Virtual surveillance of communicable diseases: a 20-year experience in France

Inserm has developed, since 1984, an information system based on a computer network of physiciansin France. It allows for constitution of large databases on diseases, with individual description of cases,and to explore some aspects of the mathematical theory of communicable diseases. We developed userfriendlyinterfaces for remote data entry and GIS tools providing real-time atlas of the epidemiologicsituation in any location. The continuous and ongoing surveillance network is constituted of abou ...

Patterns of internet use by persons with spinal cord injuries and relationship to health-related quality of life

AbstractDrainoni M-L, Houlihan B, Williams S, Vedrani M, Esch D, Lee-Hood E, Weiner C. Patterns of Internet use by persons with spinal cord injuries and relationship to health-related quality of life. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85:1872–9.ObjectivesTo examine patterns of computer and Internet use among persons with spinal cord injuries (SCI) and to assess the relationship between Internet use and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).DesignCross-sectional survey design.SettingNational Mode ...

Value of the Tuberculin Skin Test in Screening for Tuberculosis in Dialysis Patients

M.A. Habesoglu, D. Torun, Y.Z. Demiroglu, M. Karataslı, N. Sen, H. Ermis, Nurhan Ozdemir,and F.O. EyubogluABSTRACTBackground. Hemodialysis patients are at high risk for tuberculosis, and a tuberculinskin test (TST) is not usually helpful in detecting tuberculosis infection because of anergicreactions. Prophylactic therapy against tuberculosis in dialysis patients is important toenhance transplantation success. Herein we evaluated the value of TST in screening fortuberculosis and analyzed any com ...

Screening for tuberculosis among 2381 household contacts of sputum-smear-positive cases in The Gambia

Dolly Jackson-Sillaha, Philip C. Hill a,∗, Annette Foxa, Roger H. Brookesa,Simon A. Donkora, Moses D. Lugosa, Stephen R.C. Howiea,Katherine R. Fielding b, Adama Jallowc, Christian Lienhardtd,Tumani Corraha, Richard A. Adegbolaa, Keith P. McAdama Summary Contact investigation is a key component of tuberculosis (TB) control in developed,but not developing, countries. We aimed to measure the prevalence of TB among householdcontacts of sputum-smear-positive TB cases in The Gambia and to asses ...

Tuberculosis in pregnancy – Case studies and a review of Australia’s screening process

Fergus P. McCARTHY,1 Shelley ROWLANDS1 and Michelle GILES21Obstetrics Department and 2Infectious Diseases, Royal Women’s Hospital, Carlton, Victoria, AustraliaAbstractFew changes have occurred in the management of tuberculosis over the past two decades and many of the recentdevelopments are in the area of diagnostics. The application of these to the pregnant population is not yet established.Two cases recently managed at the Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne highlight the need for cl ...

Patterns of Internet Use by Persons With Spinal Cord Injuries and Relationship to Health-Related Quality of Life

Mari-Lynn Drainoni, PhD, Bethlyn Houlihan, MSW, MPH, Steve Williams, MD, Mark Vedrani, MPH, ABSTRACT. Drainoni M-L, Houlihan B, Williams S, VedraniM, Esch D, Lee-Hood E, Weiner C. Patterns of Internetuse by persons with spinal cord injuries and relationship tohealth-related quality of life. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85:1872-9.Objectives: To examine patterns of computer and Internetuse among persons with spinal cord injuries (SCI) and to assessthe relationship between Internet use and health-rel ...

From contact investigation to tuberculosis screening of drug addicts and homeless persons in Rotterdam

Background: In early 2001 there were indications that tuberculosis (TB) was increasingly becoming aproblem among drug addicts and homeless persons in Rotterdam, after a periodical screening wasdiscontinued in 1997. A contact investigation around a homeless drug addicted man in Rotterdamwith infectious pulmonary TB is described. Contact investigation: A total of 507 drug addicts, homelesspersons, and staff of facilities for these risk groups were examined with tuberculin skin testing (TST) andche ...

Predictors of Screening Results for Depressive Symptoms Among Homeless Adults in Los Angeles With Latent Tuberculosis

1}1School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, CA2David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA3School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CAAccepted 31 December 2004Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of screeningresults for depressive symptoms in a Los Angeles homeless population withlatent tuberculosis (TB). Four hundred and fifteen homeless adults participatingin a nurse case managed intervention were i ...

Identification of tuberculosis cases by port health screening in Essex 1997–2003

Sally Millership and Amelia Cummins AbstractBetween 1997 and 2003 an annual average of 1867 newentrants seen at the port of arrival were notified to thecommunicable disease teams who now form the EssexHealth Protection Unit. We examined the number of individualswho made contact with health services by linkingport health and tuberculosis databases with combinationsof surname, forename and date of birth the number of newentrants developing tuberculosis. We also searched paperrecords for all incide ...

Screening of Immigrants and Refugees for Pulmonary Tuberculosis in San Diego County, California

Study objectives: To evaluate the outcomes of a tuberculosis (TB) screening program for recentimmigrants to San Diego County, CA, and to compare the demographic and clinical characteristicsof pulmonary TB cases occurring in recently arrived foreign-born persons detected throughthis screening with those of similar cases found through routine surveillance.Design: Retrospective review of computer databases and medical records.Setting: Local public health department.Patients: Recent immigrants and r ...