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+------------------------------------------------+ ! ! ! Health Info-Com Network ! ! Medical Newsletter ! +------------------------------------------------+ Editor: David Dodell, D.M.D. 10250 North 92nd Street, Suite 210, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258-4599 USA Telephone +1 (602) 860-1121 FAX +1 (602) 451-1165 Compilation Copyright 1994 by David Dodell, D.M.D. All rights Reserved. License is hereby granted to republish on electronic media for which no fees are charged, so long as the text of this copyright notice and license are attached intact to any and all republished portion or portions. The Health Info-Com Network Newsletter is distributed biweekly. Articles on a medical nature are welcomed. If you have an article, please contact the editor for information on how to submit it. If you are interested in joining the automated distribution system, please contact the editor. E-Mail Address: Editor: Internet: david@stat.com FidoNet = 1:114/15 Bitnet = ATW1H@ASUACAD LISTSERV = MEDNEWS@ASUACAD.BITNET (or internet: mednews@asuvm.inre.asu.edu) anonymous ftp = vm1.nodak.edu Notification List = hicn-notify-request@stat.com FAX Delivery = Contact Editor for information ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 13 Apr 94 23:07:32 MST From: mednews (HICNet Medical News) To: hicnews Subject: [MMWR 18 Mar 94] Bacillus cereus Food Poisoning Message-ID: <0iDRkc1w165w@stat.com> Bacillus cereus Food Poisoning Associated with Fried Rice at Two Child Day Care Centers -- Virginia, 1993 Bacillus cereus, an infectious cause of foodborne illness, accounted for 2% of outbreaks with confirmed etiology that were reported to CDC during 1973-1987 (1). On July 21, 1993, the Lord Fairfax (Virginia) Health District received reports of acute gastrointestinal illness that occurred among children and staff at two jointly owned child day care centers following a catered lunch. This report summarizes the investigation of this outbreak. The catered lunch was served on July 21 to 82 children aged less than or equal to 6 years and to nine staff; dietary histories were obtained for 80 persons. Staff and all children aged greater than or equal to 4 years were interviewed directly; staff and parents were questioned for children aged less than 4 years. Of the 80 persons, 67 ate the catered lunch. A case was defined as vomiting by a person who was present at either day care center on July 21. Fourteen (21%) persons who ate the lunch became ill, compared with none of 13 who did not. Symptoms included nausea (71%), abdominal cramps or pain (36%), and diarrhea (14%). Twelve of the 14 cases occurred among children aged 2.5-5 years, and two occurred among staff. The median incubation period was 2 hours (range: 1.5-3.5 hours). Symptoms resolved a median of 4 hours after onset (range: 1.5-22 hours). Chicken fried rice prepared at a local restaurant was the only food significantly associated with illness; illness occurred in 14 (29%) of 48 persons who ate chicken fried rice, compared with none of 16 who did not (relative risk=undefined; lower confidence limit=1.7); three persons who were not ill were uncertain if they had eaten the rice. B. cereus was isolated from leftover chicken fried rice (greater than 106 organisms per gram) and from vomitus from one ill child (greater than 105 organisms per gram) but not from samples of leftover milk. Other food items (peas and apple rings) were not available for analysis. The rice had been cooked the night of July 20 and cooled at room temperature before refrigeration. On the morning of the lunch, the rice was pan-fried in oil with pieces of cooked chicken, delivered to the day care centers at approximately 10:30 a.m., held without refrigeration, and served at noon without reheating. Following the outbreak, health officials from the Lord Fairfax Health District recommended to day care staff and restaurant food handlers that the practice of cooling rice or any food at room temperature be discontinued, food be maintained at proper temperatures (i.e., below 41 F [5 C] or above 140 F [60 C]), and a thermometer be used to verify food temperatures. Reported by: M Khodr, MD, S Hill, L Perkins, S Stiefel, C Comer-Morrison, S Lee, Lord Fairfax Health District, Winchester; DR Patel, D Peery, Virginia Div of Consolidated Laboratory Svcs, Dept of General Svcs; CW Armstrong, MD, GB Miller, Jr, MD, State Epidemiologist, Virginia Dept of Health. Div of Field Epidemiology, Epidemiology Program Office; Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Br, Div of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, CDC. Editorial Note: B. cereus, a ubiquitous, spore-forming bacteria, causes two recognized forms of foodborne gastroenteritis: an emetic syndrome resembling that caused by Staphylococcus aureus and characterized by an incubation period of 1-6 hours and a diarrheal illness characterized by an incubation period of 6-24 hours (2). Fever is uncommon with either syndrome. The emetic syndrome--which occurred in the outbreak described in this report--is mediated by a highly stable toxin that survives high temperatures and exposure to trypsin, pepsin, and pH extremes; the diarrheal syndrome is mediated by a heat- and acid-labile enterotoxin that is sensitive to proteolytic enzymes (3). The diagnosis of B. cereus food poisoning can be confirmed by the isolation of greater than or equal to 10[superscript]5 B. cereus organisms per gram from epidemiologically implicated food. Underreporting of such outbreaks is likely because illness associated with B. cereus is usually self-limiting and not severe. In addition, findings of a recent survey about culture practices for outbreaks of apparent foodborne illness indicate that 20% of state public health laboratories do not make B. cereus testing routinely available (South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and CDC, unpublished data, 1991). Fried rice is a leading cause of B. cereus emetic-type food poisoning in the United States (1,4). B. cereus is frequently present in uncooked rice, and heat-resistant spores may survive cooking. If cooked rice is subsequently held at room temperature, vegetative forms multiply, and heat-stable toxin is produced that can survive brief heating, such as stir frying (4). In the outbreak described in this report, vegetative forms of the organism probably multiplied at the restaurant and the day care centers while the rice was held at room temperature. The day care staff and restaurant food handlers in this report were unaware that cooked rice was a potentially hazardous food. This report underscores the ongoing need to educate food handlers about basic practices for safe food handling. References 1. Bean NH, Griffin PM. Foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States, 1973-1987: pathogens, vehicles, and trends. Journal of Food Protection 1990;53:804-17. 