Control Of Infectious Diseases Research Articles

Approaches to increase access to community-based infectious disease control for ethnically, racially, and religiously marginalised populations: a scoping review

Approaches to increase access to community-based infectious disease control for ethnically, racially, and religiously marginalised populations: a scoping review

Modeling the Influence of Time Delay in Controlling Infectious Diseaseswith A Stage-Structure

This research aims to construct a stage-structured mathematical model to evaluate the impact of time delay on infectious disease control. The solution's characteristics are described. Every possible equilibrium point has been determined. The local stability of all equilibrium points for time delay values is investigated. It has been shown that the Hopf bifurcation takes place in the vicinity of the endemic equilibrium point. The periodic dynamics' stability and direction are investigated. Numerical simulations were provided to confirm the theoretical findings and understand the effects of varying parameter values.

Probiotic Products: Appropriate Technologies for Control of Infectious Animal Diseases in the Face of Climate Change and Antimicrobial Resistance

Probiotic products are products which contain probiotics; these are live non-pathogenic microorganisms which provide health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts. Currently the world is facing a climate change crisis which among other things, leads to alteration of the abundance, distribution and transmission of animal pathogens leading to increased incidences of animal diseases. Moreover, the world is facing a crisis of development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by many strains of pathogenic microorganisms. For many decades conventional technologies which have been used for control of infectious diseases in animals include vaccines, antimicrobials, acaricides, and antihelmintics. The AMR crisis has made antimicrobials not to be a reliable technology for control of some infectious diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms. In attempts to look for alternative technologies other than vaccines, acaricides, and antihelmintics for control of infectious diseases in animals, many studies have been conducted to determine prophylactic efficacy of many strains of probiotics against the diseases. The objective of this paper is to review prophylactic efficacy of probiotic products against infectious animal diseases and provide insights on mechanisms of action of probiotics. Reports of prophylactic efficacy of probiotic products against animal diseases, and mechanisms of action of probiotics were searched using google search engine. After assessment of the reports; appropriate ones were selected, summarized, and globally synthesized. Many reports reporting significant prophylactic efficacy of probiotic products against infectious animal diseases were found. However, most studies focused on bacterial diseases of the digestive system. More studies focusing on bacterial, viral, and protozoal diseases of the digestive and other body systems of animals are recommended in order to get more data on the spectrum of activity of probiotics. Based on this review it is concluded that probiotic products have significant prophylactic efficacy against infectious animal diseases. The products are appropriate for use as alternative technologies to antimicrobials for control of infectious animal diseases in the AMR crisis. They are also appropriate for use in climate adapted livestock farming because apart from contributing to enhancement of animal health and productivity, they contribute to adaptation of some of the impacts of climate change in livestock farming (particularly increased incidences of animal diseases) by enhancing the resilience of livestock to diseases; and climate change mitigation by decreasing greenhouse gas intensity through enhanced animal health.

Roles of mobile teams in tracing lost to follow–up clients: evidence from the optimization of COVID-19 vaccination uptake and routine immunization in Ekiti State

BackgroundEvidence from literature has established that tracing lost to follow-up clients is an effective strategy for complementing other mechanisms for infectious disease control like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, and other diseases such as Ebola. As a long-standing successful public health method of optimizing acceptance and/or adherence to infectious disease treatment tracing lost to follow-up clients is usually carried out by manually investigating individuals who absconded or are absent from treatments designed to manage and/or promote their health status. This study seeks to explore the role of mobile teams in tracing clients lost to follow-up for immunization.MethodsThis study was premised on a qualitative research approach to elicit information from purposively selected populations across 9 local government areas (LGA) in Ekiti state, Nigeria. Focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and key informant interviews were the selected methods of data collection on the roles of mobile teams in tracing lost to follow–up clients for the optimization of COVID-19 and routine immunization in Ekiti state.ResultsA total of 107 healthcare workers across Ekiti state were selected to participate in this study. Our study found tracing lost to follow-up clients resulted in two major successes for health workers. These are increased awareness of COVID-19 vaccination and routine immunization, and improved vaccination coverage for both categories of vaccinees. Distance between communities, and transportation, were interdependent issues reported by health workers as challenges in the course of their duties.ConclusionOur study emphasizes the importance of onboarding and/or training health workers across all categories that are involved in the implementation of a public health program, irrespective of the existing knowledge that they may have on the concept. This study recommends that health workers across all levels, in collaboration with key players and stakeholders employ human-centered designed approaches to improve the sensitization of caregivers, and community populace on the values, benefits, and significance of the COVID-19 vaccination and routine immunization uptake.

