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View article: Epidemiologic and Environmental Investigations of Reported Hantavirus Cases Inform Exposure Risk in California, 1993–2020
Epidemiologic and Environmental Investigations of Reported Hantavirus Cases Inform Exposure Risk in California, 1993–2020 Open
From 1993 to 2020, 89 hantavirus cases were reported in California residents. Fifty-six (63%) were male, mean age was 41.5 years old, and 28 (31%) of the cases were fatal. The majority of cases were classified as hantavirus pulmonary syndr…
View article: Metagenomic sequencing identifies potential respiratory pathogens in PCR-negative subset of surveillance samples
Metagenomic sequencing identifies potential respiratory pathogens in PCR-negative subset of surveillance samples Open
Respiratory pathogens are a significant source of global morbidity, mortality, and economic burden, with the COVID-19 pandemic driving increased interest in and funding for respiratory disease surveillance. Syndromic panel multiplex nuclei…
View article: Human Orthohantavirus disease prevalence and genotype distribution in the U.S., 2008–2020: a retrospective observational study
Human Orthohantavirus disease prevalence and genotype distribution in the U.S., 2008–2020: a retrospective observational study Open
This work was funded by core funds provided to the Viral Special Pathogens Branch at CDC.
View article: Implementation of California COVIDNet – a multi-sector collaboration for statewide SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance
Implementation of California COVIDNet – a multi-sector collaboration for statewide SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance Open
Introduction The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic represented a formidable scientific and technological challenge to public health due to its rapid spread and evolution. To meet these challenges and to characterize the virus over time, the State of Cal…
View article: Pathogen genomics in public health laboratories: successes, challenges, and lessons learned from California’s SARS-CoV-2 Whole-Genome Sequencing Initiative, California COVIDNet
Pathogen genomics in public health laboratories: successes, challenges, and lessons learned from California’s SARS-CoV-2 Whole-Genome Sequencing Initiative, California COVIDNet Open
The capacity for pathogen genomics in public health expanded rapidly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but many public health laboratories did not have the infrastructure in place to handle the vast amount of severe …
View article: Lessons Learned From a COVID-19 Dog Screening Pilot in California K-12 Schools
Lessons Learned From a COVID-19 Dog Screening Pilot in California K-12 Schools Open
This diagnostic study describes a dog screening program used to identify COVID-19 infections among schoolchildren.
View article: Correction: A forty-year review of Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases in California shows clinical and epidemiologic changes
Correction: A forty-year review of Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases in California shows clinical and epidemiologic changes Open
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010738.].
View article: Multiple Mutations Associated with Emergent Variants Can Be Detected as Low-Frequency Mutations in Early SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Clinical Samples
Multiple Mutations Associated with Emergent Variants Can Be Detected as Low-Frequency Mutations in Early SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Clinical Samples Open
Genetic analysis of intra-host viral populations provides unique insight into pre-emergent mutations that may contribute to the genotype of future variants. Clinical samples positive for SARS-CoV-2 collected in California during the first …
View article: Evaluation of co-circulating pathogens and microbiome from COVID-19 infections
Evaluation of co-circulating pathogens and microbiome from COVID-19 infections Open
Co-infections or secondary infections with SARS-CoV-2 have the potential to affect disease severity and morbidity. Additionally, the potential influence of the nasal microbiome on COVID-19 illness is not well understood. In this study, we …
View article: A forty-year review of Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases in California shows clinical and epidemiologic changes
A forty-year review of Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases in California shows clinical and epidemiologic changes Open
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a life-threatening tick-borne disease documented in North, Central, and South America. In California, RMSF is rare; nonetheless, recent fatal cases highlight ecological cycles of the two genera of tic…
View article: Epidemiologic and environmental characterization of the Re-emergence of St. Louis Encephalitis Virus in California, 2015–2020
Epidemiologic and environmental characterization of the Re-emergence of St. Louis Encephalitis Virus in California, 2015–2020 Open
St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) is an endemic flavivirus in the western and southeastern United States, including California. From 1938 to 2003, the virus was detected annually in California, but after West Nile virus (WNV) arrived in …
