Digital Commons Network^™

Use Of The Who Access, Watch, And Reserve Classification To Define Patterns Of Hospital Antibiotic Use (Aware): An Analysis Of Paediatric Survey Data From 56 Countries., Yingfen Hsia, Brian R. Lee, Ann Versporten, Yonghong Yang, Julia Bielicki, Charlotte Jackson, Jason Newland, Herman Goossens, Nicola Magrini, Mike Sharland, Garpec And Global-Pps Networks

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Improving the quality of hospital antibiotic use is a major goal of WHO's global action plan to combat antimicrobial resistance. The WHO Essential Medicines List Access, Watch, and Reserve (AWaRe) classification could facilitate simple stewardship interventions that are widely applicable globally. We aimed to present data on patterns of paediatric AWaRe antibiotic use that could be used for local and national stewardship interventions.

METHODS: 1-day point prevalence survey antibiotic prescription data were combined from two independent global networks: the Global Antimicrobial Resistance, Prescribing, and Efficacy in Neonates and Children and the Global Point Prevalence Survey on Antimicrobial Consumption and …

The Influence Of Vitamin D Supplementation On Local And Systemic Inflammatory Markers In Periodontitis Patients: A Pilot Study, Mohamed M Meghil, Lance Hutchens, Anas Raed, Neha A Multani, Mythilypriya Rajendran, Haidong Zhu, Stephen Looney, Mahmoud Elashiry, Roger M Arce, Mark E Peacock, Yanbin Dong, Christopher W Cutler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is a worldwide public health issue that has been linked to numerous inflammatory disorders, including periodontitis. There is increasing support for a role for adequate vitamin D levels in overall health. Populations with darker skin color have a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency and periodontitis. The purpose of this small pilot study was to investigate the influence of 12 weeks of 25(OH)D vitamin D supplementation (VDS) on mediators of systemic inflammation in dark-skinned, periodontitis patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 23 patients with moderate to severe periodontitis were randomly assigned to the vitamin D …

Comparison Of Methods Used To Estimate The Global Burden Of Disease Related To Undernutrition And Suboptimal Breastfeeding, Alexander C. Mclain, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Sonja Y. Hess, Ellen G. Piwoz

Faculty Publications

The Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) is an ambitious effort to estimate the disease burden attributable to various risk factors. The results from the GBD are used around the world to monitor the UN established Sustainable Development Goals, set health policies and research strategies, among others. The GBD along with other studies, such as those from the Maternal Child Epidemiology Estimation Group and the Lancet Breastfeeding Series Group, produce estimates of the nutrition-related global burden of disease that exhibit considerable differences. These differences are difficult to reconcile due to the estimation methods, which in recent years have substantially increased …

Perspective: Challenges In Use Of Adolescent Anthropometry For Understanding The Burden Of Malnutrition, Alison Tumilowicz, Ty Beal, Lynnette M. Neufeld, Edward A. Frongillo Jr.

Faculty Publications

Improving nutritional status during adolescence is an opportunity to improve the lives of this generation and the next. Estimating the burden of malnutrition at a population level is fundamental to targeting interventions and measuring progress over time, and for adolescents, we usually depend on survey data and the 2007 WHO Growth Reference to do so. There is substantial risk of misguided conclusions regarding adolescent prevalence estimates, however, when underlying methodological limitations of the indicators and reference are not adequately considered. We use national prevalence estimates among girls and young women 10-22 y of age from the 2014 State of Food …

Reaching The End Of The Line: Urinary Tract Infections, Kevin O Tamadonfar, Natalie S Omattage, Caitlin N Spaulding, Scott J Hultgren

Open Access Publications

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) cause a substantial health care burden. UTIs (i) are most often caused by uropathogenic

Systemic Antibiotic Therapy Reduces Circulating Inflammatory Dendritic Cells And Treg-Th17 Plasticity In Periodontitis, Mythilypriya Rajendran, Stephen Looney, Nagendra Singh, Mahmoud Elashiry, Mohamed M Meghil, Ahmed R El-Awady, Omnia Tawfik, Cristiano Susin, Roger M Arce, Christopher W Cutler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Periodontitis (PD) is a common dysbiotic inflammatory disease that leads to local bone deterioration and tooth loss. PD patients experience low-grade bacteremias with oral microbes implicated in the risk of heart disease, cancer, and kidney failure. Although Th17 effectors are vital to fighting infection, functional imbalance of Th17 effectors and regulatory T cells (Tregs) promote inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated, in a small pilot randomized clinical trial, whether expansion of inflammatory blood myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) and conversion of Tregs to Th17 cells could be modulated with antibiotics (AB) as part of initial therapy in PD patients. PD …