2. Benenson AS, ed. Control of communicable diseases in man. 15th ed. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association, 1990:177-8. 3. Kramer JM, Gilbert RJ. Bacillus cereus and other Bacillus species. In: Doyles MP, ed. Foodborne bacterial pathogens. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc, 1989:21-70. 4. Terranova W, Blake PA. Bacillus cereus food poisoning. N Engl J Med 1978;298:143-4. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 94 23:08:24 MST From: mednews (HICNet Medical News) To: hicnews Subject: [MMWR] Update: Infleunza Activity and Composition Influenza Vaccine Message-ID: <PkDRkc2w165w@stat.com> Current Trends Update: Influenza Activity -- United States and Worldwide, 1993-94 Season, and Composition of the 1994-95 Influenza Vaccine In collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and its network of international collaborating laboratories and with state and local health departments in the United States, CDC conducts surveillance to monitor influenza activity and to detect antigenic changes in the circulating strains of influenza viruses. This report summarizes surveillance for influenza in the United States and worldwide during the 1993-94 season and describes the composition of the 1994-95 influenza vaccine. United States During August and early September 1993, three outbreaks of influenza type A(H3N2) associated with high attack rates occurred in Louisiana (1). Virologic or serologic evidence indicated that all three outbreaks were caused by viruses similar to the A/Beijing/32/92 strain, which was first isolated in the United States during the 1992-93 influenza season and was included in the influenza vaccine formulated for the 1993-94 season. Regional* influenza activity associated with laboratory-confirmed outbreaks of influenza type A(H3N2) was first reported in early November 1993 in Wyoming and Montana and in mid-November in Idaho. In all three states, outbreaks were first recognized among schoolchildren (2). Influenza activity increased from mid-November 1993 through early January 1994. Although the timing and intensity of influenza activity varied by region, influenza activity peaked nationally during the last week of 1993 and the first week of 1994. The proportion of patient visits for influenza-like illness to family practitioners participating in the CDC sentinel physician surveillance system peaked at 8% during the week ending January 1, 1994. Reports from state and territorial epidemiologists and from the WHO collaborating laboratories peaked during the week ending January 8, when state and territorial epidemiologists reported either widespread or regional influenza activity in 35 states, and WHO collaborating laboratories in the United States reported 709 influenza virus isolates. Although most reported outbreaks occurred in schools, outbreaks were reported among persons in all age groups; reports of high absenteeism in the workplace were common during peak influenza activity. Outbreaks also occurred among residents of nursing homes. Of total deaths reported through CDC's 121-city mortality surveillance system, the proportion attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) exceeded the epidemic threshold** for 10 consecutive weeks from December 19, 1993, through February 26, 1994 (Figure 1). The highest proportion of P&I deaths (9.2% of total deaths) was reported the week ending January 22. Of the 3963 influenza virus isolates reported to CDC from WHO collaborating laboratories in the United States through March 5, 99.9% were influenza type A; only four of the isolated viruses were influenza type B. Of the 1899 influenza type A viruses that have been subtyped, 99% have been influenza type A(H3N2). Worldwide Influenza activity worldwide has occurred at moderate to moderately severe levels. Influenza viruses have been isolated in association with sporadic activity, outbreaks, or epidemic activity in Asia, Europe, and North America. Although most activity has been associated with influenza type A(H3N2), influenza type B viruses were isolated during periods of sporadic activity or outbreaks in some countries. Isolation of influenza type A(H1N1) viruses has been rare. Influenza type A(H3N2) viruses were first detected during localized outbreaks that occurred during August and September in the United States and in Scotland. An epidemic caused by type A(H3N2) occurred in the United Kingdom during November and December. In western and northern continental Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland), influenza type A(H3N2) epidemics occurred during November and December. From October through February, sporadic cases or outbreaks caused by influenza type A(H3N2) also were reported in Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, People's Republic of China, Romania, the Russian Federation, Spain, Yugoslavia, and Zambia. When compared with type A influenza, type B viruses have been isolated less frequently worldwide; influenza type B isolates were first reported in association with sporadic activity in China, Hong Kong, and Thailand during October and