A5011188586- Reproductive tract infections research
- Syphilis Diagnosis and Treatment
- Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
- HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
- Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Sex work and related issues
- HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk
- Reproductive Health and Contraception
- Wound Healing and Treatments
- Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus
- Biosensors and Analytical Detection
- Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
- Urinary Tract Infections Management
- Genital Health and Disease
- Cervical Cancer and HPV Research
- Surgical site infection prevention
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Blood groups and transfusion
- Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences
- Orthopedic Infections and Treatments
- Streptococcal Infections and Treatments
- Microbial infections and disease research
- Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Issues
California State University Los Angeles
2025
Johns Hopkins Medicine
2012-2024
Johns Hopkins University
2013-2024
Baltimore City Health Department
2022
Peace Corps
2022
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
2021
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
2021
National Institutes of Health
2021
Conference Board
2021
Google (United States)
2018
Bacterial colonization is hypothesized to play a pathogenic role in the non-healing state of chronic wounds. We characterized wound bacteria from cohort patients using 16S rRNA gene-based pyrosequencing approach and assessed impact diabetes antibiotics on microbiota.We prospectively enrolled 24 at referral center Baltimore, MD; sampled patients' wounds by curette; cultured samples under aerobic anaerobic conditions; pyrosequenced V3 hypervariable region. The analyses revealed an average 10...
Rapid diagnosis of bloodstream infections (BSIs) in the emergency department (ED) is challenging, with turnaround times exceeding timeline for rapid diagnosis. We studied usefulness procalcitonin as a marker BSI 367 adults admitted to our ED symptoms systemic infection. Serum samples obtained at same time blood cultures were available from 295 patients. Procalcitonin levels compared culture results and other clinical data during visit. less than 0.1 ng/mL considered negative; all positive....
Chronic wounds contain complex polymicrobial communities of sessile organisms that have been underappreciated because limitations standard culture techniques. The aim this work was to combine recently developed next-generation investigative techniques comprehensively describe the microbial characteristics chronic wounds. Tissue samples were obtained from 15 patients with presenting Johns Hopkins Wound Center. Standard bacteriological cultures demonstrated an average three common bacterial...
To examine the concordance between teens' and young adults' self-reported condom use, assessed by audio-computer-assisted self-interviewing, Y-chromosome polymerase chain reaction (Yc-PCR) assay, a nondisease marker for detecting presence of sperm in vaginal fluid 14 days after unprotected sex.Randomized trial human immunodeficiency virus prevention program. Only data from baseline (before randomization) were used this analysis.A clinic-based sample Atlanta, Georgia.Eligible teens adults...
Effective treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is limited by diagnostics that cannot deliver results rapidly while the patient still in clinic. The gold standard methods for identification STIs are nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs), which too expensive widespread use and have lengthy turnaround times. To address need fast affordable diagnostics, we developed a portable, rapid, on-cartridge magnetofluidic purification testing (PROMPT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR)...
Septic arthritis (SA) is a rheumatologic emergency associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Delayed or inadequate treatment of SA can lead to irreversible joint destruction disability. Current methods diagnosing rely on synovial fluid analysis culture which are known be imprecise time-consuming. We report novel adaptation probe-based real-time PCR assay targeting the 16S rRNA gene for early accurate diagnosis bacterial SA. The algorithm consists initial broad-range eubacterial...
ABSTRACT Local adaptation represents the balance of selection and gene flow. Increasingly, studies find that can occur on spatial scales much smaller than scale dispersal, resulting in balanced polymorphisms within populations. However, microgeographic might be facilitated or hindered by large‐scale environmental heterogeneity, such as across latitude. Marine systems present a special case, many marine species have high dispersal capacity so ‘neighbourhoods’ may encompass heterogeneity over...
Self-reported sexual behaviors are subject to bias. We previously developed a polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Y-chromosome sequences in vaginal fluid as potential biomarker recent activity. In this study, we found menses results lower concentrations but with similar decay patterns non-menstrual samples.