Direct Lung Sampling Indicates That Established Pathogens Dominate Early Infections In Children With Cystic Fibrosis., Peter Jorth, Zarmina Ehsan Md, Amir Rezayat, Ellen Caldwell, Christopher Pope, John J. Brewington, Christopher H. Goss, Dan Benscoter, John P. Clancy, Pradeep K. Singh

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Culture and sequencing have produced divergent hypotheses about cystic fibrosis (CF) lung infections. Culturing suggests that CF lungs are uninfected before colonization by a limited group of CF pathogens. Sequencing suggests diverse communities of mostly oral bacteria inhabit lungs early on and diversity decreases as disease progresses. We studied the lung microbiota of CF children using bronchoscopy and sequencing, with measures to reduce contamination. We found no evidence for oral bacterial communities in lung lavages that lacked CF pathogens. Lavage microbial diversity varied widely, but decreases in diversity appeared to be driven by increased CF pathogen abundance, which reduced the …

Comparison Of Nylon-Flocked Swab And Dacron Swab Cytology For Anal Hsil Detection In Transgender Women And Gay, Bisexual, And Other Men Who Have Sex With Men, Dorothy J. Wiley, Hilary K. Hsu, Martha A. Ganser, Jenny Brook, David A. Elashoff, Stephen A. Young, Nancy E. Joste, Ronald Mitsuyasu, Teresa M. Darragh, David H. Morris, Otoniel M. Martínez-Maza, Roger Detels, Jian Yu Rao, Robert K. Bolan, Eric T. Shigeno, Ernesto Rodriguez, Matthrew G. Moran

Pathology Research and Scholarship

BACKGROUND: An anal histological high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (hHSIL) is an anal cancer precursor. Experts recommend Dacron swab anal cytology as a primary screen for anal hHSILs, especially among human immunodeficiency virus-infected and -uninfected men who have sex with men (MSM). Studies have shown that Dacron cytology inaccurately predicts anal hHSILs and results in unnecessary diagnostic procedures. Nylon-flocked (NF) swabs have been shown to trap pathogens and cells well. Thus, this study compared test characteristics of anal cytology using NF and Dacron swab collection protocols to predict anal hHSILs.

METHODS: A single-visit, randomized clinical trial compared NF and Dacron swab …

Effect Of Aging And Predonation Comorbidities On The Related Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Donor Experience: Report From The Related Donor Safety Study., Michael A. Pulsipher, Brent R. Logan, Pintip Chitphakdithai, Deidre M. Kiefer, Marcie L. Riches, J Douglas Rizzo, Paolo Anderlini, Susan F. Leitman, James W. Varni, Hati Kobusingye, Raeanne M. Besser, John P. Miller, Rebecca J. Drexler, Aly Abdel-Mageed, Ibrahim A. Ahmed, Luke P. Akard, Andrew S. Artz, Edward D. Ball, Ruthee-Lu Bayer, Carolyn Bigelow, Brian J. Bolwell, E Randolph Broun, Nancy J. Bunin, David C. Delgado, Katharine Duckworth, Christopher C. Dvorak, Theresa E. Hahn, Ann E. Haight, Parameswaran N. Hari, Brandon M. Hayes-Lattin, David A. Jacobsohn, Ann A. Jakubowski, Kimberly A. Kasow, Hillard M. Lazarus, Jane L. Liesveld, Michael Linenberger, Mark R. Litzow, Walter Longo, Margarida Magalhaes-Silverman, John M. Mccarty, Joseph P. Mcguirk, Shahram Mori, Vinod K. Prasad, Scott D. Rowley, Witold B. Rybka, Indira Sahdev, Jeffrey R. Schriber, George B. Selby, Paul J. Shaughnessy, Shalini Shenoy, Thomas Spitzer, William T. Tse, Joseph P. Uberti, Madhuri Vusirikala, Edmund K. Waller, Daniel J. Weisdorf, Gregory A. Yanik, Willis H. Navarro, Mary M. Horowitz, Galen E. Switzer, Bronwen E. Shaw, Dennis L. Confer

