SARS-CoV-2 incidence, seroprevalence, and antibody dynamics in a rural, population-based cohort: March 2020 - July 2022.

Studies of SARS-CoV-2 incidence are important for response to continued transmission and future pandemics. We followed a rural community cohort with broad age representation with active surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 identification from November 2020 through July 2022. Participants provided serum specimens at regular intervals and following SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination.

Mitigation of viruses of concern and bacteriophage surrogates via common unit processes for water reuse: A meta-analysis.

Water reuse is a growing global reality. In regulating water reuse, viruses have come to the fore as key pathogens due to high shedding rates, low infectious doses, and resilience to traditional wastewater treatments. To demonstrate the high log reductions required by emerging water reuse regulations, cost and practicality necessitate surrogates for viruses for use as challenge organisms in unit process evaluation and monitoring.

Community intervention trial for estimating risk of acute gastrointestinal illness from groundwater-supplied non-disinfected drinking water.

By community intervention in 14 non-disinfecting municipal water systems, we quantified sporadic acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) attributable to groundwater. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection was installed on all supply wells of intervention communities. In control communities, residents continued to drink non-disinfected groundwater.

Extended surveillance to assess safety of 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine.

The safety of 9-valent HPV vaccine (9vHPV) has been established with regard to common and uncommon adverse events. However, investigation of rare and severe adverse events requires extended study periods to capture rare outcomes. This observational cohort study investigated the occurrence of three rare and serious adverse events following 9-valent human papillomavirus (9vHPV) vaccination compared to other vaccinations, in US individuals 9-26 years old, using electronic health record data from the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD).

Microbial source tracking and land use associations for antibiotic resistance genes in private wells influenced by human and livestock fecal sources.

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing public health problem that requires an integrated approach among human, agricultural, and environmental sectors. However, few studies address all three components simultaneously. We investigated the occurrence of five antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and the class 1 integron gene (intI1) in private wells drawing water from a vulnerable aquifer influenced by residential septic systems and land-applied dairy manure.

Stable isotopes of C and N differ in their ability to reconstruct diets of cattle fed C-C forage diets.

Stable isotopes are useful for estimating livestock diet selection. The objective was to compare δC and δN to estimate diet proportion of C-C forages when steers (Bos spp.) were fed quantities of rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata; RP; C) and bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum; C).

Effects of harvest date and growth stage on triticale forages in the southwest United States: agronomic characteristics, nutritive value, energy density, and in vitro disappearance of dry matter and fiber.

Recently, there has been increased interest in including triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) or other winter cereals within forage programs throughout the southwest United States. Our objectives were to screen 14 diverse triticale cultivars for agronomic and nutritive characteristics with specific emphasis on identifying normal, as well as deviant, responses to the calendar date and plant maturity for forages seeded in December and harvested from late February throughout May at Maricopa, AZ. Fourteen cultivars were established in a randomized complete block design with each cultivar represented within each of three field blocks.

Sources and Risk Factors for Nitrate and Microbial Contamination of Private Household Wells in the Fractured Dolomite Aquifer of Northeastern Wisconsin.

Background: Groundwater quality in the Silurian dolomite aquifer in northeastern Wisconsin, USA, has become contentious as dairy farms and exurban development expand.

Objectives: We investigated private household wells in the region, determining the extent, sources, and risk factors of nitrate and microbial contamination.

Methods: Total coliforms, , and nitrate were evaluated by synoptic sampling during groundwater recharge and no-recharge periods.

Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment for Contaminated Private Wells in the Fractured Dolomite Aquifer of Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.

Background: Private wells are an important source of drinking water in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin. Due to the region's fractured dolomite aquifer, these wells are vulnerable to contamination by human and zoonotic gastrointestinal pathogens originating from land-applied cattle manure and private septic systems.

Objective: We determined the magnitude of the health burden associated with contamination of private wells in Kewaunee County by feces-borne gastrointestinal pathogens.

Prediction of serious RSV-related outcomes in older adults with outpatient RSV respiratory illness during 12 consecutive seasons.

We developed and evaluated a model to predict serious outcomes among 243 adults ≥60 years old with medically attended respiratory illness and laboratory-confirmed respiratory syncytial virus (RSV); 47 patients had a serious outcome defined as hospital admission, emergency department (ED) visit, or pneumonia diagnosis. The model used logistic regression with penalized maximum likelihood estimation. The reduced penalized model included age ≥ 75 years, ≥1 ED visit in prior year, crackles/rales, tachypnea, wheezing, new/increased sputum, and new/increased dyspnea.

Viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens and fecal markers in wells supplying groundwater to public water systems in Minnesota, USA.

Drinking water supply wells can be contaminated by a broad range of waterborne pathogens. However, groundwater assessments frequently measure microbial indicators or a single pathogen type, which provides a limited characterization of potential health risk. This study assessed contamination of wells by testing for viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens and fecal markers.

Circannual growth in Wisconsin children and adolescents: Identifying optimal periods of obesity prevention.

