Sudden Vision Loss Heralding Covid-19-Associated Aspergillosis. Report Of 2 Cases, Tamara R. Vrabec, David R. Anderson, Priyal K. Shaw, Tatyana Milman

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

Purpose

To describe clinical, radiographic, laboratory and cytopathologic findings in 2 patients who developed vision loss due to endogenous aspergillus endophthalmitis during hospitalization for COVID-19 pneumonia.

Observations

Two unvaccinated sexagenarian male smokers lost vision within one month of contracting COVID-19 pneumonia. Initially, both received high dose steroids, nasal cannula oxygen and remdesivir. Immunomodulators tocilizumab or baricitinib were added during week 2 in case 1 and 2 respectively. Upon presentation after discharge from a post-COVID rehabilitation unit, visual acuities were light perception and hand motion. In both cases, inpatient blood and ocular fluid cultures were negative, serum 1,3-beta-D-glucan was positive, and …

Metapopulation Dynamics Of Sars-Cov-2 Transmission In A Small-Scale Amazonian Society, Thomas Kraft, Edmond Seabright, Sarah Alami, Samuel M. Jenness, Paul L. Hooper, Bret Beheim, Helen Davis, Daniel K. Cummings, Daniel Eid Rodriguez, Maguin Gutierrez Cayuba, Emily J. Miner, Xavier De Lamballerie, Lucia Inchauste, Stéphane Priet, Benjamin Trumble, Jonathan Stieglitz, Hillard Kaplan, Michael Gurven

ESI Publications

The severity of infectious disease outbreaks is governed by patterns of human contact, which vary by geography, social organization, mobility, access to technology and healthcare, economic development, and culture. Whereas globalized societies and urban centers exhibit characteristics that can heighten vulnerability to pandemics, small-scale subsistence societies occupying remote, rural areas may be buffered. Accordingly, voluntary collective isolation has been proposed as one strategy to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 and other pandemics on small-scale Indigenous populations with minimal access to healthcare infrastructure. To assess the vulnerability of such populations and the viability of interventions such as voluntary collective isolation, we …

Systemic Anticancer Therapy And Thromboembolic Outcomes In Hospitalized Patients With Cancer And Covid-19, Shuchi Gulati, Chih-Yuan Hsu, Surbhi Shah, Pankil K. Shah, Rebecca Zon, Susan Alsamarai, Joy Awosika, Ziad El-Bakouny, Babar Bashir, Alicia Beeghly, Stephanie Berg, Daniel De-La-Rosa-Martinez, Deborah B. Doroshow, Pamela C. Egan, Joshua Fein, Daniel B. Flora, Christopher R. Friese, Ariel Fromowitz, Elizabeth A. Griffiths, Clara Hwang, Chinmay Jani, Monika Joshi, Hina Khan, Elizabeth J. Klein, Natalie Knox Heater, Vadim S. Koshkin, Daniel H. Kwon, Chris Labaki, Tahir Latif, Rana R. Mckay, Gayathri Nagaraj, Elizabeth S. Nakasone, Taylor Nonato, Hyma V. Polimera, Matthew Puc, Pedram Razavi, Erika Ruiz-Garcia, Renee Maria Saliby, Aditi Shastri, Sunny R.K. Singh, Vicky Tagalakis, Diana Vilar-Compte, Lisa B. Weissmann, Cy R. Wilkins, Trisha M. Wise-Draper, Michael T. Wotman, James J. Yoon, Sanjay Mishra, Petros Grivas, Yu Shyr, Jeremy L. Warner, Jean M. Connors, Dimpy P. Shah, Rachel P. Rosovsky

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Systematic data on the association between anticancer therapies and thromboembolic events (TEEs) in patients with COVID-19 are lacking.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between anticancer therapy exposure within 3 months prior to COVID-19 and TEEs following COVID-19 diagnosis in patients with cancer.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This registry-based retrospective cohort study included patients who were hospitalized and had active cancer and laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Data were accrued from March 2020 to December 2021 and analyzed from December 2021 to October 2022.