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The development of reduced-intensity approaches for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation has resulted in growing numbers of older related donors (RDs) of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs). The effects of age on donation efficacy, toxicity, and long-term recovery in RDs are poorly understood. To address this we analyzed hematologic variables, pain, donation-related symptoms, and recovery in 1211 PBSC RDs aged 18 to 79 enrolled in the Related Donor Safety Study. RDs aged > 60 had a lower median CD34+ level before apheresis compared with younger RDs (age > 60, 59 × 106/L; age 41 to 60, 81 × 106/L; age 18 to 40, …

Alterations In Phosphorylation Of Hepatocyte Ribosomal Protein S6 Control Plasmodium Liver Stage Infection., Elizabeth K K Glennon, Laura S Austin, Nadia Arang, Heather S Kain, Fred D Mast, Kamalakannan Vijayan, John D Aitchison, Stefan H I Kappe, Alexis Kaushansky

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Plasmodium parasites are highly selective when infecting hepatocytes and induce many changes within the host cell upon infection. While several host cell factors have been identified that are important for liver infection, our understanding of what facilitates the maintenance of infection remains incomplete. Here, we describe a role for phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 (Ser235/236) (p-RPS6) in Plasmodium yoelii-infected hepatocytes. Blocking RPS6 phosphorylation prior to infection decreases the number of liver stage parasites within 24 h. Infected hepatocytes exhibit elevated levels of p-RPS6 while simultaneously abrogating the induction of phosphorylation of RPS6 in response to insulin stimulation. This is in contrast …

Second Case Of Hoip Deficiency Expands Clinical Features And Defines Inflammatory Transcriptome Regulated By Lubac., Hirotsugu Oda, David B. Beck, Hye Sun Kuehn, Natalia Sampaio Moura, Patrycja Hoffmann, Maria Ibarra, Jennifer Stoddard, Wanxia Li Tsai, Gustavo Gutierrez-Cruz, Massimo Gadina, Sergio D. Rosenzweig, Daniel L. Kastner, Luigi D. Notarangelo, Ivona Aksentijevich

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: HOIP is the catalytic subunit of the linear ubiquitination chain assembly complex (LUBAC) that is essential for NF-κB signaling and thus proper innate and adaptive immunity. To date only one patient with HOIP deficiency has been reported with clinical characteristics that include autoinflammation, immunodeficiency, amylopectinosis, and systemic lymphangiectasia. Case: We sought to identify a genetic cause of a disease for an 8 year-old girl who presented with early-onset immune deficiency and autoinflammation. Methods: Targeted next generation sequencing of 352 immune-related genes was performed. Functional studies included transcriptome analysis, cytokine profiling, and protein analysis in patients' primary cells. Results: We …

Effect Of Conditioning Regimen Dose Reduction In Obese Patients Undergoing Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation., Claudio G. Brunstein, Marcelo C. Pasquini, Soyoung Kim, Mingwei Fei, Kehinde Adekola, Ibrahim A. Ahmed, Mahmoud Aljurf, Vaibhav Agrawal, Jeffrey J. Auletta, Minoo Battiwalla, Nelli Bejanyan, Joseph Bubalo, Jan Cerny, Lynette Chee, Stefan O. Ciurea, Cesar Freytes, Shahinaz M. Gadalla, Robert Peter Gale, Siddhartha Ganguly, Shahrukh K. Hashmi, Peiman Hematti, Gerhard Hildebrandt, Leona A. Holmberg, Oscar B. Lahoud, Heather Landau, Hillard M. Lazarus, Marcos De Lima, Vikram Mathews, Richard Maziarz, Taiga Nishihori, Maxim Norkin, Richard Olsson, Ran Reshef, Seth Rotz, Bipin Savani, Harry C. Schouten, Sachiko Seo, Baldeep M. Wirk, Jean Yared, Shin Mineishi, John Rogosheske, Miguel-Angel Perales

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Data are limited on whether to adjust high-dose chemotherapy before autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (autoHCT) in obese patients. This study explores the effects of dose adjustment on the outcomes of obese patients, defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2. Dose adjustment was defined as a reduction in standard dosing ≥20%, based on ideal, reported dosing and actual weights. We included 2 groups of US patients who had received autoHCT between 2008 and 2014. Specifically, we included patients with multiple myeloma (MM, n = 1696) treated with high-dose melphalan and patients with Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphomas (n = 781) …

