COVID-19 Commons^™

Convalescent Plasma In Hospitalized Pediatric And Obstetric Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Patients, Saki Ikeda, Eduardo Benzi, Lisa A Hensch, Sridevi Devaraj, Shiu-Ki Rocky Hui, Manisha Gandhi, Karin A Fox, Jun Teruya, Flor M Munoz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Published data on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent plasma (CCP) use in children and obstetric patients are limited. We describe a single-center experience of hospitalized patients who received CCP for acute COVID-19.

METHODS: A retrospective review of children 0-18-years-old and pregnant patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed acute COVID-19 who received CCP from March 1, 2020 to March 1, 2021 was performed. Clinical and laboratory data were collected to assess the safety of CCP administration. Antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) were measured in the CCP products and in patients before transfusion and at various time points post-transfusion. …

Creation Of A Global Vaccine Risk Index, Tasmiah Nuzhath, Peter J Hotez, Ashish Damania, P Shuling Liu, Brian Colwell

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

The World Health Organization has identified vaccine hesitancy as one of its top ten global health threats for 2019. Efforts are underway to define the factors responsible for reductions in vaccine confidence. However, as global measles cases accelerated beginning in 2018, it became evident that additional factors were promoting measles re-emergence, including war, political and socio-economic collapse, shifting poverty, and vulnerability to weather events and climate change. Accordingly, we propose a Global Vaccine Risk Index (VRI) to consider these variables as a more comprehensive means to identify vulnerable nations where we might expect measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases to emerge …

Exercise-Induced Myokines Downregulates The Ace2 Level In Bronchial Epithelial Cells: Implications For Sars-Cov-2 Prevention, Vaishali Bhardwaj, Mart Dela Cruz, Deepika Subramanyam, Rohit Kumar, Sandeep Markan, Beth Parker, Hemant K Roy

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The Covid-19 pandemic has emerged as the leading public health challenge of our time (20th century). While vaccinations have finally blunted the death rate, concern has remained about more virulent forms highlighting the need for alternative approaches. Epidemiological studies indicate that physical activity has been shown to decrease the risk of infection of some respiratory viruses. Part of the salutary effects of exercise is believed to be through the elaboration of cytokines by contracting skeletal muscles (termed myokines). The objective of this study was to investigate whether exercise-induced myokines would mitigate the SARS-CoV-2 infectivity of the bronchial epithelium through …

A Survey On Self-Medication For The Prevention Or Treatment Of Covid-19 And Distrust In Healthcare Of Veterans In A Primary Care Setting In The United States, Eva Amenta, Larissa Grigoryan, Laura Dillon, Casey Hines-Munson, John Van, Barbara Trautner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic brought the public overwhelming and conflicting information. Rates of trust in healthcare professionals have been declining among laypersons over the past five decades. In this setting, we sought to evaluate the use of medications, both with or without a prescription, to prevent and treat SARS-CoV-2 as well as trust in healthcare among patients in a primary care clinic.

DESIGN: We surveyed 150 veterans in primary care clinic waiting rooms at a large southwestern tertiary care Veterans Affairs hospital. This survey was performed in March-November 2021.

METHODS: The survey asked about respondents' demographics, use of medications, …

Covid-19 Mortality May Be Reduced Among Fully Vaccinated Solid Organ Transplant Recipients, Micaela Sandoval, Duc T Nguyen, Howard J Huang, Stephanie G Yi, R Mark Ghobrial, A Osama Gaber, Edward A Graviss

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 due to their immunosuppressed state and reduced immunogenicity from COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. This investigation examined the association between COVID-19 mRNA vaccination status and mortality among SOT recipients diagnosed with COVID-19.

METHODS & FINDINGS: A retrospective, registry-based chart review was conducted investigating COVID-19 mortality among immunosuppressed solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients in a large metropolitan healthcare system in Houston, Texas, USA. Electronic health record data was collected from consecutive SOT recipients who received a diagnostic SARS-CoV-2 test between March 1, 2020, and October 1, 2021. …

Covid-19 Outcomes In Myasthenia Gravis Patients: Analysis From Electronic Health Records In The United States, Youngran Kim, Xiaojin Li, Yan Huang, Minseon Kim, Aziz Shaibani, Kazim Sheikh, Guo-Qiang Zhang, Thy Phuong Nguyen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune, neuromuscular condition and patients with MG are vulnerable due to immunosuppressant use and disease manifestations of dyspnea and dysphagia during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Optum® de-identified COVID-19 Electronic Health Record (EHR) dataset. Primary outcomes, such as hospitalization, ventilator use, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death in COVID-19 patients with MG, were compared with those of COVID-19 patients without MG: the subgroups of non-MG included those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus (SLE), and multiple sclerosis (MS). We further analyzed factors affecting …

