Biomedical subjects
J Woodall
Publications and source records attributed to J Woodall.
ProMED-mail: background and purpose.
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Emerging infectious diseases and risk to the traveler.
This article examines the relationship between travel and emerging infections. The authors begin with an overview of disease emergence and follow with a brief infection-by-infection examination of selected emerging pathogens of particular relevance to travelers and the medical care providers who counsel them. Emphasis is given to those agents that clearly have emerged as significant new or increased risk to travelers; or are of sufficiently new interest, even in the face of inadequate data in travelers, to be of potential immediate concern. The authors also discuss several novel pathogens, such as Ebola virus, that are clearly of insignificant or minimal risk to travelers, but are the subject of frequent questions from patients requesting pre-travel advice from medical providers.
Medical aid and human rights in Kosovo.
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The role of computer networking in investigating unusual disease outbreaks and allegations of biological and toxin weapons use.
Computer networking can aid in the epidemiological investigation of unusual disease outbreaks and possible uses of biological weapons. Exchange of computerized data over the Internet has many advantages in facilitating the investigation of the source of a disease outbreak. It is especially useful in the investigation of suspected or alleged releases of biological weapons. Computer networking through the Internet a fosters a truly global disease outbreak early warning system in which both government and non-government sources are contributing. Such information exchange is of great potential benefit to the Biological Weapons Convention and the attempts to develop a verification protocol.
Tokyo subway gas attack.
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Sentinel centres for global health security.
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Official versus unofficial outbreak reporting through the Internet.
Several countries, a number of regional bodies, and a handful of both commercial and not-for-profit outfits and international organizations operate sites on the World Wide Web on which disease outbreaks are reported. But there is only one publicly accessible e-mail service with no subscription cost that reaches health workers and the general public in countries, and remote regions within countries, that are on the far fringes of the Internet. That service is ProMED-mail, a project of the Federation of American Scientists operated by SatelLife, which is a not-for-profit organization that brings medical information to the developing world. ProMED-mail reaches more than 15000 e-mail subscribers in at least 140 countries by a combination of satellite, phone and ground radio links. It receives reports of outbreaks of emerging infectious human, animal and plant diseases from official sources, the media and subscribers, and disseminates them rapidly, without any of the constraints that often delay official reporting. All reports pass first through the hands of a panel of disease experts, to ensure as far as possible reliability and completeness. ProMED-mail has reported outbreaks more rapidly than official sources, and responded to calls for help from doctors battling epidemics, or confronted with baffling cases. It is proving that public participation in outbreak reporting complements official reporting systems in a highly practical way.
Subpicosecond photoconductivity of In0.53Ga0.47As: Intervalley scattering rates observed via THz spectroscopy.
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Human and rodent hantavirus infection in New York State: public health significance of an emerging infectious disease.
BACKGROUND: A case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome with possible exposure in New York and/or Rhode Island was confirmed in February 1994. OBJECTIVE: To conduct four studies to determine the historical and geographic distribution of human and small-mammal infection with hantaviruses in New York State. METHODS: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed on serum samples obtained from 130 humans during a 1978 babesiosis survey, 907 small mammals collected in New York State since 1984, 12 rodents collected in 1994 near the residences of the patients with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and 76 New York patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome-like illness (as suspected cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome). RESULTS: None of the human serum samples from the 1978 serosurvey showed evidence of hantavirus exposure by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statewide historical serum samples from white-footed mice showed evidence of Sin Nombre virus infection in 12.0% (97/809) and Seoul-like virus infection in 9.6% (78/809). Site-specific seropositivity rates were as high as 48.5% with Sin Nombre virus during 1 year (1984). Two of 12 mice captured near the residences of a human patient were positive for Sin Nombre virus by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, yet were negative for viral RNA by polymerase chain reaction. None of the patients with suspected hantavirus pulmonary syndrome was serologically reactive for Sin Nombre virus. CONCLUSIONS: We provide serologic evidence of small-mammal infection with hantaviruses in New York State as long ago as 1984. Human cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome are rare in New York, and data indicate that transmission to humans is probably infrequent. A unique set of host, agent, and environmental factors may be necessary to cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in humans.
ProMED global monitoring of emerging diseases: design for a demonstration program.
The emergence and reemergence of infectious diseases, as the result of recent and ongoing social and environmental changes, urgently calls for a global surveillance system, so that unusual outbreaks can be recognized and controlled at an early stage. ProMED, an international non-governmental group of infectious disease experts, was organized by the Federation of American Scientists to promote the establishment of a global Program to Monitor Emerging Diseases. ProMED proposes the establishment of a demonstration program by prioritizing a small number of strategically-located institutions in the developing world, mainly those least in need of upgrading, for development as sentinel centers. In this way a functional, although limited, network with capabilities for monitoring both endemic and emerging diseases could be rapidly established at minimal cost. The network would serve as an experimental model for future expansion. Initially, each center would develop its own local/regional network with which it would exchange information and assistance, and through which it would collect clinical data and specimens for monitoring the emergence of a limited number of defined syndromes. A central program office would provide protocols, assistance, training, quality assurance, communications, etc. and would coordinate fundraising and program activities. If successful, the syndromes monitored would be expanded and additional institutions strengthened to become new network centers.
The WHO. Pay and conditions of service have been eroded.
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If I were a dean.
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An analysis of air transport results in the sick newborn II. Antenatal and neonatal referrals.
The neonatal intensive-care unit at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center admits approximately 350 infants each year. At least half of these infants are referred, and, since 1973, there has been a steady increase in antenatal referrals. In 1975, in utero referrals exceeded neonatal referrals. The entire perinatal population of two referring hospitals was retrospectively evaluated in order to compare neonatal and in utero transfers. The neonatal transfers had higher-than-predicted mortality rate, while the in utero referrals had not only lower-than-predicted mortality rate, but the survivors had a shorter hospital stay. The combined neonatal/perinatal regionalization program resulted in a perinatal mortality rate of eight and 7.6 per 1,000 births in the two hospitals during the study period.
Constant negative pressure in the treatment of diaphragmatic paralysis secondary to birth injury.
A newborn infant with right Erb palsy and diaphragmatic paralysis was treated with CNP for respiratory failure. There was clinical and arterial blood gas improvement. Several months after treatment, respiratory symptoms had disappeared, but fluoroscopy demonstrated persistence of diaphragmatic paralysis. A review of the literature is included. CNP may allow spontaneous recovery while permitting adequate nutrition.
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis in a hamster colony causes infection of hospital personnel.
A series of febrile illnesses, some severe, among hospital personnel was traced to an outbreak of lymphocytic choriomeningitis in a hospital research colony of Syrian hamsters. By rapid virus isolation and identification techniques, a definitive diagnosis was made 5 days after specimens were received. This outbreak emphasizes the dangers of working with experimental hamsters and tumor cell lines passaged in them.
Stalking the next epidemic: ProMED tracks emerging diseases.
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