Publications by authors named "R Sowadsky"

We investigated a large multistate outbreak that occurred in the United States in 2015-2016. Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback studies were conducted to determine the source of the infections. We identified 907 case-patients from 40 states with illness onset dates ranging from July 3, 2015 to March 2, 2016.

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Tickborne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a zoonosis caused by spirochetes of the genus Borrelia and transmitted to humans by ticks of the genus Ornithodoros. TBRF is endemic in the western United States, predominately in mountainous regions. Clinical illness is characterized by recurrent bouts of fever, headache, and malaise.

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Background: In May, 2013, an outbreak of symptomatic hepatitis A virus infections occurred in the USA. Federal, state, and local public health officials investigated the cause of the outbreak and instituted actions to control its spread. We investigated the source of the outbreak and assessed the public health measures used.

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Fungal endophthalmitis is a rare but serious infection. In March 2012, several cases of probable and laboratory-confirmed fungal endophthalmitis occurring after invasive ocular procedures were reported nationwide. We identified 47 cases in 9 states: 21 patients had been exposed to the intraocular dye Brilliant Blue G (BBG) during retinal surgery, and the other 26 had received an intravitreal injection containing triamcinolone acetonide.

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Article Synopsis
  • An outbreak of 396 Salmonella enterica serotype I 4,5,12:i:- infections was investigated, but initial hypotheses failed to pinpoint a source after 7 weeks of interviews.
  • A revised case-control study eventually linked brand A frozen pot pies, specifically the turkey variety, to the outbreak, revealing issues with unclear preparation instructions on the packaging.
  • Following the findings, the manufacturer issued a recall and updated cooking instructions, emphasizing the importance of proper food preparation to prevent similar health risks in the future.
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