A5065963654- Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology
- HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk
- HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
- Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia detection and treatment
- Homelessness and Social Issues
- Pharmaceutical studies and practices
- Diabetes Management and Research
- Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations
- Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis
- Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes
- Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
- LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
- Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins
- Adolescent and Pediatric Healthcare
- Sex work and related issues
- Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
- COVID-19 and healthcare impacts
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Data-Driven Disease Surveillance
- Mycobacterium research and diagnosis
- Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
- Diabetes and associated disorders
- HIV, TB, and STIs Epidemiology
Mercy Health
2024-2025
DeKalb County Board of Health
2018-2024
Emory University
2016-2024
Sisters of Mercy Health System
2024
Benchmark (United Kingdom)
2010-2024
Benchmark Research (United States)
2012-2021
Clinical Research Consortium
2021
Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office
2005-2020
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
2018
Keele University
2010-2017
Background: Expanding latent tuberculosis treatment is important to decrease active disease globally. Once-weekly isoniazid and rifapentine for 12 doses effective but limited by requiring direct observation. Objective: To compare completion safety of once-weekly self-administration versus Design: An open-label, phase 4 randomized clinical trial designed as a noninferiority study with 15% margin. Seventy-five percent or more patients were enrolled from the United States prespecified subgroup...
Rationale: Isoniazid given daily for 9 months is the standard treatment latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), but its effectiveness limited by poor completion rates. Shorter course regimens and using directly observed therapy result in improved adherence have higher upfront costs.Objectives: To evaluate costs cost-effectiveness of LTBI.Methods: We used a computerized Markov model to estimate total societal benefits associated with four LTBI: self-administered isoniazid months, twice-weekly...
Estimates suggest that approximately 25% of requests for pathology tests are unnecessary. Even in diabetes, which international guidance provides recommended testing frequency, considerable variability requesting practice exists. Using the diabetes marker, Hb A(1c), we examined (a) prevalence under- and overrequesting, (b) impact on prevalence, (c) practice-to-practice variability.We A(1c) (519 664 from 115 730 patients, January 2001 to March 2011) processed by Clinical Biochemistry...
OBJECTIVE We previously showed that in patients with diabetes mellitus, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) monitoring outside international guidance on testing frequency is widespread. Here we examined the relationship between and control to test hypothesis retest interval linked change HbA1c level. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS repeat tests (400,497 79,409 patients, 2008–2011) processed by three U.K. clinical laboratories. 1) percentage 2) proportion of cases showing a significant rise. The effect...
This report describes an analysis of facility-wide COVID-19 testing at long-term care facilities in Fulton County, Georgia, which found that active staff and residents could help identify cases early prevent widespread infection.
Abstract Background Tuberculosis remains the leading cause of death from a single infectious disease worldwide. Trials evaluating digital adherence technologies for tuberculosis in low- and middle-income countries are urgently needed. We aimed to assess whether medication event reminder monitor (MERM) device-observed self-administered therapy improves treatment outcomes patients with compared standard in-person directly observed (DOT). Methods did two-arm, attention-controlled,...
A large randomized controlled trial recently showed that for treating latent tuberculous infection (LTBI) in persons at high risk of progression to tuberculosis (TB) disease, a 12-dose regimen weekly rifapentine plus isoniazid (3HP) administered as directly observed treatment (DOT) can be effective 9 months daily self-administered (9H).
In response to reported coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks among people experiencing homelessness (PEH) in other US cities, we conducted multiple, proactive, facility-wide testing events for PEH living sheltered and unsheltered service staff Atlanta, Georgia. We describe the severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) prevalence associated symptoms, review shelter infection prevention control (IPC) policies.PEH were tested SARS-CoV-2 by reverse transcription polymerase chain...
Abstract Background Hispanic and Latino Gay Bisexual Men (HLGBM) are disproportionately impacted by HIV face structural barriers in accessing sexual health services. To address these barriers, we developed an online outreach campaign linked to bilingual peer-navigation services metro Atlanta.Figure 1illustrates examples from our campaign, featuring trained navigator. The emphasized the availability of free or low-cost services, aiming increase awareness accessibility among community. Methods...
