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Current Issue: Table of Contents
Volume 17, Number 6–June 2011
Synopsis
Reality Check of Laboratory Service Effectiveness during Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, Victoria, Australia
M. Catton et al.

View Summary
The greatest challenges were insufficient staff and test reagents.

Research
Multiple Introductions of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis into Households, Lima, Peru
T. Cohen et al.

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Data on household transmission are needed to develop optimal treatment.

Binary Toxin and Death after Clostridium difficile Infection
S. Bacci et al.
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Infection with Clostridium difficile bacteria causes diarrhea and commonly occurs in hospitalized patients. This infection can be deadly, so knowing which patients are at highest risk is helpful. Researchers have found that infections caused by C. difficile bacteria containing genes for a specific toxin (binary toxin) are more likely to result in death. They do not yet know whether the toxin itself actually makes the bacteria more harmful or whether the gene is merely a red flag indicating that its carriers are more harmful. Regardless, knowing if this gene is present can help doctors treat patients accordingly to try and prevent more severe disease and death.

Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infection and Vaccine Implications, Auckland, New Zealand
A. Safar et al.
View Summary

The proposed 26-valent vaccine would provide limited benefit.

Use of Antiviral Drugs to Reduce Household Transmission of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, United Kingdom
R.G. Pebody et al.
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Early treatment of primary case-patients and prophylaxis of household contacts provide effective protection.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Risk for Frontline Health Care Workers
C. Marshall et al.
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Clinical workers did not have a substantially greater risk for infection.

Marked Campylobacteriosis Decline after Interventions Aimed at Poultry, New Zealand
A. Sears et al.
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Campylobacteriosis can be reduced by decreasing contamination of poultry meat produced for human consumption. This is the lesson learned from an epidemic of campylobacteriosis in New Zealand. Cases of this foodborne infection started rising there in the 1980s, peaked in 2006 with the highest rates reported internationally, but then rapidly declined by 50 percent. The rise coincided with people eating more fresh poultry meat, and the decrease coincided with measures to reduce contamination of this meat. Although a direct cause and effect has not been proven, it is likely. Exactly which measures were most effective remains unknown but some of the interventions included: setting mandatory targets to reduce Campylobacter contamination of poultry, better hygiene practices, and changes to the chilling process.

Wild Birds and Increased Transmission of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) among Poultry, Thailand
J. Keawcharoen et al.
View Summary

Wild birds are associated with increased virus transmission.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Samoa, 2007–2008
J. Alesana-Slater et al.
View Summary

A wide range of MRSA genotypes cause wound infections.

Medscape CME Activity
Taenia solium Tapeworm Infection, Oregon, 2006–2009
S. O'Neal et al.
View Summary

Incidence was higher than expected.

Medscape CME Activity
Cefepime-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa
E. Akhabue et al.
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Of tested organisms, 8.4% were resistant to one of the last effective drugs available.

Historical Review
Reflections on 30 Years of AIDS
K.M. De Cock et al.
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On June 5, 1981, CDC's MMWR reported the first five cases of what later become known as AIDS. Since then, the global public health community has achieved tremendous scientific, social, and human progress related to AIDS care, treatment and prevention. We now know what causes AIDS and how it is spread. Science and reason have generally overcome fears and irrational responses, and have limited discrimination associated with HIV infection. Advocacy groups have formed around a central theme of human rights. HIV prevention measures have decreased HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, improved the safety of blood and blood products, and, in the industrialized world, virtually eliminated mother-to-child HIV transmission. Lifesaving, albeit not curative, treatments are now available to patients in low- and middle-income countries around the world. Hospital hygiene and safe injection practices have become topics of global concern. Although an effective vaccine remains elusive and HIV remains the world's leading infectious disease challenge, millions of infections have been prevented and millions of life years have been saved. The global mobilization against HIV/AIDS and the enormous resources invested have had an incalculable impact, most of it positive, on global health in general.

