Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal

Highlights: Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol. 17, No. 10, (October 2011)

1. Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis with Severe Manifestations, Missouri, USA Scott Folk, et al.

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus is spread by rodents, particularly the common house mouse, and is found throughout the world. The virus, which usually causes mild illness with nonspecific symptoms, can at times cause severe disease. Two patients in Missouri, who reported seeing mice in their homes before becoming ill, came down with serious nervous system disease. Although both patients recovered, these cases provide a reminder of the potential severity of this virus. Patients with nervous system disease of unknown cause, especially those who have had contact with wild or pet rodents, should be tested for this virus.

Contact :
Dr. Pierre Rollin via:
404-639-3286
media@cdc.gov

2. Antimicrobial Ointments and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA300, Masahiro Suzuki, et al.

Got a cut? Reach for the triple antimicrobial-drug ointment? Not so fast. In the United States, common use of over-the-counter triple antimicrobial ointments may be leading to emergence of a new, antimicrobial-drug resistant MRSA strain. This resistant strain (USA300) is common in the United States, where we these ointments are used often, but less common in Japan, where they are not used as often. This finding supports more cautious use of topical antimicrobial drugs.  

Contact:
Masahiro Suzuki
masahiro_4_suzuki@pref.aichi.lg.jp

Or

Dr. Y. Iinuma
+81-76-218-8451
yiinuma@kanazawa-med.ac.jp

3. Clostridium difficile Infection in Outpatients, Maryland and Connecticut, USA, 2002–2007, Jon Mark Hirshon, et al.

Infection with Clostridium difficile (C. diff) causes diarrhea in hospitalized patients, usually when antimicrobial-drug treatment disrupts their normal intestinal balance. Recently, concerns have been raised that this infection is increasing in the community, outside hospitals. This study found that most outpatients either had a known risk factor (other medical condition, recent hospitalization, antimicrobial-drug treatment) or were also infected with other diarrhea-causing bacteria. This finding tempers concern that C. diff infections are becoming common in the community among outpatients with no risk factors.

Contact:
Dr. Jon Mark Hirshon
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Jhirs001@umaryland.edu

4. Humans Infected with Relapsing Fever Spirochete Borrelia miyamotoi, Russia, Alexander E. Platonov, et al. 

Borreliae bacteria cause rash and flu-like illnesses, including Lyme disease, and relapsing fever. Recently, a new type of borrelia (Borrelia miyamotoi) was found to cause relapsing fever in people in Russia. Because the ticks that carry this new type of bacteria are found around the world (including the tick that transmits Lyme disease and babesiosis) the infection could become widespread. Disease caused by this new borreliamay cause repeated bouts of fever and are costly in terms of medical bills and lost wages. Although effective treatment is available, diagnosis and treatment are complicated by lack of awareness of this infection, limited availability of diagnostic tests, and nonspecific symptoms.  

Contact:
Dr. Peter J. Krause
Yale School of Public Health
peter.krause@yale.edu

Or

Dr. Alexander Platonov
Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Moscow, Russia
platonov@pcr.ru

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES