Virus Diseases Commons^™

Infection Of Neuronal Cells By Chlamydia Pneumoniae And Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Alters Expression Of Genes Associated With Alzheimer’S Disease, Morgan M. Devins, Fiora D. Zoga, Brian J. Balin, Denah M. Appelt, Susan T. Hingley

Scholarly Posters

Several studies have suggested an infectious etiology for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We have been investigating a potential role for both Chlamydia pneumoniae and Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) in the initiation of sporadic late-onset AD. Our current study focuses on investigation of gene expression using Alzheimer-specific Real-Time PCR microarrays on RNA derived from SKNMC human neuronal cells infected with C. pneumoniae and/or HSV1. There are distinct differences in the patterns of gene regulation by the two pathogens. For example, C. pneumoniae induces expression of genes involved in amyloid production and processing, such as β-amyloid precursor protein (APP), β-site APP-cleaving …

Preventing Mother-To-Child Transmission Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (Hiv-1): Effects Of Intrapartum And Neonatal Single-Dose Nevirapine Prophylaxis And Subsequent Hiv-1 Drug Resistance At Antiretroviral Treatment Initiation, Amanda L. Harmon

CMC Senior Theses

The prevention of mother-to-child transmission is one of the most powerful tools in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) prevention and has huge potential to improve both maternal and child health. In the absence of any preventative measures, infants born to and breastfed by their HIV-positive mothers have roughly a one-in-three chance of acquiring the infection themselves. HIV can be passed on from mother-to-child during pregnancy, during labor and delivery, and even after during breastfeeding.

Intrapartum and neonatal single-dose nevirapine (sd-NVP) is the foundation of preventing mother-to-child transmission in lower resource settings where it has been used alone or as …

A Comparison Of Pharmacist Travel-Health Specialists' Versus Primary Care Providers' Recommendations For Travel-Related Medications, Vaccinations, And Patient Compliance In A College Health Setting, Melissa J. Durham, Jeffery A. Goad, Lawrence S. Neinstein, Mimi Lou

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background. Pretravel medication and vaccination recommendations and receipt were compared between primary care providers (PCPs) without special training and clinical pharmacists specializing in pretravel health.

Methods. A retrospective chart review of patients seen for pretravel health services in a pharmacist-run travel clinic (PTC) compared to PCPs at a University Student Health Center. Vaccine/medication recommendations were assessed for consistency with national/international guidelines. Medical/pharmacy records were queried to determine the receipt of medications/vaccinations.

Results. The PTC recommended antibiotics for travelers' diarrhea were given more often when indicated (96% vs 50%, p < 0.0001), and patients seen in the PTC received their medications more often (75% vs 63%, p = 0.04). PCPs prescribed more antibiotics for travelers' diarrhea that were inconsistent with guidelines (not ordered when indicated 49% vs 6%, p < 0.0001 and ordered when not indicated 21% vs 3%, p < 0.0001). The PTC prescribed antimalarials more often when indicated (98% vs 81%, p < 0.0001), while PCPs prescribed more antimalarials that were inconsistent with guidelines (not ordered when indicated 15% vs 1%, p < 0.0001 and ordered when not indicated 19% vs 2%, p < 0.0001). The PTC ordered more vaccines per patient when indicated (mean = 2.77 vs 2.31, p = 0.0012). PTC patients were more likely to receive vaccines when ordered (mean = 2.38 vs 1.95, p = 0.0039). PCPs recommended more vaccines per patient that were inconsistent with guidelines (not ordered when indicated: mean = 0.78 vs 0.12, p < 0.0001, ordered when not indicated: mean 0.18 vs 0.025, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions. A pharmacist-run pretravel health clinic can …

First Generation Of Gender And Hiv Programs: Seeking Clarity And Synergy, Judith Bruce, Nicole Haberland, Amy Joyce, Eva Roca, Tobey Nelson Sapiano

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In the past decade, there have been expanding resources to address the underlying gender dimensions of HIV. This has been particularly urgent in sub-Saharan Africa as the female-to-male infection ratios in young populations has reached 3 to 1 and sometimes above. The phrase “gender and HIV” has become commonplace yet does not provide any specific guidance as to target audiences, content, or measurable results. It can include everything from microcredit programs for HIV-positive women, to workplace programs seeking to change negative male norms, to efforts to increase respect for diverse sexual and gender identities. This review, conducted by the Population …

Community Health Workers Can Effectively Provide Information And Referrals To People Living With Hiv In Their Communities, Population Council

