Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

A Case-Study Approach To Investigate Transmission, Co-Infection, And Clinical Sequelae During Epidemics Of Dengue And Ebola Virus Disease, Jennifer Elizabeth Giovanni

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

From within their ecologic niches, zoonotic viruses emerge from animal reservoirs into the edges and centers of human habitation to exploit opportunities for unabated transmission within immunologically–naïve populations. Our understanding of where, in whom, and how these viruses emerge is under direct challenge, driving the evolution of modern infectious disease epidemiology within a rapidly-connected global community. The studies presented herein are based on analyses of both aggregate and case-level data, which, we argue, provide unique insight into the complexities of transmission, co-infection, and clinical sequelae occurring within, and arising from, epidemics of emerging zoonotic viruses. In Chapter II, we investigate …

The Interface Between Invasive Species And The Increased Incidence Of Tick-Borne Diseases, And The Implications For Federal Land Managers, Ed Clark, Janis Mcfarland, Blaine Parker, Slade Franklin

National Invasive Species Council

Includes information on the dynamics of tick-borne disease, factors affecting the occurrence and density of ticks, matrices of ties between habitat, human activities, invasive plants, and ticks, federal resources and programs related to ticks and vector-borne disease in the United States, with references and an annotated bibliography of literature on ticks, vector-borne diseases, and invasive species.

Z4, A Slow Puncture: An Autoethnographic Exploration Of Language, Embodiment, And Meaning-Making, Charlotte Rose Samuels

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In my ISP, I explored language as it relates to the ways in which people living in Cato Manor make sense of HIV/AIDS in their community. With 7.1-7.2 million people living with HIV (PLWHIV) in South Africa, individuals across the country are either infected or affected by illness. KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), the province with the highest rate of HIV, is also the province that was surveyed with the disproportionately highest internal stigma rates for PLWHIV. High prevalence of HIV, particularly in KZN, calls for a constant contextualization of life in the presence of illness.

Throughout the world, metaphor and symbolism is …

Translating Antimicrobial Resistance: A Case Study Of Context And Consequences Of Antibiotic-Related Communication In Three Northern Thai Villages, Nutcha Charoenboon, Marco J. Haenssgen, Penporn Warapikuptanun, Thipphaphone Xayavong, Yuzana Khine Zaw

Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens to cause ten million deaths annually by 2050, making it a top item on the global health agenda. The current global policy response is multi-faceted, wherein behavioural dimensions like people’s medicine use are being predominantly addressed with education and communication campaigns. The social sciences literature suggests that cross-contextual translation of medical knowledge in global awareness campaigns can create misunderstandings and adverse behavioural responses. However, the consequences of AMR communication in low-income and middle-income contexts remain largely undocumented. In response to the empirical knowledge gap, this study presents the case study of educational activity in three northern …

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 …

Serological Proteomic Screening And Evaluation Of A Recombinant Egg Antigen For The Diagnosis Of Low-Intensity Schistosoma Mansoni Infections In Endemic Area In Brazil, Vanessa Silva-Moraes, Lisa Marie Shollenberger, William Castro-Borges, Ana Lucia Teles Rabello, Donald A. Harn, Lia Carolina Soares Medeiros, Wander De Jesus Jeremias, Liliane Maria Vidal Siqueira, Caroline Stephane Salviano Pereira, Maria Luysa Camargos Pedrosa, Nathalie Bonatti Franco Almeida, Aureo Almeida, Jose Roberto Lambertucci, Nidia Francisca De Figueiredo Carneiro, Paulo Marcos Zech Coelho, Refaella Fortini Queiroz Grenfell

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Despite decades of use of control programs, schistosomiasis remains a global public health problem. To further reduce prevalence and intensity of infection, or to achieve the goal of elimination in low-endemic areas, there needs to be better diagnostic tools to detect low-intensity infections in low-endemic areas in Brazil. The rationale for development of new diagnostic tools is that the current standard test Kato-Katz (KK) is not sensitive enough to detect low-intensity infections in low-endemic areas. In order to develop new diagnostic tools, we employed a proteomics approach to identify biomarkers associated with schistosome-specific immune responses in hopes of developing …

