ABSTRACT
The possibility of seasonality of COVID-19 is being discussed; we show clinical microbiology laboratory data illustrating seasonality of coronaviruses 229E, HKU1, NL63, and OC43. The data shown are specific to the 4 studied coronaviruses and may or may not generalize to COVID-19.
Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Coronavirus/pathogenicity , Seasons , Betacoronavirus/pathogenicity , COVID-19 , Coronavirus Infections/virology , Global Health , Humans , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Pneumonia, Viral/virology , SARS-CoV-2Subject(s)
Legionella , Legionellosis , Connecticut , Humans , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Rivers , SeasonsABSTRACT
Whooping cough is traditionally ascribed to Bordetella pertussis; however, Bordetella parapertussis can cause a similar clinical syndrome. This study describes an outbreak of B. parapertussis in Southeastern Minnesota and the United States (US) in 2014. This was a retrospective analysis of Mayo Clinic and Mayo Medical Laboratories patients who tested positive for B. parapertussis from 2012 to 2014. The medical records of Mayo Clinic patients who tested positive in 2014 were reviewed for demographic information, presenting symptoms, disease course, and vaccination history. In Southeast Minnesota, 81% of the 31 patients who tested positive for B. parapertussis in 2014 were found to be positive from October through December. Their mean age was 5.9 years. Five reported "exposure to pertussis." Two pairs of siblings were affected. Patients reported having had symptoms for an average of 2.6 weeks before nasopharyngeal specimen collection for B. parapertussis testing. Cough was the primary symptom reported. Forty percent reported posttussive vomiting, 40% coryza, 32% apnea/sleep disturbance, and 12% sore throat. All were current with pertussis vaccination. Based on the review of national data, an outbreak occurred nationally in the Northeast and Midwest US over the same time period. In 2014, there was an outbreak of B. parapertussis in Southeastern Minnesota and likely other parts of the US. The presenting illness was similar to that of B. pertussis. All patients were vaccinated against pertussis, suggesting that pertussis vaccination is ineffective against B. parapertussis.
Subject(s)
Bordetella Infections/epidemiology , Bordetella parapertussis , Disease Outbreaks , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Azithromycin/therapeutic use , Bordetella Infections/drug therapy , Bordetella Infections/physiopathology , Bordetella Infections/prevention & control , Bordetella parapertussis/isolation & purification , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Minnesota/epidemiology , Nasopharynx/microbiology , Pertussis Vaccine , Treatment FailureABSTRACT
Review of Bordetella pertussis polymerase chain reaction testing from 2007 through 2014 revealed a yearly spike in positivity rates during the summer throughout the United States. Paradoxically, the highest test volumes occurred outside of this time frame, which provides an opportunity for improved test utilization.
