USPHS Corps Care : Force Health Protection for Public Health Officers During the Ebola and COVID-19 Responses.

Force health protection (FHP) is defined as "the prevention of disease and injury in order to protect the strength and capabilities" of any service population. FHP was the foundational principal of the US Public Health Service (USPHS). President John Adams' signing of An Act for Sick and Disabled Seamen on July 16, 1798, marked the first dedication of US federal resources to ensuring the well-being of US civilian sailors and Naval service members.

Early Identification and Prevention of the Spread of Ebola in High-Risk African Countries.

In the late summer of 2014, it became apparent that improved preparedness was needed for Ebola virus disease (Ebola) in at-risk countries surrounding the three highly affected West African countries (Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia). The World Health Organization (WHO) identified 14 nearby African countries as high priority to receive technical assistance for Ebola preparedness; two additional African countries were identified at high risk for Ebola introduction because of travel and trade connections. To enhance the capacity of these countries to rapidly detect and contain Ebola, CDC established the High-Risk Countries Team (HRCT) to work with ministries of health, CDC country offices, WHO, and other international organizations.

Outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome at Tertiary Care Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 2014.

During March-May 2014, a Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreak occurred in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that included many persons who worked or received medical treatment at King Fahd General Hospital. We investigated 78 persons who had laboratory-confirmed MERS during March 2-May 10 and documented contact at this hospital. The 78 persons with MERS comprised 53 patients, 16 healthcare workers, and 9 visitors.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae outbreak in a long-term care facility--Nebraska, 2014.

On June 20, 2014, a Nebraska long-term care facility notified the East Central District Health Department (ECDHD) and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NDHHS) of an outbreak of respiratory illness characterized by cough and fever in 22 residents and resulting in four deaths during the preceding 2 weeks. To determine the etiologic agent, identify additional cases, and implement control measures, Nebraska and CDC investigators evaluated the facility's infection prevention measures and collected nasopharyngeal (NP) and oropharyngeal (OP) swabs or autopsy specimens from patients for real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing at CDC. The facility was closed to new admissions until 1 month after the last case, droplet precautions were implemented, ill residents were isolated, and group activities were canceled.

Plasmapheresis therapy for rare but potentially fatal reaction to rituximab.

Rituximab (Rituxan), a genetically engineered chimeric murine and human IgG1 monoclonal antibody directed against CD20 antigen, is an emerging drug used for a wide spectrum of disease processes and found to be relatively safe. We report a near-fatal reaction to rituximab, which started 30 min after infusion and worsened over 24 to 48 h, resulting in hemodynamic and respiratory compromise that necessitated both intubation and high-dose vasopressors. Subsequent treatment with plasmapheresis helped stabilize and improve the patient's clinical condition, and the patient was discharged home on hospital day 5.

Determination of troponin I release after CABG surgery.

Background: Troponin I is used to diagnose myocardial infarction (MI). Its use and pattern of elevation is not well defined in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. This study assessed the timing of troponin I elevation in patients undergoing urgent CABG.

An outbreak of pneumococcal pneumonia among military personnel at high risk: control by low-dose azithromycin postexposure chemoprophylaxis.

In the winter of 1998-1999 an outbreak of pneumococcal pneumonia occurred among Ranger students undergoing high-intensity training. Thirty pneumonia cases (attack rate = 12.6%) were identified among a group of 239 students.

The relationship between air particulate levels and upper respiratory disease in soldiers deployed to Bosnia (1997-1998).

The objective of this study was to determine whether there was a relationship between levels of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 microns (PM10) and upper respiratory disease (URD) rates in soldiers deployed to Bosnia in 1997 and 1998. PM10 levels were divided into quartiles and upper and lower 50th percentiles. When all camps were combined, there was a statistically significant association between the PM10 maximum level and URD rates based on Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests, and the Pearson correlation was statistically significant.