Search results

BACKGROUND: Isolation of Candida from the respiratory tract of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is common, but its clinical significance remains unclear. We evaluated whether pediatric Candida colonization is associated with specific risk factors, co-pathogens, and degree of respiratory disease. METHODS: Using the Military Healthcare System database, we identified 273 pediatric patients with CF who were followed for 938 person-years between 2012 and 2017. To determine whether prevalence was associated with different categorical variables, Fisher's exact tests were performed on 1000 random samples with the constraint that exactly one interval was selected from each individual to generate each sample. When appropriate, follow-up binomial tests were performed to identify species differences. Individuals with a specific Candida species isolated in ≥50% of their respiratory cultures were considered colonized. Those with C. albicans were analyzed separately from all other Candida species. FEV(1) values 0.1). Figure 1. C. albicans prevalence differed by age group (p<0.01). Specifically, prevalence was lower in the 0-2 year old age group (p=0.031). [Image: see text] Figure 2. Individuals were ...

BACKGROUND: Increasing international travel places larger populations at risk for infections outside of their usual exposure. Deployed military personnel have unique risks for such infections. Our cohort's rates of travelers' diarrhea and influenza-like illness have been defined, but the rate of travelers with symptoms apart from a clinical syndrome has not. We present a survey of intra-travel symptoms of all travelers and confirmed diagnoses of ill-returned travelers in a cohort of military and civilian travelers. METHODS: TravMil is a prospective, multicenter observational study enrolling US military beneficiaries traveling outside the continental United States from 2010–2018; beneficiaries could also enroll after travel if they presented for a possible travel-related illness. Demographic information, intra-travel symptoms, and confirmed diagnoses were recorded. RESULTS: 2671 travelers embarked on 3050 trips: 63.1% male; median age 38 years (IQR 27, 57); median trip duration 20 days (IQR 13, 46). Common purposes of travel: military deployment (45.9%), vacation (23.7%), and visiting friends/relatives (10.9%). Ninety-seven travelers (3.2%) enrolled post-travel. Top regions of travel: Africa (31.5%), South and Central America/Caribbean (25.5%), and Southeast and North Asia/Oceania (19.4%). During travel, 56.6% experienced gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, 11.9% respiratory symptoms, and 3.0% fever; of those, 10.3% sought medical care. Eighty returned travelers sought medical care (21 prospective enrollees vs. 59 post-travel enrollees): 5 vs. 17 malaria cases, 3 vs. 16 arbovirus infections, and 6 vs. 14 GI syndromes. All malaria cases in prospective enrollees were in military subjects. Post-travel enrollees accounted for 1 acute human immunodeficiency virus and 3 rickettsial infections. CONCLUSION: A majority of our travelers experienced symptoms during travel. Post-travel diagnoses, although uncommon, emphasize needed improvements in the application of known risk mitigation strategies. Our findings can help ...

BACKGROUND: Over the past 10 years, incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has increased to record numbers in the United States, with the most significant increases observed among adolescents and young adults. The US military, where the majority of active duty personnel are 18–30 years old, has seen similar increases. However, the US military does not yet have a standardized, service-wide program for STI education and prevention. METHODS: The KISS intervention (Knocking out Infections through Safer-sex and Screening) was adapted from an evidence-based intervention endorsed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and consisted of a one-time, small group session. Content included STI/HIV knowledge and prevention, condom use skills, and interpersonal communication techniques. The intervention was pilot tested for feasibility and acceptability among a population of service members and medical beneficiaries at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. RESULTS: A total of 79 participants aged 18–30 years were consented to participate in the pilot study and met entry criteria, 66/79 (82.5%) attended the intervention session, and 46/66 (69.7%) returned at 3 months for the final follow-up assessment. The intervention sessions included 31 male (47.0%) and 35 female (53.0%) participants. Almost all participants felt comfortable discussing sexual issues in the group sessions, reported that they intended to practice safer sex after the intervention, and would also recommend the intervention to friends. Knowledge about STI/HIV prevention significantly increased after the intervention, and intervention effects were maintained at 3 months. About one-fifth of participants tested positive for N. gonorrhea or C. trachomatis infection at enrollment, while none had recurrent STIs at the final visit. Use of both male and female condoms increased after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The KISS intervention was feasible to implement in the military setting and was acceptable to the active duty service ...

Over the past 10 years, incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has increased to record numbers in the United States, with the most significant increases observed among adolescents and young adults. The US military, where the majority of active duty personnel are 18–30 years old, has seen similar increases. However, the US military does not yet have a standardized, service-wide program for STI education and prevention.

We evaluated differences in pretravel care, exposures, and illnesses among pediatric and adult travelers, using a prospective, observational cohort. Eighty-one pediatric travelers were matched 1:1 with adult military dependents by travel region, destination's malaria risk, and travel duration. Pediatric travelers were more likely to have coverage for hepatitis A and B (90% versus 67% of adults; 85% versus 44%), visit friends and relatives (36% versus 16%), report mosquito bites (69% versus 44%), and have close contact with wild or domesticated animals (40% versus 20%) than adults (P < 0.05). Subjects < 10 years of age were less likely to be prescribed antibiotics (28% versus 95%; RR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.46–0.85) and antidiarrheals (9% versus 100%; RR = 0.10; 95% CI: 0.03–0.29) for travelers' diarrhea (TD) self-treatment than adults. Travel medicine providers should emphasize strategies for vector avoidance, prevention of animal bites and scratches, and TD self-treatment in pediatric pretravel consultations.

