Political transition and emergent forest-conservation issues in Myanmar.

Political and economic transitions have had substantial impacts on forest conservation. Where transitions are underway or anticipated, historical precedent and methods for systematically assessing future trends should be used to anticipate likely threats to forest conservation and design appropriate and prescient policy measures to counteract them. Myanmar is transitioning from an authoritarian, centralized state with a highly regulated economy to a more decentralized and economically liberal democracy and is working to end a long-running civil war.

Two-dose varicella vaccine effectiveness and rash severity in outbreaks of varicella among public school students.

Background: Universal 2-dose varicella vaccination was recommended in 2006 to further reduce varicella disease burden. This study examined 2-dose varicella vaccine effectiveness (VE) and rash severity in the setting of school-associated varicella outbreaks.

Methods: A case control study was conducted from January 2010 to May 2011 in all West Virginia public schools.

Outbreak of Tsukamurella species bloodstream infection among patients at an oncology clinic, West Virginia, 2011-2012.

Objective: To determine the source and identify control measures of an outbreak of Tsukamurella species bloodstream infections at an outpatient oncology facility.

Design: Epidemiologic investigation of the outbreak with a case-control study.

Methods: A case was an infection in which Tsukamurella species was isolated from a blood or catheter tip culture during the period January 2011 through June 2012 from a patient of the oncology clinic.

Dual resistance to adamantanes and oseltamivir among seasonal influenza A(H1N1) viruses: 2008-2010.

Two distinct genetic clades of seasonal influenza A(H1N1) viruses have cocirculated in the recent seasons: clade 2B oseltamivir-resistant and adamantane-susceptible viruses, and clade 2C viruses that are resistant to adamantanes and susceptible to oseltamivir. We tested seasonal influenza A(H1N1) viruses collected in 2008-2010 from the United States and globally for resistance to antivirals approved by the Food and Drug Administration. We report 28 viruses with both adamantane and oseltamivir (dual) resistance from 5 countries belonging to 4 distinct genotypes.

Health effects associated with indoor swimming pools: a suspected toxic chloramine exposure.

Objectives: A cohort and environmental study tested the hypothesis that suspected exposure to chloramines (by-products of chlorine for disinfection and ammonia from human sources) from a hotel's indoor swimming pool was associated with an outbreak among children who had attended a party at the pool.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: A case was defined as any hotel guest/visitor on 5-6 October 2002 who experienced three or more symptoms typical of chloramine exposure on either day after visiting the hotel.