Covert Pathogenesis: Transient Exposures To Microbes As Triggers Of Disease, Nicole M. Gilbert, Amanda L. Lewis

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Association Of Blood Concentrations Of Complement Split Product Ic3b And Serum C3 With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity, Alfred H J Kim, Vibeke Strand, Deepali P Sen, Qiang Fu, Nancy L Mathis, Martin J Schmidt, Robin R Bruchas, Nick R Staten, Paul K Olson, Chad M Stiening, John P Atkinson

Open Access Publications

OBJECTIVE: To examine correlations between blood levels of complement split product iC3b and serum component C3 with clinically meaningful changes in disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS: A total of 159 consecutive patients with SLE, diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology or Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics classification criteria, were enrolled in CASTLE (Complement Activation Signatures in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus), a prospective observational study. Patients with 1-7 study visits were included in this longitudinal analysis. In addition, 48 healthy volunteers were enrolled to establish a normal reference value for the ratio of blood iC3b …

Timely Linkage Of Individuals To Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Development, Implementation, And Evaluation Of Findhelpnowky.Org, Terry Lee Bunn, Dana Quesinberry, Tyler Jennings, Amber Kizewski, Heather Jackson, Sarah Mckee, Sarah Eustice

Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center Faculty Publications

Background: Substance use disorders (SUD) have steadily increased over the last two decades. Seeking SUD treatment involves searching SUD treatment facility types (inpatient, outpatient and intensive outpatient, residential and family residential, and detoxification facilities) that offer specialized SUD treatment depending on individual needs and preferences. Referrals to SUD treatment require innovative strategies that rapidly link individuals to SUD treatment when they are at the critical stage of readiness. The aim of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate a user-friendly SUD treatment facility opening availability website called FindHelpNowKY.org. The objectives of the study were to 1) recruit SUD treatment …

Characteristics Of Late Fatal Infections After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation., Maxim Norkin, Bronwen E. Shaw, Ruta Brazauskas, Heather R. Tecca, Helen L. Leather, Juan Gea-Banacloche, Rammurti T. Kamble, Zachariah Defilipp, David A. Jacobsohn, Olle Ringden, Yoshihiro Inamoto, Kimberly A. Kasow, David Buchbinder, Peter Shaw, Peiman Hematti, Raquel Schears, Sherif M. Badawy, Hillard M. Lazarus, Neel Bhatt, Biljana Horn, Saurabh Chhabra, Kristin M. Page, Betty Hamilton, Gerhard C. Hildebrandt, Jean A. Yared, Vaibhav Agrawal, Amer M. Beitinjaneh, Navneet Majhail, Tamila Kindwall-Keller, Richard F. Olsson, Helene Schoemans, Robert Peter Gale, Siddhartha Ganguly, Ibrahim A. Ahmed, Harry C. Schouten, Jane L. Liesveld, Nandita Khera, Amir Steinberg, Ami J. Shah, Melhem Solh, David I. Marks, Witold Rybka, Mahmoud Aljurf, Andrew C. Dietz, Usama Gergis, Biju George, Sachiko Seo, Mary E D Flowers, Minoo Battiwalla, Bipin N. Savani, Marcie L. Riches, John R. Wingard

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

We analyzed late fatal infections (LFIs) in allogeneic stem cell transplantation (HCT) recipients reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research. We analyzed the incidence, infection types, and risk factors contributing to LFI in 10,336 adult and 5088 pediatric subjects surviving for ≥2 years after first HCT without relapse. Among 2245 adult and 377 pediatric patients who died, infections were a primary or contributory cause of death in 687 (31%) and 110 (29%), respectively. At 12 years post-HCT, the cumulative incidence of LFIs was 6.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.8% to 7.0%) in adults, compared with 1.8% …

Genetic Associations Of Hemoglobin In Children With Chronic Kidney Disease In The Pedigfr Consortium, Meredith A Atkinson, Rui Xiao, Anna Köttgen, Elke Wühl, Craig S Wong, Matthias Wuttke, Aysun K Bayazit, Salim Çalişkan, Bradley A Warady, Franz Schaefer, Susan L Furth

Pediatrics Research and Scholarship

BACKGROUND: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in healthy populations have identified variants associated with erythrocyte traits, but genetic causes of hemoglobin variation in children with CKD are incompletely understood.