EXPOSURE: Treatments of interest (TOIs) (endocrine therapy, vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors/tyrosine kinase inhibitors [VEGFis/TKIs], immunomodulators [IMiDs], immune …

Non-Histaminergic Angioedema Following Infection With Covid-19, Sheza Malik, Basil George Verghese, S Shahzad Mustafa

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Non-respiratory manifestations of COVID-19, including dermatological manifestations, have been reported, and although urticaria associated with COVID-19 has been reported, there have been no reports of non-histaminergic angioedema following infection with mild COVID-19. Non-histaminergic angioedema has a gradual onset and is characterized by submucosal swelling without accompanying urticaria or pruritus, and poor response to antihistamines and corticosteroids. We report a case of non-histaminergic angioedema in a 29-year-old woman with a history of mild COVID-19 infection. Our case highlights the fact that early diagnosis of non-histaminergic angioedema in mild COVID-19 patients is crucial for effective treatment and requires a high level of …

Mutation-Induced Changes In The Stability, B-Cell Epitope, And Antigenicity Of The Sars-Cov-2 Variant Spike Protein: A Comparative Computational Stud, Nira Meirita Wijayanti, Muhammad Hermawan Widyananda, Lailil Muflikhah, Nashi Widodo

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The spike (S) protein is a major antigenicity site that targets neutralizing antibodies and drugs. The growing number of S protein mutations has become a severe problem for developing effective vaccines. Here, we investigated four severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants that were the most infectious and widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic to determine the trends and patterns of mutation-induced changes in the stability, B-cell epitope, and antigenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein. The data showed that the Beta and Gamma variants had three mutations on the receptor-binding domain (RBD), which is the specific site on the S …

Understanding And Quantifying Bioaerosol Fate Within The Aerobiological Pathway: Physical Transport, Environmental Decay, And Mitigation, Sean Kinahan

Theses & Dissertations

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for better tools to understand and characterize phases of the aerobiological pathway, a model for understanding how infectious bioaerosols are sourced, generated, transported, deposit, and affect human health. This dissertation presents validation of methodologies for studying transport of airborne biological agents and variations on their consequences, especially focusing on their physical and chemical fate. Chapter 1 focuses on a parallel comparison of two methods of aging bioaerosols in real-world outdoor environments with complex sunlight, atmospheric chemistry, and pollutants. Both capture on microfibers and the use of Goldberg rotating drums to keep a …

Unknown Rectal Lesions: A Case Of Severe Proctitis Secondary To Mpox In The Setting Of Concomitant Hiv, Syphilis, Hsv, And Chlamydia, Nicole Robertson Mph, James Crosby Do, Cynthia R. Young Md, Msc, Anne E. Sayers Md, Nicholas J. Van Sickles Md

ePublications of Emerging Medical Research Scholars

Introduction:

Mpox emerged as a public health crisis with limited research describing co-occurring HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We present a case of severe proctitis secondary to Mpox with concomitant HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), syphilis, HSV (Herpes Simplex Virus), and chlamydia and review presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Mpox with concurrent STIs.

Case Presentation:

34-year-old male living with HIV (LWH) presenting with worsening rectal pain, multiple anal papules, and fever. His laboratory workup revealed simultaneous positive results for orthopoxvirus, chlamydia, and HSV-1 PCR. We initiated tecovirimat due to rectal involvement and uncontrolled pain. He subsequently developed lesions on …

Under One Roof – An Integrated Clinic For Substance Use Disorder And Viral Hepatitis/Hiv Treatment, Sarah Hipkens, Emily Caron, Wendy Craig, Kinna Thakarar

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Introduction: Integration of viral hepatitis/HIV care and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment has been shown to improve patient outcomes, but data are lacking in rural states like Maine. Our study objective was to assess the baseline characteristics and outcomes of patients with SUD who receive combined substance use and viral hepatitis/HIV treatment at a recently established “Bridge Program” in our rural state.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients enrolled in the Bridge Program between January 2020 and November 2021. We then performed a descriptive analysis of demographics, health characteristics, preventive services, and treatment outcomes.

Results: A total …

Preparing For Pandemics: Lesson Plan Design For Children In Elementary School, Daniella Rivera, Enkhtsogt (Steve) Sainbayar, Saleem Choudry, Brittany Vaughn Pierce, Roxana Nouri-Nikbakht, Joy H. Lewis D.O., Phd

Intellectus

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated distance learning to attenuate the spread of the virus, and school-aged children were particularly affected by this change. Because of their age and education level, children generally lacked understanding about the pandemic and the preventive measures necessary to prevent the spread of this and other infectious diseases. It is unknown how many schools nationwide incorporated disease-prevention education in their curriculums during the pandemic. Therefore, developing distance learning interventions that convey these topics at their level of understanding is important to improve health literacy and raise their awareness of factors that positively influence health.

