Publications by authors named "Marie E Killerby"

Electronic medical records (EMRs) are important for rapidly compiling information to determine disease characteristics (eg, symptoms) and risk factors (eg, underlying comorbidities, medications) for disease-related outcomes. To assess EMR data accuracy, agreement between EMR abstractions and patient interviews was evaluated. Symptoms, medical history, and medication use among patients with COVID-19 collected from EMRs and patient interviews were compared using overall agreement (ie, same answer in EMR and interview), reported agreement (yes answer in both EMR and interview among those who reported yes in either), and κ statistics.

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  • Mitigation behaviors are crucial in preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, and this study examined behaviors linked to secondary transmission within households of confirmed cases.
  • In California and Colorado, researchers conducted interviews from January to April 2021, gathering data on self-reported behaviors, individual demographics, and household characteristics related to infection transmission.
  • Results indicated that 43.3% of household contacts became infected; key risk factors included sleeping in the same bedroom and eating food prepared by the infected individual, with household size and relationship type influencing these behaviors.
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The 4 common types of human coronaviruses (HCoVs)-2 alpha (HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-229E) and 2 beta (HCoV-HKU1 and HCoV-OC43)-generally cause mild upper respiratory illness. Seasonal patterns and annual variation in predominant types of HCoVs are known, but parameters of expected seasonality have not been defined. We defined seasonality of HCoVs during July 2014-November 2021 in the United States by using a retrospective method applied to National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System data.

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  • The study looked at serum samples from people living with SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals, comparing those who developed antibodies to those who did not.
  • Researchers found that having antibodies from human coronaviruses did not prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection.
  • However, higher levels of common betacoronavirus antibodies were linked to seroconversion in individuals with mild to moderate SARS-CoV-2 illness.
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  • COVID-19 vaccination provides reduced infection and transmission rates, particularly in high-transmission environments like households during outbreaks of the B.1.1.7 (Alpha) variant.
  • A study in San Diego and Denver during early 2021 examined 493 individuals from households with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections, revealing that vaccinated individuals had significantly lower infection risks compared to their unvaccinated counterparts.
  • Results showed that unvaccinated household contacts had a 49% infection rate, while vaccinated contacts had only a 23% infection rate, demonstrating the effectiveness of vaccination in preventing household transmission.
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  • A study was conducted to assess the accuracy of home antigen tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 during a patient's infection in comparison to RT-PCR tests and viral cultures.
  • Researchers evaluated 225 participants with confirmed infections from January to May 2021, focusing on daily test performance over a 15-day period.
  • Results showed that antigen tests had a sensitivity of 50% during the infectious period, peaking at 77% four days after illness onset, indicating they are less reliable than RT-PCR but still useful in certain timeframes.
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We quantify antibody and memory B-cell responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 at 6 and 12 months postinfection among 7 unvaccinated US coronavirus disease 2019 cases. All had detectable S-specific memory B cells and immunoglobulin G at both time points, with geometric mean titers of 117.2 BAU/mL and 84.

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Background: Serial severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing has been implemented at institutions of higher education (IHEs) and other settings. Testing strategies can include algorithms specifying confirmatory reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing after an antigen test. It is unknown how testing strategies perform detecting SARS-CoV-2, including individual adherence to serial testing requirements.

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We describe characteristics associated with having coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among students residing on a university campus. Of 2,187 students, 528 (24.1%) received a COVID-19 diagnosis during fall semester 2020.

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University settings have demonstrated potential for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks; they combine congregate living, substantial social activity, and a young population predisposed to mild illness. Using genomic and epidemiologic data, we describe a COVID-19 outbreak at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. During August-October 2020, a total of 3,485 students, including 856/6,162 students living in dormitories, tested positive.

