Infectious Disease Commons^™

An Investigation Of Infectious Etiologies Of Sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis, Tyler Kennedy, Michele Meltzer, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) is a rare, debilitating disease that can significantly lower one’s quality of life. Unfortunately, there are no current effective treatments, as the underlying causes are still unknown. We hypothesize that preceding infections do not cause sporadic inclusion body myositis.

Methods: The study investigated patients with a diagnosis of inclusion body myositis, with a concurrent or previously documented infection. Men represented a larger proportion of the population as they have an increased preponderance of those affected. The primary objective was to discern which infection, if any, could induce the inflammatory and degenerative changes in muscle …

Tick-Borne Infections In New Hampshire: An Evaluation Of The Diagnostic Process In A Local Patient Population, Katherine Anderson

Honors Theses and Capstones

Overall, approximately 95 percent of reported cases of vector-borne disease were associated with ticks, making these the most medically important group of arthropods in the United States.¹ Despite the prevalence of tick-borne infections, the process for the diagnosis of this condition is not well studied. This study aims to analyze data from a pool of 100 patients who underwent testing for tick-borne disease in the same institution in Dover, New Hampshire during the most recent peak tick season of 2019. Information utilized in this study included: patient age, sex, location of testing (inpatient versus outpatient), diagnostic testing methods used …

Prevalence Of Asymptomatic Gonorrhea And Chlamydia Infections Among Ryan White Hiv Population Visiting A Center City Hiv Clinic, Sarah Stuccio, Rakhshanda Akram, Lisa A. Spacek

Phase 1

Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major public health problem. Two factors make their diagnosis challenging: frequent asymptomatic presentation and lack of screening, especially at extragenital sites. Additionally, STIs including gonorrhea (GC) and chlamydia (CT) have been shown to increase the risk of sexual HIV transmission. Information about the prevalence, as well as predictors of test positivity, of GC and CT infections can stress the importance of universal screening.

Methods: We carried out a retrospective analysis of the STI screening of patients who attended the Ryan White HIV clinic at Jefferson between 2016 and 2018. The primary …

Reviving Focused Scrutiny In The Constitutional Review Of Public Health Measures, Robert Gatter

All Faculty Scholarship

This article re-examines the "focused scrutiny" standard proposed by Prof. Scott Burris in 1989 and argues for its application particularly during an infectious disease emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Focused scrutiny seeks to tie judicial review of the constitutionality of public health measures closely to the facts of the particular disease and to evidence of the efficacy of each governmental action to prevent the spread of that disease, even when courts adopt rational basis testing.

Employee Testing, Tracing, And Disclosure As A Response To The Coronavirus Pandemic, Matthew T. Bodie, Michael Mcmahon

All Faculty Scholarship

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate the United States, the federal government has largely failed to implement a national program to prevent and contain the virus. As a result, many employers have undertaken their own workplace coronavirus mitigation efforts. This essay examines, in three parts, the legal framework surrounding employer systems of workplace testing, tracing, and disclosure. It first examines the legal issues surrounding employer-mandated COVID-19 testing and temperature checks, especially issues arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Regarding employer contact tracing efforts, the essay next reviews the multitude …

The Intellectual Property Of Vaccines: Takeaways From Recent Infectious Disease Outbreaks, Ana Santos Rutschman

All Faculty Scholarship

This Essay examines the ways in which intellectual property regimes influence incentives for the development of new vaccines for infectious diseases. Charting the tension between market forces and public health imperatives, the Essay considers an emerging solution to the long-standing problem of insufficient incentives for vaccine research and development: the rise of public-private partnerships in the health space. The Essay provides a short case study on CEPI, a large-scale public-private partnership dedicated exclusively to funding research on vaccines for infectious diseases. In exploring how the interaction between intellectual property rules and practices affect vaccine innovation, the Essay offers illustrations from …

The Case For Face Shields: Improving The Covid-19 Public Health Policy Toolkit, Timothy L. Wiemken, Ana Santos Rutschman, Robert Gatter

All Faculty Scholarship

As the United States battles the later stages of the first wave of COVID-19 and faces the prospect of future waves, it is time to consider the practical utility of face shields as an alternative or complement to face masks in the policy guidance. Without face shields specifically noted in national guidance, many areas may be reluctant to allow their use as an alternative to cloth face masks, even with sufficient modification.

In this piece, we discuss the benefits of face shields as a substitute to face masks in the context of public health policy. We further discuss the implications …

Be Covid Safe, Opeyemi Akinrinsola, Abigail Corkum, Karyn Furcolo, Christina Gareis, Dorothy Tang

Foundations of Public Health - Infographics

No abstract provided.

