These data reveal descriptive epidemiologic features of anotia/microtia most notably substantial risks associated with race/ethnic groups and lower maternal education. Additional study for factors associated with these characteristics could reveal clues for the etiology of these ear anomalies.

Hospital-based studies suggest that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes frequent cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and mortality, but epidemiologic studies have shown less morbidity and mortality. The authors performed a retrospective cohort study of 10,259 recombinant immunoblot assay-confirmed, HCV antibody-positive (HCV+), allogeneic blood donors from 1991 to 2002 and 10,259 HCV antibody-negative (HCV-) donors matched for year of donation, age, gender, and Zone Improvement Plan Code (ZIP Code). Vital status through 2003 was obtained from the US National Death Index, and hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated by survival analysis. After a mean follow-up of 7.7 years, there were 601 (2.92%) deaths: 453 HCV+ and 148 HCV- (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.60, 3.76). Excess mortality in the HCV+ group was greatest in liver-related (HR = 45.99, 95% CI: 11.32, 186.74), drug- or alcohol-related (HR = 10.81, 95% CI: 4.68, 24.96), and trauma/suicide (HR = 2.99, 95% CI: 2.05, 4.36) causes. There was also an unexpected increase in cardiovascular mortality among the HCV+ donors (HR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.41, 3.46). HCV infection is associated with a significant, threefold increase in overall mortality among former blood donors, including significantly increased mortality from liver and cardiovascular causes. High rates of mortality from drug/alcohol and trauma/suicide causes are likely due to lifestyle factors and may be at least partially preventable.

Our observations extend the relatively few studies that have investigated differential prevalences of a large number of specific structural malformations between male and female births.

BACKGROUND Previous reports of WNV RNA persistence in blood compartments have raised concerns around the remaining risk of WNV transfusion-transmission. This study characterized the dynamics of WNV viremia in blood compartments in a longitudinal cohort of 54 WNV-infected blood donors. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Blood samples were collected throughout the year after WNV RNA+ blood donation (index) and characterized for anti-WNV IgM and IgG antibodies and for WNV RNA by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. WNV viral loads were compared in plasma and whole blood samples and correlated with blood groups and clinical outcomes. RESULTS WNV RNA persisted in the red blood cell (RBC) compartment up to three months post-index in 42% of the donors. Donors with the highest WNV RNA levels in plasma at index maintained the highest WNV RNA levels in whole blood over the three months post-index. Blood group A donors maintained higher post-index WNV viral load in whole blood than blood group O individuals (P=0.027). Despite a trend for WNV RNA to persist longer in whole blood from symptomatic subjects, no significant association was found between WNV RNA levels in whole blood and disease outcome. CONCLUSION This study confirmed that WNV RNA persists in the RBC fraction in whole blood and further suggested that the level of persistence in whole blood may be a reflection of initial viral burden in plasma. The association with blood groups suggests that WNV adherence to RBCs may be mediated by molecules overrepresented at the surface of blood group A RBCs.

BACKGROUND:Little is known about risks of most specific birth defects among infants born to U.S.-born and foreign-born Hispanic or African-American women. METHODS: Using data from a large population-based registry, we explored risks of selected congenital malformation phenotypes in offspring of U.S.-born and foreign-born Hispanic and African-American women, relative to non-Hispanic white women, in California. Approximately 2.2 million live births and stillbirths occurred during the ascertainment period, 1989 -1997. Information on maternal racial-ethnic background and other covariates was obtained from birth certificate and fetal death files. RESULTS: Adjusted relative risks (ARRs) for the 20 groupings of malformations designated by three-digit British Pediatric Association (BPA) codes ranged from 0.6 (genital organ malformations, among infants born to foreign-born Hispanics) to 1.7 (anencephaly, also among infants born to foreign-born Hispanics). Grouping by four-digit BPA codes revealed that among infants born to U.S.-born Hispanics, 46 of the ARRs were Յ0.8 and 12 were Ն1.3; among infants born to foreign-born Hispanics, 75 of the ARRs were Յ0.8 and 15 were Ն1.3; and among infants born to African-American women, 45 ARRs were Յ0.8 and 25 were Ն1.3. For each racial-ethnic group of women, the observed variability in risks covered most organ systems. CONCLUSIONS: Although the results suggested that (in comparison with non-Hispanic whites) each racial-ethnic group was more likely to have reduced risk for specific defects (rather than elevated risk), in general, the range of the relative risks was comparatively narrow.