Trends And Correlates Of Breakthrough Infections With Sars-Cov-2, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Savitri Appana, Mengxi Wang, Luis Leon-Novelo, Eric Bakota, Yuanqing Ye, Shreela Sharma, Alanna C Morrison, Dritana Marko, Stephen H Linder, Alison Rector, Katelyn K Jetelina, Eric Boerwinkle, Marcia De Oliveira Otto

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) delta variant has been hypothesized to decrease the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. Factors associated with infections with SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination are unknown. In this observational cohort study, we examined two groups in Harris County, Texas: (1) individuals with positive Nucleic Acid Amplification test between 12/14/2020 and 9/30/2021 and (2) the subset of individuals fully vaccinated in the same time period. Infected individuals were classified as a breakthrough if their infection occurred 14 days after their vaccination had been completed. Among fully vaccinated individuals, demographic and vaccine factors associated with breakthrough infections were …

Methodology To Estimate Natural- And Vaccine-Induced Antibodies To Sars-Cov-2 In A Large Geographic Region, Stacia M Desantis, Luis G León-Novelo, Michael D Swartz, Ashraf S Yaseen, Melissa A Valerio-Shewmaker, Yashar Talebi, Frances A Brito, Jessica A Ross, Harold W Kohl, Sarah E Messiah, Steve H Kelder, Leqing Wu, Shiming Zhang, Kimberly A Aguillard, Michael O Gonzalez, Onyinye S Omega-Njemnob, David Lakey, Jennifer A Shuford, Stephen Pont, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Accurate estimates of natural and/or vaccine-induced antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 are difficult to obtain. Although model-based estimates of seroprevalence have been proposed, they require inputting unknown parameters including viral reproduction number, longevity of immune response, and other dynamic factors. In contrast to a model-based approach, the current study presents a data-driven detailed statistical procedure for estimating total seroprevalence (defined as antibodies from natural infection or from full vaccination) in a region using prospectively collected serological data and state-level vaccination data. Specifically, we conducted a longitudinal statewide serological survey with 88,605 participants 5 years or older with 3 prospective blood draws beginning …

Characterizing Cancer And Covid-19 Outcomes Using Electronic Health Records, Youngran Kim, Liang Zhu, Huili Zhu, Xiaojin Li, Yan Huang, Chunhui Gu, Heather Bush, Caroline Chung, Guo-Qiang Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Patients with cancer often have compromised immune system which can lead to worse COVID-19 outcomes. The purpose of this study is to assess the association between COVID-19 outcomes and existing cancer-specific characteristics.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients aged 18 or older with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 between June 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020, were identified (n = 314 004) from the Optum® de-identified COVID-19 Electronic Health Record (EHR) derived from more than 700 hospitals and 7000 clinics in the United States. To allow sufficient observational time, patients with less than one year of medical history in the EHR dataset before their …

Coping With Adverse Childhood Experiences During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Perceptions Of Mental Health Service Providers, Sumaita Choudhury, Paul G Yeh, Christine M Markham

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been associated with long-term physical and mental health conditions, toxic stress levels, developing unstable interpersonal relationships, and substance use disorders due to unresolved childhood adversities.

AIMS: This study assessed the perspectives of mental health providers (MHPs) regarding their adult patients' coping with ACEs during COVID-19 in Houston, Texas. Specifically, we explored how individuals with ACEs are coping with the increased stresses of the pandemic, how MHPs may provide therapeutic support for individuals with ACEs during this pandemic, pandemic-related challenges of accessing and utilizing mental health services for individuals with ACEs, and the awareness and …

Incidence Rate Of Psychiatric Disorders In 2020: The Pivotal Role Played By Sars-Cov-2 Infection, Antonio L Teixeira, Regina M Hansen, Joseph S Wozny, Caroline M Schaefer, Rodrigo Machado-Vieira, Lokesh Shahani, Scott D Lane, Jair C Soares, Trudy M Krause

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

IMPORTANCE: The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted mental health outcomes. While the frequency of anxiety and depressive symptoms has increased in the whole population, the relationship between COVID-19 and new psychiatric diagnoses remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE: to compare the population incidence rate of emergence of de novo psychiatric disorders in 2020 compared to the previous years, and to compare the incidence rate of new psychiatric disorder diagnoses between people with vs without COVID-19.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This study utilized administrative claims data from the Clinformatics® Data Mart database, licensed from Optum®. The study is a cross-sectional analysis that …

