Frontiers in epidemiology最新文献

{"title":"Demographic characteristics and prevalence of asymptomatic <i>Leishmania donovani</i> infection in migrant workers working in an endemic area in Northwest Ethiopia.","authors":"Mulat Yimer, Yegnasew Takele, Endalew Yizengaw, Endalkachew Nibret, Petra Sumova, Petr Volf, Gizachew Yismaw, Michael Alehegn, Aileen Rowan, Ingrid Müller, James A Cotton, Lloyd A C Chapman, Pascale Kropf","doi":"10.3389/fepid.2024.1367387","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fepid.2024.1367387","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a neglected tropical disease that causes substantial morbidity and mortality, is a serious health problem in Ethiopia. Infections are caused by <i>Leishmania</i> (<i>L</i>.) <i>donovani</i> parasites. Most individuals remain asymptomatic, but some develop VL, which is generally fatal if not treated. We identified the area of Metema-Humera in Northwest Ethiopia as a setting in which we could follow migrant workers when they arrived in an endemic area. The demographic characteristics of this population and factors associated with their risk of asymptomatic infection are poorly characterised.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We divided our cohort into individuals who visited this area for the first time (first comers, FC) and those who had already been in this area (repeat comers, RC). We followed them from the beginning (Time 1, T1) to the end of the agricultural season (Time 2, T2), performing tests for sand fly bite exposure (anti-sand fly saliva antibody ELISA) and serology for <i>Leishmania</i> infection (rK39 rapid diagnostic test and the direct agglutination test) at each time point and collecting information on risk factors for infection.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results show that most migrant workers come from non-endemic areas, are male, young (median age of 20 years) and are farmers or students. At T1, >80% of them had been already exposed to sand fly bites, as shown by the presence of anti-saliva antibodies. However, due to seasonality of sand flies there was no difference in exposure between FC and RC, or between T1 and T2. The serology data showed that at T1, but not at T2, a significantly higher proportion of RC were asymptomatic. Furthermore, 28.6% of FC became asymptomatic between T1 and T2. Over the duration of this study, one FC and one RC developed VL. In multivariable logistic regression of asymptomatic infection at T1, only age and the number of visits to Metema/Humera were significantly associated with asymptomatic infection.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A better understanding of the dynamics of parasite transmission and the risk factors associated with the development of asymptomatic infections and potentially VL will be essential for the development of new strategies to prevent leishmaniasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":73083,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in epidemiology","volume":"4 ","pages":"1367387"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11035784/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140874302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Editorial: Multilevel social determinants of individual and family well-being: national and international perspectives","authors":"D. Browne, B. McArthur, Nicole Racine","doi":"10.3389/fepid.2024.1381516","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fepid.2024.1381516","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73083,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in epidemiology","volume":"113 40","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140379239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Aetiology of non-malaria acute febrile illness fever in children in rural Guinea-Bissau: a prospective cross-sectional investigation","authors":"Rui Gutiérrez, Mariana Landa, Masse Sambou, Hubert Bassane, N. Dia, Alfa Saliu Djalo, Chiara Domenichini, G. Fall, Martin Faye, Ousmane Faye, M. Fernandez-Garcia, Laurence Flevaud, Jerlie Loko, Oleg Mediannikov, Valerie Mize, Kader Ndiaye, M. Niang, Didier Raoult, M. Rocaspana, Susana Villen, A. Sall, F. Fenollar","doi":"10.3389/fepid.2024.1309149","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fepid.2024.1309149","url":null,"abstract":"With growing use of parasitological tests to detect malaria and decreasing incidence of the disease in Africa; it becomes necessary to increase the understanding of causes of non-malaria acute febrile illness (NMAFI) towards providing appropriate case management. This research investigates causes of NMAFI in pediatric out-patients in rural Guinea-Bissau.Children 0–5 years presenting acute fever (≥38°) or history of fever, negative malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) and no signs of specific disease were recruited at the out-patient clinic of 3 health facilities in Bafatá province during 54 consecutive weeks (dry and rainy season). Medical history was recorded and blood, nasopharyngeal, stool and urine samples were collected and tested for the presence of 38 different potential aetiological causes of fever.Samples from 741 children were analysed, the