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Isolation And Molecular Characterization Of Fikirini Rhabdovirus, A Novel Virus From A Kenyan Bat, Rebekah C. Kading, Amy T. Gilbert, Eric C. Mossel, Mary B. Crabtree, Ivan V. Kuzmin, Michael Niezgoda, Bernard Agwanda, Wanda Markotter, M. Ryan Weil, Joel M. Montgomery, Charles E. Rupprecht, Barry R. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Zoonotic and vector-borne pathogens have comprised a significant component of emerging human infections in recent decades, and bats are increasingly recognized as reservoirs for many of these disease agents. To identify novel pathogens associated with bats, we screened tissues of bats collected in Kenya. Virus isolates were identified by next generation sequencing of viral nucleic acid preparations from the infected cell culture supernatant and characterized. Here we report the identification of Fikirini rhabdovirus, a novel rhabdovirus isolated from a bat, Hipposideros vittatus, captured along the Kenyan coast.

Effects Of Deer Density And Land Use On Mass Of White-Tailed Deer, Trevor J. Hefley, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Jason M. Gilsdorf, Gregory M. Clements, Myndi J. Clements, Andrew J. Tyre, David M. Baasch, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Local and regional land use changes, such as the expansion of cropland for cellulosic biofuels, and the population density of white-tailed deer can affect the health and body mass of white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus. We collected hunterharvest data for 1,731 white-tailed deer from DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa from 2003 to 2010. We used linear mixed-effects models and information theoretic methods to estimate effects of density of white-tailed deer and proportion of total landcover area converted from cropland to cool- or warm-season grassland on body mass of white-tailed deer. Density of white-tailed deer at …

A Comparison Of Bats And Rodents As Reservoirs Of Zoonotic Viruses: Are Bats Special?, Angela D. Luis, David T. S. Hayman, Thomas J. O'Shea, Paul M. Cryan, Amy T. Gilbert, Juliet R. C. Pulliam, James N. Mills, Mary E. Timonin, Craig K. R. Willis, Andrew A. Cunningham, Anthony R. Fooks, Charles E. Rupprecht, James L. N. Wood, Colleen T. Webb

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Bats are the natural reservoirs of a number of high-impact viral zoonoses. We present a quantitative analysis to address the hypothesis that bats are unique in their propensity to host zoonotic viruses based on a comparisonwith rodents, another important host order. We found that bats indeed host more zoonotic viruses per species than rodents, and we identified life-history and ecological factors that promote zoonotic viral richness. More zoonotic viruses are hosted by species whose distributions overlap with a greater number of other species in the same taxonomic order (sympatry). Specifically in bats, therewas evidence for increased zoonotic viral richness in …

Characterization Of Regionally Associated Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (Fiv) In Bobcats (Lynx Rufus), Danielle M. Lagana, Justin S. Lee, Jesse S. Lewis, Sarah N. Bevins, Scott Carver, Linda L. Sweanor, Roy Mcbride, Caleb Mcbride, Kevin R. Crooks, Sue Vandewoude

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) classically infects felid species with highly divergent species-specific FIVs. However, recent studies have detected an FIV strain infecting both bobcats (Lynx rufus) and pumas (Puma concolor) in California and Florida. To further investigate this observation, we evaluated FIV from bobcats in Florida (n525) and Colorado (n580) between 2008 and 2011. Partial viral sequences from five Florida bobcats cluster with previously published sequences from Florida panthers. We did not detect FIV in Colorado bobcats.

Graphically Characterizing The Movement Of A Rabid Striped Skunk Epizootic Across The Landscape In Northwestern Wyoming, Craig A. Ramey, Kenneth W. Mills, Justin W. Fischer, Robert G. Mclean, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) rabies epizootic in northwestern Wyoming was studied from the Index Case in 1988 to the last case in 1993, and possibly is the first rabies epizootic in a previously rabies-free zone monitored from beginning to end. The 843 km² study area comprised skunk habitat along 90 km of Shoshone River’s floodplain from Bighorn Lake upstream to Cody. Of 1,015 skunks tested, 215 were rabiespositive. Integrating spatial and temporal data from positive cases, we analyzed the epizootic’s movements and dynamics at 6-month intervals using multivariate movement maps, a new multivariate descriptive methodology presented …

Isolation Of Mycobacteria From Clinical Samples Collected In The United States From 2004 To 2011, T. C. Thacker, Suelee Robbe-Austerman, Beth Harris, Mitchell Van Palmer, Wade Ray Waters

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Background: Mycobacteria other than M. bovis may interfere with current bovine tuberculosis diagnostic tests resulting in false positive test results. As the prevalence of M. bovis decreases in the United States, interference from other mycobacteria play an increasingly important role in preventing the eradication of M. bovis. To identify mycobacteria other than M. bovis that may be interfering with current diagnostic tests, a retrospective study was performed to identify mycobacteria isolated from clinical tissues at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories between 1 January 2004 and 9 October 2011.