November. Outbreaks caused by type B viruses subsequently occurred in China during December and January. Influenza type B viruses also were reported during outbreaks in Slovakia and in association with sporadic activity in Canada, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, the Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Influenza type A(H1N1) viruses have been reported in association with sporadic activity from Hungary, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, the Russian Federation, and the United States. Composition of the 1994-95 Vaccine The Food and Drug Administration Vaccines and Related Biologicals Advisory Committee (VRBAC) has recommended that the 1994-95 trivalent influenza vaccine for the United States contain A/Texas/36/91-like (H1N1), A/Shangdong/9/93-like (H3N2), and B/Panama/45/90-like viruses. This recommendation was based on the antigenic analysis of recently isolated influenza viruses and the antibody response of persons vaccinated with the 1993-94 vaccine. Although many of the influenza type A(H3N2) viruses that have been antigenically characterized are similar to the A/Beijing/32/92 strain included in the 1993-94 vaccine, some recently isolated strains from Asia, Europe, and North America are more similar to the antigenic variant A/Shangdong/9/93 (Table 1). Vaccines containing the A/Beijing/32/92 virus induced a good antibody response to the vaccine strain but induced lower and less frequent antibody responses to recent type A(H3N2) strains such as A/Shangdong/9/93 (3). Therefore, VRBAC recommended changing the influenza type A(H3N2) vaccine component to an A/Shangdong/9/93-like strain for the 1994-95 season. Influenza B viruses that have been antigenically characterized, including the most recent isolates from China, are similar to B/Panama/45/90 and the closely related variant B/Qingdao/102/91 (4). Vaccines containing B/Panama/45/90 virus induced antibodies at a similar frequency and titer to the vaccine virus and to representative recent isolates. VRBAC therefore recommended retaining a B/Panama/45/90-like vaccine strain in the 1994-95 vaccine. Because isolation of influenza type A(H1N1) virus has been rare worldwide during the 1993-94 season, no type A(H1N1) viruses isolated since October 1993 have been characterized. However, viruses characterized during the 1992-93 season were closely related to the reference strains A/Taiwan/1/86 or A/Texas/36/91. Vaccines containing the A/Texas/36/91 strain induced antibodies with similar frequency and titer to the vaccine virus and to type A(H1N1) strains isolated during the 1992-93 influenza season. Therefore, VRBAC recommended retaining an A/Texas/36/91-like strain in the 1994-95 vaccine. Reported by: Participating state and territorial health dept epidemiologists and state public health laboratory directors. M Chakraverty, PhD, Central Public Health Laboratory, J Skehel, PhD, A Hay, PhD, National Institute for Medical Research, London; G Schild, PhD, J Wood, PhD, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Hertfordshire, England. I Gust, MD, A Hampson, Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, Parkville, Australia. World Health Organization National Influenza Centers, Microbiology and Immunology Support Svcs, Geneva. Div of Virology, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration. Epidemiology Activity and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Control of Influenza, Div of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, CDC. Editorial Note: The outbreaks of influenza in Louisiana in August and September 1993 were unusual because they occurred during the summer and were characterized by high attack rates. Influenza virus infections during the summer or fall in the United States usually occur as sporadic cases rather than as outbreaks. Outbreaks of influenza during the summer have been associated with earlier than usual epidemic influenza activity (5-7). The 1993-94 influenza season began and peaked earlier than usual in the United Kingdom and in the United States. In the United States, reports of sustained regional and widespread activity began and peaked 1-6 weeks (mean: 5 weeks) earlier than in 10 of the previous 11 influenza seasons; sustained excess mortality attributable to P&I began earlier than in any of the previous 11 seasons. Compared with seasons of predominant influenza type A(H1N1) or type B activity, seasons in which influenza type A(H3N2) viruses predominate are associated with higher morbidity and mortality among the elderly. During the 1993-94 season--which has been characterized by predominant type A(H3N2) activity--all age groups have been affected, and influenza-related mortality has been high, especially among the elderly. Strains to be included in the next season's influenza vaccine are selected usually during the preceding late January through February because of scheduling requirements for production, quality control, packaging, and distribution of vaccine for administration before onset of the next influenza season. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for the use of vaccine and antiviral agents for prevention and control of influenza are published annually in the MMWR Recommendations and Reports, usually during May. References 1. CDC. Influenza A outbreaks--Louisiana, August 1993. MMWR 1993;42:689-92. 2. CDC. Update: influenza activity--United States, 1993-94 season. MMWR 1994;43:1-3. 3. World Health Organization. Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 1994-95 season. Wkly Epidemiol Rec 1994;69:53-60. 4. World Health Organization. Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 1993-94 season. Wkly Epidemiol Rec 1993;68:57-60. 5. CDC. Influenza--Arizona, worldwide. MMWR 1980;29:354-5. 6. CDC. Influenza--United States, worldwide. MMWR 1980;29:503-4. 