Correction: Conjunctivitis, the key clinical characteristic of adult rubella in Japan during two large outbreaks, 2012-2013 and 2018-2019.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231966.].

Conjunctivitis, the key clinical characteristic of adult rubella in Japan during two large outbreaks, 2012-2013 and 2018-2019.

BACKGROUND: Rubella virus infection mainly causes illness with mild fever, rash, and lymphadenopathy in children; however, the clinical characteristics of adult rubella are not well-known. METHODS: An observational study was conducted to compare the characteristics between adult rubella and adult non-rubella among participants aged ≥18 years, with suspected symptomatic rubella. Participants were screened for rubella-specific IgM expression using an enzyme immune assay kit, at a tertiary care hospital in Japan during two outbreaks (January 2012-December 2013 and January 2018-March 2019). Adult rubella diagnosis followed strong positive or paired rubella-specific IgM expression or positive rubella-specific reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Patients aged <18 years or with clinically suspected rubella with weak or negative IgM expression were excluded. RESULTS: Overall, 82 adult rubella and 139 adult non-rubella, with a median age (interquartile range) of 31 (25-41) years and 34 (27-42) years, respectively, were included. Multivariate analysis showed that conjunctivitis (odds ratio 80.6; 95% confidence interval 13.4-486.3; P <0.001) and male sex (odds ratio 7.1; 95% confidence interval 1.8-28.1; P = 0.005) were significantly associated with adult rubella. Among men born from 1962 to 1979 (high-risk population, n = 68), conjunctivitis also showed a significant association with adult rubella in the multivariate analysis (odds ratio 24.2; 95% confidence interval 1.1-553.7; P = 0.046) as these patients were not included in the national vaccination program. There was no difference in the clinical characteristics between one-time vaccination (n = 11) and no vaccination (n = 8) patient in the adult rubella group. CONCLUSIONS: Conjunctivitis was the key clinical symptom associated with adult rubella. For the early diagnosis of adult rubella, clinicians should focus on assessing conjunctivitis in patients.

SARS-CoV-2 infection among returnees on charter flights to Japan from Hubei, China: a report from National Center for Global Health and Medicine.

Due to the significant spread of a new type of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection (COVID-19) in China, the Chinese government blockaded several cities in Hubei Province. Japanese citizens lost a means of transportation to return back to Japan. The National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM) helped the operation of charter flights for evacuation of Japanese residents from Hubei Province, and this article outlines our experiences. A total of five charter flights were dispatched, and the majority of returnees (793/829 [95.7%]) were handled at NCGM. A large number of personnel from various departments participated in this operation; 107 physicians, 115 nurses, 110 clerical staff, and 45 laboratory technicians in total. Several medical translators were also involved. In this operation, we conducted airborne precautions in addition to contact precautions. Eye shields were also used. The doctors collecting the pharyngeal swab used a coverall to minimize the risk of body surface contamination from secretions and droplets. Enhanced hand hygiene using alcohol hand sanitizer was performed. Forty-eight persons were ultimately hospitalized after the triage at NCGM operation, which was more than the number of persons triaged at the airport (n = 34). Of those hospitalized after NCGM triage, 8.3% (4/48 patients) ultimately tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, significantly higher than the positive rate among subjects not triaged (4/48 [8.3%] vs. 9/745 [1.2%]: p = 0.0057). NCGM participated in a large-scale operation to evacuate Japanese nationals from the COVID-19 epidemic area. We were able to establish a scheme through this experience that can be used in the future.

Extramedullary hematopoietic pleural effusion accompanied by follicular lymphoma.

Extramedullary hematopoietic effusion (EHE) is recognized to be an unusual phenomenon accompanied by hematologic disorders. Only a few reports are available of EHE occurring in patients with lymphoma. We herein report the case of a 54-year-old man with follicular lymphoma. Bone marrow aspirates and biopsied specimens showed diffuse invasion of small cleaved atypical lymphoid cells that were positive for CD10, 20, bcl2, immunoglobulin lambda and Bcl-2-IgH rearrangement. The pleural effusion aspirates and a biopsied specimen obtained via thoracoscopy revealed megakaryocytes and immature myeloid cells in addition to lymphoma cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of EHE accompanied by lymphoma according to the World Health Organization classification.