Virus Diseases Commons^™

Viral Hepatitis And Hiv Screening Amongst Inpatients With Substance Use Disorder: An Initial Pdsa Cycle Analysis, Christine Papastamelos, Md, Elizabeth Novick, Md, Carolyn Kramer, Md, John Zurlo, Md, Nikhil Seval, Md, Mollie Tucker, Md, Daniel Taupin, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• ~67,000 individuals in Philadelphia county are estimated to be living with substance use disorder (SUD).¹
• Persons who inject drugs (PWID) are at disproportionately higher risk of acquiring HIV and viral hepatitis compared to the general public.² 
• A 3-month retrospective chart review (11/6/23-1/22/24) of 160 inpatient SUD encounters with an Infectious Disease (ID) consult showed that 35%-42% of HIV and hepatitis C screening opportunities were missed.

A Retrospective Study Of Pulmonary Function Tests In Bronchiectasis: An Infectious Disease Of The Respiratory System, Vinod Mutkule, Mahesh Shinde, Vidya Bapmare, Sangramsingh Dixit, Atharva Sharma, Kshitij Sarwey, Yogeshwari Patil, Sanket Jethlia, Aayushi Dwivedi, Disha Pardeshi, Anmol Rai, Kunal Shah, Vidhi Kalwar

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: Bronchiectasis, currently being recognized worldwide, is an abnormal dilatation of the bronchi and bronchioles brought on by recurrent cycles of inflammation and airway infection. Impaired pulmonary function has a predictive significance in bronchiectasis. When treating patients with suspected or confirmed respiratory diseases, pulmonary function tests (PFT) are useful examinations. Very few studies have been done on PFTs in bronchiectasis. The main aim of this study is to study PFTs in bronchiectasis.

Method: This is a retrospective observational study done on 50 patients over two years at the tertiary care center. The previous records of patients were collected from the …

Covid-19 And Related Adverse Neurological Complications, Hannah A. Wasson

Honors Thesis

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world drastically, and its impact was monumental. COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, was the virus responsible for causing such mayhem. This contagious virus can enter the body via different routes, live on surfaces for hours, and be transmitted through the air, increasing infection risk. Once it enters the body, it can trick the body into replicating the virus. From this reaction within the body, signs and symptoms follow. While the name indicates a respiratory illness, the virus can inflict injury on other parts of the body. Due to the organ systems …

Integrating Positive Psychology And Spirituality To Foster Meaning And Well-Being In Older Adults, Crystal Morris

Adultspan Journal

This perspective article explores the integration of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) and spirituality in therapy to foster meaning and well-being in older adults. It highlights exercises such as the positive introduction, positive legacy, character strengths, mindfulness, mindful-based yoga, and a manifestation prayer journaling. The interventions presented are tools to support older adults that may experience depression, difficult life transitions, and the search for renewed meaning. Therapists who integrate PPIs and spirituality into therapy can promote a holistic, non-pathological approach to treatment.

Parvovirus B19 Infection In Kidney Transplant Recipients, Hatem Najar, Kiran Goli, Maria P. Martinez Cantarin

Division of Nephrology Faculty Papers

On August 14, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) health advisory due to a surge in Parvovirus B19 (B19V) infections in the United States. Our report presents two cases of suspected donor-derived Parvovirus B19 infection in kidney transplant patients. Both cases had refractory anemia requiring treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin. These cases highlight the importance of awareness and monitoring of B19V infection in the context of recent epidemiologic trends to improve clinical outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.

In Silico Evaluation Of Bisphosphonates Identifies Leading Candidates For Sars-Cov-2 Rdrp Inhibition, Mohammed Muzaffar-Ur-Rehman, Kishor Suryakant Chougule, Ala Chandu, Pranali Vijaykumar Kuthe, Mohit Garg, Murugesan Sankaranarayanan, Seshadri S. Vasan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in 777 million confirmed cases and over 7 million deaths worldwide, with insufficient treatment options. Innumerable efforts are being made around the world for faster identification of therapeutic agents to treat the deadly disease. Post Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 (PASC), also called Long COVID, is still being understood and lacks treatment options as well. A growing list of drugs are being suggested by various in silico, in vitro and ex vivo models, however currently only two treatment options are widely used: the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) inhibitor remdesivir, and …

Risk Factors Associated With Helicobacter Pylori Infection In The Urban Population Of China: A Nationwide, Multi-Center, Cross-Sectional Study, Liang Wang, Zheng Kang Li, Jin Xin Lai, Yu Ting Si, Jie Chen, Eng Guan Chua, Ling Yan Dai, Qiong Dai, Xu Bo Dai, Zhao Hui Deng, Hong Du, Qi Fang, Cui Feng, Min He, Guo Chu Hu, Yi Zhong Hu, Hui Huang, Yan Jiang Huang, Fen Li, Jun Hong Li, Qi Xin Li, Zhi Fang Lin, Hai Tao Liu, Ming Bo Liu, Jin Hua Luo, Jian Hong Ma

