Tuberculosis screening at a diabetes clinic in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

SETTING: Tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) are prominent public health problems in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, a small island nation with high rates of tuberculosis and diabetes. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the rate of active and latent TB in a Pacific Island DM clinic. DESIGN: In one DM clinic on the island of Ebeye, 213 adult patients aged 27-86 years completed tuberculin skin testing and TB work-up between April 2010 and March 2012. RESULTS: Screening for TB led to the diagnosis of 77 patients with TB infection and 11 patients with TB disease. From these data, the prevalence of TB disease among DM patients in the clinic exceeded 5% (95% CI 2.2%-8.1%). All patients who completed TB screening were at high risk of TB disease, and those with DM aged  ≤ 50 years had a higher risk of TB disease than those with DM over age 50 (RR 3.1, C.I. 1.0-9.7, p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: The experience at the Ebeye Diabetes Clinic demonstrates that screening DM patients for TB can identify significant rates of TB infection and TB disease, and should be considered for other settings with a high background TB incidence. Further assessment of TB risks should explore age, gender, and level of diabetes control.

Tuberculosis deaths averted by implementation of the DOTS strategy in Kazakhstan.

SETTING: Kazakhstan began implementing the DOTS strategy for tuberculosis (TB) in 1998. OBJECTIVE: Data were analyzed 1) to determine if changes in TB mortality rate (MR) and case fatality rate (CFR) in Kazakhstan for 1998-2003 differed from those of Uzbekistan and four adjacent Russian Federation (RF) oblasts that had not yet implemented DOTS, and 2) to estimate the number of deaths averted in Kazakhstan as a result of DOTS. DESIGN: Observed MRs were calculated, and predicted MRs for Kazakhstan were approximated by linear regression based on average slope of MRs from 1998 through 2003 in adjacent non-DOTS-implementing territories. Deaths averted were calculated by comparing predicted MRs to actual MRs by converting rate differences to numbers of deaths. RESULTS: TB MRs in Kazakhstan decreased markedly, but remained stable or increased in the neighboring territories. CFRs decreased markedly in Kazakhstan and marginally in Uzbekistan, and increased in the neighboring RF oblasts. From 1998 to 2004, DOTS appears to have helped avert approximately 17,800 deaths in Kazakhstan. CONCLUSION: DOTS has contributed markedly to a decrease in TB mortality in Kazakhstan. In settings where mortality data are relatively complete, deaths averted can be another indicator of DOTS effectiveness.

Assessing eosinophil count as a marker of immune activation among human immunodeficiency virus-infected persons in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 611 human immunodeficiency virus-infected persons who had not yet begun to receive antiretroviral therapy, we evaluated the linear association between absolute eosinophil count (as a surrogate for immune response to helminthic infection) and CD4+ T cell count, and between absolute eosinophil count and log virus load. Overall, no significant correlations were observed between eosinophil count and CD4+ T cell count, or between eosinophil count and log virus load.

High prevalence of genotypic and phenotypic HIV-1 drug-resistant strains among patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

To describe prevalence of antiretroviral (ARV) drug-resistant HIV-1 strains among patients with a history of earlier treatment with ARV drugs in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, we determined mutations that confer HIV-1 ARV drug resistance by sequencing the viral reverse-transcriptase and protease genes derived from plasma viral RNA of 68 individuals consecutively enrolled in the Joint United Nations Program on AIDS Drug Access Initiative (UNAIDS-DAI) with a history of earlier ARV drug treatment in Abidjan between August 1998 and April 1999. Phenotypic ARV drug resistance was assessed using a recombinant virus assay. Primary mutations associated with ARV drug resistance to at least one of the reverse-transcriptase inhibitors or protease inhibitors were detected in 39 (57.4%) of the 68 patients. The prevalence of mutations associated with resistance to ARV drugs was: 29 (42.6%) to zidovudine, 10 (14.7%) to lamivudine, one (1.5%) to didanosine, one K103N mutation (associated with resistance to delavirdine, nevirapine, and efavirenz), one Y181C mutation (associated with resistance to delavirdine and nevirapine), two to both indinavir (M46I/L and V82A) and saquinavir (G48V and L90M), and one each to ritonavir (V82A) and nelfinavir (D30N). Phenotypic resistance to at least one nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (RTI) was seen in 25 (39.7%) patients, to nonnucleoside RTIs in 5 (8%) patients, and to protease inhibitors in 4 (6%) patients. The high prevalence we observed in this study may limit in future the effectiveness of ARV programs in the Côte d'Ivoire.

