Browsing by Subject "Transmission"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 21
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    Advancing Public Health Surveillance in Child Care Centers: Stakeholder-Informed Redesign and User Satisfaction Evaluation of the MCRISP Network
    (JMIR, 2024-09-24) Gribbin, William; Dejonge, Peter; Rodseth, Jakob; Hashikawa, Andrew; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Leveraging user feedback, we redesigned a novel disease monitoring utility to allow for bidirectional data flow and in this letter offer insights into that process as well as lessons learned.
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    Could the SARS-CoV-2 infection be acquired from Smartphones?
    (College of Health Science of Jimma University, 2020-09-01) Law, Siukan; Alnasser, Ali Hassan A.; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Based on the provided information, smartphone devices can be a mediator in the transmission of infectious diseases, including SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare centers and the community. It is known that smartphones are no longer only for phone calls, but their use is necessary for communication, health information, e-learning, and medical consultations. Strategies should go beyond the imposition of behavioral controls for individuals with a commitment to regularly disinfect smartphones, portable electronic medical record devices, etc. Besides, finding alternative ways to use these devices in a clinical setting is paramount importance.
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    COVID-19 and saliva: A primer for dental health care professionals
    (Wiley, 2020-08-23) Srinivasan, Mythily; Thyvalikakath, Thankam P.; Cook, Blaine N.; Zero, Domenick T.; Oral Pathology, Medicine and Radiology, School of Dentistry
    To contain the COVID‐19 pandemic, it is essential to find methods that can be used by a wide range of health care professionals to identify the virus. The less potential contagious nature of the collection process, the ease of collection and the convenience of frequent collection for real‐time monitoring makes saliva an excellent specimen for home‐based collection for epidemiological investigations. With respect to COVID‐19, the use of saliva offers the added advantages of greater sensitivity and potential for detection at an early stage of infection. However, the advantages from a diagnostic perspective also reflect the potential risk to dental professionals from saliva from infected patients. Although not validated in COVID‐19 patients, but by extension from studies of SARS‐CoV‐1 studies, it is suggested that using antimicrobial mouthrinses such as chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite solutions could reduce the viral load in saliva droplets and reduce the risk of direct transmission. Because large saliva droplets could deposit on inanimate surfaces, changing the personal protective equipment including the clinical gown, gloves, masks, protective eye wear and face shield between patients, as well as decontamination of the work surfaces in the clinic, could reduce the risk of indirect contact transmission.
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    COVID-19 Positivity Following an In-Person Surgical Society Meeting: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study
    (Elsevier, 2022) Silver, Casey M.; Joung, Rachel H.; Visenio, Michael R.; Wang, Tracy S.; Pawlik, Timothy M.; Kim, Eugene S.; Bilimoria, Karl Y.; Surgery, School of Medicine
    Introduction: Many surgical societies have recently resumed in-person meetings after canceling or adopting virtual formats during the COVID-19 pandemic. These meetings implemented safety measures to limit viral exposure and ensure participant safety. While there have been anecdotal reports of COVID-19 cases after attendance, no large-scale assessments have been undertaken. The objective of this study was to evaluate COVID-19 positivity following an in-person surgical society meeting. Methods: An online survey was administered to participants of the Society for Asian Academic Surgeons annual meeting, which was held in Chicago, Illinois in September 2021. This survey assessed vaccination status, in-person versus virtual conference attendance, and COVID-19 testing and symptoms in the 7 d immediately following the meeting. Results: Among the 220 meeting participants, 173 attended in person (79%). There were 91 survey respondents (41% response rate): 67% attending physicians, 27% trainees, and 6% medical students. Nearly, all (99%) reported being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. COVID-19 testing was sought within 7 d of the meeting by 15% of in-person respondents, and all reported negative results. Among individuals who were not tested, no one reported development of symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, fever, new loss of taste/smell, etc.). Conclusions: Among in-person attendees of a recent surgical society meeting, no one reported positive COVID-19 testing after the meeting, and individuals who were not tested denied developing symptoms. While these results are encouraging, societies hosting meetings should continue to proactively assess the safety of in-person meetings to promptly identify outbreaks and opportunities for improvement.
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    COVID-19: How Do We Stay Safe?
    (American Thoracic Society, 2020-07-10) Carlos, W. Graham; Dela Cruz, Charles S.; Cao, Bin; Gross, Jane E.; Pasnick, Susan; Jamil, Shazia; Medicine, School of Medicine
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    COVID-19: What do we know?
    (Elsevier, 2020-09-21) Marshall, Steve; Duryea, Michael; Huang, Greg; Kadioglu, Onur; Mah, James; Palomo, Juan Martin; Rossouw, Emile; Stappert, Dina; Stewart, Kelton; Tufekci, Eser; Orthodontics and Oral Facial Genetics, School of Dentistry
    Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic caused by the pathogen severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).1 Preliminary assessments suggest the virus is highly transmittable and infectious,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 with similarities in nosocomial and super-spreading events seen with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1 (SARS-CoV-1) in 2003.8 Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 display a wide range of host responses including no symptoms, mild nonrespiratory symptoms, severe respiratory illness, or organ dysfunction and death.1,5 The American Association of Orthodontists Council on Scientific Affairs was charged with examining the literature to determine the best evidence for questions pertaining to COVID-19 and its impact on the practice of orthodontics.
