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Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a severe illness that can have devastating effects; outbreaks are uncommon in the United States. Vaccination is the preferred control measure for IMD outbreaks when a defined population at risk (e.g., college students or persons experiencing homelessness) can be identified. In August 2022, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) began investigating an IMD outbreak in Virginia’s Eastern Health Planning Region, prompted by the detection of four confirmed cases within 8 weeks. Clinical isolates available from three cases were characterized as Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y, sequence type 1466. A subsequent statewide investigation identified 36 genetically related cases, including seven deaths (case fatality rate = 19.4%) as of March 1, 2024. A majority of patients (63.9%) were in an age group (30–60 years) not generally considered at increased risk for IMD; 78.0% were non-Hispanic Black or African American. No common exposures, affiliations, or risk fac- tors were identified, and a defined population could not be identified for vaccination. VDH recommended quadrivalent (serogroups A, C, W, and Y) meningococcal conjugate vaccina- tion of a subset of close contacts of patients based on IMD risk factors and age range similar to that of patients with identified cases. IMD outbreaks might affect populations without estab- lished IMD risk factors. Lack of a well-defined population at risk might prompt exploration of novel control strategies, such as selective vaccination of close contacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.01.003 Byline: Meredith Stacy Robinson (a)(b), Mubarak Ariyo Bidmos (a)(c) Keywords: Skull; Humerus; Sex determination; Discriminant function equations; Reliability; South Africa Abstract: Sex determination plays a crucial role in the identification of human remains as it narrows the possibility for identification by 50%. The purpose of this study is to test the validity of five discriminant function equations, with accuracies of 80% and higher, that have been derived by Steyn and IAcan [M. Steyn, M.Y. IAcan, Sexual dimorphism in the crania and mandibles of South African Whites, Forensic Sci. Int. 98 (1998) 9-16; M. Steyn, M.Y. IAcan, Osteometric variation in the humerus: sexual dimorphism in South Africans, Forensic Sci. Int. 106 (1999) 77-85] for the skull and humerus of South Africans of European Descent (SAED). These equations were tested on different regional populations of SAED within South Africa. While the validity of some of the discriminant functions has been assessed by the authors who derived them, no other previous independent study has been carried out to assess the reliability of these equations. In addition, these equations have not been tested on skeletons located outside the Gauteng province. The study sample consisted of 230 skulls and 264 humeri of SAED obtained from four South African skeletal collections: Raymond A. Dart Collection of Human Skeletons (Johannesburg); Pretoria Bone Collection; Cape Town Skeletal Collection; and the Osteology Archive Student Collection (Stellenbosch). A total of 14 measurements (12 cranial and 2 humeral) were taken on these skeletal elements. The observed accuracies from the present study (72.0-95.5%), with the exception of one sample's accuracy, compared well with the original classification rates (80.2-92.5%) for most of the functions thereby confirming the validity of the discriminant function equations for sex determination for the skull and humerus of SAED, for SAED in all regions of South Africa. Author Affiliation: (a) School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown 2193, Johannesburg, South Africa (b) Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, USA (c) Department of Internal Medicine, Kimberley Hospital Complex, Kimberley, South Africa Article History: Received 19 May 2008; Revised 31 October 2008; Accepted 6 January 2009 Article Note: (footnote) [star] Conference presentation: Accepted for poster presentation at the 36th Meeting of the Anatomical Society of Southern Africa, Golden Gate, Free State, 21-26 April 2006.

Invoking the past in film is a political gesture because it suggests new interpretations of historical events. French Caribbean director Christian Lara portrays the Guadeloupean rebellion of 1803 in two of his films. In his own words, he builds "a historical fresco" of the events, abounding with frequent changes of scenery, elaborate period costumes, and a wide range of minor and major characters through which he exposes France's colonial wrongdoings. He further questions present French involvement in Guadeloupe. My aim in this paper is to demonstrate that his cinematic efforts, though criticized for their theatricality, underscore an urgency to correct and confirm the islands' distinctive and inspiring local history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syndromic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panels are used to test for pathogens that can cause rash illnesses, including measles. Rash illnesses have infectious and noninfectious causes, and approximately 5% of persons experience a rash 7-10 days after receipt of a measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. MMR vaccine includes live attenuated measles virus, which is detectable by PCR tests. No evidence exists of person-to-person transmission of measles vaccine virus, and illness does not typically result among immunocompetent persons. During September 2022-January 2023, the Tennessee Department of Health received two reports of measles detected by syndromic PCR panels. Both reports involved children (aged 1 and 6 years) without known risk factors for measles, who were evaluated for rash that occurred 11-13 days after routine MMR vaccination. After public health responses in Tennessee determined that both PCR panels had detected measles vaccine virus, six state health departments collaborated to assess the frequency and characteristics of persons receiving a positive measles PCR panel test result in the United States. Information was retrospectively collected from a commercial laboratory testing for measles in syndromic multiplex PCR panels. During May 2022-April 2023, among 1,548 syndromic PCR panels, 17 (1.1%) returned positive test results for measles virus. Among 14 persons who received a positive test result and for whom vaccination and case investigation information were available, all had received MMR vaccine a median of 12 days before specimen collection, and none had known risk factors for acquiring measles. All positive PCR results were attributed to detection of measles vaccine virus. Increased awareness among health care providers about potential measles detection by PCR after vaccination is needed. Any detection of measles virus by syndromic PCR testing should be immediately reported to public health agencies, which can use measles vaccination history and assessment of risk factors to determine the appropriate public health response. If a person recently received MMR vaccine and has no risk factors for acquiring measles, additional public health response is likely unnecessary., Competing Interests: All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

On August 29, 2021, the United States government oversaw the emergent establishment of Operation Allies Welcome (OAW), led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and implemented by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. Department of State (DoS), to safely resettle U.S. citizens and Afghan nationals from Afghanistan to the United States. Evacuees were temporarily housed at several overseas locations in Europe and Asia* before being transported via military and charter flights through two U.S. international airports, and onward to eight U.S. military bases, † with hotel A used for isolation and quarantine of persons with or exposed to certain infectious diseases. § On August 30, CDC issued an Epi-X notice encouraging public health officials to maintain vigilance for measles among Afghan evacuees because of an ongoing measles outbreak in Afghanistan (25,988 clinical cases reported nationwide during January-November 2021) (1) and low routine measles vaccination coverage (66% and 43% for the first and second doses, respectively, in 2020) (2)., Competing Interests: All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.