Last data update: May 13, 2024. (Total: 46773 publications since 2009)
Records 1-20 (of 20 Records) |
Query Trace: Ransom M[original query] |
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Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in standardised first few X cases and household transmission investigations: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Lewis HC , Marcato AJ , Meagher N , Valenciano M , Villanueva-Cabezas JP , Spirkoska V , Fielding JE , Karahalios A , Subissi L , Nardone A , Cheng B , Rajatonirina S , Okeibunor J , Aly EA , Barakat A , Jorgensen P , Azim T , Wijesinghe PR , Le LV , Rodriguez A , Vicari A , Van Kerkhove M , McVernon J , Pebody R , Price DJ , Bergeri I , Alemu MA , Alvi Y , Bukusi EA , Chung PS , Dambadarjaa D , Das AK , Dub T , Dulacha D , Ebrahim F , Gonzalez-Duarte MA , Guruge D , Heredia-Melo DC , Herman-Roloff A , Herring BL , Islam F , Jeewandara KC , Kant S , Lako R , Leite J , Malavige GN , Mandakh U , Mariam W , Mend T , Mize VA , Musa S , Nohynek H , Olu OO , Osorio-Merchan MB , Pereyaslov D , Ransom J , Ariqi LA , Khan W , Saxena S , Sharma P , Sreedevi A , Satheesh M , Subhashini KJ , Tippet-Barr BA , Usha A , Wamala JF , Watare SH , Yadav K , Inbanathan FY . Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2022 16 (5) 803-819 Abstract We aimed to estimate the household secondary infection attack rate (hSAR) of SARS-CoV-2 in investigations aligned with the WHO Unity Studies Household Transmission Investigations (HHTI) protocol. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and medRxiv/bioRxiv for “Unity-aligned” First Few X cases (FFX) and HHTIs published 1 December 2019 to 26 July 2021. Standardised early results were shared by WHO Unity Studies collaborators (to 1 October 2021). We used a bespoke tool to assess investigation methodological quality. Values for hSAR and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted or calculated from crude data. Heterogeneity was assessed by visually inspecting overlap of CIs on forest plots and quantified in meta-analyses. Of 9988 records retrieved, 80 articles (64 from databases; 16 provided by Unity Studies collaborators) were retained in the systematic review; 62 were included in the primary meta-analysis. hSAR point estimates ranged from 2% to 90% (95% prediction interval: 3%–71%; I2 = 99.7%); I2 values remained >99% in subgroup analyses, indicating high, unexplained heterogeneity and leading to a decision not to report pooled hSAR estimates. FFX and HHTI remain critical epidemiological tools for early and ongoing characterisation of novel infectious pathogens. The large, unexplained variance in hSAR estimates emphasises the need to further support standardisation in planning, conduct and analysis, and for clear and comprehensive reporting of FFX and HHTIs in time and place, to guide evidence-based pandemic preparedness and response efforts for SARS-CoV-2, influenza and future novel respiratory viruses. |
Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in standardised First Few X cases and household transmission investigations: a systematic review and meta-analysis (preprint)
Lewis HC , Marcato AJ , Meagher N , Valenciano M , Villanueva-Cabezas JP , Spirkoska V , Fielding JE , Karahalios A , Subissi L , Nardone A , Cheng B , Rajatonirina S , Okeibunor J , Aly EA , Barakat A , Jorgensen P , Azim T , Wijesinghe PR , Le LV , Rodriguez A , Vicari A , Van Kerkhove M , McVernon J , Pebody R , Price DJ , Bergeri I , Alemu MA , Alvi Y , Bukusi EA , Chung PS , Dambadarjaa D , Das AK , Dub T , Dulacha D , Ebrahim F , Gonzalez-Duarte MA , Guruge D , Heredia-Melo DC , Herman-Roloff A , Herring BL , Islam F , Jeewandara KC , Kant S , Lako R , Leite J , Malavige GN , Mandakh U , Mariam W , Mend T , Mize VA , Musa S , Nohynek H , Olu OO , Osorio-Merchan MB , Pereyaslov D , Ransom J , Ariqi LA , Khan W , Saxena S , Sharma P , Sreedevi A , Satheesh M , Subhashini KJ , Tippet-Barr BA , Usha A , Wamala JF , Watare SH , Yadav K , Inbanathan FY . medRxiv 2022 03 (5) 803-819 We aimed to estimate the household secondary infection attack rate (hSAR) of SARS-CoV-2 in investigations aligned with the WHO Unity Studies Household Transmission Investigations (HHTI) protocol. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and medRxiv/bioRxiv for 'Unity-aligned' First Few X cases (FFX) and HHTIs published between 1 December 2019 and 26 July 2021. Standardised early results were shared by WHO Unity Studies collaborators (to 1 October 2021). We used a bespoke tool to assess investigation methodological quality. Values for hSAR and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted or calculated from crude data. Heterogeneity was assessed by visually inspecting overlap of CIs on forest plots and quantified in meta-analyses. Of 9988 records retrieved, 80 articles (64 from databases; 16 provided by Unity Studies collaborators) were retained in the systematic review and 62 were included in the primary meta-analysis. hSAR point estimates ranged from 2%-90% (95% prediction interval: 3%-71%; I2=99.7%); I2 values remained >99% in subgroup analyses, indicating high, unexplained heterogeneity and leading to a decision not to report pooled hSAR estimates. FFX and HHTI remain critical epidemiological tools for early and ongoing characterisation of novel infectious pathogens. The large, unexplained variance in hSAR estimates emphasises the need to further support standardisation in planning, conduct and analysis, and for clear and comprehensive reporting of FFX and HHTIs in time and place, to guide evidence-based pandemic preparedness and response efforts for SARS-CoV-2, influenza and future novel respiratory viruses. Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license. |
In Vitro Activity of Novel Antifungal Olorofim against Filamentous Fungi and Comparison to Eight Other Antifungal Agents
Georgacopoulos O , Nunnally NS , Ransom EM , Law D , Birch M , Lockhart SR , Berkow EL . J Fungi (Basel) 2021 7 (5) Olorofim is a novel antifungal drug that belongs to the orotomide drug class which inhibits fungal dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), thus halting pyrimidine biosynthesis and ultimately DNA synthesis, cell growth and division. It is being developed at a time when many invasive fungal infections exhibit antifungal resistance or have limited treatment options. The goal of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effectiveness of olorofim against a large collection of recently isolated, clinically relevant American mold isolates. In vitro antifungal activity was determined for 246 azole-susceptible Aspergillus fumigatus isolates, five A. fumigatus with TR(34)/L98H-mediated resistance, 19 Rhizopus species isolates, 21 Fusarium species isolates, and one isolate each of six other species of molds. Olorofim minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were compared to antifungal susceptibility testing profiles for amphotericin B, anidulafungin, caspofungin, isavuconazole, itraconazole, micafungin, posaconazole, and voriconazole. Olorofim MICs were significantly lower than those of the echinocandin and azole drug classes and amphotericin B. A. fumigatus wild type and resistant isolates shared the same MIC50 = 0.008 μg/mL. In non-Aspergillus susceptible isolates (MIC ≤ 2 μg/mL), the geometric mean (GM) MIC to olorofim was 0.54 μg/mL with a range of 0.015-2 μg/mL. Olorofim had no antifungal activity (MIC ≥ 2 μg/mL) against 10% of the collection (31 in 297), including some isolates from Rhizopus spp. and Fusarium spp. Olorofim showed promising activity against A. fumigatus and other molds regardless of acquired azole resistance. |
Assessing the in vitro impact of ceftazidime on aztreonam/avibactam susceptibility testing for highly resistant MBL-producing Enterobacterales.
