Characterization of Microorganism Identification in the United States in 1996

2001 ◽  
Vol 125 (7) ◽  
pp. 913-920
Author(s):  
Steven J. Steindel ◽  
Marianne K. Simon
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Laboratory Testing ◽  
Clinical Laboratory ◽  
Direct Methods ◽  
The United States ◽  
Test Method ◽  
Confidence Limits ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Microorganism Identification

Abstract Context.—The National Inventory of Clinical Laboratory Testing Services (NICLTS) was designed to give an unbiased estimate of all patient testing performed by laboratories registered under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments in 1996. Objective.—Survey data were used to develop a profile of laboratory testing primarily intended to identify microorganisms or antibodies to these microorganisms. Design.—Estimates of the extent of microorganism identification were derived from the NICLTS database by identifying associated tests and methods. The volumes for tests performed at locations that primarily prepared blood components for distribution were excluded. Organisms of public health importance were identified from the National Notifiable Disease list maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Participants.—Laboratories that were enrolled in the 1996 Online Certification Survey and Reporting System, maintained by the US Health Care Finance Administration, and that performed laboratory testing in 1996. Outcome Measure.—Estimated volumes and associated confidence limits by test, method, specimen type, public health importance, and testing location. Results.—Excluding testing of the blood supply, 315 million tests (95% confidence limits, 280–354 million tests) were performed in the United States for microorganism identification. Those tests for which public health consensus requires national reporting represented 38% of this total. Although hospitals performed 46% of all microorganism identification, they only performed 33% of the testing for microorganisms of public health importance. Independent and specialty laboratories performed 38% of all testing but 65% of the testing for microorganisms of public health importance. Direct methods (methods not involving culture) were used in 77% of the tests for microorganisms of public health importance and in 42% of all identification tests. Conclusions.—The distribution of microorganism identification testing found using NICLTS data is consistent with plans to modernize the public health surveillance system in the United States.

National Inventory of Clinical Laboratory Testing Services (NICLTS)

2000 ◽  
Vol 124 (8) ◽  
pp. 1201-1208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven J. Steindel ◽  
William J. Rauch ◽  
Marianne K. Simon ◽  
James Handsfield
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Laboratory Testing ◽  
Clinical Laboratory ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Complexity ◽  
Specimen Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Clinical Laboratory Testing

Abstract Context.—A statistically valid inventory of the distribution, both geographic and by laboratory type, of clinical and anatomical laboratory testing in the United States is needed to assess the impact of the Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments of 1988 and to provide information for other health care and public health policy decisions. Objective.—To present initial US laboratory testing volume data compiled by the National Inventory of Clinical Laboratory Testing Services. Design.—Stratified random sample of laboratories performing testing in 1996 with data on the number of laboratory tests performed, identified by method and analyte. Data were collected by field tabulators (moderate- or high-complexity laboratories) or through a mail/telephone survey (waived or provider-performed microscopy laboratories) for each site. Participants.—Laboratories that were enrolled in the 1996 Online Certification Survey and Reporting System, maintained by the US Health Care Finance Administration, and that performed laboratory testing during 1996. Main Outcome Measure.—Laboratory testing distribution for 1996 in the United States by analyte, method, and specimen type. Results.—An overall response rate of 79% provided data from 757 moderate- or high-complexity laboratories and 1322 waived or provider-performed microscopy laboratories. The estimated total US testing volume for 1996 was 7.25 ± 1.09 billion tests. Laboratories performing complex testing, defined as greater than 16 method/analyte/specimen type combinations, comprised 16% of the US laboratories by survey site, but performed 80% (95% confidence limits, 43% to 100%) of the testing volume. Glucose analysis was the most frequently performed test. Automated hematology and chemistry analyzers were the most frequently used methods. Conclusions.—A statistically valid, consistent survey of the distribution of US laboratory testing was obtained. Simple analysis of these data by laboratory type and geographic region can provide insights into where laboratory testing is performed. The study design allows extensions that will facilitate collection of additional data of importance to public health and medical care delivery.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 supply shortages and TB diagnostics: Current issues requiring immediate solutions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek T. Armstrong ◽  
Erin A. Tacheny ◽  
Gene Olinger ◽  
Ryan Howard ◽  
M. Megan Lemmon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Laboratory Testing ◽  
The United States ◽  
Current Testing ◽  
Testing Algorithms ◽  
Tb Diagnostics

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has strained manufacturing capacity worldwide resulting in significant shortages of laboratory supplies both directly and indirectly. Such shortages include probe-based kits for detection of the M. tuberculosis complex from positive liquid broth cultures. These shortages and possible loss of this particular assay have consequences for laboratory testing algorithms and public health in the United States. As there are no FDA approved, commercially available options that currently exist which could immediately fill this gap, laboratories must identify alternatives and plan for modifying current testing algorithms to accommodate this change.

scholarly journals Tick and Tickborne Pathogen Surveillance as a Public Health Tool in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca J Eisen ◽  
Christopher D Paddock
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Tick Abundance ◽  
The Public ◽  
Host Seeking ◽  
Surveillance Programs

Abstract In recent decades, tickborne disease (TBD) cases and established populations of medically important ticks have been reported over expanding geographic areas, and an increasing number of tickborne bacteria, viruses, and protozoans have been recognized as human pathogens, collectively contributing to an increasing burden of TBDs in the United States. The prevention and diagnosis of TBDs depend greatly on an accurate understanding by the public and healthcare providers of when and where persons are at risk for exposure to human-biting ticks and to the pathogens these ticks transmit. However, national maps showing the distributions of medically important ticks and the presence or prevalence of tickborne pathogens are often incomplete, outdated, or lacking entirely. Similar deficiencies exist regarding geographic variability in host-seeking tick abundance. Efforts to accurately depict acarological risk are hampered by lack of systematic and routine surveillance for medically important ticks and their associated human pathogens. In this review, we: 1) outline the public health importance of tick surveillance; 2) identify gaps in knowledge regarding the distributions and abundance of medically important ticks in the United States and the presence and prevalence of their associated pathogens; 3) describe key objectives for tick surveillance and review methods appropriate for addressing those goals; and 4) assess current capacity and barriers to implementation and sustainability of tick surveillance programs.