Microbiological and Ergonomic Effects of Three Prototypes of a Device to Reduce Aerosol Dispersion in Dental Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Objectives: This randomized clinical trial evaluated the microbiological efficacy and the ergonomic impact of three prototypes of a device to reduce aerosol dispersion during dental procedures. Methods: Sixty patients undergoing dental care using high-speed turbines and/or ultrasonic tips were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n = 15): CG: control group, with standard personal protective equipment (PPE); G1: PPE + acrylic device (AD) with aspiration; G2: PPE + AD without aspiration; and G3: PPE + polyvinyl chloride device. The device prototypes consisted of a rigid translucent acrylic structure (G1 and G2), or a rigid PVC tube structure surrounded by layers of translucent flexible PVC films (G3), adjusted to the dental chair, involving the patient’s head, neck and chest. The main outcome was the microbiological analysis (mean Δ of CFU at 10 different sites), and the secondary outcome was the ergonomic evaluation (questionnaire to dentists and patients). Results: The final sample comprised 59 participants (mean age 38.6 ± 11.4 years, 55.2% male). The overall mean time for dental procedures was 32.4 ± 16.9 min, with no differences between groups (p = 0.348). Microbiological analyses showed that the use of the device significantly reduced contamination in the light reflector (01.46 ± 4.43 ΔCFU in G2 vs. 19.25 ± 36.50 ΔCFU in CG; p = 0.028), apron (09.11 ± 12.05 ΔCFU in G3 vs. 21.14 ± 43.41 ΔCFU in GC; p = 0.044), and face shield (08.80 ± 32.70 ΔCFU in G1 vs. 56.78 ± 76.64 ΔCFU in the GC; p = 0.017). The device was well accepted by patients and increased the dentists‘ perception of safety and protection (p < 0.001), but significantly decreased ergonomics related to the clinical view, space, agility and access to the patient, and ease of performing procedures (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The tested device can be an additional tool for infection prevention and control in dentistry, not only during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also for the control of future infectious diseases and epidemics.

Zero-Dose Vaccination of Self-Paid Vaccines Among Migrant and Left-Behind Children in China: Evidence from Zhejiang and Henan Provinces

Background/Objectives: As zero-dose vaccination has become a global health concern, understanding the practice of self-paid immunizations in migrant and left-behind children in China is crucial to the prevention and control of infectious diseases. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1648 children and their caregivers in urban areas in Zhejiang Province and rural areas in Henan Province. The participants were then classified into four groups: urban local, migrant, non-left-behind, and left-behind. Results: Compared to urban local children, migrant (prevalence ratios: 1.29, 95% confidence intervals: 0.69–2.41), non-left-behind (4.72, 3.02–7.37), and left-behind (4.79, 3.03–7.56) children were more likely to be zero-dose vaccinated. Children aged 1–2 years (odds ratio: 1.60, 95% confidence intervals: 1.14–2.23) and born later (1.55, 1.12–2.14), with caregivers aged >35 years (1.49, 1.03–2.15) and less educated (elementary school or lower: 4.22, 2.39–7.45) were less likely to receive self-paid vaccinations, while caregivers other than parents (0.62, 0.41–0.94) and lower household income (0.67, 0.49–0.90) lowered the likelihood of zero-dose vaccination of self-paid vaccines. For migrant and rural zero-dose children, the majority of caregivers reported they “didn’t know where to get a vaccination”, with responses ranging from 82.3% to 93.8%. Conclusions: Migrant and rural children should be prioritized in the promotion of self-paid immunization in order to accomplish the WHO Immunization Agenda 2030’s goal of “leaving no one behind”.