Objective: To …

Sars-Cov-2 Infection In Unvaccinated High-Risk Pregnant Women In The Bronx, Ny, Usa Is Associated With Decreased Apgar Scores And Placental Villous Infarcts, Sandra E. Reznik, Patricia M. Vuguin, Alexa Cohen, Rasha Khoury, Olivier Loudig, Ridin Balakrishnan, Susan A. Fineberg, Francine Hughes, Malini Harigopal, Maureen J. Charron

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Babies born to severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected mothers are at greater risk for perinatal morbidity and more likely to receive a neurodevelopmental diagnosis in the first year of life. However, the effect of maternal infection on placental function and neonatal outcomes varies depending upon the patient population. We set out to test our hypothesis that maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in our underserved, socioeconomically disadvantaged, mostly unvaccinated, predominantly African American and Latina population in the Bronx, NY would have effects evident at birth. Under IRB approval, 56 SARS-CoV-2-positive patients infected during the “first wave” of the pandemic with alpha …

Analyzing Pseudomonas Aeruginosa With Bacteriophage Tags Using Photoacoustic Flow Cytometry, Jennifer C. Schinke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The number of daily bacterial infections is climbing and the CDC explains that this is due to the antibiotic-resistant threat in the United States. Finding a faster way of bacterial identification is necessary as it currently takes 1-4 days for a medical lab to culture and identify bacteria. Photoacoustic flow cytometry (PAFC) can be used as an alternative method resulting in swift identification within an hour (Edgar, 2019). Pseudomonas aeruginosa, cell line PA01, will be coated in up to a few hundred red dyed phages making it detectible by the photoacoustic flow cytometry system. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that …

Transmission Of Yellow Fever Vaccine Virus Through Blood Transfusion And Organ Transplantation In The Usa In 2021: Report Of An Investigation, Carolyn V. Gould, Rebecca J. Free, Julu Bhatnagar, Raymond A. Soto, Tricia L. Royer, Warren R. Maley, Sean Moss, Matthew A. Berk, Rebecca Craig-Shapiro, Rosy Priya L. Kodiyanplakkal, Lars F. Westblade, Thangamani Muthukumar, Yoram A. Puius, Amresh Raina, Azam Hadi, Kymberly A. Gyure, Danielle Trief, Marcus Pereira, Matthew J. Kuehnert, Vennus Ballen, Debra A. Kessler, Kimberly Dailey, Charles Omura, Thuy Doan, Steve Miller, Michael R. Wilson, Jennifer A. Lehman, Jana M. Ritter, Elizabeth Lee, Luciana Silva-Flannery, Sarah Reagan-Steiner, Jason O. Velez, Janeen J. Laven, Kelly A. Fitzpatrick, Amanda Panella, Emily H. Davis, Holly R. Hughes, Aaron C. Brault, Kirsten St George, Amy B. Dean, Joel Ackelsberg, Sridhar V. Basavaraju, Charles Y. Chiu, J. Erin Staples

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: In 2021, four patients who had received solid organ transplants in the USA developed encephalitis beginning 2-6 weeks after transplantation from a common organ donor. We describe an investigation into the cause of encephalitis in these patients.

METHODS: From Nov 7, 2021, to Feb 24, 2022, we conducted a public health investigation involving 15 agencies and medical centres in the USA. We tested various specimens (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, intraocular fluid, serum, and tissues) from the organ donor and recipients by serology, RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, metagenomic next-generation sequencing, and host gene expression, and conducted a traceback of blood transfusions received by …

Probing Conformational Landscapes Of Binding And Allostery In The Sars-Cov-2 Omicron Variant Complexes Using Microsecond Atomistic Simulations And Perturbation-Based Profiling Approaches: Hidden Role Of Omicron Mutations As Modulators Of Allosteric Signaling And Epistatic Relationships, Gennady M. Verkhivker, Mohammed Alshahrani, Grace Gupta, Sian Xiao, Peng Tao

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In this study, we systematically examine the conformational dynamics, binding and allosteric communications in the Omicron BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and BA.4/BA.5 spike protein complexes with the ACE2 host receptor using molecular dynamics simulations and perturbation-based network profiling approaches. Microsecond atomistic simulations provided a detailed characterization of the conformational landscapes and revealed the increased thermodynamic stabilization of the BA.2 variant which can be contrasted with the BA.4/BA.5 variants inducing a significant mobility of the complexes. Using the dynamics-based mutational scanning of spike residues, we identified structural stability and binding affinity hotspots in the Omicron complexes. Perturbation response scanning and network-based mutational …

Investigation Of Orthohantavirus Genetics In Rodent Reservoirs And Clinical Samples, Samuel Melvin Goodfellow