Dispatches
Reassortant Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Virus in Pigs, United Kingdom
W.A. Howard et al.
Immunologic Changes during Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, China
H.-H. Shen et al.
Human Infection with Avian Influenza Virus, Pakistan, 2007
M. Zaman et al.
Novel Reassortant Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N5) Viruses in Domestic Ducks, China
M. Gu et al.
Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and OXA-24 Carbapenemase, Spain
J. Acosta et al.
Internet Queries and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Surveillance
V.M. Dukic et al.
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome in Hybrid Wild Boars, China
J. Wu et al.
Hepatitis E Virus Seroprevalence and Chronic Infections in Patients with HIV, Switzerland
A. Kenfak-Foguena et al.
Macrolide Resistance in Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Israel, 2010
D. Averbuch et al.
Outcome Predictors in Treatment of Yaws
O. Mitjà et al.
Increasing Ceftriaxone Resistance in Salmonellae, Taiwan
L.-H. Su et al.
Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhi with Nonclassical Quinolone Resistance Phenotype
M. Accou-Demartin et al.
Ciprofloxacin-Resistant Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhi Isolates, United States, 1999–2008
F. Medalla et al.
High Vancomycin MIC and Complicated Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia
J.M. Aguado et al.
Characterization and Prevalence of a New Porcine Calicivirus in Swine, United States
Q. Wang et al.
Invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae in Children, Malawi, 2004–2006
J.E. Cornick et al.
Worldwide Distribution of Major Clones of Listeria monocytogenes
V. Chenal-Francisque et al.
Klebsiella pneumoniae Bacteremia and Capsular Serotypes, Taiwan
C.-H. Liao et al.
Association of Patients' Geographic Origins with Viral Hepatitis Co-infection Patterns, Spain
S. Pérez Cachafeiro et al.
Possible Novel Nebovirus Genotype in Cattle, France
J. Kaplon et al.
Letters
Vibrio cholerae in Traveler from Haiti to Canada
M.W. Gilmour et al.
Easy Diagnosis of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease
L. Selva et al.
Mimivirus-like Particles in Acanthamoebae from Sewage Sludge
W.H. Gaze et al.
Rabies Immunization Status of Dogs, Beijing, China
C. Wang et al.
Effect of Media Warnings on Rabies Postexposure Prophylaxis, France
P. Gautret et al.
Bedbugs as Vectors for Drug-Resistant Bacteria
C.F. Lowe and M.G. Romney
View Summary

The concept of bedbugs alone is creepy enough, but what if they could spread bacteria? A study in an impoverished urban area of Vancouver, where bedbug infestations are increasing, found bedbugs carrying two types of drug-resistant bacteria, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Although bedbugs have not been shown to spread disease, we know now that they at least carry bacteria known to cause these sometimes hard-to-treat infections.

Community Vaccinators in the Workplace
J.R. Harris et al.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Retail Meat, Detroit, Michigan, USA
K. Bhargava et al.
View Summary

MRSA has been identified worldwide in meat sold for human consumption. The extent and type of contamination varies according to type of meat (pork, beef, poultry), the country in which the meat was processed, and the molecular make-up of the MRSA organism. A recent study found that retail beef, chicken, and turkey examined in Michigan contained the human type of MRSA (USA300), not the animal type (ST398) more commonly found in Europe. This finding indicates that in the United States, meat contamination may come from human meat handlers, not the animals themselves. However, because ST398, the animal type of MRSA, has been found in live pigs in this country, it may be only a matter of time before it appears in the food chain.

Suspected Horse-to-Human Transmission of MRSA ST398
E. van Dujikeren et al.
Screening for Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Virus Among Hospital Staff, Spain
J. Olalla et al.
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 and HIV Infection
S. Dhanireddy et al.
Swine Influenza Virus A (H3N2) Infection in Human, Kansas, USA, 2009
C.M. Cox et al.
Severe Leptospirosis Similar to Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, Florida and Missouri, USA
Y.-C. Lo et al.
Coronavirus HKU1 in Children, Brazil, 1995
L.G. Góes et al.
Macrolide Resistance–associated 23S rRNA Mutation in Mycoplasma genitalium, Japan
Y. Shimada et al.
Saffold Cardioviruses in Children with Diarrhea, Thailand
P. Khamrin et al.
Lethal Necrotizing Pneumonia Caused by an ST398 Staphylococcus aureus Strain (response)
Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase–producing Escherichia coli in Neonatal Care Unit (response)
Book Review
Emerging Infections 9
R. Hall
Cover
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream
P. Potter
News and Notes
Etymologia: Yaws