Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Tuberculosis And Cardiovascular Disease: Linking The Epidemics, Moises A. Huaman, David Henson, Eduardo Ticona, Timothy R. Sterling, Beth A. Garvy

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

The burden of tuberculosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is enormous worldwide. CVD rates are rapidly increasing in low- and middle-income countries. Public health programs have been challenged with the overlapping tuberculosis and CVD epidemics. Monocyte/macrophages, lymphocytes and cytokines involved in cellular mediated immune responses against Mycobacterium tuberculosis are also main drivers of atherogenesis, suggesting a potential pathogenic role of tuberculosis in CVD via mechanisms that have been described for other pathogens that establish chronic infection and latency. Studies have shown a pro-atherogenic effect of antibody-mediated responses against mycobacterial heat shock protein-65 through cross reaction with self-antigens in human vessels. Furthermore, …

Clinical Presentation Of Patients With Ebola Virus Disease In Conakry, Guinea, Elhadj Ibrahima Bah, Marie-Claire Lamah, Tom Fletcher, Shevin T. Jacob, David Brett-Major, Amadou Alpha Sall, Nahoko Shindo, William A. Fischer, Francois Lamontagne, Sow Mamadou Saliou, Daniel G. Bausch, Barry Moumié, Tim Jagatic, Armand Sprecher, James V. Lawler, Thierry Mayet, Frederique A. Jacquerioz, María F. Méndez Baggi, Constanza Vallenas, Christophe Clement, Simon Mardel, Ousmane Faye, Oumar Faye, Baré Soropogui, Nfaly Magassouba, Lamine Koivogui, Ruxandra Pinto, Robert A. Fowler

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: In March 2014, the World Health Organization was notified of an outbreak of Zaire ebolavirus in a remote area of Guinea. The outbreak then spread to the capital, Conakry, and to neighboring countries and has subsequently become the largest epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) to date.

METHODS: From March 25 to April 26, 2014, we performed a study of all patients with laboratory-confirmed EVD in Conakry. Mortality was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included patient characteristics, complications, treatments, and comparisons between survivors and nonsurvivors.

RESULTS: Of 80 patients who presented with symptoms, 37 had laboratory-confirmed EVD. Among confirmed …

Being Ready To Treat Ebola Virus Disease Patients, David Brett-Major, Shevin T. Jacob, Frederique A. Jacquerioz, George F. Risi, William A. Fischer, Yasuyuki Kato, Catherine F. Houlihan, Ian Crozier, Henry Kyobe Bosa, James V. Lawler, Takuya Adachi, Sara K. Hurley, Louise E. Berry, John C. Carlson, Thomas C. Button, Susan L. Mclellan, Barbara J. Shea, Gary G. Kuniyoshi, Mauricio Ferri, Srinivas G. Murthy, Nicola Petrosillo, Francois Lamontagne, David T. Porembka, John S. Schieffelin, Lewis Rubinson, Tim O'Dempsey, Suzanne M. Donovan, Daniel G. Bausch, Robert A. Fowler, Thomas E. Fletcher

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

As the outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa continues, clinical preparedness is needed in countries at risk for EVD (e.g., United States) and more fully equipped and supported clinical teams in those countries with epidemic spread of EVD in Africa. Clinical staff must approach the patient with a very deliberate focus on providing effective care while assuring personal safety. To do this, both individual health care providers and health systems must improve EVD care. Although formal guidance toward these goals exists from the World Health Organization, Medecin Sans Frontières, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and …

Aids: An Overview, Loretta Mclaughlin

New England Journal of Public Policy

"We stand nakedly in front of a very serious pandemic, as mortal as any pandemic there ever has been," said Halfdan Mahler, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO). "I don't know of any greater killer than AIDS, not to speak of its psychological, social and economic maiming. Everything is getting worse and worse with AIDS and all of us have been underestimating it, and I in particular. We're running scared. I cannot imagine a worse health problem in this century." When asked to compare AIDS to other epidemics, such as smallpox, that have infected and killed over the course …

Transmission Rate In Partial Differential Equation In Epidemic Models, Alaa Elkadry

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The rate at which susceptible individuals become infected is called the transmission rate. It is important to know this rate in order to study the spread and the effect of an infectious disease in a population. This study aims at providing an understanding of estimating the transmission rate from mathematical models representing the population dynamics of an infectious diseases using two different methods. Throughout, it is assumed that the number of infected individuals is known. In the first chapter, it includes historical background for infectious diseases and epidemic models and some terminology needed to understand the problems. Specifically, the partial …

Chest Radiography And Computed Tomography Findings Of Cases With Pandemic Influenza A (H1n1/09) Infection, Pinar Nerci̇s Koşar, Zeli̇ha Koçak Tufan, Eli̇f Ergün, Hasan Yi̇ği̇t, Uğur Koşar, Ali̇ Pekcan Demi̇röz

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To review the radiological findings of the chests of swine flu patients whose infections were confirmed clinically and/or by laboratory tests. Materials and methods: This study was conducted in the radiology and infectious diseases departments of a tertiary care hospital, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. The X-ray and thorax computed tomography (CT) findings of swine flu patients were evaluated. Results: Included were 53 cases of swine flu. Thirty-eight of the patients (72%) underwent an initial chest X-ray and 17 (32%) underwent thorax CT examinations. The mean age of the patients was 41 years; 23 (43%) patients were male …