View article: West Nile virus in California, 2003–2018: A persistent threat
West Nile virus in California, 2003–2018: A persistent threat Open
The California Arbovirus Surveillance Program was initiated over 50 years ago to track endemic encephalitides and was enhanced in 2000 to include West Nile virus (WNV) infections in humans, mosquitoes, sentinel chickens, dead birds and hor…
View article: Long-Term Rodent Surveillance after Outbreak of Hantavirus Infection, Yosemite National Park, California, USA, 2012
Long-Term Rodent Surveillance after Outbreak of Hantavirus Infection, Yosemite National Park, California, USA, 2012 Open
In 2012, a total of 9 cases of hantavirus infection occurred in overnight visitors to Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California, USA. In the 6 years after the initial outbreak investigation, the California Department of Public He…
View article: LB14. Cerebrospinal Fluid Profiling of the Human Host Response Reveals Species-Specific Enterovirus Biosignatures in Acute Flaccid Myelitis Cases
LB14. Cerebrospinal Fluid Profiling of the Human Host Response Reveals Species-Specific Enterovirus Biosignatures in Acute Flaccid Myelitis Cases Open
Background Since 2014 there have been global biennial outbreaks of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a rare but severe “polio-like” illness of as yet-unknown etiology primarily affecting children. Enteroviruses (EVs),, especially EV-D68 and EV…
View article: New Exposure Location for Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Case, California, USA, 2018
New Exposure Location for Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Case, California, USA, 2018 Open
We describe a case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in a patient exposed to Sin Nombre virus in a coastal county in California, USA, that had no previous record of human cases. Environmental evaluation coupled with genotypic analysis of vi…
View article: Expanded Molecular Testing on Patients with Suspected West Nile Virus Disease
Expanded Molecular Testing on Patients with Suspected West Nile Virus Disease Open
Most diagnostic testing for West Nile virus (WNV) disease is accomplished using serologic testing, which is subject to cross-reactivity, may require cumbersome confirmatory testing, and may fail to detect infection in specimens collected e…
View article: Patients with laboratory evidence of West Nile virus disease without reported fever
Patients with laboratory evidence of West Nile virus disease without reported fever Open
In 2013, the national surveillance case definition for West Nile virus (WNV) disease was revised to remove fever as a criterion for neuroinvasive disease and require at most subjective fever for non-neuroinvasive disease. The aims of this …
View article: Travel-Associated Zika Cases and Threat of Local Transmission during Global Outbreak, California, USA
Travel-Associated Zika Cases and Threat of Local Transmission during Global Outbreak, California, USA Open
Zika and associated microcephaly among newborns were reported in Brazil during 2015. Zika has since spread across the Americas, and travel-associated cases were reported throughout the United States. We reviewed travel-associated Zika case…
View article: Novel Focus of Sin Nombre Virus in<i>Peromyscus eremicus</i>Mice, Death Valley National Park, California, USA
Novel Focus of Sin Nombre Virus in<i>Peromyscus eremicus</i>Mice, Death Valley National Park, California, USA Open
The deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) is the primary reservoir for Sin Nombre virus (SNV) in the western United States. Rodent surveillance for hantavirus in Death Valley National Park, California, USA, revealed cactus mice (P. eremicus)…
View article: Diagnosis of Fatal Human Case of St. Louis Encephalitis Virus Infection by Metagenomic Sequencing, California, 2016
Diagnosis of Fatal Human Case of St. Louis Encephalitis Virus Infection by Metagenomic Sequencing, California, 2016 Open
We used unbiased metagenomic next-generation sequencing to diagnose a fatal case of meningoencephalitis caused by St. Louis encephalitis virus in a patient from California in September 2016. This case is associated with the recent 2015-201…
View article: Evaluation of Placental and Fetal Tissue Specimens for Zika Virus Infection — 50 States and District of Columbia, January–December, 2016
Evaluation of Placental and Fetal Tissue Specimens for Zika Virus Infection — 50 States and District of Columbia, January–December, 2016 Open
Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause congenital microcephaly and brain abnormalities (1), and detection of Zika virus RNA in clinical and tissue specimens can provide definitive laboratory evidence of recent Zika virus infection…
View article: The Eco-epidemiology of Pacific Coast Tick Fever in California
The Eco-epidemiology of Pacific Coast Tick Fever in California Open
Rickettsia philipii (type strain "Rickettsia 364D"), the etiologic agent of Pacific Coast tick fever (PCTF), is transmitted to people by the Pacific Coast tick, Dermacentor occidentalis. Following the first confirmed human case of PCTF in …