Publications by authors named "Michelle Feist"
Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a multisystem disease caused by spirochetes in the Borrelia burgdorferisensu lato (Bbsl) genospecies complex. We previously described a novel Bbsl genospecies (type strain MN14-1420T) that causes LB among patients with exposures to ticks in the upper midwestern USA. Patients infected with the novel Bbsl genospecies demonstrated higher levels of spirochetemia and somewhat differing clinical symptoms as compared with those infected with other Bbsl genospecies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Lyme borreliosis, primarily caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies, is the most prevalent tick-borne illness in the northern hemisphere, affecting multiple body systems with low spirochaetaemia.
- This study, conducted at the Mayo Clinic between 2003 and 2014, involved testing clinical specimens and identifying a novel Borrelia species through atypical PCR results and tick analysis.
- The findings revealed six patients with atypical PCR profiles indicating a new genospecies, which was also found in local ticks, highlighting potential new implications for Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment in the USA.
Article Synopsis
- * Most affected individuals were older males (median age 63), with common symptoms including fever, malaise, and low platelet counts, all having a history of tick exposure.
- * A significant portion of patients (23%) required hospitalization, but all recovered, and nearly all were treated with doxycycline, highlighting the importance of recognizing EML infections in tick-exposed individuals in the region.
Background: Since the introduction of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) to the USA in 2009, the Influenza Incidence Surveillance Project has monitored the burden of influenza in the outpatient setting through population-based surveillance.
Methods: From Oct 1, 2009, to July 31, 2013, outpatient clinics representing 13 health jurisdictions in the USA reported counts of influenza-like illness (fever including cough or sore throat) and all patient visits by age. During four years, staff at 104 unique clinics (range 35-64 per year) with a combined median population of 368,559 (IQR 352,595-428,286) attended 35,663 patients with influenza-like illness and collected 13,925 respiratory specimens.
Background: The Influenza Incidence Surveillance Project (IISP) monitored outpatient acute respiratory infection (ARI; defined as the presence of ≥ 2 respiratory symptoms not meeting ILI criteria) and influenza-like illness (ILI) to determine the incidence and contribution of associated viral etiologies.
Methods: From August 2010 through July 2011, 57 outpatient healthcare providers in 12 US sites reported weekly the number of visits for ILI and ARI and collected respiratory specimens on a subset for viral testing. The incidence was estimated using the number of patients in the practice as the denominator, and the virus-specific incidence of clinic visits was extrapolated from the proportion of patients testing positive.
Estimating influenza incidence and rates of influenza-like illness in the outpatient setting.
Influenza Other Respir Viruses
September 2013
Background: Estimating influenza incidence in outpatient settings is challenging. We used outpatient healthcare practice populations as a proxy to estimate community incidence of influenza-like illness (ILI) and laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated ILI.
Methods: From October 2009 to July 2010, 38 outpatient practices in seven jurisdictions conducted surveillance for ILI (fever with cough or sore throat for patients ≥ 2 years; fever with ≥ 1 respiratory symptom for patients <2 years).
Objectives: West Nile virus (WNV) continues to cause seasonal epidemics of neuroinvasive disease and febrile illness, which have been most dramatic in the central plains states. We studied the epidemiology of WNV disease in North Dakota (ND), a highly epidemic state, six years following its first appearance in the state.
Methods: We analyzed information from cases of WNV disease reported to the ND Department of Health during August 2002 through December 2007.