Sensitivity and specificity of human immunodeficiency virus rapid serologic assays and testing algorithms in an antenatal clinic in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

To evaluate serologic testing algorithms for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) based on a combination of rapid assays among persons with HIV-1 (non-B subtypes) infection, HIV-2 infection, and HIV-1-HIV-2 dual infections in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, a total of 1,216 sera with known HIV serologic status were used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of four rapid assays: Determine HIV-1/2, Capillus HIV-1/HIV-2, HIV-SPOT, and Genie II HIV-1/HIV-2. Two serum panels obtained from patients recently infected with HIV-1 subtypes B and non-B were also included. Based on sensitivity and specificity, three of the four rapid assays were evaluated prospectively in parallel (serum samples tested by two simultaneous rapid assays) and serial (serum samples tested by two consecutive rapid assays) testing algorithms. All assays were 100% sensitive, and specificities ranged from 99.4 to 100%. In the prospective evaluation, both the parallel and serial algorithms were 100% sensitive and specific. Our results suggest that rapid assays have high sensitivity and specificity and, when used in parallel or serial testing algorithms, yield results similar to those of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based testing strategies. HIV serodiagnosis based on rapid assays may be a valuable alternative in implementing HIV prevention and surveillance programs in areas where sophisticated laboratories are difficult to establish.

Trends in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and HIV-associated NHL deaths in the United States.

Since a significant number of lymphomas have been associated with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the purpose of this study was to describe the impact of HIV infection on non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) mortality trends and demographics. Multiple-cause-of-death data for the United States from 1979 through 1996 were obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Annual NHL deaths rates for the United States were calculated as the number of NHL deaths per 100,000 persons, based on estimates of the U.S. resident population. The time periods 1979-1982, 1986-1989, and 1993-1996 were examined for changes over time. To describe NHL and HIV infection mortality, the characteristics of NHL deaths with HIV infection listed anywhere on the death records were examined beginning in 1987. This study found that despite reports of a lower incidence rate of NHL among blacks with HIV/AIDS, death rates from lymphomas associated with HIV/AIDS have markedly increased in black males and females over time. It was also noted that in agreement with other studies, this study documented a decrease in NHL/HIV mortality in 1996.

Effects of HIV infection on age and cause of death for persons with hemophilia A in the United States.

Because of changes in factor replacement therapy and in treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, we examined death record data for persons with hemophilia A in the United States to evaluate effects of HIV infection on age and causes of death. Multiple cause-of-death data from 1968 through 1998 were examined to assess death rates for persons with hemophilia A. ICD-9 coded causes of death from 1979 through 1998 were examined to assess long-term trends. From 1979 through 1998, 4,781 deaths among persons with hemophilia A were reported, of which 2,254 (47%) had HIV-related disease listed as a cause of death. In the late 1980s, mortality among persons with hemophilia A increased markedly, and the age-adjusted death rate peaked at 1.5 per 1,000,000 population in 1992. Median age at death decreased from 55 years in 1979-1982 to 40.5 years in 1987-1990, and increased to 46 years in 1995-1998. In the period 1995-1998, the median age of hemophilia A decedents with HIV-related disease was 33 years, compared to 72 years for those without HIV-related disease; the most frequently listed causes of death for those without HIV-related disease were hemorrhagic and circulatory phenomena; the most frequently listed for those with HIV-related disease were diseases of liver and the respiratory system. From 1995 to 1998, hemophilia A-associated deaths decreased by 41%, with a 78% decrease among those who had HIV-related disease. Although HIV infection has adversely effected mortality for persons with hemophilia A, the marked recent decrease in the death rate among persons with hemophilia A appears to reflect advances in care for those with HIV-related disease and is consistent with a decline in HIV mortality observed in the general population.

[Morbidity and mortality in acute viral hepatitides in a hyperendemic region. The role of viral hepatitis E]. / Zabolevaemost' i smertnost' pri ostrykh virusnykh gepatitakh v giperéndemichnom regione. Rol' virusnogo gepatita E.

