The objective of the study was to describe psychological features of abstinent heroin users undergoing rehabilitation in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Study subjects (n = 197) were recruited prospectively at the time of their admission to rehabilitation between March 2010 and May 2011 at 7 inpatient opiate addiction rehabilitation centers in Saint-Petersburg and neighboring regions, Russia. The centers provided varying rehabilitation programs; 6 of them were religious centers. Socio-demographic information and self-reported HIV status were collected. Personality profiles and severity of drug-associated problems were estimated before and after rehabilitation using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2), and the Addiction Severity Index (ASI).

Background The aim of this study was to describe the extent of the HIV epidemic among women in the Republic of Georgia and to identify factors associated with HCV co-infection in this population. Findings All women aged ≥18 years who were diagnosed with HIV between 1989 and 2006 were identified through the National HIV/AIDS surveillance database. Medical records were reviewed for demographic characteristics, risk factors and HCV serostatus. A total of 249 women were identified. Only 4% declared injection drug use (IDU); sex work was reported by 9%. Substantial risk factors were identified among the women's sexual partners, nearly 69% of whom were IDUs, 84% were HIV positive and 66% HCV positive. Seventeen percent of women were seropositive for HCV. Factors significantly associated with HCV seropositivity in bivariate analyses among non-IDU women were partner IDU+ [Prevalence ratio (PR): 4.5 (95% CI: 1.4, 14.2)], and partner HCV+ [PR: 7.2 (95% CI: 1.8, 29.5)]. Conclusions The HIV epidemic in the Republic of Georgia is closely tied to the IDU community. Evidence-based interventions targeting IDU and partners of IDU are urgently required to halt the spread of the HIV epidemic in the country.

To monitor trends and costs of diarrhea and rotavirus-associated hospitalizations in New York before and after rotavirus vaccine implementation in 2006. To examine rotavirus test results from sentinel hospital-associated laboratories.Hospital discharge data and laboratory rotavirus testing data were analyzed for children 1 month up to 18 years of age for 10 sentinel and all statewide hospitals from January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2008.Among children 1-23 months of age, a 40% reduction in diarrhea-associated hospitalizations and 85% decrease in rotavirus-coded hospitalizations at the 10 sentinel hospitals was observed in 2008 compared with the average of pre-vaccine seasons from 2003 through 2006. For both sentinel and statewide hospitals, the percent of diarrhea admissions due to rotavirus was reduced at least 83% among children 1-23 months (vaccine eligible) and 70% for older unimmunized children. Statewide hospital costs for rotavirus hospitalizations in children <2 years of age were reduced $10 million. Sentinel hospital laboratory data validated the declining trends seen in hospitalizations.In 2008, New York hospital data showed significant reductions in rotavirus hospitalizations and costs among children aged 1-23 months who were eligible for vaccine. Reductions also occurred among unimmunized older children suggesting the importance of continue monitoring in future seasons to fully assess vaccine impact.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a life-threatening disorder characterized by elevated pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. Continuous infusion of a prostanoid, which acts as a vasodilator and anti-proliferative agent, is indicated in the treatment of patients with severe PAH. Two prostanoids are approved for intravenous (IV) use in the United States: epoprostenol (epoprostenol sodium [brand name Flolan], Gilead, Foster City, California) and treprostinil (treprostinil sodium [brand name Remodulin], United Therapeutics, Silver Spring, Maryland). These drugs are administered to PAH patients at hundreds of treatment centers in the United States. In September 2006, CDC received a report from a PAH specialist of a suspected increase in the number of gram-negative bloodstream infections (BSIs) among PAH patients treated with IV treprostinil. CDC conducted a retrospective investigation with the assistance of several state health departments and the cooperation of seven PAH treatment centers to determine the relative rates of BSI in a sample of patients treated with IV treprostinil and IV epoprostenol during 2003--2006. This report describes the results of that investigation, which indicated that, based on combined data from seven separate PAH treatment centers, pooled mean rates of BSI (primarily gram-negative BSI) were significantly higher for patients on treprostinil than for those on epoprostenol. The results do not suggest intrinsic contamination of IV treprostinil as a cause of the infections; the difference in rates might have been caused by differences in preparation and storage of the two agents, differences in catheter care practices, or differences in the anti-inflammatory activity of the agents. Health-care providers who care for PAH patients should be aware of these findings. Further investigation is needed to determine the causes of the different infection rates at centers where this was observed and to determine whether such a difference exists in other PAH treatment centers.

