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Biomedical subjects

Elizabeth M Begier

Publications and source records attributed to Elizabeth M Begier.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Life-threatening sepsis caused by Burkholderia cepacia from contaminated intravenous flush solutions prepared by a compounding pharmacy in another state.

We report 2 life-threatening cases of Burkholderia cepacia sepsis caused by infusate contamination during compounding. Bacterial isolates from the patients' blood cultures and the infusate were indistinguishable by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Proper quality controls at a local and national level are important for ensuring safe delivery of compounded medications to patients in all settings, including those outside health care facilities.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed2006

Pneumonic plague cluster, Uganda, 2004.

The public and clinicians have long-held beliefs that pneumonic plague is highly contagious; inappropriate alarm and panic have occurred during outbreaks. We investigated communicability in a naturally occurring pneumonic plague cluster. We defined a probable pneumonic plague case as an acute-onset respiratory illness with bloody sputum during December 2004 in Kango Subcounty, Uganda. A definite case was a probable case with laboratory evidence of Yersinia pestis infection. The cluster (1 definite and 3 probable cases) consisted of 2 concurrent index patient-caregiver pairs. Direct fluorescent antibody microscopy and polymerase chain reaction testing on the only surviving patient's sputum verified plague infection. Both index patients transmitted pneumonic plague to only 1 caregiver each, despite 23 additional untreated close contacts (attack rate 8%). Person-to-person transmission was compatible with transmission by respiratory droplets, rather than aerosols, and only a few close contacts, all within droplet range, became ill.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

A population survey of smallpox knowledge, perceptions, and healthcare-seeking behavior surrounding the Iraq invasion--Connecticut 2002-03.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge and perceptions about smallpox would probably influence public behavior following an intentional smallpox release. We assessed public knowledge, perceptions, and related healthcare-seeking behavior in Connecticut during the period of heightened interest in smallpox preparedness surrounding the Iraq invasion. METHODS: Smallpox-related questions were added to Connecticut's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, an ongoing statewide adult population-based survey during December 2002-July 2003 and November-December 2003. RESULTS: Among 4,074 respondents, when asked about a hypothetical febrile illness, 72% would first contact their primary care provider (PCP) on weekdays. During nights and weekends, respondents would depend nearly equally on PCPs and emergency departments (37% versus 36%). Most knew smallpox is transmissible from person to person (72%) but not that the majority infected with smallpox survive (38%) or that smallpox is most contagious after the appearance of rash (11%). Knowledge regarding transmissibility and mortality improved during the study period (p < 0.001). Only 31% recognized that vaccinia vaccine is riskier than routine vaccines; 41% would choose vaccination if available. Concern about smallpox's potential use as a weapon was high but decreased after President Bush declared "mission accomplished" in Iraq in May 2003 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite national coverage of smallpox by the media, most respondents lacked basic knowledge regarding the disease. Incorrect perceptions regarding vaccinia vaccine's risks could increase inappropriate vaccine demand among nonexposed people with vaccine contraindications during a mass vaccination campaign. Current perceptions should inform future smallpox preparedness planning. In addition, both PCPs and emergency medicine clinicians should be targeted for education regarding smallpox diagnosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Gram-positive rod surveillance for early anthrax detection.

Connecticut established telephone-based gram-positive rod (GPR) reporting primarily to detect inhalational anthrax cases more quickly. From March to December 2003, annualized incidence of blood isolates was 21.3/100,000 persons; reports included 293 Corynebacterium spp., 193 Bacillus spp., 73 Clostridium spp., 26 Lactobacillus spp., and 49 other genera. Around-the-clock GPR reporting has described GPR epidemiology and enhanced rapid communication with clinical laboratories.

Anthrax↗
PubMed2004

A high-morbidity outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among players on a college football team, facilitated by cosmetic body shaving and turf burns.

