Development of Zika Virus Serological Testing Strategies in New York State.

The recent outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas has challenged diagnostic laboratory testing strategies. At the Wadsworth Center, ZIKV serological testing was performed for over 10,000 specimens, using a combination of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for IgM antibodies (Abs) to ZIKV, a polyvalent microsphere immunoassay (MIA) to detect Abs broadly reactive with flaviviruses, and a plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) for further testing. Overall, 42% of patients showed serological evidence of flavivirus infection (primarily past dengue virus [DENV] infection), while 7% possessed IgM Abs to ZIKV and/or DENV.

Evaluation of the Impact of Mandating Health Care Providers to Offer Hepatitis C Virus Screening to All Persons Born During 1945-1965 - New York, 2014.

Approximately 75% of all hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in the United States and 73% of HCV-associated mortality occur in persons born during 1945-1965, placing this birth cohort at increased risk for liver cancer and other HCV-related liver disease (1). In the United States, an estimated 2.7 million persons are living with HCV infection, and it is estimated that up to 75% of these persons do not know their status.

Vital Signs: Update on Zika Virus-Associated Birth Defects and Evaluation of All U.S. Infants with Congenital Zika Virus Exposure - U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry, 2016.

Background: In collaboration with state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments, CDC established the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry (USZPR) in early 2016 to monitor pregnant women with laboratory evidence of possible recent Zika virus infection and their infants.

Birth Defects Among Fetuses and Infants of US Women With Evidence of Possible Zika Virus Infection During Pregnancy.

Importance: Understanding the risk of birth defects associated with Zika virus infection during pregnancy may help guide communication, prevention, and planning efforts. In the absence of Zika virus, microcephaly occurs in approximately 7 per 10 000 live births.

Objective: To estimate the preliminary proportion of fetuses or infants with birth defects after maternal Zika virus infection by trimester of infection and maternal symptoms.

Zika Virus Testing Considerations: Lessons Learned from the First 80 Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR-Positive Cases Diagnosed in New York State.

The performance and interpretation of laboratory tests for Zika virus (ZKV) continue to be evaluated. Serology is cross-reactive, laborious, and frequently difficult to interpret, and serum was initially solely recommended for molecular diagnosis. ZKV testing was initiated in January 2016 in New York State for symptomatic patients, pregnant women, their infants, and patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome who had traveled to areas with ZKV transmission.

Investigation of sudden death from Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a foreign-born worker at a resort hotel.

A 60 year-old man born in Central America died suddenly in the hallway of his residence on the grounds of a resort hotel where he worked as a dishwasher. The dishwashing station was in a large, poorly ventilated area where a substantial number of food service workers (cooks, wait staff, bus persons, dishwashers, supervisors, etc.) shared air space with the index patient.