Digital Commons Network^™

The Case For Using Composition Tomography To Evaluate Perirectal Necrotizing Fasciitis: Is It Really Necessary?, Tyler Bayliss, David Denning

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Clinical reviews of Fournier’s Gangrene state that diagnostic protocol includes interpreting CT, MRI, or Ultrasound imaging along with clinical symptoms and lab findings. We think that the use of imaging techniques as a diagnostic tool is no longer needed as Fournier’s Gangrene is specific enough of a disease that clinicians can diagnose using labs and physical examination alone.

Cases of perirectal necrotizing soft tissue infection recorded at St. Marys Medical Center were reviewed. Results of physical exams and imaging were compared along with measurements of severity upon admittance and length of stay. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we investigated if …

Suspected Thiamine Deficiency Secondary To Chronic Gastrointestinal Illness: A Case Report, Abigail L. Meckley, Natalie Lagattuta, Elise Gonzalez, Chamonix Kinimaka, Jessica El-Bahri

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction

Thiamine deficiency, also known as beriberi, is a nutritional disorder caused by a lack of thiamine (vitamin B₁) in the diet. It can occur in 2 forms: dry beriberi, which affects the nervous system, and wet beriberi, which affects the cardiovascular system. Gastrointestinal beriberi is a subtype that affects the digestive system and can lead to multisystem involvement. In the United States (US), thiamine deficiency often arises from chronic malnutrition secondary to alcoholism, known as Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome.

Case Presentation

A 45-year-old female with no known past medical history or alcohol use disorder came to the emergency department …

Acute Bilateral Pyelonephritis In The Setting Of Newly Diagnosed Diabetes Mellitus: A Case Report, Jessenia Ariana Contreras, Satwinder Singh, Ramesh Alwarappan

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction

Acute pyelonephritis is a bacterial infection that starts in the bladder and ascends to the kidneys, causing inflammation of the renal parenchyma. Women are more likely to get infected compared to men, with diabetics being at higher risk. The pathophysiology of how diabetics are more prone to getting urinary tract infections/pyelonephritis has been studied, particularly the difference between bilateral pyelonephritis and unilateral pyelonephritis.

Case Presentation

This case presentation follows a 51-year-old Spanish-speaking woman with a past medical history of prediabetes, bilateral tubal ligation, and perimenopause. She presented to the hospital for abdominal and back pain, fevers, and weakness that …

Covid-19 In The Setting Of Hiv And Severe Hemophilia A: A Case Report, Ryan Wilson, Chae Ko, Rahul Kashyap

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction

A hyperactive immune response is the driving force behind severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Complications of severe COVID-19 include acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute respiratory failure, and increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The management of patients with COVID-19 includes respiratory support, decreasing immune response to the virus to prevent the progression of disease, and anticoagulation to prevent VTE.

Case Presentation

We present the case of a patient with a history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hemophilia A admitted with COVID-19. This case demonstrates the difficulties present when managing COVID-19 in patients with specific comorbidities. Anticoagulation is a …

Mpox-Induced Proctitis, Saif Ghias, Niyati Joshi, Dzenana Cabaravdic, Ramesh Nathan, Jasprit Takher

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a zoonotic virus in the genus Orthopoxvirus, which has a variable incubation period and an extensive array of symptoms. While those infected with Mpox have displayed generalized viral prodromal symptoms, atypical symptoms such as proctitis have also been seen. Proctitis associated with Mpox is a relatively infrequent initial presenting symptom with a reported incidence of 14-32.9% that has seen an uptick in prevalence since the 2022 global endemic.

Case Presentation

We present a confirmed case of Mpox in a 27-year-old male who presented with 3 days of intermittent anorectal bleeding and various forms …

Ischemic Colitis In A Middle-Aged Man With Covid-19: Case Report And Review Of Literature, Lara Appiah, Subhasis Misra, Stephen Jones

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was a pandemic that began in 2019 and continues to have morbid and deadly consequences throughout the world. During the beginning of the pandemic, many considered older adults and immunocompromised younger adults to be the only populations at risk for the severe consequences of COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic, this was proven wrong with several case reports and studies showing that relatively younger adults can also suffer serious consequences from this perplexing virus.

