An epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV) illness that occurred in July 2007 on Yap Island in the Federated States of Micronesia prompted entomological studies to identify both the primary vector(s) involved in transmission and the ecological parameters contributing to the outbreak. Larval and pupal surveys were performed to identify the major containers serving as oviposition habitat for the likely vector(s). Adult mosquitoes were also collected by backpack aspiration, light trap, and gravid traps at select sites around the capital city.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine is recommended for travelers to Asia whose itineraries increase their risk of exposure to JE virus. The numbers of travelers with such itineraries and the proportion of those who receive JE vaccine are unknown. We performed a survey to estimate the proportion of US travelers to Asia who receive JE vaccine according to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA cornerstone of effective disease surveillance programs comprises the early identification of infectious threats and the subsequent rapid response to prevent further spread. Effectively identifying, tracking and responding to these threats is often difficult and requires international cooperation due to the rapidity with which diseases cross national borders and spread throughout the global community as a result of travel and migration by humans and animals. From Oct.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJapanese encephalitis (JE) is recognized as an important public health problem in Vietnam. A JE immunization program was introduced in 1997 in high-risk districts and expanded to additional districts over subsequent years. We reviewed national acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) surveillance data for 1998-2007 and analyzed more detailed data regarding JE from five northern provinces in 2004 and 2005.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo assess household transmission of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in San Antonio, Texas, USA, during April 15-May 8, 2009, we investigated 77 households. The index case-patient was defined as the household member with the earliest onset date of symptoms of acute respiratory infection (ARI), influenza-like illness (ILI), or laboratory-confirmed pandemic (H1N1) 2009. Median interval between illness onset in index and secondary case-patients was 4 days (range 1-9 days); the index case-patient was likely to be < or =18 years of age (p = 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The U.S. Air Force Academy is an undergraduate institution that educates and trains cadets for military service.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In 2007, physicians on Yap Island reported an outbreak of illness characterized by rash, conjunctivitis, and arthralgia. Although serum from some patients had IgM antibody against dengue virus, the illness seemed clinically distinct from previously detected dengue. Subsequent testing with the use of consensus primers detected Zika virus RNA in the serum of the patients but no dengue virus or other arboviral RNA.
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