scholarly journals Tracking a Serial Killer: Integrating Phylogenetic Relationships, Epidemiology, and Geography for Two Invasive Meningococcal Disease Outbreaks

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ifeoma Ezeoke ◽  
Madeline R. Galac ◽  
Ying Lin ◽  
Alvin T. Liem ◽  
Pierce A. Roth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Meningococcal Disease ◽  
Betweenness Centrality ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The United States ◽  
Serial Killer ◽  
Comparative Genomic ◽  
Transmission Networks ◽  
Targeted Interventions

AbstractBackgroundWhile overall rates of meningococcal disease have been declining in the United States for the past several decades, New York City (NYC) has experienced two serogroup C meningococcal disease outbreaks in 2005-2006 and in 2010-2013. The outbreaks were centered within drug use and sexual networks, were difficult to control, and required vaccine campaigns.MethodsWhole Genome Sequencing (WGS) was used to analyze preserved meningococcal isolates collected before and during the two outbreaks. We integrated and analyzed epidemiologic, geographic, and genomic data to better understand transmission networks among patients. Betweenness centrality was used as a metric to understand the most important geographic nodes in the transmission networks. Comparative genomics was used to identify genes associated with the outbreaks.ResultsNeisseria meningitidis serogroup C (ST11/ET-37) was responsible for both outbreaks with each outbreak having distinct phylogenetic clusters. WGS did identify some misclassifications of isolates that were more distant from the rest of the outbreak, as well as those that should have been included based on high genomic similarity. Genomes for the second outbreak were more similar than the first and no mutation was found to either be unique or specific to either outbreak lineage. Betweenness centrality as applied to transmission networks based on phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the outbreaks were transmitted within focal communities in NYC with few transmission events to other locations.ConclusionsNeisseria meningitidis is an ever changing pathogen and comparative genomic analyses can help elucidate how it spreads geographically to facilitate targeted interventions to interrupt transmission.

scholarly journals Prospects for Vaccine Prevention of Meningococcal Infection

2006 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 142-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee H. Harrison
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Bacterial Meningitis ◽  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Meningococcal Disease ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
The United States ◽  
Meningococcal Infection ◽  
Meningococcal Vaccine ◽  
The Military

SUMMARY Neisseria meningitidis is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in the United States and worldwide. A serogroup A/C/W-135/Y polysaccharide meningococcal vaccine has been licensed in the United States since 1981 but has not been used universally outside of the military. On 14 January 2005, a polysaccharide conjugate vaccine that covers meningococcal serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y was licensed in the United States for 11- to 55-year-olds and is now recommended for the routine immunization of adolescents and other high-risk groups. This review covers the changing epidemiology of meningococcal disease in the United States, issues related to vaccine prevention, and recommendations on the use of the new vaccine.

Rapid laboratory detection of meningococcal disease outbreaks caused by serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis

2006 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 330-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick B. Killoran ◽  
Janice O'Connell ◽  
Elizabeth A. Mothershed ◽  
Will S. Probert
Keyword(s):  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Meningococcal Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Rapid Laboratory

scholarly journals Genome-Based Characterization of Emergent Invasive Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup Y Isolates in Sweden from 1995 to 2012

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (7) ◽  
pp. 2154-2162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bianca Törös ◽  
Sara T. Hedberg ◽  
Magnus Unemo ◽  
Susanne Jacobsson ◽  
Dorothea M. C. Hill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Meningococcal Disease ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Disease Incidence ◽  
The United States ◽  
Geographic Region ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Whole Genome

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) caused byNeisseria meningitidisserogroup Y has increased in Europe, especially in Scandinavia. In Sweden, serogroup Y is now the dominating serogroup, and in 2012, the serogroup Y disease incidence was 0.46/100,000 population. We previously showed that a strain type belonging to sequence type 23 was responsible for the increased prevalence of this serogroup in Sweden. The objective of this study was to investigate the serogroup Y emergence by whole-genome sequencing and compare the meningococcal population structure of Swedish invasive serogroup Y strains to those of other countries with different IMD incidence. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on invasive serogroup Y isolates from 1995 to 2012 in Sweden (n= 186). These isolates were compared to a collection of serogroup Y isolates from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland from 2010 to 2012 (n= 143), which had relatively low serogroup Y incidence, and two isolates obtained in 1999 in the United States, where serogroup Y remains one of the major causes of IMD. The meningococcal population structures were similar in the investigated regions; however, different strain types were prevalent in each geographic region. A number of genes known or hypothesized to have an impact on meningococcal virulence were shown to be associated with different strain types and subtypes. The reasons for the IMD increase are multifactorial and are influenced by increased virulence, host adaptive immunity, and transmission. Future genome-wide association studies are needed to reveal additional genes associated with serogroup Y meningococcal disease, and this work would benefit from a complete serogroup Y meningococcal reference genome.

