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We present a case of late symptom onset of COVID-19 infection 72 days after initial diagnosis in an immunocompromised 53-year-old man. SARS-CoV-2 was cultured from his sputum sample at this time, and genomic sequencing suggested reinfection was unlikely. After receipt of convalescent plasma, SARS-CoV-2 became undetectable by PCR 111 days after diagnosis, although SARS-CoV-2 antibodies remained not detectable. This case posed difficult public health management issues in a low prevalence COVID-19 setting as the person required extended home isolation given his prolonged SARS-CoV-2 PCR detection.Copyright © 2021 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of a standard decontamination and sterilization protocol employed during reuse of cardiac electrophysiology (EP) catheters on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). SETTING: Public health viral research laboratory. METHOD(S): Studies were performed on distal, electrode-containing segments of 40 EP catheters previously used in up to 10 clinical EP procedures. EP catheter segments were immersed for 1 hour in blood contaminated with a high titer of HIV. After air drying for 2 hours, subgroups of 8 EP catheters were subjected to either (1) no treatment, (2) washing in general purpose detergent, (3) washing in enzyme cleaner, (4) sterilization in ethylene oxide, or (5) the full protocol of sequential detergent-enzyme cleaner-ethylene oxide exposure. HIV infectivity after treatment was determined by measuring HIV RNA and, in cell culture studies, assessing HIV-induced cytopathic effects (CPEs) and supernatant HIV-specific p24 antigen content. RESULT(S): With no treatment, all catheters had high HIV RNA levels associated with CPEs and high p24 antigen levels. After washing in detergent, 5 of 8 catheters had HIV RNA detected, but without CPEs or p24 antigen. HIV RNA was detected in all catheters after washing in enzyme cleaner, with CPEs and a high p24 antigen level in 1 of 8 catheters. HIV RNA, CPEs, and p24 antigen were absent after ethylene oxide. After the full protocol, HIV RNA levels were undetectable (n = 7) or low (n = 1), without evidence of CPEs or p24 antigen. CONCLUSION(S): Appropriate decontamination and sterilization of EP catheters during reuse is highly effective in inactivating HIV.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of a standard cleaning and sterilization protocol employed during reuse of cardiac electrophysiology catheters on the infectivity of duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV; a surrogate for human hepatitis B virus), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV; a surrogate for human hepatitis C virus), and human coxsackie type B3 virus (CB3). SETTING: Public health virology laboratory. METHOD(S): Studies were performed on the distal, electrode-containing segments of 120 electrophysiology catheters previously used in up to 10 clinical procedures. Catheter segments were immersed for 1 hour in blood infected with high titers of DHBV, BVDV, or CB3. After air drying for 2 hours, subgroups of 8 catheters were subjected to no treatment, washing in general-purpose detergent, washing in enzyme cleaner, sterilization in ethylene oxide, or the full protocol of sequential detergent-enzyme cleaner-ethylene oxide exposure. Presence of residual virus was assessed by nucleic acid detection and infectivity studies. RESULT(S): DHBV nucleic acid was detected on catheters after individual steps and the full protocol, whereas BVDV and CB3 nucleic acids were detected after individual steps but not the full protocol. These findings were associated with the presence of infectious DHBV and CB3, but not BVDV, on catheters after washing in detergent or enzyme cleaner. However, ethylene oxide alone or the full protocol reduced infectivity of all three viruses to undetectable levels. CONCLUSION(S): These experimental studies provide strong evidence that appropriate cleaning and sterilization of reused electrophysiology catheters inactivates blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis B and C and coxsackie type B3.

* We report eight recent cases of Chikungunya virus infection in travellers to Australia. Patients presented with fevers, rigors, headaches, arthralgia, and rash. * The current Indian Ocean epidemic and Italian outbreak have featured prominently on Internet infectious disease bulletins, and Chikungunya virus infection had been anticipated in travellers from the outbreak areas. * Diagnosis was by a generic alphavirus reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction with confirmatory sequencing. * Prompt diagnosis of Chikungunya virus infections is of public health significance as the mosquito vectors for transmission exist in Australia. There is potential for this infection to spread in the largely naive Australian population.

OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this work was to assess the impact of recently described human metapneumovirus and human coronavirus NL63 compared with other respiratory viruses by using sensitive molecular techniques in a cohort of healthy preschool-aged children. We also aimed to assess the use of parent collection to obtain an adequate respiratory specimen from acutely unwell children in the community. PATIENTS AND METHODS. The community epidemiology and burden of human metapneumovirus and other respiratory viruses (influenza A, influenza B, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza viruses, adenoviruses, and picornaviruses) were examined in a cohort of 234 preschool-aged children from Melbourne, Australia, over a 12-month period by using polymerase chain reaction testing. Parents collected a daily symptom diary for the duration of the study and were taught to collect a combined nose-throat swab and complete an impact diary when the study child had an acute respiratory illness. RESULTS. The average incidence of acute respiratory illness was 0.48 per child-month for the duration of the study, with a winter peak. Of 543 illnesses with >=1 specimen returned, 33 were positive for human metapneumovirus (6.1%) and 18 for human coronavirus NL63 (3.3%). Of all of the viruses for which we tested, human metapneumovirus and human coronavirus NL63 were most strongly linked to child care attendance, occurring in 82% and 78% of infected children, respectively. Picornaviruses were the most commonly identified virus group (269 [49.5%]). Influenza virus and adenovirus illnesses had the greatest impact, with fever in more than three quarters and requiring, on average, >1 local doctor visit per illness. CONCLUSIONS. Recently identified human metapneumovirus and human coronavirus NL63 are important pathogens in community-based illness in children, particularly in those who attend child care. Picornaviruses were detected in half of the nose-throat swabs collected during acute respiratory