Bhatnagar A , Ransom EM , Machado MJ , Boyd S , Reese N , Anderson K , Lonsway D , Elkins CA , Rasheed JK , Patel JB , Karlsson M , Brown AC , Lutgring JD . J Antimicrob Chemother 2020 76 (4) 979-983 BACKGROUND: Aztreonam/avibactam is a combination agent that shows promise in treating infections caused by highly antibiotic-resistant MBL-producing Enterobacterales. This combination can be achieved by combining two FDA-approved drugs: ceftazidime/avibactam and aztreonam. It is unknown whether ceftazidime in the combination ceftazidime/aztreonam/avibactam has a synergistic or antagonistic effect on the in vitro activity of aztreonam/avibactam by significantly increasing or decreasing the MIC. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether increasing ceftazidime concentrations affect the MICs of aztreonam/avibactam alone. METHODS: A custom 8 × 8 chequerboard broth microdilution (BMD) panel was made using a digital dispenser (Hewlett-Packard, Corvallis, OR, USA). The panel included orthogonal 2-fold dilution series of aztreonam and ceftazidime ranging from 0.5 to 64 mg/L. Avibactam concentration was kept constant at 4 mg/L throughout the chequerboard. Thirty-seven Enterobacterales isolates from the CDC & FDA Antibiotic Resistance Isolate Bank or CDC's internal collection with intermediate or resistant interpretations to aztreonam and ceftazidime/avibactam were included for testing. All isolates harboured at least one of the following MBL genes: blaIMP, blaNDM or blaVIM. RESULTS: Regardless of the concentration of ceftazidime, aztreonam/avibactam with ceftazidime MICs for all 37 isolates were within one 2-fold doubling dilution of the aztreonam/avibactam MIC. CONCLUSIONS: Ceftazidime, in the combination ceftazidime/avibactam/aztreonam, did not affect the in vitro activity of aztreonam/avibactam in this sample of isolates. These findings can help assure clinical and public health laboratories that testing of aztreonam/avibactam by BMD can act as a reliable surrogate test when the combination of ceftazidime/avibactam and aztreonam is being considered for treatment of highly antibiotic-resistant MBL-producing Enterobacterales. |
Fecal Microbiota Transplantations: Where Are We, Where Are We Going, and What Is the Role of the Clinical Laboratory?
Ransom EM , Burnham CD , Jones L , Kraft CS , McDonald LC , Reinink AR , Young VB . Clin Chem 2020 66 (4) 512-517 Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a medical procedure by which intestinal microorganisms are transferred to a patient as a therapeutic. FMTs can use microbiota from donors or from an autologous supply; these are referred to as allo- and auto-FMTs, respectively. FMTs are most commonly used for medically refractory or recurrent infections of Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile. C. difficile infections (CDIs) usually develop after broad-spectrum antibiotic usage that disrupts the normal intestinal microbiota, creating a niche permissive for C. difficile to flourish and cause a toxin-mediated illness. CDIs are routinely treated with oral antimicrobial therapy; however, relapse, and even multiple relapses, can occur after antimicrobials are stopped. An adjunct treatment option is FMT. While FMTs have been used to treat CDIs for over a decade, questions remain regarding their effectiveness, safety, regulatory oversight, and best practices. We have asked 5 experts with different roles in the field (including infectious diseases, laboratory medicine, industry, and public health) to share their thoughts on this important topic. |
COVID-19 in a Correctional Facility Employee Following Multiple Brief Exposures to Persons with COVID-19 - Vermont, July-August 2020.