Results: During the study period, 2,366 mycobacteria other than …

Detection Of African Swine Fever Virus-Like Sequences In Ponds In The Mississippi Delta Through Metagenomic Sequencing, Xiu-Feng Wan, J. Lamar Barnett, Fred Cunningham, Si Chen, Guohua Yang, Shannon Nash, Li-Pong Long, Lorelei Ford, Sherry Blackmon, Yan Zhang, Larry Hanson, Qiang He

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Metagenomic characterization of water virome was performed in four Mississippi catfish ponds. Although differing considerably from African swine fever virus (ASFV), 48 of 446,100 sequences from 12 samples were similar enough to indicate that they represent new members in the family Asfarviridae. At present, ASFV is the only member of Asfarviridae, and this study presents the first indication of a similar virus in North America. At this point, there is no indication that the identified virus(es) pose a threat to human or animal health, and further study is needed to characterize their potential risks to both public health and agricultural …

Pseudorabies (Aujeszky’S Disease), Kerri Pedersen, Yvonne Nadler

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Wildlife In Airport Environments: Chapter 6 Wildlife Translocation As A Management Alternative At Airports, Paul D. Curtis, Jonathon D. Cepek, Rebecca Mihalco, Thomas W. Seamans, Scott R. Craven

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife in urban settings may be a welcome sight for many, but negative interactions between people and various wild species are increasing (Conover et al. 1995, Conover 2002). Wildlife populations are commonly managed in part to reduce these conflicts, particularly in high-risk areas such as roadways and airports (Conover 2002). However, the public often opposes lethal control or management methods perceived as causing harm to nuisance animals (Reiter et al. 1999, Conover 2002, Treves et al. 2006), and attitudes vary considerably depending on the particular wildlife species involved (Kretser et al. 2009). Consequently, a variety of nonlethal management approaches are …

Disease In A Dynamic Landscape: Host Behavior And Wildfire Reduce Amphibian Chytrid Infection, Blake R. Hossack, Winsor H. Lowe, Joy L. Ware, Paul Stephen Corn

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Disturbances are often expected to magnify effects of disease, but these effects may depend on the ecology, behavior, and life history of both hosts and pathogens. In many ecosystems, wildfire is the dominant natural disturbance and thus could directly or indirectly affect dynamics of many diseases. To determine how probability of infection by the aquatic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) varies relative to habitat use by individuals, wildfire, and host characteristics, we sampled 404 boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) across Glacier National Park, Montana (USA). Bd causes chytridiomycosis, an emerging infectious disease linked with widespread amphibian declines, including the …

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever: History, Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Clinical Syndrome And Genetic Diversity, Dennis A. Bente, Naomi L. Forrester, Douglas M. Watts, Alexander J. Mcauley, Chris A. Whitehouse, Mike Bray

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is the most important tick-borne viral disease of humans, causing sporadic cases or outbreaks of severe illness across a huge geographic area, from western China to the Middle East and southeastern Europe and throughout most of Africa. CCHFV is maintained in vertical and horizontal transmission cycles involving ixodid ticks and a variety of wild and domestic vertebrates, which do not show signs of illness. The virus circulates in a number of tick genera, but Hyalomma ticks are the principal source of human infection, probably because both immature and adult forms actively seek hosts for the blood …

Endovascular Treatment Of Cerebral Mycotic Aneurysm: A Review Of The Literature And Single Center Experience., Mario Zanaty, Md, Nohra El-Chalouhi, Md, Robert M Starke, Stavropoula Tjoumakaris Md, L Fernando Gonzalez, Md, David Hasan, Md, Robert Rosenwasser, Md, Pascal Jabbour, Md

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

The management of mycotic aneurysm has always been subject to controversy. The aim of this paper is to review the literature on the intracranial infected aneurysm from pathogenesis till management while focusing mainly on the endovascular interventions. This novel solution seems to provide additional benefits and long-term favorable outcomes.

