Epidemiology of tuberculosis among healthcare personnel in New York City.

We have updated the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) among healthcare personnel (HCP) in New York City (NYC), USA, during a period of declining TB burden. Using routinely collected Health Department data for NYC TB cases from 2001 to 2014, we conducted a retrospective descriptive analysis. values were calculated using Pearson's χ² or Fisher's exact test for categorical data; Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare medians.

Preclinical Validation of a Novel Device Designed to Reduce Biofilms on Percutaneous Osseointegrated Abutments.

Aim: To assess the efficacy of a prototype cleaning device in removing biofilm from skin-penetrating abutments.

Background: Adverse skin reactions around percutaneous osseointegrated implants have been linked to poor hygiene and infection. A cleaning device made from open-cell polyfoam has been developed to facilitate manual cleaning of abutments by the patient.

Factors Associated With Sputum Culture-Negative vs Culture-Positive Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Importance: Recognition of active tuberculosis (TB) in its earliest stages could reduce morbidity and prevent advancement to transmissible disease. Little is published about the occurrence and presentation of sputum culture-negative pulmonary TB (PTB), an early paucibacillary but often underrecognized disease state.

Objective: To assess differences between culture-negative and culture-positive PTB regarding occurrence, clinical presentation, radiographic findings, demographics, and comorbidities.

Long-term Mortality of Patients With Tuberculous Meningitis in New York City: A Cohort Study.

Background: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most devastating clinical presentation of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis; delayed initiation of effective antituberculosis therapy is associated with poor treatment outcomes. Our objective was to determine the relationship between drug resistance and 10-year mortality among patients with TBM.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 324 patients with culture-confirmed TBM, susceptibility results reported for isoniazid and rifampin, and initiation of at least 2 antituberculosis drugs, reported to the tuberculosis registry in New York City between 1 January 1992 and 31 December 2001.

Exploring genotype concordance in epidemiologically linked cases of tuberculosis in New York City.

Comparing genotype results of tuberculosis (TB) isolates from individuals diagnosed with TB can support or refute transmission; however, these conclusions are based upon the criteria used to define a genotype match. We used a genotype-match definition which allowed for variation in IS6110 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) to support transmission between epidemiologically linked persons. Contacts of individuals with infectious TB (index cases) diagnosed in New York City from 1997 to 2003 who subsequently developed TB (contact cases) from 1997 to 2007 were identified.