Wastewater-based epidemiology for COVID-19 surveillance and beyond: A survey.

The pandemic of COVID-19 has imposed tremendous pressure on public health systems and social economic ecosystems over the past years. To alleviate its social impact, it is important to proactively track the prevalence of COVID-19 within communities. The traditional way to estimate the disease prevalence is to estimate from reported clinical test data or surveys.

Wastewater-based Epidemiology for COVID-19 Surveillance and Beyond: A Survey.

The pandemic of COVID-19 has imposed tremendous pressure on public health systems and social economic ecosystems over the past years. To alleviate its social impact, it is important to proactively track the prevalence of COVID-19 within communities. The traditional way to estimate the disease prevalence is to estimate from reported clinical test data or surveys.

Creating a Blueprint for the Future: Lessons Learned From Public Health Laboratories in the COVID-19 Response.

Public health laboratories have played a central role in the US response to COVID-19. Since the earliest days, myriad issues have impeded the laboratory community's ability to keep pace with the overwhelming demand for effective tests. In this article, the Association of Public Health Laboratories and a subset of its members examine the response to date and evaluate lessons learned from 4 main categories: testing surges, supplies, staffing, and regulations and policy.

Pulsotype Diversity of Clostridium botulinum Strains Containing Serotypes A and/or B Genes.

Clostridium botulinum strains are prevalent in the environment and produce a potent neurotoxin that causes botulism, a rare but serious paralytic disease. In 2010, a national PulseNet database was established to curate C. botulinum pulsotypes and facilitate epidemiological investigations, particularly for serotypes A and B strains frequently associated with botulism cases in the United States.

Molecular genotyping and quantitation assay for rotavirus surveillance.

Rotavirus genotyping is useful for surveillance purposes especially in areas where rotavirus vaccination has been or will be implemented. RT-PCR based molecular methods have been applied widely, but quantitative assays targeting a broad spectrum of genotypes have not been developed. Three real time RT-PCR panels were designed to identify G1, G2, G9, G12 (panel GI), G3, G4, G8, G10 (panel GII), and P[4], P[6], P[8], P[10], P[11] (panel P), respectively.

Control of simultaneous outbreaks of carbapenemase-producing enterobacteriaceae and extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection in an intensive care unit using interventions promoted in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2012 carbapenemase-resistant Enterobacteriaceae Toolkit.

Objective: We describe the efficacy of enhanced infection control measures, including those recommended in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2012 carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) toolkit, to control concurrent outbreaks of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) and extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (XDR-AB).

Design: Before-after intervention study.

Setting: Fifteen-bed surgical trauma intensive care unit (ICU).

Comprehensive laboratory evaluation of a specific lateral flow assay for the presumptive identification of abrin in suspicious white powders and environmental samples.

Abrin is a heterodimeric toxin present in the seeds of the Abrus precatorius plant. The easily obtainable seeds can yield a highly toxic product that can be used in various types of biocrimes and terrorism-related activities, including "white-powder" letters. Although the vast majority of these threats are hoaxes, the lack of rapid and reliable detection assays for abrin, such as lateral flow assays (LFAs), can be an impediment to accurate and rapid hazard assessment.

Evaluating gulls as potential vehicles of Salmonella enterica serotype Newport (JJPX01.0061) contamination of tomatoes grown on the eastern shore of Virginia.

Salmonella enterica serovar Newport pattern JJPX01.0061 has been identified as causing several multistate outbreaks in the last 10 years, primarily due to contamination of tomatoes grown in Virginia. The goal of this study was to evaluate gulls as a potential vehicle of S.

Development of a multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay for diarrheagenic Escherichia coli and Shigella spp. and its evaluation on colonies, culture broths, and stool.

Detection of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) typically depends on identification of virulence genes from stool cultures, not on stool itself. We developed a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that detects key DEC virulence genes (stx1, stx2, eae, bfpA, ipaH, LT, STh, aaiC, aatA). The assay involved a multiplex PCR reaction followed by detection of amplicon(s) using Luminex beads.

Multiplex reverse transcription PCR Luminex assay for detection and quantitation of viral agents of gastroenteritis.

Background: Several viruses can cause diarrheal disease, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Existing diagnostic methods include ELISA and nucleic acid amplification, usually performed individually.

Objectives: (1) To develop a multiplexed assay for simultaneous detection of major enteric viral pathogens.

Identification of a novel astrovirus (astrovirus VA1) associated with an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis.

The etiology of a large proportion of gastrointestinal illness is unknown. In this study, random Sanger sequencing and pyrosequencing approaches were used to analyze fecal specimens from a gastroenteritis outbreak of unknown etiology in a child care center. Multiple sequences with limited identity to known astroviruses were identified.

Characterization of Clostridium species utilizing liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry of intact proteins.

A method for biomarker candidate discovery and strain level pathogen characterization using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) with electrospray ionization is described. This method was applied to two pathogenic Clostridium species: C. difficile and C.

Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry characterization of Escherichia coli and Shigella species.

Liquid chromatography/quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (LC/QTOF MS) utilizing electrospray ionization was employed to monitor protein expression in Escherichia coli and Shigella organisms. Comparison with MALDI/TOF-MS revealed more proteins, particularly above 15 kDa. A combination of automated charge state deconvolution, spectral mirroring, and spectral subtraction was used to reveal subtle differences in the LC/MS data.

Identification of a Naegleria fowleri membrane protein reactive with anti-human CD59 antibody.

Naegleria fowleri, the causative agent of primary amebic meningoencephalitis, is resistant to complement lysis. The presence of a complement regulatory protein on the surface of N. fowleri was investigated.

Spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among household contacts of individuals with nosocomially acquired MRSA.

Objective: To determine the frequency with which methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is spread from colonized or infected patients to their household and community contacts.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: University hospital.

An outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections among visitors to a dairy farm.

Background: Outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections have involved direct transmission from animals and their environment to humans. We describe an outbreak among visitors to a Pennsylvania dairy and petting farm that provides public access to animals.

Methods: We conducted both a case-control study among visitors to a farm to identify risk factors for infection and a household survey to determine the rates of diarrheal illness among these visitors.