Risk factors for Ebola virus disease among household care providers, Sierra Leone, 2015.

Background: Household contacts who provide care to an Ebola virus disease (EVD) case have a 3-fold higher risk of EVD compared with contacts who do not provide care.

Methods: We enrolled persons with confirmed EVD from December 2014 to April 2015 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and their household contacts. Index cases and contacts were interviewed, and contacts were followed for 21 days to identify secondary cases.

Scalable method for bio-based solid foams that mimic wood.

Mimicking natural structures allows the exploitation of proven design concepts for advanced material solutions. Here, our inspiration comes from the anisotropic closed cell structure of wood. The bubbles in our fiber reinforced foam are elongated using temperature dependent viscosity of methylcellulose and constricted drying.

Performance of GeneXpert MTB/RIF for Diagnosing Tuberculosis Among Symptomatic Household Contacts of Index Patients in South Africa.

Background: We describe the performance of GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) among symptomatic household contacts (HHCs) of rifampicin-resistant and drug-sensitive index cases.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among HHCs of recently diagnosed (<2 weeks) smear-positive and Xpert-positive index cases in the Bojanala District, South Africa. The HHCs were screened for TB symptoms; persons with ≥1 TB symptom provided 1 sputum for smear microscopy, Xpert, and mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT) culture.

Treatment success for patients with tuberculosis receiving care in areas severely affected by Hurricane Matthew - Haiti, 2016.

Background: On October 4, 2016, Hurricane Matthew struck southwest Haiti as a category 4 storm. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of the hurricane on tuberculosis (TB) services and patient outcomes in the three severely affected departments-Sud, Grand'Anse, and Nippes-of southwest Haiti.

Methods: We developed a standard questionnaire to assess a convenience sample of health facilities in the affected areas, a patient tracking form, and a line list for tracking all patients with drug-susceptible TB registered in care six months before the hurricane.

Predictive value of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-10 for tuberculosis among recently exposed contacts in the United States and Canada.

Background: We examined cytokine immune response profiles among contacts to tuberculosis patients to identify immunologic and epidemiologic correlates of tuberculosis.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 1272 contacts of culture-confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis patients at 9 United States and Canadian sites. Epidemiologic characteristics were recorded.

Tuberculosis disease and infection among household contacts of bacteriologically confirmed and non-confirmed tuberculosis patients.

Objective: To compare the prevalence of tuberculosis infection and disease in household contacts of patients with bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis disease and contacts of non-bacteriologically confirmed disease in western Kenya.

Methods: We enrolled newly diagnosed index patients and their household contacts from March 2014 to June 2016. All contacts were evaluated with a symptom questionnaire, tuberculin skin test (TST) and HIV test.

Duration of Exposure Among Close Contacts of Patients With Infectious Tuberculosis and Risk of Latent Tuberculosis Infection.

Background: Predictors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among close contacts of persons with infectious tuberculosis (TB) are incompletely understood, particularly the number of exposure hours.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled adult patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB and their close contacts at 9 health departments in the United States and Canada. Patients with TB were interviewed and close contacts were interviewed and screened for TB and LTBI during contact investigations.

Ebola Patient Virus Cycle Threshold and Risk of Household Transmission of Ebola Virus.

Background: Identifying risk factors for household transmission of Ebola virus (EBOV) is important to guide preventive measures during Ebola outbreaks.

Methods: We enrolled all confirmed persons with EBOV disease who were the first case patient in a household from December 2014 to April 2015 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and their household contacts. Index patients and contacts were interviewed, and contacts were followed up for 21 days to identify secondary cases.

Risk Factors for Tuberculosis and Effect of Preventive Therapy Among Close Contacts of Persons With Infectious Tuberculosis.

Background: Close contacts of persons with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) have high rates of TB disease.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled TB patients and their close contacts at 9 US/Canadian sites. TB patients and contacts were interviewed to identify index patient, contact, and exposure risk factors for TB.

Introduction of Ebola virus into a remote border district of Sierra Leone, 2014: use of field epidemiology and RNA sequencing to describe chains of transmission.

In early October 2014, 7 months after the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic in West Africa began, a cluster of reported deaths in Koinadugu, a remote district of Sierra Leone, was the first evidence of Ebola virus disease (Ebola) in the district. Prior to this event, geographic isolation was thought to have prevented the introduction of Ebola to this area. We describe our initial investigation of this cluster of deaths and subsequent public health actions after Ebola was confirmed, and present challenges to our investigation and methods of overcoming them.

