Community Acquired Diseases in NYC

Abstracts

MRSA in the Community: The New York and New Jersey Experience
Barry Kreiswirth, PhD
Public Health Research Institute

Persisting Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Infection Among Injecting and Non-injecting Drug Users: The Behavioral, Network and Structural Risks
Alan Neaigus, PhD
National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. and Columbia University

The declining epidemic of HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) in New York City co-exists with persisting epidemics of hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) among both injecting and non-injecting drug users. HIV also continues at high endemic levels in the NYC-New Jersey greater metropolitan area, since the risk environment in New Jersey has prevented IDUs from obtaining legal sterile syringes. Data are presented from recent studies of HIV, HBV and HCV infection among young and/or new injecting drug users and non-injecting heroin users in New York City, and from a study of IDUs in Newark, NJ. The risk factors for infection, including behavioral, network and structural risks, and the implications for prevention are discussed.

Meningococcal Disease in New York City
Don Weiss, MD, MPH
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Meningococcal disease (MD) is a relatively infrequent event, occurring in less than 1 of 150,000 New York City residents each year. Due to its suddenness, severity and potential for secondary cases and outbreaks, MD sparks community alarm and is often prominently featured in the media.

In the United States most MD cases are sporadic and outbreaks in NYC have been rare. In 2005-2006, the largest outbreak of meningococcal disease in over twenty-five years occurred affecting 30 individuals and killing 8. The epidemiology of meningococcal disease will be presented along with a summary of the outbreak and the vaccine campaign that was conducted to interrupt transmission.