Case Presentation

We report a rare case of ischemic colitis in a 42-year-old obese man who presented to the emergency department with quintessential …

Effects Of Silymarin On S. Aureus Atcc25923 Biofilm And Its Virulence Factors, Wang Jiakang, Tang Haoguo, Chen Jing, Si Qihe, Shen Ruxiao

Food and Machinery

Objective: In this study, the effects of silymarin on the biofilm S. aureus ATCC25923 and its virulence factors were investigated. Methods: The inhibition and clearance of silymarin on S. aureus ATCC25923 biofilm formation were detected by crystal violet staining, the effects of silymarin on its biofilm metabolism were investigated by MTT staining, and the effects of silymarin on its coagulase expression and hemolytic activity were investigated by freeze-dried plasma and aseptic defibrinated sheep blood. In parallel, the effects of different concentrations of silymarin on its biofilm and Fourier transform were observed under an optical microscope. Results: The results showed that …

Quorum-Sensing Agr System Of Staphylococcus Aureus Primes Gene Expression For Protection From Lethal Oxidative Stress, Magdalena Podkowik, Andrew I Perault, Gregory Putzel, Andrew Pountain, Jisun Kim, Ashley L Dumont, Erin E Zwack, Robert J Ulrich, Theodora K Karagounis, Chunyi Zhou, Andreas F Haag, Julia Shenderovich, Gregory A Wasserman, Junbeom Kwon, John Chen, Anthony R Richardson, Jeffrey N Weiser, Carla R Nowosad, Desmond S Lun, Dane Parker, Alejandro Pironti, Xilin Zhao, Karl Drlica, Itai Yanai, Victor J Torres, Bo Shopsin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The agr quorum-sensing system links Staphylococcus aureus metabolism to virulence, in part by increasing bacterial survival during exposure to lethal concentrations of H2O2, a crucial host defense against S. aureus. We now report that protection by agr surprisingly extends beyond post-exponential growth to the exit from stationary phase when the agr system is no longer turned on. Thus, agr can be considered a constitutive protective factor. Deletion of agr resulted in decreased ATP levels and growth, despite increased rates of respiration or fermentation at appropriate oxygen tensions, suggesting that Δagr cells undergo a shift towards a hyperactive metabolic …

The Differences In Maternal Clean And Healthy Living Behavior In The Incidence Of Stunting In Yogyakarta, Shafa Ramadhita, Anindhita Syahbi Syagata, Nor Eka Noviani

Indonesian Journal of Public Health Nutrition (IJPHN)

An indirect cause of stunting is maternal behavior. Moreover, good nutritional knowledge relates to good nutritional behaviors. Maternal clean and Healthy Living Behavior (PHBS) in daily life can reduce the risk of infectious diseases and be role models for children in implementing their future health behavior. The study aims to investigate the differences in PHBS of mothers in the incidence of stunting ages 24-59 months in the Minggir Primary Health Center working area. The cross-sectional approach of this research was conducted from March to April 2023. The subjects of this study were 69 respondents selected by cluster random sampling. The …

Factors Associated With Wasting In Toddlers Aged 6 – 59 Months At Cimpaeun Village, Depok City, West Java, Indonesia In 2023, Early Vici Azmia, Triyanti Triyanti

Indonesian Journal of Public Health Nutrition (IJPHN)

The prevalence of wasting under five in Indonesia in 2022 is 7.7%; according to WHO, this wasting problem is a serious public health problem. Wasting is a nutritional problem in toddlers that has an impact on morbidity and mortality. The research objective was to determine the factors associated with wasting in toddlers aged 6–59 months in Cimpaeun Village in 2023. The dependent variable is wasting, and the independent variables are birth weight, history of fever, diarrhea, acute respiratory infection, energy intake, carbohydrate intake, protein intake, fat intake, mother’s age, pregnancy, mother’s education level, mother’s nutritional knowledge, and family income. This …

