A5003447254- Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology
- Mycobacterium research and diagnosis
- Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
- Diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis
- Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia detection and treatment
- Advanced Data Processing Techniques
- Reservoir Engineering and Simulation Methods
- Data-Driven Disease Surveillance
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Computational Physics and Python Applications
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis
- Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
- Tracheal and airway disorders
- Seismology and Earthquake Studies
- Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects
- Microbial metabolism and enzyme function
- Meteorological Phenomena and Simulations
- Streptococcal Infections and Treatments
- Immunodeficiency and Autoimmune Disorders
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- HIV-related health complications and treatments
- Head and Neck Surgical Oncology
- Dialysis and Renal Disease Management
Universitat de Barcelona
2019-2025
Manhiça Health Research Centre
2017-2025
Barcelona Institute for Global Health
2019-2025
Berea College
2023-2024
NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research
2024
Metropolitan University of Technology
2024
Wellcome Sanger Institute
2024
Translational Research Institute
2021
BackgroundDespite increasing availability of rapid molecular tests for the diagnosis tuberculosis in high-burden settings, many people with are undiagnosed. Reliance on sputum as primary specimen diagnostics contributes to this diagnostic gap. We evaluated accuracy and additive yield a novel stool quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay three countries Africa high burdens.MethodsWe undertook prospective study Eswatini, Mozambique, Tanzania from Sept 21, 2020, Feb 2, 2023, compare qPCR test current...
<sec><title>BACKGROUND</title>Low body mass index (BMI) is a globally important risk factor for TB progression. Little known about this association in people living with HIV (PLHIV) and the functional form of BMI-TB incidence curve.</sec><sec><title>METHODS</title>Secondary analysis randomised controlled trial preventive therapy among PLHIV South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia. Participants received 3 months weekly high-dose rifapentine-isoniazid given...
Abstract Traditionally, smear microscopy has been used as a point-of-care measure of bacillary burden in tuberculosis patients to inform infection control and contact tracing. Xpert MTB/RIF the potential replace smear. However, data support use its quantitative output [cycle threshold (C T )] an alternate are limited. This study assessed correlation (Spearman’s) between C , smear, culture time-to-positivity (TTP), clinical factors with Xpert-positive sputum from Mozambique (n = 238) South...
ABSTRACT Culturing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) from cases is the basis for many research and clinical applications. Paradoxically, it assumed to impose a diversity bottleneck, which, if true, would entail unexplored consequences. The alternative, culture-free sequencing diagnostic samples, promising but challenging approach both obtain analyse MTB genome complex sample. This study obtains high-quality genomes of sputum-culture pairs two different settings after developing workflow...
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Children and people living with HIV (PLHIV) have an increased risk mortality, particularly in the absence rapid diagnosis. The main challenges diagnosing TB these populations are due to unspecific paucibacillary disease presentation difficulty obtaining respiratory samples. Thus, novel diagnostic strategies, based on non-respiratory specimens could improve clinical decision making outcomes high burden settings. We propose...
Abstract Background The World Health Organization–approved Xpert MTB/XDR test detects Mycobacterium tuberculosis and resistance to isoniazid, fluoroquinolones, ethionamide, injectable drugs directly in specimens. This pragmatic, laboratory-based study assessed the diagnostic accuracy feasibility of a reflex testing approach, where was performed on residual specimens previously processed for MTB/RIF Ultra. Methods Routine respiratory specimens, Ultra, were stored sample reagent buffer at...
Tuberculosis (TB) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Current WHO-recommended strategies for diagnosing TB hospitalized PLHIV rely on symptom screening disease severity to assess eligibility urine lipoarabinomannan lateral flow (LF-LAM) molecular testing. Despite these recommendations, autopsy studies show a large burden undiagnosed admitted PLHIV. The EXULTANT trial aims the impact expanded strategy using three specimens (sputum, stool,...
Abstract Robust quantification of predictive uncertainty is a critical addition needed for machine learning applied to weather and climate problems improve the understanding what driving prediction sensitivity. Ensembles models provide estimates in conceptually simple way but require multiple training prediction, increasing computational cost latency. Parametric deep can estimate with one model by predicting parameters probability distribution does not account epistemic uncertainty....
Simple effective tools to monitor the long treatment of tuberculosis (TB) are lacking. Easily measured host derived biomarkers have been identified but need be validated in larger studies and different population groups. Here we investigate early response IP-10 levels (between day 0 7 TB therapy) identify bacteriological status at diagnosis among 127 HIV-infected patients starting treatment. All participants were then classified as responding or not blindly using a previously described...