scholarly journals Reconstructing SARS-CoV-2 infection dynamics through the phylogenetic inference of unsampled sources of infection

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e0261422
Author(s):  
Deshan Perera ◽  
Ben Perks ◽  
Michael Potemkin ◽  
Andy Liu ◽  
Paul M. K. Gordon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
New York State ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Transmission Networks ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Infection Dynamics ◽  
Powerful Approach ◽  
Sources Of Infection

The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the importance of infection tracking. The role of asymptomatic, undiagnosed individuals in driving infections within this pandemic has become increasingly evident. Modern phylogenetic tools that take into account asymptomatic or undiagnosed individuals can help guide public health responses. We finetuned established phylogenetic pipelines using published SARS-CoV-2 genomic data to examine reasonable estimate transmission networks with the inference of unsampled infection sources. The system utilised Bayesian phylogenetics and TransPhylo to capture the evolutionary and infection dynamics of SARS-CoV-2. Our analyses gave insight into the transmissions within a population including unsampled sources of infection and the results aligned with epidemiological observations. We were able to observe the effects of preventive measures in Canada’s “Atlantic bubble” and in populations such as New York State. The tools also inferred the cross-species disease transmission of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from humans to lions and tigers in New York City’s Bronx Zoo. These phylogenetic tools offer a powerful approach in response to both the COVID-19 and other emerging infectious disease outbreaks.

Prevention of Infection with Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae Type b

1985 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 88-94
Author(s):  
Ralph D. Feigin
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Meningococcal Disease ◽  
Index Case ◽  
Care Center ◽  
The United States ◽  
Invasive Disease ◽  
Haemophilus Influenzae Type ◽  
Disease Rate ◽  
Household Contacts

MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE Background Since the first description by Vieusseux in 1805 of an epidemic of "cerebrospinal fever," physicians have been aware of the potential for spread of meningococcal disease. Numerous studies of military recruits in the United States documented conclusively nasopharyngeal acquisition of Neisseria meningitidis during the course of their basic training. In the military setting, attack rates as high as 46% have been reported for exposed susceptible individuals. In the United States, endemic meningococcal disease occurs in 3,000 to 5,000 persons yearly. Secondary cases occur with a frequency of 0.4% in the first month following disease in the index case. The risk to household contacts is approximately 2.2/1,000/yr; this risk is greatest in the week after the onset of illness in the index case but remains in excess of the endemic disease rate for at least 1 month. The risk of secondary meningococcal disease in household contacts (adults and children) of an index case is 1,000 times greater than that for the population as a whole. Carriage Versus Invasive Disease Household contacts, day care center contacts, and bunk mates (military installations) of an index case frequently are noted to have an increased rate of carriage of N meningitidis in the nasopharynx. It has been noted repeatedly that when the carriage rate of N meningitidis is high, invasive disease is more likely to occur.

scholarly journals Pneumonia-Associated Hospitalizations, New York City, 2001-2014

2018 ◽  
Vol 133 (5) ◽  
pp. 584-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher H. Gu ◽  
David E. Lucero ◽  
Chaorui C. Huang ◽  
Demetre Daskalakis ◽  
Jay K. Varma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
York City ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hospitalization Rate ◽  
Hospital Death ◽  
Principal Diagnosis ◽  
Poverty Level ◽  
Discharge Data ◽  
Targeted Interventions

