The impact of adulticide applications on mosquito density in Chicago, 2005.

The city of Chicago used ground ultra-low volume treatments of sumithrin (ANVIL 10+10) in areas with high West Nile virus infection rates among Culex mosquitoes. Two sequential treatments in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports wk 31 and 32 decreased mean mosquito density by 54% from 2.5 to 1.

Clinical characteristics and functional outcomes of West Nile Fever.

Background: West Nile fever, considered a nonsevere manifestation of West Nile virus infection, has not been clinically well described in the United States. In 2002, Illinois had 884 documented cases of West Nile virus infection with 66 associated deaths.

Objective: To describe the symptoms and functional outcomes of West Nile fever.

Intensive investigation of bacterial foodborne disease outbreaks: proposed guidelines and tools for the collection of dose-response data by local health departments.

Local health departments that investigate foodborne disease outbreaks do not have adequate guidelines for collecting data that could be used to estimate dose-response relationships, a key component of hazard characterization in quantitative microbial risk assessment. To meet this need, criteria and a questionnaire template for the collection of appropriate dose-response data in the context of outbreaks were developed and applied in the investigation of a point-source outbreak linked to Salmonella serotype Enteritidis in a salmon entrée in February 2000. In this outbreak, the attack rate and risk of hospitalization increased with the amount of salmon entrée consumed, and detailed data were obtained on illness severity measures and host susceptibility factors.

Underimmunization in Chicago children who dropped out of WIC.

Background: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) serves a large proportion of Chicago infants, but some discontinue participation before age 1 year. To determine if children who remained active at WIC immunization-linked sites after their first birthday were more likely to be immunized by ages 19 and 25 months than those who dropped out, a retrospective cohort study was conducted.

Methods: Four Chicago WIC sites that used monthly voucher pick-up were chosen.