Pringle JC , Leikauskas J , Ransom-Kelley S , Webster B , Santos S , Fox H , Marcoux S , Kelso P , Kwit N . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020 69 (43) 1569-1570 On August 11, 2020, a confirmed case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a male correctional facility employee (correctional officer) aged 20 years was reported to the Vermont Department of Health (VDH). On July 28, the correctional officer had multiple brief encounters with six incarcerated or detained persons (IDPs)* while their SARS-CoV-2 test results were pending. The six asymptomatic IDPs arrived from an out-of-state correctional facility on July 28 and were housed in a quarantine unit. In accordance with Vermont Department of Corrections (VDOC) policy for state prisons, nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from the six IDPs on their arrival date and tested for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, at the Vermont Department of Health Laboratory, using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). On July 29, all six IDPs received positive test results. VDH and VDOC conducted a contact tracing investigation(†) and used video surveillance footage to determine that the correctional officer did not meet VDH's definition of close contact (i.e., being within 6 feet of infectious persons for ≥15 consecutive minutes)(§)(,)(¶); therefore, he continued to work. At the end of his shift on August 4, he experienced loss of smell and taste, myalgia, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, headache, loss of appetite, and gastrointestinal symptoms; beginning August 5, he stayed home from work. An August 5 nasopharyngeal specimen tested for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time RT-PCR at a commercial laboratory was reported as positive on August 11; the correctional officer identified two contacts outside of work, neither of whom developed COVID-19. On July 28, seven days preceding his illness onset, the correctional officer had multiple brief exposures to six IDPs who later tested positive for SARS-CoV-2; available data suggests that at least one of the asymptomatic IDPs transmitted SARS-CoV-2 during these brief encounters. |
Evidence of behaviour change during an Ebola virus disease outbreak, Sierra Leone
Jalloh MF , Sengeh P , Bunnell RE , Jalloh MB , Monasch R , Li W , Mermin J , Deluca N , Brown V , Nur SA , August EM , Ransom RL , Namageyo-Funa A , Clements SA , Dyson M , Hageman K , Pratt SA , Nuriddin A , Carroll DD , Hawk N , Manning C , Hersey S , Marston BJ , Kilmarx PH , Conteh L , Ekström AM , Zeebari Z , Redd JT , Nordenstedt H , Morgan O . Bull World Health Organ 2020 98 (5) 330-340B Objective To evaluate changes in Ebola-related knowledge, attitudes and prevention practices during the Sierra Leone outbreak between 2014 and 2015. Methods Four cluster surveys were conducted: two before the outbreak peak (3499 participants) and two after (7104 participants). We assessed the effect of temporal and geographical factors on 16 knowledge, attitude and practice outcomes. Findings Fourteen of 16 knowledge, attitude and prevention practice outcomes improved across all regions from before to after the outbreak peak. The proportion of respondents willing to: (i) welcome Ebola survivors back into the community increased from 60.0% to 89.4% (adjusted odds ratio, aOR: 6.0; 95% confidence interval, CI: 3.9–9.1); and (ii) wait for a burial team following a relative’s death increased from 86.0% to 95.9% (aOR: 4.4; 95% CI: 3.2–6.0). The proportion avoiding unsafe traditional burials increased from 27.3% to 48.2% (aOR: 3.1; 95% CI: 2.4–4.2) and the proportion believing spiritual healers can treat Ebola decreased from 15.9% to 5.0% (aOR: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1–0.3). The likelihood respondents would wait for burial teams increased more in high-transmission (aOR: 6.2; 95% CI: 4.2–9.1) than low-transmission (aOR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.4–3.8) regions. Self-reported avoidance of physical contact with corpses increased in high but not low-transmission regions, aOR: 1.9 (95% CI: 1.4–2.5) and aOR: 0.8 (95% CI: 0.6–1.2), respectively. Conclusion Ebola knowledge, attitudes and prevention practices improved during the Sierra Leone outbreak, especially in high-transmission regions. Behaviourally-targeted community engagement should be prioritized early during outbreaks. |
Rationale for a Neisseria gonorrhoeae susceptible-only interpretive breakpoint for azithromycin