METHODS: The Pediatric Investigation of Genetic Factors Linked with Renal Progression (PediGFR) Consortium comprises three pediatric CKD cohorts: Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD), Effect of Strict Blood Pressure Control and ACE Inhibition on the Progression of CRF in Pediatric Patients (ESCAPE), and Cardiovascular Comorbidity in Children with CKD (4C). We performed cross-sectional and longitudinal association studies of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 1125 patients.

RESULTS: Children of European (n = 725) or …

Biosynthetic And Synthetic Strategies For Assembling Capuramycin-Type Antituberculosis Antibiotics, Ashley L. Biecker, Xiaodong Liu, Jon S. Thorson, Zhaoyong Yang, Steven G. Van Lanen

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has recently surpassed HIV/AIDS as the leading cause of death by a single infectious agent. The standard therapeutic regimen against tuberculosis (TB) remains a long, expensive process involving a multidrug regimen, and the prominence of multidrug-resistant (MDR), extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and totally drug-resistant (TDR) strains continues to impede treatment success. An underexplored class of natural products—the capuramycin-type nucleoside antibiotics—have been shown to have potent anti-TB activity by inhibiting bacterial translocase I, a ubiquitous and essential enzyme that functions in peptidoglycan biosynthesis. The present review discusses current literature concerning the biosynthesis and chemical synthesis of capuramycin …

Developing And Assessing The Feasibility Of A Home-Based Preexposure Prophylaxis Monitoring And Support Program, Aaron J Siegler, Kenneth H Mayer, Albert Y Liu, Rupa R Patel, Lauren M Ahlschlager, Colleen S Kraft, Rossi Fish, Sarah E Wiatrek, Patrick S Sullivan

2010-2019 OA Pubs

We piloted PrEP@Home, a preexposure prophylaxis system of remote laboratory and behavioral monitoring designed to replace routine quarterly follow-up visits with home care to reduce the patient and provider burden. The system was highly acceptable and in-demand for future use, and more than one-third of participants reported greater likelihood of persisting in care if available.

Csf Inflammatory Markers Differ In Gram-Positive Versus Gram-Negative Shunt Infections., Gwenn L. Skar, David C. Synhorst, Matthew Beaver, Jessica N. Snowden

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt placement is frequently complicated by bacterial infection. Shunt infection diagnosis relies on bacterial culture of CSF which can often produce false-negative results. Negative cultures present a conundrum for physicians as they are left to rely on other CSF indices, which can be unremarkable. New methods are needed to swiftly and accurately diagnose shunt infections. CSF chemokines and cytokines may prove useful as diagnostic biomarkers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of systemic and CSF biomarkers for identification of CSF shunt infection.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of children with …

A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial Of Fidaxomicin For Prophylaxis Of Clostridium Difficile-Associated Diarrhea In Adults Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Kathleen M. Mullane, Erik R. Dubberke, Et Al

Open Access Publications

Background: Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) is common during hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We evaluated fidaxomicin for prevention of CDAD in HSCT patients.

Methods: In this double-blind study, subjects undergoing HSCT with fluoroquinolone prophylaxis stratified by transplant type (autologous/allogeneic) were randomized to once-daily oral fidaxomicin (200 mg) or a matching placebo. Dosing began within 2 days of starting conditioning or fluoroquinolone prophylaxis and continued until 7 days after neutrophil engraftment or completion of fluoroquinolone prophylaxis/clinically-indicated antimicrobials for up to 40 days. The primary endpoint was CDAD incidence through 30 days after study medication. …

Consequences Of Pathogen Lists: Why Some Diseases May Continue To Plague Us, David Brett-Major, Trina Racine, Gary P. Kobinger

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

The current strategy used by many funding agencies for determining how money is spent on research to help prevent infectious disease outbreaks is based on pathogen-specific priority lists. Listing disease threats provides focus for business and research planning conducive to specific goals of developing a drug, or a vaccine, or other particular product. But, this singular type of focus has consequences. This perspective explores the consequences of lists, and describes how parallel programming independent of disease lists that address what we need to do to prevent and mitigate emerging disease risks may provide benefits out of reach of a singular …

