The Central Role of the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance Program in Supporting Force Health Protection.

The Global Emerging Infections Surveillance (GEIS) program is the only Department of Defense (DoD) organization that coordinates global surveillance for emerging infectious diseases that affect US military forces operating in the United States or foreign locations. Since 1997, the GEIS program has focused on surveilling pathogens likely to affect military operations and the health of service members. The foundation of the GEIS program is the long-standing, mutually beneficial relationships between the DoD overseas laboratories and their host-country partners and militaries.

Global Emerging Infections Surveillance Program Contributions to Pandemic Preparedness and Response.

Since its establishment in 1997, the US Department of Defense (DoD) Global Emerging Infections Surveillance (GEIS) program has provided support for infectious disease pandemic preparedness and response. The GEIS program has shown the value of having a central hub responsible for coordinating a global network of DoD laboratories that conduct surveillance for militarily relevant infectious disease threats. The program has supported the establishment and maintenance of capabilities for collecting, characterizing, and reporting on major infectious disease events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and mpox outbreak.

An Outbreak of Covid-19 on an Aircraft Carrier.

Background: An outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) occurred on the U.S.S.

Tracking Antimicrobial Resistance Determinants in Diarrheal Pathogens: A Cross-Institutional Pilot Study.

Infectious diarrhea affects over four billion individuals annually and causes over a million deaths each year. Though not typically prescribed for treatment of uncomplicated diarrheal disease, antimicrobials serve as a critical part of the armamentarium used to treat severe or persistent cases. Due to widespread over- and misuse of antimicrobials, there has been an alarming increase in global resistance, for which a standardized methodology for geographic surveillance would be highly beneficial.

Validation of the T86I mutation in the gyrA gene as a highly reliable real time PCR target to detect Fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter jejuni.

Background: Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of bacterial diarrhea worldwide, and increasing rates of fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance in C. jejuni are a major public health concern. The rapid detection and tracking of FQ resistance are critical needs in developing countries, as these antimicrobials are widely used against C.

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for and Infection in Four Ecologically Distinct Regions of Peru.

and spp. are under-recognized causes of acute febrile disease worldwide. species are often placed into the spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) and typhus group rickettsiae (TGR).

Evaluation of the GeneXpert MTB/RIF in patients with presumptive tuberculous meningitis.

Background: Meningitis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We evaluated the performance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing with the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay versus traditional approaches for diagnosing tuberculosis meningitis (TBM).

Methods: Patients were adults (n = 37) presenting with suspected TBM to the Hospital Nacional Dos de Mayo, Lima, Peru, during 12 months until 1st January 2015.

Serotype Distribution of Clinical Isolates before the Introduction of the 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in Cambodia.

Childhood vaccination with the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) was introduced in Cambodia in January 2015. Baseline data regarding circulating serotypes are scarce. All microbiology laboratories in Cambodia were contacted for identification of stored isolates of from clinical specimens taken before the introduction of PCV13.

Use of Bibliometric Analysis to Assess the Scientific Productivity and Impact of the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System Program, 2006-2012.

Background: Scientific publication in academic literature is a key venue in which the U.S. Department of Defense's Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (GEIS) program disseminates infectious disease surveillance data.

Burden of Influenza in 4 Ecologically Distinct Regions of Peru: Household Active Surveillance of a Community Cohort, 2009-2015.

Background: There are limited data on the burden of disease posed by influenza in low- and middle-income countries. Furthermore, most estimates of influenza disease burden worldwide rely on passive sentinel surveillance at health clinics and hospitals that lack accurate population denominators.

Methods: We documented influenza incidence, seasonality, health-system utilization with influenza illness, and vaccination coverage through active community-based surveillance in 4 ecologically distinct regions of Peru over 6 years.

Incidence of Norovirus-Associated Diarrhea and Vomiting Disease Among Children and Adults in a Community Cohort in the Peruvian Amazon Basin.

Background: Data on norovirus epidemiology among all ages in community settings are scarce, especially from tropical settings.

Methods: We implemented active surveillance in 297 households in Peru from October 2012 to August 2015 to assess the burden of diarrhea and acute gastroenteritis (AGE) due to norovirus in a lower-middle-income community. During period 1 (October 2012-May 2013), we used a "traditional" diarrhea case definition (≥3 loose/liquid stools within 24 hours).