Official annual statistical data on morbidity in acute viral hepatitides (AVH), including the number of lethal cases, for 1985-1995 were analyzed. Mortality rates per 100,000 of the population at the period of 11 years were calculated for different age groups, sex and the place of residence. 396 and 99 patients were examined for the presence of serological markers of hepatitides A, B and E, respectively, at the periods of epidemic rises in morbidity and satisfactory epidemic situation. In the course of 11 years AVH caused the death of 22,405 persons. In 1985-1987 the average mortality level (ML) reached 12.3-17.8 per 100,000 of the population (with morbidity being 1,200-1,400 and was essentially higher among the rural population in comparison with the urban population. During these years the highest ML, was registered among children aged 0-2 years (190-50 per 100,000) and, among adults, mainly among women aged 20-29 years (21.4-19.6 per 100,000). During the years when the epidemic of AVH was absent, ML among these groups was essentially lower: 40-20 among children aged 0-2 years and 4-5 among women aged 20-29 years. In 1987 in the Fergana Valley hepatitis E was detected in 72.2% of all examined patients, and in the southern areas of the country in 68.7%. A sharp rise on mortality among women of the productive age at the period of the epidemic rise of AVH morbidity in the endemic region indicated that this epidemic was linked with hepatitis E. High ML among young children may be indicative of a highly unfavorable course of hepatitis E in the group of infants, which had never been registered before. This newly established regularity may be used for the retrospective diagnostics of the outbreak of hepatitis E.

Universal immunization: the diphtheria control strategy of choice in the Republic of Tajikistan, 1993-1997.

During the 1993-1997 diphtheria epidemic in Tajikistan, the incidence rate was the highest observed throughout the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union (76.2 cases/100,000 population in 1995). Factors that contributed to this situation included an increase in the number of persons who were not fully immunized, a breakdown of health care services and disease surveillance, civil war, an increase in migration, shortages of qualified medical personnel, and shortages of products, resources, and services. The Ministry of Health and numerous international organizations have worked to address the needs of the republic, and in the fourth quarter of 1995, the number of reported cases began to decrease. It is believed that this decrease was largely the result of routine immunization, implementation of national immunization days, and use of a World Health Organization-recommended system for working with patients and contacts, and it underscores the importance of universal diphtheria immunization with special booster doses in such an epidemic setting.

Increasing mortality from thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in the United States--analysis of national mortality data, 1968-1991.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare disease and the epidemiologic features have been incompletely characterized. Because of the historically high case-fatality rate for TTP, we analyzed U.S. multiple cause-of-death mortality data with TTP listed on the death record for the period 1968-1991, in order to estimate the incidence of TTP, to characterize demographic features of the decedents, and to determine if trends in mortality correlate with findings from clinical studies showing improved survival in recent years. There were 4,523 TTP-associated deaths during the 24-year study period. The annual age-adjusted mortality rate decreased initially and reached its lowest point at 0.4 per 1,000,000 residents for the years 1970 through 1973, and then increased steadily to 1.1 during the last 4 years of the study period, 1988 through 1991. We estimate the current incidence of TTP to be approximately 3.7 cases per 1,000,000 residents. Deaths were rare below the age of 20 years, but the age-specific mortality rate for those 20 years and older increased steadily with increasing age. Regardless of age, females were affected more often than males, and the overall female-to-male age-adjusted rate ratio was 1.9 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.8 to 2.0). The greatest age-specific difference was between females and males in their twenties (rate ratio 3.2; 95% CI, 2.6 to 3.9). The mortality rate for blacks, and especially black females, was higher than the mortality rate for whites (black-to-white age-adjusted rate ratio 3.4; 95% CI, 3.2 to 3.6; black female-to-white female age-adjusted rate ratio 3.6; 95% CI, 3.3 to 3.9), although the majority of deaths were among whites (71.5%). Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or an HIV-related diagnosis was reported in 61 (1.3%) decedents overall and in 51 (4.4%) decedents from 1988 through 1991. The TTP mortality rate has increased over time despite reports of significant improvement in survival associated with clinical use of plasma infusion and plasma exchange. This trend in mortality suggests that the incidence of TTP is increasing. Blacks, and black females in particular, are affected at a disproportionately high rate. The increased incidence of HIV infection and related disease may have contributed to some of the increase in TTP mortality in recent years, but it does not explain the majority of the increase, which began before the onset of the HIV epidemic.

Chronic liver disease mortality in the United States, 1979 through 1989.