Effect Of Abo Blood Group On Asymptomatic, Uncomplicated And Placental Plasmodium Falciparum Infection: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Abraham Degarege, Merhawi T. Gebrezgi, Consuelo M. Beck-Sague, Mats Wahlgren, Luiz Carlos De Mattos, Purnima Madhivanan

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Malaria clinical outcomes vary by erythrocyte characteristics, including ABO blood group, but the effect of ABO blood group on asymptomatic, uncomplicated and placental Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) infection remains unclear. We explored effects of ABO blood group on asymptomatic, uncomplicated and placental falciparum infection in the published literature.

METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Articles in Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL and Cochrane Library published before February 04, 2017 were searched without restriction. Studies were included if they reported P. falciparum infection incidence or prevalence, …

Antibodies In The Diagnosis, Prognosis, And Prediction Of Psychotic Disorders., Thomas A Pollak, Jonathan P Rogers, Robert G Nagele, Mark Peakman, James M Stone, Anthony S David, Philip Mcguire

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Blood-based biomarker discovery for psychotic disorders has yet to impact upon routine clinical practice. In physical disorders antibodies have established roles as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive (theranostic) biomarkers, particularly in disorders thought to have a substantial autoimmune or infective aetiology. Two approaches to antibody biomarker identification are distinguished: a "top-down" approach, in which antibodies to specific antigens are sought based on the known function of the antigen and its putative role in the disorder, and emerging "bottom-up" or "omics" approaches that are agnostic as to the significance of any one antigen, using high-throughput arrays to identify distinctive components of the …

Mapping Of Lymphatic Filariasis In Loiasis Areas: A New Strategy Shows No Evidence For Wuchereria Bancrofti Endemicity In Cameroon, Samuel Wanji, Mathias Eyong Esum, Abdel Jelil Njouendou, Amuam Andrew Mbeng, Patrick W Chounna Ndongmo, Raphael Awah Abong, Jerome Fru, Fanny F. Fombad, Gordon Takop Nchanji, Glory Ngongeh, Narcisse V. Ngandjui, Peter Ivo Enyong, Helen Storey, Kurt C. Curtis, Kerstin Fischer, Joseph R. Fauver, Daphne Lew, Charles W. Goss, Peter U. Fischer

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Mapping of lymphatic filariasis (LF) caused by Wuchereria bancrofti largely relies on the detection of circulating antigen using ICT cards. Several studies have recently shown that this test can be cross-reactive with sera of subjects heavily infected with Loa loa and thus mapping results in loiasis endemic areas may be inaccurate.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In order to develop an LF mapping strategy for areas with high loiasis prevalence, we collected day blood samples from 5,001 subjects residing in 50 villages that make up 6 health districts throughout Cameroon. Antigen testing using Filarial Test Strip (FTS, a novel platform that uses …

Using "Outbreak Science" To Strengthen The Use Of Models During Epidemics., Caitlin Rivers, Jean-Paul Chretien, Steven Riley, Julie A. Pavlin, Alexandra Woodward, David Brett-Major, Irina Maljkovic Berry, Lindsay Morton, Richard G. Jarman, Matthew Biggerstaff, Michael A. Johansson, Nicholas G. Reich, Diane Meyer, Michael R. Snyder, Simon Pollett

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Infectious disease modeling has played a prominent role in recent outbreaks, yet integrating these analyses into public health decision-making has been challenging. We recommend establishing ‘outbreak science’ as an inter-disciplinary field to improve applied epidemic modeling.