Kersh EN , Allen V , Ransom E , Schmerer M , Cyr S , Workowski K , Weinstock H , Patel J , Ferraro MJ . Clin Infect Dis 2020 70 (5) 798-804 BACKGROUND: Azithromycin (AZI) is recommended with ceftriaxone (CRO) for treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis and cervicitis in the United States, and an AZI-susceptibility breakpoint is needed. Neither the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nor the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) has set interpretive breakpoints for AZI susceptibility. As a result, AZI antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) cannot be interpreted using recognized standards. This has contributed to increasingly unavailable clinical laboratory AST, although gonorrhea is on the rise with >550 000 US gonorrhea cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2017, the highest number of cases since 1991. METHODS: This article summarizes the rationale data reviewed by the CLSI in June 2018. RESULTS: The CLSI decided to set a susceptible-only interpretive breakpoint at the minimum inhibitory concentration of </=1 microg/mL. This is also the epidemiological cutoff value (ECV) (ie, the end of the wild-type susceptibility distribution). This breakpoint presumes that AZI (1-g single dose) is used in an approved regimen that includes an additional antimicrobial agent (ie, CRO 250 mg, intramuscular single dose). CONCLUSIONS: Having a breakpoint can improve patient care and surveillance and allow future development and FDA regulatory approval of modernized AST to guide treatment. The breakpoint coincides with a European Committee on AST decision to remove previously established, differing AZI breakpoints and use the ECV as guidance for testing. The CLSI breakpoint is now the recognized standard that defines AZI susceptibility for gonococcal infections. |
Validation of aztreonam-avibactam susceptibility testing using digitally dispensed custom panels
Ransom E , Bhatnagar A , Patel JB , Machado M , Boyd S , Reese N , Lutgring JD , Lonsway D , Anderson K , Brown AC , Elkins CA , Rasheed JK , Karlsson M . J Clin Microbiol 2020 58 (4) Aztreonam-avibactam is a combination antimicrobial agent with activity against carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) with metallo-beta-lactamases (MbetaLs). Although aztreonam-avibactam is not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), clinicians can administer this combination by using two FDA-approved drugs: aztreonam and ceftazidime-avibactam. This combination of drugs is recommended by multiple experts for treatment of serious infections caused by MbetaL-producing CPE. At present, in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of aztreonam-avibactam is not commercially available; thus, most clinicians receive no laboratory-based guidance that can support consideration of aztreonam-avibactam for serious CPE infections. Here, we report our internal validation for aztreonam-avibactam AST by reference broth microdilution (BMD) according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. The validation was performed using custom, frozen reference BMD panels prepared in-house at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition, we took this opportunity to evaluate a new panel-making method using a digital dispenser, the Hewlett Packard (HP) D300e. Our studies demonstrate that the performance characteristics of digitally dispensed panels were equivalent to conventionally prepared frozen reference BMD panels for a number of drugs, including aztreonam-avibactam. We found the HP D300e liquid handler to be easy-to-use and to provide the capacity to prepare complex drug panels. Our findings will assist other clinical and public health laboratories implement susceptibility testing for aztreonam-avibactam. |
Exploring the development of three law-based competency models for practitioners
Ransom MM , Yassine B . J Soc Behav Health Sci 2019 13 (1) 128-148 As public health promotion and protection become increasingly complex and integrated into various fields, public health law is emerging as an important tool for public health professionals. To ensure that public health professionals are effectively trained in public health law principles and theories, educators, trainers, and others who develop educational curricula should integrate public health law-related competencies into their training and workforce development efforts. This article provides three competency models developed by the Public Health Law Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: (a) the public health emergency law competency model, (b) the public health law competency model, and (c) the legal epidemiology competency model. These competency models provide a foundation upon which public health law curricula can be developed for governmental, nongovernmental, and academic public health practitioners. Such standardization of public health law curricula will ameliorate not only the training, but also selection and evaluation of public health practitioners, as well as better align public health training with national public health efforts. |
Building the legal capacity of the public health workforce: Introducing the Public Health Law Academy
Ransom MM , Johnson R , Ashe M , Penn M , Ferrell FA , Baffour K . J Law Med Ethics 2019 47 80-82 Knowledge of the law and its impact on health outcomes is increasingly important in public health practice. The CDC's Public Health Law Academy helps satisfy this need by providing online trainings, facilitator toolkits, and legal epidemiology tools to aid practitioners in learning about the law's role in promoting public health. |
