2014 MERS-CoV outbreak in Jeddah--a link to health care facilities.

BACKGROUND: A marked increase in the number of cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection occurred in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in early 2014. We evaluated patients with MERS-CoV infection in Jeddah to explore reasons for this increase and to assess the epidemiologic and clinical features of this disease. METHODS: We identified all cases of laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV infection in Jeddah that were reported to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health from January 1 through May 16, 2014. We conducted telephone interviews with symptomatic patients who were not health care personnel, and we reviewed hospital records. We identified patients who were reported as being asymptomatic and interviewed them regarding a history of symptoms in the month before testing. Descriptive analyses were performed. RESULTS: Of 255 patients with laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV infection, 93 died (case fatality rate, 36.5%). The median age of all patients was 45 years (interquartile range, 30 to 59), and 174 patients (68.2%) were male. A total of 64 patients (25.1%) were reported to be asymptomatic. Of the 191 symptomatic patients, 40 (20.9%) were health care personnel. Among the 151 symptomatic patients who were not health care personnel, 112 (74.2%) had data that could be assessed, and 109 (97.3%) of these patients had had contact with a health care facility, a person with a confirmed case of MERS-CoV infection, or someone with severe respiratory illness in the 14 days before the onset of illness. The remaining 3 patients (2.7%) reported no such contacts. Of the 64 patients who had been reported as asymptomatic, 33 (52%) were interviewed, and 26 of these 33 (79%) reported at least one symptom that was consistent with a viral respiratory illness. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients in the Jeddah MERS-CoV outbreak had contact with a health care facility, other patients, or both. This highlights the role of health care-associated transmission. (Supported by the Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia, and by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.).

Benefit of Early Initiation of Influenza Antiviral Treatment to Pregnant Women Hospitalized With Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza.

BACKGROUND: We describe the impact of early initiation of influenza antiviral treatment among pregnant women hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza during the 2010-2014 influenza seasons. METHODS: Severe influenza was defined as illness with ≥1 of the following: intensive care unit admission, need for mechanical ventilation, respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism, sepsis, or death. Within severity stratum, we used parametric survival analysis to compare length of stay by timing of antiviral treatment, adjusting for underlying conditions, influenza vaccination, and pregnancy trimester. RESULTS: Among 865 pregnant women, the median age was 27 years (interquartile range [IQR], 23-31 years). Most (68%) were healthy, and 85% received antiviral treatment. Sixty-three women (7%) had severe influenza, and 4 died. Severity was associated with preterm delivery and fetal loss. Women with severe influenza were less likely to be vaccinated than those without severe influenza (14% vs 26%; P = .03). Among women treated with antivirals ≤2 days versus those treated >2 days from illness onset, the median length of stay was 2.2 days (interquartile range [IQR], 0.9-5.8 days; n = 8) versus 7.8 days (IQR, 3.0-20.6 days; n = 7), respectively, for severe influenza (P = .03) and 2.4 days (IQR, 2.3-2.5 days; n = 153) versus 3.1 days (IQR, 2.8-3.5 days; n = 62), respectively, for nonsevere influenza (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Early initiation of influenza antiviral treatment to pregnant women hospitalized with influenza may reduce the length of stay, especially among those with severe influenza. Influenza during pregnancy is associated with maternal and infant morbidity, and annual influenza vaccination is warranted.

Outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome at Tertiary Care Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 2014.

During March-May 2014, a Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreak occurred in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that included many persons who worked or received medical treatment at King Fahd General Hospital. We investigated 78 persons who had laboratory-confirmed MERS during March 2-May 10 and documented contact at this hospital. The 78 persons with MERS comprised 53 patients, 16 healthcare workers, and 9 visitors. Among the 53 patients, the most probable sites of acquisition were the emergency department (22 patients), inpatient areas (17), dialysis unit (11), and outpatient areas (3). Infection control deficiencies included limited separation of suspected MERS patients, patient crowding, and inconsistent use of infection control precautions; aggressive improvements in these deficiencies preceded a decline in cases. MERS coronavirus transmission probably was multifocal, occurring in multiple hospital settings. Continued vigilance and strict application of infection control precautions are necessary to prevent future MERS outbreaks.

Association of Higher MERS-CoV Virus Load with Severe Disease and Death, Saudi Arabia, 2014.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes a spectrum of illness. We evaluated whether cycle threshold (Ct) values (which are inversely related to virus load) were associated with clinical severity in patients from Saudi Arabia whose nasopharyngeal specimens tested positive for this virus by real-time reverse transcription PCR. Among 102 patients, median Ct of 31.0 for the upstream of the E gene target for 41 (40%) patients who died was significantly lower than the median of 33.0 for 61 survivors (p=0.0087). In multivariable regression analyses, risk factors for death were age>60 years), underlying illness, and decreasing Ct for each 1-point decrease in Ct). Results were similar for a composite severe outcome (death and/or intensive care unit admission). More data are needed to determine whether modulation of virus load by therapeutic agents affects clinical outcomes.

