Publications by authors named "Melissa D Etheart"

Background: Rotavirus vaccines are effective in preventing severe rotavirus. Haiti introduced 2-dose monovalent (G1P[8]) rotavirus vaccine recommended for infants at 6 and 10 weeks of age in 2014. We calculated the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccine against hospitalization for acute gastroenteritis in Haiti.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dog-rabies elimination programs have typically relied upon parenteral vaccination at central-point locations; however, dog-ownership practices, accessibility to hard-to-reach sub-populations, resource limitations, and logistics may impact a country's ability to reach the 70% coverage goal recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and World Health Organization (WHO). Here we report the cost-effectiveness of different dog-vaccination strategies during a dog-rabies outbreak in urban and peri-urban sections of Croix-des-Bouquets commune of the West Department, Haiti, in 2016. Three strategies, mobile static point (MSP), mobile static point with capture-vaccinate-release (MSP + CVR), and door-to-door vaccination with oral vaccination (DDV + ORV), were applied at five randomly assigned sites and assessed for free-roaming dog vaccination coverage and total population coverage.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * A logistic regression model was developed based on Haiti's animal rabies surveillance data to assess the risk of rabies in biting dogs, identifying key factors like hypersalivation, paralysis, and lack of prior vaccination.
  • * The model demonstrates high accuracy and sensitivity, allowing for timely PEP recommendations after dog bites and potentially lowering unnecessary vaccination costs when the rabies risk is low.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: In 2014, an oral cholera vaccine (OCV) campaign targeting 185,314 persons aged ≥1 years was conducted in 3 departments via fixed post and door-to-door strategies. This was the first use of the global OCV stockpile in Haiti.

Methods: We conducted a multi-stage cluster survey to assess departmental OCV coverage.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Approximately 59,000 people die from rabies worldwide annually. Haiti is one of the last remaining countries in the Western Hemisphere with endemic canine rabies. Canine-mediated rabies deaths are preventable with post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP): wound treatment, immunoglobulin, and vaccination.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * To boost awareness and participation, 600,000 text messages were sent to dog owners in Gonaives and Saint-Marc, with significant positive feedback on the effectiveness of the reminders.
  • * Results showed that text message recipients were twice as likely to participate in one-day vaccination events, suggesting that SMS alerts can effectively increase participation in vaccination campaigns in resource-limited areas.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In Haiti, an investigation occurred after the death of a 4-year-old girl with suspected rabies. With tips provided by community members, the investigation led to the identification of 2 probable rabies-related deaths and 16 persons bitten by rabid dogs, 75% of which chose postexposure prophylaxis. Community engagement can bolster rabies control.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Consumption of drinking water from private vendors has increased considerably in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in recent decades. A major type of vendor is private kiosks, advertising reverse osmosis-treated water for sale by volume. To describe the scale and geographical distribution of private kiosks in metropolitan Port-au-Prince, an inventory of private kiosks was conducted from July to August 2013.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Haiti's integrated bite case management (IBCM) program offers guidance on rabies risks and treatment for animal-bite victims, alongside the Haiti Animal Rabies Surveillance Program (HARSP) to evaluate the animal exposures.
  • A study followed up with bite victims who received IBCM counseling between 2014 and 2015, assessing their healthcare actions and outcomes in relation to rabies exposure classification.
  • Results showed that IBCM counseling led to a 1.2x increase in those seeking medical care and a 2.4x rise in vaccination rates, potentially reducing rabies deaths by 65% among assessed victims.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

AbstractHaiti has the highest burden of rabies in the Western hemisphere, with 130 estimated annual deaths. We present the cost-effectiveness evaluation of an integrated bite case management program combining community bite investigations and passive animal rabies surveillance, using a governmental perspective. The Haiti Animal Rabies Surveillance Program (HARSP) was first implemented in three communes of the West Department, Haiti.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Haiti has experienced numerous barriers to rabies control over the past decades and is one of the remaining Western Hemisphere countries to report dog-mediated human rabies deaths. We describe the circumstances surrounding a reported human rabies death in 2016 as well as barriers to treatment and surveillance reporting.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF