A5012132575- HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
- HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk
- Syphilis Diagnosis and Treatment
- HIV Research and Treatment
- Reproductive tract infections research
- Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Data-Driven Disease Surveillance
- Hepatitis B Virus Studies
- Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Issues
- Hepatitis C virus research
- COVID-19 Digital Contact Tracing
- Homelessness and Social Issues
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- HIV/AIDS oral health manifestations
- HIV/AIDS drug development and treatment
- Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations
- Health Policy Implementation Science
- Viral-associated cancers and disorders
- Renal Transplantation Outcomes and Treatments
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Vibrio bacteria research studies
- Health Literacy and Information Accessibility
- Genomics and Rare Diseases
- HIV, TB, and STIs Epidemiology
NC Department of Health and Human Services
2015-2024
North Carolina Division of Public Health
2014-2024
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2017-2020
LabCorp (United States)
2017
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2012
National Cancer Institute
2003
National Institutes of Health
2003
Ocular syphilis, a manifestation of Treponema pallidum infection, can cause variety ocular signs and symptoms, including eye redness, blurry vision, vision loss. Although syphilis is nationally notifiable, manifestations are not reportable to CDC. Syphilis rates have increased in the United States since 2000. After clusters were reported early 2015, CDC issued clinical advisory (1) April 2015 published description cases October (2). Because concerns about an increase eight jurisdictions...
Contact tracing is a strategy implemented to minimize the spread of communicable diseases (1,2). Prompt contact tracing, testing, and self-quarantine can reduce transmission SARS-CoV-2, virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (3,4). Community engagement important encourage participation in cooperation with SARS-CoV-2 (5). Substantial investments have been made scale up for COVID-19 United States. During June 1-July 12, 2020, incidence cases North Carolina increased 183%, from...
The Internet and mobile devices are increasingly used by men who have sex with to find potential partners. Lack of partner information, besides e-mail addresses or user profiles, limits the ability adequately perform notification traditional means test those at high risk. To streamline North Carolina Partner Notification (IPN) services, University Chapel Hill collaborated Division Public Health beginning in July 2011 formalize state IPN text messaging for (txtPN) policies centralize...
In female sexually transmitted infection clinic attendees, Mycoplasma genitalium was more frequently detected using vaginal (53/73) versus endocervical (43/73) specimens. women without other infections, M. detection (N = 44) associated with age ≤22 years (odds ratio, 2.53; P 0.006) and clinical evidence of cervicitis 2.11; 0.03).
<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> In the United States (US), sexual and gender minority (SGM) people of color (POC) are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Persisting new diagnoses in SGM POC make it unlikely that US will meet Ending HIV Epidemic’s (EHE) goal to reduce 90% 2030. Innovative strategies needed address this challenge, particularly South, where Black/African American Latine Social network approaches have led increased testing uptake. interventions responsive individuals’ needs...
Summary The stringent starvation protein A (SspA), an Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNAP)‐associated protein, has been reported to be essential for lytic growth of bacteriophage P1. Unlike P1 early promoters, late promoters are not recognized by RNAP alone. phage‐encoded Lpa ( l ate p romoter a ctivator formerly called gp10), shown required transcription in vivo . Here, we demonstrate that SspA is activator genes. Our results indicated limiting sspA mutant. However, the genes was...
Expanding access to HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) could help reduce rates of infection in the United States. This study characterizes activities and barriers PrEP implementation at local health departments (LHDs) North Carolina (NC), which contains a large rural population.In May 2016, web-based survey was distributed directors all county district NC assess PrEP-related activities, perceived implementation, desired resources.Of 85 LHDs NC, 56 (66%) responded survey. Of these, 2 (4%)...
Objective HIV transmission is influenced by status awareness and receipt of care treatment. We analyzed these attributes named partners persons with acute infection (index AHI cases) to characterize the landscape in North Carolina (NC). Design Secondary analysis programmatic data. Methods used data from NC Screening Tracing Active Transmission Program (2002–2013) determine (uninfected, AHI, or chronic [CHI]), diagnosis (new previously-diagnosed), treatment (not care, not on treatment,...
Prediction of HIV transmission cluster growth may help guide public health action. We developed a predictive model for in North Carolina (NC) using routine surveillance data.We identified putative clusters with ≥2 members through pairwise genetic distances ≤1.5% from HIV-1 pol sequences sampled November 2010-December 2017 NC. Clusters established by baseline January 2015 any within 2 years before were assessed (new diagnoses) over 18 months. incorporating demographic, clinical, temporal, and...
Background The integration of traditional contact tracing with HIV sequence analyses offers opportunities to mitigate some the barriers effective network construction. We used combined during an outbreak investigation spatiotemporally clustered acute infections evaluate if observed clustering was product a single outbreak. Methods investigated and recent index cases reported in North Carolina from 2013 2014 their contacts. Contact networks were constructed surveillance data compared...
Objectives. To assess and control a potential outbreak of HIV among people who inject drugs in Western North Carolina.Methods. Disease intervention specialists offered testing for hepatitis B C, harm reduction materials, linkage to care 7 linked recently diagnosed with also injected drugs. Contacts were the same services testing. genotype analysis was used characterize spread. We assessed outcomes by using state surveillance information.Results. contacted 6 group members received information...
To improve the HIV continuum of care, a team field service interventionists (State Bridge Counselors, SBC) was developed through state public health system and provided brief (1-2) contacts for linkage newly diagnosed persons with reengagement living (PLWH) who were not in care.North Carolina, United States.Service data from January 2013 to June 2015 analyzed determine characteristics clients referred SBCs, proportions linked or reengaged and/or achieved viral load suppression (VLs). We...
Ocular syphilis (OS) has been associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection previously. We compared demographic and clinical characteristics of patients without HIV to identify risk factors for developing OS.We reviewed all cases (early late) reported the North Carolina Division Public Health during 2014 2016 categorized status (positive, negative, unknown) OS based on report ocular symptoms no other defined etiology. estimated prevalence ratios (PR) 95% confidence intervals...
On July 2, 2018, the North Carolina Division of Public Health was notified that approximately three dozen members an ethnic Nepali refugee community had been transported to area hospitals for severe gastrointestinal illness after attending a potluck party on June 30.
In this study, we evaluate the performance of Syphilis Health Check (SHC) in clinical and laboratory settings using fingerstick whole blood serum.Fingerstick serum specimens from adult patients (n = 562) without prior syphilis history presenting at 2 county health department STD clinics North Carolina were tested. Fingerstick tested with SHC clinic, State Laboratory Public with: (1) qualitative rapid plasma reagin, (2) treponemal EIA, (3) SHC. Sensitivity specificity calculated 95%...
Partner notification services (PNS) remain the backbone of syphilis control. The popularity Internet-based apps to meet sex partners among early (ES) patients may hinder success PNS if cannot be located.We compared demographic and clinical characteristics between male ES indicating with men (MSM) reported in North Carolina 2013 2016 by use an app (app user). We used multivariable log-binomial regression assess association usage exposure 1 or more partner.Among 3414 MSM patients, 58.6% were...
Objective Compare syphilis investigation yield among patient groups using number needed to interview. Goal To increase efficiency. Study Design Retrospective review of North Carolina 2015 investigations, the cases interview (NNTI) and total contacts (TNTI) compare new human immunodeficiency virus diagnoses between groups. Results We reviewed 1646 early 2181 contacts; these yielded 241 (NNTI, 6.9; TNTI, 16.4) 38 43). Interviews women (prevalence difference [PD] = 6%, 95% confidence interval...
Early HIV diagnosis enables prompt treatment initiation, thereby contributing to decreased morbidity, mortality, and transmission. We aimed describe the association between distance from residence testing sites disease stage at diagnosis. Using surveillance data, we identified all new diagnoses made publicly funded in central North Carolina during 2005–2013. Early-stage was defined as acute (antibody-negative test with a positive RNA) or recent (normalized optical density <0.8 on BED assay...
We evaluated features of HIV transmission networks involving persons diagnosed during incident infection (IHI) to assess network-based opportunities curtail onward transmission.Transmission were constructed using partial pol sequences reported North Carolina surveillance among with recent (2014-2018) and past (<2014) diagnoses. IHI defined as documented acute infections or seroconversion. Demographic virologic genetic clusters (<1.5% pairwise distance) ≥ 1 assessed. Persons viral links who...
Disease intervention specialists (DIS) provide partner services for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We assessed an expansion of DIS clients with HIV and/or syphilis, and contacts within their social sexual networks.Black Latinx cisgender men transgender women who have sex diagnosed syphilis in 4 urban North Carolina counties were referred to designated DIS, trained recruit as "seeds" chain-referral sampling sociosexual network "peers." All received HIV/STI testing care; referrals...
The identification of recent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 1 infections among people with new HIV diagnoses is important to both tailoring and assessing the impact HIV-1 prevention strategies.We developed a multiplexed Primer ID-next-generation sequencing approach identify by measuring intrahost viral diversity over multiple regions genome, in addition detecting drug resistance mutations (DRMs) phylogenetically linked clusters. We summarize field implementation this all-in-one platform...