protocol was successful in determining a probable aetiological cause of acute fever in 544 (73.61%) cases. Respiratory viruses were the most frequently identified pathogens, present in the nasopharynx samples of 435 (58.86%) cases, followed by bacteria detected in 167 (22.60%) samples. Despite presenting negative mRDTs, P. falciparum was identified in samples of 24 (3.25%) patients.This research provides a description of the aetiological causes of NMAFI in West African context. Evidence of viral infections were more commonly found than bacteria or parasites.","PeriodicalId":73083,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in epidemiology","volume":"126 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140223729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of concomitant rheumatologic diseases and autoantibody specificities among racial and ethnic groups in SLE patients.","authors":"Brendan Denvir, Philip M Carlucci, Kelly Corbitt, Jill P Buyon, H Michael Belmont, Heather T Gold, Jane E Salmon, Anca Askanase, Joan M Bathon, Laura Geraldino-Pardilla, Yousaf Ali, Ellen M Ginzler, Chaim Putterman, Caroline Gordon, Kamil E Barbour, Charles G Helmick, Hilary Parton, Peter M Izmirly","doi":"10.3389/fepid.2024.1334859","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fepid.2024.1334859","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Leveraging the Manhattan Lupus Surveillance Program (MLSP), a population-based registry of cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and related diseases, we investigated the proportion of SLE with concomitant rheumatic diseases, including Sjögren's disease (SjD), antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS), and fibromyalgia (FM), as well as the prevalence of autoantibodies in SLE by sex and race/ethnicity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Prevalent SLE cases fulfilled one of three sets of classification criteria. Additional rheumatic diseases were defined using modified criteria based on data available in the MLSP: SjD (anti-SSA/Ro positive and evidence of keratoconjunctivitis sicca and/or xerostomia), APLS (antiphospholipid antibody positive and evidence of a blood clot), and FM (diagnosis in the chart).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>1,342 patients fulfilled SLE classification criteria. Of these, SjD was identified in 147 (11.0%, 95% CI 9.2-12.7%) patients with women and non-Latino Asian patients being the most highly represented. APLS was diagnosed in 119 (8.9%, 95% CI 7.3-10.5%) patients with the highest frequency in Latino patients. FM was present in 120 (8.9%, 95% CI 7.3-10.5) patients with non-Latino White and Latino patients having the highest frequency. Anti-dsDNA antibodies were most prevalent in non-Latino Asian, Black, and Latino patients while anti-Sm antibodies showed the highest proportion in non-Latino Black and Asian patients. Anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La antibodies were most prevalent in non-Latino Asian patients and least prevalent in non-Latino White patients. Men were more likely to be anti-Sm positive.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Data from the MLSP revealed differences among patients classified as SLE in the prevalence of concomitant rheumatic diseases and autoantibody profiles by sex and race/ethnicity underscoring comorbidities associated with SLE.</p>","PeriodicalId":73083,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in epidemiology","volume":"4 ","pages":"1334859"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10956350/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140186463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transporting results in an observational epidemiology setting: purposes, methods, and applied example.","authors":"Ghislaine Scelo, Daniela Zugna, Maja Popovic, Katrine Strandberg-Larsen, Lorenzo Richiardi","doi":"10.3389/fepid.2024.1335241","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fepid.2024.1335241","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the medical domain, substantial effort has been invested in generating internally valid estimates in experimental as well as observational studies, but limited effort has been made in testing generalizability, or external validity. Testing the external validity of scientific findings is nevertheless crucial for the application of knowledge across populations. In particular, transporting estimates obtained from observational studies requires the combination of methods for causal inference and methods to transport the effect estimates in order to minimize biases inherent to observational studies and to account for differences between the study and target populations. In this paper, the conceptual framework and assumptions behind transporting results from a population-based study population to a target population is described in an observational setting. An applied example to life-course epidemiology, where internal validity was constructed for illustrative purposes, is shown by using the targeted maximum likelihood estimator.