Population-Based Correlates Of Covid-19 Infection: An Analysis From The Dfw Covid-19 Prevalence Study, Amit G Singal, Andrew Masica, Kate Esselink, Caitlin C Murphy, Jill A Dever, Annika Reczek, Matthew Bensen, Nicole Mack, Ellen Stutts, Jamie L Ridenhour, Evan Galt, Jordan Brainerd, Noa Kopplin, Sruthi Yekkaluri, Chris Rubio, Shelby Anderson, Kathryn Jan, Natalie Whitworth, Jacqueline Wagner, Stephen Allen, Alagar R Muthukumar, Jasmin Tiro

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has resulted in over 1 million deaths in the U.S. as of June 2022, with continued surges after vaccine availability. Information on related attitudes and behaviors are needed to inform public health strategies. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of COVID-19, risk factors of infection, and related attitudes and behaviors in a racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse urban population.

METHODS: The DFW COVID-19 Prevalence Study Protocol 1 was conducted from July 2020 to March 2021 on a randomly selected sample of adults aged 18-89 years, living in Dallas or Tarrant Counties, Texas. Participants were asked to complete a …

Phase 3 Safety And Efficacy Of Azd1222 (Chadox1 Ncov-19) Covid-19 Vaccine, Ann R Falsey, Magdalena E Sobieszczyk, Ian Hirsch, Stephanie Sproule, Merlin L Robb, Lawrence Corey, Kathleen M Neuzil, William Hahn, Julie Hunt, Mark J Mulligan, Charlene Mcevoy, Edwin Dejesus, Michael Hassman, Susan J Little, Barbara A Pahud, Anna Durbin, Paul Pickrell, Eric S Daar, Larry Bush, Joel Solis, Quito Osuna Carr, Temitope Oyedele, Susan Buchbinder, Jessica Cowden, Sergio L Vargas, Alfredo Guerreros Benavides, Robert Call, Michael C Keefer, Beth D Kirkpatrick, John Pullman, Tina Tong, Margaret Brewinski Isaacs, David Benkeser, Holly E Janes, Martha C Nason, Justin A Green, Elizabeth J Kelly, Jill Maaske, Nancy Mueller, Kathryn Shoemaker, Therese Takas, Richard P Marshall, Menelas N Pangalos, Tonya Villafana, Antonio Gonzalez-Lopez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of the AZD1222 (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) vaccine in a large, diverse population at increased risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the United States, Chile, and Peru has not been known.

METHODS: In this ongoing, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 clinical trial, we investigated the safety, vaccine efficacy, and immunogenicity of two doses of AZD1222 as compared with placebo in preventing the onset of symptomatic and severe coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) 15 days or more after the second dose in adults, including older adults, in the United States, Chile, and Peru.

RESULTS: …

Covid-19 In Pregnancy, Jill E. Miracle, Prakash R. Ganesh, Johnie Rose, Pauline Terebuh, Kurt C. Stange, Andrea Szabo, Heidi L. Gullett, Rachel Pope

Faculty Scholarship

Objective:To define the symptomatology of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy and associations between occupation, sociodemographic factors, and comorbidities with the severity of COVID-19 disease in pregnancy in all trimesters, regardless of hospitalization.Methods:We studied a retrospective cohort of a public health surveillance sample of persons with COVID-19 infection diagnosed during pregnancy. Data was collected March 2020 to August 2020 regarding symptoms, disease severity, comorbidities, obstetric history, and occupation.Results:One hundred sixty-three individuals were identified. Constitutional (64%) and lower respiratory symptoms (61%) were most common. Seventeen individuals (13.6%) were hospitalized, and one person (0.7%) died due to COVID-19. Risk factors for severe disease were …

Variations In Medical Students' Educational Preferences, Attitudes And Volunteerism During The Covid-19 Global Pandemic, Nital P Appelbaum, Sanghamitra M Misra, Jennifer Welch, M Harrison Humphries, Sunthosh Sivam, Nadia Ismail

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Public health crises require individuals, often volunteers, to help minimize disasters. The COVID-19 pandemic required such activation of individuals, but little is known about medical students’ preferences of such engagement. We investigated potential variations in medical students’ educational preferences, attitudes, and volunteerism during the COVID-19 pandemic based on socio-demographics to better prepare for future activation scenarios. A web-based, anonymous survey of U.S. medical students at a single institution was conducted in May 2020. Across four training year, 518 (68% response rate) students completed the survey. During the pandemic, 42.3% (n = 215) wanted to discontinue in-person clinical experiences, 32.3% (n …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Food Distribution At Emergency Food Assistance Organizations In The Southwestern United States: A Qualitative Investigation, Alexandra N Castro, Mamie A White, Ariun Ishdorj, Debbe Thompson, Jayna M Dave

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

This study aimed to identify changes in food distribution operations at emergency food assistance organizations (EFAOs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. EFAOs across the Houston metro area, TX (human service centers and food pantries) as well as the Houston Food Bank (HFB) participated in the qualitative study. Data were collected via individual semi-structured interviews and focus group (December 2020–February 2021), and coded using semi-structured thematic analysis. Categories were pre-identified based on the interview questions. Direct quotes supported subcategories. Directors from 18 EFAOs were interviewed; 8 HFB leadership staff participated in a focus group. Four major categories of change due to COVID-19 …

Efficacy Of The Mrna-1273 Sars-Cov-2 Vaccine At Completion Of Blinded Phase, Hana M El Sahly, Lindsey R Baden, Brandon Essink, Susanne Doblecki-Lewis, Judith M Martin, Evan J Anderson, Thomas B Campbell, Jesse Clark, Lisa A Jackson, Carl J Fichtenbaum, Marcus Zervos, Bruce Rankin, Frank Eder, Gregory Feldman, Christina Kennelly, Laurie Han-Conrad, Michael Levin, Kathleen M Neuzil, Lawrence Corey, Peter Gilbert, Holly Janes, Dean Follmann, Mary Marovich, Laura Polakowski, John R Mascola, Julie E Ledgerwood, Barney S Graham, Allison August, Heather Clouting, Weiping Deng, Shu Han, Brett Leav, Deb Manzo, Rolando Pajon, Florian Schödel, Joanne E Tomassini, Honghong Zhou, Jacqueline Miller

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: At interim analysis in a phase 3, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, the mRNA-1273 vaccine showed 94.1% efficacy in preventing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). After emergency use of the vaccine was authorized, the protocol was amended to include an open-label phase. Final analyses of efficacy and safety data from the blinded phase of the trial are reported.

METHODS: We enrolled volunteers who were at high risk for Covid-19 or its complications; participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive two intramuscular injections of mRNA-1273 (100 μg) or placebo, 28 days apart, at 99 centers across the United States. …

Examining Food Security, Choices And Barriers Among Community Supported Agriculture Participants During Covid- 19 In Kentucky, Martha J. Biddle, Junghee Kang, Julie Derringer, Anna Rose, Dawn Brewer, Misook L. Chung, Terry A. Lennie, Gia Mudd-Martin, Timothy A. Woods

UK CARES Faculty Publications

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is challenging food security. Our study’s purpose was to examine relationships among food security status, eating patterns and perceived barriers to food choices among shareholders (N = 209) in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program during stay- at-home restrictions due to the pandemic. The food insecure group (n = 33) reported lower consumption of fruits/vegetables, whole grains and greater consumption of fast foods and more barriers to food choices compared to the food secure group (p < .05). A low food insecure proportion (16%) among the CSA participants suggests a potential role of a CSA program to prevent food insecurity.

Positron Emission Tomography In The Covid-19 Pandemic Era, Chentao Jin, Xiaoyun Luo, Shufang Qian, Kai Zhang, Yuanxue Gao, Rui Zhou, Peili Cen, Zhoujiao Xu, Hong Zhang, Mei Tian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a major public health problem worldwide since its outbreak in 2019. Currently, the spread of COVID-19 is far from over, and various complications have roused increasing awareness of the public, calling for novel techniques to aid at diagnosis and treatment. Based on the principle of molecular imaging, positron emission tomography (PET) is expected to offer pathophysiological alternations of COVID-19 in the molecular/cellular perspectives and facilitate the clinical management of patients. A number of PET-related cases and research have been reported on COVID-19 over the past one year. This article reviews the current studies of …

Atypical St-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Presentation In Patients With Covid-19 At A High-Volume Center In New York City, Miguel A Alvarez Villela, Ahmad Alkhalil, Michael A Weinreich, Jonathan Koslowsky, Shunsuke Aoi, M Azeem Latib

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Atypical presentations of ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have been reported in patients who have COVID-19. We have seen this occurrence in our center in Bronx, New York, where multitudes of patients sought treatment for the coronavirus. We studied the prevalence of atypical STEMI findings among patients with COVID-19 who presented during the first 2 months of the pandemic.