Toward a physics-guided machine learning approach for predicting chaotic systems dynamics.

Predicting the dynamics of chaotic systems is crucial across various practical domains, including the control of infectious diseases and responses to extreme weather events. Such predictions provide quantitative insights into the future behaviors of these complex systems, thereby guiding the decision-making and planning within the respective fields. Recently, data-driven approaches, renowned for their capacity to learn from empirical data, have been widely used to predict chaotic system dynamics. However, these methods rely solely on historical observations while ignoring the underlying mechanisms that govern the systems' behaviors. Consequently, they may perform well in short-term predictions by effectively fitting the data, but their ability to make accurate long-term predictions is limited. A critical challenge in modeling chaotic systems lies in their sensitivity to initial conditions; even a slight variation can lead to significant divergence in actual and predicted trajectories over a finite number of time steps. In this paper, we propose a novel Physics-Guided Learning (PGL) method, aiming at extending the scope of accurate forecasting as much as possible. The proposed method aims to synergize observational data with the governing physical laws of chaotic systems to predict the systems' future dynamics. Specifically, our method consists of three key elements: a data-driven component (DDC) that captures dynamic patterns and mapping functions from historical data; a physics-guided component (PGC) that leverages the governing principles of the system to inform and constrain the learning process; and a nonlinear learning component (NLC) that effectively synthesizes the outputs of both the data-driven and physics-guided components. Empirical validation on six dynamical systems, each exhibiting unique chaotic behaviors, demonstrates that PGL achieves lower prediction errors than existing benchmark predictive models. The results highlight the efficacy of our design of data-physics integration in improving the precision of chaotic system dynamics forecasts.

Application and Prospect of Bio-antibiotics and mRNA Vaccines in the Prevention and Treatment of Bacterial Infections and Infectious Diseases

This paper delves into the application and prospects of bio-antibiotics and mRNA vaccines in preventing and treating bacterial infections and infectious diseases. Against the backdrop of the increasingly serious antibiotic resistance issue, the effectiveness of traditional antibiotic treatments is challenged, while bio-antibiotics and mRNA vaccines, as novel treatment methods, are emerging. Bio-antibiotics, derived from organisms or bioengineered, possess advantages such as antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, low toxicity, and reduced resistance risk, showing broad prospects in treating multi-drug-resistant bacteria infections, special types of infections, and preventive medication. mRNA vaccines, by introducing mRNA encoding pathogen antigens to stimulate the human immune response, are characterized by rapid development, high efficiency, and safety, playing a crucial role in infectious disease prevention and control, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when the successful development and widespread application of mRNA vaccines significantly reduced the infection rate and mortality. The article also analyzes successful cases of bio-antibiotics and mRNA vaccines in practical applications and the challenges they face, such as extraction and purification techniques, stability, delivery systems, long-term safety, and regulatory policies, and proposes future research directions and prospects. In conclusion, bio-antibiotics and mRNA vaccines, as novel treatment, have great application potential and will bring new hope and opportunities to the global public health field.

Progress in research of incidence of co-infection of HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis and influencing factors

The co-infection of HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) poses a severe challenge for the prevention and control of infectious disease, resulting in poor clinical outcomes of the patients and risk for wide spread. As steady progress in global health, the co-infection of HIV/MTB has been basically controlled, and the new cases are generally declining. However, its incidence remained high in resource-limited areas. The incidence of the co-infection of HIV/MTB is associated with the interaction among individual, social, health service, and natural factors. Comprehensive measures are needed to reduce this disease burden. This paper summarized the epidemiological characteristics of the co-infection of HIV/MTB and influencing factors both at home and abroad to provide evidence for the identifications of high-risk populations and areas and development of targeted prevention measures for the purpose of reduce the incidence of co-infection of HIV/MTB.

The Strategies Used by Animal Viruses to Antagonize Host Antiviral Innate Immunity: New Clues for Developing Live Attenuated Vaccines (LAVs).

