International Public Health Commons^™

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Neurotropic Manifestations As A Potential Risk Factor For Schizophrenia Following In Utero Exposure To Sars-Cov-2, Mir Ali R Talpur, Omar H. Elsayed, Rif S. El-Mallakh

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: COVID-19 infection is associated with neurologic and psychiatric morbidity that suggests a direct effect of the virus or secondary effect of an inflammatory process. These neuropsychiatric consequences may increase the likelihood of schizophrenia in the offspring of women who become infected with COVID-19 during their pregnancy.

Methods: We performed a directed narrative review of the literature focusing on the proposed pathophysiological processes that lead to schizophrenia and known pathological consequences of COVID-19 infection.

Results: Schizophrenia in adult offspring has been associated with maternal infections during pregnancy by a wide range of respiratory and neurotropic pathogens. Spikes in the incidence …

On The Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine, Forest W. Arnold

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Amrit Kahlon, Ravina Ramnani, Kartik Rajpal, Yusra Irshad, Sudeep Chapagain, Arushee Bhatnagar, Steven B Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Colonizing And Virulence Factors In Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli From Peru, Fulton P Rivera, Anicia Medina, Maribel Riveros, Theresa J Ochoa, Maria J Pons, Joaquim Ruiz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) ranks among the most relevant diarrheagenic pathogens. Efforts to design vaccines to fight ETEC have been focused on colonizing factors (CFs) and atypical virulence factors (AVF). An effective vaccine must account for differences in the regional prevalence of these CFs and AVFs to be truly effective in a given area. In the present study, the presence of 16 CFs and 9 AVFs, as well as the heat-stable (ST) variants (STh or STp), was established by polymerase chain reaction in 205 Peruvian ETEC isolates (120 from diarrhea cases and 85 from healthy controls). Ninety-nine (48.3%) isolates were …

Identification Of Molecular Markers Associated With Copd In Non-Smokers And Smokers: A Bioinformatics Analysis, Agede O. Ayodele, Isa M. Wasagu, Ademola E. Fawibe, Alakija K. Salami

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background

Even though the proportional burden of COPD among never-smokers is significant in both developing and developed nations, accounting for around 30% of all COPD in the community, there is little awareness of the prevalence of COPD in this population. Understanding the molecular processes that underlie COPD in nonsmokers is essential.

Methods

Dataset (GSE146560) was acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The limma and clusterProfiler software tools were used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and conduct a functional enrichment analysis respectively.

Results

In all, 10,583 DEGs were found, of which 1,065 were up-regulated and 9,518 were down-regulated. The …

Lessons From A Community Health Elective In Rural Guatemala On Cultural Humility, Roxana Guggenmous

Posters

No abstract provided.

My Global Health Experience - Eldoret, Kenya, Megan Carroll

Posters

Describes her experience in Eldoret as a 4th year medical student.

Practicing Pediatrics In Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, Chandra Swanson

Posters

Describes her experience working in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala.

Psychosocial Interventions Among Patients With Cancer And Their Family Caregivers In The Sub-Saharan Region: A Systematic Review, Ting Guan, Yousef Qan’Ir, Jamie Conklin, Chifundo Colleta Zimba, Agatha Bula, Wongani Jumbo, Kondwani Wella, Patrick Mapulanga, Samuel A.M. Bingo, Evelyn Chilemba, Jennifer Haley, Nilda Peragallo Montano, Ashley Leak Bryant, Lixin Song

Social Work - All Scholarship

Cancer is becoming a public health issue in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

This systematic review aims to synthesise psychosocial interventions and

their effects on the health outcomes of adult cancer patients and their

family caregivers in SSA. We identified eligible publications in English

language from PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health

Literature Plus with Full Text, Embase, APA PsycInfo, Scopus, and

African Index Medicus databases. We included psychosocial

interventions targeted adult cancer patients/survivors or their family

caregivers in SSA. This review identified five psychosocial interventions

from six studies that support adult cancer patients and their family

caregivers in …

The Effects Of Stigma Against Hiv And Tuberculosis On Patient Mental Health And Healthcare-Seeking Behavior In Dharamshala, Isabel Powell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

HIV and tuberculosis are highly impactful diseases in India, causing severe morbidity, mortality, and suffering for millions. The stigmatization of these diseases unnecessarily exacerbates suffering for those afflicted and their families, compounding to the existing physical and emotional burden of diagnosis. Individual interviews with healthcare workers were conducted at Delek Hospital and the Tibetan Children’s Village in order to identify the existence and effects of stigma in the Tibetan refugee population in Dharamshala. Respondents reported an extremely high burden of tuberculosis in the community, complicated by the refugee status and unique infrastructural challenges of the population. The burden of HIV …

