Publications by authors named "Shirajum Monira"

Enterotoxigenic (ETEC) infections undeniably continue to have substantial morbidity and mortality in younger children; however, limited data are available on the disease burden of older children and adults and on ETEC epidemiology by geographical location at the subnational level. Facility-based surveillance over the years was established to identify patients with ETEC diarrhea in two geographically distinct areas in rural Bangladesh, Chhatak in the north and Mathbaria in the southern coastal area. ETEC was highly prevalent in both areas, while the proportions, toxin types and colonization factors varied by location, season and age groups.

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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an unprecedented global health challenge, involving the transfer of bacteria and genes between humans and the environment. We simultaneously and longitudinally determined the AMR of enterotoxigenic (ETEC) strains isolated from diarrheal patients and an aquatic environment over two years from two geographically distinct locations, Coastal Mathbaria and Northern Chhatak in Bangladesh. A total of 60% and 72% of ETEC strains from the patients in Mathbaria and Chhatak, respectively, were multi-drug resistant (MDR) with a high proportion of ETEC resistant to nalidixic acid (80.

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Background: Cholera can result in the expulsion of important microbiota from the gut and result in death if left untreated. The disease transmits mainly via drinking water carrying Vibrio cholerae; and household contacts (HHC) of cholera patients are at elevated risk during the first week of infection. The gut microbiota profiles of HHC-children of cholera patients at Dhaka city slums were investigated before (day 0) and after (day 8) delivery of chlorinated water as part of the major study 'CHoBI7 trial (cholera-hospital-based intervention for 7 days)'.

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In this prospective cohort study, we explored individual- and household-level risk factors associated with diarrheal diseases among 251 children younger than 5 years in slum areas of urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. During the 3-month study period, diarrhea surveillance was conducted monthly, and spot checks of the household compound were performed at baseline to assess the presence of feces (animal or human) in the household compound and in cooking and food storage areas, and to assess whether cooked food was covered and refrigerated. We also collected caregiver reports on child mouthing behaviors.

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The Cholera-Hospital-Based-Intervention-for-7-Days (CHoBI7) mobile health program promotes water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) behaviors through interactive voice response (IVR), voice, and text messages to reduce diarrheal diseases in Bangladesh. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between responses to CHoBI7 WASH IVR quiz messages and subsequent diarrhea and WASH behaviors. Fourteen CHoBI7 IVR quiz messages on handwashing with soap and treatment of stored water were sent to 517 households with 1,777 participants during the 12-month program period.

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Cholera is a severe form of acute watery diarrhea that if left untreated can result in death. Globally, there are 2.9 million cholera cases annually.

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(a) Objective: To build an evidence base on effective water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions to reduce diarrheal diseases in cholera hotspots, we developed the CHoBI7 Cholera Rapid Response Program. (b) Methods: Once a cholera patient (confirmed by bacterial culture) is identified at a health facility, a health promoter delivers a targeted WASH intervention to the cholera hotspot (households within 20 m of a cholera patient) through both in-person visits during the first week and bi-weekly WASH mobile messages for the 3-month program period. A randomized controlled trial of the CHoBI7 Cholera Rapid Response Program was conducted with 284 participants in 15 cholera hotspots around cholera patients in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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The aim of this study was to identify the exposure pathways of fecal pathogens for a pediatric population living in the urban slums of Bangladesh. A total of 252 soil, food, surface, and hand rinse samples were collected from the pilot households with children less than 5 years of age. All samples were analyzed using the IDEXX Quanti-Tray System (Colilert-18) to enumerate fecal indicator bacteria Escherichia coli.

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Comparative genomic analysis of Vibrio cholerae El Tor associated with endemic cholera in Asia revealed two distinct lineages, one dominant in Bangladesh and the other in India. An in-depth whole-genome study of V. cholerae El Tor strains isolated during endemic cholera in Bangladesh (1991 to 2017) included reference genome sequence data obtained online.

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There is limited evidence on the association between animal ownership and respiratory illness among young children in low- and middle-income countries. In this study, we examined the association between animal ownership and respiratory illness among children younger than 5 years of age enrolled in a prospective cohort study in urban Bangladesh. This prospective cohort study enrolled 884 participants younger than 5 years of age in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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Acute respiratory infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among young children globally. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Cholera-Hospital-Based-Intervention-for-7-days (CHoBI7) handwashing with soap and water treatment mobile health (mHealth) program on respiratory illness among diarrhea patients and their household members in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. A cluster-randomized controlled trial of the CHoBI7 mHealth program was conducted among diarrhea patient households in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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Millions of young children annually are not meeting their developmental potential in low- and middle-income countries. Previous studies have shown that diarrheal diseases during early life are associated with subsequent malnutrition. This prospective cohort study of 576 children under 5 years was conducted in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh, to investigate the association between diarrhea prevalence, child growth, and child cognitive developmental outcomes.

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We investigated the environmental and individual-level risk factors for diarrheal disease among young children in slum areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh. A prospective cohort study was conducted among 884 children under 5 years of age. Caregiver reports were collected on sociodemographic factors and hygiene behaviors.

