Early Release

Perspective

• Archaea in the Human Microbiome and Potential Effects on Human Infectious Disease
  S. Duller and C. Moissl-Eichinger

Synopses

• Outbreak of Intermediate Species Leptospira venezuelensis Spread by Rodents to Cows and Humans in L. interrogans–Endemic Region, Venezuela
  L. Caraballo et al. View Abstract

  Leptospirosis is a common but underdiagnosed zoonosis. We conducted a 1-year prospective study in La Guaira State, Venezuela, analyzing 71 hospitalized patients who had possible leptospirosis and sampling local rodents and dairy cows. Leptospira rrs gene PCR test results were positive in blood or urine samples from 37/71 patients. Leptospira spp. were isolated from cultured blood or urine samples of 36/71 patients; 29 had L. interrogans, 3 L. noguchii, and 4 L. venezuelensis. Conjunctival suffusion was the most distinguishing clinical sign, many patients had liver involvement, and 8/30 patients with L. interrogans infections died. The Leptospira spp. found in humans were also isolated from local rodents; L. interrogans and L. venezuelensis were isolated from cows on a nearby, rodent-infested farm. Phylogenetic clustering of L. venezuelensis isolates suggested a recently expanded outbreak strain spread by rodents. Increased awareness of leptospirosis prevalence and rapid diagnostic tests are needed to improve patient outcomes.

• Systematic Review of Prevalence of Histoplasma Antigenuria in Persons with HIV in Latin America and Africa
  P. Sekar et al.

Research

• Retrospective Study of Infections by Corynebacteria of diphtheriae Species Complex, French Guiana, 2016–2021
  M. Gaillet et al.
• SARS-CoV-2 Seropositivity in Urban Population of Wild Fallow Deer, Dublin, Ireland, 2020–2022
  K. Purves et al.
• Detection of Nucleocapsid Antibodies Associated with Primary SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Unvaccinated and Vaccinated Blood Donors
  E. Grebe et al.
• Emergence of Bluetongue Virus Serotype 3, the Netherlands, September 2023
  M. Holwerda et al. View Abstract

  Since 1998, notifiable bluetongue virus (BTV) serotypes 1–4, 6, 8, 9, 11, and 16 have been reported in Europe. In August 2006, a bluetongue (BT) outbreak caused by BTV serotype 8 began in northwestern Europe. The Netherlands was declared BT-free in February 2012, and annual monitoring continued. On September 3, 2023, typical BT clinical manifestations in sheep were notified to the Netherlands Food and Product Safety Consumer Authority. On September 6, we confirmed BTV infection through laboratory diagnosis; notifications of clinical signs in cattle were also reported. We determined the virus was serotype 3 by whole-genome sequencing. Retrospective analysis did not reveal BTV circulation earlier than September. The virus source and introduction route into the Netherlands remains unknown. Continuous monitoring and molecular diagnostic testing of livestock will be needed to determine virus spread, and new prevention strategies will be required to prevent BTV circulation within the Netherlands and Europe.

• Environmental Hot Spots and Resistance-Associated Application Practices for Azole-Resistant Aspergillus fumigatus, Denmark, 2020–2023
  M. Arendrup et al. View Abstract

  Azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus (ARAf) fungi have been found inconsistently in the environment in Denmark since 2010. During 2018–2020, nationwide surveillance of clinical A. fumigatus fungi reported environmental TR₃₄/L98H or TR₄₆/Y121F/T289A resistance mutations in 3.6% of isolates, prompting environmental sampling for ARAf and azole fungicides and investigation of selected ARAf in field and microcosmos experiments. ARAf was ubiquitous (20% of 366 samples; 16% TR₃₄/L98H- and 4% TR₄₆/Y121F/T289A-related mechanisms), constituting 4.2% of 4,538 A. fumigatus isolates. The highest proportions were in flower- and compost-related samples but were not correlated with azole-fungicide application concentrations. Genotyping showed clustering of tandem repeat–related ARAf and overlaps with clinical isolates in Denmark. A. fumigatus fungi grew poorly in the field experiment with no postapplication change in ARAf proportions. However, in microcosmos experiments, a sustained complete (tebuconazole) or partial (prothioconazole) inhibition against wild-type A. fumigatus but not ARAf indicated that, under some conditions, azole fungicides may favor growth of ARAf in soil.

• Fatal SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Children, Japan, January–September 2022
  S. Mitsushima et al.
• Scrapie versus Chronic Wasting Disease in White-Tailed Deer
  Z. J. Lambert et al.
• Metagenomic Detection of Bacterial Zoonotic Pathogens among Febrile Patients, Tanzania, 2007–2009
  R. J. Rolfe et al.
• Phylogeographic Analysis of Mycobacterium kansasii Isolates from Patients with M. kansasii Lung Disease in Industrialized City, Taiwan
  P. T. Cudahy et al.
• Potential of Pan-Tuberculosis Treatment Regimen to Drive Emergence of Novel Resistance
  C. McQuaid et al.
• Phylogenetic Classification of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Below the Subgroup Level
  S. Goya et al.
• Geographic Distribution of Rabies Virus and Genomic Sequence Alignment of Wild and Vaccine Strains, Kenya
  E. N. Wambugu et al.
• Wastewater Surveillance Confirms Differences in Influenza A Infection Between Michigan, USA and Ontario, Canada, September 2022–March 23
  R. Corchis-Scott et al.