Objective To determine the feasibility and case detection rate of a geographic information systems (GIS)-based integrated community screening strategy for tuberculosis, syphilis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Design Prospective cross-sectional study all participants presenting to hot spot screenings in Wake County, North Carolina. Methods The residences HIV, syphilis cases incident between 1/1/05–12/31/07 were mapped. Areas with high densities 3 diseases designated “hot spots.”...
Recommendations for infection prevention and control (IPC) of COVID-19 in long-term care settings were developed based on limited understanding should be evaluated to determine their efficacy reducing transmission among high-risk populations.Site visits 24 facilities (LTCFs) Fulton County, Georgia, conducted between June July 2020 assess adherence current guidelines, provide real-time feedback potential weaknesses, identify specific indicators whose implementation or lack thereof was...
Abstract Background To address the multifaceted challenges associated with tuberculosis (TB) in-person directly observed therapy (DOT), World Health Organization recently recommended that countries maximize use of digital adherence technologies. Sub-Saharan Africa needs to investigate effectiveness such technologies in local contexts and proactively contribute global decisions around patient-centered TB care. This study aims evaluate pillbox-enabled self-administered (SAT) compared standard...
Three months of weekly rifapentine plus isoniazid (3HP) therapy for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is recommended worldwide. The development symptoms and systemic drug reactions (SDRs) on 3HP have not been fully characterized. We aimed to determine the patterns symptom identify SDRs associated factors in patients taking 3HP.
Silica surfaces modified with nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) derivatives were used to immobilize hexahistidine-tagged green fluorescent protein (His6-GFP), biotin/streptavidin-AlexaFluor555 (His6-biotin/SA-AF), and gramicidin A-containing vesicles (His6-gA). Three types of surface-reactive PEG derivatives−NTA-PEG3400-Si(OMe)3, NTA-PEG3400-vinylsulfone, mPEG5000-Si(OMe)3 (control)−were grafted onto silica tested for their ability capture His6-tag species via...
Study Objective. To determine the feasibility of therapeutic drug monitoring for adjusting low serum antimycobacterial concentrations in patients with both tuberculosis and advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Design. Retrospective cohort study. Data Source. De‐identified dataset from a clinic. Patients. Twenty‐one (median age 38 yrs, range 25–68 yrs) HIV infection (CD4 + cell count < 100 cells/mm 3 ) who received treatment active between March 2002 September 2007. Measurements...
Objectives: Our objective was to describe and determine the factors contributing a recent drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Georgia. Methods: We defined an case as TB diagnosed from March 2008 through December 2015 person residing Georgia at time of diagnosis for whom (1) genotype Mycobacterium isolate consistent with strain or (2) clinically without genotyped available connections were established another outbreak-associated patient. To transmission, we interviewed patients...
Aims The COVID-19 pandemic, and the focus on mitigating its effects, has disrupted diabetes healthcare services worldwide. We aimed to quantify effect of pandemic diagnosis/management, using glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) as surrogate, across six UK centres. Methods Using routinely collected laboratory data, we estimated number missed HbA1c tests for ‘diagnostic’/‘screening’/‘management’ purposes during impact period (CIP; 23 March 2020 30 September 2020). examined potential in terms of: (1)...
Importance Little is known about whether digital adherence technologies are economical for patients with tuberculosis (TB) in resource-constrained settings. Objective To test the hypothesis that TB, a medication event reminder monitor (MERM)-observed therapy provides higher health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and lower catastrophic costs compared standard directly observed (DOT). Design, Setting, Participants This study was secondary analysis randomized, 2-arm, open-label trial conducted...
Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with (MSM) been disproportionately affected during the 2022 U.S. monkeypox outbreak, Black or African American (Black) MSM being most demographic group (1). As of September 28, 2022, Georgia had reported 1,784 cases; 98% which occurred in males 77% among persons (2). 13, 60% cases were HIV infection, 50% a sexually transmitted infection within past year (3). Because racial disparities incidence large proportion Georgia, early vaccination beginning...