Attitudes Toward COVID-19 Vaccines Among Pregnant and Recently Pregnant Individuals.

Importance: Pregnant people and infants are at high risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. Understanding changes in attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines among pregnant and recently pregnant people is important for public health messaging.

Objective: To assess attitudinal trends regarding COVID-19 vaccines by (1) vaccination status and (2) race, ethnicity, and language among samples of pregnant and recently pregnant Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) members from 2021 to 2023.

Surveillance for Emerging and Reemerging Pathogens Using Pathogen Agnostic Metagenomic Sequencing in the United States: A Critical Role for Federal Government Agencies.

The surveillance and identification of emerging, reemerging, and unknown infectious disease pathogens is essential to national public health preparedness and relies on fluidity, coordination, and interconnectivity between public and private pathogen surveillance systems and networks. Developing a national sentinel surveillance network with existing resources and infrastructure could increase efficiency, accelerate the identification of emerging public health threats, and support coordinated intervention strategies that reduce morbidity and mortality. However, implementing and sustaining programs to detect emerging and reemerging pathogens in humans using advanced molecular methods, such as metagenomic sequencing, requires making large investments in testing equipment and developing networks of clinicians, laboratory scientists, and bioinformaticians.

Public Health Interventions and Overdose-Related Outcomes Among Persons With Opioid Use Disorder.

Importance: Given the high number of opioid overdose deaths in the US and the complex epidemiology of opioid use disorder (OUD), systems models can serve as a tool to identify opportunities for public health interventions.

Objective: To estimate the projected 3-year association between public health interventions and opioid overdose-related outcomes among persons with OUD.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This decision analytical model used a simulation model of the estimated US population aged 12 years and older with OUD that was developed and analyzed between January 2019 and December 2023.

Medical Costs of Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Associated Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits in Children Aged Younger Than 5 Years: Observational Findings from the New Vaccine Surveillance Network, 2016-2019.

Objective: To assess medical costs of hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) care associated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease in children enrolled in the New Vaccine Surveillance Network.

Study Design: We used accounting and prospective surveillance data from 6 pediatric health systems to assess direct medical costs from laboratory-confirmed RSV-associated hospitalizations (n = 2007) and ED visits (n = 1267) from 2016 through 2019 among children aged <5 years. We grouped costs into categories relevant to clinical care and administrative billing practices.

Field-Collected Ticks From Benton County, Arkansas, and Prevalence of Associated Pathogens.

The recovery of a Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae) tick from a dog in Benton County, Arkansas, in 2018 triggered a significant environmental sampling effort in Hobbs State Park Conservation Area. The objective of the investigation was to assess the tick population density and diversity, as well as identify potential tick-borne pathogens that could pose a risk to public health. During a week-long sampling period in August of 2018, a total of 6,154 ticks were collected, with the majority identified as Amblyomma americanum (L), (Acari: Ixodidae) commonly known as the lone star tick.

Experience on postmortem minimally invasive tissue sampling to ascertain the cause of death determination in South African children: A case for implementing as standard of care.

Determining the death burden for prioritising public health interventions necessitates detailed data on the causal pathways to death. Postmortem minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), incorporating histology, molecular and microbial culture diagnostics, enhances cause-of-death attribution, particularly for infectious deaths. MITS proves a valid alternative to full diagnostic autopsies, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

HIV and hepatitis B, C co-infection and correlates of HIV infection among men who have sex with men in Rwanda, 2021: a respondent-driven sampling, cross-sectional study.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are a key population group disproportionately affected by HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide. In Rwanda, the HIV epidemic remains a significant public health concern, and understanding the burden of HIV and hepatitis B and C coinfections among MSM is crucial for designing effective prevention and control strategies. This study aims to determine the prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C infections among MSM in Rwanda and identify correlates associated with HIV infection within this population.

Prevalence of non-falciparum malaria infections among asymptomatic individuals in four regions of Mainland Tanzania.

Background: Recent studies point to the need to incorporate the detection of non-falciparum species into malaria surveillance activities in sub-Saharan Africa, where 95% of the world's malaria cases occur. Although malaria caused by infection with Plasmodium falciparum is typically more severe than malaria caused by the non-falciparum Plasmodium species P. malariae, P.

Estimation of the Population Size of Street- and Venue-Based Female Sex Workers and Sexually Exploited Minors in Rwanda in 2022: 3-Source Capture-Recapture.

Background: HIV surveillance among key populations is a priority in all epidemic settings. Female sex workers (FSWs) globally as well as in Rwanda are disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic; hence, the Rwanda HIV and AIDS National Strategic Plan (2018-2024) has adopted regular surveillance of population size estimation (PSE) of FSWs every 2-3 years.

Objective: We aimed at estimating, for the fourth time, the population size of street- and venue-based FSWs and sexually exploited minors aged ≥15 years in Rwanda.

Type 1 Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) Incidence, Adherence, and Drug Resistance in Individuals Taking Daily Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate for HIV-1 Pre-exposure Prophylaxis: Pooled Analysis From 72 Global Studies.