BACKGROUND: Athletics-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections have become a high-profile national problem with substantial morbidity. METHODS: To investigate an MRSA outbreak involving a college football team, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of all 100 players. A case was defined as MRSA cellulitis or skin abscess diagnosed during the period of 6 August (the start of football camp) through 1 October 2003. RESULTS: We identified 10 case patients (2 of whom were hospitalized). The 6 available wound isolates had indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns (MRSA strain USA300) and carried the Panton-Valentine leukocidin toxin gene, as determined by polymerase chain reaction. On univariate analysis, infection was associated (P<.05) with player position (relative risk [RR], 17.5 and 11.7 for cornerbacks and wide receivers, respectively), abrasions from artificial grass (i.e., "turf burns"; RR, 7.2), and body shaving (RR, 6.1). Cornerbacks and wide receivers were a subpopulation with frequent direct person-to-person contact with each other during scrimmage play and drills. Three of 4 players with infection at a covered site (hip or thigh) had shaved the affected area, and these infections were also associated with sharing the whirlpool > or =2 times per week (RR, 12.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-109.2). Whirlpool water was disinfected with dilute povidone-iodine only and remained unchanged between uses. CONCLUSIONS: MRSA was likely spread predominantly during practice play, with skin breaks facilitating infection. Measures to minimize skin breaks among athletes should be considered, including prevention of turf burns and education regarding the risks of cosmetic body shaving. MRSA-contaminated pool water may have contributed to infections at covered sites, but small numbers limit the strength of this conclusion. Nevertheless, appropriate whirlpool disinfection methods should be promoted among athletic trainers.

Abscess↗
PubMed2004

Postmarketing safety surveillance for typhoid fever vaccines from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, July 1990 through June 2002.

Vaccines against Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi are used for prophylaxis of international travelers and have potential use as counterbioterrorism agents. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) cannot usually establish causal relationships between vaccines and reported adverse events without further research but has successfully detected unrecognized side effects of vaccine. We reviewed reports to VAERS for US-licensed typhoid fever vaccines for the period of July 1990 through June 2002. We received 321 reports for parenteral Vi capsular polysaccharide vaccine and 345 reports for live, oral, attenuated Ty21a vaccine, with 7.5% and 5.5%, respectively, describing death, hospitalization, permanent disability, or life-threatening illness. Unexpected frequently reported symptoms included dizziness and pruritus for Vi vaccine and fatigue and myalgia for Ty21a vaccine. Gastroenteritis-like illness after receipt of Ty21a vaccine and abdominal pain after receipt of Vi vaccine, which are previously recognized events, occasionally required hospitalization. Nonfatal anaphylaxis was reported after both vaccines. VAERS reports do not indicate any unexpected serious side effects that compromise these vaccines' use for travelers' prophylaxis.

Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems↗
PubMed2004

Polyarteritis nodosa reports to the vaccine adverse event reporting system (VAERS): implications for assessment of suspected vaccine-provoked vasculitis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) as the initial stage in investigating the hypothesis that vaccination can very rarely cause PAN. METHODS: We reviewed PAN reports submitted from 1990 through 2001 using a causal inference framework to evaluate the consistency of the reports' clinical details with this hypothesis. We also reviewed published literature relating to the hypothesized association's biological plausibility. RESULTS: VAERS received 25 PAN reports. Ten met our case definition for definite or possible PAN and had no alternative etiology for PAN identified. Nine of these 10 followed hepatitis B vaccine with a modal peak (4 definite cases) in time to symptom onset 2 weeks after vaccination. However, all potential triggering infections were not excluded, and identification of vaccine antigens in clinical specimens was not attempted. Also, 14 of 25 reports were European, with 11 from France. All 9 French reports with a known diagnosis date began during 1994-97, when autoimmune and rheumatologic events following hepatitis B vaccine were a focus of public concern in France. CONCLUSION: While we identified some supportive evidence, overall, current adverse event reports do not support a causal link between vaccination and PAN. Appropriate prospective evaluation of future post-vaccination PAN cases could add to current knowledge with rigorous confirmation of diagnosis, appropriate testing for possible triggering infections including polymerase chain reaction testing for latent hepatitis B infection, and an attempt to link the vaccine antigen to pathology such as by immunohistochemical staining or immune complex identification.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

The National Capitol Region's Emergency Department syndromic surveillance system: do chief complaint and discharge diagnosis yield different results?

We compared syndromic categorization of chief complaint and discharge diagnosis for 3,919 emergency department visits to two hospitals in the U.S. National Capitol Region. Agreement between chief complaint and discharge diagnosis was good overall (kappa=0.639), but neurologic and sepsis syndromes had markedly lower agreement than other syndromes (kappa statistics 0.085 and 0.105, respectively).

Algorithms↗