Emerging infectious diseases
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Emerging Infect. Dis. · Aug 2011
Enterovirus 68 in children with acute respiratory tract infections, Osaka, Japan.
Enterovirus 68 strains were detected in 14 specimens from children with respiratory tract infections and 1 specimen from a child with febrile convulsions during 2010 in Osaka, Japan. These strains had deletions in the 5' untranslated region and were genetically different from reported strains. This virus is associated with respiratory tract infections in Japan.
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Emerging Infect. Dis. · Aug 2011
Enterovirus 68 among children with severe acute respiratory infection, the Philippines.
Enterovirus 68 (EV68) is a rare enterovirus associated with respiratory illness that, unlike other enteroviruses, has been identified only from respiratory specimens. We identified EV68 from respiratory specimens of children hospitalized with a diagnosis of severe pneumonia in Leyte, Republic of the Philippines. ⋯ All 21 patients we identified had severe illness, and 2 died, possibly the first reported fatal cases associated with EV68 infection. Our study suggests that EV68 may be a possible causative agent of severe respiratory illnesses.
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Emerging Infect. Dis. · Aug 2011
Cost-effectiveness of sick leave policies for health care workers with influenza-like illness, Brazil, 2009.
We describe the effect of influenza-like illness (ILI) during the outbreak of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 on health care worker (HCW) absenteeism and compare the effectiveness and cost of 2 sick leave policies for HCWs with suspected influenza. We assessed initial 2-day sick leaves plus reassessment until the HCW was asymptomatic (2-day + reassessment policy), and initial 7-day sick leaves (7-day policy). Sick leaves peaked in August 2009: 3% of the workforce received leave for ILI. ⋯ US $1,128 per HCW on leave). ILI affected HCW absenteeism. The 7-day policy was more costly and not more effective in preventing transmission to patients than the 2-day + reassessment policy.
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Emerging Infect. Dis. · Aug 2011
Letter Case ReportsWest Nile virus aseptic meningitis and stuttering in woman.