Barriers to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease autopsies, California

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) surveillance relies on autopsy and neuropathologic evaluation. The 1990-2000 CJD autopsy rate in California was 21%. Most neurologists were comfortable diagnosing CJD (83%), but few pathologists felt comfortable diagnosing CJD (35%) or performing autopsy (29%). Addressing obstacles to autopsy is necessary to improve CJD surveillance.     

Mice susceptible to SARS coronavirus

Murine models of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) will greatly advance research on this emerging virus. When BALB/c mice were simultaneously inoculated intranasally and orally, replication of SARS-CoV was found in both lung and intestinal tissue.     

Infection of cultured human and monkey cell lines with extract of penaeid shrimp infected with Taura syndrome virus

Taura syndrome virus (TSV) affects shrimp cultured for human consumption. Although TSV is related to the Cricket Paralysis virus, it belongs to the "picornavirus superfamily," the most common cause of viral illnesses. Here we demonstrate that TSV also infects human cell lines, which may suggest that Penaeus is a potential reservoir of this virus.     

Echinococcus multilocularis: An Emerging Pathogen in Hungary and Central Eastern Europe?

Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of human alveolar echinococcosis, is reported for the first time in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Hungary. This parasite may be spreading eastward because the population of foxes has increased as a consequence of human interventions, and this spread may result in the emergence of alveolar echinococcosis in Central Eastern Europe.     

Probable dengue virus infection among Italian troops,East Timor, 1999-2000

To investigate the attack rate and risk factors for probable dengue fever, a cross-sectional study was conducted of an Italian military unit after its deployment to East Timor. Probable dengue was contracted by 16 (6.6%) of 241 army troops and caused half of all medical evacuations (12/24); no cases were detected among navy and air force personnel.     

VIM- and IMP-type metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp. in Korean hospitals

We determined the occurrence of acquired metallo-b-lactamase (MBL)-producing bacteria in Korean hospitals. Among the isolates nonsusceptible to imipenem that were collected from 28 hospitals from 2000 to 2001, 44 (11.4%) of 387 Pseudomonas spp. and 38 (14.2%) of 267 Acinetobacter spp. produced MBL and had alleles of blaVIM-2 or blaIMP-1. MBL-producing isolates were detected in 60.7% of the hospitals.     

Sulfa resistance and dihydropteroate synthase mutants in recurrent Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia

Failure of sulfa or sulfone prophylaxis is associated with mutations in Pneumocystis carinii gene coding for dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS). The DHPS genotype was analyzed in AIDS patients who had two separate episodes of P. carinii pneumonia. The results suggest that DHPS mutations can be selected de novo within patients by the pressure of a sulfa or sulfone drug.     

Comparison of survey methods in norovirus outbreak investigation, Oregon, USA, 2009

We compared data from an Internet-based survey and a telephone-based survey during a 2009 norovirus outbreak in Oregon. Survey initiation, timeliness of response, and attack rates were comparable, but participants were less likely to complete Internet questions. Internet-based surveys permit efficient data collection but should be designed to maximize complete responses.