Melendez, Johan H. PhD, MS; Hamill, Matthew M. MBChB, PhD; Armington, Gretchen S. MA; Gaydos, Charlotte A. DrPH, Manabe, Yukari C. MD Author Information
ABSTRACT Controlling for sample site is considered to be an important aspect of chronic wound microbiological investigations; yet, macroscale spatial variation in microbiota has not been well characterized. A total 31 curette samples were collected at the leading edge, opposing and/or center 13 wounds. Bacterial community composition was characterized using a combination 16S rRNA gene‐based pyrosequencing; heat map display; hierarchical clustering; nonmetric multidimensional scaling; and...
Background Point-of-care (POC) tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) permit delivery of results during the patient's emergency department (ED) encounter. We evaluated performance, patient acceptability, and feasibility a new duplex POC test, Chembio Dual Path Platform HIV-Syphilis Assay, in an urban ED setting. Methods Convenience sampling approach prioritizing those considered at increased risk STI and/or with history HIV. For performance evaluation, participants were tested...
ABSTRACT We evaluated antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated from men enrolled a randomized trial of male circumcision to prevent HIV. Urethral specimens with discharge were cultured for N. . MICs determined by agar dilution. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) criteria defined resistance: penicillin, tetracycline, azithromycin ≥2.0 μg/ml; ciprofloxacin MIC ≥1.0 spectinomycin ≥128.0 μg/ml. Susceptibility ceftriaxone cefixime was shown an ≤0.25 Additionally,...
Accurate point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tests for Chlamydia trachomatis infection are urgently needed the rapid treatment of patients. In a blind comparative study, we evaluated microwave-accelerated metal-enhanced fluorescence (MAMEF) assays ultrafast and sensitive detection C. DNA from vaginal swabs. The results two distinct MAMEF were compared to those nucleic acid amplification (NAATs). first assay targeted 16S rRNA gene, second cryptic plasmid. Using pure trachomatis, detected as few 10...
Introduction Point-of-care (POC) tests for Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) are urgently needed to control the gonorrhea epidemic, so patients can receive immediate diagnoses and treatment. While advent of nucleic acid amplification (NAATs) has improved accuracy Ng identification, very few POC assays able provide results such at clinical visit. Additionally, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) presents a unique treatment challenge Ng.Areas covered This review notes that older have lower sensitivity Ng,...
Norovirus is a common cause of outbreaks acute gastroenteritis in health- and child-care settings, with serial also frequently observed aboard cruise ships. The relative contributions environmental direct person-to-person transmission norovirus have hitherto not been quantified. We employ novel mathematical model transmission, fit the to daily incidence data from major outbreak on ship, examine efficacy potential control strategies aimed at reducing and/or transmission. reproduction number...
ABSTRACT Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) has severely reduced treatment options, including azithromycin (AZM), which had previously been recommended as dual therapy with ceftriaxone. This study characterizes the emergence of high-level to AZM (HLR-AZM) Ng Baltimore, Maryland, USA, and describes global evolution HLR-AZM Ng. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) 30 isolates without from Baltimore was used identify clonality determinants. Publicly available WGS data ( n = 286) 3)...
To define the performance characteristics of Focus ELISA HSV-1 and HSV-2 assay among 100 university students.
In Brief Objective: Detection of vaginal Y-chromosome sequences (YCS) may be a useful biomarker to validate sexual behavior reporting in women. We describe the effects condom use on detection YCS. Methods: Fifty-six women were asked abstain from intercourse for 14 days. On day 15, participants engage with their male partners using condoms. Self-collected swabs obtained days 14, 16, and 17. YCS detected Roche LightCycler positive controls. Results: Fourty-four 56 completed study. Five (11.4%)...
Multidrug-resistant gonorrhea has become an urgent issue for global public health. As the causative agent of gonorrhea, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, been progressively developing resistance to nearly all prescribed antimicrobial drugs, monitoring its on a broader scale crucial agenda effective antibiotic stewardship. Unfortunately, gold standard susceptibility testing (AST) relies time and labor-intensive phenotypic assays, which lag behind current diagnostic workflow N. gonorrhoeae identification...
Prompt diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are essential to combat the STI epidemic in resource-limited settings. We characterized burden 5 curable STIs chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, Mycoplasma genitalium, syphilis, HIV infection Ugandan men with urethritis.Participants were recruited from a gonococcal surveillance program Kampala, Uganda. Questionnaires, penile swabs collected tested by nucleic acid amplification. Gonococcal isolates for antimicrobial...