A Review Of Rat Lungworm Infection And Recent Data On Its Definitive Hosts In Hawaii, Chris N. Niebuhr, Susan I. Jarvi, Shane R. Siers

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) is a zoonotic nematode that causes rat lungworm disease (angiostrongyliasis), a potentially debilitating form of meningitis, in humans worldwide. The definitive hosts for rat lungworm are primarily members of the genus Rattus, with gastropods as intermediate hosts. This parasite has emerged as an important public health concern in the United States, especially in Hawaii, where the number of human cases has increased in the last decade. Here we discuss the current knowledge of the rat lungworm, including information on the life cycle and host species, as well as updates on known infection levels. Three …

The Prevotella Copri Complex Comprises Four Distinct Clades Underrepresented In Westernized Populations, Adrian Tett, Kun D. Huang, Francesco Asnicar, Hannah Fehlner-Peach, Edoardo Pasolli, Nicolai Karcher, Federica Armanini, Paolo Manghi, Kevin Bonham, Moreno Zolfo, Francesca De Filippis, Cara Magnabosco, Richard Bonneau, John Lusingu, John Amuasi, Karl Reinhard, Thomas Rattei, Fredrik Boulund, Lars Engstrand, Albert Zink, Maria Carmen Collado, Dan R. Littman, Daniel Eibach, Danilo Ercolini, Omar Rota-Stabelli, Curtis Huttenhower, Frank Maixner, Nicola Segata

Karl Reinhard Publications

Prevotella copri is a common human gut microbe that has been both positively and negatively associated with host health. In a cross-continent metaanalysis exploiting >6,500 metagenomes, we obtained >1,000 genomes and explored the genetic and population structure of P. copri. P. copri encompasses four distinct clades (>10% inter-clade genetic divergence) that we propose constitute the P. copri complex, and all clades were confirmed by isolate sequencing. These clades are nearly ubiquitous and co-present in non-Westernized populations. Genomic analysis showed substantial functional diversity in the complex with notable differences in carbohydrate metabolism, suggesting that multi-generational dietary modifications may be …

Imaging Coprolite Taphonomy And Preservation, Karl Reinhard, Morgana Camacho, Breyden Geyer, Samantha Hayek, Chase Horn, Kaitlin Otterson, Julia Russ

Karl Reinhard Publications

The impact of coprolite taphonomy on parasite remains and aDNA recovery has been recognized. In general, coprolites from sites protected by geologic features such as caves and rock shelters exhibit the best preservation. In contrast, coprolites from open sites can be badly affected by taphonomic processes as shown by analyses of parasite eggs. For eggs, the impact of mites and free living nematodes has been quantified. Mites are associated with poor pinworm egg preservation. In other studies, percolation of water through sediments has a negative impact on egg recovery. We note that dietary remains can also decompose at open sites. …

Simulating Antibiotic Resistance In The Computer Lab And Biology Lab: Ideas For Undergraduate Projects, Anne E. Yust

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Macrophages But Not Astrocytes Harbor Hiv Dna In The Brains Of Hiv-1-Infected Aviremic Individuals On Suppressive Antiretroviral Therapy, Allen Ko, Guobin Kang, Julian B. Hattler, Hadiza I. Galadima, Junfeng Zhang, Qingsheng Li, Woong-Ki Kim

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The question of whether the human brain is an anatomical site of persistent HIV-1 infection during suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) is critical, but remains unanswered. The presence of virus in the brains of HIV patients whose viral load is effectively suppressed would demonstrate not only the potential for CNS to act as an anatomical HIV reservoir, but also the urgent need to understand the factors contributing to persistent HIV behind the blood-brain barrier. Here, we investigated for the first time the presence of cells harboring HIV DNA and RNA in the brains from subjects with undetectable plasma viral load and …

Pollen Evidence Of Medicine From An Embalming Jar Associated With Vittoria Della Rovere, Florence, Italy, Karl Reinhard, Kelsey B. Lynch, Annie Larsen, Braymond Adams, Leon Higley, Marina Milanello Do Amaral, Julia Russ, Donatella Lippi, Johnica J. Morrow, Dario Piombino-Mascali