Sexual Behaviors, Contraception Use And Barriers Among Adolescents And Young Adults In Rural Haiti., Abbey R. Masonbrink, Emily A. Hurley, Nikolaus Schuetz, Jonathan Rodean, Emily Rupe, Kemi Lewis, Marie Daphnée Boncoeur, Melissa K. Miller

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) in Haiti experience a high unintended pregnancy rate, in part due to unmet contraception needs. Little is known about AYA opinions of and experiences with contraception that may explain remaining gaps in coverage. We aimed to describe barriers and facilitators to contraception use among AYAs in Haiti.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey and semi-structured qualitative interviews with a convenience sample of AYA females aged 14-24 in two rural communities in Haiti. The survey and semi-structured interviews assessed demographics, sexual health and pregnancy prevention behaviors and explored contraception opinions and experiences according to Theory …

Evaluation Of A Portable Gynecological Examination Table On Increasing Access To Cervical Cancer Screenings, Brennan Burrows, Giuliana Motta, Vibhasri Davuluri, Urvee Deo, Aman Tahir, Brindha Rajakumar, Jacob Blumenstein, Eliza Steinberg, Mariam Tobia, Asmita Tuladhar, Abigail Ahn

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Cervical cancer is a preventable disease affecting millions of women worldwide, with higher prevalence and mortality in developing countries. One explanation of this disparity is due to reduced access to screenings, especially in rural communities where mobile health clinics are limited by what medical equipment they can bring. To address these barriers, an engineering team called Project MESA (Making Examinations Safe and Accessible) designed a gynecological examination table that is portable, lightweight, and easily sanitizable.

Objective: This study aims to (1) evaluate whether the implementation of this device improves the clinician’s ability to perform pap smears as opposed to …

Performance Of A Sars-Cov-2 Rt-Pcr Assay With Non-Traditional Specimen Types, Subathra Marimuthu, Holly Aliesky, Heather Ness, Daniya Sheikh, Sathya Rashmit, Dawn Balcom, Leslie A. Wolf

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

During the first two years of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens were the gold standard for clinical diagnostic testing. As information about the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing the pandemic continued to be shared, it was clear that the virus could be detected in other specimen types during an active infection. The University of Louisville Infectious Diseases Laboratory accepted non-traditional specimen types, most without a paired, positive NP result, for research purposes only to support local epidemiology efforts. A real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay originally validated for NP specimens was used …

What? Now A Respiratory Syncytial Virus Epidemic, Aya Allam, Steven B Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Investigating Stigma During The Early Stages Of A Pandemic Through The Lens Of Covid-19, Zach Thornton, Bethany Hodge, Sheridan Langford

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: Individuals face stigma associated with numerous health conditions. Stigma can arise rapidly during the early spread of a new disease, adding to the burden felt by those affected. COVID-19 can be used as an example to study stigma during the early phases of a pandemic. This narrative review is a descriptive analysis that tracks the ways in which COVID-19 stigma was discussed in the scholarly literature during the first year of the pandemic to understand how stigma was viewed in the context of a rapidly spreading pandemic.

Methods: PubMed was used as a non-exhaustive sample of the literature. Searches …

Class 1 And 2 Integrons In Escherichia Coli Strains Isolated From Diarrhea And Bacteremia In Children Less Than 2 Years Of Age From Peru, Maribel Riveros, Maria J Pons, David Durand, Theresa J Ochoa, Joaquim Ruiz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Class 1 and Class 2 integrons are mobilizable elements able to carry a variety of antibiotic resistance determinants. In the present study, Class 1 and 2 integrons present in 355 pathogenic Escherichia coli (285 diarrheagenic, of these 129 were enteropathogenic, 90 enteroaggregative, 66 enterotoxigenic, and 70 bacteremic) isolated from healthy and ill children under age 5 from periurban areas of Lima, Peru, were characterized. The presence of integrase 1 and 2 was established by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and variable regions were grouped by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism and subsequent sequencing. Antimicrobial resistance was established by disk diffusion. Ninety-seven isolates …

The Impact Covid-19 On The Healthcare Industry’S Systems And Policies: A Case Study, Jameyshia Franklin

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

People worldwide experienced some impacts from the 2019 Coronavirus at various degree. The healthcare industry worldwide was significantly affected by the high volume of patients being infected with the Coronavirus. The COVID-19 virus brought on several challenges for the healthcare industry and the federal government in the United States. Hospitals operated under severe circumstances to treat sick COVID-19 patients and keep their employees safe from contracting the disease. Government mandated social distancing, mask wearing, and cancelation and closing of services to assist with stopping the spread of the virus. This study aimed to identify how the pandemic affected the healthcare …

San Pedro Hospital - San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala, Jennifer Paumen

Posters

Primary objective: to learn about the healthcare system of Guatemala including the challenges and strengths.

