Exploring the Antimicrobial Resistance Profile of and Its Clinical Burden.

: Typhoid fever caused by serovar Typhi continues to pose a significant risk to public health in developing countries, including Pakistan. This study investigated the epidemiological factors linked to suspected and confirmed infections in Peshawar's hospital population. : A total of 5735 blood samples of patients with suspected enteric fever were collected from September 2022 to November 2023.

Factors Associated With the Discontinuation of Two Short-Course Tuberculosis Preventive Therapies in Programmatic Settings in the United States.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate timing and risk factors for discontinuation of short-course tuberculosis preventive therapy (TPT) comparing directly observed 3-month isoniazid/rifapentine (3HP) vs self-administered 4-month rifampin (4R).

Methods: This was a subanalysis of a 6-month health department cohort (2016-2017) of 993 latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) patients initiating 3HP (20%) or 4R (80%). Time at risk of TPT discontinuation was compared across regimens.

The Burden of Bacteriologically Negative TB Diagnosis: A Four-Year Review of Tuberculosis Cases at a Tertiary Facility.

Aim: We aimed to investigate the demographic and clinical factors associated with TB mortality in patients managed at a tertiary TB referral center.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of 1,933 TB patients seen between January 2017 and December 2020 at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) Chest Department in Accra, Ghana. TB mortality was defined as any TB patient who died for any reason during the course of treatment.

Central Nervous System Tuberculosis: Risk Factors for Mortality in a Propensity Score-Matched Case-Control Study.

Background: Despite advancements in tuberculosis (TB) control and treatment in the United States (US), patients with central nervous system TB (CNS-TB) continue to experience significantly higher mortality rates than those without CNS-TB. This raises concerns regarding clinical management and the need for a deeper understanding of the risk factors contributing to these deaths. This study aimed to determine the predictors of mortality in patients with CNS-TB.

Gut microbiota composition and diversity before, during, and two months after rifamycin-based tuberculosis preventive therapy.

Tuberculosis (TB) preventive therapy (TPT) is an effective strategy to eliminate TB in low-incidence settings. Shorter TPT regimens incorporating the antimicrobial class of rifamycins are designed to improve adherence and completion rates but carry the risk of modifications to the gut microbiota. We enrolled six subjects diagnosed with latent TB infection (LTBI) who accepted to initiate TPT.

16S rRNA gene sequencing of stool samples collected from patients with latent tuberculosis infection before, during, and two months after treatment with 3HP or 4R.

Objective: We present 16s rRNA gene sequencing (V1-V2 region) and sample data from a pilot observational cohort study to describe the gut microbiota dynamics of subjects with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) treated with daily 600 mg rifampicin for four months (4R) or a weekly dose of 900 mg combination of rifapentine and isoniazid for three months (3HP). Our objectives were to (1) document changes to the gut microbiota immediately following exposure to the rifamycins and (2) document recovery to baseline two months after treatment completion.

Data Description: We enrolled six subjects with subjects with LTBI and prospectively followed them for 5-6 months.

Application of Phylodynamic Tools to Inform the Public Health Response to COVID-19: Qualitative Analysis of Expert Opinions.

Background: In the wake of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, scientists have scrambled to collect and analyze SARS-CoV-2 genomic data to inform public health responses to COVID-19 in real time. Open source phylogenetic and data visualization platforms for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 genomic epidemiology have rapidly gained popularity for their ability to illuminate spatial-temporal transmission patterns worldwide. However, the utility of such tools to inform public health decision-making for COVID-19 in real time remains to be explored.

Assessing risk factors for latent and active tuberculosis among persons living with HIV in Florida: A comparison of self-reports and medical records.

Purpose: This study examined factors associated with TB among persons living with HIV (PLWH) in Florida and the agreement between self-reported and medically documented history of tuberculosis (TB) in assessing the risk factors.

Methods: Self-reported and medically documented data of 655 PLWH in Florida were analyzed. Data on sociodemographic factors such as age, race/ethnicity, place of birth, current marital status, education, employment, homelessness in the past year and 'ever been jailed' and behavioural factors such as excessive alcohol use, marijuana, injection drug use (IDU), substance and current cigarette use were obtained.

Effect of mixed strain infections on clinical and epidemiological features of tuberculosis in Florida.

Mixed infections with genetically distinct Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) strains within a single host have been documented in different settings; however, this phenomenon is rarely considered in the management and care of new and relapse tuberculosis (T.B.) cases.

Optimal Testing Choice and Diagnostic Strategies for Latent Tuberculosis Infection Among US-Born People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Background: Increased risk of progression from latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) to tuberculosis (TB) disease among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; PLWH) prioritizes them for LTBI testing and treatment. Studies comparing the performance of interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) and the tuberculin skin test (TST) among PLWH are lacking.

Methods: We used Bayesian latent class analysis to estimate the prevalence of LTBI and diagnostic characteristics of the TST, QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube (QFT), and T.

