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Attenuation Of Interferon Responses In The Obese Host And Ramifications For Influenza Virus Evolution, Rebekah Reed Honce

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The most insidious pandemic of modern life does not arise from an infectious agent but rather from malnutrition. With its global incidence tripling over the past three decades, obesity is a major public health concern. Obesity’s rising prevalence has also illuminated its impact on communicable diseases. Following the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus pandemic, obesity was identified as a risk factor for increased disease severity and mortality in infected individuals. Obesity causes a chronic state of meta-inflammation with systemic implications for immunity, including delayed antiviral responses to influenza virus infection, poor recovery, and impaired immunological memory. However, the majority of …

Factors Associated With Influenza & Tdap Vaccine Uptake In Pregnant Patients At The Ut Family Medicine Clinic In Memphis, Rachel Woods, Alison Zhong, Madelyn Vincent

Longitudinal Scholar's Project

INTRODUCTION: Given the increased risk for infections among pregnant patients and newborns, vaccination against influenza (>50,000,000 annual US cases affecting all ages) and pertussis (>15,000 annual US cases disproportionately affecting newborns) are recommended among pregnant patients in order to protect them and their babies via passive immunity to cover a newborn’s window of vaccine ineligibility. Though flu and Tdap vaccination rates among pregnant patients have been trending upwards nationally, there is still room for improvement to achieve optimal rates.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objectives were to study factors that affect the vaccination rates at the University of Tennessee Family …