</p>","PeriodicalId":73083,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in epidemiology","volume":"4 ","pages":"1335241"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10910888/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140061451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of tularemia foci in the Republic of Kazakhstan from 2000 to 2020.","authors":"U Izbanova, L Lukhnova, V Sadovskaya, Z Zhumadilova, T Meka-Mechenko, A Shevtsov, B Baitursyn, N Turebekov, N Tukhanova","doi":"10.3389/fepid.2024.1291690","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fepid.2024.1291690","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The wide distribution of tularemia in the territory of Kazakhstan is associated with landscape and geographical characteristics. This is explained by a combination of natural factors: the presence of certain types of rodents-reservoirs and sources, ectoparasites-carriers of the causative agent of tularemia. The study of the current spatial and temporal characterization of tularemia in Kazakhstan from 2000 to 2020 will determine the epidemiological status of tularemia and improve the monitoring system in Kazakhstan. In this work we demonstrated the results of a retrospective survey of natural foci of tularemia: analysis of vector, small mammal and human data. The spatial and temporal characteristics of tularemia from 2000 to 2020 in the territory of Kazakhstan were studied in comparison with historical data, including the description of tularemia outbreaks, the clinical picture, and the source of infection, transmission factors, and geographical coordinates of outbreak registration. Sampling was carried out by trapping rodents on snap traps and collecting ticks by rodent combing and by \"flagging\" methods. For the last 20 years, 85 human cases of tularemia have been reported. During the period from 2000 to 2020, more than 600 strains of <i>F. tularensis</i> were isolated from field rodents and ticks in the natural foci of tularemia. MLVA typing of <i>F. tularensis</i> strains isolated from natural foci of tularemia in Kazakhstan over the past 20 years. The results of retrospective monitoring indicate that currently active foci of tularemia include the Aktobe, West Kazakhstan, Almaty, East Kazakhstan, and Pavlodar regions. Low-activity natural foci are located in the territory of the Akmola, Karaganda, North Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Atyrau, Zhambyl, and Kyzylorda regions. There are no active natural foci of tularemia in the Mangystau and Turkestan regions. The widespread occurrence of tularemia in the country is associated with landscape and geographical features that contribute to the circulation of the pathogen in the natural focus. An analysis of natural foci of tularemia showed that it is necessary to continue monitoring studies of carriers and vectors for the presence of the causative agent of the <i>F. tularensis</i>, in order to prevent mass cases of human disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":73083,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in epidemiology","volume":"4 ","pages":"1291690"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10910903/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140061450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modeling the effect of observational social learning on parental decision-making for childhood vaccination and diseases spread over household networks.","authors":"Tamer Oraby, Andras Balogh","doi":"10.3389/fepid.2023.1177752","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fepid.2023.1177752","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this paper, we introduce a novel model for parental decision-making about vaccinations against a childhood disease that spreads through a contact network. This model considers a bilayer network comprising two overlapping networks, which are either Erdős-Rényi (random) networks or Barabási-Albert networks. The model also employs a Bayesian aggregation rule for observational social learning on a social network. This new model encompasses other decision models, such as voting and DeGroot models, as special cases. Using our model, we demonstrate how certain levels of social learning about vaccination preferences can converge opinions, influencing vaccine uptake and ultimately disease spread. In addition, we explore how two different cultures of social learning affect the establishment of social norms of vaccination and the uptake of vaccines. In every scenario, the interplay between the dynamics of observational social learning and disease spread is influenced by the network's topology, along with vaccine safety and availability.