Publications by authors named "P B Mead"

Article Synopsis
  • Tick-borne diseases are common in the U.S., yet the frequency of tick bites and related care-seeking actions are not well understood.* -
  • A national survey revealed that over 31 million people, or about 1 in 10 Americans, might get bitten by ticks each year, with notable regional differences in care-seeking behaviors.* -
  • The study highlights the importance of developing effective tick bite prevention education and localized healthcare guidelines to better manage tick-borne diseases.*
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  • - Bartonella quintana can lead to serious health issues, including endocarditis and chronic infections, and is mainly spread by body lice, particularly in homeless populations.
  • - A case study in the U.S. highlighted two kidney transplant recipients who contracted the infection from an organ donor who was homeless; one case was atypical while the other showed mild symptoms.
  • - Timely detection and treatment allowed both recipients to recover, emphasizing the importance of assessing organ donors' living conditions, specifically those with a history of homelessness or lice infestations, for potential B. quintana infections in transplant recipients.
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Article Synopsis
  • PeCan-Seq is a deep sequencing method developed to analyze circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in children with various cancers, particularly leukemias.
  • The study found that ctDNA was detectable in nearly all children with hematologic malignancies, identifying 97% of expected tumor variants, while it was less effective for solid tumors and brain cancers.
  • PeCan-Seq offers a non-invasive way to monitor disease progression and detect mutations, making it a valuable tool for understanding childhood cancers.
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Background: Hemophilia A (HA) is an X-linked bleeding disorder diagnosed by a deficiency in factor VIII (FVIII). For severe HA (SHA), prophylaxis clotting factor concentrates (CFC) has become the standard of care; however, it imparts a high treatment burden and typically results in an annualized bleeding rate (ABR) of 2-6. Emicizumab, a subcutaneously administered FVIII substitute, has become the de facto standard-of-care prophylaxis for children with SHA in many countries.

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In the 40 years since Steere and colleagues first described Lyme disease, the illness has increased in incidence and distribution to become the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Public health officials have developed, implemented, and revised surveillance systems to describe and monitor the condition. Much has been learned about the epidemiology of the illness, despite practical and logistical constraints that have encumbered the collection and interpretation of surveillance data.

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