Karl Reinhard Publications

Various samples of human viscera fragments, sponges, and cloth were collected from embalming jars belonging to members of the Medici family of Florence. One jar was labeled with the name Vittoria della Rovere, who died in March of 1694. This jar contained viscera fragments that were identified as a section of collapsed intestine. The intestine of the Vittoria della Rovere sample contained a large concentration of pollen belonging to the Myrtaceae family. The Myrtaceae pollen was sometimes observed in clusters during analysis, which is indicative of purposeful ingestion of flowers, buds, or a substance derived from floral structures. Thus, the …

The Role Of Outcome Preferences In Optimizing Heterogenous Disease Control Strategies., Evan Milliken

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Evolution Of Bordetella Pertussis Genome May Play A Role In The Increased Rate Of Whooping Cough Cases In The United States, Kevin Loftus

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Bordetella pertussis is the bacterium responsible for pertussis, a disease commonly referred to as whooping cough. Recently, pertussis has made a resurgence in the U.S. despite high-vaccination coverage. Possible causes of the increased number of pertussis cases include genetic evolution of B. pertussis, increased awareness of the disease, better laboratory diagnostics, and the switch from a whole-cellular (wP) vaccine to an acellular vaccine (aP) in the 1990s. Fortunately, just as B. pertussis is evolving, so is the arsenal of technologies used to understand and combat this pathogenic bacterium. Whole genome sequencing is one technology that helps researchers better understand …

Herpes Zoster Patient Education: A Coloring Book Approach, Sophia Charuhas

Senior Honors Theses

Shingles, the disease caused by the herpes zoster virus, is a widespread and widely misunderstood illness in the United States. It is preventable, but many at-risk patients do not know what measures they may take to prevent it. Clear communication from physician to patient is crucial for patient understanding of diseases. Many patient education materials on herpes zoster currently available are often unused. It is therefore beneficial to public health to disseminate new mediums of medical communication, and one way of accomplishing this is through adult coloring books. The pathophysiology of herpes zoster virus is here explored and the idea …

Identification Of Novel Hits Against, Ala A. Azhari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by obligate intracellular parasites of the genus Leishmania, including 20 species that are pathogenic to humans. Female sand fly is the known vector that can transmit the disease. Visceral leishmaniasis is the severe form of the disease that affects internal organs and can be fatal with inappropriate diagnosis or treatment. Leishmania donovani is the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis. Approximately 350 million in 89 countries are at risk of infection. Around 2 million new cases are reported annually with 500,000 of these are visceral leishmaniasis. Current drug therapies are inadequate due to their toxicity, high …

Recovering Parasites From Mummies And Coprolites: An Epidemiological Approach, Morgana Camacho, Adauto Araújo, Johnica J. Morrow, Jane E. Buikstra, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

In the field of archaeological parasitology, researchers have long documented the distribution of parasites in archaeological time and space through the analysis of coprolites and human remains. This area of research defined the origin and migration of parasites through presence/absence studies. By the end of the 20th century, the field of pathoecology had emerged as researchers developed an interest in the ancient ecology of parasite transmission. Supporting studies were conducted to establish the relationships between parasites and humans, including cultural, subsistence, and ecological reconstructions. Parasite prevalence data were collected to infer the impact of parasitism on human health. In the …

Angiostrongylus Cantonensis: Epidemiologic Review, Location-Specific Habitat Modelling, And Surveillance In Hillsborough County, Florida, U.S.A., Brad Christian Perich

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a parasitic nematode endemic to tropical and subtropical regions and is the leading cause of human eosinophilic meningitis. The parasite is commonly known as rat lungworm because the primary host in its lifecycle is the rat. A clinical overview of rat lungworm infection is presented, followed by a literature review of rat lungworm epidemiology, risk factors, and surveillance projects. Data collected from previous snail surveys in Florida was considered alongside elevation, population per square kilometer, median household income by zip code territory, and normalized difference vegetation index specific to the geographic coordinates from which the snail samples …

Frequency And Factors Associated With Adult Immunization In Patients Visiting Family Medicine Clinics At A Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi, Samar Zaki, Asma Usman, Swaleha Tariq, Sameena Shah, Iqbal Azam Syed, Waris Qidwai, Kashmira Nanji

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: The goal of this study was to determine the frequency and factors associated with adult immunization in patients visiting family medicine clinics at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2014 to March 2015 in a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Participants more than 18 years were invited to participate in the study. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect information. Data were entered and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 19.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp).
Results: A total of 340 patients were surveyed. The majority of patients …

Mozambique: Hiv/Aids, Camila Davila

Global Public Health

Mozambique is a country located in Southeastern Africa near the Mozambique Channel and the Indian Ocean. The president of this nation is Filipe Jacinto Nyusi. The total population is 26, 573, 706 which is composed of mostly 99.68% Africans and other minorities. Its national language is Portuguese although most of the population speaks Emarkhuwa. Most of the population is Catholic and a few others include Muslims and Zionist Christians. Mozambique faces several challenges with malaria, poverty, malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, and illicit drugs. HIV/AIDS is a common health problem that targets the immune system and is transmitted through bodily fluids such as …

Quantification Of Hiv-1 Rna Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Using An At-Home Self-Collected Dried Blood Spot Specimen: Feasibility Study, Sabina Hirshfield, Richard A. Teran, Martin J. Downing Jr., Mary Ann Chiasson, Hong-Van Tieu, Laura Dize, Charlotte A. Gaydos

Publications and Research

Background: Suboptimal antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and disengagement in care present significant public health challenges because of the increased probability of HIV transmission. In the United States, men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV, highlighting a critical need to engage high-risk MSM living with HIV who are not engaged or retained in care.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of at-home blood self-collection and laboratory quantification of HIV-1 RNA viral load (VL) to report laboratory-based VL outcomes and compare self-reported and laboratory-reported VL

Methods: Between 2016 and 2017, …

Paleoparasitology And Pathoecology In Russia: Investigations And Perspectives, Sergey Slepchenko, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Russia, both as the USSR and the Russian federation, provided a source of parasitological theory for decades. A key figure in Russian parasitology was Yevgeny Pavlovsky. He developed the nidus concept, the conceptual basis for the field of pathoecology. He also coined the term “paleoparasitology.” Pathoecology is a foundation concept in archaeological parasitology. Paleoparasitology, as defined by Pavlovsky, is an avenue for understanding of host parasite evolution over very long time periods. These contributions are not fully recognized internationally. Similarly, the long history of Russian paleontological and archaeological investigations are not fully known. Most recently, discoveries from archaeological sites show …

The Paleoepidemiology Of Enterobius Vermicularis (Nemata: Oxyuridae) Among The Loma San Gabriel At La Cueva De Los Muertos Chiquitos (600–800 Ce), Rio Zape Valley, Durango, Mexico, Johnica J. Morrow, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

One hundred coprolites excavated from La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos (600–800 CE) in the Rio Zape Valley of present-day Durango, Mexico, were examined for the presence of helminth eggs utilizing standard archaeoparasitological techniques. Eggs of the human pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis) were recovered from 34 of the 100 coprolites examined. Eggs of parasites were photographed and measured before egg concentration values were calculated for each positive sample. Egg concentration values demonstrated an overdispersed pattern of distribution among the samples (66% uninfected, 25% less than 100 eggs/g, 8% between 100 and 500 eggs/g, and 1% more than 500 eggs/g). …

Autologous Bone Flap Resorption Years After Subtemporal Craniotomy, John Oladapo Obafunwa, Emily E. Hammerl, David Jaskierny, Livia A. Taylor, Lynette Russell, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

In Spring of 2012, the partially undressed and skeletonized remains of a homeless adult Hispanic male was found in a fairly open wooded area in Nebraska. The remains showed evidence of extensive pathologies, which included healed traumas and surgeries. Examination of the decedent's medical records revealed that he had a history of kidney and liver problems, alcohol abuse, several traumas including a major head injury that necessitated a craniotomy, and radiological features of neurocysticercosis. The autologous bone flap, which was replaced after the craniotomy, had resorbed significantly away from the edges of the injury. Death was variously attributed to craniocerebral …