Abstract Tuberculosis (TB) misdiagnosis remains a public health concern, especially among people living with HIV (PLHIV), given the high mortality associated missed TB diagnoses. The main objective of this study was to describe all-cause mortality, incidence rates and their risk factors in cohort PLHIV presumptive whom initially ruled out. We retrospectively followed over 2 year-period rural district Southern Mozambique. During period 382 were followed-up. Mortality rate 6.8/100 person-years...
Aims We present a field evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy Xpert MTB/RIF (“Xpert”) and Ultra (“Ultra”) using two cohorts in high tuberculosis/HIV burden setting Southern Mozambique. Methods Single respiratory specimens from symptomatic adults accessing healthcare services (passive case finding (PCF) cohort) household community close contacts (active (ACF) were tested by smear microscopy, culture, Ultra. Liquid solid culture served as composite reference standard. explored impact trace...
Genomic studies of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) might shed light on dynamics its transmission, especially in high-burden settings, where recent outbreaks are embedded natural history disease. To this end, we conducted a 1 year prospective surveillance-based study Mozambique. We applied whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to 295 positive cultures. fully characterized MTBC isolates by phylogenetics and dating evaluation, carried out molecular epidemiology analysis investigate...
Mozambique, one of the world's high tuberculosis (TB) burden countries, has conducted only national-level drug resistance survey, in 2007-2008.To determine patterns laboratory-confirmed TB cases.This was a population-level survey over 1-year period district Manhiça. All cases were evaluated for first-line anti-tuberculosis susceptibility testing using liquid culture.Resistance to at least observed 44 276 isolates (15.9%). Prevalence each five drugs tested 4.0% streptomycin, 10.1% isoniazid...
Abstract Introduction AIDS‐mortality remains unacceptably high in sub‐Saharan Africa, largely driven by advanced HIV disease (AHD). We nested a study an existing tuberculosis (TB) contact‐tracing intervention (Xpatial‐TB). The aim was to assess the burden of AHD among high‐risk people living with (PLHIV) identified and evaluate provision WHO‐recommended package care this population. Methods All PLHIV ≥14 years old between June December 2018 Manhiça District Xpatial‐TB were offered...
Abstract Multidrug-resistant(MDR) tuberculosis in Southern Africa is of great concern, exacerbated by the spread a clone harboring mutation missed Xpert Ultra. In Mozambique, presence such and rising cases non-MDR isoniazid resistance highlights need to ensure accurate detection antimicrobial-resistance country.
ABSTRACT Skatole is an aromatic heterocyclic compound with a strong offensive odor, produced by microorganisms during the anaerobic breakdown of tryptophan. accumulation linked to environmental and health issues. Despite its persistence harmful effects, skatole’s biodegradation poorly understood. We have recently isolated gram-positive bacterium, Rhodococcus ruber R1, which uses skatole as sole carbon energy source. Here we report operon consisting 14 genes encoding oxygenase systems...
Prompt diagnosis is critical for tuberculosis (TB) control, as it enables early treatment which in turn, reduces transmission and improves outcomes. We investigated the impact on TB of introducing Xpert Ultra frontline diagnostic test, combined with an innovative active-case finding (ACF) strategy (based semi-quantitative results spatial parameters), a semi-rural district Southern Mozambique. From January-December 2018 we recruited incident TB-cases (index cases, ICs) their household...
Artificial light at night (ALAN) changes animal behavior in multiple invertebrates and vertebrates can result decreased fitness. However, ALAN effects have not been studied European honey bees (Apis mellifera), an important pollinator which foragers show strong circadian rhythmicity. Colonies be exposed to swarm clusters, when cluster outside the nest on hot days evenings, and, limited cases, they build nests open. We captured maintained incubated cages subjected them constant (LL), dark...
In several low-income countries, the transport of sputa could take up to one week reach laboratories, resulting in increased contamination rates and a loss growth. The aim this study was evaluate effect OMNIgene-SPUTUM preserving Mycobacterium tuberculosis on sputum samples simulating three hypothetical scenarios for conservation and/or decontamination: (1) mixed with OMN conserved at room temperature five days then processed culture (OMN); (2) cultures followed routine standing operating...
Robust quantification of predictive uncertainty is critical for understanding factors that drive weather and climate outcomes. Ensembles provide estimates can be decomposed physically, but both physics machine learning ensembles are computationally expensive. Parametric deep estimate with one model by predicting the parameters a probability distribution do not account epistemic uncertainty.. Evidential learning, technique extends parametric to higher-order distributions, aleatoric model....