Travelers to developing regions are at risk for development of influenza-like illness (ILI). Little is known of traveler and trip characteristics associated with the development of ILI. TravMil is a prospective observational study, enrolling subjects presenting to six military travel clinics or predeployment-screening sites. We analyzed pre- and post-travel surveys from travelers visiting regions outside of the continental United States, Western or Northern Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand between January 2010 and March 2016. Influenza-like illness was defined as a self-reported fever associated with either sore throat or cough. Trip and traveler characteristics were analyzed to determine risk factors for the development of ILI. Two thousand nine hundred and thirty-two trips were recorded (55% male, median age 45 years, 69% white, 51% on vacation, median travel duration 17 days). The 2,337 trips included the number of self-reported influenza vaccinations in the preceding 5 years (median 5). Eleven percent of the trips were complicated by an ILI lasting a median of 5 days; 70% and 17% of these reported upper and lower respiratory tract infection, respectively, and 12% reported both. On multivariate analysis, increased risk of ILI was associated with female gender (odds ratio [OR]: 1.60 [confidence interval (CI): 1.25–2.05], P < 0.01), age (years) (OR: 1.01 [CI: 1.01–1.02], P < 0.01); and duration of travel (days) (OR: 1.01 [CI: 1.00–1.01], P < 0.01). Influenza-like illness is common in travelers, regardless of traveler characteristics, purpose of travel, destination, or season of year. Female gender, older age, and longer duration of travel were associated with an increased risk of ILI. Additional tools and strategies are needed to prevent ILI in international travelers.

Travelers are at risk for arbovirus infection. We prospectively enrolled 267 Department of Defense beneficiaries traveling to chikungunya-outbreak regions in the Americas between December 2013 and May 2015 and assessed travel characteristics and serologic exposure to chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and dengue virus (DENV). Ten ill-returning travelers were also assessed retrospectively. Self-reported mosquito exposure was common (64% of 198 evaluable travelers saw mosquitoes; 53% of 201 reported ≥ 1 bite). Increased exposure was associated with active-duty travelers (odds ratio [OR] = 2.6 [1.3–5.4] for seeing mosquitoes) or travelers visiting friends and relatives (VFR) (OR = 3.5 [1.0–10.0] for high-intensity bite exposure). Arbovirus infection was defined as seroconversion on plaque reduction neutralization testing (PRNT) of pre- and posttravel sera. For ill subjects enrolled posttravel, infection was defined by a positive convalescent PRNT and/or a positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for CHIKV or DENV. We identified seven cases of arbovirus infection: four with CHIKV, five with DENV, and two with both. The composite attack rate for CHIKV and DENV infection was 3.7% of 108 evaluable, immunologically naïve, prospectively assessed travelers; there was serologic and/or polymerase chain reaction evidence of arbovirus infection in three of four evaluable (three of 10 total) ill-returning travelers. We identified both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases. Military purpose of travel and VFR travel accounted for five of seven cases. Pretravel counseling is important and should target higher risk groups. Given a shared vector between CHIKV, DENV, and Zika virus (ZIKV), this study can also help guide counseling for travelers to ZIKV-outbreak regions.

BACKGROUND: Travelers' diarrhea (TD) is a leading threat to military readiness. Most trials of rifaximin chemoprophylaxis involve civilians or short-duration travel, whereas military travelers are exposed for longer periods at austere locations and are often physically taxed. We sought to assess efficacy of two regimens among military personnel deployed overseas. METHODS: This was a multi-site, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of deployed military, randomized to placebo, rifaximin 550 mg daily, or rifaximin 550 mg twice-daily, for up to 42 days (1:1:1; 6 randomizations/block). Diaries were reviewed with subjects on return. Primary endpoint was time to first unformed stool (TFUS) in a TD episode. Other endpoints were assessed by intention to treat (ITT) and subgroups included incidence of any loose stool, meeting criteria for TD, safety, efficacy, adherence and impact to activity endpoints. RESULTS: 343 subjects were included in the ITT population. All UK travelers deployed to a single-site in Kenya; US travelers mostly deployed to various Asia-Pacific locations. Of 73 (21.2%) subjects reporting diarrhea, 42 (57.5%) met TD criteria. Among rifaximin-treated subjects, 15.9% (n=17) reported diarrhea in the twice-daily arm, 20.7% (n=25) in the daily arm, vs. 27.0% (n=31) of placebo recipients; p=.04 and 0.26 respectively. TD was reported by 10.3% (n=11) and 10.7% (n=13) in the daily and twice-daily arms, vs. 15.7% (n=18) among placebo recipients; p=0.24 vs. 0.26 respectively. Among UK personnel, a twice-daily regimen vs. placebo resulted in significantly fewer TD episodes (1.6% vs. 11.9%; p=0.03). Adverse events were similar between groups. Table 1: Demographics, endpoints, and adverse events (Comparisons are across placebo vs. each dosing regimen. Intent-to-treat [ITT] population defined as subjects enrolled into the study, randomized, travelled and had follow-up. p-values calculated from chi-square or Fisher's exact test [categorical variables] and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test [continuous variables]. Analyses ...