Epidemiology Commons^™

Whole Genome Sequencing Of West Nile Viruses From Animals Submitted To The Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (Cvmdl), Usa, 2021, Allison Appel

Honors Scholar Theses

West Nile Virus (WNV) causes a zoonotic disease. WNV was first isolated in Uganda in 1937 and has since become an endemic in countries such as North, South, and Central America [1]. According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health, an average of 8 cases of WNV in humans have been reported since the year 2000 [2]. In this study, we focused on the genetic characterization of the viral genomic RNA of WNVs circulating in birds and mammals in the New England region. Following that aim, the complete genome sequence of two WNVs was obtained via next-generation sequencing. One sample …

Species Data And Vector Modeling: Evaluating Datasets For Improved Models Of Ixodes Ricinus Tick Distribution In Europe Under A Changing Climate, Steven Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To increase capacity for monitoring and surveillance of tick-borne diseases, publicly available tick distribution and climate change datasets are required to create accurate predictive distribution models. It is difficult, however, to assess model accuracy and utility when using incomplete datasets.  The more recent development of comprehensive tick databases for Europe and availability of climate change scenarios from multiple IPCC Assessment Reports allows for improved modeling efforts. Multiple tick datasets were combined and three climate change projections were compared by predicting current and future distributions of Ixodes ricinus ticks in Europe using the MaxEnt species distribution model. Overall, much of Europe …

Using A One Health Approach For The Assessment Of Rabies Control In Rural Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Ryan Lapenna

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Rabies, a viral zoonotic disease, is widespread in Zimbabwe, with human fatalities reported annually in the country. To supplement the Government’s effort on rabies control, the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust and Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Zimbabwe have joined forces to carry out dog rabies vaccinations in rural communities adjacent to the major tourist attraction of The Victoria Falls. A One Health approach was used to 1) determine the level of protective rabies antibodies among a sample of rural dogs and 2) collect information and describe the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to rabies among dog owners. In 2020, blood was …

Tick Surveillance And Pathogen Detection In Eastern South Dakota, Holly E. Black

Honors Thesis

Tick-borne diseases threaten the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems, but surveillance efforts are lacking in some regions. Throughout 2019, 2020, and 2021, we conducted tick surveys aimed at determining the status of the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis), the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and the lone star tick (Amblyoma americanum) in eastern South Dakota. Each year, ticks were collected using a flagging method and identified in the lab. A subset were tested for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Dermacentor variabilis was the most commonly identified tick, …

Clinical Outcomes Of Immunomodulatory Therapies In The Management Of Covid-19: A Tertiary-Care Experience From Pakistan, Noreen Nasir, Salma Tajuddin, Sarah Khaskheli, Naveera Khan, Hammad Niamatullah, Nosheen Nasir

Section of Internal Medicine

The pharmacological management of COVID-19 has evolved significantly and various immunomodulatory agents have been repurposed. However, the clinical efficacy has been variable and a search for cure for COVID-19 continues. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 916 patients hospitalized with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 between February 2020 and October 2020 at a tertiary care academic medical center in Karachi, Pakistan. The median age was 57 years (interquartile range (IQR) 46–66 years). The most common medications administered were Methylprednisolone (65.83%), Azithromycin (50.66%), and Dexamethasone (46.6%). Majority of the patients (70%) had at least two or more medications used in …

Serological Survey Of Leptospira Infection In Arabian Horses In Poland, Bernard Wasiński, Katarzyna Paschalis-Trela, Jan Trela, Michał Czopowicz, Jerzy Kita, Monika Żychska, Anna Cywińska, Iwona Markowska-Daniel, Craig N. Carter, Lucjan Witkowski

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Faculty Publications

Leptospirosis is one of the most common zoonotic infections worldwide, including in most livestock, some companion animals, horses, wildlife, and humans. Epidemiological estimation of its prevalence in all species is difficult due to the variety of clinical presentations and challenges regarding laboratory diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to measure the seroprevalence of leptospiral infection in Arabian horses kept in the largest breeding farms in Poland, representing over 15% of the Polish Arabian horse population. Leptospira antibodies were detected by MAT (cut-off 1:100) in 33.2% of serum samples (204 of 615 animals) (CI 95%: 29.6–37.0%), most frequently reacting with …

Prevalence Of Rats And Rodent Borne Pathogens Across Post-Katrina New Orleans, Bruno Marco Ghersi

