A 2019 Outbreak Investigation of Hepatitis A Virus Infections in the United States Linked to Imported Fresh Blackberries

Globally, hepatitis A virus (HAV) is one of the most common agents of acute viral hepatitis and causes approximately 1.4 million cases and 90,000 deaths annually despite the existence of an effective vaccine. In 2019, federal, state, and local partners investigated a multi-state outbreak of HAV infections linked to fresh blackberries sourced from multiple suppliers in Michoacán, Mexico. A total of 20 individuals with outbreak-related HAV infection were reported in seven states, including 11 hospitalizations, and no deaths. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Nebraska State and Douglas County Health Departments conducted a traceback investigation for fresh blackberries reportedly purchased by 16 ill persons. These individuals reported purchasing fresh blackberries from 11 points of service from September 16 through 29, 2019 and their clinical isolates assessed through next-generation sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were genetically similar. The traceback investigation did not reveal convergence on a common grower or packing house within Mexico, but all of the blackberries were harvested from growers in Michoacán, Mexico. FDA did not detect the pathogen after analyzing fresh blackberry samples from four distributors, one consumer, and from nine importers at the port of entry as a result of increased screening. Challenges included gaps in traceability practices and the inability to recover the pathogen from sample testing, which prohibited investigators from determining the source of the implicated blackberries. This multi-state outbreak illustrated the importance of food safety practices for fresh produce that may contribute to foodborne illness outbreaks.

     

Perceptions of Species Abundance,Distribution, and Diversity: Lessons from Four Decades of Sampling on a Government-Managed Reserve

/ We examined data relative to species abundance, distribution, anddiversity patterns of reptiles and amphibians to determine how perceptionschange over time and with level of sampling effort. Location data werecompiled on more than one million individual captures or observations of 98species during a 44-year study period on the US Department of Energy's(DOE) Savannah River Site National Environmental Research Park (SRS-NERP) inSouth Carolina. We suggest that perceptions of herpetofaunal speciesdiversity are strongly dependent on level of effort and that land managementdecisions based on short-term data bases for some faunal groups could resultin serious errors in environmental management. We provide evidence thatacquiring information on biodiversity distribution patterns is compatiblewith multiyear spatially extensive research programs and also provide aperspective of what might be achieved if long-term, coordinated researchefforts were instituted nationwide.To conduct biotic surveys on government-managed lands, we recommend revisionsin the methods used by government agencies to acquire and report biodiversitydata. We suggest that government and industry employees engaged inbiodiversity survey efforts develop proficiency in field identification forone or more major taxonomic groups and be encouraged to measure the status ofpopulations quantitatively with consistent and reliable methodologies. Wealso suggest that widespread academic cooperation in the dissemination ofinformation on regional patterns of biodiversity could result byestablishment of a peer-reviewed, scientifically rigorous journal concernedwith status and trends of the biota of the United States. KEY WORDS: Abundance; Amphibian; Biodiversity; Distribution; Landmanagement; Reptile     

An integrated approach using bioaccumulation and biomarker measurements in female shore crab, Carcinus maenas

The shore crab Carcinus maenas, was used as a biomonitoring organism to measure the potential impact that the mining spill in the Guadalquivir Estuary (SW, Spain), in 1998 may have exerted on local biota. Female intermoult C. maenas were exposed to dissolved cadmium, copper and zinc at concentrations found in local waters following the spill (3 microgl-1 Cd, 15 microgl-1 Cu, 700 microgl-1 Zn). Groups of shore crabs were exposed for 21 days to these metals, both singularly and in combination. Residues of metals were measured in gill, midgut gland and muscle tissues, together with metallothioneins in the midgut gland, at the end of the exposure period. Haemolymph samples were taken every seven days, and vitellogenin/vitellin analysed to determine the flux of these compounds. Biomarker results suggested that they would be good indicators of the effects of heavy metal environmental contamination, particularly in the case of Cd and Zn. Variation in results was obtained between responses measured in crabs exposed to single metals and those exposed to combinations of metals.     

ChemChar process for carbon re-activation

The ChemChar reverse-burn gasification process was evaluated to determine its feasibility for use in the regeneration of spent activated carbon. This non-incinerative, thermochemical gasification process pyrolyzes the sorbed wastes and restores the sorptive capacity of the carbon in one energy-efficient step. The effects of moisture and supplemental fuel addition on regeneration were determined with a laboratory-scale reactor and a flow-through assay method was developed for determining regeneration effectiveness. The process produces good quality regenerated carbon simply and inexpensively with a minimum of carbon loss. Carbons can be regenerated several times and the method is non-polluting.     

Solar activated ozonation of phenol and malic acid

The effect that sunlight has on the degradation rate of two model organic compounds, phenol and malic acid, by ozone is studied. The effect seems to be due to both direct light absorption (300-320 nm photons) by ozone, which produces the pollutant degradation, and light absorption by reaction intermediates. The presence of such a light notably improves the reactivity of ozone toward the organic species, leading to a faster and complete mineralization even at large initial total organic carbon values. The use of artificial sunlight (Xe lamp) is also explored. Finally, the simultaneous presence of sunlight and other ozone degradation catalyst like transition metal ions is studied, showing the beneficial effect of such a combination.     