Genetic Characterization of Fungi Isolated from Environmental Samples: A Molecular Surveillance Study of Public Health Importance

2019 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 975-976
Author(s):  
Irshad M Sulaiman ◽  
Emily Jacobs ◽  
Steven B Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Dna Sequencing ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Region I ◽  
Its Regions ◽  
Fusarium Sp ◽  
Lsu Rrna

Abstract Background: A multistate fungal meningitis outbreak began in September 2012 that affected 751 individuals who received contaminated spinal injections across 20 states in the United States, which led to 64 deaths. In our previous study, we examined 26 environmental swab samples collected from various locations of the manufacturing premises of the compounding company to determine the possible cause of this outbreak and identified 14 novel species of fungi. Objective: In this follow-up study, a total of 198 environmental surveillance samples were collected and analyzed to detect pathogenic fungal species from other compounding company premises located in three regions of the United States. Methods: DNA sequencing was performed at the large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU rRNA) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions on the 25 positive fungal isolates. Results: Sequence analysis of the ITS1, the ITS2, and the LSU rRNA regions confirmed the presence of the following fungal species in the samples analyzed: (1) Pestalotiopsis cocculi from the region I; (2) Epicoccum nigrum and Trichaptum biforme from the region I; (3) Nigrospora sphaerica and Fusarium sp. from the region II; and (4) Curvularia sp., Fusarium sp., Penicillium sp., and Preussia sp. from the region III. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the LSU and ITS regions are good genetic markers to perform fungal typing. Highlights: DNA sequencing technology can be used in the implementation of effective environmental monitoring programs of public health importance.

Application of Ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer 1, Internal Transcribed Spacer 2, and Large-Subunit D1–D2 Regions as the Genetic Markers to Identify Fungi Isolated from Different Environmental Samples: A Molecular Surveillance Study of Public Health Importance

2020 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 843-850
Author(s):  
Irshad M Sulaiman ◽  
Emily Jacobs ◽  
Steven Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Internal Transcribed Spacer ◽  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Large Subunit ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Fungal Isolates ◽  
Fusarium Sp

Abstract Background In September 2012, a multistate fungal meningitis outbreak started across 20 states in the United States. It affected 753 individuals and caused 64 deaths who received contaminated spinal injections. In a previous study, we analyzed 26 environmental samples collected from the manufacturing premises of a compounding company to determine the possible cause of an outbreak and identified 14 distinct fungal species. Objectives In this follow-up study, we have analyzed 198 environmental samples collected from three additional compounding company premises located in the United States for the presence of pathogenic fungi. Methods Environmental swab samples were initially examined by standard microbiological methods. Subsequently, DNA sequencing was performed on all of the 25 recovered fungal isolates at the D1–D2 domain of the large subunit (LSU) ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Results Sequence analysis of the ITS1, ITS2, and LSU rRNA regions confirmed the presence of the following fungal species in the environmental samples analyzed: (i) Pestalotiopsis cocculi from the region Ia; (ii) Epicoccum nigrum and Trichaptum biforme from the region Ib; (iii) Nigrospora sphaerica and Fusarium sp. from the region II; and (iv) Curvularia sp., Fusarium sp., Penicillium sp., and Preussia sp. from the region III. Species identification of 25 recovered fungal isolates matched, in most cases, at 3 sequenced loci (ITS1, ITS2, and LSU). Highlights DNA sequencing of ITS1, ITS2, and LSU D1–D2 regions can be used to perform fungal typing and in implementing effective environmental monitoring programs of public health importance.

Can increases in Twitter posts predict increases in cumulative incidence of COVID-19 in the United States? Evidence that social media can inform epidemic surveillance. (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruoyan Sun ◽  
Henna Budhwani
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Cumulative Incidence ◽  
Hot Spots ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
State Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
Education Attainment ◽  
Public Health Systems ◽  
Per Capita

BACKGROUND Though public health systems are responding rapidly to the COVID-19 pandemic, outcomes from publicly available, crowd-sourced big data may assist in helping to identify hot spots, prioritize equipment allocation and staffing, while also informing health policy related to “shelter in place” and social distancing recommendations. OBJECTIVE To assess if the rising state-level prevalence of COVID-19 related posts on Twitter (tweets) is predictive of state-level cumulative COVID-19 incidence after controlling for socio-economic characteristics. METHODS We identified extracted COVID-19 related tweets from January 21st to March 7th (2020) across all 50 states (N = 7,427,057). Tweets were combined with state-level characteristics and confirmed COVID-19 cases to determine the association between public commentary and cumulative incidence. RESULTS The cumulative incidence of COVID-19 cases varied significantly across states. Ratio of tweet increase (p=0.03), number of physicians per 1,000 population (p=0.01), education attainment (p=0.006), income per capita (p = 0.002), and percentage of adult population (p=0.003) were positively associated with cumulative incidence. Ratio of tweet increase was significantly associated with the logarithmic of cumulative incidence (p=0.06) with a coefficient of 0.26. CONCLUSIONS An increase in the prevalence of state-level tweets was predictive of an increase in COVID-19 diagnoses, providing evidence that Twitter can be a valuable surveillance tool for public health.

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