As an essential type of vaccine, live attenuated vaccines (LAVs) play a crucial role in animal disease prevention and control. Nevertheless, developing LAVs faces the challenge of balancing safety and efficacy. Understanding the mechanisms animal viruses use to antagonize host antiviral innate immunity may help to precisely regulate vaccine strains and maintain strong immunogenicity while reducing their pathogenicity. It may improve the safety and efficacy of LAVs, as well as provide a more reliable means for the prevention and control of infectious livestock diseases. Therefore, exploring viral antagonistic mechanisms is a significant clue for developing LAVs, which helps to explore more viral virulence factors (as new vaccine targets) and provides a vital theoretical basis and technical support for vaccine development. Among animal viruses, ASFV, PRRSV, PRV, CSFV, FMDV, PCV, PPV, and AIV are some typical representatives. It is crucial to conduct in-depth research and summarize the antagonistic strategies of these typical animal viruses. Studies have indicated that animal viruses may antagonize the antiviral innate immunity by directly or indirectly blocking the antiviral signaling pathways. In addition, viruses also do this by antagonizing host restriction factors targeting the viral replication cycle. Beyond that, viruses may antagonize via regulating apoptosis, metabolic pathways, and stress granule formation. A summary of viral antagonistic mechanisms might provide a new theoretical basis for understanding the pathogenic mechanism of animal viruses and developing LAVs based on antagonistic mechanisms and viral virulence factors.

Recent advances in centrifugal microfluidics for point-of-care testing.

Point-of-care testing (POCT) holds significant importance in the field of infectious disease prevention and control, as well as personalized precision medicine. The emerging microfluidics, capable of minimal reagent consumption, integration, and a high degree of automation, play a pivotal role in POCT. Centrifugal microfluidics, also termed lab-on-a-disc (LOAD), is a significant subfield of microfluidics that integrates crucial analytical steps onto a single chip, thereby optimizing the process and enabling high-throughput, automated analysis. By utilizing rotational mechanics to precisely control fluid dynamics without external pressure sources, centrifugal microfluidics facilitates swift operations ideal for urgent medical and field settings. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in centrifugal microfluidics for POCT, covering both theoretical principles and practical applications. We begin by introducing the fundamental operational principles, fluidic control mechanisms, and signal output detection methods. Subsequently, we delve into the typical applications of centrifugal microfluidic platforms in immunoassays, nucleic acid testing, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and other tests. We also discuss the strengths and potential limitations of centrifugal microfluidic platforms, underscoring their transformative impact on traditional conventional procedures and their significant role in diagnostic practices.

Analysis report on trends in public infectious disease control in China.

The prevention and control of public infectious diseases is a significant issue in the global health sector. Controlling infectious diseases is crucial for maintaining public health. As the most populous country in the world, China still faces a series of new challenges in the control of public infectious diseases. Therefore, it is of great significance to conduct an in-depth analysis of the trends in the control of public infectious diseases. This study selects the death rate, incidence rate, proportion of prevention and control funds input, and the proportion of professional technical personnel in China from 2018 to 2023 as research samples and conducts statistical analysis through multiple linear regression. Overall, factors such as the incidence rate, proportion of prevention and control funds input, and proportion of professional technical personnel can explain 98.7% of the trend changes in the infectious disease death rate. Through multiple regression analysis, the regression coefficient value of 0.001 for the incidence rate indicates a significant positive impact on the mortality rate, meaning that an increase in the incidence of infectious diseases leads to a rise in mortality. The regression coefficient value of -0.012 for the proportion of funding input suggests a significant negative impact on the mortality rate, implying that increased investment in prevention and control funds will correspondingly reduce the mortality rate of infectious diseases. On the other hand, merely increasing the number of professional and technical personnel is not sufficient to control the spread of infectious diseases; comprehensive use of various prevention and control measures is required for effective public infectious disease control. Public infectious disease prevention and control is a complex process that requires the consideration of multiple factors, rather than merely changing a single factor, particularly in controlling incidence rates and reasonably allocating funds. By refining the analysis of infectious disease control strategies and integrating diverse preventive and intervention measures, it is possible to better control the spread and mortality of infectious diseases, thereby protecting public health and safety.

A Novel Silver-Ruthenium-Based Antimicrobial Kills Gram-Negative Bacteria Through Oxidative Stress-Induced Macromolecular Damage.