Barriers And Facilitators Of Pharmacists’ Roles During The Pandemic In Malaysia, Thanushiri Palani Velu, Farida Islahudin, Wei Wen Chong

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) left a devastating impact on healthcare systems worldwide. The crisis initially emerged as a supply disruption issue but eventually evolved into a myriad of additional challenges, which were attributed mainly to the extensive scale of the pandemic. This study aimed to explore the barriers to the role of hospital pharmacists and related facilitators encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Pharmacists in Malaysia participated in a cross-sectional online questionnaire-based survey. The participants were recruited using convenient sampling. Cronbach alpha of the questionnaire was analyzed.

Results: The study successfully enrolled 367 pharmacists. The …

Loss Of Tumor Suppressor Tmem127 Drives Ret-Mediated Transformation Through Disrupted Membrane Dynamics, Timothy J Walker, Eduardo Reyes-Alvarez, Brandy D Hyndman, Michael G Sugiyama, Larissa C B Oliveira, Aisha N Rekab, Mathieu J F Crupi, Rebecca Cabral-Dias, Qianjin Guo, Patricia L M Dahia, Douglas S Richardson, Costin N Antonescu, Lois M Mulligan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Internalization from the cell membrane and endosomal trafficking of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are important regulators of signaling in normal cells that can frequently be disrupted in cancer. The adrenal tumor pheochromocytoma (PCC) can be caused by activating mutations of the rearranged during transfection (RET) receptor tyrosine kinase, or inactivation of TMEM127, a transmembrane tumor suppressor implicated in trafficking of endosomal cargos. However, the role of aberrant receptor trafficking in PCC is not well understood. Here, we show that loss of TMEM127 causes wildtype RET protein accumulation on the cell surface, where increased receptor density facilitates constitutive ligand-independent activity and …

Determination Of Demographic, Systemic, And Radiographic Characteristics Of Patients Applied To The Oral And Maxillofacial Radiology Clinic, Ayşe Taş, Selmi Yardimci

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia

Objective: Anamnesis, extraoral intraoral examination, radiographic examination, and other special examination methods are used to diagnose diseases in the oral and maxillofacial regions. The aim of this study was to establish the demographic, systemic, and radiographic characteristics of the patients by analyzing the records of patients who were treated at the Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Clinic of the University Faculty of Dentistry. Methods: The anamnesis and diagnostic records of patients who were treated at the OMR clinic between 01.01.2013 and 31.12.2019 and the radiographic records of the patients referred to the X-ray department were retrospectively analyzed. The number of patients …

Production Of Biofertilizer From Fruit And Garden Waste, Neema Msuya

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The project focused on the production of bio-fertilizer from fruit and garden waste, with a specific emphasis on utilizing pineapple tops in the composting process. The objective was to produce and assess the properties of the bio fertilizer obtained from this process and evaluate its potential application in agriculture. In this study, the composting process was done in a 0.7 m long, 0.85 wide and 1.1 m high vessel, and 0.238 m3 pineapple top wastes, resulting in 0.35 m3 of biofertilizer. The bio fertilizer produced exhibited favorable characteristics, including a moisture content of 36%, pH of 7.1, and a total …

Sexualizing And Pathologizing The Other; Reading Doctor Julius Karel Jacobs’S Travel Account To Bali In The Nineteenth Century, Gani A. Jaelani

Wacana, Journal of the Humanities of Indonesia

Since their arrival in the seventeenth century, through the nature of their calling – from the examination of the sick and efforts to acquire knowledge of local medicines – European physicians in the Netherlands East Indies inevitably encountered the local people and their customs. When contact intensified with more frequent journeys into the hinterland, these physicians produced knowledge of the natural world, the culture, and the customs of the region. However, when reading, the travel account of Doctor Julius Karel Jacobs, a Dutch colonial official physician to Bali in 1881, we are offered another perspective. This article discusses how the …

