Publications by authors named "Minhaj F"

Poxvirus Epidemiology.

Methods Mol Biol

December 2024

Article Synopsis
  • Poxviruses, especially those in the orthopoxvirus genus, have caused significant health issues throughout history, with smallpox being a prominent example.
  • Smallpox, caused by the Variola virus, was successfully eradicated in 1980, marking a milestone in public health and requiring extensive research on orthopoxviruses.
  • The text explores both historical and current epidemiology of poxvirus infections, focusing on significant viruses like Monkeypox and Vaccinia.
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Article Synopsis
  • - Monkeypox virus (MPXV) can spread through direct contact with lesions, respiratory secretions, fomites, and even from the mother to fetus during pregnancy, leading to painful skin lesions in infected individuals.
  • - In 2021-2022, the CDC began investigating aircraft after reports of travelers with mpox, collecting data from a total of 113 infected individuals who traveled on 221 flights during their infectious period.
  • - Despite these investigations, no cases of mpox transmission were reported from flight exposures, suggesting air travel with an infected person poses minimal risk; however, the CDC still advises isolation for those infected and postponing travel until they are no longer contagious.
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  • The study evaluated the use of fomepizole, an antidote for toxic alcohol poisoning, by analyzing data from the National Poison Data System over 12 years (2010-2021), noting its rising use especially after 2020.
  • Results showed that most cases (60%) involved actual toxic alcohol poisoning, with patient demographics indicating that toxic alcohol exposures were generally older and more likely to be male compared to non-toxic alcohol cases.
  • Interestingly, many patients receiving fomepizole did not have confirmed toxic alcohol poisoning, as reflected by fewer signs of critical health issues in these cases, which raises concerns about the accuracy of diagnosing toxic alcohol exposure with available testing methods.
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  • * Treatments included extended use of tecovirimat and starting ART to boost the immune response.
  • * Findings showed significant monkeypox virus replication in skin cells, indicating that continuous viral activity could be the reason for prolonged illness in these patients.
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Article Synopsis
  • - Since May 2022, mpox (monkeypox) has spread to 108 countries, predominantly affecting gay and bisexual men.
  • - Two studies conducted in mid-2022 revealed that 8% of men who have sex with men in San Francisco had orthopoxvirus antibodies, while approximately 5.6% of samples from across the U.S. tested positive for monkeypox.
  • - The findings suggest that there are likely very few undiagnosed mpox cases in areas with good sexual healthcare access and heightened awareness among patients and healthcare providers.
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The relative contribution of the respiratory route to transmission of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is unclear. We review the evidence for respiratory transmission of monkeypox virus (MPXV), examining key works from animal models, human outbreaks and case reports, and environmental studies. Laboratory experiments have initiated MPXV infection in animals via respiratory routes.

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Historical targets for country-level animal rabies testing volumes were abandoned due to ethical and welfare concerns, and interpretation challenges of testing healthy animals. To-date, no quantitative threshold has been established for evaluating adequate surveillance capacity specific to suspected rabid animals. The purpose here is to establish quantitative testing thresholds for rabies suspected animals to assess a country's rabies surveillance capacity.

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Article Synopsis
  • Monkeypox (mpox) is caused by the Monkeypox virus, part of the Orthopoxvirus family, and was notably highlighted during a global outbreak in 2022, mostly affecting men who have sex with men.
  • The CDC recommends supportive care for mpox, but severe cases can lead to serious complications, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those with advanced HIV.
  • Therapeutic options for severe mpox include FDA-regulated medical countermeasures developed for smallpox, and more research is needed to evaluate their effectiveness in treating mpox in humans.
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In late August 2021, a boy aged 7 years was bitten by a bat while he was playing outside his apartment home in Medina County, Texas. He informed his parents; however, no rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) was sought because there were no visible bite marks, and the family was unaware that contact with a bat, including in the absence of visible bite marks, might cause rabies. Approximately 2 months later, the child was hospitalized for altered mental status, seizures, and hypersalivation and ultimately received a diagnosis of rabies.

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Data on monkeypox in children and adolescents aged <18 years are limited (1,2). During May 17–September 24, 2022, a total of 25,038 monkeypox cases were reported in the United States, primarily among adult gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (3). During this period, CDC and U.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A CDC report analyzed 57 hospitalized monkeypox patients from August to October 2022, revealing that 82% had HIV, most were male (95%), and 68% were non-Hispanic Black; 30% needed ICU care, and 21% died due to severe symptoms.
  • * Health care providers are advised to test sexually active monkeypox patients for HIV and consider aggressive treatment for those who are severely immunocompromised
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Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease endemic in Central and West Africa. In May 2022, dozens of non-endemic countries reported hundreds of monkeypox cases, most with no epidemiological link to Africa. We identified two lineages of monkeypox virus (MPXV) among two 2021 and seven 2022 US monkeypox cases: the major 2022 outbreak variant called B.

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Since May 2022, approximately 20,000 cases of monkeypox have been identified in the United States, part of a global outbreak occurring in approximately 90 countries and currently affecting primarily gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) (1). Monkeypox virus (MPXV) spreads from person to person through close, prolonged contact; a small number of cases have occurred in populations who are not MSM (e.g.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Patient A developed penile lesions that spread to multiple body parts, while Patient B experienced lesions starting from the foot and extending to the leg and finger.
  • * Both patients had a mild form of the illness, with symptom resolution taking about 30 days for Patient A and 22 days for Patient B.
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Purpose: Describe a dose rounding strategy for rabies immune globulin (RIG) administration.

Methods: Multicenter, retrospective, observational review of patients that received RIG following an exposure from an animal with potential to transmit rabies infection in one health-system from March 2011 through December 2021. The primary outcome was to describe the RIG dose rounding strategy and population of patients that received RIG rounded to the nearest vial size compared to those that did not.

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On May 17, 2022, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) Laboratory Response Network (LRN) laboratory confirmed the presence of orthopoxvirus DNA via real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from lesion swabs obtained from a Massachusetts resident. Orthopoxviruses include Monkeypox virus, the causative agent of monkeypox. Subsequent real-time PCR testing at CDC on May 18 confirmed that the patient was infected with the West African clade of Monkeypox virus.

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Article Synopsis
  • The mRNA-1273 (Moderna) COVID-19 vaccine, developed from a stabilized form of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, was granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA in December 2020 for adults aged 18 and older.
  • Over 204 million doses were given in the U.S. between December 2020 and January 2022, using a two-dose regimen administered four weeks apart.
  • The vaccine received full FDA approval on January 31, 2022, and subsequent guidance from ACIP and CDC explored the effectiveness of longer intervals between doses, recommending an 8-week period based on updated data.
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Determining the role of the immune response in preventing antimicrobial resistance and optimising antibiotic regimens against carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae is a research gap that exists and needs to be further explored. The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacodynamic and immunomodulatory effects of fosfomycin alone and in combination with polymyxin B against KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae clinical isolates.

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Background: Previous literature suggests a laboratory interference of n-acetylcysteine (NAC) with prothrombin time (PT) and the international normalized ratio (INR). Early publications focused on this interaction in the setting of an acetaminophen overdose and evaluated the INR of patients receiving intravenous NAC. However, there is limited literature describing the concentration-effect relationship of NAC to INR measurement in the absence of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity at therapeutic NAC concentrations.

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