International chicken trade and increased risk for introducing or reintroducing highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) to uninfected countries.

Every year billions of chickens are shipped thousands of miles around the globe in order to meet the ever increasing demands for this cheap and nutritious protein source. Unfortunately, transporting chickens internationally can also increase the chance for introducing zoonotic viruses, such as highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) to new countries. Our study used a retrospective analysis of poultry trading data from 2003 through 2011 to assess the risk of H5N1 poultry infection in an importing country. We found that the risk of infection in an importing country increased by a factor of 1.3 (95% CI: 1.1-1.5) for every 10-fold increase in live chickens imported from countries experiencing at least one H5N1 poultry case during that year. These results suggest that the risk in a particular country can be significantly reduced if imports from countries experiencing an outbreak are decreased during the year of infection or if biosecurity measures such as screening, vaccination, and infection control practices are increased. These findings show that limiting trade of live chickens or increasing infection control practices during contagious periods may be an important step in reducing the spread of H5N1 and other emerging avian influenza viruses

The CardioMetabolic Health Alliance Working Toward a New Care Model for the Metabolic Syndrome

AbstractThe Cardiometabolic Think Tank was convened on June 20, 2014, in Washington, DC, as a “call to action” activity focused on defining new patient care models and approaches to address contemporary issues of cardiometabolic risk and disease. Individual experts representing >20 professional organizations participated in this roundtable discussion. The Think Tank consensus was that the metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex pathophysiological state comprised of a cluster of clinically measured and typically unmeasured risk factors, is progressive in its course, and is associated with serious and extensive comorbidity, but tends to be clinically under-recognized. The ideal patient care model for MetS must accurately identify those at risk before MetS develops and must recognize subtypes and stages of MetS to more effectively direct prevention and therapies. This new MetS care model introduces both affirmed and emerging concepts that will require consensus development, validation, and optimization in the future

Sex Differences in the Association Between Adiponectin and BMD, Bone Loss, and Fractures: The Rancho Bernardo Study

We evaluated sex differences in the prospective association between adiponectin with BMD, bone loss, and fractures. Adiponectin, an adipose-derived protein with insulin-sensitizing properties, is also expressed in bone-forming cells. Conflicting results and sex differences in the adiponectin–BMD association have been reported in cross-sectional studies. Serum adiponectin was measured in fasting blood samples obtained in 1984–1987 in 447 postmenopausal women (mean age: 76 yr) and 484 men (mean age: 75 yr). Four years later, BMD was measured at the midshaft radius by single photon absorptiometry and at the femoral neck, total hip, and lumbar spine by DXA. In 1992–1996, axial BMD was remeasured in 261 women and 264 men. Multivariable analysis adjusted for age, weight, calcium intake, type 2 diabetes, alcohol intake, and exercise. Among women, adiponectin was inversely associated with BMD at the femoral neck (β = −0.002, p = 0.007), total hip (β = −0.002, p = 0.009), lumbar spine (β = −0.003, p = 0.008), and midshaft radius (β = −0.002, p = 0.01) after 4.4 yr and at the femoral neck and total hip 8.6 yr later. Among men, adiponectin was inversely associated with BMD at the femoral neck, (β = −0.002, p = 0.03), total hip (β = −0.004, p < 0.001), and midshaft radius (β = −0.003, p < 0.001) after 4.4 yr and at the hip 8.6 yr later. Adiponectin was not associated with 4-yr bone loss in either sex but was associated with vertebral fractures (adjusted OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.08–1.23; p = 0.009) among men only. Adiponectin was inversely associated with BMD; however, sex differences were observed by anatomical site and with regards to vertebral fractures

Comparison of the QuantiFERON TB Gold In-tube Assay With Tuberculin Skin Test for the Diagnosis of Latent Tuberculosis Infection Among HIV-infected and Uninfected Children.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is facilitated by tuberculin skin testing (TST) or interferon-gamma release assays such as the QuantiFERON TB Gold In-Tube (QTF-GIT) assays. Limited data exist on the utility of interferon-gamma release assays in HIV-infected children, which may be falsely negative due to immunosuppression. METHODS: A cross-sectional study comparing TST to QTF-GIT for the diagnosis of suspected LTBI was performed in children in Tijuana, Mexico, and in San Diego, California. Concordance between TST (≥5 mm for HIV infected and ≥10 mm for HIV uninfected) and QTF-GIT was evaluated utilizing kappa coefficients. Multivariate logistic regression assessed factors influencing the results. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-five children (70 HIV infected and 95 HIV uninfected) were evaluated (median age, 8.0 years). Among HIV-infected children, the median CD4 cell count was 913 cells/μL, with 92.9% of subjects on antiretroviral treatment and 80.0% with an HIV RNA load/mL (76%/mL). Among HIV-infected children with no history of tuberculosis, 12 HIV had either a positive QTF-GIT or TST ≥ 5 mm or both, giving a suspected LTBI prevalence of 20.3% (compared with 61.3% among HIV-uninfected children). Moderate concordance was demonstrated in HIV-infected children (both tests positive, κ = 0.42; 95% confidence interval: 8.9%-75.4%) and HIV-uninfected children (both tests positive, κ = 0.59; 95% confidence interval: 43.0%-76.5%). CONCLUSIONS: A moderate correlation exists between TST and QTF-GIT among HIV-infected and uninfected children with preserved immune function in an area of moderate tuberculosis endemicity

International chicken trade and increased risk for introducing or reintroducing highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) to uninfected countries.

Every year billions of chickens are shipped thousands of miles around the globe in order to meet the ever increasing demands for this cheap and nutritious protein source. Unfortunately, transporting chickens internationally can also increase the chance for introducing zoonotic viruses, such as highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) to new countries. Our study used a retrospective analysis of poultry trading data from 2003 through 2011 to assess the risk of H5N1 poultry infection in an importing country. We found that the risk of infection in an importing country increased by a factor of 1.3 (95% CI: 1.1-1.5) for every 10-fold increase in live chickens imported from countries experiencing at least one H5N1 poultry case during that year. These results suggest that the risk in a particular country can be significantly reduced if imports from countries experiencing an outbreak are decreased during the year of infection or if biosecurity measures such as screening, vaccination, and infection control practices are increased. These findings show that limiting trade of live chickens or increasing infection control practices during contagious periods may be an important step in reducing the spread of H5N1 and other emerging avian influenza viruses

Burden of Peripheral Artery Disease on Mortality and Incident Cardiovascular Events.

Using data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (United States, 2000-2015), 6,527 racially/ethnically diverse adults (mean age, 62&nbsp;(standard deviation,&nbsp;10) years) free of known cardiovascular (CVD) had ankle brachial index (ABI) assessment of their bilateral dorsalis pedis/posterior tibial arteries (4 vessels total) and were followed for total mortality and incident CVD events/mortality. Individuals were classified into categories of 0-, 1-, 2-, 3- or 4-vessel peripheral artery disease (PAD) (ABI of ≤0.9). There were 1,202 deaths (18%), 656 incident CVD events (10%), and 282 CVD deaths (4.3%). Of the 6,527 individuals, 5,711 (87.5%) had 0-, 460 (7.0%) had 1-, 218 (3.3%) had 2-, 69 (1.1%) had 3-, and 69 (1.1%) had 4-vessel PAD, respectively. In multivariable Cox models, higher number of vessels with PAD was associated with higher risk of mortality (P for trend &lt;0.001), CVD events (P for trend&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.002), and CVD mortality (P for trend&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.001). Compared with individuals who had 0-vessel disease, hazard ratios for mortality were 1.29 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06, 1.59) for 1-, 1.45 (95% CI: 1.14, 1.86) for 2-, 1.58 (95% CI: 1.13, 2.21) for 3-, and 2.15 (95% CI: 1.58, 2.94) for 4-vessel disease. A similar pattern was seen for CVD events/mortality. These results suggest the importance of accounting for ABI values of all 4 leg arteries in clinical practice and research