ABSTRACT
The Arizona Department of Health Services identified unusually high levels of influenza activity and severe complications during the 2015-2016 influenza season leading to concerns about potential increased disease severity compared with prior seasons. We estimated state-level burden and severity to compare across three seasons using multiple data sources for community-level illness, hospitalisation and death. Severity ratios were calculated as the number of hospitalisations or deaths per community case. Community influenza-like illness rates, hospitalisation rates and mortality rates in 2015-2016 were higher than the previous two seasons. However, ratios of severe disease to community illness were similar. Arizona experienced overall increased disease burden in 2015-2016, but not increased severity compared with prior seasons. Timely estimates of state-specific burden and severity are potentially feasible and may provide important information during seemingly unusual influenza seasons or pandemic situations.
Subject(s)
Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype , Influenza, Human/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Arizona/epidemiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Cost of Illness , Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Influenza, Human/mortality , Middle Aged , Monte Carlo Method , Pneumonia/epidemiology , Pneumonia/mortality , Severity of Illness Index , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the distribution of illness by industry sector and occupation reflected in early 2009 H1N1 influenza surveillance. METHODS: We analyzed data reported for April to July 2009, for 1361 laboratory-confirmed 2009 H1N1 influenza-infected persons 16 years or older, with work status information from four states. A North American Industry Classification System 2007 code was assigned to each employed person. For a subset, an occupation code was assigned. RESULTS: Of 898 employed individuals, 611 (68.0%) worked in the non-health care sector. The largest proportions worked in public administration, educational services, and accommodation and food services. In Wisconsin health care personnel, 53.6% were paraprofessionals, 33.6% professionals, and 12.7% other workers; 26.9% worked in ambulatory settings, 46.2% in hospitals, and 26.9% in nursing or residential care facilities. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that industry sectors and occupations should be explored systematically in future influenza surveillance.
Subject(s)
Employment , Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype , Influenza, Human , Adolescent , Adult , Employment/classification , Female , Humans , Industry/classification , Influenza, Human/epidemiology , Influenza, Human/virology , Male , Middle Aged , Population Surveillance , United States/epidemiology , Young AdultABSTRACT
Because DuPont Instruments has discontinued commercial availability of the PREP automated sample processor, an alternate method for the general extraction of THC-COOH and benzoylecgonine from a urine matrix in the military drug screening laboratories' standard procedure is needed. The liquid-liquid extraction method presented for isolation of THC-COOH uses extraction with isobutanol-hexane followed by back extraction into an aqueous alkaline medium and results in a percent recovery of 104.24 +/- 9.71%. The isolation of benzoylecgonine involves extraction into ethanol-methylene chloride followed by evaporation and derivatization with 1-iodopropane; recovery is 102.43 +/- 3.13%.