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: To assess the risk factors associated with Helicobacter pylori infection in the urban Chinese population. Methods: The study was conducted from March to November 2023, including 12,902 urban participants aged 18-60 years across 52 cities distributed over 26 provinces in China. Risk factors included socioeconomic status, lifestyles, and public understanding. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to calculate corrected odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: According to multivariate logistic regression, risk factors associated with significantly higher H. pylori infection rates included residency in developing (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.13-1.43) and undeveloped cities (OR 1.15, …

The Impact Of Emergency Room Overcrowding On The Incidence Of Healthcare-Acquired Infections Among Patients, Hayya Ali

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Emergency department (ED) visits are vital components of healthcare delivery, serving as the primary site for acute medical care, particularly for individuals with urgent medical needs. The ED is among the most crowded hospital units. The fast-paced setting and over-crowdedness of an emergency room have become the reality of every hospital across the United States. Overcrowding causes problems for patients and staff, which include the risk of contracting healthcare-acquired infections. This is due to several factors that in most cases lead to an increase in the number of people within the ED, an increase in mortality and morbidity, and a …

Expanding Inducible Epithelial Resistance Against Pneumonia: Novel Virus, Novel Receptor, Michael Longmire

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death worldwide and presents a continuing risk among immunocompromised patients. Our work has been focused for many years on the phenomenon of inducible epithelial resistance, where activation of the innate immune response in the airway epithelium is necessary and sufficient to produce a pathogen-killing but self-protective environment to prevent severe disease. Inducible resistance is pathogen-agnostic and has been demonstrated against an array of respiratory infections. We achieve this using a combination of pattern recognition receptor agonists – Pam2CSK4 and ODN M362 being the current formulation – which produce synergistic levels of pathogen reduction …

The Effects Of Climate Change On The Advancement Of West Nile Virus, Mackenzie R. Epperson

ATU Scholars Symposium

The West Nile virus (WNV) first emerged in the United States in the year 1999 within the state of New York and has become endemic throughout the country over time. This virus is contracted from an avian species acting as the reservoir host, by the vector species which are mosquitoes. From this point, the mosquitoes transmit the virus to humans and other mammals, which are the dead end hosts. The WNV often presents itself as flu-like symptoms, but in serious cases can cause severe arboviral neurological disease. Since this is an arbovirus, it is important to have the ability to …

Effectiveness Of The Use Of An Opt-Out Script To Increase Hiv Screening In Adolescent Clients In Pediatric Primary Care Clinics In West Tennessee: A Scoping Review, Julie Cupples Msn, Rn, Allison Johnson Ms, Bsn, Rn, Sally Humphrey Dnp, Aprn, Cpnp-Pc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend one-time human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening for all adolescents. Pediatric primary care providers are on the front lines of adolescent healthcare and can provide testing that is adolescent-friendly, confidential, and easily accessible. This scoping review aims to synthesize the evidence and assess the literature on the efficacy of using an opt-out script to increase HIV testing in adolescent well-child checks.

Methods

A literature review was conducted between October 2022 and August 2024 to collect studies assessing adolescents aged 12-18, provider-led sex education, and …

Pandemic Mythmaking: Covid-19 And Mythological Symbolism In Indian Folk Art, Ishani Anwesha Joshi, Sathyaraj Venkatesan

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Through a comprehensive analysis of Durga Bai Vyam’s “Samura Manthan” and Rupsona and Bahadur Chitrakar’s “Corona Rakshasa,” this article aims to investigate how mythological stories and themes have been used in the Indian context in folk art during the COVID-19 pandemic. The investigation will offer insights into how artists have leveraged mythological symbolism to infuse their works with richer layers of meaning, thereby engaging readers in a deeper exploration of the pandemic’s impact on society and the human psyche. By close-reading the aforementioned paintings, this study aims to illustrate the evolving visual representation of cultural narratives …

Nanopore Sequencing For The Detection And Preliminary Identification Of Viruses In Amblyomma Americanum L. (Acari: Ixodidae), Mary Katherine Humphrey, Lorenza Beati, Ella Zierdt, Saviour Dralabu

Honors College Theses

Hard-bodied ticks are known to carry a wide range of viruses, some of which can cause human diseases. In the U.S., the tick Amblyomma americanum is an important disease vector. The tick has recently expanded its distribution range and its abundance is rising in many areas of the U.S. Its virome is, however, largely underexplored. In this preliminary study, we used a Nanopore MinION sequencer to detect and identify the viral fauna in nymphal ticks (n=43) collected in Statesboro, GA. Extracted DNA and RNA were analyzed separately. Nucleic acids were pooled into 6 groups according to their collection dates and …

Primary Place To Go For Health Care And Its Association With Hpv Prevalence In Us Adults: Results From Nhanes 2013-2016, Amy L. Mcveety, Miyuki Sun