Essays On Industrial Organization, Hayley Wabiszewski

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Big pharma is increasingly using acquisitions to fill their R&D pipelines and the proliferation of the biotechnology industry has created a thick market of innovative target startups. This dissertation analyzes the dynamic equilibrium effects of biotech startup acquisitions by big pharma on drug innovation and entry. Using a novel dataset on 175 acquired startups from 2000 - 2018, I document several new facts regarding the R&D outcomes of acquired drug projects and entry behavior of startups in markets where acquisitions occur. Motivated by this evidence, I build a dynamic oligopoly model of the pharmaceutical industry featuring big firms and startups …

Quorum-Sensing Agr System Of Staphylococcus Aureus Primes Gene Expression For Protection From Lethal Oxidative Stress, Magdalena Podkowik, Andrew I Perault, Gregory Putzel, Andrew Pountain, Jisun Kim, Ashley L Dumont, Erin E Zwack, Robert J Ulrich, Theodora K Karagounis, Chunyi Zhou, Andreas F Haag, Julia Shenderovich, Gregory A Wasserman, Junbeom Kwon, John Chen, Anthony R Richardson, Jeffrey N Weiser, Carla R Nowosad, Desmond S Lun, Dane Parker, Alejandro Pironti, Xilin Zhao, Karl Drlica, Itai Yanai, Victor J Torres, Bo Shopsin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The agr quorum-sensing system links Staphylococcus aureus metabolism to virulence, in part by increasing bacterial survival during exposure to lethal concentrations of H2O2, a crucial host defense against S. aureus. We now report that protection by agr surprisingly extends beyond post-exponential growth to the exit from stationary phase when the agr system is no longer turned on. Thus, agr can be considered a constitutive protective factor. Deletion of agr resulted in decreased ATP levels and growth, despite increased rates of respiration or fermentation at appropriate oxygen tensions, suggesting that Δagr cells undergo a shift towards a hyperactive metabolic …

Expanding Youth-Friendly Hiv Self-Testing Services During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Analysis Of A Crowdsourcing Open Call In Nigeria, Onyekachukwu Anikamadu, Oliver Ezechi, Alexis Engelhart, Ucheoma Nwaozuru, Chisom Obiezu-Umeh, Ponmile Ogunjemite, Babatunde Ismail Bale, Daniel Nwachukwu, Titilola Gbaja-Biamila, David Oladele, Adesola Z Musa, Stacey Mason, Temitope Ojo, Joseph Tucker, Juliet Iwelunmor

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: HIV self-testing (HIVST) among young people is an effective approach to enhance the uptake of HIV testing recommended by the World Health Organization. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted conventional facility-based HIV testing services, necessitating the exploration of innovative strategies for the effective delivery of HIVST.

OBJECTIVE: This study analyzed the outcomes of a digital World AIDS Day crowdsourcing open call, designed to elicit youth responses on innovative approaches to promote HIVST among young people (14-24 years) in Nigeria during COVID-19 restrictions.

METHODS: From November 2 to 22, 2020, a World AIDS Day 2020 crowdsourcing open call was held digitally …

Modeling The Transmission Dynamics Of Tuberculosis In Humans, Farida Kisinda, Joshua A. Mwasunda, Mbwiga S. Aloni

Tanzania Journal of Science

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major threat to human health particularly in most of developing countries. In this article, we formulate and analyze a deterministic model for the transmission dynamics of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. The next generation method is employed to find the basic reproduction number which helps to determine whether TB clears or persists in the human population. Global stability of model equilibria is done through Lyapunov functions whereas the normalized forward sensitivity index method is adopted to determine parameters that drive tuberculosis. Analysis shows that both TB free and endemic equilibria exist. The TB free equilibrium is globally …

Modelling The Combined Use Of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets And Insecticides Zooprophylaxis Against The Resilience Of Anopheles Arabiensis For Effective Malaria Control, Watson Levens

Tanzania Journal of Science

Malaria is a significant public health concern, especially in tropical regions. It remains endemic in many areas where malaria mosquitoes are prevalent. This study investigates the viability of insecticide zooprophylaxis (IZ) in conjunction with Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) as a strategic approach to combat malaria transmission, particularly in regions dominated by zoophagic vectors. Through the presentation and analysis of a mathematical model that integrates IZ and LLINs for the control of Anopheles arabiensis (An. arabiensis), the research underscores IZ's role in reducing zoophagic vector populations and enhancing malaria control efforts. Notably, the study reveals that achieving comprehensive coverage of …

