Publications by authors named "D R Moffett"
Objectives: World Health Organization issued Joint Statement on Data Protection and Privacy in the COVID-19 Response stating that collection of vast amounts of personal data may potentially lead to the infringement of fundamental human rights and freedoms. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development called on national governments to adhere to the international principles for data security and confidentiality. This paper describes the methods used to assist the Ministry of Health in bringing awareness of the data ownership, confidentiality and security principles to COVID-19 responders.
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- Lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated mRNA can produce various therapeutic proteins in vivo, facilitating the creation of personalized cancer vaccines and enhancing drug delivery methods.
- The study demonstrated that mRNA/LNP formulations of specific proteins substantially increased their production and presence in tumors compared to traditional recombinant proteins, with up to 140-fold improvement in exposure over 96 hours.
- Additionally, these formulations stimulated a stronger immune response, prolonged survival in cancer models, and showed improved efficacy when combined with existing treatments, suggesting potential for better patient outcomes.
Implementing infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes in line with the World Health Organization's (WHO) eight core components has been challenging in Sierra Leone. In 2021, a baseline study found that IPC compliance in three tertiary hospitals was sub-optimal. We aimed to measure the change in IPC compliance and describe recommended actions at these hospitals in 2023.
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- Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a serious disease found in Kazakhstan, with a previously estimated 1.2% infection rate among livestock owners in certain regions.
- A study tested for the presence of CCHF virus in 521 sheep and 454 cattle across various villages, revealing seroprevalence rates of 5.7% in sheep and 22.5% in cattle, indicating higher risk in endemic areas.
- The findings suggest that the areas previously identified as nonendemic still pose a risk for CCHF transmission, highlighting the need for enhanced public health measures even in these regions.
Encephalitis and meningitis (EM) are severe infections of the central nervous system associated with high morbidity and mortality. The etiology of EM in Kazakhstan is not clearly defined, so from February 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018 we conducted hospital-based syndromic surveillance for EM at the Shymkent City Hospital, in the South Kazakhstan region. All consenting inpatients meeting a standard case definition were enrolled.
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