USING CITIZEN SCIENCE TO ENHANCE SURVEILLANCE OF AEDES AEGYPTI IN ARIZONA, 2015-17.

Vector surveillance is an essential component of vector-borne disease prevention, but many communities lack resources to support extensive surveillance. The Great Arizona Mosquito Hunt (GAMH) was a collaborative citizen science project conducted during 2015-17 to enhance surveillance for Aedes aegypti in Arizona. Citizen science projects engage the public in scientific research in order to further scientific knowledge while improving community understanding of a specific field of science and the scientific process. Participating schools and youth organizations across the state conducted oviposition trapping for 1-4 wk during peak Ae. aegypti season in Arizona and returned the egg sheets to collaborating entomologists for identification. During the 3-year program, 120 different schools and youth organizations participated. Few participants actually collected Aedes eggs in their traps in 2015 or 2017, but about one-third of participants collected eggs during 2016, including 3 areas that were not previously reported to have Ae. aegypti. While relatively few new areas of Ae. aegypti activity were identified, GAMH was found to be a successful method of engaging citizen scientists. Future citizen science mosquito surveillance projects might be useful to further define the ecology and risk for vector-borne diseases in Arizona.

Mortality estimates among adult patients with severe acute respiratory infections from two sentinel hospitals in southern Arizona, United States, 2010-2014.

BACKGROUND: From October 2010 through February 2016, Arizona conducted surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) among adults hospitalized in the Arizona-Mexico border region. There are few accurate mortality estimates in SARI patients, particularly in adults ≥ 65 years old. The purpose of this study was to generate mortality estimates among SARI patients that include deaths occurring shortly after hospital discharge and identify risk factors for mortality. METHODS: Patients admitted to two sentinel hospitals between 2010 and 2014 who met the SARI case definition were enrolled. Demographic data were used to link SARI patients to Arizona death certificates. Mortality within 30 days after the date of admission was calculated and risk factors were identified using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Among 258 SARI patients, 47% were females, 51% were white, non-Hispanic and 39% were Hispanic. The median age was 63 years (range, 19 to 97 years) and 80% had one or more pre-existing health condition; 9% died in hospital. Mortality increased to 12% (30/258, 30% increase) when electronic vital records and a 30-day post-hospitalization time frame were used. Being age ≥ 65 years (OR = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.6-9.9) and having an intensive care unit admission (OR = 7.4; 95% CI: 3.0-17.9) were independently associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: The use of electronic vital records increased SARI-associated mortality estimates by 30%. These findings may help guide prevention and treatment measures, particularly in high-risk persons in this highly fluid border population.

Surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections in Southern Arizona, 2010-2014.

BACKGROUND: The Binational Border Infectious Disease Surveillance program began surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) on the US-Mexico border in 2009. Here, we describe patients in Southern Arizona. METHODS: Patients admitted to five acute care hospitals that met the SARI case definition (temperature ≥37·8°C or reported fever or chills with history of cough, sore throat, or shortness of breath in a hospitalized person) were enrolled. Staff completed a standard form and collected a nasopharyngeal swab which was tested for selected respiratory viruses by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: From October 2010-September 2014, we enrolled 332 SARI patients. Fifty-two percent were male and 48% were white non-Hispanic. The median age was 63 years (47% ≥65 years and 5·2% <5 years). During hospitalization, 51 of 230 (22%) patients required intubation, 120 of 297 (40%) were admitted to intensive care unit, and 28 of 278 (10%) died. Influenza vaccination was 56%. Of 309 cases tested, 49 (16%) were positive for influenza viruses, 25 (8·1%) for human metapneumovirus, 20 (6·5%) for parainfluenza viruses, 16 (5·2%) for coronavirus, 11 (3·6%) for respiratory syncytial virus, 10 (3·2%) for rhinovirus, 4 (1·3%) for rhinovirus/enterovirus, 3 (1·0%) for enteroviruses, and 3 (1·0%) for adenovirus. Among the 49 influenza-positive specimens, 76% were influenza A (19 H3N2, 17 H1N1pdm09, and 1 not subtyped), and 24% were influenza B. CONCLUSION: Influenza viruses were a frequent cause of SARI in hospitalized patients in Southern Arizona. Monitoring respiratory illness in border populations will help better understand the etiologies. Improving influenza vaccination coverage may help prevent some SARI cases.