Publications by authors named "Kelly A Jackson"

Article Synopsis
  • - The study focuses on the molecular characteristics of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) that can cause infections outside of the lungs, detailing a collection of 45 extrapulmonary isolates over a span of six months from various sites.
  • - Key findings revealed that the most frequently isolated species were Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium chelonae, and Mycobacterium fortuitum, with significant variations in sequence types and the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes in some isolates.
  • - The research emphasizes the need for ongoing surveillance to monitor the prevalence and resistance patterns of NTM, helping to identify emerging strains and improve understanding of their virulence factors.
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Article Synopsis
  • Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections are challenging to diagnose and treat, affecting both the lungs (PNTM) and other parts of the body (ENTM) in various settings, including healthcare.
  • A pilot study by the CDC involved NTM surveillance across four U.S. sites, collecting patient data from October 2019 to March 2020, and found 299 reported cases, with the majority being pulmonary.
  • The study's findings highlight the need for active surveillance to better understand NTM prevalence and characteristics of affected populations, which can inform future healthcare interventions.
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  • An outbreak of listeriosis was linked to ice cream products from Company A, identified through a cluster of illnesses at a Kansas hospital and simultaneous product testing in South Carolina.
  • Genome sequencing revealed a connection between the illnesses of four patients who consumed the contaminated ice cream while hospitalized and isolates found in Company A's products.
  • The investigation found that the contamination may have persisted for years, spanning from 2010 to 2015, leading to a total of ten illnesses and three deaths, prompting a recall of all Company A products.
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Background: Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) is a potentially life-threatening condition associated with adenoviral-vectored COVID-19 vaccination. It presents similarly to spontaneous heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Twelve cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis after vaccination with the Ad26.

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We investigated an outbreak of listeriosis detected by whole-genome multilocus sequence typing and associated with packaged leafy green salads. Nineteen cases were identified in the United States during July 5, 2015-January 31, 2016; isolates from case-patients were closely related (median difference 3 alleles, range 0-16 alleles). Of 16 case-patients interviewed, all reported salad consumption.

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Article Synopsis
  • Between 2014-2017, there was a significant increase in invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections among injection drug users aged 18-49 in Monroe County, NY, with rates doubling during this period.
  • Surveillance data showed rising occurrences of bloodstream infections caused by Candida spp. and invasive group A Streptococcus (GAS) among this group across New York.
  • A CDC assessment found that while nearly all infected individuals reported opioid use (97%), many were not offered medication-assisted treatment, despite S. aureus being the most common pathogen found (80%).
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Background: Public health and infection control prevention and surveillance efforts in the United States have primarily focused on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We describe the public health importance of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) in selected communities.

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In the United States, age-adjusted opioid overdose death rates increased by >200% during 1999-2015, and heroin overdose death rates increased nearly 300% during 2011-2015 (1). During 2011-2013, the rate of heroin use within the past year among U.S.

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Generalist predators with broadly overlapping niches commonly coexist on seemingly identical sets of prey. Here, we provide empirical demonstration that predators can differentially exploit fine-grained niches generated by variable, heritable and selective defences within a single prey species. Some, but not all, clones of the aphid are toxic towards the dominant invasive predatory ladybeetle, However, other less competitive ladybeetle species are not affected by the aphid's toxic trait.

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Since 2006, the number of reported US listeriosis outbreaks associated with cheese made under unsanitary conditions has increased. Two-thirds were linked to Latin-style soft cheese, often affecting pregnant Hispanic women and their newborns. Adherence to pasteurization protocols and sanitation measures to avoid contamination after pasteurization can reduce future outbreaks.

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Background: Botulism is classically described as a bilateral, symmetric, descending flaccid paralysis in an afebrile and alert patient without sensory findings. We describe the reported spectrum of clinical findings among persons >12 months of age in the United States during 2002-2015.

Methods: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collects clinical findings reported by physicians treating suspected cases of botulism nationwide.

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Introduced species have been linked to declines of native species through mechanisms including intraguild predation and exploitative competition. However, coexistence among species may be promoted by niche partitioning if native species can use resources that the invasive species cannot. Previous research has shown that some strains of the aphid are toxic to a competitively dominant invasive lady beetle, .