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Background: While access to health care is a known risk factor for many infectious diseases, including sexually transmitted infections, little research has investigated the relationship between access to primary care services and prevalent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Given HPV’s prevalence in the general population and lack of available treatments, it is necessary to understand possible risk factors to identify areas for intervention. This study uses primary place to go for health services as a proxy measure for access to care, in order to understand which sources of health care are serving patients with the highest prevalence of HPV infections and …

Perceived Risk And Hpv Vaccination Awareness Among Women In Rural And Underserved Communities In The State Of Louisiana, Deborah Gurgel Smith, Emily M. Dantes, Robbie Beyl, Yanna X. De Koter, Margaret Bourg, Corey D. Smith, Gelinia Jackson, Justin Brown, Jerry W. Mclarty

School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Despite the availability of effective preventive measures, women in rural and underserved communities of Louisiana face health disparities regarding human papillomavirus infections. This study explores how perceived risk and socioeconomic factors, such as income, influence HPV vaccine awareness and attitudes toward HPV risk. A cross-sectional study was conducted among women in rural and underserved areas of Louisiana from November 2022 to December 2023. Participants were eligible to be included in the study if they were adult females aged 25 to 64 with no history of hysterectomy and no history of cervical cancer. We used convenience sampling through a mobile health …

Stopping The Cirrhosis: An International Review Of Hep C Screening In Prisons And Jails From 2004-2023, Anastasia Sahu Bs, Jack Spurlock Ba, Mhs, Eliza Beal Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: As of 2023, HCV prevalence in state prisons in the United States was 9 times higher than the general population¹. Without treatment, 20% of people with HCV will develop cirrhosis, and some estimate that 70% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases arise from cirrhosis or advanced fibrosis². Despite the high prevalence in prisons, the US does not have nationally standardized Hep C screening in correctional facilities. The goal of this study is to investigate different models of existing programs in prisons internationally. Understanding these models will inform Hep C screening in US prisons on a state …

Clostridioides (Clostridium) Difficile Infection In Hospitalized Adult Patients In Cambodia, Lengsea Eng, Deirdre A. Collins, Kefyalew Addis Alene, Sotharith Bory, Youdaline Theng, Pisey Vann, Sreyhuoch Meng, Setha Limsreng, Archie C.A. Clements, Thomas V. Riley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Despite high levels of global concern, little is known about the epidemiology of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) in Cambodia. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and risk factors for CDI, and molecular types of C. difficile in hospitalized adults at Calmette Hospital, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Stool samples were collected from 263 hospitalized adults between June and September 2022 and tested for C. difficile using direct and enrichment cultures. PCR toxin genes tcdA, tcdB, cdtA, and cdtB, and amplification of the 16s–23s rRNA intergenic spacer region for ribotyping, were performed on all C. difficile isolates. C. difficile was isolated …

Preferences And Willingness For Starting Daily, On-Demand, And Long-Acting Injectable Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Transfeminine Persons In The Us, 2022-2023, Duygu Islek, Travis Sanchez, Stefan Baral, Carolyn Brown, Joanna A. Caldwell, Jennifer L. Glick, Danielle Friedman Nestadt, Jeb Jones, Iaah L. Lucas, Supriya Sarkar, Annemiek De Ruiter, Patrick S. Sullivan, Mariah Valentine-Graves, Savannah Winter, Vani Vannappagari

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background There remains limited information concerning US transfeminine persons preferences across varying PrEP options. We examined PrEP option willingness, preferences, and associated factors among a US nationwide sample of transfeminine persons. Methods Sexually active transfeminine persons age 15 + were recruited online between June 2022-October 2023 through social media advertisements. Transfeminine persons not diagnosed with HIV were asked about willingness to initiate, and ranked preference, of three PrEP options- daily oral (DO), on-demand, and long-acting injectable (LA-PrEP). Log-binomial models were used to examine PrEP modality willingness and associated sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. Results Among 2657 transfeminine persons not currently using …

Advancing Pandemic Response: Integrated Strategies For Testing, Prediction, And Bias Mitigation, Tianshu Gu

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The COVID-19 pandemic, along with prior outbreaks such as SARS and Ebola, has revealed critical gaps in global pandemic preparedness, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches to infectious disease management. This dissertation addresses three key areas of pandemic response: developing scalable screening strategies, constructing reliable predictive models, and mitigating demographic biases in artificial intelligence (AI) models used for healthcare decision-making.

The first study introduces a global screening strategy designed to optimize resource use and increase testing capacity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where resources are limited. This study leverages pooled testing methods, where multiple samples are combined into …

Tale Of A Colossal Heart: Coxsackie B Virus Related Dilated Cardiomyopathy Presenting As Ambulatory Cardiogenic Shock, Mahmood Danishwar, Muhammad Asad Hanif, Raesham Bukhari, Brian Mccauley

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.