Timing of treatment interruption among latently infected tuberculosis cases treated with a nine-month course of daily isoniazid: findings from a time to event analysis.

Background: Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in high-risk groups is an effective strategy for TB control and elimination in low incidence settings. A nine-month course of daily isoniazid (INH) has been the longest prescribed therapy; however, completion rates are suboptimal. We need data to guide TB program outreach efforts to optimize LTBI treatment completion rates.

Direct transmission of within-host Mycobacterium tuberculosis diversity to secondary cases can lead to variable between-host heterogeneity without de novo mutation: A genomic investigation.

Background: Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has enabled the development of new approaches to track Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) transmission between tuberculosis (TB) cases but its utility may be challenged by the discovery that Mtb diversifies within hosts. Nevertheless, there is limited data on the presence and degree of within-host evolution.

Methods: We profiled a well-documented Mtb transmission cluster with three pulmonary TB cases to investigate within-host evolution and describe its impact on recent transmission estimates.

Genomic Investigation of a Outbreak Involving Prison and Community Cases in Florida, United States.

We used whole-genome sequencing to investigate a tuberculosis outbreak involving U.S.-born persons in the prison system and both U.

Socioeconomic Vulnerability and Sexually Transmitted Infection Among Pregnant Haitian Women.

Background: Despite evidence that education and poverty act through distinct pathways to influence sexually transmitted infection (STI), few studies have examined the unique, independent associations of these socioeconomic vulnerabilities with sexual risk behaviors and STI among women.

Methods: From August to October 2013, women at an antenatal clinic in Gressier, Haiti, were interviewed and tested for chlamydial infection, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis (N = 200). We measured low educational attainment as less than 9 years of schooling and currently living in poverty based on crowding, defined as more than 2 people sleeping in one room.

Genetic diversity of drug and multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis circulating in Veracruz, Mexico.

Background: Mexico is one of the most important contributors of drug and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Latin America; however, knowledge of the genetic diversity of drug-resistant tuberculosis isolates is limited.

Methods: In this study, the genetic structure of 112 Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains from the southeastern Mexico was determined by spoligotyping and 24-loci MIRU-VNTRs.

Findings: The results show eight major lineages, the most of which was T1 (24%), followed by LAM (16%) and H (15%).

Childhood anemia in Rural Haiti: the potential role of community health workers.

Background: Childhood iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is an important contributor to under-five mortality in the developing world. There is evidence that Community Health Worker (CHW) delivered programs to increase maternal knowledge of child health practices may decrease childhood IDA. This study reports findings on the association between a long standing CHW intervention and childhood anemia status in rural Haiti.

Association between Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineage and site of disease in Florida, 2009-2015.

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is characterized into four global lineages with strong geographical restriction. To date one study in the United States has investigated M. tuberculosis lineage association with tuberculosis (TB) disease presentation (extra-pulmonary versus pulmonary).

Spatiotemporal Clustering of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Genotypes in Florida: Genetic Diversity Segregated by Country of Birth.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). Although the MTBC is highly clonal, between-strain genetic diversity has been observed. In low TB incidence settings, immigration may facilitate the importation of MTBC strains with a potential to complicate TB control efforts.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex transmission is not associated with recent immigration (≤5 years) in Florida.

As tuberculosis (TB) incidence decreases in the US, foreign-born persons continue to account for a larger proportion of the burden. In these cross-sectional analyses of 1149 culture-confirmed TB cases genotyped using spoligotyping and 24-locus MIRU, we show that over a quarter of cases among the foreign-born population in Florida resulted from recent transmission of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. In addition, over a third of these cases occurred among persons who had immigrated 5 years or less prior to their diagnosis.

Is the Beijing strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis associated with cavitary lung disease?

We conducted a cross-sectional study to describe clinical characteristics of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis with and without evidence of pulmonary cavitation on chest radiography and assess whether cavitation is associated with infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing strain. Cases were selected from the Tuberculosis Registry (January 1, 2008-November 1, 2011) of the Florida Department of Health (FDOH). Molecular characterization was performed by spoligotyping and MIRU-VNTR.

Determinants of institutional delivery among women of childbearing age in rural Haiti.

Institutional delivery is an important factor associated with reduced maternal mortality rate (MMR). MMR in Haiti is high (350 per 100,000) and institutional delivery is low-just over 25 % of women delivered at a health facility in 2010. There also exists substantial rural-urban disparity in delivery with more hospital deliveries in urban than in rural areas.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Anemia among Children 6-59 Months Old in Haiti.

Anemia has serious consequences on child growth, development, and survival. This study was conducted in Fond des Blancs and Villa, Haiti, to assess the prevalence of childhood anemia and its risk factors in order to inform program design. Children 6-59 months old (n = 557) were selected using a cross-sectional multistage sampling methodology.