Amplified by the decline in antibiotic discovery, the rise of antibiotic resistance has become a significant global challenge in infectious disease control. Extraintestinal Escherichia coli (ExPEC), known to be the most common instigators of urinary tract infections (UTIs), represent such global threat. Novel strategies for more efficient treatments are therefore desperately needed. These include silver nanoparticles, which have been used as antimicrobial surface-coatings on catheters to eliminate biofilm-forming uropathogens and reduce the risk of nosocomial infections. AGXX® is a promising silver coating that presumably kills bacteria through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) but is more potent than silver. However, neither is AGXX®'s mode of action fully understood, nor have its effects on Gram-negative bacteria or bacterial response and defense mechanisms towards AGXX® been studied in detail. Here, we report that the bactericidal effects of AGXX® are primarily based on ROS formation, as supplementation of the media with a ROS scavenger completely abolished AGXX®-induced killing. We further show that AGXX® impairs the integrity of the bacterial cell envelope and causes substantial protein aggregation and DNA damage already at sublethal concentrations. ExPEC strains appear to be more resistant to the proteotoxic effects of AGXX® compared to non-pathogenic E. coli, indicating improved defense capabilities of the uropathogen. Global transcriptomic studies of AGXX®-stressed ExPEC revealed a strong oxidative stress response, perturbations in metal homeostasis, as well as the activation of heat shock and DNA damage responses. Finally, we present evidence that ExPEC counter AGXX® damage through the production of the chaperone polyphosphate.

Epidemiological aspects of HIV infection in a large region

According to WHO, in 2023, the total number of people worldwide living with HIV was 40 million, and the number of new infections was 1.5 million. In the Russian Federation, HIV infection is one of the most urgent medical and social problems. The purpose of the study is to assess the epidemiological situation of HIV infection in the Altai Territory in 2013–2023. A retrospective epidemiological analysis was carried out based on statistical data on the incidence of HIV infection of the Office of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare in the Altai Territory, the Ministry of Health of the Altai Territory, the KGBUZ «Center for the Prevention and Control of AIDS and Other Infectious Diseases». The study showed that the epidemic situation of HIV infection in the Altai Territory in 2013–2023. It remained tense, which is confirmed by the low rate of decline in indicators against the background of ongoing preventive and anti-epidemic measures. The greatest effect of the activities was achieved in the group of children. It was also possible to reduce the role of the parenteral transmission route in intravenous drug use, which corresponded to global and Russian trends. Among the negative trends, an increase in the incidence of HIV infection among the migratory population and an increase in the incidence of the total adult population of the Altai Territory should be noted, primarily due to an increased role of the sexual transmission route. The identified features of the epidemic process should be used to adjust existing HIV prevention programs.

125 years of the plague in Brazil: lessons learnt, historical insights and contemporary challenges

The history of the plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, is marked by some of the most devastating pandemics. Its arrival in Brazil on the turn of the 19-20th century led to significant public health challenges and responses. Here, we discuss a comprehensive perspective on the history of the plague in Brazil, emphasising epidemiological trends, public health responses and scientific advances. Understanding the history of the plague in Brazil provides valuable insights into infectious disease control. The study highlights the importance of early detection, robust public health infrastructure, and ongoing research, emphasising the lasting influence of epidemic diseases on society.

How did home care nurses support COVID-19 patients in Japan? A qualitative study.

Home care nurses support patients with COVID-19 with mild to moderate symptoms at home due to the lack of community-based support. Little is known about how nurses initiated and maintained support for patients with COVID-19. This study explored the experiences of home care nurses in supporting patients with COVID-19 at home. Using snowball sampling, 21 home care nurses participated in semi-structured interviews conducted either in person or online between September 2021 and February 2023. A qualitative study using a grounded theory approach was conducted. Home care nurses faced a situation where "suffering patients are overflowing" due to inadequate support from public health centers and designated hospitals. Despite their anxiety, they acted as a "flexible safety net by quickly compensating for uncertain support systems" for patients, families, and local health workers. They "built tentative support systems immediately" and "updated tentative support systems, own knowledge, skills, and mindset." Home care nurses also "rushed to patient/family" to provide timely support and "avoided preventable death." Home care nurses act as a flexible safety net, preventing patient deaths by quickly compensating for uncertain support systems before and after initiating care. Their efforts complemented the inadequacies of traditional infectious disease control systems, typically managed by public health centers. Strengthening secondary and tertiary prevention systems is essential for home care nurses to save lives while delivering individualized care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An Integrated Framework for Infectious Disease Control Using Mathematical Modeling and Deep Learning.