Covid-19 Vaccine Perception And Hesitancy Among Uninsured Free Clinic Patients, Samin Panahi, Brenda Spearman, Justine Sundrud, Mason Lunceford, Akiko Kamimura

Patient Experience Journal

There are many complexities regarding the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines, mainly because the COVID-19 vaccine had a fast track of development compared to vaccines developed in the past years. The purpose of this study is to understand COVID-19 vaccine perception and hesitancy among uninsured free clinic patients using the theory of planned behavior. This study had seven focus groups with 37 total participants, including 19 Spanish speakers. Free clinic adult patients (over the age of 18) participated in four focus groups during Summer of 2021. The average age of the participants was 44.7, and the majority of the participants self-identified …

Evaluation Of Online Patient Complaints Regarding City Hospitals In Türkiye During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Content Analysis Study, Canan Çınar, Elif Erbay, Gökçen Çeliker, Ahmet Selçuk Yıldırım

Patient Experience Journal

The COVID-19 pandemic put tremendous pressure on healthcare systems worldwide, which led to heightened scrutiny of the medical services offered by hospitals. This article aims to evaluate complaints about city hospitals in Türkiye during the COVID-19 pandemic using the Healthcare Complaints Analysis Tool, which includes three main domains and seven problem categories. The complaints submitted by users on the site via “sikayetvar.com” were systematically collected. Document analysis was used as the data collection method, and 925 complaints were included in the analysis. The most common motive for complaining was “just to express” and problems occurred at the stage of admission, …

209-High Microbial Infection Prevalence On Corals Jeopardizes Reef Health Around San Salvador Island, The Bahamas., Micah Ford

GREAT Day Posters

Coral reefs host some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, sustaining thousands of species of corals, fish, crustaceans, and other marine organisms. However, due to overfishing and climate change, coral reef health has been declining rapidly worldwide. One major contributor to coral mortality worldwide is coral disease, recently increasing especially in the Florida and Caribbean waters. Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), which was first identified in Florida in 2014, has rapidly spread into the Caribbean and poses the greatest present disease threat to corals in the Caribbean. We investigated coral disease rates in multiple shallow reef sites …

Maternal Care Utilization And Provision During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Voices From Minoritized Pregnant And Postpartum Women And Maternal Care Providers In Deep South, Ran Zhang, Tiffany Byrd, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Myriam E. Torres Phd, Msph, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Jihong Liu Sc.D.

Faculty Publications

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected maternal care services especially for minoritized individuals, creating challenges for both service users (i.e., African American and Hispanic pregnant/postpartum women) and maternal care providers (MCPs). Guided by a socioecological framework, this study aims to investigate the experiences of African American and Hispanic pregnant and postpartum women, as well as MCPs, in accessing and providing maternal care services during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Deep South.

Methods

We conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 African American women, 20 Hispanic women, and 9 MCPs between January and August 2022. Participants were recruited from Obstetrics and Gynecology …

Ectoparasites Of The Critically Endangered Green Sawfish Pristis Zijsron And Sympatric Elasmobranchs In Western Australia, Jack Ingelbrecht, Karissa O. Lear, Storm B. Martin, Alan J. Lymbery, Bradley M. Norman, Geoffrey A. Boxshall, David L. Morgan

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

This study reports the metazoan ectoparasite fauna of juvenile Critically Endangered green sawfish, Pristis zijsron, and sympatric elasmobranchs in Western Australia. Five parasite taxa were found on 76 screened P. zijsron: Caligus furcisetifer (Copepoda: Caligidae), Dermopristis pterophila (Monogenea: Microbothriidae), Branchellion plicobranchus and Stibarobdella macrothela (Hirudinea: Piscicolidae), and praniza larvae of an unidentified gnathiid isopod. Only C. furcisetifer and D. pterophila were common, exhibiting discrepant site-specificity, with C. furcisetifer occurring mostly on the head and rostrum, and D. pterophila around the pectoral and pelvic fins. Intensity of infection for C. furcisetifer and D. pterophila increased with host total length and …