Dispatches

• Detection of Rustrela Virus in Wild Mountain Lion (Puma concolor) with Staggering Disease, Colorado, USA
  K. A. Fox et al.
• Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Kinetics in Serum, Saliva, and Urine Specimens, Iran, 2018
  M. Metanat et al.
• Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus A(H5N1) Clade 2.3.4.4b Infection in Free-Ranging Polar Bear, Alaska, USA
  R. Stimmelmayr et al. View Abstract

  We report a natural infection with a Eurasian highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b virus in a free-ranging juvenile polar bear (Ursus maritimus) found dead in North Slope Borough, Alaska, USA. Continued community and hunter-based participation in wildlife health surveillance is key to detecting emerging pathogens in the Arctic.

• Macrolide-Resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infections among Children before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Taiwan, 2017–2023
  T. Wu et al.
• Spatiotemporal Modeling of Cholera, Uvira, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2016−2020
  R. Ratnayake et al.
• Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation After Switch to Cabotegravir/Rilpivirine in Patient with Low Hepatitis B Surface Antibody
  E. Adachi et al.
• Recurrent Occupational Hantavirus Infections Linked to Feeder Rodent Breeding Farm, Taiwan, 2022
  K. Wang et al.
• Multiplex Dual-Target Reverse Transcription PCR for Subtyping Avian Influenza A (H5) Virus
  M. K. Sahoo et al.
• Surge in Ceftriaxone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae FC428-like Strains, Asia-Pacific Region, 2015−2022
  L. Xiu et al.
• Real-Time Enterovirus D68 Outbreak Detection through Hospital Surveillance of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection, Senegal, 2023
  M. Jallow et al.

Research Letters

• Emayella augustorita, New Member of Pasteurellaceae, Isolated from Blood Cultures of Septic Patient
  S. Meyer et al. View Abstract

  We report discovery of a new bacterial genus and species of the family Pasteurellaceae by using phylogenetic and metabolic analysis. The bacterium, Emayella augustorita, was isolated from blood cultures of a patient in France diagnosed with an adenocarcinoma of the intestines and who was treated with a biliary prosthesis placement.

• Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Severe Infant Botulism
  C. Fan et al.
• Persistence of Influenza H5N1 and H1N1 Viruses in Unpasteurized Milk on Milking Unit Surfaces
  V. Le Sage et al. View Abstract

  Examining the persistence of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) from cattle and human influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 pandemic viruses in unpasteurized milk revealed that both remain infectious on milking equipment materials for several hours. Those findings highlight the risk for H5N1 virus transmission to humans from contaminated surfaces during the milking process.

• Rare Case of Echinostoma cinetorchis Infection, South Korea
  S. Hong et al.
• Infective SARS-CoV-2 in Skull Sawdust at Autopsy, Finland
  J. N. Kantonen et al. View Abstract

  We assessed the distribution of SARS-CoV-2 at autopsy in 22 deceased persons with confirmed COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 was found by PCR (2/22, 9.1%) and by culture (1/22, 4.5%) in skull sawdust, suggesting that live virus is present in tissues postmortem, including bone. Occupational exposure risk is low with appropriate personal protective equipment.

• Panton-Valentine Leukocidin–Positive Staphylococcus aureus in Family and Pet Cat
  A. Bethe et al. View Abstract

  Continued detection of Panton-Valentine leukocidin–positive Staphylococcus aureus in samples from a family with severe repeated skin infections and their pet cat suggests transmission between the family and cat. Decolonizing the pet led to successful elimination of the bacteria from the household. Clinicians should consider pet cats as possible reinfection sources.

• Novel Genotypes of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4b Viruses, Germany, November 2023
  A. Ahrens et al.
• Vibrio mimicus Lineage Carrying CTX and Vibrio Pathogenicity Island, United States and China
  S. Morgado et al.

Letter

• Novel Transmission and Surveillance Opportunities of Rat Hepatitis E Virus in Swine
  M. Bezerra et al.

Etymologia

• Microbiota [mī′′-krō-bī′-ō-′tә], microbiome [mī′′-krō-bī′-ōm]
  J. Cabrera and D. Monte

Online Report

• Wastewater Target Pathogens of Public Health Importance for Expanded Sampling, Houston, Texas, USA
  K. Sheth et al.

Synopses

• Morphologic and Molecular Identification of Human Ocular Infection Caused by Pelecitus species, Thailand
  P. Rujkorakarn et al.
• Clinical Significance, Species Distribution, and Temporal Trends of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria, Denmark, 1991–2022
  V. Dahl et al.

Research

• Clinical Aspects and Disease Severity of Streptococcus dysgalactiae Subspecies equisimilis Bacteremia, Finland
  V. Nevanlinna et al.

Dispatch

• Co-Circulation of Genetically Distinct High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza A(H5N5) and (H5N1) Viruses in Crows, Hokkaido, Japan
  Y. Hew et al.

Photo Quiz

• Photo Quiz
  A. Cucu et al.

Research Letter

• Molecular Confirmation of Taenia solium Taeniasis in Child, Timor-Leste
  H. Jin et al.