Stephen Ladd-Wilson

Publications (3)19.13 Total impact

• Article: Pandemic (H1N1) 2009-associated deaths detected by unexplained death and medical examiner surveillance.

  Christine H Lees, Catherine Avery, Ryan Asherin, Jean Rainbow, Richard Danila, Chad Smelser, Ann Schmitz, Stephen Ladd-Wilson, Kurt B Nolte, Kayla Nagle, Ruth Lynfield
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  ABSTRACT: During the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 outbreak, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Oregon used several surveillance methods to detect associated deaths. Surveillance using unexplained death and medical examiner data allowed for detection of 34 (18%) pandemic (H1N1) 2009-associated deaths that were not detected by hospital-based surveillance.
  Emerging Infectious Diseases 08/2011; 17(8):1479-83. · 6.79 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Christopher Woods

  Article: Surveillance for unexplained deaths and critical illnesses due to possibly infectious causes, United States, 1995-1998.

  Rana A Hajjeh, David Relman, Paul R Cieslak, Andre N Sofair, Douglas Passaro, Jennifer Flood, James Johnson, Jill K Hacker, Wun-Ju Shieh, R Michael Hendry, Simo Nikkari, Stephen Ladd-Wilson, James Hadler, Jean Rainbow, Jordan W Tappero, Christopher W Woods, Laura Conn, Sarah Reagan, Sherif Zaki, Bradley A Perkins
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  ABSTRACT: Population-based surveillance for unexplained death and critical illness possibly due to infectious causes (UNEX) was conducted in four U.S. Emerging Infections Program sites (population 7.7 million) from May 1, 1995, to December 31, 1998, to define the incidence, epidemiologic features, and etiology of this syndrome. A case was defined as death or critical illness in a hospitalized, previously healthy person, 1 to 49 years of age, with infection hallmarks but no cause identified after routine testing. A total of 137 cases were identified (incidence rate 0.5 per 100,000 per year). Patients' median age was 20 years, 72 (53%) were female, 112 (82%) were white, and 41 (30%) died. The most common clinical presentations were neurologic (29%), respiratory (27%), and cardiac (21%). Infectious causes were identified for 34 cases (28% of the 122 cases with clinical specimens); 23 (68%) were diagnosed by reference serologic tests, and 11 (32%) by polymerase chain reaction-based methods. The UNEX network model would improve U.S. diagnostic capacities and preparedness for emerging infections.
  Emerging infectious diseases 03/2002; 8(2):145-53. · 6.17 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: PubMed Central

  Article: Broad-range bacterial detection and the analysis of unexplained death and critical illness.

  Simo Nikkari, Fred A Lopez, Paul W Lepp, Paul R Cieslak, Stephen Ladd-Wilson, Douglas Passaro, Richard Danila, David A Relman
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  ABSTRACT: Broad-range rDNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) provides an alternative, cultivation-independent approach for identifying pathogens. In 1995, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initiated population-based surveillance for unexplained life-threatening infections (Unexplained Death and Critical Illness Project [UNEX]). To address the causes of UNEX cases, we examined 59 specimens from 46 cases by using broad-range bacterial 16S rDNA PCR and phylogenetic analysis of amplified sequences. Specimens from eight cases yielded sequences from Neisseria meningitidis (cerebrospinal fluid from two patients with meningitis), Streptococcus pneumoniae (cerebrospinal fluid from one patient with meningitis2 and pleural fluid from two patients with pneumonia), or Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (bone marrow aspirate from one patient with pneumonia). Streptococcus pneumoniae rDNA sequence microheterogeneity was found in one pleural fluid specimen, suggesting the presence of multiple strains. In conclusion, known bacterial pathogens cause some critical illnesses and deaths that fail to be explained with traditional diagnostic methods.
  Emerging infectious diseases 03/2002; 8(2):188-94. · 6.17 Impact Factor