Consistent with previous reports, 4 of our 10 patients with COVID-19 and STEMI had no identifiable culprit coronary lesion; rather, they often had diffuse ST-segment elevations on surface electrocardiograms along with higher levels of D-dimer and inflammatory markers. In contrast, 32 of …

Ua3/10 President's Messages - Fall Semester, Wku President's Office - Caboni

WKU Administration Documents

President's Message emails sent by Timothy Caboni to faculty & staff during fall semester, 2021.

• Convocation
• COVID-19 Vaccine
• End of Semester
• Fall Semester – Topper Fest
• Homecoming
• Living Learning Communities
• Margaret Munday
• MASTER Plan – Topper Directions
• National Philanthropy Day – WKU Opportunity Fund
• Parent & Family Weekend
• Summer Reflections/Fall Semester
• Tornado – Student Death
• Tornado Damage
• Tornado Recovery
• Vacation Hours / Salaries
• WKU Emergency Student Assistance Opportunity Fund

Transmission Event Of Sars-Cov-2 Delta Variant Reveals Multiple Vaccine Breakthrough Infections, Timothy Farinholt, Harsha Doddapaneni, Xiang Qin, Vipin Menon, Qingchang Meng, Ginger Metcalf, Hsu Chao, Marie-Claude Gingras, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Paige Farinholt, Charu Agrawal, Donna M Muzny, Pedro A Piedra, Richard A Gibbs, Joseph Petrosino

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: This study aims to identify the causative strain of SARS-CoV-2 in a cluster of vaccine breakthroughs. Vaccine breakthrough by a highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 strain is a risk to global public health.

METHODS: Nasopharyngeal swabs from suspected vaccine breakthrough cases were tested for SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) by qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) for Wuhan-Hu1 and alpha variant. Positive samples were then sequenced by Swift Normalase Amplicon Panels to determine the causal variant. GATK (genome analysis toolkit) variants were filtered with allele fraction ≥80 and min read depth 30x.

RESULTS: Viral sequencing revealed an infection cluster of …

Perspectives From The Society For Pediatric Research: Advice On Sustaining Science And Mentoring During Covid-19, Catherine S Forster, Suong T Nguyen, Weston T Powell, Daniel J Moore, Jacqueline Ho, Melvin B Heyman, Tara L Wenger, Fernando Gonzalez, Margaret Hostetter, Andrew Nowalk, Caroline E Rassbach, Debra Boyer, Pnina Weiss, Rebecca L Blankenburg, Jordan S Orange, Kate G Ackerman, Audrea M Burns, National Pediatric Physician-Scientist Collaborative Workgroup

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic will leave an indelible mark on the careers of current medical trainees. Given the disruptions to medical education, economic impact on institutions, and the uncertainties around future job prospects, trainees are facing unprecedented challenges. This situation is especially concerning for futures of pediatric physician-scientist trainees, where concerns regarding maintaining the pipeline were well documented prior to the emergence of COVID-19. In this Perspectives article, we leverage the unique expertise of our workgroup to address concerns of physician-scientist trainees and to provide suggestions on how to navigate career trajectories in the post-COVID-19 era. We identified and addressed four …

Crisis Preparedness In Acute And Intensive Treatment Settings: Lessons Learned From A Year Of Covid-19, Jarrod M Leffler, Cassandra L Esposito, Elisabeth A Frazier, Michelle A Patriquin, Meredith K Reiman, Alysha D Thompson, Carl Waitz

Staff and Researcher Publications

The impact of COVID-19 changed the use and delivery of health care services, requiring an abrupt shift in treatment and staffing models 1,2. This is particularly salient in youth acute and intensive treatment services (AITS), including inpatient psychiatric hospitals (IPH), intensive outpatient programs (IOP), and partial hospitalization programs (PHP), because of challenging issues of maintaining high-quality care and a safe therapeutic milieu during increased demand for acute services,3 all while limiting transmission of COVID-19 on locked units, in close quarters, and for youths traveling back and forth to day-programs. Over the past year, AITS adapted and evolved without the ability …

Real-Time Geospatial Analysis Identifies Gaps In Covid-19 Vaccination In A Minority Population, Cici Bauer, Kehe Zhang, Miryoung Lee, Michelle Jones, Arturo Rodriguez, Isela De La Cerda, Belinda Reininger, Susan P Fisher-Hoch, Joseph B Mccormick