The Yellow Flag Of Quarantine: An Analysis Of The Historical And Prospective Impacts Of Socio-Legal Controls Over Contagion, Peter Oliver Okin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Under the ancient threat of morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases, human societies have responded for thousands of years by imposing social containment measures. Even before theorists and laymen recognized the existence of pathogenic organisms, or fully understood the principles of contagion, many societies and individuals did empirically infer that such diseases were transmissible from human to human (as well as sometimes between animals and humans). Having few effective technological measures to prevent or treat contagions, they did devise a variety of socio-behavioral procedures for separating overtly ill persons or suspected disease-carriers from nominally uninfected people. These methods included various …

Mathematical Modeling, Simulation, And Time Series Analysis Of Seasonal Epidemics., Eric Shu Numfor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Seasonal and non-seasonal Susceptible-Exposed-Infective-Recovered-Susceptible (SEIRS) models are formulated and analyzed. It is proved that the disease-free steady state of the non-seasonal model is locally asymptotically stable if R_v < 1, and disease invades if R_v > 1. For the seasonal SEIRS model, it is shown that the disease-free periodic solution is locally asymptotically stable when R̅_v < 1, and I(t) is persistent with sustained oscillations when R̅_v > 1. Numerical simulations indicate that the orbit representing I(t) decays when R̅_v < 1 < R_v. The seasonal SEIRS model with routine and pulse vaccination is simulated, and results depict an unsustained decrease …

Disease In The Desert: Las Vegas As A Case Study Of How First Responders And Emergency Managers Understand Novel Threats To Human Health And Plan To Respond During Biological Emergencies, Monique Williamson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Over recent years it has become clear that technological advancements, globalization, and ecological change, combined with the onset of increased terrorist incidents, are all currently working to create an extremely hazardous environment in terms of pathogenic invasion. Realizing that infectious diseases are both newly emerging and re-emerging in many parts of the world, the question of how prepared an expansive United States will be in the face of an oncoming global pandemic is easily raised. Using Las Vegas as an example of just how unequipped a largely visited U.S. city may be in the face of such a situation, this …

Characterization Of Β-Lactam Resistant Pandemic Serotypes Of Vibrio Cholerae Isolated From Ships' Ballast Tanks And Coastal Waters, Amanda Lynn Goodrich

OES Theses and Dissertations

Vibrio cholerae serotypes 01 and 0139 are responsible for world-wide epidemics of cholera. These pandemic causing strains must possess genes that encode for the cholera toxin (CTX) and toxin co-regulated pili (TCP) in order to infect their hosts. In this study, 284 isolates of Vibrio cholerae from ballast and coastal waters were serotyped, with 11 % testing positive for serotype 01 and 21 % testing positive for serotype 0139. PCR assays were used to detect the presence of ctxA and tcpA genes in all positive isolates, none of which contained ctxA while 2% of the isolates contained tcpA. The 01 …

The Great Pestilence: Yellow Fever In Portsmouth, Virginia, 1855, Burden Susan Lundgren

Health Services Research Dissertations

In 1855, the town of Portsmouth, Virginia was devastated by an epidemic of yellow fever. Most citizens fled. Of those who remained, most became infected and a thousand died. The municipal government collapsed. In their place, a small organization known as the Portsmouth Relief Association assumed responsibility for ensuring the survival of the town. This organization managed the care of the sick, the burial of the dead, and the care of orphans. It was the sole agent receiving and allocating the funds and resources that poured into the community. Scarce food, drugs and other supplies were available only through the …

Outbreak Of Aflatoxin Poisoning - Eastern And Central Provinces, Kenya, January - July 2004, Karen E. Gieseker, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention

Public Health Faculty Publications

This report summarizes the preliminary results of the outbreak investigation. Aflatoxin poisoning likely will continue to be a public health problem until culturally appropriate storage methods for dry maize are implemented by the local population. In addition, enhanced surveillance for human aflatoxin poisoning and testing of commercially sold maize for aflatoxin levels will lead to long-term improvements in public health.

Asiatic Cholera In Kentucky 1832 To 1873, Nancy Baird

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Asiatic cholera has been called the scourge of the nineteenth century, for it caused the untimely death of millions throughout the world. During its four visits to the United States, unknown thousands of Kentuckians fell victims to the disease. In attempting to prevent the dreaded scourge, Kentuckians became more conscious of the need for cleaner cities, pure water and adequate sewage disposal. Modern waterworks facilities, sewage treatment and disposal facilities have provided the means by which the United States has conquered this scourge of the nineteenth century, for with these facilities cholera is the easiest of all communicable diseases to …

Health At The Preschool Ages, Hubert Stanley Coffey

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

The preschool child is the forgotten child of our health programs. When the community undertakes a health program of a preventive kind such as vaccination or health examination, too frequently it is limited to those children attending the public schools. Here the children are assembled and it is easier to carry out any specific health measure. The public health nurse or official may more easily identify diseases among these children. Because of their close association, epidemics among children are thought more dangerous and are more easily coped with. But such measures are just as urgently needed with the preschool child.