Doctoral Dissertations

Disasters are happening at an increasingly higher rate and intensity a trend that is expected to continue as more humans migrate to coastal urban areas. Disasters, and as importantly, disaster recovery can affect how native and pest populations will recover. My aim was to improve understanding of disease risk by evaluating the socioecological conditions that have shaped commensal rat recovery and distribution, as well as the pathogens they carry, across New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. I first estimated relative abundance and distribution of commensal rats from rodent trapping conducted between mid-2014 and early-2017 across 96 sites in 10 areas of …

The Use Of Geospatial Modeling And Novel Diagnostics To Detect And Map Risk Factors Of Soil-Transmitted Helminths In Feira De Santana, Brazil, Ryan Harry Avery

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections impact billions of people worldwide. The traditional STH control approach is a morbidity control strategy implementing mass drug administration (MDA) programs targeting school-aged children (SAC). In Brazil, this control strategy has decreased STH prevalence to less than 20% in most of the country and providing an opportunity to transition from the morbidity control program and towards a surveillance and response system geared towards STH elimination. Surveillance and response systems geared towards elimination require the implementation higher accuracy diagnostics to detect infection in low-transmission communities, surveillance of entire households, high-resolution modeling at the household-habitat scale, and targeted …

Georgia's Collaborative Approach To Expanding Mosquito Surveillance In Response To Zika Virus: A Case Study, R. Christopher Rustin, Deonte Martin, Varadan Sevilimedu, Sarbesh Pandeya, Haresh Rochani, Rosmarie Kelly

R. Christopher Rustin

Ebola Virus - Epidemiology, Diagnosis, And Control: Threat To Humans, Lessons Learnt, And Preparedness Plans - An Update On Its 40 Year's Journey, Raj Kumar Singh, Kuldeep Dhama, Yashpal Singh Malik, Muthannan Andavar Ramakrishnan, Kumaragurubaran Karthik, Rekha Khandia, Ruchi Tiwari, Ashok Munjal, Mani Saminathan, Perumal Arumugam, Sunil Kumar Joshi

Bioelectrics Publications

Ebola virus (EBOV) is an extremely contagious pathogen and causes lethal hemorrhagic fever disease in man and animals. The recently occurred Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreaks in the West African countries have categorized it as an international health concern. For the virus maintenance and transmission, the non-human primates and reservoir hosts like fruit bats have played a vital role. For curbing the disease timely, we need effective therapeutics/prophylactics, however, in the absence of any approved vaccine, timely diagnosis and monitoring of EBOV remains of utmost importance. The technologically advanced vaccines like a viral-vectored vaccine, DNA vaccine and virus-like particles are …

Surveillance, Epidemiological, And Virological Detection Of Highly Pathogenic H5n1 Avian Influenza Viruses In Duck And Poultry From Bangladesh, Wahedul Karim Ansari, Md Safiullah Parvej, Mohamed E. El Zowalaty, Sally Jackson, Stephen A. Bustin, Adel K. Ibrahim, Md Tanvir Rahman, Han Zhang, Mohammad Ferdousur Rahman Khan, Md Mostakin Ahamd, Md. Fasiur Rahman, Marzia Rahman, Khm Nazmul H. Nazir, Sultan Ahmed, Md Liakot Hossenn, Md Abdul Kafi, Mat Yamage, Nitish C. Debnath, Graba Ahmed, Hossam Ashour, Md Masoud, Ayman Noreddin, Md B. Rahman

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) continue to pose a global threat. Waterfowl are the main reservoir and are responsible for the spillover of AIVs to other hosts. This study was conducted as part of routine surveillance activities in Bangladesh and it reports on the serological and molecular detection of H5N1 AIV subtype. A total of 2169 cloacal and 2191 oropharyngeal swabs as well as 1725 sera samples were collected from live birds including duck and chicken in different locations in Bangladesh between the years of 2013 and 2014. Samples were tested using virus isolation, serological tests and molecular methods of RT-PCR. …

Evaluating The Prevalence And Effectiveness Of Breed-Specific Legislation, Felicia E. Trembath

Open Access Dissertations

Dog bites pose a persistent public health problem, which some jurisdictions pass breed-specific legislation (BSL) to address. However, very little non-anecdotal evidence regarding the efficacy of BSL has been presented. Currently, BSL research is hampered by the absence of standard terminology, an established prevalence, or a scientific consensus on its effectiveness. The purpose of this study is to propose standardized terminology for BSL, establish the prevalence of each type of BSL in the USA, and conduct a systematic review of the effectiveness of BSL.