7. CDC. Influenza--United States, worldwide. MMWR 1980;29:530-2. *Levels of activity are 1) sporadic--sporadically occurring influenza-like illness (ILI) or culture-confirmed influenza with no outbreaks detected; 2) regional--outbreaks of ILI or culture-confirmed influenza in counties with a combined population of less than 50% of the state's total population; and 3) widespread--outbreaks of ILI or culture-confirmed influenza in counties having a combined population of 50% or more of the state's total population. **The epidemic threshold is 1.645 standard deviations above the seasonal baseline. The expected seasonal baseline is projected using a robust regression procedure in which a periodic regression model is applied to observed percentages of deaths from P&I since 1983. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 94 23:09:04 MST From: mednews (HICNet Medical News) To: hicnews Subject: [MMWR] Epidemic Neuropathy Message-ID: <TLDRkc3w165w@stat.com> International Notes Epidemic Neuropathy -- Cuba, 1991-1994 From January 1, 1992, through January 14, 1994, the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba (MINSAP) identified 50,862 cases of a neuropathy in residents of Cuba (1993 population: 10.8 million); affected persons had onset beginning July 1, 1991. The neuropathy has included an optic form-- characterized by subacute (i.e., 3-30 days) onset, decreased visual acuity, decreased color vision, and/or central or cecocentral scotomata--and a peripheral form; both forms have been characterized by weight loss and easy fatigability. This report presents a preliminary summary of an investigation by MINSAP of this epidemic. In January 1992, physicians in Pinar del Rio, the westernmost province of Cuba (Figure 1, page 189), began to report cases of optic neuropathy, predominantly among adult men who used both tobacco and alcohol; the illnesses were diagnosed as tobacco-alcohol amblyopia. During January-June 1992, 14-36 cases of optic neuropathy were reported each month in rural areas of Pinar del Rio. During 1992, a total of 472 cases were reported in Cuba, including 340 (72%) from Pinar del Rio and 132 (28%) from five of the other 13 provinces. Physicians also reported cases with peripheral neurologic features--including a predominantly sensory neuropathy and evidence of posterior spinal cord involvement--with or without simultaneous optic neuropathy. In March 1993, MINSAP initiated intensive case-finding efforts through approximately 18,000 community-based family physicians by using clinical criteria for surveillance case ascertainment* (1). Persons whose clinical presentation met either the optic case definition or both the optic and peripheral case definitions were classified as having the optic form; those with only peripheral signs and symptoms were classified as having the peripheral form. The 50,862 cases accounted for a national cumulative incidence of 461.4 per 100,000 persons (566.7 for females and 368.5 for males). Of these, 26,446 (52%) had the optic form and 24,416 (48%), the peripheral form; the optic form predominated among males and the peripheral form, among females. Age-specific incidence rates were highest for persons aged 45-65 years (926.7 per 100,000) and lowest for children aged less than 15 years (4.2 per 100,000), persons aged greater than 65 years (290.9 per 100,000), and pregnant women. Cumulative incidence rates were highest in Pinar del Rio (1332.8 per 100,000) and lowest in Guantanamo, the easternmost province (65 per 100,000) (Figure 1). Within provinces, however, incidence rates varied widely by municipality. No fatal cases were reported, and resolution was partial to complete in many patients following parenteral treatment with B-complex vitamins. Oral supplements of B-complex vitamins and vitamin A had been provided by MINSAP through community-based family physicians to persons in Pinar del Rio province in March 1993 and to persons in other provinces in May 1993. The incidence of cases decreased during May-June 1993 (Figure 2). Preliminary results of case-control studies conducted by MINSAP in Isla de la Juventud province suggest that risk for illness was associated with tobacco smoking, lower body mass index, and lower intake of animal protein, fat, and foods that contain B-vitamins. Results of sural nerve biopsies indicated noninflammatory axonal neuropathy consistent with a nutritional, metabolic, or toxic etiology. The potential roles of neurotoxic agents and of the Inoue-Melnick agent (2), which has been isolated from many specimens of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients in Cuba, is still under investigation. Reported by: Ministry of Public Health of Cuba; National Center of Toxicology; Center of Genetic Engineering; Center of Neurosciences; National Center of Scientific Investigations; Coordinating Center for Clinical Trials; Center of Medical/Surgical Investigations; Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras; Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kouri; Carlos J Finlay Institute; National Institute of Hematology; National Institute of Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Microbiology; Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene; National Institute of Neurology; Civil Defense Investigations Laboratory, Havana. Pan American Health Organization, Washington, DC, and Havana. Emory Univ School of Medicine, Atlanta. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration. Health Studies Br, Div of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, and Nutritional Biochemistry Br, Div of Environmental Health Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health; Maternal and Child Health Br, Div of Nutrition, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Office of the Director, Epidemiology Program Office; International Health Program Office, CDC. Editorial Note: The preliminary findings of the investigation described in this report suggest the epidemic neuropathy in Cuba has been associated with nutritional deficiencies. Previous reports have documented the occurrence of a variety of syndromes of myeloneuropathy (including tropical spastic paraparesis, tropical ataxic neuropathy, optic neuropathy, and sensorineural hearing loss) in different tropical regions (3). Although the causes of these syndromes, in general, have been considered multifactorial, specific etiologic agents (e.g., cyanogenic glycosides from cassava [4,5] and human lymphotropic virus type I [6]) have been implicated in some reports. Epidemics of optic and peripheral neuropathy occurred among persons in prisoner-of-war camps in the Middle East and Southeast Asia during World War II (7). Isolated cases of B-vitamin-deficiency syndromes (e.g., beriberi and pellagra) were reported in these settings. However, cases of neuropathy not associated with signs of frank B-vitamin deficiency also were reported. The cause of neuropathies such as these was postulated, but not clearly established, to be related to B-vitamin-complex deficiency, possibly complicated by tropical malabsorption. The investigation of an epidemic of subacute myelo-optic neuropathy (SMON) in Japan during the 1960s implicated use of the antidiarrheal drug clioquinol as a cause of the problem (8); however, the Inoue-Melnick agent--a virus not previously described--was isolated from the CSF of many patients in Japan (2), and the role of this putative virus in the etiology of SMON remains undetermined. In Cuba, the apparent clinical response of patients with neuropathy to vitamin supplementation suggests that lifestyle and dietary patterns may be important in this epidemic. Economic difficulties in Cuba since 1989 have been associated with widespread changes in dietary and lifestyle patterns. For example, the consumption of some locally produced foods has increased; the availability of other foods, including meat, dairy products, oils, and fats, has been reduced; and some basic food items (e.g., rice and beans) have been rationed. Toxicity from cyanide or cyanoglycosides in cassava and tobacco can be exacerbated by relative deficiencies of B-vitamins and sulfur-containing amino acids, which are necessary for the detoxification of these compounds (9,10). In addition, because of decreased availability of fuel for transportation, alternative approaches to transportation (e.g., walking or bicycling) have increased personal energy expenditures, which are associated with depletion of B-complex vitamins. In the epidemic described in this report, the incidence of neuropathy was lower in children aged less than 7 years, persons aged greater than or equal to 65 years, and pregnant women--groups that receive supplements of dairy products; therefore, the low incidence of neuropathy in these groups may reflect the increased consumption of dairy products and, among pregnant women, vitamin supplements. However, because the clinical and epidemiologic patterns of this epidemic of neuropathy differ from those of previously described epidemics associated with toxic etiologies or nutritional deficiencies, the continuing investigation must examine further the potential cause(s) of this problem. MINSAP, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization, CDC, the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and Emory University, is continuing this investigation and is focusing on the role of potentially contributory factors, including dietary insufficiencies, ingested toxins, pesticide exposure, and underlying mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid abnormalities. References 1. Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kouri. Epidemic neuropathy: brief epidemiological summary [Spanish]. In: Ministry of Public Health. Epidemiological bulletin (special edition no. 1). Havana: Ministry of Public Health, June 4, 1993:1-8. 2. Inoue YK. Inoue-Melnick virus and associated diseases in man: recent advances. Prog Med Virol 1991;38:167-79. 3. Roman GC, Spencer PS, Schoenberg BS. Tropical myeloneuropathies: the hidden endemias. Neurology 1985;35:1158-70. 4. Ministry of Health, Mozambique. Mantakassa: an epidemic of spastic paraparesis associated with chronic cyanide intoxication in a cassava staple area of Mozambique: epidemiology and clinical and laboratory findings in patients. Bull World Health Organ 1984;62:477-84. 5. Tylleskar T, Banea M, Bigangi N, Fresco L, Persson LA, Rosling H. Epidemiological evidence from Zaire for a dietary etiology of konzo, an upper motor neuron disease. Bull World Health Organ 1991;69:581-9. 6. Hollsberg P, Hafler DA. Pathogenesis of diseases induced by human lymphotropic virus type I infection. N Engl J Med 1993;328:1173-82. 7. Spillane JD. Nutritional disorders of the nervous system. Edinburg: E & S Livingstone Ltd, 1947. 8. Tsubaki T, Honma Y, Hoshi M. Neurological syndrome associated with clioquinol. Lancet 1971;1:696-7. 9. Dang CV. Tobacco-alcohol amblyopia: a proposed biochemical basis for pathogenesis. Med Hypotheses 1981;7:1317-28. 10. Wilson J. Cyanide in human disease: a review of clinical and laboratory evidence. Fundam Appl Toxicol 1983;3:397-9. *For the optic form, major criteria were 1) decreased visual acuity (below 20/25), 2) decreased color vision (failure to identify two or more of the first eight Ishihara plates), 3) bilateral central or cecocentral scotomata, 4) decreased contrast sensitivity, and 5) bilateral loss of optic nerve fibers in the papillo-macular bundle; minor criteria were 1) temporal pallor of optic disk (1 month after symptom onset), 2) photophobia or ocular burning sensation, and 3) loss of horizontal smooth pursuit. A confirmed diagnosis required at least four major criteria. For the peripheral form, major criteria were 1) peripheral sensory symptoms (e.g., tingling, cramps, numbness, and/or burning sensation), 2) decreased perception of vibration or pin prick, and 3) altered deep tendon reflexes in lower limbs, generally with decreased or absent ankle reflex with or without patellar hyperreflexia; minor criteria were 1) urinary urgency, nocturia, increased frequency, or incontinence, 2) autonomic dysfunction (e.g., coldness, heat, or excessive sweating of hands or feet, palpitations, or tachycardia), and 3) other signs and symptoms including hearing loss, dysphagia, dysphonia, sensory ataxia, constipation, diarrhea, sexual impotence, irritability, and sleep disturbance. A confirmed diagnosis required three major criteria OR two major criteria and a minor criterion, always including peripheral sensory symptoms. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 94 23:10:07 MST From: mednews (HICNet Medical News) To: hicnews Subject: [MMWR] Lab Screening for Escherichia coli Message-ID: <kNDRkc4w165w@stat.com> Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory Screening for Escherichia coli O157:H7 -- Connecticut, 1993 Escherichia coli O157:H7, first recognized as a pathogen in humans in 1982 (1), is a common cause of bloody diarrhea and a leading cause of acute renal failure in children. In June 1993, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) recommended that clinical laboratories screen at least all bloody stools for E. coli O157:H7 using sorbitol-MacConkey medium (2). Following the CSTE issuance, in late June the Connecticut Department of Public Health and Addiction Services (DPHAS) mailed the same recommendation to all clinical laboratories in the state and encouraged laboratories to send suspected E. coli O157:H7 strains to the DPHAS laboratory for confirmation. To assess the impact of the DPHAS recommendations and to characterize the screening practices for E. coli O157:H7, in November 1993 DPHAS surveyed laboratories in Connecticut. This report presents the findings of the survey. DPHAS mailed questionnaires to all 139 licensed clinical laboratories in Connecticut; laboratories that did not respond to the mailed questionnaire were contacted by telephone. The response rate for the survey was 100%. Of the 139 laboratories, 44 (32%) performed on-site testing of stool specimens received directly from health-care providers or referred from other laboratories. Of these 44 laboratories, 19 (43%) screened all stool specimens for E. coli O157:H7, 21 (48%) screened only bloody stools, and four (9%) screened only at physician request. Of the 44 laboratories that performed on-site testing of stool specimens, the number that cultured all stools or all bloody stools for E. coli O157:H7 increased from 11 (25%) in June 1993 to 40 (91%) in November 1993. Of the 29 laboratories that changed their policy to culture all stools or all bloody stools for E. coli O157:H7, 21 (72%) reported beginning in response to the DPHAS notification, four (14%) as a result of publicity associated with the E. coli outbreaks in the western United States in early 1993, two (7%) following the general meeting of the American Society of Microbiology in May 1993 where information on E. coli O157:H7 screening was presented, and two (7%) for a combination of these and other reasons. Reported by: PA Mshar, ML Cartter, MD, JL Hadler, MD, State Epidemiologist, Connecticut Dept of Public Health and Addiction Svcs. Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Br, Div of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases; Div of Field Epidemiology, Epidemiology Program Office, CDC. Editorial Note: E. coli O157:H7 is not usually detected by the methods used to isolate and identify other bacterial enteric pathogens (1). Sorbitol-MacConkey medium and O157 antiserum, which are both readily available, should be used to identify the organism (1). Most outbreaks of illness caused by E. coli O157:H7 have been detected because of clusters of hemolytic uremic syndrome, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, or severe diarrheal illness (1,3,4). In the absence of routine screening of diarrheal stool specimens for E. coli O157:H7, neither small outbreaks nor isolated cases in persons without severe illness are likely to be detected. Routine screening of stool specimens for E. coli O157:H7 may reduce the likelihood of unnecessary diagnostic procedures and treatments while permitting detection of outbreaks, timely initiation of public health intervention, and refined characterization of the epidemiology of this problem. The findings in this report suggest that, in Connecticut, routine screening for E. coli O157:H7 resulted in an increase in the number of reported cases and contributed to the recognition of the first outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections in the state. Reporting of E. coli O157:H7 isolates by laboratories to DPHAS has been required since 1990. No cases were reported in 1990, one in 1991, 19 in 1992, and 50 in 1993, with a marked increase in reporting beginning in June 1993. In September 1993, an outbreak of O157 infections was detected following the isolation of the organism from four persons on the same day; the hospital laboratory involved had initiated a policy in June 1993 to screen all bloody stools for E. coli O157:H7. The proportion of clinical laboratories in the United States that routinely screen at least bloody stools for E. coli O157:H7 is not well described. A recent survey in the San Francisco Bay area found that only eight (20%) of 41 laboratories performed such screening (CDC, unpublished data, 1994). Nationally, as of October 1993, 17 (34%) states required that E. coli O157:H7 isolates be reported to state health departments; 20 additional states are establishing such requirements (G. Birkhead, New York State Health Department, personal communication, March 14, 1994). The findings in this report suggest that a substantial proportion of laboratories would perform these screenings if encouraged by state health departments. A CDC-developed video, "E. coli O157:H7--What the Clinical Microbiologist Should Know," provides a guide to the isolation and identification of E. coli O157:H7. This video is available from the Association of State and Territorial Public Health Laboratory Directors, 1211 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 608, Washington, DC 20036; fax (202) 887-5098. References 1. Griffin PM, Tauxe RV. The epidemiology of infections caused by Escherichia coli O157:H7, other enterohemorrhagic E. coli, and the associated hemolytic uremic syndrome. Epidemiol Rev 1991;13:60-98. 2. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. CSTE position statement #4: national surveillance of Escherichia coli O157:H7. Atlanta: Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, June 1993. 3. Swerdlow DL, Woodruff BA, Brady RC, et al. A waterborne outbreak in Missouri of Escherichia coli O157:H7 associated with bloody diarrhea and death. Ann Intern Med 1992;117:812-9. 4. Besser RE, Lett SM, Weber JT, et al. An outbreak of diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome from Escherichia coli O157:H7 in fresh-pressed apple cider. JAMA 1993;269:2217-20. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 94 23:11:10 MST From: mednews (HICNet Medical News) To: hicnews Subject: [MMWR] Coccidioidomycosis Following Northridge Earthquake Message-ID: <BPDRkc5w165w@stat.com> Emerging Infectious Diseases Coccidioidomycosis Following the Northridge Earthquake -- California, 1994 From January 24 through March 15, 1994, 170 persons with laboratory evidence of acute coccidioidomycosis* were identified in Ventura County, California. This number--which comprises cases identified through active surveillance--substantially exceeds the total number of coccidioidomycosis cases (52) reported through routine passive surveillance during all of 1993 in Ventura County, which has been considered an area of low incidence for this disease. The increase in cases follows the January 17 earthquake centered in Northridge (in adjacent Los Angeles County), which may have exposed Ventura County residents to increased levels of airborne dust. The California Department of Health Services, local public health agencies, and CDC are conducting an investigation to determine the magnitude of the outbreak, risk factors for infection, and its possible association with the Northridge earthquake. Reported by: D Pappagianis, MD, Univ of California, Davis; G Feldman, MD, M Billimek, MSH, Ventura County Public Health Dept, Ventura; L Mascola, MD, Los Angeles County Health Dept, Los Angeles; SB Werner, MD, RJ Jackson, MD, GW Rutherford, III, MD, State Epidemiologist, California Dept of Health Svcs. Emergency Response Coordination Group, National Center for Environmental Health; Office of the Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Div of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases; Div of Field Epidemiology, Epidemiology Program Office, CDC. Editorial Note: Coccidioides immitis is a dimorphic fungus that grows in soil in much of the southwestern United States; infection results from inhalation of airborne C. immitis arthroconidia. Coccidioidomycosis is not transmitted from person to person. Approximately 60% of infected persons are asymptomatic; the remainder can develop a spectrum of manifestations that range from mild to moderate influenza-like illness to pneumonia to disseminated disease, including meningitis (1). Extrapulmonary coccidioidomycosis in a person infected with human immunodeficiency virus is considered an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-defining illness (2). Previous outbreaks of C. immitis infection have occurred in association with windborne exposures; such outbreaks illustrate the relation between environmental conditions and emergence of infectious diseases (3). Since 1990, the number of reported cases of coccidioidomycosis in California has increased substantially; most illnesses have occurred in Kern and Tulare counties in the San Joaquin Valley (1). Most cases have occurred in residents of areas where coccidioidomycosis is endemic; however, visitors to these areas also are at risk for infection. Because the incubation period for this infection usually ranges from 1 to 4 weeks, persons who may have become infected while visiting areas where coccidioidomycosis is endemic may not become ill until after they return home, and the diagnosis may not be considered by clinicians in areas where coccidioidomycosis is not endemic. Recent environmental exposure to C. immitis may have occurred among residents of and travelers to Ventura County, Los Angeles County, or other counties in or near the San Joaquin Valley following the earthquake and its aftershocks and during clean-up activities. Acute coccidioidomycosis can be diagnosed by serologic tests for immunoglobulin M (IgM) detection (such as tube precipitin, enzyme immunoassay, latex agglutination, or immunodiffusion), and immunoglobulin G (IgG) detection (such as immunodiffusion or complement fixation) in the presence of pneumonia or erythema nodosum and occasionally by positive sputum culture (4). Cases of coccidioidomycosis suspected to be temporally associated with the earthquake should be reported through state and local health departments to CDC. Information about coccidioidomycosis is available from CDC's Voice Information System, telephone (404) 332-4554, and from CDC's Emerging Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, at the same telephone number. References 1. CDC. Coccidioidomycosis--United States, 1991-1992. MMWR 1993;42:21-4. 2. CDC. 1993 Revised classification system for HIV infection and expanded surveillance case definition for AIDS among adolescents and adults. MMWR 1992;41(no. RR-17). 3. Pappagianis D, Einstein H. Tempest from Tehachapi takes toll or Coccidioides conveyed aloft and afar. West J Med 1978;129:527-30. 4. Einstein HE, Johnson RH. Coccidioidomycosis: new aspects of epidemiology and therapy. Clin Infect Dis 1993;16:349-56. *The presence of Coccidioides immitis-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody (using enzyme immunoassay or immunodiffusion) OR serologic evidence of acute C. immitis infection, by positive IgM using latex agglutination test in the presence of pneumonia or erythema nodosum OR if IgM was not available, serologic evidence of recent infection, by positive immunoglobulin G (IgG) using immunodiffusion or complement fixation tests in the presence of pneumonia or erythema nodosum OR a positive sputum culture (with no history of previous coccidioidal infection). ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 94 23:13:21 MST From: mednews (HICNet Medical News) To: hicnews Subject: Software Review: "Code Team" & "Cardiac Arrest" Message-ID: <ysDRkc6w165w@stat.com> SOFTWARE REVIEW "Code Team" & "Cardiac Arrest" Company: Mad Scientist Software 13422 North Bayberry Circle Alpine UT 84004 1-801-756-6027 This is a package of 2 software programs offered by Bruce Argyle, M.D. Together they provide excellent training in the knowledge required for Advanced Cardiac Life Support. Various aspects of the educational program include instruction about EKG, ACLS procedures and associated medications. Each of these areas is then covered with a quiz. Those who complete the quizzes with 70% or more correct will be able to get a printout documenting their completion. The Cardiac Arrest portion of the program evaluates different types of arrests and their specialized treatment. This program is available for the IBM, MacIntosh & Atari ST. It requires only 256K of memory and it utilizes EGA or VGA graphics. Both programs can be operated from a floppy disk if necessary but harddisk installation (which is very straightforward) will speed up the interaction. There are only 2 printer choices available including ageneric dot matrix or a laser printer option in the ASCII mode. Both programs are very intuitive to operate and do not require reading the manual for the initial introduction. The manuals for each program are, however, very well written. They are brief but give valuable information about the operation of the program, as well as, very succinct and valuable information about the topic of ACLS. The manuals would serve as very good brief review of the topical areawithout even consulting the computer program. Technical support for the programs is available at 801-756-6027 and there is no charge beyond the cost of the long distance call. Updates are available for the price of $10.00. Persons must register the software in order to get update information. The author lists a strict limit of liability and disclaimer of warranty suggesting that all decisions about medical practice are the responsibility of the individual physician and that the company will not accept any responsibility for insuring the appropriateness of the physician's actions in any clinical situation. This is a very reasonable approach to the liability issue. I had only minor reservations about the program. During the installation process there is no choice of hard disk except drive C. The graphical displays of the EKG's would be very much enhanced by the use of the super VGA mode. This software would be most relevant for medical students and for residents. It would also be an excellent review course for physicians who do not routinely experience the situation requiring ACLS. The "Cardiac Arrest" package costs $69.95 and the "Code Team" package also costs $69.95. Both of them may be purchased together for a totalof $109.95. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 94 23:14:00 MST From: mednews (HICNet Medical News) To: hicnews Subject: Bulgarian Medical Association in USA Message-ID: <2TDRkc7w165w@stat.com> Bulgarian Medical Association in USA March 20,1994, Indianapolis MONTHLY BULLETIN: In the last month since the BMA/USA was publicized in S.C.B there was considerable interest expressed by both Bulgarian professionals and people from other newsgroups. To my knowledge there are about 200 Bulgarians involved in the area of biomedical research in US universities. Significant numbers of Bulgarian doctors already took the USMLE exams and are in residency training. Still we do not have access to most of them. I expect Mrs. Didi Arissian, who is the coordinator/secretary of the BMA/USA, to get in touch with the Bulgarian community via INTERNET and to inform us about the number of actual members and the recent activities of BMA/USA. I learned also that there is a membership fee of $40 collected from some members. It would be appropriate to provide information on how the budget is managed and who takes legal responsibility for it. We are seeking contacts with Bulgarian authorities from the Embassy who can assist us and help to establish contacts with US partners and officials in Bulgaria. Dr. Boev from McGill University asked about the membership of colleagues from Canada. At this stage I think it would be better to establish BMA/Canada and thereafter to proceed toward BMA/North America. In my opinion it would be easier for BMA/USA to have representatives and coordinators based on regional principle, e.g., West coast, Midwest, and Southeast. Details are still to be worked out. We hope to hear from people interested in scientific exchange with Bulgarian medical institutions. BMA/USA postings will also appear in other newsgroups. There is a sharp need of subscriptions for scientific journals for the libraries of the Bulgarian medical research institutes. These are relatively inexpensive and small contributions from both the Bulgarian community and the friends of Bulgaria and will be well appreciated. All who are interested can contact me. I am establishing a Contributor's List with an initial donation of $50. All funds will be spent according to the contributor's will or when needed most, mainly for journal subscriptions. The names of the contributors will appear publicly, unless stated otherwise. I appeal to all Bulgarian patriots and to the friends of Bulgaria who understand this urgent need for providing better medical care in Bulgaria. Dr Simeon Boyadjiev, SBOYADJ@indyvax.iupui.edu Dept. of Medical Genetics-IUSM 975 W. Walnut St. IB-247, Indianapolis, IN 45202 ,USA (All opinions are mine-SB) ------------------------------ End of HICNet Medical News Digest V07 Issue #10 *********************************************** --- Editor, HICNet Medical Newsletter Internet: david@stat.com FAX: +1 (602) 451-1165 Bitnet : ATW1H@ASUACAD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------