Range Expansion Of Tick Disease Vectors In North America: Implications For Spread Of Tick-Borne Disease, Daniel E. Sonenshine

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Ticks are the major vectors of most disease-causing agents to humans, companion animals and wildlife. Moreover, ticks transmit a greater variety of pathogenic agents than any other blood-feeding arthropod. Ticks have been expanding their geographic ranges in recent decades largely due to climate change. Furthermore, tick populations in many areas of their past and even newly established localities have increased in abundance. These dynamic changes present new and increasing severe public health threats to humans, livestock and companion animals in areas where they were previously unknown or were considered to be of minor importance. Here in this review, the geographic …

Taphonomic Considerations On Pinworm Prevalence In Three Ancestral Puebloan Latrines, Morgana Camacho, Alena M. Iñiguez, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

For archaeological studies it is always necessary to consider taphonomic factors that could have influenced in ancient material preservation. Parasite eggs are usually highly degraded in ancient sites dated from all periods of time and taphonomic factors are mentioned to explain absence and low quantity of eggs found. In this study, we compare parasite egg recovery of three Great House latrines: two from Aztec Ruins (Rooms 219 and 225) and one from Salmon Ruins. We compared through statistical regression the recovery of eggs with the abundance of two classes of decomposers: mites and nematodes. These microorganisms have relation with nematode …

New Evidence Of Ancient Parasitism Among Late Archaic And Ancestral Puebloan Residents Of Chaco Canyon, Rachel E. Paseka, Carrie C. Heitman, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Archaeoparasitology provides a unique perspective on the health and habits of ancient cultures through the identification of parasite remains in archaeological materials. We identified eggs of the human whipworm, Trichuris trichiura, in coprolites recovered from Late Archaic (1926–1751 cal. BCE) and Ancestral Puebloan (1039–1163 cal. CE) sites in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. Our findings represent the earliest record of T. trichiura in North America, the first record of the species from Chaco Canyon, and the first record of a macroparasite from a Late Archaic site (Atlatl Cave) on the Colorado Plateau. T. trichiura is common in the …

Immunoglobulin Therapy And Primary Immunodeficient Patients' Health-Related Quality Of Life And Well-Being, Niedre Heckman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals born with primary immune deficiency diseases (PIDD) have a dysfunctional immune system, and many are treated by lifelong injections of immunoglobulin therapy. Studies have shown that these patients have low health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and well-being (WB) and that these outcomes might be improved by the availability of therapy innovated according to preferences for fewer needle sticks or a shorter infusion time. Regulators at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved therapies innovated per these preferences. However, there is limited data demonstrating how these innovations impact HRQOL and WB. Using the biopsychosocial model, the purpose of …

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Of Targeted Herpes Zoster Vaccination In Adults 50-59 At Increased Cardiovascular Risk, Kathleen M. Glassner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Over the last twenty years the incidence of herpes zoster (HZ) infection, also known as shingles, has been increasing among adults for unknown reasons. The economic burden of HZ is currently estimated at over $1 billion per year in the United States (U.S.) and is expected to increase as the susceptible adult population ages. HZ is caused by a re-activation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV), chicken pox, and more than 95% of adults living today carry the virus with a lifetime risk of 1 in 3 for developing HZ. In 2006 the FDA approved a vaccine for the …

Evaluation Of A Microsphere-Based Immunoassay (Mia) In Measuring Diagnostic And Prognostic Markers Of Dengue Virus Infection, Jason H. Ambrose

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Infections with dengue viruses (DENV) constitute both a global problem as well as locally in Florida. DENV comprise four distinct serotypes of single-stranded RNA viruses and belong to the family Flaviviridae. DENV are among the most medically important arboviruses in the world and cases may currently exceed 400 million per annum. Additionally, dengue established its first recorded endemic transmission cycle in the state of Florida in over a half century, first within the Florida Keys during 2009-10 followed by an unrelated outbreak in Martin County in 2013. The clinical profile of DENV infections ranges from a mild febrile illness …