Objectives: Death certificate data indicate that the age-adjusted death rate for pneumonia and influenza is higher in New York City than in the United States. Most pneumonia and influenza deaths are attributed to pneumonia rather than influenza. Because most pneumonia deaths occur in hospitals, we analyzed hospital discharge data to provide insight into the burden of pneumonia in New York City. Methods: We analyzed data for New York City residents discharged from New York State hospitals with a principal diagnosis of pneumonia, or a secondary diagnosis of pneumonia if the principal diagnosis was respiratory failure or sepsis, during 2001-2014. We calculated mean annual age-adjusted pneumonia-associated hospitalization rates per 100 000 population and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We examined data on pneumonia-associated hospitalizations by sociodemographic characteristics and colisted conditions. Results: During 2001-2014, a total of 495 225 patients residing in New York City were hospitalized for pneumonia, corresponding to a mean annual age-adjusted pneumonia-associated hospitalization rate of 433.8 per 100 000 population (95% CI, 429.3-438.3). The proportion of pneumonia-associated hospitalizations with in-hospital death was 12.0%. The mean annual age-adjusted pneumonia-associated hospitalization rate per 100 000 population increased as area-based poverty level increased, whereas the percentage of pneumonia-associated hospitalizations with in-hospital deaths decreased with increasing area-based poverty level. The proportion of pneumonia-associated hospitalizations that colisted an immunocompromising condition increased from 18.7% in 2001 to 33.1% in 2014. Conclusion: Sociodemographic factors and immune status appear to play a role in the epidemiology of pneumonia-associated hospitalizations in New York City. Further study of pneumonia-associated hospitalizations in at-risk populations may lead to targeted interventions.

Sources of Shellfish in Outbreaks of Probable Viral Gastroenteritis: Implications for Control

1986 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 389-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN J. GUZEWICH ◽  
DALE L. MORSE
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Rhode Island ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Prince Edward Island ◽  
Hepatitis A ◽  
New York State ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The United States ◽  
Viral Gastroenteritis ◽  
Product Standard

Shellfish have been identified as vehicles of foodborne enteric disease in the United States since the first part of the twentieth century. Between 1900 and 1983, 198 incidents or outbreaks involving 8,659 cases were reported nationally. In New York State, reports of shellfishborne gastroenteritis and/or hepatitis A began to increase in 1981, when one outbreak involving 234 cases of gastroenteritis was reported. In subsequent years, the following were reported: 1982, 103 outbreaks of gastroenteritis involving 1,017 cases and 10 cases of hepatitis A; 1983, 33 outbreaks of gastroenteritis involving 504 cases; 1984, 15 gastroenteritis outbreaks and 256 cases; and the first five months of 1985, 10 outbreaks of gastroenteritis involving 98 cases. States, countries or provinces identified as sources of shellfish implicated in these outbreaks included: New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, England North Carolina and Prince Edward Island. The source investigations were seriously impaired by numerous inadequacies in current shellfish-tagging regulations and the manner in which these are enforced. Possible solutions to prevent further shellfishborne disease outbreaks include: (a) improve shellfishborne disease surveillance and reporting; (b) embargo shellfish sold by shippers implicated in disease outbreaks; (c) adopt strict state and federal laws to control the sanitary quality of all shellfish; (d) accomplish greater participation in the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference; (e) provide an adequate number of enforcement officers; (f) develop a microbiologic growing water and/or product standard that assures viral as well as bacteriologic safety; (g) properly classify shellfish-harvesting waters; (h) mandate a manifest-type tagging system; (i) strictly enforce wholesale and retail shellfish-tagging requirements; (j) require depuration of all shellfish sold; and (k) advise the public against the consumption of raw or partially cooked shellfish. If these or other approaches fail to prevent morbidity, a ban on the sale of raw shellfish may be the only solution.

β-Lactamase–Producing, Ciprofloxacin-Resistant Neisseria meningitidis Isolated From a 5-Month-Old Boy in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gillian Taormina ◽  
Joseph Campos ◽  
John Sweitzer ◽  
Adam C Retchless ◽  
Kristy Lunquest ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Meningococcal Disease ◽  
Laboratory Testing ◽  
The United States ◽  
Penicillin Resistance ◽  
Standard Laboratory

Abstract Worldwide, there have been few reports of β-lactamases causing penicillin resistance in Neisseria meningitidis. The first known case of disease in the United States due to a β-lactamase-producing, ciprofloxacin-resistant N. meningitidis was recently identified. This has potential implications on standard laboratory testing and empiric management of meningococcal disease.

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