New Filovirus Disease Classification And Nomenclature, Jens H. Kuhn, Takuya Adachi, Neill K.J. Adhikari, Jose R. Arribas, Ibrahima Elhadj Bah, Daniel G. Bausch, Nahid Bhadelia, Matthias Borchert, Arne Broch Brantsæter, David Brett-Major, Timothy H. Burgess, Daniel S. Chertow, Christopher G. Chute, Theodore J. Cieslak, Robert Colebunders, Ian Crozier, Richard T. Davey, Hilde De Clerck, Rafael Delgado, Laura Evans, Mosoka Fallah, William A. Fischer, Tom E. Fletcher, Robert A. Fowler, Thomas Grünewald, Andy Hall, Angela L. Hewlett, Andy I.M. Hoepelman, Catherine F. Houlihan, Giuseppe Ippolito, Shevin T. Jacob, Michael Jacobs, Robert Jakob, Frederique A. Jacquerioz, Laurent Kaiser, Andre C. Kalil, Rashidatu F. Kamara, Jimmy Kapetshi, Hans-Dieter Klenk, Gary Kobinger, Mark G. Kortepeter, Colleen S. Kraft, Thomas Kratz, Henry S. Kyobe Bosa, Marta Lado, François Lamontagne, H. Cliff Lane, Leslie Lobel, Julius Lutwama, G. Marshall Lyon, Moses B.F. Massaquoi, Thomas A. Massaquoi, Aneesh K. Mehta, Vital Mondonge Makuma, Srinivas Murthy, Tonny Seikikongo Musoke, Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, Phiona Nakyeyune, Carolina Nanclares, Miriam Nanyunja, Justus Nsio-Mbeta, Tim O'Dempsey, Janusz T. Pawęska, Clarence J. Peters, Peter Piot, Christophe Rapp, Bertrand Renaud, Bruce Ribner, Pardis C. Sabeti, John S. Schieffelin, Werner Slenczka, Moses J. Soka, Armand Sprecher, James Strong, Robert Swanepoel, Timothy M. Uyeki, Michel Van Herp, Pauline Vetter, David A. Wohl, Timo Wolf, Anja Wolz, Alie H. Wurie, Zabulon Yoti

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

The recent large outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Western Africa resulted in greatly increased accumulation of human genotypic, phenotypic and clinical data, and improved our understanding of the spectrum of clinical manifestations. As a result, the WHO disease classification of EVD underwent major revision.

Diagnosis Of Schistosoma Mansoni Infections: What Are The Choices In Brazilian Low-Endemic Areas?, Vanessa Silva-Moraes, Lisa M. Shollenberger, Liliane Maria Vidal Siqueira, William Castro-Borges, Donald A. Harn, Rafaella Fortini Queiroz E. Grenfell, Ana Lucia Teles Rabello, Paulo Marcos Zech Coelho

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The population of Brazil is currently characterised by many individuals harbouring low-intensity Schistosoma mansoni infections. The Kato-Katz technique is the diagnostic method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to assess these infections, but this method is not sensitive enough in the context of low egg excretion. In this regard, potential alternatives are being employed to overcome the limits of the Kato-Katz technique. In the present review, we evaluated the performance of parasitological and immunological approaches adopted in Brazilian areas. Currently, the diagnostic choices involve a combination of strategies, including the utilisation of antibody methods to screen individuals and then …

Field Testing Integrated Interventions For Schistosomiasis Elimination In The People's Republic Of China: Outcomes Of A Multifactorial Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial, Gail M. Williams, Yue-Sheng Li, Darren J. Gray, Zheng-Yuan Zhao, Donald A. Harn, Lisa M. Shollenberger, Sheng-Ming Li, Xinglin Yu, Zeng Feng, Jia-Gang Guo, Jie Zhou, Yu-Lan Dong, Yuan Li, Biao Guo, Patrick Driguez, Marina Harvie, Hong You, Allen G. Ross, Donald P. Mcmanus

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Despite significant progress, China faces the challenge of re-emerging schistosomiasis transmission in currently controlled areas due, in part, to the presence of a range of animal reservoirs, notably water buffalo and cattle, which can harbor Schistosoma japonicum infections. Environmental, ecological and social-demographic changes in China, shown to affect the distribution of oncomelanid snails, can also impact future schistosomiasis transmission. In light of their importance in the S. japonicum, lifecycle, vaccination has been proposed as a means to reduce the excretion of egg from cattle and buffalo, thereby interrupting transmission from these reservoir hosts to snails. A DNA-based vaccine (SjCTPI) …

Risk Mitigation For Travelers: Managing Endemic And Emerging Threats, Shannon M. Wood, David Brett-Major

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

International travel continues to increase in numbers and complexity. Despite the availability of pretravel health advice, travelers remain at risk for exposure to common organisms as well as emerging pathogens. With low rates of travel clinic utilization, it is important for the general practitioner to remain aware of the importance of travel health, risk factors unique to individual patients, and evolving threats. This review highlights important considerations when evaluating ill travelers, incorporating emerging infectious threats.