After review of terminology currently in use, as well as review of the regulatory actions of …

Nonlinear Hierarchical Models For Longitudinal Experimental Infection Studies, Michael David Singleton

Theses and Dissertations--Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Experimental infection (EI) studies, involving the intentional inoculation of animal or human subjects with an infectious agent under controlled conditions, have a long history in infectious disease research. Longitudinal infection response data often arise in EI studies designed to demonstrate vaccine efficacy, explore disease etiology, pathogenesis and transmission, or understand the host immune response to infection. Viral loads, antibody titers, symptom scores and body temperature are a few of the outcome variables commonly studied. Longitudinal EI data are inherently nonlinear, often with single-peaked response trajectories with a common pre- and post-infection baseline. Such data are frequently analyzed with statistical methods …

Their Bugs Are Worse Than Their Bite: Emerging Infectious Disease And The Human-Animal Interface, Michael Greger

Michael Greger, MD, FACLM

In the twenty-five years since that announcement, what we now know as AIDS has killed 20 million people (National AIDS Trust 2005). Where did the AIDS virus— and other emerging diseases, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Ebola, mad cow— come from?

Forecasting The Spread Of Raccoon Rabies Using A Purpose-Specific Group Decision-Making Process., Aaron M. Anderson, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Richard B. Chipman, Todd C. Atwood, Tyler Cozzens, Frank Fillo, Robert Hale, Brody Hatch, Joanne Maki, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Erin E. Rees, Charles E. Rupprecht, Rowland Tinline, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Dennis Slate

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and USDA Wildlife Services (WS) have been involved in an oral rabies vaccination (ORV) program for raccoons (Procyon lotor) that has slowed the westward spread of raccoon rabies. The objective of this study was to forecast the spread of the disease if an ORV zone was not maintained. A group decision-making process was designed to address the forecasting problem and was implemented using a group of 15 experts and 4 support personnel at a meeting at the USDA National Wildlife Research Center. Ten expansion regions were constructed that described the spread of …

Tick-Bourne Pathogens Of Potential Zoonotic Importance In The Southern African Region, Simbarashe Chitanga, Holly Gaff, Samson Mukaratirwa

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The aim of this communication is to provide preliminary information on the tick-borne pathogens of potential zoonotic importance present in southern Africa, mainly focusing on their geographical distribution and host range, and to identify research gaps. The following tick-borne zoonoses have been reported to occur in southern Africa based mainly on case reports: Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever caused by Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever virus; ehrlichiosis caused by Ehrlichia ruminantium, Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum; babesiosis caused by Babesia microti; relapsing fever caused by Borrelia duttonii and rickettsioses caused by Rickettsia africae, Rickettsia aeschlimannii and Rickettsia conorii. The …

Assessment Of Introduction Pathway For Novel Avian Influenza Virus Into North America By Wild Birds From Eurasia, Ryan S. Miller, Steven J. Sweeney, Judy E. Akkina, Emi K. Saito

Other Publications in Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease

A critical question surrounding emergence of novel strains of avian influenza viruses (AIV) is the ability for wild migratory birds to translocate a complete (unreassorted whole genome) AIV intercontinentally. Virus translocation via migratory birds is suspected in outbreaks of highly pathogenic strain A(H5N1) in Asia, Africa, and Europe. As a result, the potential intercontinental translocation of newly emerging AIV (e.g. A(H7N9) from Eurasia to North America via migratory movements of birds) remains a concern. An estimated 1.48 to 2.91 million aquatic birds, principally Anseriformes (ducks, geese, and swans) and Charadriiformes (gulls, terns, and shorebirds) move annually between Eurasia and North …

Socioeconomic Determinants Of Geographic Disparities In Campylobacteriosis Risk: A Comparison Of Global And Local Modeling Approaches, Jennifer Weisent, Barton Rohrbach, John Dunn, Agricola Odoi

Agricola Odoi

Background: Socioeconomic factors play a complex role in determining the risk of campylobacteriosis. Understanding the spatial interplay between these factors and disease risk can guide disease control programs. Historically, Poisson and negative binomial models have been used to investigate determinants of geographic disparities in risk. Spatial regression models, which allow modeling of spatial effects, have been used to improve these modeling efforts. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) takes this a step further by estimating local regression coefficients, thereby allowing estimations of associations that vary in space. These recent approaches increase our understanding of how geography influences the associations between determinants and …