National health information systems for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
Suthar AB , Khalifa A , Joos O , Manders EJ , Abdul-Quader A , Amoyaw F , Aoua C , Aynalem G , Barradas D , Bello G , Bonilla L , Cheyip M , Dalhatu IT , De Klerk M , Dee J , Hedje J , Jahun I , Jantaramanee S , Kamocha S , Lerebours L , Lobognon LR , Lote N , Lubala L , Magazani A , Mdodo R , Mgomella GS , Monique LA , Mudenda M , Mushi J , Mutenda N , Nicoue A , Ngalamulume RG , Ndjakani Y , Nguyen TA , Nzelu CE , Ofosu AA , Pinini Z , Ramirez E , Sebastian V , Simanovong B , Son HT , Son VH , Swaminathan M , Sivile S , Teeraratkul A , Temu P , West C , Xaymounvong D , Yamba A , Yoka D , Zhu H , Ransom RL , Nichols E , Murrill CS , Rosen D , Hladik W . BMJ Open 2019 9 (5) e027689 OBJECTIVES: Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will require data-driven public health action. There are limited publications on national health information systems that continuously generate health data. Given the need to develop these systems, we summarised their current status in low-income and middle-income countries. SETTING: The survey team jointly developed a questionnaire covering policy, planning, legislation and organisation of case reporting, patient monitoring and civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems. From January until May 2017, we administered the questionnaire to key informants in 51 Centers for Disease Control country offices. Countries were aggregated for descriptive analyses in Microsoft Excel. RESULTS: Key informants in 15 countries responded to the questionnaire. Several key informants did not answer all questions, leading to different denominators across questions. The Ministry of Health coordinated case reporting, patient monitoring and CRVS systems in 93% (14/15), 93% (13/14) and 53% (8/15) of responding countries, respectively. Domestic financing supported case reporting, patient monitoring and CRVS systems in 86% (12/14), 75% (9/12) and 92% (11/12) of responding countries, respectively. The most common uses for system-generated data were to guide programme response in 100% (15/15) of countries for case reporting, to calculate service coverage in 92% (12/13) of countries for patient monitoring and to estimate the national burden of disease in 83% (10/12) of countries for CRVS. Systems with an electronic component were being used for case reporting, patient monitoring, birth registration and death registration in 87% (13/15), 92% (11/12), 77% (10/13) and 64% (7/11) of responding countries, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Most responding countries have a solid foundation for policy, planning, legislation and organisation of health information systems. Further evaluation is needed to assess the quality of data generated from systems. Periodic evaluations may be useful in monitoring progress in strengthening and harmonising these systems over time. |
A cross-cutting approach to surveillance and laboratory capacity as a platform to improve health security in Uganda
Lamorde M , Mpimbaza A , Walwema R , Kamya M , Kapisi J , Kajumbula H , Sserwanga A , Namuganga JF , Kusemererwa A , Tasimwa H , Makumbi I , Kayiwa J , Lutwama J , Behumbiize P , Tagoola A , Nanteza JF , Aniku G , Workneh M , Manabe Y , Borchert JN , Brown V , Appiah GD , Mintz ED , Homsy J , Odongo GS , Ransom RL , Freeman MM , Stoddard RA , Galloway R , Mikoleit M , Kato C , Rosenberg R , Mossel EC , Mead PS , Kugeler KJ . Health Secur 2018 16 S76-s86 Global health security depends on effective surveillance for infectious diseases. In Uganda, resources are inadequate to support collection and reporting of data necessary for an effective and responsive surveillance system. We used a cross-cutting approach to improve surveillance and laboratory capacity in Uganda by leveraging an existing pediatric inpatient malaria sentinel surveillance system to collect data on expanded causes of illness, facilitate development of real-time surveillance, and provide data on antimicrobial resistance. Capacity for blood culture collection was established, along with options for serologic testing for select zoonotic conditions, including arboviral infection, brucellosis, and leptospirosis. Detailed demographic, clinical, and laboratory data for all admissions were captured through a web-based system accessible at participating hospitals, laboratories, and the Uganda Public Health Emergency Operations Center. Between July 2016 and December 2017, the expanded system was activated in pediatric wards of 6 regional government hospitals. During that time, patient data were collected from 30,500 pediatric admissions, half of whom were febrile but lacked evidence of malaria. More than 5,000 blood cultures were performed; 4% yielded bacterial pathogens, and another 4% yielded likely contaminants. Several WHO antimicrobial resistance priority pathogens were identified, some with multidrug-resistant phenotypes, including Acinetobacter spp., Citrobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and typhoidal and nontyphoidal Salmonella spp. Leptospirosis and arboviral infections (alphaviruses and flaviviruses) were documented. The lessons learned and early results from the development of this multisectoral surveillance system provide the knowledge, infrastructure, and workforce capacity to serve as a foundation to enhance the capacity to detect, report, and rapidly respond to wide-ranging public health concerns in Uganda. |