Reproductive Health

A number of studies reported high levels of sexually transmitted infections among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Unfortunately, prevention interventions targeting PLHIV in the community are not common in Kenya, and most PLHIV who are not on ART have limited access to prevention information and risk-reduction counseling. The Population Council’s APHIA II Operations Research Project conducted a research project to address these gaps. This study was conducted in 2010 in collaboration with the International Center for Reproductive Health and the National AIDS and STI Control Programme. The findings show that the intervention had a number of positive outcomes and concludes …

Making Hiv Services More Responsive To Young Children And Infants In Nyanza, Monica Wanjiru

Reproductive Health

Health workers in Kenya often miss opportunities to discuss pediatric HIV with clients and to track exposed children in order to initiate treatment. To address this problem, the Population Council’s APHIA II Operations Research Project collaborated with the Christian Health Association of Kenya, Catholic Relief Services, and the Kendu Adventist Hospital to improve HIV testing and treatment services for children at the hospital. The project recommended that pediatric HIV services be strengthened and included as an essential service at all levels of healthcare facilities in order to reach more children, including as one of the roles of the community health …

Operationalizing And Scaling Up Hiv/Rh Referrals In Kenya: The Way Forward, Aphia Ii Or Project In Kenya

Reproductive Health

This policy brief describes the APHIA II Operations Research Project through which the Population Council and Kenya’s Ministry of Health (MOH) developed and tested an approach to systematically link HIV-positive family planning (FP) clients to treatment and care services. Key activities included provider training and testing of a referral package which showed how, where, when, and who is to make and receive referrals. This referral package consisted of a directory listing all facilities in the vicinity available for services including HIV counseling and testing, FP, STIs, tuberculosis, and well-child checks; and referral forms directing clients to appropriate receiving clinics. The …

Linking Hiv-Positive Family Planning Clients To Treatment And Care Services In Kenya, Wilson Liambila, Francis Obare, Harriet Birungi, Ruth Wayua Muia, Joyce Wanderi Maina, Mary N. Maina, Christine Awuor, Ibrahim Mohammed

Reproductive Health

A project from the Population Council’s USAID-funded FRONTIERS program found that integrating HIV counseling and testing into family planning (FP) services was feasible and acceptable to clients and providers, and led to significant improvement in the quality of care provided. However, a major limitation was that FP clients who tested HIV-positive were not actively linked to care and treatment services, including antiretroviral treatment, and screening and management of sexually transmitted infections. A new initiative aimed to design and test a referral framework for linking HIV-positive FP clients to treatment and care in selected health facilities; assess the acceptability of the …

Is 5% Imiquimod Cream More Efficacious At Sustained Clearance Of Genital Warts At 3 Months Compared To 1% Imiquimod, Ablation Therapy, And A Placebo Vehicle Cream?, David A. Smith

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review is to determine whether or not 5% Imiquimod is more efficacious at sustained treatment of genital warts at 3 months compared to 1% Imiquimod, ablation, and a placebo vehicle cream.

Vertical Transmission Of West Nile Virus In Culex Spp. Mosquitoes Of Clark County, Nevada, Vivek K. Raman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

West Nile Virus (WNV) is an RNA arbovirus that cycles between mosquitoes and birds, but also infects and causes disease in humans, horses and other vertebrate species. Although most infections are asymptomatic, WNV has emerged as the most common cause of epidemic meningoencephalitis in North America and the leading cause of arboviral encephalitis in the United States.

Mosquitoes of the genus Culex are the most active vectors of WNV in North America. Approximately 85% of human WNV infections in the United States occur in late summer with a peak number of cases in August and September. Vertical transmission is defined …

The Epidemiology Of Bacterial Vaginosis In Relation To Sexual Behaviour, Hans Verstraelen, Rita Verhelst, Mario Vaneechoutte, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) has been most consistently linked to sexual behaviour, and the epidemiological profile of BV mirrors that of established sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It remains a matter of debate however whether BV pathogenesis does actually involve sexual transmission of pathogenic microorganisms from men to women. We therefore made a critical appraisal of the literature on BV in relation to sexual behaviour.

Discussion: G. vaginalis carriage and BV occurs rarely with children, but has been observed among adolescent, even sexually non-experienced girls, contradicting that sexual transmission is a necessary prerequisite to disease acquisition. G. vaginalis carriage is enhanced …

The Surge Of H1n1: A Patient Safety Initiative, Charlotte Buckenmyer Ms, Rn, Cen, Constance Simpson Rn, Kristine Weitzel Rn, Sandra Sabbatini Bsn, Rn, Tara Lynne Wisniewiski Bsn, Rn

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Erving Goffman As A Pioneer In Self-Ethnography? The “Insanity Of Place” Revisited*, Dmitri N. Shalin

Bios Sociologicus: The Erving Goffman Archives

This paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Atlanta, August 14, 2010. I wish to express my profound gratitude to all those who have helped preserve the memory of Erving Goffman by contributing a memoir to the Erving Goffman Archives. I am especially grateful to Frances Goffman Bay, Esther Besbris, and Marly Zaslov for providing family documents and invaluable recollections about Erving Goffman’s formative years, as well as to EGA board members whose practical assistance and good cheer sustained me throughout this project.

Goffman's Self-Ethnographies, Dmitri N. Shalin

Bios Sociologicus: The Erving Goffman Archives

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Atlanta, August 14, 2010. I wish to express my profound gratitude to all those who helped preserve the memory of Erving Goffman by contributing a memoir to the Erving Goffman Archives. I am especially grateful to Frances Goffman Bay, Esther Besbris, and Marly Zaslov for providing family documents and invaluable recollections about Erving Goffman’s formative years, as well as to EGA board members whose practical assistance and good cheer sustained me throughout this project.

The Efficacy And Safety Of Insulin-Sensitizing Drugs In Hiv-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Trials, Siddharth H. Sheth, Robin J. Larson

Dartmouth Scholarship

HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome (HALS) is characterized by insulin resistance, abnormal lipid metabolism and redistribution of body fat. To date, there has been no quantitative summary of the effects of insulin sensitizing-agents for the treatment of this challenging problem. We searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, clinical trial registries, conference proceedings and references for randomized trials evaluating rosiglitazone, pioglitazone or metformin in patients with evidence of HALS (last update December 2009). Two reviewers independently abstracted data and assessed quality using a standard form. We contacted authors for missing data and calculated weighted mean differences (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each …

Influence Of Type 2 Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus NPro On Enhancement Of Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus Replication Mediated By Antagonism Of Host Cell Interferon Type I Responses, Abdulrahman Abdulaziz A. Alkheraif

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a member of the genus Pestivirus, Family Flaviviridae. The virus can infect many species of animals of the order Artiodactyla. The BVDV genome encodes an auto protease, N^pro, that degrades interferon regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3) reducing type I interferon (IFN-I) production from host cells. Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is a member of the genus Pneumovirus, Family Paramyxoviridae. Concurrent infection with BVDV and BRSV causes more severe respiratory and enteric disease than infection with either virus alone. Our hypothesis was that N^pro modulates the innate immune responses to BVDV infection …

Glycan Shielding Of The Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Elicits Evasion Of The Adaptive Immune Response And T-Cell-Driven Pathology, Keith C. Wanzeck

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Three separate influenza pandemics have emerged in the human population since 1918, each characterized by viruses that lack N-linked glycosylation sites on the globular head of the hemagglutinin protein. In contrast, recent non-pandemic isolates have acquired such sites. Here we constructed isogenic viruses containing differing numbers of additional N-linked glycosylation sites to assess the impact on the host immune response. These studies show that mice infected with a glycosylated virus remain susceptible to challenge with a non-glycosylated virus, glycosylated viruses elicit an inferior immune response, and in this context T-cell pathology and death may occur. We conclude from these data …

Deaths In Custody In Nevada, 2001-2006, Brian R. Brehman, Terance D. Miethe, Timothy C. Hart

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

A large number of prisoners die each year while under the custody of the state. These deaths include prisoners who are executed under state laws and other deaths in custody from a variety of causes. Nationally, 18,550 individuals died in the custody of a state prison between 2001 and 2006. This state data brief examines deaths in custody in Nevada prisons and jails and compares them to national averages. This report summarizes the prevalence rates for deaths in custody, changes in these custody deaths over time, the cause of these deaths, and compares custody deaths in Clark County jail to …

The Role Of The Ras Superfamily Small G-Proteins In The Proinflammatory Environment Of Rhinovirus-Exposed Monocytic-Lineage Cells, Michael Schreiber

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Rhinoviral infections are a major cause of asthma exacerbations, and though productive rhinovirus infection occurs predominantly in the bronchial epithelial cells of the upper airway, monocytic-lineage cells are implicated in establishing the inflammatory microenvironment observed during rhinoviral asthma exacerbation. It has remained unclear whether small G-protein activation plays a role in establishing this inflammatory microenvironment. The small molecular- weight G-proteins are known to be activated in a variety of cell types upon exposure to a range of viruses. However, it is unclear if small G-protein activation during viral exposure is a byproduct of receptor attachment, is important for viral replication, …

Living Positively: An Inside Look At Hiv Counseling And Testing In Uganda, Lindsay Bergmann

Inquiry Journal 2010

No abstract provided.