Virus Diseases Commons^™

The Germ Theory Of Dystopias: Fears Of Human Nature In 1984 And Brave New World, Clea D. Harris

Scripps Senior Theses

This project is an exploration of 20^th century dystopian literature through the lens of germ theory. This scientific principle, which emerged in the late 19^th century, asserts that microorganisms pervade the world; these invisible and omnipresent germs cause specific diseases which are often life threatening. Additionally, germ theory states that vaccines and antiseptics can prevent some of these afflictions and that antibiotics can treat others. This concept of a pervasive, invisible, infection-causing other is not just a biological principle, though; in this paper, I argue that one can interpret it as an ideological framework for understanding human existence …

Is Photodynamic Therapy With Topical 5-Aminolaevulinic Acid Effective For The Treatment Of Adults With Recalcitrant Hand And Foot Warts?, Nicole Hoffman

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not is photodynamic therapy with topical 5-aminolaevulinic acid effective for the treatment of adults with recalcitrant hand and foot warts.

Study Design: Systemic review of 3 English language primary studies, published between 1999- 2007.

Data Sources: Two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and one prospective, single-arm, phase II study published on/after 1999 comparing treatment of recalcitrant hand and foot warts before and after use of photodynamic therapy with topical 5-ALA were obtained using PubMed.

Outcomes Measured: Incidence of disappearance of recalcitrant hand and foot warts was the primary …

Is Sofosbuvir Safer And More Effective Than Peginterferon For Treatment Of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection In Treatment-Naïve Patients?, Nicole L. Luongo

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not Sofosbuvir plus Ribavirin is safer and more effective than Peginterferon plus Ribavirin for treatment of chronic Hepatitis C Virus infection in treatment-naïve patients.

Study Design: Systematic review of three English language primary studies, published in 2013.

Data Sources: Three randomized control trials, two of which are open-label, activecontrolled and one that is double-blind, placebo-controlled, comparing Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin versus other chronic HCV modalities found via PubMed in peer-reviewed journals.

Outcomes Measured: Safety was measured by self-reported adverse events, routine laboratory tests, physical exams, vital signs, and …

Characterization Of Co-Circulating Swine Influenza A Viruses In North America And The Identification Of A Novel H1 Genetic Clade With Antigenic Significance, Tavis K. Anderson, Brian A. Campbell, Martha I. Nelson, Nicola S. Lewis, Alicia Janas Martindale, Mary Lea Killian, Amy L. Vincent

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Multiple genetically and antigenically distinct hemagglutinin genes of the H1 and H3 influenza A virus (IAV) subtypes co-circulate in North American swine. This diversity has evolved by repeated transmission of IAVs from humans to swine and subsequent antigenic drift in swine. To understand the evolutionary dynamics of these diverse HA lineages in North American swine, we undertook a phylogenetic analysis of 1576 H1 and 607 H3 HA gene segments, as well as 834 N1 and 1293 N2 NA gene segments, and 2126 M gene segments. These data revealed yearly co-circulation of H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2 viruses, with three HA clades …

Ebola Preparedness - An Ed Perspective, Bettina Laier

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Combating Hiv/Aids In Marginalized Communities: Papua And West Papua Provinces, Indonesia, Bani Cheema

Master's Theses

My study focuses on foreign aid and local initiatives for HIV/AIDS prevention in eastern Indonesia using the provinces of Papua and West Papua as a case study. The two provinces are home to indigenous tribal groups that are socioeconomically marginalized and most affected by the epidemic. My research investigates behavior change communication as a principal strategy undertaken by multiple organizations for HIV/AIDS prevention in this region. I take a qualitative approach by examining the effectiveness of this strategy in local communities and by revealing social and cultural barriers that impede success. Obstacles that negatively impact prevention efforts include structural violence, …

Evaluating The Effectivesness Of Information Sources Regarding Hiv Among Gold Miners In Quảng Nam, Noah Landesberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Young migrant males in strenuous manual labor environments represent a high-­‐risk population for the transmission of HIV/AIDS. In Vietnam, gold miners are representative of this high-­‐risk population. Phước Sơn district, Quảng Nam province is home to much of Vietnam’s mining activity and has a comparatively high rate of HIV. Previous studies have been done on HIV/AIDS prevalence in Quảng Nam as well as related knowledge and practices. This analysis of a 2014 questionnaire examines the effects of varying information sources on HIV/AIDS knowledge. The sample of workers was mostly male and between 25 and 49 years old. Migrants made up …

Increasing Hpv Vaccination Rates Using Social Marketing Strategies, Sharon Wilson Catledge

Doctoral Projects

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually-transmitted infection (STI). Approximately 20 million Americans between the ages of 15 and 49 years currently have HPV with > 6.2 million new HPV infections estimated to occur each year. Yet, HPV vaccination rates remain relatively low. More than 40 strains of HPV are transmitted through genital contact during vaginal, anal, or oral sex and can infect males and females. In addition to causing genital warts, HPV is associated with cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anus, penile, and oropharyngeal cancers. In women, the most prominent type of cancer is cervical with > 12,000 diagnoses each year …

Acanthamoeba Spp. As Reservoirs For Transmission Of Norovirus, Tun-Yun Hsueh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Human noroviruses (HuNoV) are the most common cause of foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States and the most common food commodities implicated in HuNoV outbreaks are leafy greens; however, the vehicle of transmission and point of contamination are often unknown. Here, we hypothesize that common free-living amoebae (FLA) ubiquitous in the environment may act as reservoirs of HuNoV and facilitate the transmission of these pathogens to fresh produce. The objective of this research was to first evaluate the interaction/association between HuNoV surrogates and Acanthamoeba by incubating them together and analyzing virus titer associated with amoeba through an 8 day …

Comparison Of Self-Reported Alcohol Consumption To Phosphatidylethanol Measurement Among Hiv-Infected Patients Initiating Antiretroviral Treatment In Southwestern Uganda, Francis Bajunirwe, Jessica E. Haberer, Yap Boum Ii, Peter Hunt, Rain Mocello, Jeffrey Martin, David Bangsberg, Judith A. Hahn

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Alcohol consumption among HIV-infected patients may accelerate HIV disease progression or reduce antiretroviral therapy adherence. Self-reported alcohol use is frequently under-reported due to social desirability and recall bias. The aim of this study was to compare self-reported alcohol consumption to phosphatidylethanol (PEth), a biomarker of alcohol consumption, and to estimate the correlation between multiple measures of self-reported alcohol consumption with PEth.

Methods: The Uganda AIDS Rural Treatment Outcomes (UARTO) cohort is located in southwestern Uganda and follows patients on ART to measure treatment outcomes. Patients complete standardized questionnaires quarterly including questions on demographics, health status and alcohol consumption. Baseline …

Sustained Adrenergic Signaling Promotes Cervical Cancer Progression, Nouara C. Sadaoui

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Chronic stress and sustained adrenergic signaling are known to promote tumor progression. The underlying mechanisms behind this process are not well understood. We examined the effects of sustained adrenergic signaling on cervical cancer progression through increased expression of HPV oncogenes, E6 and E7.

Materials and Methods: ADRβ expression levels were examined in patient-derived cervical cancer samples. We used an orthotopic model of cervical cancer to investigate the effects of restraint stress on tumor growth and metastasis. We evaluated the in vivo effects of a β-blocker, propranolol, and HPV E6/E7 siRNA. In vitro, ADRβ positive cervical cancer cells were …

Can Mhealth Improve Risk Assessment In Underserved Populations? Acceptability Of A Breast Health Questionnaire App In Ethnically Diverse, Older, Low-Income Women., Carolina Bravo, Cristina O’Donoghue, Celia P. Kaplan, Judith Luce, Elissa Ozanne

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Use of mobile health (mHealth) tools has expanded rapidly but little research has been done on its acceptability by low-income, diverse, older patient populations.

Objective: To assess the attitudes of a diverse group of underserved women on the acceptability and usability of mHealth tools in a clinical setting using a breast health questionnaire application (app) at a public hospital mammography clinic.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in a breast-imaging center of an urban safety net institution from July-August 2012. Interviews included pre- and post-questions. Women completed the Athena breast health questionnaire app on an iPad and were asked about …

Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Possess Intrinsic Anti-Inflammatory Activity, Benjamin J. Fowler, Bradley D. Gelfand, Younghee Kim, Nagaraj Kerur, Valeria Tarallo, Yoshio Hirano, Shoba Amarnath, Daniel H. Fowler, Marta Radwan, Mark T. Young, Keir Pittman, Paul Kubes, Hitesh Agarwal, Keykavous Parang, David R. Hinton, Ana Bastos-Carvalho, Shengjian Li, Testuhiro Yasuma, Takeshi Mizutani, Reo Yasuma, Charles Wright, Jayakrishna Ambati

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) are mainstay therapeutics for HIV that block retrovirus replication. Alu (an endogenous retroelement that also requires reverse transcriptase for its life cycle)–derived RNAs activate P2X7 and the NLRP3 inflammasome to cause cell death of the retinal pigment epithelium in geographic atrophy, a type of age-related macular degeneration. We found that NRTIs inhibit P2X7-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation independent of reverse transcriptase inhibition. Multiple approved and clinically relevant NRTIs prevented caspase-1 activation, the effector of the NLRP3 inflammasome, induced by Alu RNA. NRTIs were efficacious in mouse models of geographic atrophy, choroidal neovascularization, graft-versus-host disease, and sterile …

The President’S National Security Agenda Curtailing Ebola, Safeguarding The Future, Lawrence O. Gostin, Henry A. Waxman, William Foege

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

A clear lesson of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa is the need for strong public health systems globally, including in the United States. Ebola has highlighted the dangers of weak public health systems, from the immense shortage of health workers in West Africa to the budget cuts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In response to Ebola and the broader threat of infectious disease, President Obama has proposed a $6.2 billion supplemental funding request to Congress. The supplemental would surge resources for containing and treating Ebola in West Africa -- including a reserve of funds to …

The Impact Of Polio Eradication On Routine Immunization And Primary Health Care: A Mixed-Methods Study, Svea Closser, Kelly Cox, Thomas M. Parris, R Matthew Landis, Judith Justice, Ranjani Gopinath, Kenneth Maes, Hailom Banteyerga Amaha, Ismaila Zango Mohammed, Rashid Jooma

Section of Neurosurgery

Background: After 2 decades of focused efforts to eradicate polio, the impact of eradication activities on health systems continues to be controversial. This study evaluated the impact of polio eradication activities on routine immunization (RI) and primary healthcare (PHC).
Methods: Quantitative analysis assessed the effects of polio eradication campaigns on RI and maternal healthcare coverage. A systematic qualitative analysis in 7 countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa assessed impacts of polio eradication activities on key health system functions, using data from interviews, participant observation, and document review.
Results: Our quantitative analysis did not find compelling evidence of widespread and …

Antiretroviral Therapy Enrollment Characteristics And Outcomes Among Hiv-Infected Adolescents And Young Adults Compared With Older Adults — Seven African Countries, 2004–2013, Andrew F. Auld, Simon G. Agolory, Ray W. Shiraishi, Fred Wabwire-Mangen, Gideon Kwesigabo, Modest Mulenga, Sebastian Hachizovu, Emeka Asadu, Moise Zanga Tuho, Virginie Ettiegne-Traore, Francisco Mbofana, Velephi Okello, Charles Azih, Julie A. Denison, Sharon Tsui, Olivier Koole, Harrison Kamiru, Harriet Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha, Charity Alfredo, Kebba Jobarteh, Solomon Odafe, Dennis Onotu, Kunomboa A. Ekra, Joseph S. Kouakou, Peter Ehrenkranz, George Bicego, Kwasi Torpey, Ya Diul Mukadi, Eric Van Praag, Joris Menten, Timothy Mastro, Carol Dukes Hamilton, Mahesh Swaminathan, E. Kainne Dokubo, Andrew L. Baughman, Thomas Spira, Robert Colebunders, David R. Bangsberg, Richard Marlink, Aaron Zee, Jonathan Kaplan, Tedd V. Ellerbrock

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Although scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) since 2005 has contributed to a decline of about 30% in the global annual number of human immunodeficiency (HIV)–related deaths and declines in global HIV incidence, estimated annual HIV-related deaths among adolescents have increased by about 50%, and estimated adolescent HIV incidence has been relatively stable. In 2012, an estimated 2,500 (40%) of all 6,300 daily new HIV infections occurred among persons aged 15–24 years. Difficulty enrolling adolescents and young adults in ART and high rates of loss to follow-up (LTFU) after ART initiation might be contributing to mortality and HIV incidence in this …

Understanding Adherence To Daily And Intermittent Regimens Of Oral Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Men Who Have Sex With Men In Kenya, Peter Mwangi Mugo, Eduard J. Sanders, Gaudensia Mutua, Elisabeth Van Der Elst, Omu Anzala, Burc Barin, David Bangsberg, Frances H. Priddy, Jessica E. Haberer

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

A qualitative assessment of Kenyan men who have sex with men taking daily and intermittent oral HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) found stigma, sex work, mobility, and alcohol impacted adherence. We analyzed quantitative data from the same cohort to explore different definitions of intermittent adherence. Volunteers were randomized to daily emtricitabine/tenofovir or placebo, or intermittent (prescription: Mondays/Fridays/after sex, maximum1 dose/day)emtricitabine/tenofovir or placebo (2:1:2:1), and followed for 4 months. By electronic monitoring, median adherence for daily dosing was 80 %. Median adherence for intermittent dosing was 71 % per a ‘‘relaxed’’ definition (accounting for off-prescription dosing) and 40 % per a ‘‘strict’’ …

Progressive Ataxia In An Aids Patient On Antiretroviral Therapy, Misbahuddin Syed Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Is The United States Prepared For Ebola?, Lawrence O. Gostin, James G. Hodge Jr., Scott Burris

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The West African Ebola epidemic is a humanitarian crisis and a threat to international security. It is not surprising that isolated cases have emerged in Europe and North America, but a large outbreak in the United States, with its advanced health system, is unlikely. Yet the handling of the first domestically diagnosed Ebola case in Dallas, Texas, raised concerns about national public health preparedness. What were the critical health system vulnerabilities revealed in Dallas, and how can the country respond more effectively to novel diseases in a globalized world?

Ebola: A Crisis In Global Health Leadership, Lawrence O. Gostin, Eric A. Friedman

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

At the core of the present Ebola crisis in West Africa is a lack of global health leadership. WHO should be the global health leader, following its constitutional charge, yet it is significantly under-resourced, having a direct effect on its rapid response capacity. The Organization's response to this crisis has been constantly behind, from low funding appeals to its delay in declaring this outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the binding International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR). The IHR themselves have proven insufficient, as countries have failed to cooperate in building the public health capacities that …