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    Global Trends of Monkeypox-Related Articles: A Bibliometric Analysis Over the Last Five Decades (1964 – July 14, 2022)
    (Elsevier, 2023) Kamal, Manar Ahmed; Farahat, Ramadan Abdelmoez; Awad, Ahmed K.; Tabassum, Shehroze; Labieb, Fatma; Bejan, Cosmin A.; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A.; Dhama, Kuldeep; Dergaa, Ismail; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background: The first human monkeypox (MPX) case was identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 1970 with an outbreak in 2010 and the first human MPX case in the UK in 2022. In this study, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of the literature on monkeypox based on the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) of the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) to identify relevant topics and trends in monkeypox research. Methods: We searched the Web of Science from 1964 until July 14, 2022, for all publications using the keywords "Monkeypox" and "Monkeypox virus." Results were compared using numerous bibliometric methodologies and stratified by journal, author, year, institution, and country-specific metrics. Results: Out of 1170 publications initially selected, 1163 entered our analysis, with 65.26 % (n = 759) being original research articles and 9.37 % (n = 109) being review articles. Most MPX publications were in 2010, with 6.02 % (n = 70), followed by 2009 and 2022 at 5.67 % (n = 66) each. The USA was the country with the highest number of publications, with n = 662 (56.92 %) of total publications, followed by Germany with n = 82 (7.05 %), the UK with n = 74 (6.36 %), and Congo with n = 65 (5.59 %). Journal of Virology published the highest number of MPX publications, followed by Virology Journal and Emerging Infectious Diseases with n = 52 (9.25 %), n = 43 (7.65 %), and n = 32 (5.69 %) publications, respectively. The top contributing institutions were the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH)National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Conclusion: Our analysis provides an objective and robust overview of the current literature on MPX and its global trends; this information could serve as a reference guide for those aiming to conduct further MPX-related research and as a source for those seeking information about MPX.
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    Hajj and Umrah Mass Gatherings and COVID-19 Infection
    (Springer Nature, 2020-11-03) Hoang, Van-Thuan; Gautret, Philippe; Memish, Ziad A.; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Purpose of review: We discuss the risk of COVID-19 in religious mass gathering events including Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. Recent findings: The risk of transmission of respiratory viruses including COVID-19 is particularly high due to the overcrowding conditions at the Hajj and Umrah. The profile of the Hajj pilgrims who tend to be older and with multiple comorbidities corresponds to that of individuals at risk for severe COVID-19. In order to avoid a COVID-19 outbreak with potential spreading to many countries through returning pilgrims, Saudi Arabia suspended the Umrah, and access to the 2020 Hajj was very limited. Summary: A clear relation between early suspension of religious mass gatherings and lower occurrence of COVID-19 transmission in countries that took such measures promptly was noticed. There are lessons to national and international health organizations for other mass gatherings in the context of the pandemic.
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    Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus.
    (Thieme, 2020-04-18) Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A.; Memish, Ziad A.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Emerging infectious diseases continue to be of a significant importance worldwide with the potential to cause major outbreaks and global pandemics. In 2002, the world had witnessed the appearance of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus in China which disappeared abruptly within 6 months. About a decade later, a new and emerging novel coronavirus named the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was described in a patient from Saudi Arabia. These two coronaviruses shared multiple similarities in the epidemiology, clinical presentations, and posed challenges in its prevention and management. Seven years since its discovery, MERS-CoV continues to be a lethal zoonotic pathogen capable of causing severe pneumonia with high case fatality rates and the ability to cause large health care-associated outbreaks.
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    Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Could be a Priority Pathogen to Cause Public Health Emergency: Noticeable Features and Counteractive Measures
    (Sage, 2024-08-15) Chandran, Deepak; Chakraborty, Sandip; Chandran, Diljith; Subedi, Deepak; Jisha, Ankitha Indu; Chopra, Hitesh; Rabaan, Ali A.; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A.; Islam, Md. Rabiul; Dhama, Kuldeep; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is caused by a specific strain of the 6 types of human coronaviruses (HCoV). MERS-CoV has spread unchecked since it was first discovered in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The virus most likely spreads through nosocomial and zoonotic channels. Genetic analyses suggest that bats were the initial hosts and that the disease spread to camels. Person-to-person transmission occurs with varying frequency, being most prevalent in clinical settings and the least common among the general population and among close relatives. Due to the severity of the illness, high fatality rate, potential for epidemic spread, and lack of adequate medical countermeasures, the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to list MERS-CoV as a priority pathogen. While no specific antiviral medicines exist, a combination of antivirals has shown promise in recent clinical trials. Vaccines against MERS-CoV are critically needed and are currently being developed. Early diagnosis and implementing appropriate infection control measures are keys to preventing hospital-associated outbreaks. Preventive measures include avoiding raw or undercooked meats and other animal products, ensuring proper hand hygiene in healthcare settings and around dromedaries, educating the public and healthcare personnel about the disease, and adhering to other recommended practices. Countries with a high prevalence of MERS should adhere to regulations designed to limit the transmission of the virus. The recent spread of MERS-CoV highlights the importance of public awareness regarding the significance of reporting symptoms so that appropriate control measures can be adopted. The narrative review discusses the incidence of MERS, its clinical presentation, potential transmission routes, recent reports, preventative and control measures, and current therapeutic options.