Birth outcomes following West Nile Virus infection of pregnant women in the United States: 2003-2004.

Background: Congenital West Nile virus (WNV) infection was first described in a single case in 2002. The proportion of maternal WNV infections resulting in congenital infection and clinical consequences of such infections are unknown.

Methods: In 2003 and 2004, women in the United States who acquired WNV infection during pregnancy were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by state health departments.

An outbreak of hepatitis C virus infections among outpatients at a hematology/oncology clinic.

Background: Approximately 2.7 million persons in the United States have chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Health care-associated HCV transmission can occur if aseptic technique is not followed.

Sensitivity of second-generation enzyme immunoassay for detection of hepatitis C virus infection among oncology patients.

Background: The second-generation hepatitis C virus (HCV) enzyme immunoassay (EIA 2), an antibody-detection test, has high sensitivity and is one of the recommended screening tests for detecting HCV infection in the United States. However, its sensitivity among oncology patients is unknown.

Objective: Assess the EIA 2 sensitivity among a group of oncology patients at a Nebraska clinic where an HCV outbreak occurred during 2000-2001 using nucleic acid testing (NAT) and recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) as the gold standards.

West Nile virus blood transfusion-related infection despite nucleic acid testing.

Background: A case of West Nile virus (WNV) encephalitis associated with transfusion of blood that did not react when tested for WNV by minipool (MP) nucleic acid testing (NAT) is described. A Nebraska man developed clinical encephalitis 13 days after surgery and transfusion of 26 blood components. Antibody testing confirmed WNV infection.