Antimicrobial Activity Of Cat Flea (Ctenocephalides Felis) Gut Proteins On Different Days After Blood Feeding, Dhruva K. Karnik

Honors College Theses

Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) are a blood-feeding ectoparasitic insect and a common domestic pest found throughout the world. Because of their reliance on host blood, fleas are exposed to blood-borne pathogens; however, the flea gut lumen is a hostile environment for microbial colonization. For example, the gut epithelia differentially express immune genes in response to feeding. In the present study, we measured the antimicrobial activity of gut proteins from cat fleas at different days after feeding (2, 5, 7, and 14). Dissected flea guts were homogenized, passed through a syringe filter, and measured in a protein assay kit. …

Educating Nurses On Frequent Oral Care For Mechanically Ventilated Patients: An Evidence-Based Practice Project Proposal, Grace Alford, Susan Butz, Ruth Chavez, Joy Shoemaker

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

The final scholarly project proposal is to implement oral care education for nurses in an intensive care unit (ICU). The proposal aims to create a guideline for an investigator to implement oral care recommendations for mechanically ventilated patients in order to reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The proposal consists of obtaining VAP data and oral care charting data for the unit studied, steps for providing oral care education, and analysis recommendations. Oral care involves swabbing the patient’s mouth every two hours with a swab and mouthwash. Oral care education would include handouts and direct teaching. The proposal aims to increase oral …

Educating Nurses On Frequent Oral Care For Mechanically Ventilated Patients: An Evidence-Based Practice Project Proposal, Grace Alford, Susan Butz, Ruth Chavez, Joy Shoemaker

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

The final scholarly project proposal is to implement oral care education for nurses in an intensive care unit (ICU). The proposal aims to create a guideline for an investigator to implement oral care recommendations for mechanically ventilated patients in order to reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The proposal consists of obtaining VAP data and oral care charting data for the unit studied, steps for providing oral care education, and analysis recommendations. Oral care involves swabbing the patient’s mouth every two hours with a swab and mouthwash. Oral care education would include handouts and direct teaching. The proposal aims to increase oral …

The Role Of Prevotella Species In Female Genital Tract Infections, Sheridan D. George, Olivia T. Van Gerwen, Chaoling Dong, Lúcia G. Sousa, Nuno Cerca, Jacob H. Elnaggar, Christopher M. Taylor, Christina A. Muzny

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Female genital tract infections (FGTIs) include vaginal infections (e.g., bacterial vaginosis [BV]), endometritis, pelvic inflammatory disease [PID], and chorioamnionitis [amniotic fluid infection]. They commonly occur in women of reproductive age and are strongly associated with multiple adverse health outcomes including increased risk of HIV/sexually transmitted infection acquisition and transmission, infertility, and adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth. These FGTIs are characterized by a disruption of the cervicovaginal microbiota which largely affects host immunity through the loss of protective, lactic acid-producing spp. and the overgrowth of facultative and strict anaerobic bacteria. species (spp.), anaerobic Gram-negative rods, are implicated in the …

Sars-Cov-2 Omicron: Viral Evolution, Immune Evasion, And Alternative Durable Therapeutic Strategies, Hailong Guo, Sha Ha, Jason W Botten, Kai Xu, Ningyan Zhang, Zhiqiang An, William R Strohl, John W Shiver, Tong-Ming Fu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Since the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron virus has gained dominance worldwide, its continual evolution with unpredictable mutations and patterns has revoked all authorized immunotherapeutics. Rapid viral evolution has also necessitated several rounds of vaccine updates in order to provide adequate immune protection. It remains imperative to understand how Omicron evolves into different subvariants and causes immune escape as this could help reevaluate the current intervention strategies mostly implemented in the clinics as emergency measures to counter the pandemic and, importantly, develop new solutions. Here, we provide a review focusing on the major events of Omicron viral evolution, including the features of spike …