Background: Recent studies suggest kids tend to gain the most weight in summer, but schools are chastised for supporting obesogenic environments. Conclusions on circannual weight gain are hampered by infrequent body mass index (BMI) measurements, and guidance is limited on the optimal timeframe for paediatric weight interventions.

Objectives: This study characterized circannual trends in BMI in Wisconsin children and adolescents and identified sociodemographic differences in excess weight gain.

Inactivated influenza vaccine and spontaneous abortion in the Vaccine Safety Datalink in 2012-13, 2013-14, and 2014-15.

Introduction: A recent study reported an association between inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) and spontaneous abortion (SAB), but only among women who had also been vaccinated in the previous influenza season. We sought to estimate the association between IIV administered in three recent influenza seasons and SAB among women who were and were not vaccinated in the previous influenza season.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study over three influenza seasons (2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15) in the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD).

Clinical Features, Severity, and Incidence of RSV Illness During 12 Consecutive Seasons in a Community Cohort of Adults ≥60 Years Old.

Background: The epidemiology and burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) illness are not well defined in older adults.

Methods: Adults ≥60 years old seeking outpatient care for acute respiratory illness were recruited from 2004-2005 through 2015-2016 during the winter seasons. RSV was identified from respiratory swabs by multiplex polymerase chain reaction.

Association of spontaneous abortion with receipt of inactivated influenza vaccine containing H1N1pdm09 in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

Introduction: Inactivated influenza vaccine is recommended in any stage of pregnancy, but evidence of safety in early pregnancy is limited, including for vaccines containing A/H1N1pdm2009 (pH1N1) antigen. We sought to determine if receipt of vaccine containing pH1N1 was associated with spontaneous abortion (SAB).

Methods: We conducted a case-control study over two influenza seasons (2010-11, 2011-12) in the Vaccine Safety Datalink.

Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment for Spray Irrigation of Dairy Manure Based on an Empirical Fate and Transport Model.

Background: Spray irrigation for land-applying livestock manure is increasing in the United States as farms become larger and economies of scale make manure irrigation affordable. Human health risks from exposure to zoonotic pathogens aerosolized during manure irrigation are not well understood.

Objectives: We aimed to ) estimate human health risks due to aerosolized zoonotic pathogens downwind of spray-irrigated dairy manure; and ) determine which factors (e.

Human virus and microbial indicator occurrence in public-supply groundwater systems: meta-analysis of 12 international studies.

Groundwater quality is often evaluated using microbial indicators. This study examines data from 12 international groundwater studies (conducted 1992-2013) of 718 public drinking-water systems located in a range of hydrogeological settings. Focus was on testing the value of indicator organisms for identifying virus-contaminated wells.

Incidence of Medically Attended Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza Illnesses in Children 6-59 Months Old During Four Seasons.

Background.  Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza are significant causes of seasonal respiratory illness in children. The incidence of influenza and RSV hospitalization is well documented, but the incidence of medically attended, laboratory-confirmed illness has not been assessed in a well defined community cohort.

Impact of Late Oseltamivir Treatment on Influenza Symptoms in the Outpatient Setting: Results of a Randomized Trial.

We conducted a double-blind, randomized trial of 134 outpatients with polymerase chain reaction-confirmed influenza to assess the effects of oseltamivir initiated 48-119 hours after illness onset. Oseltamivir treatment did not reduce illness duration, severity, or duration of virus detection. However, the power of this study was limited due to lower than expected enrollment.

Validation of Health Event Capture in the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area.

Objective: In this study, health event capture is broadly defined as the degree to which a group of people use a particular provider network as their primary source of health care services. The Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area (MESA) is a valuable resource for population-based health research, but the completeness of health event capture has not been validated in recent years. Our objective was to determine the current level of outpatient and inpatient health event capture by Marshfield Clinic (MC) facilities and affiliated hospitals for people living within MESA.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness in the United States during 2012-2013: variable protection by age and virus type.

Background: During the 2012-2013 influenza season, there was cocirculation of influenza A(H3N2) and 2 influenza B lineage viruses in the United States.

Methods: Patients with acute cough illness for ≤7 days were prospectively enrolled and had swab samples obtained at outpatient clinics in 5 states. Influenza vaccination dates were confirmed by medical records.

Can the rolling cross-sectional survey design be used to estimate the effectiveness of influenza vaccines?

Introduction: Observational studies of influenza vaccine effectiveness often study persons seeking medical care for acute respiratory infection (ARI). We conducted a pilot study to determine if vaccine effectiveness could be estimated in the general population with a novel rolling cross-sectional survey sampling design and laboratory confirmation of influenza.

Methods: Cross-sectional samples were selected weekly from defined populations in Marshfield, Wisconsin and Monroe County, New York from January through April, 2011 (12 weeks).

Seasonal incidence of medically attended respiratory syncytial virus infection in a community cohort of adults ≥50 years old.

Background: Diagnostic testing for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is not routinely performed in adults. We estimated medically attended RSV seasonal incidence in a community cohort of adults ≥50 years old during four influenza seasons (2006-07 through 2009-10).

Methods: Patients seeking care for acute respiratory illness (ARI) were prospectively enrolled and tested for RSV by multiplex RT-PCR.