Publications by authors named "Pauline Harrington"

During responses to outbreaks, the collection and analysis of data on employed case patients' industry and occupation are necessary to better understand the relationship between work and health outcomes. The occurrence of mpox by occupation and industry has not previously been assessed in the context of the 2022 outbreak. We analyzed employment data from 2548 mpox cases reported to the U.

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The risk of reinfection has been difficult to quantify throughout the pandemic, making the case for COVID-19 vaccination and receipt of booster doses to the public difficult for the public health community. To address this question, Michigan statewide COVID-19 infection and vaccination data was utilized in this cross-sectional study to determine the risk of reinfection by vaccination status. Cases were divided into subgroups by vaccination status, and the risk of reinfection in the various vaccination categories was then calculated by dividing the cumulative incidence of reinfection in a vaccine category by the cumulative incidence of reinfection of those not in that category Within this population, the risk of becoming reinfected was 1.

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Article Synopsis
  • Reinfections of SARS-CoV-2 in the U.S. have become more common, especially during the Omicron variant period, rising from 2.7% during Delta to 28.8% in Omicron BQ.1/BQ.1.1.
  • Hospitalizations and deaths linked to reinfections also increased significantly, going from 1.9% and 1.2% of COVID-19-related cases during Delta, to 17.0% and 12.3% during Omicron BQ.1/BQ.1.1.
  • Younger adults (18-49 years) had higher rates of reinfections compared to older adults (≥50 years), and it's crucial to stay updated on vaccinations
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To examine the potential impact of contact tracing to identify contacts and prevent mpox transmission among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) as the outbreak expanded. We assessed contact tracing outcomes from 10 US jurisdictions before and after access to the mpox vaccine was expanded from postexposure prophylaxis for persons with known exposure to include persons at high risk for acquisition (May 17-June 30, 2022, and July 1-31, 2022, respectively). Overall, 1986 mpox cases were reported in MSM from included jurisdictions (240 before expanded vaccine access; 1746 after expanded vaccine access).

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On September 1, 2022, CDC recommended an updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccine booster to help restore waning protection conferred by previous vaccination and broaden protection against emerging variants for persons aged ≥12 years (subsequently extended to persons aged ≥6 months).* To assess the impact of original (monovalent) COVID-19 vaccines and bivalent boosters, case and mortality rate ratios (RRs) were estimated comparing unvaccinated and vaccinated persons aged ≥12 years by overall receipt of and by time since booster vaccination (monovalent or bivalent) during Delta variant and Omicron sublineage (BA.1, BA.

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Article Synopsis
  • In England, between 2018 and 2019, there were 10 outbreaks of invasive group A Streptococcus (iGAS) associated with home healthcare, leading to 96 cases and 28 deaths, which is a case-fatality rate of 29%.
  • Detecting these outbreaks was challenging, but using techniques like emm typing and whole-genome sequencing helped improve identification of cases, revealing multiple transmission routes.
  • Effective outbreak control necessitated various strategies, including better infection control practices and antimicrobial prophylaxis for staff, though many routes of transmission and the best interventions remain unclear, highlighting the need for greater awareness from public health agencies.
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Objective: To estimate the economic burden to the health service of surgical site infection following caesarean section and to identify potential savings achievable through implementation of a surveillance programme.

Design: Economic model to evaluate the costs and benefits of surveillance from community and hospital healthcare providers' perspective.

Setting: England.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to identify risk factors for HIV seroconversion among women, as less is known compared to men in the southern U.S.
  • It involved a case-control approach, matching women diagnosed with HIV to those who remained negative based on race, age, and clinic visit timing.
  • Key findings revealed that certain factors like having a syphilis episode, engaging in anal sex, and drug use significantly increased the risk of HIV, with women exhibiting all three risks being six times more likely to seroconvert.
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OBJECTIVE To assess whether differences in surveillance methods or underlying populations significantly influence internationally reported national SSI rates by comparing surveillance data from 2 countries. DESIGN Retrospective cohort. SETTING England and Norway.

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Purpose Of Review: This review presents an update on recent findings relating to the prevention, control and epidemiology of infections following orthopaedic surgery.

Recent Findings: Trends in population rates and characteristics of patients undergoing hip and knee replacement surgery, coupled with the reported excess infection risk in obese patients, emphasize the current and future impact of increasing population obesity on healthcare delivery.

Summary: Prevention of orthopaedic infection is dependent on elimination or optimal management of documented risk factors.

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Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common healthcare-associated infection that can cause patients extreme pain and discomfort, resulting in prolonged hospitalisation and additional costs to the NHS. Multidisciplinary team working, combined with audit and surveillance, early recognition of signs and symptoms of infection, and implementation of evidence-based guidance are essential for reducing the incidence of SSI. Nurses caring for patients in the pre, peri and post-operative period have an important role in advising individuals about the risks associated with SSI and how infection should be managed.

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Objectives: The use of carbamazepine (CBZ), the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic drug, is hampered by the occurrence of severe, potentially lethal hypersensitivity reactions. The pathogenesis of hypersensitivity is not yet known, but immune mechanisms are involved. Predisposition to CBZ hypersensitivity is likely to be genetically determined, and genes within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have been implicated.

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