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Orthohantaviruses are negative-sense, single stranded RNA viruses with trisegmented genomes that can cause severe disease in humans and are carried by several host reservoirs throughout the world. In the United States, Sin Nombre orthohantavirus (SNV) is the primary cause of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) with a fatality rate of ~36% and the highest cases occuring in the southwest region. The primary SNV host reservoir is thought to be the western deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, however it has been shown that other rodents can carry different orthohantaviruses. We designed a pan-orthohantavirus detection tool to survey several small mammal populations throughout New …

Early Career Special Education Teacher Lived Experiences During Covid-19, Sydney Parks

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The stories and lived experiences of Early Career Special Education Teachers must be shared. This study provides more information on the beginning lived experiences of Special Education Teachers during COVID-19. The researcher conducted a qualitative narrative design to further investigate burnout and self-efficacy among Early Career Special Education Teachers. The researcher conducted an open-ended question interview that allowed participants to relive their experience teaching during COVID-19. The conclusion of this study is that Special Education Teachers love their job but seek more financial security, administrative support and guidance, recognition.

Prevalence And Factors Associated With Sexual And Reproductive Health Literacy Among Youth Living With Hiv In Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study, Benedicto Mugabi, Miisa Nanyingi, Richard Kabanda, Juliet Ndibazza, Peter Elyanu, John Baptist Asiimwe, Gorret Nazziwa, Gilbert Habaasa, Adeodata Kekitiinwa

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background

Adequate sexual and reproductive health literacy (SRHL) among young people has been linked to informed sexual behaviours. Studies on SRHL have largely been conducted among the general adolescent population. Little is known about youth aged 15-24 years living with human immunodeficiency virus (YLHIV). There is a possible lack of SRHL in this population, considering the high rate of teenage pregnancies and unprotected sex reported by YLHIV. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated personal and environmental factors for SRHL among YLHIV at a high-volume urban HIV Clinic in Uganda.

Methods

Through a cross-sectional survey, YLHIV receiving routine …

Ifit2 Restricts Murine Coronavirus Spread To The Spinal Cord White Matter And Its Associated Myelin Pathology, Madhav Sharma, Debanjana Chakravarty, Afaq Hussain, Ajay Zalavadia, Amy Burrows, Patricia Rayman, Nikhil Sharma, Lawrence C. Kenyon, Cornelia Bergmann, Ganes C. Sen, Jayasri Das Sarma

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 2, Ifit2, is critical in restricting neurotropic murine-β-coronavirus, RSA59 infection. RSA59 intracranial injection of Ifit2-deficient (-/-) compared to wild-type (WT) mice results in impaired acute microglial activation, reduced CX3CR1 expression, limited migration of peripheral lymphocytes into the brain, and impaired virus control followed by severe morbidity and mortality. While the protective role of Ifit2 is established for acute viral encephalitis, less is known about its influence during the chronic demyelinating phase of RSA59 infection. To understand this, RSA59 infected Ifit2-/- and Ifit2+/+ (WT) were observed for neuropathological outcomes at day 5 (acute phase) and 30 …

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 …

The Role Of Gut Dysbiosis In The Loss Of Intestinal Immune Cell Functions And Viral Pathogenesis, Farzaneh Fakharian, Siva Thirugnanam, David A. Welsh, Woong Ki Kim, Jay Rappaport, Kyle Bittinger, Namita Rout

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

The gut microbiome plays a critical role in maintaining overall health and immune function. However, dysbiosis, an imbalance in microbiome composition, can have profound effects on various aspects of human health, including susceptibility to viral infections. Despite numerous studies investigating the influence of viral infections on gut microbiome, the impact of gut dysbiosis on viral infection and pathogenesis remains relatively understudied. The clinical variability observed in SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal influenza infections, and the presence of natural HIV suppressors, suggests that host-intrinsic factors, including the gut microbiome, may contribute to viral pathogenesis. The gut microbiome has been shown to influence the …

Encouraging Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Uptake: A Healthcare Improvement Project, Lauren E. Woll

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: Human papillomaviruses are the causative agents of >95% of cervical cancers, most oropharyngeal and anogenital cancers, yet the vaccination status of the population remains critically low despite Gardasil9 offering robust protection against HPV-related disease.

Methods: This quality improvement project utilized a descriptive, observational design to assess the effect of the HPV Encouragement Bundle, a two-step intervention to improve HPV vaccine uptake. Quantitative data was collected via retrospective chart review to assess the effect of the intervention on first-dose administration of Gardasil9 (series initiation), as well as overall Gardasil9 vaccine uptake.

Results: Following implementation, Gardasil9 first dose uptake increased …