Guide To Mask Wearing 101, Laiquannah Hason, Jeremiah Kinsey, Kevin O'Connor

Foundations of Public Health - Infographics

No abstract provided.

"I Don't Like Wearing A Mask", Priyanka Bhatt, Devesh Dajee, Neha Jha, Ruhi Shah

Foundations of Public Health - Infographics

No abstract provided.

The 3 W'S To Staying Safe On & Off Campus During Covid-19, Amanda Guth, Matthew Kermitz, Kate Minke, Raya Patel

Foundations of Public Health - Infographics

No abstract provided.

Controlling The Waves Of Covid-19, Joseph M. Callaghan, Emily Mcdermott, Sofia Mitro, Christopher Stuever

Foundations of Public Health - Infographics

No abstract provided.

Spread Holiday Cheer, Not Covid-19, Sameh Gomaa, Sana Khalid, Michelle St. Omer Roy

Foundations of Public Health - Infographics

No abstract provided.

It's Your Responsibility, Simon Chen, Devanshi Dash, Jaime Nassur

Foundations of Public Health - Infographics

No abstract provided.

Host Transcriptional Response To Persistent Infection With A Live-Attenuated Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus Strain, Jayeshbhai Chaudhari, Chia-Sin Liew, Aspen M. Workman, Jean-Jack Riethoven, David J. Steffen, Sarah Vitosh-Sillman, Hiep Vu

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Both virulent and live-attenuated porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) strains can establish persistent infection in lymphoid tissues of pigs. To investigate the mechanisms of PRRSV persistence, we performed a transcriptional analysis of inguinal lymphoid tissue collected from pigs experimentally infected with an attenuated PRRSV strain at 46 days post infection. A total of 6404 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected of which 3960 DEGs were upregulated and 2444 DEGs were downregulated. Specifically, genes involved in innate immune responses and chemokines and receptors associated with T-cell homing to lymphoid tissues were down regulated. As a result, homing of virus-specific …

Extensively Drug-Resistant Pseudomonas Aeruginosa In Vitro Susceptibility And Mechanisms Of Resistance, Chanah Gallagher

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes severe healthcare-associated infections. Forty-eight extensively drug-resistant (XDR)-P. aeruginosa isolates were selected from 287 isolates collected for evaluation based on clinical susceptibility data. In vitro activity of commonly utilized antimicrobials (i.e. antipseudomonal beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and polymyxins) plus ceftolozane-tazobactam, ceftazidime-avibactam, and aztreonam-avibactam against XDR-P. aeruginosa were determined. The mechanism of resistance profile was determined through phenotypic expression analysis. Overall, polymyxin B and colistin were 100% susceptible. Apart from the polymyxins, ceftolozane-tazobactam had the highest susceptibility (94%) followed by ceftazidime-avibactam (90%) and amikacin (83%). Ceftolozane-tazobactam activity was not significantly different from ceftazidime-avibactam (p=0.6831). Only 40% of isolates …

Hpv Immunization Intervention Application In Rural Arkansas, Randi M. Wright

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) contracted with over 33,000 cases of cancer attributable to the virus in the United States. The socioeconomical impact of HPV can be combatted with the HPV vaccine which is almost 100 percent successful in preventing infection. A strong provider recommendation is the most effective way to increase HPV vaccination. A private clinic in Arkansas with a total of 13 employees were provided HPV vaccination education. A survey was provided to evaluate knowledge on the topic prior to the presentation. An intervention bundle including 9 changes to vaccination procedures was …

Improving Access To Hepatitis C Treatment For Uninsured Patients In Southeast Georgia, Bonzo K. Reddick, Marianna O'Ree

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: In this brief report, we discuss enhancing access to hepatitis C treatment for uninsured patients in Southeast Georgia.

Methods: Through our screening program for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in a local safety net emergency department, the Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Initiative studied the rates of linkage to care for newly diagnosed patients with HCV and sought ways to improve linkage to care for those who did not have health insurance.

Results: Our multidisciplinary team partnered with a local federally qualified health center (FQHC) and a wholesale laboratory service to offer affordable care options, thus increasing the percent …

Why Am I Wearing A Mask If I Don't Feel Sick?, Lily-Anna James, Diana Koval, Samuel Latzsch, Chelsea Nowakowski

Foundations of Public Health - Infographics

No abstract provided.

Masks Matter!, Stephanie Gebbia, Kai Killebrew, Nayo Macauley, Edmund Peacock

Foundations of Public Health - Infographics

No abstract provided.