International Public Health Commons^™

A Global Health Research Checklist For Clinicians., Rasha D Sawaya, Kristen A Breslin, Eiman Abdulrahman, Jennifer I Chapman, Dafina M Good, Lili Moran, Paul C Mullan, Oluwakemi Badaki-Makun

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Global health research has become a priority in most international medical projects. However, it is a difficult endeavor, especially for a busy clinician. Navigating the ethics, methods, and local partnerships is essential yet daunting.To date, there are no guidelines published to help clinicians initiate and complete successful global health research projects. This Global Health Research Checklist was developed to be used by clinicians or other health professionals for developing, implementing, and completing a successful research project in an international and often low-resource setting. It consists of five sections: Objective, Methodology, Institutional Review Board and Ethics, Culture and partnerships, and Logistics. …

Quality Of Antenatal Care And Its Relationship With Women’S Intended Use Of Their Anc Facility For Delivery: A National Cross-Sectional Study In Kenya, Jisoo Kim

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Maternal deaths have been one of the leading causes of deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. Delivering at an institution can prevent the majority of maternal deaths in developing countries. A national cross-sectional survey of Kenya was used to determine if the quality of antenatal care (ANC) provided to women is associated with their intention to deliver at the same facility. Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression was used to examine this relationship. Quality of ANC variables assessed in this study were not significantly associated with women’s intention to deliver at the same facility. Mothers preferred to deliver at hospitals, rather than clinics/dispensaries. ANC …

The Brandeis Human Rights Advocacy Program: Advancing The Human Rights Of The Immigrant, Noncitizen And Refugee Community, Enid Trucios-Haynes

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

The Human Rights Advocacy Program (HRAP or the Program) at the Brandeis School of Law, University of Louisville, represents a unique collaboration of law faculty and students providing critical resources to the local immigrant, noncitizen and refugee community in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as local service providers to this community. The Program, established in Spring 2014, is distinctive because of its non-hierarchical internal model and the participatory action research and policy focus of its work. The Program is a distinguished from the typical law school clinical model in its focus on community engaged research, policy advocacy, and service, as well …

Perceptions, Careseeking, And Experiences Pertaining To Non-Cephalic Births In Rural Sarlahi District, Nepal: A Qualitative Study., Naoko Kozuki, Luke C Mullany, Subarna K Khatry, James M Tielsch, Steven C Leclerq, Caitlin E Kennedy, Joanne Katz

Global Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: In low-resource settings, a significant proportion of fetal, neonatal, and maternal deaths can be attributed to intrapartum-related complications. Certain risk factors, such as non-cephalic presentation, have a particularly high risk of complications. This qualitative study describes experiences around non-cephalic births and highlights existing perceptions and care-seeking behavior specific to non-cephalic presentation in rural Sarlahi District, Nepal.

METHODS: We conducted in-depth interviews with 34 individuals, including women who recently gave birth to a non-cephalic infant and female decision-makers in their households. We also conducted two focus groups with mothers (have two or more children, with at least one child under …

A Software Tool For Automated Upload Of Large Clinical Datasets Using Redcap And The Capo Database, William A. Mattingly, Christopher Sinclair, Danna Williams, Matthew Grassman, Stephen Furmanek, Kimberley Buckner, Mohammad Tahboub

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: Obtaining clinical data from healthcare sources is necessary for conducting clinical research. New technologies now allow for connecting a research database to Electronic Medical Records remotely, allowing the automatic import of clinical research data. In this paper we design and evaluate a REDCap extension to import clinical records from an external health database.

Methods: Many hospital EHRs are designed to use secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) repositories for data communication. We develop a REDCap plugin to connect to an external SFTP file repository for the import of clinical record data. We use the CAPO instance of REDCap and a …

Duration Of Antibiotic Therapy For Patients With Bacteremic Staphylococcus Aureus Community-Acquired Pneumonia, Julio A. Ramirez, Thomas File, Daniel Musher

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Non-Resolving Community Acquired Pneumonia (Cap) Due To Blastomyces Dermatitidis (Pulmonary Blastomycosis): Case Report And Review Of Literature, Johnson Britto

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

In this case report, we describe a case of progressive acute pulmonary blastomycosis in a healthy adult living in Kentucky, initially presenting with flu like illness with a left sided consolidation, who did not respond to antibiotic therapy. Patient’s clinical condition deteriorated with development of necrotizing bronchopneumonia, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, tree-in-bud reticulonodularity and pleural effusion. A diagnosis of progressive pulmonary blastomycosis was established by radiological findings as well as transbronchial needle aspiration cytology and bronchoalveolar lavage culture demonstrating Blastomyces dermatitidis. Patient showed significant clinical improvement with resolution of pulmonary lesions on antifungal treatment. Since symptoms of blastomycosis are often similar to …