Advanced HIV disease in East Africa and Nigeria, in The African Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Earlier antiretroviral therapy (ART) may decrease progression to advanced HIV disease (AHD) with CD4 count of <200 cells per cubic millimeter or clinical sequelae. We assessed factors associated with AHD among people living with HIV before and during the "test and treat" era. SETTING: The African Cohort Study prospectively enrolls adults with and without HIV from 12 clinics in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria. METHODS: Enrollment evaluations included clinical history, physical examination, and laboratory testing. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for factors associated with CD4 count of <200 cells per cubic millimeter at study visits. RESULTS: From 2013 to 2021, 3059 people living with HIV with available CD4 at enrollment were included; median age was 38 years [interquartile range: 30-46 years], and 41.3% were men. From 2013 to 2021, the prevalence of CD4 count of <200 cells per cubic millimeter decreased from 10.5% to 3.1%, whereas the percentage on ART increased from 76.6% to 100% ( P <0.001). Factors associated with higher odds of CD4 count of <200 cells per cubic millimeter were male sex (adjusted odds ratio 1.56 [confidence interval: 1.29 to 1.89]), being 30-39 years (1.42 [1.11-1.82]) or older (compared with <30), have World Health Organization stage 2 disease (1.91 [1.48-2.49]) or higher (compared with stage 1), and HIV diagnosis eras 2013-2015 (2.19 [1.42-3.37]) or later (compared with <2006). Compared with ART-naive, unsuppressed participants, being viral load suppressed on ART, regardless of ART duration, was associated with lower odds of CD4 count of <200 cells per cubic millimeter (<6 months on ART: 0.45 [0.34-0.58]). CONCLUSION: With ART scale-up, AHD has declined. Efforts targeting timely initiation of suppressive ART may further reduce AHD risk.

The impact of combined antiretroviral therapy on biologic false-positive rapid plasma reagin serologies in a longitudinal cohort of HIV-infected persons.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to determine the impact of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and the degree of immunosuppression on biologic false-positive (BFP) rapid plasma reagin (RPR) tests among persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). METHODS: This was a nested retrospective study of HIV-infected patients enrolled in the Johns Hopkins HIV Clinical Cohort. BFP RPR was defined as a reactive RPR and a nonreactive fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS) test. Patients with BFP tests were compared to 2 control groups: HIV-infected patients (1) with active syphilis (reactive RPR and FTA-ABS) and (2) without current syphilis (nonreactive RPR). A persistent BFP test was defined by having at least 2 visits with consistent BFP at all visits. RESULTS: Of 711 patients with HIV, 96 (13.5%) had BFP tests and 342 (48.1%) had syphilis. Twenty-two of 96 (23%) had persistent BFP tests. cART use was associated with decreased odds of BFP tests compared to having syphilis (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.31; 95% CI, .15-.63) and those with nonreactive RPR (AOR, 0.42; 95% CI, .22-.81). cART use was also associated with decreased odds of BFP persistence (AOR, 0.07; 95% CI, .01-.33). Neither CD4 count nor HIV RNA was significantly associated with BFP test results. Lower RPR titers, younger age, and injection drug use were associated with increased odds of BFP. CONCLUSIONS: The use of cART appears to decrease the odds of BFP RPR tests. This finding suggests that nontreponemal titer fluctuations in persons with HIV may reflect the influence of factors unrelated to syphilis disease activity.

Oseltamivir Use Among Children and Adults Hospitalized With Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Data on oseltamivir treatment among hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients are limited. METHODS: Patients hospitalized with CAP at 6 hospitals during the 2010-2012 influenza seasons were included. We assessed factors associated with oseltamivir treatment using logistic regression. RESULTS: Oseltamivir treatment was provided to 89 of 1627 (5%) children (<18 years) and 143 of 1051 (14%) adults. Among those with positive clinician-ordered influenza tests, 39 of 61 (64%) children and 37 of 48 (77%) adults received oseltamivir. Among children, oseltamivir treatment was associated with hospital A (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36-4.88), clinician-ordered testing performed (aOR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.47-5.19), intensive care unit (ICU) admission (aOR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.27-3.45), and age ≥2 years (aOR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.16-1.76). Among adults, oseltamivir treatment was associated with clinician-ordered testing performed (aOR, 8.38; 95% CI, 4.64-15.12), hospitals D and E (aOR, 3.46-5.11; 95% CI, 1.75-11.01), Hispanic ethnicity (aOR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.18-3.59), and ICU admission (aOR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.34-3.13). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients hospitalized with CAP during influenza season, oseltamivir treatment was moderate overall and associated with clinician-ordered testing, severe illness, and specific hospitals. Increased clinician education is needed to include influenza in the differential diagnosis for hospitalized CAP patients and to test and treat patients empirically if influenza is suspected.

Hospitalizations and Deaths Because of Respiratory and Diarrheal Diseases Among Haitian Children Under Five Years of Age, 2011-2013.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory and diarrheal diseases are leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children younger than 5 years in developing countries. Data on the burden of these diseases in Haiti are scarce. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of hospital admission registries during January 1, 2011-December 31, 2013 for children younger than 5 years in 6 hospitals in Haiti. We recorded the number of all-cause, respiratory and diarrheal disease admissions and deaths by epidemiologic week and age. RESULTS: A total of 31,565 hospital admissions and 1763 deaths were recorded among children aged <5 years during the study period. Respiratory diseases accounted for 9183 (29%) hospitalizations and 301 (17%) deaths. Children aged 6-23 months had the highest percentage of hospitalizations attributable to respiratory diseases (38%), whereas children aged 36-47 months had the highest proportion of deaths attributable to respiratory diseases (37%). Respiratory disease hospitalizations followed a bimodal seasonal pattern, with peaks during May-June and October-December. Diarrheal diseases accounted for 8063 (26%) hospitalizations and 224 (13%) deaths. Children aged 6-11 months had the highest percentage of diarrhea-associated hospitalizations (39%) and deaths (29%). Diarrheal disease admissions peaked in January-April before the rainy season. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory and diarrheal diseases contributed to more than half of hospitalizations and almost a third of deaths in children younger than 5 years in Haiti. These data are essential to assess the impact of pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines and other interventions in Haiti.