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

COVID-19 vaccination is being rapidly rolled out in the US and many other countries, and it is crucial to provide fast and accurate assessment of vaccination coverage and vaccination gaps to make strategic adjustments promoting vaccine coverage. We reported the effective use of real-time geospatial analysis to identify barriers and gaps in COVID-19 vaccination in a minority population living in South Texas on the US-Mexico Border, to inform vaccination campaign strategies. We developed 4 rank-based approaches to evaluate the vaccination gap at the census tract level, which considered both population vulnerability and vaccination priority and eligibility. We identified areas with …

Dna-Encoded Chemistry Technology Yields Expedient Access To Sars-Cov-2m Pro Inhibitors, Srinivas Chamakuri, Shuo Lu, Melek Nihan Ucisik, Kurt M Bohren, Ying-Chu Chen, Huang-Chi Du, John C Faver, Ravikumar Jimmidi, Feng Li, Jian-Yuan Li, Pranavanand Nyshadham, Stephen S Palmer, Jeroen Pollet, Xuan Qin, Shannon E Ronca, Banumathi Sankaran, Kiran L Sharma, Zhi Tan, Leroy Versteeg, Zhifeng Yu, Martin M Matzuk, Timothy Palzkill, Damian W Young

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has killed more than 4 million humans globally, but there is no bona fide Food and Drug Administration–approved drug-like molecule to impede the COVID-19 pandemic. The sluggish pace of traditional therapeutic discovery is poorly suited to producing targeted treatments against rapidly evolving viruses. Here, we used an affinity-based screen of 4 billion DNA-encoded molecules en masse to identify a potent class of virus-specific inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) without extensive and time-consuming medicinal chemistry. CDD-1714, the initial three-building-block screening hit (molecular weight [MW] = 542.5 g/mol), was a potent inhibitor (inhibition …

Secondary Bacterial Pneumonias And Bloodstream Infections In Patients Hospitalized With Covid-19, Max W Adelman, Divya R Bhamidipati, Alfonso C Hernandez-Romieu, Ahmed Babiker, Michael H Woodworth, Chad Robichaux, David J Murphy, Sara C Auld, Colleen S Kraft, Jesse T Jacob

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Challenges In Feeding Children Posed By The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review Of Changes In Dietary Intake Combined With A Dietitian's Perspective, Heather Campbell, Alexis C Wood

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Purpose of review: To examine the evidence that the dietary quality of children changed between the period preceding the COVID-19 pandemic and the first year during the pandemic.

Recent findings: A systematic review of the evidence for dietary changes occurring as a result of the pandemic-related restrictions, in Part I of this article, yielded 38 original research articles. These articles had conflicting results, some describing improvements in overall quality and some describing deteriorations. As a whole the studies were characterized by a low study quality, and children were poorly represented. Taken together, these studies do not provide enough evidence to …

Results Of Covid-19 Surveillance In A Large United States Pediatric Healthcare System Over One Year, Sarah E Messiah, Luyu Xie, Matthew S Mathew, George L Delclos, Harold W Kohl, Jeffrey S Kahn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The lack of SARS-CoV-2 antigen surveillance testing in the pediatric population has inhibited accurate infection and hospitalization prevalence estimates. We aim to report the estimated prevalence of and risk factors for COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission across the three United States (US) waves in one of the largest pediatric healthcare systems in the nation.

METHODS: Retrospective electronic health record (EHR) review of all COVID-19 surveillance data among children aged 0-19 years seeking healthcare at one pediatric healthcare system that serves predominantly Medicaid-dependent families from 1 March 2020 to 31 March 2021. COVID-19 infection status (Y/N), …

Census Tract Patterns And Contextual Social Determinants Of Health Associated With Covid-19 In A Hispanic Population From South Texas: A Spatiotemporal Perspective, Cici Bauer, Kehe Zhang, Miryoung Lee, Susan Fisher-Hoch, Esmeralda Guajardo, Joseph Mccormick, Isela De La Cerda, Maria E Fernandez, Belinda Reininger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that various social determinants of health (SDOH) may have contributed to the disparities in COVID-19 incidence and mortality among minorities and underserved populations at the county or zip code level.

OBJECTIVE: This analysis was carried out at a granular spatial resolution of census tracts to explore the spatial patterns and contextual SDOH associated with COVID-19 incidence from a Hispanic population mostly consisting of a Mexican American population living in Cameron County, Texas on the border of the United States and Mexico. We performed age-stratified analysis to identify different contributing SDOH and quantify their effects by …