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Household members of diarrhea patients are at higher risk of developing diarrheal diseases (>100 times for cholera) than the general population during the 7 days after the diarrhea patient is admitted at a health facility. There is growing evidence demonstrating that theory-driven water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions are likely to yield greater behavior change than those based on health education alone. The Cholera Hospital-Based Intervention for 7-Days (CHoBI7) mobile health (mHealth) program is a theory-driven WASH intervention initially delivered to a diarrhea patient by a health promoter during a health facility visit and reinforced through weekly voice and text messages.

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Objective: To evaluate the relationship between mouthing of soil and living in unsanitary conditions and child cognitive development in urban Bangladesh.

Study Design: This prospective cohort study of 224 children under 5 years of age was conducted in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. Developmental outcomes were assessed by communication, fine motor, gross motor, personal social, problem solving, and combined developmental scores measured by the Extended Ages and Stages Questionnaire (EASQ) at a 12-month follow-up visit.

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serogroup O1 is responsible for epidemic and pandemic cholera and remains a global public health threat. This organism has been well established as a resident flora of the aquatic environment that alters its phenotypic and genotypic attributes for better adaptation to the environment. To reveal the diversity of clinical isolates of O1 in the Bay of Bengal, we performed whole-genome sequencing of isolates from Kolkata, India, and Dhaka, Bangladesh, collected between 2009 and 2016.

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Poor food hygiene practices, child feces not being disposed of in a latrine, child mouthing of contaminated fomites, and poor hand hygiene of caregivers have been associated with diarrheal diseases, environmental enteropathy, and impaired growth in young children. Mobile health (mHealth) programs present a low-cost approach to delivering water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs. We conducted a theory-driven and evidence-based approach to formative research and intervention development to design and pilot test a Baby WASH mHealth program targeting food hygiene, child mouthing, and child feces disposal behaviors in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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Article Synopsis
  • The CHoBI7 mHealth program was a study conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh, focusing on improving diarrhea treatment and outcomes in households caring for diarrhea patients over a 12-month period.
  • Participants were divided into three groups: one receiving standard rehydration messages, and two groups receiving additional health services, either through mHealth or home visits.
  • Results showed that both mHealth interventions significantly reduced the prevalence of diarrhea in young children and improved growth outcomes compared to the standard message group.
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Background: During the time a diarrhea patient presents at a health facility, the household members of the patient are at higher risk of developing diarrheal diseases (> 100 times for cholera) than the general population. The Cholera-Hospital-based-Intervention-for-7-Days (CHoBI7) is a health facility-initiated water treatment and handwashing with soap intervention designed to reduce transmission of diarrheal diseases between patients and their household members. The present research aimed to (1) develop a scalable approach to integrate the CHoBI7 intervention program into services provided at government and private health facilities in Bangladesh; and (2) tailor the intervention program for the household members of all diarrhea patients, irrespective of the etiology of disease.

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Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Cholera-Hospital-Based-Intervention-for-7-days (CHoBI7) handwashing with soap and water treatment mobile health (mHealth) program on diarrhoeal disease knowledge among diarrhoea patients and their household members in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Methods: A cluster-randomised controlled trial of the CHoBI7 mHealth program was conducted among diarrhoea patient households in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Patients were randomised to three arms: standard recommendation on oral rehydration solution use; health facility delivery of CHoBI7 plus mHealth (weekly voice and text messages) (no home visits); and health facility delivery of CHoBI7 plus two home visits and mHealth.

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Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate potential risk factors for growth faltering among children under 5 years of age.

Method: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 553 children under 5 years from diarrhoea patient households in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. Height and weight measurements were obtained at baseline and at a 12-month follow-up.

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Objective: The Cholera-Hospital-Based Intervention for 7-days (CHoBI7) mobile health (mHealth) program delivers mobile messages to diarrhoea patient households promoting water treatment and handwashing with soap. The randomised controlled trial (RCT) of the CHoBI7 mHealth program demonstrated this intervention was effective in significantly reducing diarrhoea and stunting amoung young children. The objective of this study was to assess the implementation of the CHoBI7 mHealth program in delivering mHealth messages during this RCT.

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Objective: To characterise childhood mouthing and handling behaviours and to assess the association between hand-to-object and object-to-mouth contacts and diarrhoea prevalence in young children in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted among 494 children under 5 years of age in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This study was nested within the randomised controlled trial of the Cholera Hospital-Based Intervention for 7 Days (CHoBI7) mobile health (mHealth) program.

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Objective: The Cholera-Hospital-Based-Intervention-for-7-days (CHoBI7) is a water treatment and handwashing with soap intervention for diarrhoea patients and their household members which is initially delivered in a healthcare facility setting. This study evaluated the effectiveness of CHoBI7 program delivery in increasing handwashing with soap in a healthcare facility setting among diarrhoea patients and their household members.

Methods: A randomised controlled trial of the CHoBI7 program was conducted among 404 diarrhoea patients and their accompanying household members in healthcare facilities in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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