Understanding the Impact of Mpox on Sexual Health Clinical Services: A National Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Survey-United States, 2022.

BACKGROUND: During the 2022 mpox outbreak, most cases were associated with sexual contact, and many people with mpox sought care from sexual health clinics and programs. The National Network of STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conducted a survey of US sexual health clinics and programs to assess knowledge, practices, and experiences around mpox to inform a future public health response. METHODS: Between August 31 and September 13, 2022, the National Network of STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers facilitated a web-based survey. Descriptive statistics were generated in R. RESULTS: Among 168 responses by clinicians (n = 131, 78%) and program staff (n = 37, 22%), more than half (51%) reported at least somewhat significant mpox-related clinical disruptions including burdensome paperwork requirements for mpox testing (40%) and tecovirimat use (88%). Long clinic visits (51%) added additional burden, and the median mpox-related visit lasted 1 hour. Few clinicians felt comfortable with advanced pain management, and clinicians felt most uninformed about preexposure (19%) and postexposure (24%) prophylaxis. Of 89 respondents involved in vaccination, 61% reported using equity strategies; however, accounts of these strategies revealed a focus on guideline or risk factor-based screenings instead of equity activities. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the substantial impact of the 2022 mpox outbreak on sexual health care in the United States. Critical gaps and barriers were identified that may inform additional mpox training and technical assistance, including challenges with testing, diagnosis, and management as well as a disconnect between programs' stated goal of equity and operationalization of strategies to achieve equity.

Prevalence of Lyme Disease Attributable to Military Service at the USMA, West Point NY: FY2016-2018.

INTRODUCTION: Lyme disease incidence rates have steadily increased since its official recognition in 1975. Since exposure to Lyme is associated with activities conducted in and around tick-habitats including tall grass, shrubs, deciduous forest, and leaf litter, it has been suggested that service members, who are thought to spend higher amounts of time in these habitats due to training requirements, may have higher risk for exposure. Specifically, this study looks at service member and family member exposure to Ixodes scapularis, the vector for Lyme in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. While literature pertaining to occupational and military specific exposures to Lyme vectors have attempted to quantify the possible elevated risk of Lyme disease for service members, thus far, studies have not consistently confirmed that service members are at a greater risk than family members. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study looks at cases of Lyme disease at Keller Army Community Hospital (KACH) on the West Point Military Reservation in New York during Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 through FY2018. Lyme cases were pulled from Military Health System Mart using current ICD-10-CM codes for Lyme related conditions (A69.20 and A69.29). In total, 144 cases were considered for the analysis. Totaling all service members and family members enrolled at KACH over the three-year period account for 35,526 person-years. Period prevalence, attributable risk percentage, population attributable risk percentage, and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated for service members and family member categories. This study was conducted on human subject research according to 32CFR219 and meets the requirements of exempt status under 32CFR219.101(b)(4) because it is a cross-sectional study on existing de-identified patient data. RESULTS: During FY2016-2018, service members accounted for 63 cases of Lyme totaling 21,595 person-years with a period prevalence of 292 cases per 100,000 (219.8, 363.7). Family members accounted for 81 cases with a total of 13,931 person-years with a period prevalence of 581 cases per 100,000 (455.2, 707.7). The percentage of attributable risk during the three-year period credited to military status is -99.30% (-145.69%, -52.91%). The population attributable risk percentage is -43.4%. CONCLUSIONS: While this study was unable to capture the military specific occupational exposure to I. scapularis, it does show a difference in period prevalence between service members and family members with the family members being at higher risk to contract Lyme instead of service members as is commonly suggested in the literature. Additional studies may be conducted to see if this holds true across service member Military Occupational Specialties as a proxy for occupational exposure. Similar studies should be conducted at military installations situated in Lyme endemic areas to determine if these results are comparable across the military or specific to West Point. Future research should attempt to identify all the service member protective factors against Lyme with attribution to permethrin-treated uniforms and other military interventions designed to defend soldiers against vector-borne diseases.

Modeling Lyme disease host animal habitat suitability, West Point, New York.

As the most frequently reported vector-borne disease among active component U.S. service members, with an incidence rate of 16 cases per 100,000 person-years in 2011, Lyme disease poses both a challenge to healthcare providers in the Military Health System and a threat to military readiness. Spread through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick, infection with the bacterial cause of Lyme disease can have lasting effects that may lead to medical discharge from the military. The U.S. Military Academy at West Point is situated in a highly endemic area in New York State. To identify probable areas where West Point cadets as well as active duty service members stationed at West Point and their families might contract Lyme disease, this study used Geographic Information System mapping methods and remote sensing data to replicate an established spatial model to identify the likely habitat of a key host animal--the white-tailed deer.