A5027443771- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- Respiratory viral infections research
- Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
- Dental Research and COVID-19
- COVID-19 diagnosis using AI
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Biosensors and Analytical Detection
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
- Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research
- Streptococcal Infections and Treatments
- Poxvirus research and outbreaks
- Malaria Research and Control
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
- Emergency and Acute Care Studies
- Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Health, psychology, and well-being
- Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
- Therapeutic Uses of Natural Elements
- Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing
- Gut microbiota and health
Yale University
2021-2024
Yale New Haven Health System
2021-2023
Columbia University
2018-2023
Public Health Department
2021-2022
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
2021
University of the West Indies
2012-2020
Changes in Dengue virus (DENV) disease patterns the Americas over recent decades have been attributed, at least part, to repeated introduction of DENV strains from other regions, resulting a shift hypoendemicity hyperendemicity. Using newly sequenced DENV-1 and DENV-3 envelope (E) gene isolates 11 Caribbean countries, along with sequences available on GenBank, we sought document population genetic spatiotemporal transmission histories four main invading genotypes within investigate factors...
Local transmission of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was first detected in the Americas December 2013, after which it spread rapidly throughout Caribbean islands and American mainland, causing a major fever epidemic. Previous phylogenetic analysis CHIKV from limited number countries suggests that an Asian genotype strain responsible, except Brazil where both East/Central/South African (ECSA) lineage strains were detected. In this study, we sequenced thirty-three complete genomes viruses isolated...
BacCapSeq is a method for differential diagnosis of bacterial infections and defining antimicrobial sensitivity profiles that has the potential to reduce morbidity mortality, health care costs, inappropriate use antibiotics contributes development resistance.
There is an urgent need to expand testing for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens as the global community struggles control COVID-19 pandemic. Current diagnostic methods can be affected by supply chain bottlenecks require assistance of medical professionals, impeding implementation large-scale testing. Self-collection saliva may solve these problems, it completed without specialized training uses generic materials.We observed 30 individuals who self-collected using four different...
Reported rates of invasive pneumococcal disease were markedly lower than normal during the 2020/2021 winter in Northern Hemisphere, first year after start COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about carriage pneumococcus among adults this period. Between October 2020-August 2021, couples Greater New Haven Area, USA, enrolled if both individuals aged 60 years and above did not have any under age living household. Saliva samples questionnaires regarding social activities contacts medical...
Local transmission of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was first documented in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) July 2014 preceding a large epidemic. At initial presentation, it is difficult to distinguish chikungunya fever (CHIKF) from other acute undifferentiated febrile illnesses (AUFIs), including life-threatening dengue disease. We characterised compared (DENV) CHIKV infections 158 patients presenting with suspected (DF) CHIKF at major hospital T&T, performed phylogenetic analyses on genomic...
Bat rabies is an emerging disease of public health significance in the Americas. The Caribbean island Trinidad experiences periodic outbreaks within livestock population. We performed molecular characterisation virus (RABV) and used a Bayesian phylogeographic approach to investigate extent which are result situ evolution versus importation from nearby South American mainland. Trinidadian RABV sequences were confirmed as bat variant clustered with Desmodus rotundus (vampire bat) related...
While the sensitivity of detection pneumococcal carriage can be improved by testing respiratory tract samples with quantitative PCR (qPCR), concerns have been raised regarding specificity this approach. We therefore investigated reliability widely used
As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries, need for simple, accessible frequent diagnostic testing grows. In lower-resource settings, case detection is often limited by a lack of available severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2). To address global inequities in testing, alternative sample types could be used increase access reducing associated costs. Saliva sensitive, minimally invasive inexpensive SARS-CoV-2...
Summary There is an urgent need to expand testing for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens as the global community struggles control COVID-19 pandemic. Current diagnostic methods can be affected by supply chain bottlenecks require assistance of medical professionals, impeding implementation large-scale testing. Self-collection saliva may solve these problems, it completed without specialized training uses generic materials. In this study, we observed thirty individuals who...
Nasopharyngeal swabs are considered the gold-standard sample type for detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage, but recent studies have demonstrated utility saliva in improving carriage adults. Saliva is generally collected its raw, unsupplemented state, unlike nasopharyngeal swabs, which into stabilizing transport media. Few data exist regarding stability pneumococci during and laboratory storage. We therefore evaluated effect storage conditions on samples using strains representing...
ABSTRACT Introduction Efforts to diagnose and monitor transmissible respiratory infections can be impaired by invasive or resource-intensive sample collection. Having extensively demonstrated the feasibility of saliva for SARS-CoV-2 detection, we sought validate its potential other common upper tract pathogens. Methods We modified our RNA-extraction-free PCR test multiplexed detection influenza A/B (IAV/IBV), syncytial virus (RSV) human metapneumovirus (hMPV). Stability in from...
ABSTRACT Background Current recommendations for the diagnosis of mpox rely on lesion-swabs as gold-standard specimen type, even though many patients experience symptoms prior to lesion-onset. Alternative sample types, such saliva, which enable earlier detection could bolster response by mitigating transmission and facilitating access antiviral treatments. Methods We evaluated five PCR assays compared their DNA extracted from 30 saliva specimens collected in Spectrum SDNA-1000 tubes....
ABSTRACT Molecular methods have improved the sensitivity of detection pneumococcal carriage in saliva. However, they typically require sample culture enrichment and nucleic acid extraction prior to performing assay may limit scalability for extensive surveillance pneumococcus, particularly low-resource settings. We evaluated performance a DNA-extraction-free method pneumococcus developed streamlined qPCR-based protocol omitting DNA extraction. Using saliva samples collected from children...
Cache Valley virus (CVV) is a prevalent emerging pathogen of significant importance to agricultural and human health in North America. Emergence livestock can result substantial agroeconomic losses resulting from the severe embryonic lethality associated with infection during pregnancy. Although CVV pathogenesis has been well described ruminants, small animal models are still unavailable, which limits our ability study its perform preclinical testing therapeutics. Herein, we explored...
SalivaDirect™ is an RNA-extraction free, dual-plexed RT-qPCR method for SARS-CoV-2 detection. It can be broadly implemented as it (1) does not require saliva collection tubes containing preservatives, (2) specialized equipment RNA extraction, and (3) validated use with products from multiple vendors. Thus, the simplicity flexibility of means that affected by supply chain bottlenecks some other assays. Our free which enables testing low volume minimally processed in Saliva will treated...
The key to limiting SARS-CoV-2 spread is identify virus-infected individuals (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) isolate them from the general population. Hence, routine weekly testing for in all asymptomatic (capturing both infected non-infected) considered critical situations where a large number of co-congregate such as schools, prisons, aged care facilities industrial workplaces. Such hampered by operational issues cost, test availability, access healthcare workers throughput. We...
Abstract Background Molecular methods have improved the sensitivity of detection pneumococcal carriage in saliva. However, they typically require sample culture-enrichment and nucleic acid extraction, prior to performing assay. These factors may limit scalability for extensive surveillance pneumococcus, particularly low-resource settings. In this study, we evaluated performance a DNA-extraction-free method pneumococcus Methods We developed streamlined qPCR-based protocol omitting DNA...