Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Use and Detected Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in the United States-National HIV Behavioral Surveillance, 5 US Cities, 2017

3 years 5 months ago
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of extragenital STI was high for both MSM on PrEP and those not on PrEP in the past year. MSM on PrEP were more likely to have rectal chlamydia but not pharyngeal STIs or rectal gonorrhea. Our findings support regular STI testing at exposed anatomic sites as recommended for sexually active MSM, including those on PrEP.
Johanna Chapin-Bardales

Brief Report: Discrepancies Between Self-Reported Adherence and a Biomarker of Adherence in Real-World Settings

3 years 5 months ago
CONCLUSIONS: Utilization of biomarker-based adherence monitoring at these 2 clinics resulted in 564 additional patients receiving enhanced adherence support who otherwise would not have been identified as nonadherent to their prescribed PrEP regimen. These findings suggest that objective adherence monitoring can be used clinically to enable providers to identify nonadherent patients and allocate support services accordingly.
Shane Hebel

Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the State of Texas of the United States: Past Reflections, Present Shortcomings, and Future Needs of the Public Health Response

3 years 6 months ago
A strategy titled "Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America" aims to reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) incidence in the United States by at least 90% by 2030, using diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies. Texas is a Southern state that has one of the highest numbers of new HIV diagnoses and people with HIV in the country, and where HIV disproportionately impacts minorities. We retrace the historical epidemic in its largest city, Houston, to illustrate the lessons learned and...
Ume L Abbas

Recent HIV Clusters and Outbreaks Across the United States Among People Who Inject Drugs and Considerations During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Health Alert Network (HAN) No. 436

3 years 6 months ago
Since 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and health departments across the United States have identified several HIV clusters and outbreaks occurring predominantly among people who inject drugs (PWID). Long-term declining trends in HIV incidence among people who inject drugs have stalled. The purpose of this Health Advisory is to alert public health departments and healthcare providers to the possibility of new injection-related HIV infections and outbreaks. This HAN provides guidance for preventing, identifying, and responding to HIV among people who inject drugs. It also provides considerations for delivering services in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Insights on COVID-19 From Community Health Worker State Leaders

3 years 7 months ago
Community health workers (CHWs) leverage their trusting relationships with underresourced populations to promote health equity and social justice in their communities. Little is known about CHWs roles in addressing COVID-19 or how the pandemic may have affected CHWs' ability to interact with and support communities experiencing disparities. A focus group with CHW leaders from 7 states revealed 8 major themes: CHW identity, CHW resiliency, self-care, unintended positives outcomes of COVID-19,...
Susan Mayfield-Johnson

Serious Adverse Health Events Associated with Methanol-based Hand Sanitizers - Health Alert Network (HAN) No. 434

3 years 9 months ago
Most commercially available alcohol-based hand sanitizers or rubs (ABHSR) contain either ethanol or isopropanol as active ingredients. On June 19, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised consumers not to use any hand sanitizer manufactured by "Eskbiochem SA de CV" in Mexico, due to the potential presence of methanol, a "toxic alcohol", as an active ingredient, which can cause blindness and/or death when absorbed through the skin or when swallowed. Since then, FDA has identified additional ABHSR products that contain methanol and is working with manufacturers and distributors on a voluntary recall of these products (https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-updates-hand-sanitzers-methanolexternal icon).

Model-Based Recursive Partitioning of Patients' Return Visits to Multispecialty Clinic During the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic Influenza (pH1N1)

3 years 10 months ago
Background During the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic (pH1N1), the proportion of outpatient visits to emergency departments, clinics and hospitals became elevated especially during the early months of the pandemic due to surges in sick, 'worried well' or returning patients seeking care. We determined the prevalence of return visits to a multispecialty clinic during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic and identify subgroups at risk for return visits using model-based recursive partitioning technique....
Osaro Mgbere

Detection of Ciprofloxacin-resistant, β-lactamase-producing Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup Y Isolates, United States, 2019-2020 - Health Alert Network (HAN) No. 433

3 years 10 months ago
Meningococcal disease, which typically presents as meningitis or meningococcemia, is a life-threatening illness requiring prompt antibiotic treatment for patients and antibiotic prophylaxis for their close contacts. Neisseria meningitidis isolates in the United States have been largely susceptible to the antibiotics recommended for treatment and prophylaxis. However, 11 meningococcal disease cases reported in the United States during 2019-2020 had isolates containing a blaROB-1 β-lactamase gene associated with penicillin resistance, as well as mutations associated with ciprofloxacin resistance. An additional 22 cases reported during 2013-2020 contained a blaROB-1 β-lactamasegene but did not have mutations associated with ciprofloxacin resistance.

Learning from suicide deaths in Harris County, Texas

3 years 10 months ago
This study examined individual and community demographic characteristics surrounding suicides in one of the most populous counties in the United States. We paired medical examiner records with U.S. Census data and analyzed them using geospatial software. The majority of decedents were non-Hispanic, white males who died primarily of gunshot wounds. Salient age characteristics included interpersonal violence and depression among ages younger than 40. Despite lower incomes and education levels,...
Annalyn S DeMello

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) - Health Alert Network (HAN) No. 432

3 years 11 months ago
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing 1) background information on several cases of a recently reported multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); and 2) a case definition for this syndrome. CDC recommends healthcare providers report any patient who meets the case definition to local, state, and territorial health departments to enhance knowledge of risk factors, pathogenesis, clinical course, and treatment of this syndrome.