Ebola: A public health and legal perspective
Markey M , Ransom MM , Sunshine G . Mich State Int Law Rev 2016 24 (2) 433-447 The 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest epidemic of Ebola virus disease in history, with current widespread transmission in three countries in West Africa: Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.2 As of this writing, there have been four confirmed cases of Ebola in the United States.3 Public health and healthcare lawyers are addressing complicated legal issues, including concerns related to states’ authority to quarantine individuals who are infected with or have been exposed to Ebola, along with issues related to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, the privacy and security of information, and vaccine liability. |
The 2015 legal preparedness roadshow: A summer road trip to teach government personnel the basics of public health emergency law
Sunshine GJd , Ransom MJd Mph . ABA Health eSource 2016 12 (9) Planning, simulations, and post-emergency assessments have demonstrated that successful public health emergency response hinges on the effective use of relevant legal authorities for legal preparedness.1 Public health practitioners must have a better understanding of the legal underpinnings of emergency preparedness and response systems, including knowing what actions are authorized and how to minimize liabilities during large-scale public health emergencies.2 In May 2015, the Public Health Law Program (PHLP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) embarked on a unique effort to train state and local public health personnel on the intricacies of legal issues in emergency preparedness and response over the course of one summer. This course was also offered to CDC staff because knowledge regarding state and local legal issues in emergencies is vital to their ability to work with partners in the field. | By August, PHLP staff had travelled to 11 states and delivered 13 Public Health Emergency Law 4.0 trainings to nearly 550 people. The summer road trip was exciting and enlightening and made the case for providing future public health law trainings. |
Ebola and its control in Liberia, 2014-2015
Nyenswah TG , Kateh F , Bawo L , Massaquoi M , Gbanyan M , Fallah M , Nagbe TK , Karsor KK , Wesseh CS , Sieh S , Gasasira A , Graaff P , Hensley L , Rosling H , Lo T , Pillai SK , Gupta N , Montgomery JM , Ransom RL , Williams D , Laney AS , Lindblade KA , Slutsker L , Telfer JL , Christie A , Mahoney F , De Cock KM . Emerg Infect Dis 2016 22 (2) 169-77 The severe epidemic of Ebola virus disease in Liberia started in March 2014. On May 9, 2015, the World Health Organization declared Liberia free of Ebola, 42 days after safe burial of the last known case-patient. However, another 6 cases occurred during June-July; on September 3, 2015, the country was again declared free of Ebola. Liberia had by then reported 10,672 cases of Ebola and 4,808 deaths, 37.0% and 42.6%, respectively, of the 28,103 cases and 11,290 deaths reported from the 3 countries that were heavily affected at that time. Essential components of the response included government leadership and sense of urgency, coordinated international assistance, sound technical work, flexibility guided by epidemiologic data, transparency and effective communication, and efforts by communities themselves. Priorities after the epidemic include surveillance in case of resurgence, restoration of health services, infection control in healthcare settings, and strengthening of basic public health systems. |
Domestic legal preparedness and response to Ebola
Hodge JG Jr , Penn MS , Ransom M , Jordan JE . J Law Med Ethics 2015 43 Suppl 1 15-8 Initial cases of Ebola in the U.S. raise varied legal issues as discussed at a late-breaking session at the 2014 Public Health Law conference. Session presenters share their perspectives on (1) state and local powers to quarantine and isolate persons, and (2) hospital preparedness underlying the treatment of Ebola patients. |
Rapidly building global health security capacity - Uganda demonstration project, 2013
