Transmission of hepatitis C virus associated with surgical procedures - New Jersey 2010 and Wisconsin 2011.

Incidents of health care-associated hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission that resulted from breaches in injection safety and infection prevention practices have been previously documented. During 2010 and 2011, separate, unrelated, occurrences of HCV infections in New Jersey and Wisconsin associated with surgical procedures were investigated to determine sources of HCV and mechanisms of HCV transmission. Molecular analyses of HCV strains and epidemiologic investigations indicated that transmission likely resulted from breaches of infection prevention practices. Health care and public health professionals should consider health care-associated transmission when evaluating acute HCV infections.

Nocardia cyriacigeorgica infections attributable to unlicensed cosmetic procedures--an emerging public health problem?

We describe an outbreak of Nocardia cyriacigeorgica soft-tissue infections attributable to unlicensed cosmetic injections and the first report using multilocus sequence typing sequence data for determining Nocardia strain relatedness in an outbreak. All 8 cases identified had a common source exposure and required hospitalization, surgical debridement, and prolonged antimicrobial therapy.

Multistate outbreak of Fusarium keratitis associated with use of a contact lens solution.

CONTEXT: Fusarium keratitis is a serious corneal infection, most commonly associated with corneal injury. Beginning in March 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received multiple reports of Fusarium keratitis among contact lens wearers. OBJECTIVE: To define the specific activities, contact lens hygiene practices, or products associated with this outbreak. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Epidemiological investigation of Fusarium keratitis occurring in the United States. A confirmed case was defined as keratitis with illness onset after June 1, 2005, with no history of recent ocular trauma and a corneal culture growing Fusarium species. Data were obtained by patient and ophthalmologist interviews for case patients and neighborhood-matched controls by trained personnel. Available Fusarium isolates from patients' clinical and environmental specimens were genotyped by multilocus sequence typing. Environmental sampling for Fusarium was conducted at a contact lens solution manufacturing plant. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Keratitis infection with Fusarium species. RESULTS: As of June 30, 2006, we identified 164 confirmed case patients in 33 states and 1 US territory. Median age was 41 years (range, 12-83 years). Corneal transplantation was required or planned in 55 (34%). One hundred fifty-four (94%) of the confirmed case patients wore soft contact lenses. Forty-five case patients and 78 controls were included in the case-control study. Case patients were significantly more likely than controls to report using a specific contact lens solution, ReNu with MoistureLoc (69% vs 15%; odds ratio, 13.3; 95% confidence interval, 3.1-119.5). The prevalence of reported use of ReNu MultiPlus solution was similar between case patients and controls (18% vs 20%; odds ratio, 0.7; 95% confidence interval, 0.2-2.8). Fusarium was not recovered from the factory, warehouse, solution filtrate, or unopened solution bottles; production of implicated lots was not clustered in time. Among 39 isolates tested, at least 10 different Fusarium species were identified, comprising 19 unique multilocus genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this investigation indicate that this outbreak of Fusarium keratitis was associated with use of ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution. Contact lens users should not use ReNu with MoistureLoc.

Using active microbiologic surveillance and enhanced infection control measures to control an outbreak of health care-associated extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae infections--New Jersey, 2007.

Between April and June 2007, an outbreak of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae infections occurred in an intensive care unit in New Jersey. The outbreak was contained through active microbiologic surveillance, contact precautions, cohorting, and frequent room cleaning. This outbreak demonstrates the importance of rapid response in identifying and isolating patients to prevent further transmission.

New Jersey's smallpox vaccination clinic experiences, 2003.

PURPOSE: During 2003, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, in collaboration with other agencies, began planning and implementing voluntary smallpox vaccination clinics. METHODS: Surveys were distributed to all vaccinees, hospital bioterrorism coordinators, and local health departments to assess clinic experiences. RESULTS: During January-July 2003, 23 clinics were conducted with more than 1,000 participants. Of 670 persons vaccinated, 529 (79%) completed surveys. We received 65 surveys from 68 (77%) of 84 hospitals, and 25 responses from 22 regional health agencies. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination is one component of preparedness; future initiatives must incorporate multiagency collaboration and developing public health infrastructure.

Escherichia coli O157 cluster evaluation.

We investigated a multistate cluster of Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolates; pulsed-field gel electrophoresis subtyping, using a single enzyme, suggested an epidemiologic association. An investigation and additional subtyping, however, did not support the association. Confirmating E. coli O157 clusters with two or more restriction endonucleases is necessary before public health resources are allocated to follow-up investigations.

Multidrug-resistant Salmonella Typhimurium infection from milk contaminated after pasteurization.

An outbreak of multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium infections occurred in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. A case-control study implicated pasteurized milk from a dairy, and an inspection indicated the potential for contamination after pasteurization. Dairy cattle are the likely reservoir, and milk may be an important vehicle of Salmonella transmission to humans.