An Hiv-Positive Patient With Copd Admitted To The Icu With Respiratory Failure, Bhavani Puskur, Veronica Corcino, Srikant Ramachandruni, Viswanathan Nagarajan, Forest W. Arnold

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Communication Between Clinicians And The Hospital-Based Microbiology Laboratory: Strategies For 2018 And Beyond, Hans H. Liu

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Real-Time Pcr Detection Of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae, Chlamydia Pneumoniae And Legionella Pneumophila In Respiratory Specimens Using The Aries® System, Subathra Marimuthu, Leslie A. Wolf, James T. Summersgill

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mpn), Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn), and Legionella pneumophila (Lpn) can cause both epidemic and endemic occurrences of acute respiratory disease and are responsible for up to 22% of cases of community acquired pneumonia. Due to the limited availability of FDA-approved molecular diagnostic assays, we developed and evaluated a multiplexed Real-time PCR assay for the detection of these agents in two respiratory specimen types on the Luminex ARIES® instrument. The instrument provides for nucleic acid extraction plus PCR amplification and target detection in the same cassette. The ARIES® instrument generates a cycle threshold value and a confirmatory melt curve …

Adult Patients Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Hospitalized For Community-Acquired Pneumonia In The United States: Incidence And Outcomes, Leslie A. Beavin, Stephen P. Furmanek, Paula Peyrani, Anupama Raghuram, Forest W. Arnold, Mark Burns, Julio A. Ramirez

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common infectious reason for hospitalization of adults in the United States (US), including those with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). While there are studies detailing the incidence and outcomes for all adults with CAP we are not aware of a recent study detailing incidence and outcomes in adult HIV patients hospitalized with CAP. The objectives of this study were (1) to define the current incidence and outcomes of adult HIV patients hospitalized with CAP in Louisville, Kentucky, and (2) to estimate the burden of CAP in the US HIV adult population.

Methods: This was a …

Mycobacterium Kansasii As The Primary Etiology Of Pulmonary Infections Due To Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterium (Ntm) In Patients Without Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv): Experience From A Center In Buenos Aires, Argentina, Gabriel Yusti, Marcela Heres, Alejandra González, Mariano Fielli, Adrian Ceccato, Alejandra Zapata

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: Pulmonary diseases due to non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) lung infection in HIV-negative patients are rarely described in the literature. Currently, NTM consist of more than 150 species, and they are globally ubiquitous in both natural and man-made environments.The objective of this study was to define the most frequent species of NTM causing pulmonary disease in HIV-negative patients in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The prevalence of pulmonary diseases caused by NTM is difficult to determine since the isolation of NTM does not necessarily indicate disease.

Methods: A retrospective review of all the respiratory cultures positive for NTM in the …

Effectiveness Of The Influenza Vaccine In Preventing Hospitalizations Of Patients With Influenza Community-Acquired Pneumonia, Thomas Chandler, Stephen P. Furmanek, Connor L. English, Connor Glick, Wesley Trail, Lara Daniels, Ugochukwu Owolabi, Ruth Carrico, Julio A. Ramirez, Timothy L. Wiemken

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: Influenza vaccination is the primary strategy for prevention of influenza infection. Influenza infection can vary from mild or even asymptomatic illness to severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Although many national and international investigators and organizations report annual estimates of influenza vaccine effectiveness for prevention of influenza infection in the community, few studies report estimates for the prevention of hospitalizations due to influenza CAP, the most severe form of the infection. The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine for prevention of hospitalization in patients with influenza-associated CAP.

Methods: This was a test-negative study using …

Research Support Infrastructure: Implementing A Clinical Research Coordinating Center, Julio A. Ramirez, Paula Peyrani, William A. Mattingly, Forest W. Arnold, Timothy L. Wiemken, Robert R. Kelley, Leslie A. Wolf, Ruth M. Carrico, The Clinical Research Coordinating Center Team

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Insufficient infrastructure is one of the challenges facing investigators in the field of clinical research. At the University of Louisville (UofL) Division of Infectious Diseases, we developed a multidisciplinary coordinating center with the aim to support investigators in all aspects of the clinical research process. The objective of this article is to describe the composition and the role of the different units of the UofL Clinical Research Coordinating Center. The different components of the Center can serve as a template for institutions interested in developing a clinical research support infrastructure.