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In September 2015, PulseNet, the national molecular subtyping network for foodborne disease surveillance, identified a cluster of Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) clinical isolates indistinguishable by two-enzyme pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern combination and highly related by whole-genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST). A case was defined as isolation of Listeria with the outbreak PFGE pattern and highly related by wgMLST with an isolation date on or after July 5, 2015, the isolate date of the earliest case in this cluster.

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We characterized incubation periods among outbreak-associated listeriosis cases, using a simulation model to account for patients with multiple exposure dates. The median was 11 days; 90% of cases occurred within 28 days, and incubation periods varied by clinical manifestation.

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Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) causes severe foodborne illness (listeriosis). Previous molecular subtyping methods, such as pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), were critical in detecting outbreaks that led to food safety improvements and declining incidence, but PFGE provides limited genetic resolution. A multiagency collaboration began performing real-time, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) on all US Lm isolates from patients, food, and the environment in September 2013, posting sequencing data into a public repository.

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Listeriosis is a serious foodborne infection that disproportionately affects elderly adults, pregnant women, newborns, and immunocompromised individuals. Diagnosis is made by culturing Listeria monocytogenes from sterile body fluids or from products of conception. This report describes the investigations of two listeriosis pseudo-outbreaks caused by contaminated laboratory media made from sheep blood.

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We used whole-genome sequencing to determine evolutionary relationships among 20 outbreak-associated clinical isolates of Listeria monocytogenes serotypes 1/2a and 1/2b. Isolates from 6 of 11 outbreaks fell outside the clonal groups or "epidemic clones" that have been previously associated with outbreaks, suggesting that epidemic potential may be widespread in L. monocytogenes and is not limited to the recognized epidemic clones.

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On July 19, 2014, a packing company in California (company A) voluntarily recalled certain lots of stone fruits, including whole peaches, nectarines, plums, and pluots, because of concern about contamination with Listeria monocytogenes based on internal company testing. On July 31, the recall was expanded to cover all fruit packed at their facility during June 1-July 17. After the initial recall, clinicians, state and local health departments, CDC, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received many inquiries about listeriosis from concerned consumers, many of whom had received automated telephone calls informing them that they had purchased recalled fruit.

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Background: In 2011, a multistate outbreak of listeriosis linked to contaminated cantaloupes raised concerns that many pregnant women might have been exposed to Listeria monocytogenes. Listeriosis during pregnancy can cause fetal death, premature delivery, and neonatal sepsis and meningitis. Little information is available to guide healthcare providers who care for asymptomatic pregnant women with suspected L.

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Botulism had mortality rates >60% before the 1950s. We reviewed confirmed botulism cases in the USA during 1975-2009 including infant, foodborne, wound, and other/unknown acquisition categories, and calculated mortality ratios. We created a multivariate logistic regression model for non-infant cases (foodborne, wound, and other/unknown).

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Article Synopsis
  • * An investigation revealed additional Listeria isolates from other states and linked them to Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, whose environmental samples matched those from the two initial patients.
  • * By June 28, five cases of listeriosis were confirmed across four states, affecting primarily older adults, with serious outcomes reported including one death and one miscarriage.
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Background: Although new pathogen-vehicle combinations are increasingly being identified in produce-related disease outbreaks, fresh produce is a rarely recognized vehicle for listeriosis. We investigated a nationwide listeriosis outbreak that occurred in the United States during 2011.

Methods: We defined an outbreak-related case as a laboratory-confirmed infection with any of five outbreak-related subtypes of Listeria monocytogenes isolated during the period from August 1 through October 31, 2011.

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Intraocular listeriosis, a rare manifestation of invasive listeriosis, has a poor visual prognosis. We report an intraocular listeriosis case related to a multistate outbreak associated with contaminated cantaloupe. Increasing awareness of rare listeriosis presentations might facilitate timely diagnosis and treatment, and case reporting can clarify medical and epidemiologic aspects of listeriosis.

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