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  • - The study aims to identify risk factors for hospitalization due to COVID-19 by using patient questionnaires and medical record analysis, addressing gaps in previous research based on electronic health records.
  • - Out of 600 selected COVID-19 cases from Colorado, 364 patients participated, revealing that factors like chronic respiratory issues, opioid use, metabolic syndrome, obesity, older age, hypertension, arrhythmia, and male sex significantly increase the odds of hospitalization.
  • - The findings provide insights into patient characteristics and conditions that contribute to hospitalization, which can help improve clinical management and prioritize public health resources.
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We characterized common exposures reported by a convenience sample of 202 US patients with coronavirus disease during January-April 2020 and identified factors associated with presumed household transmission. The most commonly reported settings of known exposure were households and healthcare facilities; among case-patients who had known contact with a confirmed case-patient compared with those who did not, healthcare occupations were more common. Among case-patients without known contact, use of public transportation was more common.

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Background: Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) and antigen tests are important diagnostics for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Sensitivity of antigen tests has been shown to be lower than that of rRT-PCR; however, data to evaluate epidemiologic characteristics that affect test performance are limited.

Methods: Paired mid-turbinate nasal swabs were collected from university students and staff and tested for SARS-CoV-2 using both Quidel Sofia SARS Antigen Fluorescent Immunoassay (FIA) and rRT-PCR assay.

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We compared the characteristics of hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients who had coronavirus disease in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. We found that risk for hospitalization increased with a patient's age and number of concurrent conditions. We also found a potential association between hospitalization and high hemoglobin A1c levels in persons with diabetes.

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We aimed to characterize presence of culturable virus in clinical specimens during acute illness, and antibody kinetics up to 6 months after symptom onset, among 14 early patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in the United States. We isolated viable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 from real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction-positive respiratory specimens collected during days 0-8 after onset, but not after. All 13 patients with 2 or more serum specimens developed anti-spike antibodies; 12 developed detectable neutralizing antibodies.

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To improve recognition of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and inform clinical and public health guidance, we randomly selected 600 COVID-19 case-patients in Colorado. A telephone questionnaire captured symptoms experienced, when symptoms occurred, and how long each lasted. Among 128 hospitalized patients, commonly reported symptoms included fever (84%), fatigue (83%), cough (73%), and dyspnea (72%).

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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first detected in the United States in January 2020 (1), and by mid-July, approximately 3.4 million cases had been reported in the United States (2). Information about symptoms among U.

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  • - A study was conducted on 195 evacuees returning from Wuhan, China, in January 2020, to assess their exposure to SARS-CoV-2 following their quarantine.
  • - Nearly all evacuees had taken preventive measures and none had detectable SARS-CoV-2 in their respiratory samples, indicating no asymptomatic shedding among them.
  • - Only one evacuee tested positive for antibodies despite no symptoms or reported high-risk exposures, suggesting that this group posed a low risk of bringing the virus to the U.S.
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On March 26, 2020, Colorado instituted stay-at-home orders to reduce community transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To inform public health messaging and measures that could be used after reopening, persons with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 during March 9-26 from nine Colorado counties comprising approximately 80% of the state's population (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld) were asked about possible exposures to SARS-CoV-2 before implementation of stay-at-home orders. Among 1,738 persons meeting the inclusion criteria in the Colorado Electronic Disease Surveillance System, 600 were randomly selected and interviewed using a standardized questionnaire by telephone.

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  • * High hospitalization rates for COVID-19 are particularly seen in older adults, black individuals, and those with underlying health issues like diabetes and obesity.
  • * A study in Atlanta identified key risk factors for hospitalization, including age, race, pre-existing conditions, and factors like lack of insurance; preventive measures and support for high-risk groups are crucial.
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Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection causes a spectrum of respiratory illness, from asymptomatic to mild to fatal. MERS-CoV is transmitted sporadically from dromedary camels to humans and occasionally through human-to-human contact. Current epidemiologic evidence supports a major role in transmission for direct contact with live camels or humans with symptomatic MERS, but little evidence suggests the possibility of transmission from camel products or asymptomatic MERS cases.

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Background: Human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs) cause upper and lower respiratory tract illnesses, most frequently among infants and young children, but also in the elderly. While seasonal patterns of HPIV types 1-3 have been described, less is known about national patterns of HPIV-4 circulation.

Objectives: To describe patterns of HPIVs circulation in the United States (US).

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