Global Infection Rate Research Articles

The futility of being selfish in vaccine distribution

We study vaccine budget-sharing strategies in the SIR (Susceptible-Infected-Recovered) model given a structured community network to investigate the benefit of sharing vaccine across communities. The network studied comprises two communities, one of which controls vaccine budget and may share it with the other. Different scenarios are considered regarding the connectivity between communities, infection rates and the unvaccinated fraction of the population. Properties of the SIR model facilitates the use of dynamic message passing (DMP) and optimal control methods to investigate preventive and reactive budget-sharing scenarios. Our results show a large set of budget-sharing strategies in which the sharing community benefits from the reduced global infection rates with no detrimental impact on its local infection rate.

Dual Infection of Different Clusters of HIV in People Living with HIV Worldwide: A Meta-Analysis Based on Next-Generation Sequencing Studies.

To understand the global dual HIV infection (DI) profiles comprehensively, the databases Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science were the data sources up to March 31, 2024 (PROSPERO: CRD42023388328). Stata and R-language software were used to analyze the extracted data. Publication bias was assessed using Egger's test. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the stability of the combined effect values. Data from 17 eligible studies across four continents (Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America) with 1,475 subjects were used. The combined dual infection rate (DIR) was 10.47% (95% CI: 7.11%-14.38%) without a time trend (p = 0.105). The DIRs of target population groups differed significantly, with FSWs having the highest DIR (15.14%), followed by general population (12.08%), MSM (11.84%), and DUs (9.76%). The subtype profiles of 122 patients with dual infection were extracted, and the results showed that intrasubtype infections were predominant in coinfection (16/22, 72.73%) and superinfection (68/100, 68.00%) groups, with the subtype pattern B and B accounts for the largest proportion. The global dual infection rate may be underestimated, even though the data fluctuated around 10% and showed no time trend. The occurrence of DI indicated that individuals still do not acquire sufficient resistance to HIV even after primary infection, which could potentially compromise the patient's treatment effect and lead to the emergence of new subtypes, posing a significant challenge to HIV prevention, control, and treatment, suggesting that behavioral counseling and health education for all HIV-infected individuals are still crucial during the antiviral therapy.

A Multi-Center Retrospective Observational Analysis of Three-Year Experience of Our Protocol for Prevention and Monitoring of Surgical Site Infections in Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction.

With the rise in the mastectomy rate, the number of patients who choose to undergo postmastectomy reconstruction has been increasing, and implant-based procedures are the most performed methods for postmastectomy breast reconstruction. Among the possible complications, the most feared is the loss of reconstruction. It can be related to several reasons, but one of the most common is infection of the implant, which can lead to prolonged antibiotic treatment, undesired additional surgical procedures, increased incidence of capsular contracture, and unsatisfactory aesthetics results, with a huge psychological impact on patients. The primary intent of this study is to analyze the status of infection rates at our institution and evaluate the effectiveness of our prevention protocol since its introduction. Secondly, we compared data of the surgical site infections (SSIs) after implant-based breast reconstruction at Trieste Hospital, where the protocol has been employed since 2020, and in another center, where plastic surgeons of our team are involved, with different prevention procedures. We enrolled 396 female patients, who underwent implant-based breast reconstruction, using definitive mammary implants or breast tissue expanders, with or without ADM (acellular dermal matrix), both for breast cancer and risk-reducing surgery in BRCA1/2 patients. Patients treated at the Hospital of Trieste, with the use of the prevention protocol, were considered the experimental group (group 1), while patients treated in Gorizia by the same breast team with standardized best-practice rules, but without the use of the prevention protocol, were considered the control group (group 2). Infected patients were 5 in the first group (1.7%) and 8 in the second one (7.9%), with a global infection rate of 3.2%. After the introduction of our prevention protocol, we faced a lower incidence of infection after breast surgery with implants or tissue expanders.

A bibliometric analysis of HIV nursing research between 1999 and 2022.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) nursing has become more prominent with the increase in chronic HIV infections. This study examined articles related to HIV nursing to determine how the profession has developed and its future direction. A bibliometric analysis was conducted. HIV nursing-related articles published in the Web of Science core collection between 1999 and 2022 were searched. VOSviewer was used to identify the contributions of countries, institutions and authors in HIV-related care. Collaborative maps, hot topics and keywords trends were analysed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. A total of 1513 publications were extracted. An increase in articles published between 1999 and 2012 was observed. After 2012, the increase in the number of publications was relatively stable. Since 2016, a downward trend in the number of publications has occurred. The USA, South Africa and the UK were the leading contributors to publications related to HIV nursing. The focus of the HIV nursing research has gradually shifted from "HIV infection", "risk factors", and "transmission routes" to "social support", "depression", and "public health". The result shows that increased collaboration among countries/regions can improve the development of HIV nursing and effectively reduce the global HIV infection rate. The mental health of patients has become a research centre in the field of HIV nursing. This study provides direction in clinical practice and future research areas in this field.