Infectious diseases are a major global public health concern. Precise modeling and prediction methods are essential to develop effective strategies for disease control. However, data imbalance and the presence of noise and intensity inhomogeneity make disease detection more challenging. Goal: In this article, a novel infectious disease pattern prediction system is proposed by integrating deterministic and stochastic model benefits with the benefits of the deep learning model. Results: The combined benefits yield improvement in the performance of solution prediction. Moreover, the objective is also to investigate the influence of time delay on infection rates and rates associated with vaccination. Conclusions: In this proposed framework, at first, the global stability at disease free equilibrium is effectively analysed using Routh-Haurwitz criteria and Lyapunov method, and the endemic equilibrium is analysed using non-linear Volterra integral equations in the infectious disease model. Unlike the existing model, emphasis is given to suggesting a model that is capable of investigating stability while considering the effect of vaccination and migration rate. Next, the influence of vaccination on the rate of infection is effectively predicted using an efficient deep learning model by employing the long-term dependencies in sequential data. Thus making the prediction more accurate.

Optimizing infectious disease control: A study on local and boundary control strategies in spatial domains

Optimizing infectious disease control: A study on local and boundary control strategies in spatial domains

Comparison of Tuberculosis and COVID-19 Prevention and Control Policies: A Systematic Review

mwymwAbstract:Tuberculosis, is a contagious respiratory condition caused by infection with the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. With the rapid prevalence of COVID-19, the multifaceted public health interventions, including non-pharmaceutical measures have been conducted. Results showed that the public health policies implemented by China during the COVID-19 outbreak have had a positive impact on controlling the development of tuberculosis. This paper explores the interplay between tuberculosis (TB) control and the public health measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. It highlights how non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as travel restrictions, social distancing, mask-wearing, and early case detection, initially designed to contain COVID-19, also contributed to reducing TB transmission. Additionally, the rapid development of China’s public health infrastructure and the use of digital technologies during the pandemic enhanced TB surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment adherence. Key interventions included electronic patient service systems, digital adherence technologies (DATs), and integrated digital platforms that improved treatment outcomes. However, challenges such as reduced TB notifications during COVID-19 and financial constraints in TB management were identified. The paper emphasizes the importance of policy adaptations, technological innovations, and sustainable healthcare reforms to address TB in a post-pandemic world. China’s experience provides valuable insights for future infectious disease control, demonstrating how coordinated public health strategies can effectively manage multiple health challenges simultaneously.

Assessing the Role of Environmental Health in Infectious Disease Control

Introduction: Environmental health, infectious disease control, environmental determinants of disease transmission, ecological exposures, COVID-19, air pollution, contagious diseases, and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)..Methods: The researcher used a mixed-methods approach, conducting both quantitative analyses of epidemiological data and qualitative interviews with public health experts. Multiple geographic locations with different environmental conditions were used to ascertain disease incidence. The study reviewed the existing literature to inventory and classify existing ecological health interventions..Results: The results showed a substantial association between better environmental health interventions and lower prevalence of communicable diseases. In regions with improved sanitation, access to clean water, and waste management, case studies confirmed a significant reduction in disease outbreaks. Interviews with experts emphasized that environmental health approaches can be integrated into existing public health efforts, such as those aimed at controlling vectors and reducing pollution..Conclusions: We show that enhanced environmental health systems were foundational to the control of infectious diseases [34]. Public health outcomes significantly improved through a recognition of ecological determinants and the application of targeted interventions. The study highlighted the need for policymakers to embrace environmental health in disease prevention approaches, suggesting more significant investment and intersect oral action to create sustained impacts.