Philippines Global Health, Thomas Rieth, Kourtney Bettinger, Ryan Northup

Posters

Provides reflections on resident's experience working with cardiologists and neonatologists in Manila.

Pediatric Diarrhea Patients Living In Urban Areas Have A Higher Incidence Of Clostridioides Difficile Infection, Ayodele T Adesoji, Osaro Mgbere, Charles Darkoh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and an unappreciated contributor to child mortality in low- and middle-income countries where the diagnosis may be difficult. There is little information about the prevalence of CDI among infants, children, and adolescents in Africa. Using a cross-sectional design, seventy-six samples were collected from pediatric patients presenting with diarrhea, including infants (≤ 2 years old), children (2-12 years), and adolescents (13 ≤17 years) from three hospitals between January and December 2019. Demographic data, medical history, and prior antibiotic use were recorded. Toxigenic culture and PCR were used to detect and …

Vertical Transmission Of Sars-Cov-2 In A Twin Pregnancy, Tiffany C. Chang, Rebecca F. Herbert, Stacey N. Tran, Victoria M. Weprinsky, Bhaskari Burra, Chi Dola

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in 2019 and rapidly evolved into the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The emergence of a highly morbid disease has posed ongoing challenges in the diagnosis, management, and prevention of COVID-19. The uncertainty underlying medical decision making is further compounded by preexisting conditions, including pregnancy. Here, we report a twin pregnancy complicated by maternal COVID-19 and the vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We hope that our experiences contribute to a better understanding of the disease in pregnancy and, ultimately, guide the development of effective treatment and prevention …

What? Is Epstein–Barr Virus Infection Linked To Multiple Sclerosis?, Asha Mahajan, Steven B Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Do You Know The Pathophysiology Of Cytokine Storm During Covid-19?, Shameera Shaik Masthan, Deekshitha Turaka, Ahmed Abdelhaleem, Mounica Vorla, Steven B. Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

What About Anosmia From Covid-19 ?, Sharanya S E Santhi, Sara Elnour, Steven B Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Treating Cytokine Storm In Patients With Covid-19, Ahmed Abdelhaleem, Deekshitha Turaka, Shameera Shaik Masthan, Steven B Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Antimicrobial Stewardship Meets Transitions Of Care: Defining Length Of Therapy For Community-Acquired Pneumonia (Cap), Christopher Whitman, Sarah E. Moore, Matthew Song, Brian C. Bohn, Ashley M. Wilde

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: Hospital-based antimicrobial stewardship efforts have traditionally focused on inpatient settings. Antibiotic prescribing at discharge is often an overlooked area of focus for antimicrobial stewardship programs. Discharge prescribing optimization is necessary to combat antibiotic overuse.

Methods: This was an observational, retrospective cohort study at a four–adult community hospital system. Four hundred adult patients admitted with community-acquired pneumonia and discharged with antibiotics were included. The primary outcome was overall (inpatient and discharge) antibiotic length of therapy. The secondary outcome was percentage of patients discharged on a fluoroquinolone who had not received one in the hospital. Descriptive statistics were utilized.

Results: The …

Covid-19 Case Complicated With Organizing Pneumonia And Pneumothorax: Correspondence, Hammad A. Bhatti, Minh Q. Ho

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

How Environmental Change Will Impact Mosquito-Borne Diseases, Arsal Khan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Mosquitos, the most lethal species throughout human history, are the most prevalent source of vector-borne diseases and therefore a major global health burden. Mosquito-borne disease incidence is expected to shift with environmental change. These changes can be predicted using species distribution models. With the wide variety of methods used for models, consensus for improving accuracy and comparability is needed. A comparative analysis of three recent modeling approaches revealed that integrating modeling techniques compensates for trade-offs associated with a singular approach. An area that represents a critical gap in our ability to predict mosquito behavior in response to changing climate factors, …

Covid-19, Vaccination, And Heart Transplantation, Forest W. Arnold

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.