Borchert JN , Tappero JW , Downing R , Shoemaker T , Behumbiize P , Aceng J , Makumbi I , Dahlke M , Jarrar B , Lozano B , Kasozi S , Austin M , Phillippe D , Watson ID , Evans TJ , Stotish T , Dowell SF , Iademarco MF , Ransom R , Balajee A , Becknell K , Beauvais D , Wuhib T . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2014 63 (4) 73-6 Increasingly, the need to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats around the globe is being recognized. CDC, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), has committed to building capacity by assisting member states with strengthening their national capacity for integrated disease surveillance and response as required by International Health Regulations (IHR). CDC and other U.S. agencies have reinforced their pledge through creation of global health security (GHS) demonstration projects. One such project was conducted during March-September 2013, when the Uganda Ministry of Health (MoH) and CDC implemented upgrades in three areas: 1) strengthening the public health laboratory system by increasing the capacity of diagnostic and specimen referral networks, 2) enhancing the existing communications and information systems for outbreak response, and 3) developing a public health emergency operations center (EOC) (Figure 1). The GHS demonstration project outcomes included development of an outbreak response module that allowed reporting of suspected cases of illness caused by priority pathogens via short messaging service (SMS; i.e., text messaging) to the Uganda District Health Information System (DHIS-2) and expansion of the biologic specimen transport and laboratory reporting system supported by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Other enhancements included strengthening laboratory management, establishing and equipping the EOC, and evaluating these enhancements during an outbreak exercise. In 6 months, the project demonstrated that targeted enhancements resulted in substantial improvements to the ability of Uganda's public health system to detect and respond to health threats. |
Home-based HIV testing and counseling in rural and urban Kenyan communities
Dalal W , Feikin DR , Amolloh M , Ransom R , Burke H , Lugalia F , Ouma A , Laserson KF , Mermin J , Breiman RF , Bunnell R . J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2012 62 (2) e47-54 BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of people with HIV do not know they are infected. METHODS: We conducted door-to-door home-based testing and counseling (HBTC) in rural western Kenya (Lwak) and an informal urban settlement in Nairobi (Kibera) in 2008. Following consent, eligible persons (adults and adolescents ≥ 13 years and children ≤ 12 years whose biologic mother was HIV-infected or deceased) received parallel fingerstick HIV rapid testing and counseling. Persons newly HIV-diagnosed were referred to care services, fingerstick blood for CD4 testing was collected, and a one-month follow-up home visit was conducted. FINDINGS: Among 24,450 people offered HBTC, 19,966 (81.7%) accepted; 65.4% of whom were HIV-tested for the first time. Prevalence in adults ≥18 years old being HIV-tested for the first time was 13.5% (12.6% Kibera, 14.2% Lwak). Among adults who reported a previously negative test, HIV prevalence was 7.4% (7.2% Kibera, 7.7% Lwak). Among all persons with HIV in these communities, two-thirds were newly diagnosed through HBTC. Median CD4 count among newly diagnosed adults was 403 (interquartile range (IQR) =252-594). Among couples, 38.0% in Kibera and 51.7% in Lwak were counseled together. Among HIV-infected people in a couple, 34.6% had an HIV-uninfected partner. Among newly diagnosed HIV-infected persons, at the one-month follow-up visit, 53.6% in Kibera and 43.6% in Lwak reported having visited an HIV patient support center. INTERPRETATION: HBTC acceptance was high and most HIV-infected persons did not previously know they had HIV. HBTC can be an effective strategy for early HIV diagnosis and treatment referral. |
Pursuing health equity: zoning codes and public health
Ransom MM , Greiner A , Kochtitzky C , Major KS . J Law Med Ethics 2011 39 Suppl 1 94-7 Health equity can be defined as the absence of disadvantage to individuals and communities in health outcomes, access to health care, and quality of health care regardless of one’s race, gender, nationality, age, ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status. Health equity concerns those disparities in public health that can be traced to unequal, systemic economic, and social conditions. Despite significant improvements in the health of the overall population, health inequities in America persist. Racial and ethnic minorities continue to experience higher rates of morbidity and mortality than non-minorities across a range of health issues. For example, African-American children with asthma have a seven times greater mortality rate than Non-Hispanic white children with the illness. While cancer is the second leading cause of death among all populations in the U.S., ethnic minorities are especially burdened with the disease. |
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