Poliovirus and Other Enteroviruses from Environmental Surveillance in Italy, 2009–2015

Within the initiatives for poliomyelitis eradication by WHO, Italy activated an environmental surveillance (ES) in 2005. ES complements clinical Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance for possible polio cases, detects poliovirus circulation in environmental sewage, and is used to monitor transmission in communities. In addition to polioviruses, the analyses comprised: (i) the monitoring of the presence of non-polio enteroviruses in sewage samples and (ii) the temporal and geographical distribution of the detected viruses. From 2009 to 2015, 2880 sewage samples were collected from eight cities participating in the surveillance. Overall, 1479 samples resulted positive for enteroviruses. No wild-type polioviruses were found, although four Sabin-like polioviruses were detected. The low degree of mutation found in the genomes of these four isolates suggests that these viruses have had a limited circulation in the population. All non-polio enteroviruses belonged to species B and the most frequent serotype was CV-B5, followed by CV-B4, E-11, E-6, E-7, CV-B3, and CV-B2. Variations in the frequency of different serotypes were also observed in different seasons and/or Italian areas. Environmental surveillance in Italy, as part of the ‘WHO global polio eradication program’, is a powerful tool to augment the polio surveillance and to investigate the silent circulation or the re-emergence of enteroviruses in the population.     

Landscape Change and Ecosystem Classification in a Municipal District of a Small City (Isernia,Central Italy)

Landscape changes taking place from 1954 to 1992 in the muncipal district of Isernia city (Central Italy) were described in relation to a system of ecosystem classification. Isernia municipal district was selected for study because recent historic changes in this area represent a typical example of landscape transformation similar to many small cities of Italy and other Mediterranean countries. To assess overall changes, three land cover maps (scale 1:25,000) were derived from panchromatic aerial photographs and field surveys. These were then digitalised in a Geographic Information System. A Land Facet (LF) map was derived by combining a phytoclimatic, a lithostatigrafic and a topographic map, and then digitalised as data layers in the same GIS. Results demonstrated two main landscape transformation trends: forest and semi-natural areas increased (8%), whereas agricultural areas decreased (12%). The urban area was relatively small during the entire analysed period, growing from 1% in 1954, to just 5% in 1992. Forest coverage was significant on reliefs, on hillside ecosystems such as limestone and on clay and marl hills LF. Arable land was particularly significant in flat ecosystems with deeper soils, such as on recent alluvial plain LF. These temporal changes were interpreted as being related to the replacement of traditional farming methods (grazing pastures) with more intensive methods (crop fields), especially on alluvial plains.     

A Regional Approach to Projecting Land-Use Change and Resulting Ecological Vulnerability

This study explores ecological vulnerability to land-use change in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Region by spatially extrapolating land and economic development, and overlaying these projections with maps of sensitive ecological resources. As individual extrapolations have a high degree of uncertainty, five methods with different theoretical bases are employed. Confidence in projections is increased for counties targeted by two or more projection methods. A county is considered at risk if it currently supports three or more sensitive resources, and is projected to experience significant growth by the year 2010 by two or more methods. Analysis designated 19 counties and two cities as at risk, highlighting within a large region the priority areas where state and regional efforts would contribute the most to integrating environmental considerations into the process of land development. The study also found that potentially severe ecological effects of future land-use change are not limited to the outskirts of major urban areas. Recreational demands on smaller communities with mountain and coastal resources are also significant, as are initiatives to promote economic development in rural areas of high ecological quality. This approach provides a comprehensive overview of potential regional development, leading to an objective prioritization of high-risk areas. The intent is to inform local planning and decision-making so that regional and cumulative ecological degradation are minimized.     

Effect of design parameters in horizontal flow constructed wetland on the behaviour of volatile fatty acids and volatile alkylsulfides

A pilot-scale horizontal flow constructed wetland (HFCW) system planted with common reed (Phragmites sp.) was constructed to study how hydraulic loading rate (HLR), aspect ratio, water depth, and granular medium affect to the fate of several organic matter degradation intermediates namely, acetic acid (HAc), isovaleric acid (Isoval), and dimethylsulfide (DMS). ANOVA statistical analysis performed on the data set of 8 months of operation shows that the HLR and the water depth are two major factors that control the performance of HFCWs for the target analytes. A clear difference in the HFCW effluent concentrations was obtained according to water depth. Effluents of the shallow water depth contained lower DMS (1.05-1.44 microg l-1), HAc (7.91-10.9 mg l-1), and Isoval (0.11-0.15 mg l-1) concentrations than the deeper beds (DMS: 1.68-2.40 microg l-1; HAc: 9.29-14.4 mg l-1, and Isoval: 0.20-0.31 mg l-1). Such differences could be accounted to the different formation and consumption rates of the organic matter degradation intermediates, which is related with the redox potentials (E). Indeed, it could lead to different biochemical reactions of organic matter degradation according with the E value. HLR has a statistically significant influence on the effluent HAc, Isoval, and DMS concentrations. Seasonal variability of effluent HAc concentration shows that it is independent on the HAc loading. While the loading showed no seasonal pattern, the removal efficiency was clearly higher in cold months, which suggests a predominant internal production of HAc in HFCWs in the warm season from the accumulated organic particulate matter. Similar results were also found when Isoval and DMS were considered.