Risk and Timing of Tuberculosis Among Close Contacts of Persons with Infectious Tuberculosis.

Background: The risk and timing of tuberculosis among recently exposed close contacts of patients with infectious tuberculosis are not well established.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients ≥15 years of age with culture-confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis and their close contacts at 9 health departments in the United States and Canada. Close contacts were screened and cross-matched with tuberculosis registries to identify those who developed tuberculosis.

Household Transmission of Ebola Virus: Risks and Preventive Factors, Freetown, Sierra Leone, 2015.

Background: Knowing risk factors for household transmission of Ebola virus is important to guide preventive measures during Ebola outbreaks.

Methods: We enrolled all confirmed persons with Ebola who were the first case in a household, December 2014-April 2015, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and their household contacts. Cases and contacts were interviewed, contacts followed prospectively through the 21-day incubation period, and secondary cases confirmed by laboratory testing.

HIV counseling and testing in tuberculosis contact investigations in the United States and Canada.

Background: Determining the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status of tuberculosis (TB) patients and contacts is important. Despite existing guidelines, not all patients are tested, and testing of contacts is rarely performed.

Methods: In a study conducted at nine US/Canadian sites, we introduced formal procedures for offering HIV testing to TB patients and contacts.

Risk factors for treatment default in close contacts with latent tuberculous infection.

Objective: 1) To characterize risk factors for non-completion of latent tuberculous infection treatment (LTBIT), and 2) to assess the impact of LTBIT regimens on subsequent risk of tuberculosis (TB).

Methods: Close contacts of adults aged ⩾15 years with pulmonary TB were prospectively enrolled in a multi-center study in the United States and Canada from January 2002 to December 2006. Close contacts of TB patients were screened and cross-matched with TB registries to identify those who developed active TB.

Prevalence in the United States of selected candidate gene variants: Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1991-1994.

Population-based allele frequencies and genotype prevalence are important for measuring the contribution of genetic variation to human disease susceptibility, progression, and outcomes. Population-based prevalence estimates also provide the basis for epidemiologic studies of gene-disease associations, for estimating population attributable risk, and for informing health policy and clinical and public health practice. However, such prevalence estimates for genotypes important to public health remain undetermined for the major racial and ethnic groups in the US population.

Results of testing for human immunodeficiency virus infection among recent contacts of infectious tuberculosis cases in the United States.

Context: Persons with recently acquired latent tuberculosis (TB) infection and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection are at high risk of rapid progression to TB disease.

Objectives: To determine the proportion of close contacts of infectious TB patients tested for HIV, and the results of HIV testing for this group.

Design, Setting And Subjects: Review of health department records for all close contacts of 349 patients with culture-positive pulmonary TB aged 15 years or older reported from five study areas in the United States in 1996.

Workplace contact investigations in the United States.

Setting: Five state tuberculosis (TB) control programs in the United States.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of and treatment for latent TB infection (LTBI) among contacts of active TB cases identified in the workplace, and to describe TB control program policies for the initiation and conduct of workplace investigations.

Design: Retrospective review of health department records for all culture-positive pulmonary tuberculosis cases aged > or = 15 years reported in 1996, and their contacts.

Outcomes of contact investigation among homeless persons with infectious tuberculosis.

Setting: Homelessness is an important risk factor for tuberculosis (TB). Health departments often fail to identify contacts for homeless TB cases, but little else is known about the outcome of contact investigations for these cases.

Objective: To describe the outcomes of identification, tuberculin skin testing (TST), clinical evaluation and treatment for contacts of infectious homeless TB cases.

Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in contacts of new tuberculosis cases in the United States.

Background: Few data are available describing treatment completion rates among recently infected contacts of tuberculosis (TB) cases, a group at high risk for development of active TB.

Methods: Health department records were reviewed for all contacts of 360 culture-positive pulmonary TB cases reported from five health departments in the United States in 1996.

Results: Of 2,267 contacts who completed screening, 630 (28%) had newly documented positive skin tests (121 with skin test conversion).

Evaluation of investigations conducted to detect and prevent transmission of tuberculosis.

Context: Contact investigations are routinely conducted by health departments throughout the United States for all cases of active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) to identify secondary cases of active TB and latent TB infection and to initiate therapy as needed in these contacts. Little is known about the actual procedures followed, or the results.

Objectives: To evaluate contact investigations conducted by US health departments and the outcomes of these investigations.