Whole-Genome Analysis of Bartonella ancashensis, a Novel Pathogen Causing Verruga Peruana, Rural Ancash Region, Peru.

The genus Bartonella contains >40 species, and an increasing number of these Bartonella species are being implicated in human disease. One such pathogen is Bartonella ancashensis, which was isolated in blood samples from 2 patients living in Caraz, Peru, during a clinical trial of treatment for bartonellosis. Three B.

Complete Genome Sequences of Five Zika Virus Isolates.

Zika virus is an emerging human pathogen of great concern due to putative links to microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome. Here, we report the complete genomes, including the 5' and 3' untranslated regions, of five Zika virus isolates, one from the Asian lineage and four from the African lineage.

The Genetic Diversity of Influenza A Viruses in Wild Birds in Peru.

Our understanding of the global ecology of avian influenza A viruses (AIVs) is impeded by historically low levels of viral surveillance in Latin America. Through sampling and whole-genome sequencing of 31 AIVs from wild birds in Peru, we identified 10 HA subtypes (H1-H4, H6-H7, H10-H13) and 8 NA subtypes (N1-N3, N5-N9). The majority of Peruvian AIVs were closely related to AIVs found in North America.

Full Genomic Characterization of a Saffold Virus Isolated in Peru.

While studying respiratory infections of unknown etiology we detected Saffold virus in an oropharyngeal swab collected from a two-year-old female suffering from diarrhea and respiratory illness. The full viral genome recovered by deep sequencing showed 98% identity to a previously described Saffold strain isolated in Japan. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the Peruvian Saffold strain belongs to genotype 3 and is most closely related to strains that have circulated in Asia.

A population-based estimate of the economic burden of influenza in Peru, 2009-2010.

Introduction: Influenza disease burden and economic impact data are needed to assess the potential value of interventions. Such information is limited from resource-limited settings. We therefore studied the cost of influenza in Peru.

Complete Genome Sequence of Bartonella ancashensis Strain 20.00, Isolated from the Blood of a Patient with Verruga Peruana.

Here we present the complete genome sequence of Bartonella ancashensis strain 20.00, isolated from the blood of a Peruvian patient with verruga peruana, known as Carrion's disease. Bartonella ancashensis is a Gram-negative bacillus, phylogenetically most similar to Bartonella bacilliformis, the causative agent of Oroya fever and verruga peruana.

Wide distribution and ancient evolutionary history of simian foamy viruses in New World primates.

Background: Although simian foamy viruses (SFV) are the only exogenous retroviruses to infect New World monkeys (NWMs), little is known about their evolutionary history and epidemiology. Previous reports show distinct SFVs among NWMs but were limited to small numbers of captive or wild monkeys from five (Cebus, Saimiri, Ateles, Alouatta, and Callithrix) of the 15 NWM genera. Other studies also used only PCR testing or serological assays with limited validation and may have missed infection in some species.

Description of Bartonella ancashensis sp. nov., isolated from the blood of two patients with verruga peruana.

Three novel isolates of the genus Bartonella were recovered from the blood of two patients enrolled in a clinical trial for the treatment of chronic stage Bartonella bacilliformis infection (verruga peruana) in Caraz, Ancash, Peru. The isolates were initially characterized by sequencing a fragment of the gltA gene, and found to be disparate from B. bacilliformis.

Phylogeography of Influenza A(H3N2) Virus in Peru, 2010-2012.

It remains unclear whether lineages of influenza A(H3N2) virus can persist in the tropics and seed temperate areas. We used viral gene sequence data sampled from Peru to test this source-sink model for a Latin American country. Viruses were obtained during 2010-2012 from influenza surveillance cohorts in Cusco, Tumbes, Puerto Maldonado, and Lima.

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex in New World Monkeys in Peru.

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex causes tuberculosis in humans and nonhuman primates and is a global public health concern. Standard diagnostics rely upon host immune responses to detect infection in nonhuman primates and lack sensitivity and specificity across the spectrum of mycobacterial infection in these species. We have previously shown that the Oral Swab PCR (OSP) assay, a direct pathogen detection method, can identify the presence of M.