The geographic spread and temporal increase of the Lyme disease epidemic.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the temporal and geographic progression of the Lyme disease epidemic in New York State from 1977 through 1989. DESIGN: Communicable disease surveillance system. SETTING: Statewide. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The progression of the epidemic was examined by analyzing trends in Lyme disease cases reported to the state surveillance system, town and county Lyme disease incidence rates, Lyme disease hospital discharge rates, and the distribution of Ixodes dammini ticks obtained from surveillance efforts and submitted for identification. MAIN RESULTS: The number of confirmed Lyme disease cases in New York has increased with concurrent increases in the number of hospital discharges. The number of counties endemic for Lyme disease increased from four to eight between 1985 and 1989. The number of counties with documented I dammini ticks increased from four in 1985 to 22 in 1989. Incidence of the disease also increased within known endemic counties. CONCLUSIONS: Tick surveillance indicated that the range of I dammini has expanded annually into areas up to 384 km from the original known endemic areas of Long Island, NY, and Connecticut. Cumulative data from human surveillance resources document both temporal increases and geographic expansion of the Lyme disease epidemic in New York.

Public health aspects of current oral rabies vaccines.

The use of a live oral rabies vaccine for the immunization of foxes is an accomplished fact. An oral rabies vaccine for field use has been developed, with care taken to ensure that the vaccine virus will not become established in nature. Education has been a major component of oral rabies vaccination campaigns.

La rabia: Un viejo enemigo al que podemos derrotar / Rabies: An old enemy that can be defeated

Human rabies, a zoonotic viral disease, is rare in developed countries but widespread in many parts of the Third World. The virus can effect many wild animals, including the fox. The incidence of rabies in this species has declined markedly in Switzerland and the Federal Republic of Germany since the use of baits containing vaccine was introduced in the 1970s. Bats carrying the virus present a particular threat in countries trying to become or maintain themselves as rabies-free areas. Among domestic animals, the dog is the principal source of rabies in humans. Diagnostic techniques have been greatly improved, and humans as well as animals can be protected with vaccines. Control is possible, and the challenge now is to tackle the disease effective in the developing countries

A community hospital outbreak of legionellosis. Transmission by potable hot water.

Seven cases of nosocomial legionellosis occurred between February and September 1982 in a small community hospital in Upstate New York. All seven were cases of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1; six were hospital patients and one a hospital employee. None of the cases died. During the peak of the outbreak, the incidence of nosocomial legionellosis was 1.2 cases per 100 patient discharges. An epidemiologic comparison of the six patient cases with 21 matched patient controls suggested that longer hospital stay (chi 1(2) = 24.2, p less than 0.001) and the proximity of patients' rooms to ward showers (chi 1(2) = 4.4, p less than 0.04) were significant risk factors for acquiring legionellosis. An environmental investigation demonstrated that the ward showers and the hospital hot water system were contaminated with L. pneumophila serogroup 1. Monoclonal antibody subtyping performed on isolates obtained during the outbreak investigation confirmed that the hot water system and patient isolates had an identical pattern of reactivity. The outbreak demonstrates that legionellosis can be a significant cause of nosocomial pneumonia in a community hospital and that transmission can occur from contaminated potable hot water sources, potentially via shower aerosols.

Naturally occurring rabies virus and neutralizing antibody in two species of insectivorous bats of new york state.

Seven colonies of Eptesicus fuscus , the big brown bat, and five colonies of Myotis lucifugus , the little brown bat, in New York State were sampled for rabies virus and virus-neutralizing antibody. Eight of 278 E. fuscus were found to have virus, while 18 of 187 had antibody titers of ≥1:8. One of 333 M. lucifugus yielded virus, while three of 127 had antibody. These data demonstrate the presence of rabies virus as well as immunity to rabies in some insectivorous bats of New York State. Evaluation of these findings in relation to the epizootiology of the disease in bats requires further investigation.

A micromethod for measuring rabies-neutralizing antibody.

Plasma samples collected in micro-hematocrit tubes were shown to have rabies-neutralizing antibody titers comparable to serum samples. Micro-hematocrit tube sampling makes possible the monitoring of antibody levels in very small animals without causing serious injury.

Effect of acetone fixation on rabies immunofluorescence in glycerine-preserved tissues.

Rabies immunofluorescence in glycerol-preserved tissues is more intense without acetone fixation. Glycerol preservation of suspected rabid tissue should be avoided whenever possible.

Some hematological values of free-ranging African elephants.

Blood samples were collected from 23 free-ranging African elephants(Loxodonta africana) in Tanzania. Red and white blood cell counts, white blood cell differential, hemoglobin, blood copper, and blood inorganic phosphate were determined. No correlation of any of these measurements with age and sex was discernible, except that the total white count was significantly higher in females than in males in all age groups. The findings are compared with those previously reported for captive and free-ranging African elephants.

Use of inoculated eggs as a vehicle for the oral rabies vaccination of red foxes (Vulpes fulva).

The ERA vaccine strain of rabies virus propagated on continuous porcine kidney tissue culture cells (PK15) was inoculated into the yolk sac of embryonated chicken eggs for the purpose of oral vaccine distribution. Two inoculated eggs were subsequently fed to each of 12 serologically rabies-negative foxes. Six (50%) of the foxes developed demonstrable rabies serum-neutralizing antibody within 4 weeks of vaccination and resisted challenge to street virus 14 weeks postvaccination. Testing of inoculated eggs for virus stability in the presence and absence of a casein hydrolysate-sucrose stabilizer at 6, 22, and 37 C for up to 15 days revealed no advantage to the stabilizer-vaccine mixture in eggs.

Production of rabies fluorescent conjugate by immunization of rabbits with purified rabies antigen.

Fluorescein-labelled antirabies virus conjugate was produced by hyperimmunizing rabbits with a purified rabies virus (CVS-27). The conjugate had a working dilution of >/=1: 500 in the rabies fluorescent antibody test. Stability under lyophilization was satisfactory.