Identifying Requirements For The Invasion Of A Tick Species And Tick-Borne Pathogen Through Ticksim, Holly Gaff, Robyn Nadolny

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Ticks and tick-borne diseases have been on the move throughout the United State over the past twenty years. We use an agent-based model, TICKSIM, to identify the key parameters that determine the success of invasion of the tick and if that is successful, the success of the tick-borne pathogen. We find that if an area has competent hosts, an initial population of ten ticks is predicted to always establish a new population. The establishment of the tick-borne pathogen depends on three parameters: the initial prevalence in the ten founding ticks, the probability that a tick infects the longer-lived hosts and …

The Role Of P38 Mapk In The Aetiopathogenesis Of Psoriasis And Psoriatic Arthritis, Athanasios Mavropoulos, Eirini I. Rigopoulou, Christos Liaskos, Dimitrios P. Bogdanos, Lazaros I. Sakkas

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The pathogenetic mechanisms responsible for the induction of immune-mediated disorders, such as psoriasis, remain not well characterized. Molecular signaling pathways are not well described in psoriasis, as well as psoriatic arthritis, which is seen in up to 40% of patients with psoriasis. Signaling pathway defects have long been hypothesized to participate in the pathology of psoriasis, yet their implication in the altered psoriatic gene expression still remains unclear. Emerging data suggest a potential pathogenic role for mitogen activated protein kinases p38 (p38 MAPK) extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the development of psoriasis. The data …

Responses Of Amblyomma Americanum And Dermacentor Variabilis To Odorants That Attract Haematophagous Insects, A. L. Carr, R. M. Roe, C. Arellano, D. E. Sonenshine, C. Schal, C. S. Apperson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Carbon dioxide (CO₂), 1-octen-3-ol, acetone, ammonium hydroxide, L-lactic-acid, dimethyl trisulphide and isobutyric acid were tested as attractants for two tick species, Amblyomma americanum and Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae), in doseresponse bioassays using Y-tube olfactometers. Only CO₂, acetone, 1-octen-3-ol and ammonium hydroxide elicited significant preferences from adult A. americanum, and only CO₂ was attractive to adult D. variabilis. Acetone, 1-octen-3-ol and ammonium hydroxide were separately evaluated at three doses against CO₂ (from dry ice) at a field site supporting a natural population of A. americanum nymphs and adults. Carbon dioxide consistently attracted the …

Proteomic Identification Of Dengue Virus Binding Proteins In Aedes Aegypti Mosquitoes And Aedes Albopictus Cells, Maria De Lourdes Muñoz, Gustavo Limón-Camacho, Rosalinda Tovar, Alvaro Diaz-Badillo, Guillermo Mendoza-Hernández, William C. Black

School of Medicine Publications

The main vector of dengue in America is the mosquito Aedes aegypti, which is infected by dengue virus (DENV) through receptors of midgut epithelial cells. The envelope protein (E) of dengue virus binds to receptors present on the host cells through its domain III that has been primarily recognized to bind cell receptors. In order to identify potential receptors, proteins from mosquito midgut tissue and C6/36 cells were purified by affinity using columns with the recombinant E protein domain III (rE-DIII) or DENV particles bound covalently to Sepharose 4B to compare and evaluate their performance to bind proteins including …

A New Species Of Metathelazia (Nematoda: Pneumospiruridae) From The Lungs Of A Nine-Banded Armadillo In Central Mexico = Especie Nueva De Metathelazia (Nematoda: Pneumospiruridae) De Los Pulmones De Un Armadillo Del Centro De México, F. Agustín Jiménez-Ruiz, Rogelio Rosas-Valdez, Scott Lyell Gardner

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Twenty-four worms were collected from the bronchioles in both lungs of a male nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus Linnaeus, 1758 captured in Teacalco, Morelos, Mexico. The worms, herein named Metathelazia mexicana n. sp., show a constriction in the esophagus at the level of the nerve ring; males of the species have 7 pairs of papillae, fewer than the other species in the genus. Metathelazia capsulata is the most similar species to Metathelazia mexicana; however, the latter has much shorter spicules. This is the fourth species in the genus known to occur in the New World.