We reviewed medical records of 238 hospitalized patients with Escherichia coli O157:H7 diarrhea to identify risk factors for progression to diarrhea-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Data indicated that young age, long duration of diarrhea, elevated leukocyte count, and proteinuria were associated with HUS.

A comparison of New York’s traditional communicable disease surveillance system for diarrhea-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome with hospital discharge data showed a sensitivity of 65%. Escherichia coli O157:H7 was found in 63% of samples cultured from hemolytic uremic syndrome patients, and samples were more likely to be positive when collected early in illness.

Nontyphoidal Salmonella causes a higher proportion of food-related deaths annually than any other bacterial pathogen in the United States. We reviewed 4 years (1996-1999) of population-based active surveillance data on laboratory-confirmed Salmonella infections from the Emerging Infections Program's Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), to determine the rates of hospitalization and death associated with Salmonella infection. Overall, 22% of infected persons were hospitalized, with the highest rate (47%) among persons aged >60 years. Fifty-eight deaths occurred, for an estimated annual incidence of 0.08 deaths/100,000 population. These deaths accounted for 38% of all deaths reported through FoodNet from 1996 through 1999, and they occurred primarily among adults with serious underlying disease. Although Salmonella infection was seldom listed as a cause of death on hospital charts and death certificates, our chart review suggests that Salmonella infection contributed to these deaths.

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OBJECTIVES:To examine trends in hospitalizations for pediatric diarrhea, ascertain the disease burden and risk factors for hospitalizations associated with rotavirus and assess the accuracy of coding for rotavirus hospitalizations in New York State. METHODS:For 1989 through 2000, data were obtained for all diarrhea-associated hospitalizations in New York State among children 1 month through 4 years of age. Characteristics of patients hospitalized with rotavirus were compared with those for hospitalizations with diarrhea from other causes. Medical charts coded as rotavirus diarrhea were reviewed for patients who were discharged during 1997 to determine whether these diagnoses were supported with laboratory results. RESULTS:Diarrhea was reported as a discharge diagnosis in approximately 13% of all hospitalizations for an annual incidence of 83 per 10 000 children. Viruses were the most common etiologic agents reported. Since 1993, when a rotavirus-specific code was introduced, rotavirus infection was coded for 8.7% of all diarrhea-associated hospitalizations. A total of 136 patients with diarrhea died during their hospitalization (hospital fatality rate, 1.6 per 1000), and the 12 deaths among patients with rotavirus had a distinct winter pattern. During 1997 only 46% of the hospitals reporting diarrhea in children used the specific code for rotavirus, and 12% of hospitals reported rotavirus in >30% of all diarrhea-associated hospitalizations. Infants <4 months of age were more likely than older children to be nosocomially infected with rotavirus and had a higher proportion of congenital malformations. CONCLUSION:In New York State diarrhea is a common hospital discharge diagnosis and contributes approximately 13% of all hospitalizations among children <5 years of age. When hospitals with maximum recording were used as a reference point, >30% of diarrhea hospitalizations were recorded as likely the result of rotavirus.

ABSTRACT The largest reported outbreak of waterborne Escherichia coli O157:H7 in the United States occurred in upstate New York following a county fair in August 1999. Culture methods were used to isolate E. coli O157:H7 from specimens from 128 of 775 patients with suspected infections. Campylobacter jejuni was also isolated from stools of 44 persons who developed diarrheal illness after attending this fair. There was one case of a confirmed coinfection with E. coli O157:H7 and C. jejuni. Molecular detection of stx1 and stx2 Shiga toxin genes, immunomagnetic separation (IMS), and selective culture enrichment were utilized to detect and isolate E. coli O157:H7 from an unchlorinated well and its distribution points, a dry well, and a nearby septic tank. PCR for stx1 and stx2 was shown to provide a useful screen for toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7, and IMS subculture improved recovery. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to compare patient and environmental E. coli O157:H7 isolates. Among patient isolates, 117 of 128 (91.5%) were type 1 or 1a (three or fewer bands different). Among the water distribution system isolates, 13 of 19 (68%) were type 1 or 1a. Additionally, PFGE of C. jejuni isolates revealed that 29 of 35 (83%) had indistinguishable PFGE patterns. The PFGE results implicated the water distribution system as the main source of the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. This investigation demonstrates the potential for outbreaks involving more than one pathogen and the importance of analyzing isolates from multiple patients and environmental samples to develop a better understanding of bacterial transmission during an outbreak.

