 response to identify vulnerable communities for vaccination efforts.
- The study analyzed COVID-19 vaccination data across US counties from December 2020 to December 2022, categorizing counties by levels of vulnerability and urban vs. rural status to assess vaccination coverage among different age groups.
- Results showed that while older adults had higher vaccination rates, younger populations, especially in rural areas, faced significant gaps in coverage, highlighting the need for more comprehensive health equity analyses beyond just demographics like race and ethnicity.
Article Synopsis
- Understanding recurrent tuberculosis (rTB) etiology is crucial for effective TB control, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) provides better genetic analysis than traditional methods.
- In a study of American Indian and Alaska Native individuals in Alaska from 2008-2020, rTB episodes were significantly higher among this group, with 11.8% of cases being recurrent compared to 3.9% nationally.
- The study found that 65.8% of rTB cases were due to reinfection, highlighting the need for improved surveillance and control measures in these communities to combat the spread of TB.