Does Place Of Residence Affect Risk Of Suicide? A Spatial Epidemiologic Investigation In Kentucky From 1999 To 2008, Daniel M. Saman, Sabrina Walsh, Anna Borowko, Agricola Odoi

Agricola Odoi

Background: Approximately 32,000 people take their own lives every year in the United States. In Kentucky, suicide mortality rates have been steadily increasing since 1999. Few studies in the United States have assessed spatial clustering of suicides. The purpose of this study was to identify high-risk clusters of suicide at the county level in Kentucky and assess the characteristics of those suicide cases within the clusters. Methods: A spatial epidemiological study was undertaken using suicide data for the period January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2008, obtained from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics. Descriptive analyses using Pearson's chi-square test …

A Spatial Cluster Analysis Of Tractor Overturns In Kentucky From 1960 To 2002, Daniel M. Saman, Henry P. Cole, Agricola Odoi, Melvin L. Myers, Daniel I. Carey, Susan C. Westneat

Agricola Odoi

Background: Agricultural tractor overturns without rollover protective structures are the leading cause of farm fatalities in the United States. To our knowledge, no studies have incorporated the spatial scan statistic in identifying high-risk areas for tractor overturns. The aim of this study was to determine whether tractor overturns cluster in certain parts of Kentucky and identify factors associated with tractor overturns. Methods: A spatial statistical analysis using Kulldorff’s spatial scan statistic was performed to identify county clusters at greatest risk for tractor overturns. A regression analysis was then performed to identify factors associated with tractor overturns. Results: The spatial analysis …

Neighborhood Disparities In Stroke And Myocardial Infarction Mortality: A Gis And Spatial Scan Statistics Approach, Agricola Odoi

Agricola Odoi

Background: Stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) are serious public health burdens in the US. These burdens vary by geographic location with the highest mortality risks reported in the southeastern US. While these disparities have been investigated at state and county levels, little is known regarding disparities in risk at lower levels of geography, such as neighborhoods. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate spatial patterns of stroke and MI mortality risks in the East Tennessee Appalachian Region so as to identify neighborhoods with the highest risks. Methods: Stroke and MI mortality data for the period 1999-2007, obtained free …

Assessing Risk In Focal Arboviral Infections: Are We Missing The Big Or Little Picture?, A D. Haddow, Agricola Odoi, C J. Jones

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences

BACKGROUND: Focal arboviral infections affecting a subset of the overall population present an often overlooked set of challenges in the assessment and reporting of risk and the detection of spatial patterns. Our objective was to assess the variation in risk when using different at-risk populations and geographic scales for the calculation of incidence risk and the detection of geographic hot-spots of infection. We explored these variations using a pediatric arbovirus, La Crosse virus (LACV), as our model. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Descriptive and cluster analyses were performed on probable and confirmed cases of LACV infections reported to the Tennessee Department of …

Assessing Risk In Focal Arboviral Infections: Are We Missing The Big Or Little Picture?, A D. Haddow, Agricola Odoi, C J. Jones

Agricola Odoi

BACKGROUND: Focal arboviral infections affecting a subset of the overall population present an often overlooked set of challenges in the assessment and reporting of risk and the detection of spatial patterns. Our objective was to assess the variation in risk when using different at-risk populations and geographic scales for the calculation of incidence risk and the detection of geographic hot-spots of infection. We explored these variations using a pediatric arbovirus, La Crosse virus (LACV), as our model. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Descriptive and cluster analyses were performed on probable and confirmed cases of LACV infections reported to the Tennessee Department of …

Risk Factors Of Gastrointestinal Nematode Parasite Infections In Small Ruminants Kept In Smallholder Mixed Farms In Kenya., Agricola Odoi, J M. Gathuma, C K. Gachuiri, A Omore

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences

BACKGROUND: Helminth infections in small ruminants are serious problems in the developing world, particularly where nutrition and sanitation are poor. This study investigated the burden and risk factors of gastrointestinal nematode parasite infections in sheep and goats kept in smallholder mixed farms in the Kenyan Central Highlands. Three hundred and seven small ruminants were sampled from 66 smallholder mixed farms in agro-ecological zones 1 (humid) and 3 (semi-humid) in the Kenyan Central highlands. The farms were visited once a month for eight months during which a health and production survey questionnaire was administered. Fecal samples were collected at each visit …

Risk Factors Of Gastrointestinal Nematode Parasite Infections In Small Ruminants Kept In Smallholder Mixed Farms In Kenya., Agricola Odoi, J M. Gathuma, C K. Gachuiri, A Omore