OBJECTIVES: Rates and trends for chronic liver disease mortality in the United States were examined. METHODS: National Center for Health Statistics data on underlying cause of death for chronic liver disease for the United States from 1979 through 1989 were analyzed. Four groups of diseases and conditions included under the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, code for chronic liver disease were assessed separately. RESULTS: From 1979 through 1989, there were 303,875 deaths from chronic liver disease; 48% were in the cirrhosis without alcohol group, 42% in the alcohol-related liver disease group, 8% in the liver disease without alcohol group, and 1.5% in the biliary cirrhosis group. Chronic liver disease death rates for Blacks were more than 1.5 times greater than those for Whites and for other races. Chronic liver disease mortality declined 22% overall among both sexes. The largest decreases were for liver disease without alcohol (42%) and cirrhosis without alcohol (25%), followed by alcohol-related liver disease (14%) and biliary cirrhosis (12%). CONCLUSION: Although declines in US chronic liver disease deaths have been attributed to declining alcohol consumption, these analyses suggest that greater declines have occurred in deaths not coded as alcohol related.

Patterns of alcohol use and the risk of drinking and driving among US high school students.

Approximately one third of deaths among persons aged 15 to 24 years are the result of motor vehicle-related crashes. Data from a national sample of US high school students were used to assess patterns of alcohol use among adolescents in relation to the risk of drinking and driving. Prevalence and odds ratios were calculated for drinking and driving associated with patterns of alcohol use. Drinking and driving increased with increasing frequency of alcohol use and binge drinking and when alcohol was used in addition to other drugs. Efforts to reduce drinking and driving among adolescents should address underage drinking that is frequent or heavy.

Changes in longevity and causes of death among persons with hemophilia A.

To examine recent changes in longevity and the causes of death among persons with hemophilia A, we evaluated death certificate data for persons who died in the United States from 1968 through 1989 and had hemophilia A or congenital Factor VIII disorder (ICD code 286.0) listed on the death certificate as one of the multiple causes of death. Multiple-cause-of-death mortality data for the United States from 1968 to 1989 were examined to compare death rates by year, focusing on death rates and causes of death for 1979-1981, 1983-1985, and 1987-1989. Gender, age group, race, geographic region, and median age at death of persons with hemophilia A and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related disease listed as a cause of death were compared with those with hemophilia A without HIV-related disease. From 1968 through 1989, 2,792 hemophilia A deaths were reported. The death rate increased from 0.5 to 1.3 per 1,000,000 persons. From 1979-1981 through 1987-1989, mortality increased in all age groups above 9 years of age and age at death shifted markedly to lower ages. Median age at death decreased from 57 years in 1979-1981 to 40 years in 1987-1989. The percentage of deaths due to hemorrhage or diseases of the circulatory system decreased markedly as the result of the increase in deaths associated with HIV infection or infections other than HIV infection. Spread of HIV-1 infection in persons with hemophilia A has disrupted the reduction in mortality seen with factor replacement therapy, implementation of home care, and use of comprehensive hemophilia treatment centers. It is hoped that advances in the care of HIV-infected persons will improve survival in the hemophilia community.

Cost savings associated with increased safety belt use in Iowa, 1987-1988.

Although safety belt use increases after passage of a safety belt law, the statewide direct and indirect cost savings associated with increased safety belt use after a belt use law has been enacted is not known. We analyzed a subset of data from the Iowa Safety Restraint Assessment consisting of 997 injured motor vehicle occupants treated at any of 11 Iowa hospitals from throughout the state between November 1987 and March 1988. We found that injuries were more serious and that more deaths and cases of permanent disability occurred among persons who did not wear safety belts. Failure to use safety belts was independently associated with higher payments to hospitals by health care insurers and individuals in nearly all age, sex, and vehicle speed categories. Lifetime direct and indirect cost savings associated with Iowa's safety belt law for persons injured in one year were estimated to be $69.5 million.

