Lab Matters Fall 2024 | Page 127

APHL 2024 POSTER ABSTRACTS for September 2022 to March 2023 compared with SARS-CoV-2 ( 59.5 % and 61.1 %, respectively ), during the same period .

Conclusions : During 2018-2023 , the number of PHLs reporting to NREVSS via PHLIP increased substantially . The peak of percent positivity each surveillance year differed significantly for RSV and RV / EV between public health and clinical laboratories . These differences may be due to differences in testing behaviors and laboratory capacities . Continued evaluation of reporting practices and positivity trends is essential to better understand and interpret laboratory data integrated from multiple sources .

Presenter : Kaitlyn Ciampaglio , lhq7 @ cdc . gov

Tick Talk : Establishment of Surveillance Capacity for Ticks and Tickborne Diseases in Utah

K . Ayres 1 , K . Nowak 2 , A . Rossi 2 , Utah Public Health Laboratory 1 , Utah Department of Health and Human Services 2

Ticks are historically and increasingly responsible for the majority of vector borne diseases in the United States . In Utah , tickborne diseases such as Colorado Tick Fever ( CTF ) and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever ( RMSF ) are endemic . Lyme transmission has not been demonstrated in the vector Ixodes pacificus in Utah but the risk of introduction into the state remains plausible . Utah ’ s changing urban landscape , rapid population growth and distinctive outdoor lifestyle is increasing the population ’ s likelihood of exposure to vector borne disease . As such , both active and passive tick surveillance programs will greatly benefit public health interventions . Before this study , Utah had no public health institutions providing identification and testing services for ticks and tick-borne diseases . In 2022 , we addressed this gap and began to build lab capacity at the Utah Public Health Laboratory ( UPHL ) to better understand the dynamics of human exposure risk to tick-borne diseases .

Species-level morphological identification was validated for adults of the Dermacentor genus allowing us to discriminate D . albipictus , D . andersoni , D . variabilis and D . similis . To verify species of other genera , immature stages , or engorged ticks we employed Sanger sequencing of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA or 12S rRNA genes ( performed at Genewiz laboratories ). Tick infection with Rickettsia rickettsii , Borrelia burgdorferi and / or Colorado Tick Fever Virus ( CTFV ) was assessed by qPCR .

Throughout the 2023 season ( spring-fall ), the Utah tick surveillance team obtained a total of 229 adult ticks through tick drags and citizen submissions . The 229 specimens consisted of 207 D . andersoni , three D . albipictus , two D . variabilis , two D . similis ( identified for the first time close to the Idaho-Utah border ), ten Rhipicephalus sanguineus and two Ixodes pacificus .

All medically important species were tested for their respective pathogens listed above . D . andersoni , the CTFV vector , was the only species that produced positive results . Of the 174 D . andersoni that were tested , there were 13 CTFV positives yielding an overall 7.4 % positivity rate . Analytically , seven of these 13 positives were collected from an investigative tick drag following a reported CTF clinical case . This confirmed the exposure site to be a CTFV hotspot with a 19.4 % positivity rate ( 7 / 36 ).

Following the described capacity-building efforts , UPHL can now 1 ) spatially map pathogen prevalence in ticks , 2 ) correlate this data with clinical cases , 3 ) better inform the public about current transmission risk . Proficiency in species identification will also help in recognizing the introduction of exotic species or previously undocumented species ( e . g . D . similis ) in Utah . This work also has a regional impact as several samples acquired in this study contributed spectra to the CDC ’ s library for MALDI-based identification , providing UPHL ’ s surveillance information for broader use .

Presenter : Kaona Ayres , knayres2 @ gmail . com

WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE

Advancing Legionella Surveillance : Utilizing Nanotrap Particles for Concentration and Monitoring of Waterborne Pathogens

P . Acer , L . Saunders , B . Lepene , P . Andersen , Ceres Nanosciences

Legionella , a Gram-negative and rod-shaped bacterium commonly found in environmental freshwater bodies , proliferates in humandeveloped water systems , including cooling towers , plumbing and hot water tanks . Humans are at risk when contaminated water droplets aerosolize which can cause Legionellosis infections , notably Legionnaires ’ disease ( LD )— an atypical pneumonia . LD is primarily caused by Legionella pneumophila , accounting for nearly all cases globally .

The plate culture method is the most common environmental detection method for Legionella but has sensitivity , time and throughput limitations . Therefore , workflows with rapid detection methods that can generate actionable data are important for mitigating outbreak risk . The recent increase in cases of Legionnaires ’ disease underscores the need for robust Legionella monitoring in water systems . Surveillance efforts and subsequent control measures play a crucial role in identifying and reducing the risk of potential outbreaks . For instance , in several countries , the incidence of nosocomial LD infections has significantly decreased following the implementation of routine control measures in hospital water networks . Moreover , there have been several LD outbreaks traced back to wastewater treatment plants , further highlighting the significance of broad water system monitoring for public health protection . Although L . pneumophila is commonly present in various water systems , the decision to implement specific control measures depends not only on measuring the bacteria in the sample but also on the concentration levels . To make informed choices about intervention , it is essential to develop targeted risk matrices tailored to specific applications and populations .

In this study , we used Nanotrap ® Microbiome Particles in an automated method to capture and concentrate a variety of human pathogens from tap water . L . pneumophila , L . anisa , L . feeleii and L . oakridgensis were all concentrated , representing several different Legionella clades . L . pneumophila was detected at concentrations down to 0.1 cells / mL . Compared to traditional centrifugation protocols , the Nanotrap workflow demonstrates superior sensitivity . Furthermore , the Nanotrap technology extends beyond Legionella to include other bacteria commonly found in contaminated water such as Nontuberculous mycobacteria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa , showcasing the broad application of of the workflow .

Presenter : Patrick Acer , pacer @ ceresnano . com