Bacteremic Pneumococcal Pneumonia: A Longitudinal Study In 279 Adult Patients From A Single Center, Jorge H. Gentile, Claudia Hernandez, Monica D. Sparo, Edgardo M. Rodriguez, Carolina Ceriani, Florencia Bruggesser

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: Bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia (BPP) is the most common clinical presentation of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Although it has been extensively studied, there is little knowledge in our region in relation to burden of disease, demographic and outcome features.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, longitudinal, observational study from 1989 to 2015 in adult patients with BPP, in order to deepen our knowledge of the characteristics of this disease in our community hospital in Tandil, Argentina.

Results: 279 patients were included. The mean incidence was 2.8/1000 admissions with a sharp decrease in the last two years, reaching 0.8/1000 admissions. Mean patient …

Clinical Research: From Idea To Publication, Julio A. Ramirez

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Julio A. Ramirez, M.D., FACP, Professor of Medicine/Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology; Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases; Director, Infectious Diseases Fellowship Training Program and Founding Director, Global Health Initiative at The University of Louisville, presented "Clinical Research: From Idea to Publication" at University of Louisville Department of Medicine Grand Rounds on February 15, 2018. The talk focused on performing an overview of clinical study designs, describing the planning and performing of a clinical study, reviewing the process for statistical and clinical analysis, and presenting the structure of a Clinical Research Coordinating Center.

Addressing Extreme Vulnerability: Remaining Barriers To Neonatal Healthcare Delivery In Conflict Areas, Olivia Palmer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Global statistics show that world-wide neonatal mortality rates are not yet within the target range set by Sustainable Development Goals and reflect persistent violations of the fundamental right to health for newborns around the world. While there is a wide base of knowledge on the main causes of death and minimum standards of care for neonatal health in stable and low-resource settings, there is a significant gap in knowledge regarding the unique circumstances of neonatal healthcare situated in conflict settings. The main objectives of this research are to elaborate on the current state of neonatal healthcare in conflict areas and …

Piloting Carestart™ Rapid Diagnostic Test (Rdt) To Promote Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6pd) Screening In Malaria Endemic Community In Cambodia, Bertha Nyagaya-Wojnarski, +Several Additional Authors

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background: Primaquine (PQ) is the only FDA-approved drug for radical cure of Plasmodium vivax (P.v) malaria, but treatment can result in life-threatening hemolysis if given to a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient (G6PDd) patient. Therefore, the G6PD status of the patient with P.v must be known prior to prescribing PQ. However, a patient’s G6PD status in rural malaria endemic settings is generally unknown, illuminating the need for reliable point of care G6PD diagnostic tests as a prerequisite to safely administer PQ. To increase community PQ access in Cambodia, performance of CareStart™ G6PD rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) needs to …

An Assessment Of Cultural Perceptions And Recognition Of Ebola Virus Disease, And Its Correlation With Traditional Burial Practice In Rural Guinea, Chulwoo Park, Amira Roess, Sally Lahm, Mamadou Kally Bah, Mohamed Campel Camara, John Sandberg

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Background:

In the midst of the unprecedented Ebola outbreak in West Africa during 2014-2016, the humanitarian response to control the disease was hampered in part because there was a limited understanding of local traditional rituals or indigenous medicine (ethnomedicine) on the part of the responders. The Ebola outbreak claimed 11,310 lives, more than all other outbreaks combined. West African burial funeral ceremonies and surrounding rituals may have hindered interventions that included the forceful removal of the sick or dead from the community.

Objective:

Our objective was to understand transmission associated with traditional burial practices in rural Guinea. Through the lens …

Etiology And Management Of Hospitalized And Outpatient Diarrhea Among Children Less Than 5 Years Of Age In Lambaréné, Gabon, Christina Pugliese, Natalie Byrne, Frederique Nguema, Kafui Vodounou, Mirabeau Mbong Ngwese, Gedeon Manouana, Jean Edoa, Bayode Adegbite, Jeannot Zinsou, Ayola Adegnika, Martin Grobusch, David Diemert

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Objectives: Diarrhea remains a significant cause of global under-5 mortality, particularly in SubSaharan Africa (SSA). To reduce morbidity and mortality, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends oral rehydration salts (ORS), zinc supplementation, and continued feeding or breastfeeding for all children with diarrhea to prevent dehydration and malnutrition; antibiotics only for bloody diarrhea (i.e. probable shigellosis), suspected cholera, or severe non-intestinal infections (e.g. pneumonia or sepsis); and avoidance of antidiarrheals and antiemetics owing to lack of benefit and potential for harm in young children. Gabon is an upper-middle income country in SSA for which there is a lack of recent, high …