Identification and evaluation of epidemic prediction and forecasting reporting guidelines: A systematic review and a call for action.

Introduction: High quality epidemic forecasting and prediction are critical to support response to local, regional and global infectious disease threats. Other fields of biomedical research use consensus reporting guidelines to ensure standardization and quality of research practice among researchers, and to provide a framework for end-users to interpret the validity of study results. The purpose of this study was to determine whether guidelines exist specifically for epidemic forecast and prediction publications.

Zika virus surveillance in active duty U.S. military and dependents through the Naval Infectious Diseases Diagnostic Laboratory.

The Naval Infectious Diseases Diagnostic Laboratory (NIDDL) serves as a reference clinical laboratory that supports Department of Defense (DoD) military treatment facilities worldwide in the detection and identification of high-risk and emerging infectious diseases. Since the emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Western Hemisphere in 2016, the NIDDL has been a central hub for ZIKV testing for DoD personnel and beneficiaries. Samples collected during patients' clinical evaluations were screened for evidence of possible exposure to ZIKV using molecular and serological methods.

Characterization and pathogenesis of aerosolized eastern equine encephalitis in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus).

Background: Licensed antiviral therapeutics and vaccines to protect against eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) in humans currently do not exist. Animal models that faithfully recapitulate the clinical characteristics of human EEEV encephalitic disease, including fever, drowsiness, anorexia, and neurological signs such as seizures, are needed to satisfy requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical product licensing under the Animal Rule.

Methods: In an effort to meet this requirement, we estimated the median lethal dose and described the pathogenesis of aerosolized EEEV in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus).

Demonstration of the Pre-Emergency Use Authorization Path Using 3 Minor Groove Binder-Hydrolysis Probe Assays to Detect Escherichia coli O104:H4.

Background: The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have collaboratively worked on a pre-Emergency Use Authorization (pre-EUA) process for in vitro diagnostic (IVD) devices, using FDA's regulatory flexibilities under the EUA authorities. The pre-EUA process enables FDA review of data in anticipation of a request for an EUA, advancing US government public health emergency preparedness efforts.

Methods: The IVD device developed to detect Escherichia coli O104:H4, for which an EUA has not been issued, serves as an example to illustrate that process.

Development of real-time PCR assays for specific detection of hmsH, hmsF, hmsR, and irp2 located within the 102-kb pgm locus of Yersinia pestis.

Virulent isolates of three pathogenic Yersinia species (Yersinia pestis, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, and Yersinia enterocolitica) harbor a 102-kb chromosomal region which encodes elements critical for virulence. A 35-kb high pathogenicity island is contained in this region, is a known virulence determinant, contains irp1 and irp2 iron-regulating genes. An additional segment, the 68-kb high pathogenicity island, contains genetic elements responsible for conferring the Y.

Psychiatric disorders impacting critical illness.

An astounding 30% to 50% of older patients who are hospitalized for a medical condition also have a psychiatric disorder. The intent of this article is to prepare acute care nurses to meet the mental health needs of older adults with a critical illness and prevent untoward sequelae of medical events. The authors discuss the importance of baseline assessment data, issues related to informed consent, manifestations of common psychiatric disorders that may be seen in older adults in the acute care setting, as well as strategies to improve patient outcomes.

Perception versus reality: a comparative study of the clinical judgment skills of nurses during a simulated activity.

Background: This study was conducted to determine how closely nurses' perceptions of their clinical judgment abilities matched their demonstrated clinical judgment skills during a simulation.

Methods: Seventy-four registered nurses participated in a simulation using a video format. After the simulation, the nurses self-assessed their performance using the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric.

Intravascular thrombophlebitis related to the peripheral infusion of amiodarone and vancomycin.

Patients on a telemetry unit experienced an increase in thrombophlebitis in 2004. The purpose of this research was to determine if peripheral IV amiodarone and vancomycin influenced the incidence of thrombophlebitis in an adult cardiothoracic population. Amiodarone phlebitis rates range up to 27%.

Rapid real-time PCR assays for detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae with the rmpA or magA genes associated with the hypermucoviscosity phenotype: screening of nonhuman primates.

The relationship of mucoviscosity-associated (magA) and/or regulator of mucoid phenotype (rmpA) genes to the Klebsiella pneumoniae hypermucoviscosity (HMV) phenotype has been reported. We previously demonstrated that rmpA+ K. pneumoniae can cause serious disease in African green monkeys and isolated rmpA+ and magA+ HMV K.

Detection of biological threat agents by real-time PCR: comparison of assay performance on the R.A.P.I.D., the LightCycler, and the Smart Cycler platforms.

Background: Rapid detection of biological threat agents is critical for timely therapeutic administration. Fluorogenic PCR provides a rapid, sensitive, and specific tool for molecular identification of these agents. We compared the performance of assays for 7 biological threat agents on the Idaho Technology, Inc.

Development of a novel internal positive control for Taqman based assays.

Development of rapid amplification assays for the detection and identification of biological threat agents has become a focus of diagnostic efforts in recent years. The use of real-time PCR assays as diagnostic tools depends upon two critical processes. First, nucleic acid purification must provide template that is both amplifiable and free of PCR inhibitors.