Agricola Odoi

BACKGROUND: Helminth infections in small ruminants are serious problems in the developing world, particularly where nutrition and sanitation are poor. This study investigated the burden and risk factors of gastrointestinal nematode parasite infections in sheep and goats kept in smallholder mixed farms in the Kenyan Central Highlands. Three hundred and seven small ruminants were sampled from 66 smallholder mixed farms in agro-ecological zones 1 (humid) and 3 (semi-humid) in the Kenyan Central highlands. The farms were visited once a month for eight months during which a health and production survey questionnaire was administered. Fecal samples were collected at each visit …

Carotenoid, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, And Vitamin E Intake And Risk Of Ovarian Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study, Stephanie A. Navarro Silvera, Meera Jain, Geoffrey R. Howe, Anthony B. Miller, Thomas E. Rohan

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

It is thought that oxidative stress resulting to repeated ovulation may increase the risk of ovarian cancer by inducing DNA damage (1). Consumption of antioxidants may, therefore, decrease ovarian cancer risk by counteracting oxidative stress and the resultant DNA damage (2, 3). Currently, the epidemiologic evidence regarding associations between antioxidants and risk of ovarian cancer is mixed (4-12). Of the two prospective studies, Kushi et al. (4) and Fairfield et al. (7) both reported no association between β-carotene and ovarian cancer risk. In addition, Fairfield et al. …

Inequalities In Neighbourhood Socioeconomic Characteristics: Potential Evidence-Base For Neighbourhood Health Planning., Agricola Odoi, R Wray, M Emo, S Birch, B Hutchison, J Eyles, T Abernathy

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences

BACKGROUND: Population health planning aims to improve the health of the entire population and to reduce health inequities among population groups. Socioeconomic factors are increasingly being recognized as major determinants of many aspects of health and causes of health inequities. Knowledge of socioeconomic characteristics of neighbourhoods is necessary to identify their unique health needs and enhance identification of socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Careful integration of this knowledge into health planning activities is necessary to ensure that health planning and service provision are tailored to unique neighbourhood population health needs. In this study, we identify unique neighbourhood socioeconomic characteristics and classify the …

Inequalities In Neighbourhood Socioeconomic Characteristics: Potential Evidence-Base For Neighbourhood Health Planning., Agricola Odoi, R Wray, M Emo, S Birch, B Hutchison, J Eyles, T Abernathy

Agricola Odoi

BACKGROUND: Population health planning aims to improve the health of the entire population and to reduce health inequities among population groups. Socioeconomic factors are increasingly being recognized as major determinants of many aspects of health and causes of health inequities. Knowledge of socioeconomic characteristics of neighbourhoods is necessary to identify their unique health needs and enhance identification of socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Careful integration of this knowledge into health planning activities is necessary to ensure that health planning and service provision are tailored to unique neighbourhood population health needs. In this study, we identify unique neighbourhood socioeconomic characteristics and classify the …

Investigation Of Clusters Of Giardiasis Using Gis And A Spatial Scan Statistic., Agricola Odoi, S W. Martin, P Michel, D Middleton, J Holt, J Wilson

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences

BACKGROUND: Giardia lamblia is the most frequently identified human intestinal parasite in Canada with prevalence estimates of 4-10%. However, infection rates vary by geographical area and localized 'pockets' of high or low infection rates are thought to exist. Water-borne transmission is one of the major routes of infection. Sources of contamination of drinking water include humans, domestic and wild animals. A previous study in southern Ontario, Canada, indicated a bivariate association between giardiasis rates and livestock density and/or manure use on agricultural land; however these variables were not significant when the variable 'rural' was added to the model. In that …

Investigation Of Clusters Of Giardiasis Using Gis And A Spatial Scan Statistic., Agricola Odoi, S W. Martin, P Michel, D Middleton, J Holt, J Wilson

Agricola Odoi

BACKGROUND: Giardia lamblia is the most frequently identified human intestinal parasite in Canada with prevalence estimates of 4-10%. However, infection rates vary by geographical area and localized 'pockets' of high or low infection rates are thought to exist. Water-borne transmission is one of the major routes of infection. Sources of contamination of drinking water include humans, domestic and wild animals. A previous study in southern Ontario, Canada, indicated a bivariate association between giardiasis rates and livestock density and/or manure use on agricultural land; however these variables were not significant when the variable 'rural' was added to the model. In that …