BACKGROUND In the African meningitis belt, Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W135 has emerged as a cause of epidemic disease. The establishment of W135 as the predominant cause of endemic disease has not been described. METHODS We conducted national laboratory-based surveillance for invasive meningococcal disease during 2000-2005. The system was enhanced in 2003 to include clinical data collec...

BACKGROUND A cross-sectional study was carried out in Velika Hoca and Orahovac, two rural communities in Kosovo and Metohia, with the aim of assessing the prevalence of chronic diseases and associated risk factors. METHODS The study involved 423 (180 male) adult inhabitants aged 51 +/- 16 years and included an interview, medical documentation, physical, ultrasound, laboratory examinations and...

The Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program followed up 10,940 persons for 5 years in a community-based, randomized, controlled trial of treatment for hypertension. Participants were randomized to one of two treatment groups, stepped care and referred care. The primary end point of the study was all-cause mortality, with morbid events involving the heart, brain, and kidney as secondary end...

Ninety-five (28%) of 333 U.S. military personnel deployed to Ubonratchathani, Thailand, for 1 month in February 1993 developed diarrhea. Campylobacter jejuni was identified in 6 (25%), attaching and effacing Escherichia coli was identified in 3 (13%), nontyphoidal Salmonella spp. were identified in 2 (8%), and rotavirus was identified in 1 (4%) of 24 persons who had diarrhea and submitted speci...

Two new tprD alleles have been identified in Treponema pallidum: tprD2 is found in 7 of 12 T. pallidum subsp. pallidum isolates and 7 of 8 non-pallidum isolates, and tprD3 is found in one T. pallidum subsp. pertenue isolate. Antibodies against TprD2 are found in persons with syphilis, demonstrating that tprD2 is expressed during infection.

Each year, the global tobacco epidemic kills an estimated 6 million persons worldwide, including 600,000 who die from secondhand smoke exposure. If current trends continue, it is estimated that by 2030 tobacco use will result in approximately 8 million deaths worldwide annually; an estimated 80% of these preventable deaths will occur in low- and middle-income countries (1).

This survey is accomplished by the purpose of effective social and cultural factors on educational progress of high-school students in Shoush city.Out of 3200 persons about 280 persons were selected as sample volume according to Cochran formula. Sampling method was simple random.The most appropriate theory for this research is Parsons systematical theory .In this survey ,the relation of 8 varia...

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with an increased risk for human herpesviruses (HHVs) and their related diseases. Methods for limiting the transmission of HHVs require a better understanding of the prevalence and infectiousness of oral HHVs in HIV-infected patients. We performed quantitative PCR to investigate the prevalence, quantity, risk, and correlates of salivary...

To assess risk for human exposure to avian influenza viruses (AIV), we sampled California wild birds and marine mammals during October 2005-August 2007 and estimated human-wildlife contact. Waterfowl hunters were 8 times more likely to have contact with AIV-infected wildlife than were persons with casual or occupational exposures (p<0.0001).