Publications by authors named "Linda Quick"

On May 3, 2018, Chongqing Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CQCDC) received a report of 15 persons with numbness of the tongue or limbs and vomiting of unknown etiology; all ill persons had attended an adult birthday luncheon in Bishan District, Chongqing municipality, in southwest China. Initial reports indicated that one person had died. Within 2 hours, CQCDC and Western Chinese Field Epidemiology Training Program staff members launched an investigation that included identification of cases, laboratory testing of drinks, and patient interviews to identify the cause of what appeared to be a poisoning.

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Introduction: Endemic measles persists in China, despite >95% reported coverage of two measles-containing vaccine doses and nationwide campaign that vaccinated >100 million children in 2010. An increasing proportion of infections now occur among adults and there is concern that persistent susceptibility in adults is an obstacle to measles elimination in China. We performed a case-control study in six Chinese provinces between January 2012 to June 2013 to identify risk factors for measles virus infection and susceptibility among adults.

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  • * Researchers conducted a comprehensive study involving health examinations of over 80,000 people, dog feces testing, and animal organ inspections to assess the disease's transmission and prevalence.
  • * Findings revealed a 1.66% prevalence of echinococcosis in humans, with higher rates in females (1.92%) and among certain occupations like herdsmen (3.66%), alongside a notable presence of the Echinococcus coproantigen in dogs (7.30%) and livestock (
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The 2014-2015 epidemic of Ebola virus disease in West Africa primarily affected Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Several countries, including Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal, experienced Ebola importations. Realizing the importance of a trained field epidemiology workforce in neighboring countries to respond to Ebola importations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Field Epidemiology Training Program unit implemented the Surveillance Training for Ebola Preparedness (STEP) initiative.

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In 1988, the by the World Health Assembly established the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which consisted of a partnership among the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the United Nations Children's Fund. By 2016, the annual incidence of polio had decreased by >99.9%, compared with 1988, and at the time of writing, only 3 countries in which wild poliovirus circulation has never been interrupted remain: Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan.

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Introduction: Endemic measles persists in China, despite >95% reported coverage of two measles-containing vaccine doses and nationwide campaign that vaccinated more than 100 million children in 2010. We performed a case-control study in six Chinese provinces during January 2012 through June 2013 to identify risk factors for measles infection among children aged 0-7 months.

Methods: Children with laboratory-confirmed measles were neighborhood matched with three controls.

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Introduction: Endemic measles persists in China, despite >95% reported coverage of two measles-containing vaccine doses and nationwide campaign that vaccinated more than 100 million children in 2010. In 2011, almost half of the 9943 measles cases in China occurred in children eligible for measles vaccination. We conducted a case-control study during 2012-2013 to identify risk factors for measles infection in children aged 8 months-14 years.

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To assess different methods for determining cause of death from verbal autopsy (VA) questionnaire data, the intra-rater reliability of Physician-Certified Verbal Autopsy (PCVA) and the accuracy of PCVA, expert-derived (non-hierarchical) and data-driven (hierarchal) algorithms were assessed for determining common causes of death in Ugandan children. A verbal autopsy validation study was conducted from 2008-2009 in three different sites in Uganda. The dataset included 104 neonatal deaths (0-27 days) and 615 childhood deaths (1-59 months) with the cause(s) of death classified by PCVA and physician review of hospital medical records (the 'reference standard').

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Background: To develop a successful model for accelerating measles elimination in poor areas of China, we initiated a seven-year project in Guizhou, one of the poorest provinces, with reported highest measles incidence of 360 per million population in 2002.

Methods: Project strategies consisted of strengthening routine immunization services, enforcement of school entry immunization requirements at kindergarten and school, conducting supplemental measles immunization activities (SIAs), and enhancing measles surveillance. We measured coverage of measles containing vaccines (MCV) by administrative reporting and population-based sample surveys, systematic random sampling surveys, and convenience sampling surveys for routine immunization services, school entry immunization, and SIAs respectively.

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Background: Verbal autopsy (VA) procedures can be used to estimate cause of death in settings with inadequate vital registries. However, the sensitivity of VA for determining malaria-specific mortality may be low, and may vary with transmission intensity. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of VA procedures as compared to hospital medical records for determining cause of death in children under five in three different malaria transmission settings in Uganda, including Tororo (high), Kampala (medium), and Kisoro (low).

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  • This analysis examined comprehensive epidemiologic and virologic surveillance data for H1N1pdm patients in five Southern Hemisphere countries from April 2009 to January 2010, focusing on Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and South Africa.
  • The study found that H1N1pdm quickly became the dominant influenza strain, with a marked increase in influenza-like illness (ILI) activity compared to previous seasons, particularly affecting younger populations under 5 years old.
  • The findings highlight the challenges in tracking the pandemic effectively and emphasize the need for better routine surveillance and standardized reporting methods across countries.
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A single round of indoor residual spraying (IRS) using lambda-cyhalothrin was implemented in a district of Uganda with moderate transmission intensity in 2007. Individual patient data were collected from one health facility within the district 8 months before and 16 months after IRS. There was a consistent decrease in the proportion of patients diagnosed with clinical malaria after IRS for patients < 5 and > 5 years of age (52% versus 26%, P < 0.

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Malaria case management in Africa is characterized by presumptive treatment and substantial overtreatment. We evaluated an integrated team-based training program on malaria case management. Surveillance data 120 days before and after training were compared at eight health facilities in Uganda.

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  • The National Smallpox Vaccination Program aimed to vaccinate healthcare workers and first responders against smallpox in case of an attack.
  • In a study of 477 respondents in California, only 106 were vaccinated, with the main motivation for vaccination being a desire to join a response team (74%), while unvaccinated individuals cited low risk perception (25%) and side effect concerns (19%).
  • Factors influencing vaccination included previous smallpox vaccination history, attitudes towards vaccine side effects, employer reimbursement policies, perceived compensation for adverse events, and demographic differences, notably lower vaccination rates among Black individuals compared to White individuals.
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Background: The goal of the National Smallpox Vaccination Program was to vaccinate a cadre of healthcare workers and first responders who could care for smallpox patients in the event of an attack.

Methods: Using a convenience sample of health departments (n=49) and hospitals (n=60) in five states, we conducted a telephone interview between July 2003 and April 2004 of healthcare workers and first responders who chose not to receive smallpox vaccination. (Data were analyzed in 2004 and 2005.

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To estimate long-term poliovaccine virus persistence among immunodeficient patients with vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (iVAPP), cases reported in the United States during 1975-1997 were reviewed, with subsequent follow-up and virological testing. Six (16.2%) of 37 subjects excreted poliovaccine viruses for > or =6 months.

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Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners are collaborating to eradicate poliomyelitis. To monitor progress, countries perform surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). The WHO African Regional Office (WHO-AFRO) and the U.

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