Background: Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (F/TDF) has high efficacy against HIV-1 acquisition. Seventy-two prospective studies of daily oral F/TDF PrEP were conducted to evaluate HIV-1 incidence, drug resistance, adherence, and bone and renal safety in diverse settings.

Methods: HIV-1 incidence was calculated from incident HIV-1 diagnoses after PrEP initiation and within 60 days of discontinuation.

Disparities in Social Vulnerability and Premature Mortality among Decedents with Hepatitis B, United States, 2010-2019.

Background: Current US hepatitis B mortality rates remain three times higher than the national target. Mortality reduction will depend on addressing hepatitis B disparities influenced by social determinants of health.

Objectives: This study aims to describe characteristics of hepatitis B-listed decedents, which included US birthplace status and county social vulnerability attributes and quantify premature mortality.

Progress towards the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets in the Fifth Botswana AIDS Impact Survey (BAIS V 2021): a nationally representative survey.

Background: In 2014, UNAIDS set a goal to end the AIDS epidemic by achieving targets for the percentage of people living with HIV who were aware of their status, on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and virally suppressed. In 2020, these targets were revised to 95% for each measure (known as 95-95-95), to be reached among people living with HIV by 2025. We used data from the Fifth Botswana AIDS Impact Survey (BAIS V) to measure progress towards these testing and treatment targets in Botswana.

Factors predicting mortality in hospitalised HIV-negative children with lower-chest-wall indrawing pneumonia and implications for management.

Introduction: In 2012, the World Health Organization revised treatment guidelines for childhood pneumonia with lower chest wall indrawing (LCWI) but no 'danger signs', to recommend home-based treatment. We analysed data from children hospitalized with LCWI pneumonia in the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) study to identify sub-groups with high odds of mortality, who might continue to benefit from hospital management but may not be admitted by staff implementing the 2012 guidelines. We compare the proportion of deaths identified using the criteria in the 2012 guidelines, and the proportion of deaths identified using an alternative set of criteria from our model.

Trends of Plasmodium falciparum molecular markers associated with resistance to artemisinins and reduced susceptibility to lumefantrine in Mainland Tanzania from 2016 to 2021.

Background: Therapeutic efficacy studies (TESs) and detection of molecular markers of drug resistance are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to monitor the efficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). This study assessed the trends of molecular markers of artemisinin resistance and/or reduced susceptibility to lumefantrine using samples collected in TES conducted in Mainland Tanzania from 2016 to 2021.

Methods: A total of 2,015 samples were collected during TES of artemether-lumefantrine at eight sentinel sites (in Kigoma, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pwani, Tabora, and Tanga regions) between 2016 and 2021.

Redefining pandemic preparedness: Multidisciplinary insights from the CERP modelling workshop in infectious diseases, workshop report.

In July 2023, the Center of Excellence in Respiratory Pathogens organized a two-day workshop on infectious diseases modelling and the lessons learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic. This report summarizes the rich discussions that occurred during the workshop. The workshop participants discussed multisource data integration and highlighted the benefits of combining traditional surveillance with more novel data sources like mobility data, social media, and wastewater monitoring.

HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis With Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Among Cisgender Women.

Importance: Emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (F/TDF) for HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective in cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM) when adherence is high (>4 doses/week). Real-world effectiveness and adherence with F/TDF for PrEP in cisgender women is less well characterized.

Objective: To characterize the effectiveness of F/TDF for PrEP and its relationship with adherence in cisgender women.

A pediatric HIV outbreak in Pakistan.

Background: Following reports of an outbreak of HIV infection among children in Larkana District, Pakistan, an international team investigated the extent and cause of the outbreak between April and June 2019.

Aims: To investigate the incidence of HIV among children in Larkana District, Pakistan and describe the distribution of cases by time, place and person.

Methods: Self-referred persons were tested for HIV using the national testing protocol.

Safety of the novel oral poliovirus vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) in infants and young children aged 1 to <5 years and lot-to-lot consistency of the immune response to nOPV2 in infants in The Gambia: a phase 3, double-blind, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Novel oral poliovirus vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) has been engineered to improve the genetic stability of Sabin oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) and reduce the emergence of circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses. This trial aimed to provide key safety and immunogenicity data required for nOPV2 licensure and WHO prequalification.

Methods: This phase 3 trial recruited infants aged 18 to <52 weeks and young children aged 1 to <5 years in The Gambia.

Introducing www.epidemic-em.org: A Collection of Online Resources and Training Materials for Strengthening use of Emergency Operations Centers for Epidemic Response.

Objective: This work aimed to demonstrate that a website, www.epidemic-em.org, encompassing "static" resources, and videos, as well as other tools, can be used to strengthen public health emergency management capacity during epidemic response.

An overlooked poultry trade network of the smallholder farms in the border provinces of Thailand, 2021: implications for avian influenza surveillance.

Introduction: In Thailand, community-level poultry trade is conducted on a small-scale involving farmers and traders with many trade networks. Understanding the poultry movements may help identify different activities that farmers and traders might contribute to the spread of avian influenza.

Methods: This study aimed to describe the characteristics of players involved in the poultry trade network at the northeastern border of Thailand using network analysis approaches.