Giardiasis Outbreak Associated with Asymptomatic Food Handlers in New York State, 2015

2017 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 837-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Figgatt ◽  
Kimberly Mergen ◽  
Deborah Kimelstein ◽  
Danielle M. Mahoney ◽  
Alexandra Newman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York State ◽  
Giardia Duodenalis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Samples ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
Food Handler ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Waterborne Transmission

ABSTRACT Giardia duodenalis is a protozoan that causes a gastrointestinal illness called giardiasis. Giardiasis outbreaks in the United States are most commonly associated with waterborne transmission and are less commonly associated with food, person-to-person, and zoonotic transmission. During June to September 2015, an outbreak of 20 giardiasis cases occurred and were epidemiologically linked to a local grocery store chain on Long Island, New York. Further investigation revealed three asymptomatic food handlers were infected with G. duodenalis, and one food handler and one case were coinfected with Cryptosporidium spp. Although G. duodenalis was not detected in food samples, Cryptosporidium was identified in samples of spinach dip and potato salad. The G. duodenalis assemblage and subtype from one of the food handlers matched two outbreak cases for which genotyping could be performed. This outbreak highlights the potential role of asymptomatically infected food handlers in giardiasis outbreaks.

scholarly journals Genomic Epidemiology of Historical Clostridium perfringens Outbreaks in New York State Using Two Web-based Platforms: National Center for Biotechnology Information-Pathogen Detection and FDA-GalaxyTrakr

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaclyn Carey ◽  
Jocelyn Cole ◽  
Sai Laxmi Gubbala Venkata ◽  
Hannah Hoyt ◽  
Lisa Mingle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Clostridium Perfringens ◽  
Pathogen Detection ◽  
New York State ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Samples ◽  
Whole Genome Sequence ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Phylogenetic Clustering ◽  
York State

Clostridium perfringens is the second-leading cause of bacterial foodborne illness in the United States. The Wadsworth Center (WC) at the New York State Department of Health enumerates infectious dose from primary patient and food samples and until recently, identified C. perfringens to the species level only. We investigated whether whole-genome sequence-based subtyping could benefit epidemiological investigations of this pathogen, as it has with other enteric organisms. We retrospectively sequenced 76 patient and food samples received between May 2010-February 2020, including 52 samples linked epidemiologically to 13 outbreaks and 24 sporadic samples not linked to other samples. Phylogenetic trees were built using two web-based platforms; National Centers for Biotechnology Information Pathogen Detection (NCBI-PD) and GalaxyTrakr (a Galaxy instance supported by the GenomeTrakr initiative). For GalaxyTrakr analyses single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) matrices and maximum likelihood (ML) trees were generated using 3 different reference genomes. Across the four separate analyses phylogenetic clustering was generally concordant with epidemiologically-identified outbreaks. SNP diversity among phylogenetically-linked samples in an outbreak ranged from 0-20 SNPs, excepting one outbreak ranging from 4-62 SNPs. Importantly, four of the 13 outbreaks harbored one or more samples that were phylogenetic outliers, and for two outbreaks, no samples were closely related. Three specimens were found harboring two distinct genotypes. For samples below CDC enumeration dose threshold, phylogenetic clustering was robust and linked patient and/or food samples. We concluded that WGS phylogenetic clusters are: 1) largely concordant with epidemiologically-defined outbreaks, irrespective of analysis platform or reference genome we employed; 2) have limited pairwise SNP diversity, allowing phylogenetic clusters to be distinguished from sporadic cases; 3) can aid in epidemiological investigations by identifying outlier and polyclonal samples.

scholarly journals Bunyaviruses are common in male and femaleIxodes scapularisticks in central Pennsylvania

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce M. Sakamoto ◽  
Terry Fei Fan Ng ◽  
Yasutsugu Suzuki ◽  
Hitoshi Tsujimoto ◽  
Xutao Deng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Ixodes Scapularis ◽  
New York State ◽  
The United States ◽  
Metagenomic Sequencing ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Blacklegged Tick ◽  
Central Pennsylvania ◽  
Multiple Pathogens

The blacklegged tickIxodes scapularisis widely distributed in the United States and transmits multiple pathogens to humans, wildlife and domestic animals. Recently, several novel viruses in the family Bunyaviridae (South Bay virus (SBV) and Blacklegged tick phlebovirus (BTPV)) were identified infecting femaleI. scapularisticks collected in New York State. We used metagenomic sequencing to investigate the distribution of viruses infecting male and femaleI. scapularisticks collected in Centre County, Pennsylvania. We identified both SBV and BTPV in both male and female ticks from all collection locations. The role of maleI. scapularisin pathogen epidemiology has been overlooked because they rarely bite and are not considered important pathogen vectors. However, males may act as reservoirs for pathogens that can then be transmitted to females during mating. Our data highlight the importance of examining all potential avenues of pathogen maintenance and transmission throughout the vector-pathogen life cycle in order to understand the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens.

38. Max Brodel (1870-1941): His artistic influence on surgical learning at John Hopkins Medical School

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
P. Pace-Asciak ◽  
T. Gelfand
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Neck Surgery ◽  
The United States ◽  
Spoken Word ◽  
Medical Illustration ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Teaching Anatomy ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Pathological Disease

Medical students depend on illustration to learn anatomical facts and details that may be too subtle for the written or spoken word. For surgical disciplines, learners rely on tools such as language, 2-dimensional illustrations, and 3-dimensional models to pass on important concepts. Although a photograph can convey factual information, illustration can highlight and educate the pertinent details for understanding surgical procedures, neurovascular structures, and the pathological disease processes. In order to understand the current role of medical illustration in education, one needs to look to the past to see how art has helped solve communication dilemmas when learning medicine. This paper focuses on Max Brodel (1870-1941), a German-trained artist who eventually immigrated to the United States to pursue his career as a medical illustrator. Shortly after his arrival in Baltimore, Brodel made significant contributions to medical illustration in Gynecology at John Hopkins University, and eventually in other fields of medicine such as Urology and Otolaryngology. Brodel is recognized as one of America’s most distinguished medical illustrators for creating innovative artistic techniques and founding the profession of medical illustration. Today, animated computer based art is synergistically used with medical illustration to educate students about anatomy. Some of the changes that have occurred with the advancement of computer technology will be highlighted and compared to a century ago, when illustrations were used for teaching anatomy due to the scarcity of cadavers. Schultheiss D, Udo J. Max Brodel (1870-1941) and Howard A.Kelly (1858-1943) – Urogynecology and the birth of modern medical illustration. European Journal of Obstetrics & gynecology and Reproductive Biology 1999; 86:113-115. Crosby C. Max Brodel: the man who put art into medicine. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1991. Papel ID. Max Brodel’s contributions to otolaryngology – Head and Neck surgery. The American Journal of Otology 1986; 7(6):460-469.

Seasonal Activity of Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) in Southern New York State

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas P Piedmonte ◽  
Vanessa C Vinci ◽  
Thomas J Daniels ◽  
Bryon P Backenson ◽  
Richard C Falco
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New York ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
New York State ◽  
The United States ◽  
Haemaphysalis Longicornis ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Eastern Asia ◽  
Short Life ◽  
Human Bite

Abstract The Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann, is a species native to eastern Asia that has recently been discovered in the United States. In its native range, H. longicornis transmits pathogens that cause disease in humans and livestock. It is currently unknown whether H. longicornis will act as a vector in the United States. Understanding its seasonal activity patterns will be important in identifying which times of the year represent greatest potential risk to humans and livestock should this species become a threat to animal or public health. A study site was established in Yonkers, NY near the residence associated with the first reported human bite from H. longicornis in the United States. Ticks were collected once each week from July 2018 to November 2019. Haemaphysalis longicornis larvae were most active from August to November, nymphs from April to July, and adult females from June to September. This pattern of activity suggests that H. longicornis is capable of completing a generation within a single year and matches the patterns observed in its other ranges in the northern hemisphere. The data presented here contribute to a growing database for H. longicornis phenology in the northeastern United States. Potential implications of the short life cycle for the tick’s vectorial capacity are discussed.

Geographic Variation in Dominance of Spinosad Resistance in Colorado Potato Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Coby Klein ◽  
Mitchell Baker ◽  
Andrei Alyokhin ◽  
David Mota-Sanchez
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Long Island ◽  
New York State ◽  
The United States ◽  
Island Population ◽  
Potato Beetle ◽  
Rate Of Increase ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Leptinotarsa Decemlineata Say ◽  
High Level

Abstract Eastern New York State is frequently the site of Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Say) populations with the highest observed levels of insecticide resistance to a range of active ingredients. The dominance of a resistant phenotype will affect its rate of increase and the potential for management. On organic farms on Long Island, L. decemlineata evolved high levels of resistance to spinosad in a short period of time and that resistance has spread across the eastern part of the Island. Resistance has also emerged in other parts of the country as well. To clarify the level of dominance or recessiveness of spinosad resistance in different parts of the United States and how resistance differs in separate beetle populations, we sampled in 2010 beetle populations from Maine, Michigan, and Long Island. In addition, a highly resistant Long Island population was assessed in 2012. All populations were hybridized with a laboratory-susceptible strain to determine dominance. None of the populations sampled in 2010 were significantly different from additive resistance, but the Long Island population sampled in 2012 was not significantly different from fully recessive. Recessive inheritance of high-level resistance may help manage its increase.

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