Publications by authors named "B De Lappe"
Background: Pollen exposure is associated with substantial respiratory morbidity, but its potential impact on cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains less understood. This study aimed to investigate the associations between daily levels of 13 pollen types and emergency department (ED) visits for eight CVD outcomes over a 26-year period in Atlanta, GA.
Methods: We acquired pollen data from Atlanta Allergy & Asthma, a nationally certified pollen counting station, and ED visit data from individual hospitals and the Georgia Hospital Association.
Background: Understanding the drivers of SARS-CoV-2 transmission can inform the development of interventions. We evaluated transmission identified by contact tracing investigations between March-May 2020 in Salt Lake County, Utah, to quantify the impact of this intervention and identify risk factors for transmission.
Methods: RT-PCR positive and untested symptomatic contacts were classified as confirmed and probable secondary case-patients, respectively.
Background: Compared to many environmental risk factors, the relationship between pollen and asthma is understudied, including how associations may differ by pollen type and between subgroups, and how associations may be changing over time.
Objectives: We evaluated the association between ambient pollen concentrations and emergency department (ED) visits for asthma and wheeze in Atlanta, Georgia during 1993-2018. We estimated overall associations for 13 individual pollen taxa, as well as associations by decade, race, age (5-17, 18-64, 65+), and insurance status (Medicaid vs non-Medicaid).
To describe demographic and social characteristics of US communities exposed to wildfire smoke. Using satellite-collected data on wildfire smoke with the locations of population centers in the coterminous United States, we identified communities potentially exposed to light-, medium-, and heavy-density smoke plumes for each day from 2011 to 2021. We linked days of exposure to smoke in each category of smoke plume density with 2010 US Census data and community characteristics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Social Vulnerability Index to describe the co-occurrence of smoke exposure and social disadvantage.
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- Federal and state governments implemented restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting social interactions, and leading to changes in how enteric viruses like norovirus and rotavirus spread.
- Using mathematical models based on pre-pandemic data, researchers projected future incidence rates of these viruses as contact levels vary from 70% to 100% of pre-pandemic norms.
- Findings indicate that while lower contact scenarios may keep incidence low, a full return to pre-pandemic interactions could more than double the incidence rates of both viruses, highlighting the need for public health readiness.