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Incidence Of Salmonella And Neighborhood Poverty Level In Connecticut, 2000-2011, Christina Marie Mainero

Public Health Theses

Background: Surveillance by the FoodNet program has shown that Salmonella, unlike other foodborne illnesses, has increased during the past fifteen years within the United States. Little work has been done to examine the role of socioeconomic factors in incidence of Salmonella. Neighborhood poverty level, measured as the percentage of people living below the poverty line, at the census tract level has been accepted as a useful indicator of socioeconomic status. This study utilized geographic information system (GIS) technology and census tract data to examine the variation in Salmonella incidence among census tracts in Connecticut. The objectives of this study were …

Environmental Risk Assessment Of Community Acquired Legionellosis From Recycled Water Use In Los Angeles County California, Luis Lozano

Public Health Theses

Abstract

Legionellosis is caused by Legionella pneumophila, resulting in 8,000-18,000 yearly hospitalizations and 4,000 deaths in the United States (Bouwknegt, 2012) (Toshiaki, 2004) (World Health Organization, 2012). L. pneumophila may persist in the built environment due to unique intracellular characteristics. Although the mode of transmission of L. pneumophila is inhalation of aerosolized contaminated water, this bacterium is not transmitted human to human (World Health Organization, 2012). L. pneumophila infection may be facilitated by the increased use of recycled water in Los Angeles County. In a water stressed area such as Los Angeles County, a limited potable water supply may not …

Use Of The State Immunization System To Assess Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Among Children 6-35 Months Of Age In New Haven County, Ct, 2003-2012, Lun Pei Ng

Public Health Theses

Population-based immunization information systems have been used successfully to assess vaccine effectiveness (VE) in children. The Connecticut Immunization Registry and Tracking system (CIRTS) and the Connecticut Emerging Infections Program (CTEIP) provided the opportunity to evaluate influenza VE among children 6-35 months of age in New Haven County, CT, 2003-2012. A total of 104 case children and 520 date-of-birth- and zipcode-matched controls were studied. The VE in matched analysis of full vaccination compared to no vaccination was 31% (95% CI, <0%-69%; p=0.38). The VE of at least one dose of influenza vaccine compared to no vaccination was 37% (95% CI, <0%-63%; p=0.09). Our study suggests that the overall total VE is unlikely to be greater than 69% among children 6-35 months of age and having had at least one dose of influenza vaccine could be protective from influenza-caused hospitalization compared with never having been vaccinated. This study should be extended for several more influenza seasons to determine a range of effectiveness that does not include zero.

Economic Coping Mechanisms In Response To Household Health Shocks In Kagera, Tanzania: 1991-2004, Rosina Pradhananga

Public Health Theses

ABSTRACT

Background: Chronic and acute illnesses pose substantial economic burden on households due to explicit health expenses and implicit costs engendered by decreased productivity and increased time allocation to care provision. This study examined economic coping mechanisms employed by households to respond to health shocks represented by chronic and acute morbidities.

Methods: Data from Kagera Health and Development Survey (1991-2004) were utilized to examine household health status and economic coping. Pooled OLS regression models were used to analyze the association between household health status and economic burden and coping mechanisms controlling for household size, mean age, income, and characteristics of …

A Predictive Model Of Avian Influenza Among Poultry In Egypt, Natalie Price

Public Health Theses

Background: Avian Influenza (H5N1) has become entrenched in Egypt since its emergence in 2006. Control measures have failed and surveillance systems remain inadequate. A relatively new method for regression called Random Forests is presented here with the goal of providing accurate and timely predictions of the weekly number of outbreaks in each of the Egyptian governorates.

Methods: Predictions were generated from Random Forests models using outbreak data from the FAO EMPRES-i database, and local weather data from Weather Underground. This data was lagged by one and two weeks in order to make prospective predictions with the current week's data in …

The Impact Of Intimate Partner Violence On Breastfeeding: A Demographic And Health Surveys Analysis Of India, Nepal And Timor-Leste, Aliya Cecilia Roginiel

Public Health Theses

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between lifetime experience of intimate partner violence (IPV) and breastfeeding in India, Nepal and Timor-Leste.

Methods: Women respondents, between the ages of 15 and 49 years, whose last child was under or equal to 2 years of age and a singleton birth and who were applied the domestic violence module, were included in the final study sample for each country. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate any unadjusted associations between any lifetime IPV, any physical IPV, any sexual IPV or both and the following breastfeeding outcomes: early breastfeeding …

Modeling The Epidemiological Impact Of Human Hookworm Infection, Laura Skrip

Public Health Theses

Background: Chronic hookworm infection affects an estimated 576 to 740 million people worldwide. Despite mass drug administration efforts, the morbidity associated with this soil-transmitted helminth remains a significant public health issue. Due to inter- and intra- community heterogeneity in susceptibility to infection, mathematical modeling can serve as an effective and efficient tool for investigating hookworm transmission in different settings and for guiding policymakers to consider new treatment and prevention strategies.

Methods: Here we developed an age-structured, compartmental S-I model to identify epidemiological parameters for hookworm infection and to assess rates of attributable anemia within the population of Zanzibar. The model …

Comparisons Of Patients With Recurrent Vs. Incident-Only Clostridium Difficile-Associated Diarrhea: A Case-Control Study Of Treatment Effectiveness At Yale New Haven Hospital, 2010-2011, Mark Stuntz

Public Health Theses

Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most frequent cause of hospital-acquired infectious diarrhea in developed countries. Approximately 19-20% of affected patients will experience a symptomatic recurrence following their first episode of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD). Risk factors for the initial CDAD episode have been well-documented, however, epidemiologic risk factors for recurrent CDAD have not been described in as much detail. It is hypothesized that initial treatment could be a risk factor for recurrent CDAD. The CT Emerging Infections Program (EIP) conducts laboratory-based surveillance for CDAD in New Haven County, however, routine surveillance does not collect treatment data. Therefore, we …

Mdi-Specific Igg Exposure Biomarker And Role Of Intervention, Ann Y. Teng

Public Health Theses

Background:

Diisocyanates are sensitizing agents that are used in many industries in the production of polyurethane foams, coatings and other products. Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) exposure can occur through dermal and inhalation routes resulting in sensitization and leading to isocyanate asthma. MDI-specific IgG (MDI-IgG) bio-monitoring has been proposed to be used as a predictor of exposure.

Methods:

A prospective longitudinal study was used to assess annual MDI- IgG serum markers in 223 workers in a fabric-coating company. Kaplan Meir Survival Analysis determined whether there was a difference in seroconversion based on exposure level. A Cox proportional hazard model was used …

Neighborhood Level Socioeconomic Status And Rurality And Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli Incidence: Connecticut, 2000-2011, Bridget Morrissey Whitney

Public Health Theses

Background: Shiga toxin Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 and other STEC strains are a well-known cause of enteric illness. National estimates are that STEC O157 causes approximately 96,534 illnesses every year in the United States, with another 168,698 illnesses caused by non-O157 STEC serotypes. Determining economic and sociodemographic factors associated with enteric disease incidence may provide new understandings of the transmission of these illnesses, particularly community transmission, and may prove useful in the prevention of disease.

Methods: A total of 764 incident STEC cases were reported in CT from 2000 to 2011. Incident cases were geocoded based on the case's address …

The Influence Of Maternal Obesity On Adolescent Obesity In Santiago, Chile, Yunnuo Zhu

Public Health Theses

Objective: To examine the relationship between adolescent obesity and associated maternal obesity variables of interest, specifically maternal pre-pregnancy obesity and maternal obesity 10 years postpartum.

Design: Secondary data analysis of a longitudinal study in Santiago, Chile (N=786 adolescents). Variables were extracted from multiple waves of data collection. The maternal obesity variables of interest and covariates were stratified by gender and associations of interest examined using univariate logistic regression analyses and multivariate logistic regression models with missing data imputation. Covariates included were birth weight percentile, breastfeeding for 6 months, father's presence, maternal age, and maternal education.

Results: Adolescent obesity was associated …

Resilience And Its Mediating Effect On The Relationship Between Life Stress And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Older Adult People Living With Hiv/Aids, Xindi Fang

Public Health Theses

Background: By 2015, 50% of all HIV/AIDS cases in the United States will be persons 50-plus years of age. Very little, if any, research has examined resilience in older people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). This research explored the conceptual construct of resilience and investigated the mediating effect of resilience on the relationship between life stress and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in PLWHA over fifty.

Methods: Data from a sample of 299 PLWHA over 50 was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to define a hypothesized Resilience construct (represented by Coping Self-Efficacy, Active Coping, Hope/Optimism and Social Support) and to …

Epidemiology And Characterization Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus From Swine Workers In Romania, Eileen Damin Huang

Public Health Theses

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a potent human pathogen associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Livestock are known reservoir for MRSA, which pose substantial health risks for livestock farmers and their community contacts. However, little is known about MRSA among swine workers in Eastern Europe. In this study, we conducted a prevalence survey of swine workers in Romania. Three livestock-associated S. aureus strains (spa type t034, t011, and t4872) and one community-associated S. aureus strain (spa type t321) were isolated from workers on seven commercial swine farms in Transylvania. The rate of MRSA carriage in workers was 6.8%. Veterinarian …