Two outbreaks of respiratory tract illness associated with prolonged cough occurring in 1998 and 1999 in New York State were investigated. A PCR test for Bordetella pertussis was primarily used by a private laboratory to confirm 680 pertussis cases. Several clinical specimens had positive culture results for B. pertussis during both outbreaks, which confirmed that B. pertussis was circulating during the outbreaks. However, testing by the New York State Department of Health reference laboratory suggested that some of the PCR results may have been falsely positive. In addition, features of the outbreak that suggested that B. pertussis may not have been the primary agent of infection included a low attack rate among incompletely vaccinated children and a significant amount of illness among patients testing PCR negative for B. pertussis. These investigations highlight the importance of appropriate clinical laboratory quality assurance programs, of the limitations of the PCR test, and of interpreting laboratory results in context of clinical disease.

This report summarizes the spread of a raccoon rabies epizootic into New York in the 1990s, the species of animals affected, and human postexposure treatments (PET). A total of 57,008 specimens were submitted to the state laboratory from 1993 to 1998; 8,858 (16%) animals were confirmed rabid, with raccoons the most common species (75%). After exposure to 11,769 animals, 18,238 (45%) persons received PET, mostly because of contact with saliva or nervous tissue. We analyzed expenditure reports to estimate the cost of rabies prevention activities. An estimated $13.9 million was spent in New York State to prevent rabies from 1993 to 1998. Traditional prevention methods such as vaccinating pets, avoiding wildlife, and verifying an animal's rabies status must be continued to reduce costly PET. To reduce rabid animals, exposures, and costs, oral vaccination of wildlife should also be considered.

New York's (NY) Health Information Network (HIN) provided timely access to West Nile Virus (WNV) data during the initial outbreak in the late Summer 1999. In December 1999, NY developed a plan to deal with WNV in 2000 that required an integrated surveillance system for humans, birds, mammals, and mosquitoes. The HIN infrastructure allowed NY to deploy this system statewide in three months. Local health departments throughout NY used the system to report, track, and retrieve surveillance data as WNV spread throughout NY in 2000. The HIN infrastructure includes partnerships, training/support, technical capacity and architecture similar to NEDSS as proposed by the US CDC.

OBJECTIVE:In this program a postpartum woman could consent to receive her newborn's human immunodeficiency virus test result from the New York State Newborn Screening Program.STUDY DESIGN:By state regulation each postpartum woman was counseled and offered her newborn's human immunodeficiency virus test result. With the mother's consent, newborn human immunodeficiency virus antibody test results from the Newborn Screening Program were sent to the baby's pediatrician; otherwise, test results were blinded. Data were analyzed for births from August 1, 1996, to January 31, 1997.RESULTS:Overall, 92.5% of women offered newborn human immunodeficiency virus testing consented to receive the result. Among 444 human immunodeficiency virus-positive women offered newborn testing, consented testing resulted in a 21.4% increase in knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus status from 72.3% (n = 321) at delivery to 93.7% (n = 416) after newborn testing; 6.3% (n = 28) of human immunodeficiency virus-positive women delivered of infants who did not consent apparently remained unaware of their human immunodeficiency virus status.CONCLUSION:Combined prenatal and consented newborn testing identified 94% of human immunodeficiency virus-positive mothers and exposed newborns, allowing early entry into care. Such testing may provide an opportunity for women not previously tested for the human immunodeficiency virus to learn their status but is not a substitute for universal prenatal human immunodeficiency virus counseling and consented human immunodeficiency virus testing.