</p>","PeriodicalId":73083,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in epidemiology","volume":"3 ","pages":"1177752"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10910890/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140061447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Editorial: Women in infectious diseases epidemiology","authors":"Jaishree Raman","doi":"10.3389/fepid.2023.1351528","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fepid.2023.1351528","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73083,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in epidemiology","volume":"1 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139439962","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lifestyle and factors of vascular and metabolic health and inflammation are associated with sensorineural-neurocognitive aging in older adults","authors":"Natascha Merten, Mary E. Fischer, A. A. Pinto, Richard J. Chappell, Carla R. Schubert","doi":"10.3389/fepid.2023.1299587","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fepid.2023.1299587","url":null,"abstract":"This study's aim was to identify risk factors associated with sensorineural and neurocognitive function (brain aging) in older adults. In N = 1,478 Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study participants (aged 64–100 years, 59% women), we conducted sensorineural and cognitive tests, which were combined into a summary measure using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Participants with a PCA score <−1 standard deviation (SD) were considered to have brain aging. Incident brain aging was defined as PCA score <−1 SD at 5-year follow-up among participants who had a PCA score ≥−1 SD at baseline. Logistic regression and Poisson models were used to estimate associations between baseline risk factors of lifestyle, vascular and metabolic health, and inflammation and prevalent or incident brain aging, respectively. In an age-sex adjusted multivariable model, not consuming alcohol (odds ratio(OR) = 1.77, 95% confidence Interval (CI) = 1.18,2.66), higher interleukin-6 levels (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.03,1.64), and depressive symptoms (OR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.63,3.67) were associated with a higher odds of having brain aging, while higher education had protective effects (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.33,0.94). A history of stroke, arterial stiffness, and obesity were associated with an increased risk of developing brain aging during the five years of follow-up. Lifestyle, vascular, metabolic and inflammatory factors were associated with brain aging in older adults, which adds to the evidence of shared pathways for sensorineural and neurocognitive declines in aging. Targeting these shared central processing etiological factors with interventions may lead to retention of better neurological function, benefiting multiple systems, i.e., hearing, smell, and cognition, ultimately helping older adults retain independence and higher quality of life longer.","PeriodicalId":73083,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in epidemiology","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139380988","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Plasmodium falciparum remains the dominant parasite affecting children despite decades of implementing vector control in two villages of Wolaita Zone, Southwest Ethiopia","authors":"Shimels Elias, F. Massebo","doi":"10.3389/fepid.2023.1305074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fepid.2023.1305074","url":null,"abstract":"Malaria is still a significant public health concern, and its prevention and control measures have different impacts in different areas. This study assesses the prevalence of malaria and the effectiveness of routine malaria control programmes such as indoor residual spray (IRS) in two Ethiopian villages.The Kebeles (villages) were purposefully selected based on their malaria prevalence rates. A parasitology survey was conducted in Fango-Gelchecha pre- and post-IRS implementation, whereas in Shochora-Abela it was only conducted post-IRS implementation. The IRS was implemented as part of the routine malaria control programme in August 2017. Every fourth house from the village registration list was systematically selected, resulting in a sample of 300 households per village. A total of 3,075 individuals were enrolled for malaria testing using microscopy.After three to four months of application of IRS in August 2017, 59 malaria cases were confirmed, resulting in an overall prevalence of 1.9% (95% CI: 1.5–2.5). Of the positive cases, 18 cases (0.59%: 95% CI: 1.3–1.8) were from Shochora-Abela village, and 41 cases (1.33%: 95% CI: 1.1–1.3) were from Fango-Gelchecha. About age categories, the prevalence of malaria was 10.1% (95% CI: 5.9–15.9) among children under five, 4.7% (95% CI: 3.3–6.4) in children aged 5–14, and only 0.32% (95% CI: 0.13–0.67) in the age group 15 and above. Overall, P. falciparum was the dominant malaria parasite, accounting for 69.5% (95% CI: 56.1–80.8), while P. vivax malaria accounted for 30.5% (95% CI: 19.2–43.8). The malaria prevalence in Fango-Gelchecha village was 3.1% (95% CI: 2.3–4.0) before IRS and 2.6% (95% CI: 1.8–3.5) after IRS application. In the village of Shochora-Abela, the prevalence of malaria post-IRS was 1.2% (95% CI: 0.7–1.9), but the prevalence prior to IRS was not evaluated.Plasmodium falciparum is the predominant parasite in the villages, mainly affecting children under five. Therefore, protecting young children should be the top priority for reducing infection burdens.","PeriodicalId":73083,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in epidemiology","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139384014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}