Increases in crash involvement and fatalities among motor vehicle occupants younger than 5 years old.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether increased exposure as car occupants could be a major contributor to increases observed in deaths of young children in car crashes. DESIGN AND SETTING: Crash data from police reports for Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Washington for various years from 1982 through 1990 were examined to compare annual age mix of injured and uninjured occupants in crashes involving at least two passenger vehicles. Aggregate national data from the Fatal Accident Reporting System were also examined over the same time period and compared to population estimates for children younger than 5 years old to assess temporal trends in number of occupants in this age group who were involved in motor vehicle crashes in which a fatality occurred in fatal crashes and the number of them killed in passenger vehicles. RESULTS: In regression analyses for each state, the number of car occupants younger than 5 involved in crashes increased during the years studied; their percentage among nondriver occupants involved also increased. At a national level, similar analyses showed increases in the number of occupants younger than 5 involved in crashes in which a fatality occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Despite overall increases in the use of restraint devices (ie, both child safety seats and adult restraints), fatalities among restrained children have increased. Given that exposures to crash environments are increasing, clinicians need be aware of the importance of child restraints as a means of reducing the likelihood of injury.

Heterosexual and mother-to-child transmission of AIDS in the hemophilia community.

Growing awareness of the potential modes of transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has encouraged interest in the epidemiology of infection among sexual partners and children of HIV-infected persons. The authors reviewed data on two groups, the first being those with HIV infection acquired heterosexually from a person whose hemophilia, or other chronic bleeding disorder, was treated with blood products. The second group was children with HIV infection acquired from a mother (vertical transmission) who either had been treated for a chronic bleeding disorder or had been the heterosexual partner of a person being treated. Surveillance data were examined for cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the United States reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diagnosed before January 1, 1992, and for whom the only identified risk factor was being either the heterosexual partner or the child of a parent with a chronic bleeding disorder. Of the cases examined, 107 were in persons who were heterosexual partners of persons with chronic bleeding disorders. Of the 107, 98 (92 percent) were women and 87 (81 percent) were white; all were 17 years of age or older. In addition to the 107, there were 14 children, 10 (71 percent) of whom were diagnosed with AIDS in the first year of life. The rate of increase in such cases has not been as great in recent years as that observed early in the primary epidemic of AIDS among persons with hemophilia and other chronic bleeding disorders. These data underscore the risk of HIV transmission among heterosexually active couples, if one partner is seropositive, and the risk of transmission to offspring. Estimates of the prevalence of HIV infection among heterosexual women partners of HIV-infected men with hemophilia are comparable to estimates for women who had heterosexual contact with spouses infected with HIV from transfusions with cellular products. However, better data for estimates of persons at risk are needed to obtain more accurate comparisons.

The influence of safety belt laws on self-reported safety belt use in the United States.

We assessed rates and trends in safety belt use by presence and type of safety belt law using data from states participating in the 1984-1989 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. State(s) with a safety belt law allowing law enforcement officers to stop vehicles for occupants' failure to use safety belts (primary enforcement law) had greater and more rapid increases in safety belt use rates than did states with laws requiring that vehicles must first be stopped for some other violation before a citation or fine for occupants' failure to use safety belts could be imposed (secondary enforcement law). Larger and sustained increases in safety belt use occurred when safety belt laws became effective or when fines were imposed for violations than when laws were first enacted. These data suggest that primary enforcement laws result in greater and more rapid increases in safety belt use than do secondary enforcement laws, and that initial increases in safety belt use following implementation of laws are sustained.

Epidemiology of AIDS in females with hemophilia and other chronic bleeding disorders in the United States: comparisons with males with chronic bleeding disorders and AIDS and with nonhemophilic female blood-transfusion recipients with AIDS.

From January 1, 1981 through June 30, 1990, 32 females with chronic bleeding disorders were diagnosed with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the United States. Most (81.3%) were white and greater than or equal to 30 years of age, with a median age of 37.5 years. Eighteen (56.3%) had von Willebrand's disease. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was reported for 16 (50%). None had Kaposi sarcoma. The median survival time was 10.8 months, with a cumulative probability of survival at 1 year of 47.3% and at 2 years of 27.6%. We compared the demographic data and survival times of these females with those of males with a chronic bleeding disorder and AIDS, and with those of nonhemophilic females with AIDS whose exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was through receipt of blood transfusions, blood components, or tissue. The principal demographic difference was age distribution. The females with chronic bleeding disorders tended to be younger than the transfused, nonhemophilic females, but older than the males. The survival time from AIDS diagnosis to death for the females with chronic bleeding disorders did not differ statistically from that of the other two groups, although older nonhemophilic females whose exposure was transfusion may progress more rapidly to AIDS.