Helicobacter pylori infection in humans and phytotherapy, probiotics, and emerging therapeutic interventions: a review.

The global prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection remains high, indicating a persistent presence of this pathogenic bacterium capable of infecting humans. This review summarizes the population demographics, transmission routes, as well as conventional and novel therapeutic approaches for H. pylori infection. The prevalence of H. pylori infection exceeds 30% in numerous countries worldwide and can be transmitted through interpersonal and zoonotic routes. Cytotoxin-related gene A (CagA) and vacuolar cytotoxin A (VacA) are the main virulence factors of H. pylori, contributing to its steep global infection rate. Preventative measures should be taken from people's living habits and dietary factors to reduce H. pylori infection. Phytotherapy, probiotics therapies and some emerging therapies have emerged as alternative treatments for H. pylori infection, addressing the issue of elevated antibiotic resistance rates. Plant extracts primarily target urease activity and adhesion activity to treat H. pylori, while probiotics prevent H. pylori infection through both immune and non-immune pathways. In the future, the primary research focus will be on combining multiple treatment methods to effectively eradicate H. pylori infection.

Translated article] Risk factors for infection of tibial plateau fractures

IntroductionTibial plateau fractures are injuries prone to postoperative infection, with its reported incidence being higher than that of other fractures, between 5% and 12%. The primary objectives of this study were to quantify the postoperative infection rate of internal fixation of tibial plateau fractures (TPFs) and to identify the risk factors for this. Material and methodsRetrospective cohort study including patients who underwent TPF osteosynthesis between 2015 and 2020, in the same center. The study population was divided into two groups, according to the presence or absence of postoperative infection. Demographic variables related to the fracture, surgical parameters, as well as the need for reoperation were collected. Finally, in the case of debridement, the number of positive cultures and the pathogen responsible for the infection were collected, as well as the treatment applied. ResultsOne hundred and twenty-four patients were included, with a total of 14 infections (global infection rate of 11.3%). Risk factors for developing infection were open fractures (p=.002), Schatzker V and VI type fractures (p=.002) and the use of external fixation (p<.001). Regarding the surgical variables, only the longest ischemia time (p=.032) was identified as a risk factor. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently identified microorganism (43%), followed by Enterobacter cloacae (35.7%). ConclusionThe overall infection rate after osteosynthesis of tibial plateau fractures was 11.3%. Different factors are associated with a higher risk of infection, including diabetes mellitus, open fractures, the use of external fixation, a higher grade in the Schatzker classification or a longer intraoperative ischemia time.

Factores de riesgo de infección de fracturas de meseta tibial

IntroductionTibial plateau fractures are injuries prone to postoperative infection, with its reported incidence being higher than that of other fractures, between 5% and 12%. The primary objectives of this study were to quantify the postoperative infection rate of internal fixation of tibial plateau fractures (TPF) and to identify the risk factors for this. Material and methodsRetrospective cohort study including patients who underwent TPF osteosynthesis between 2015 and 2020, in the same center. The study population was divided into two groups, according to the presence or absence of postoperative infection. Demographic variables related to the fracture, surgical parameters, as well as the need for reoperation were collected. Finally, in the case of debridement, the number of positive cultures and the pathogen responsible for the infection were collected, as well as the treatment applied. ResultsOne hundred and twenty-four patients were included, with a total of 14 infections (global infection rate of 11.3%). Risk factors for developing infection were open fractures (P=.002), Schatzker V and VI type fractures (P=.002) and the use of external fixation (P<.001). Regarding the surgical variables, only the longest ischemia time (P=.032) was identified as a risk factor. S. aureus was the most frequently identified microorganism (43%), followed by E. cloacae (35.7%). ConclusionThe overall infection rate after osteosynthesis of tibial plateau fractures was 11.3%. Different factors are associated with a higher risk of infection, including diabetes mellitus, open fractures, the use of external fixation, a higher grade in the Schatzker classification or a longer intraoperative ischemia time.

Global Infection Rate of Rotavirus C during 1980-2022 and Analysis of Critical Factors in the Host Range Restriction of Virus VP4.

Information on rotavirus C (RVC) infection is lacking, partly because the prevalence of RVC among humans and animals worldwide is undefined. Data on the characteristics of the P genotype among RVC strains are also required. We performed systematic searches on the infection rates of RVC since 1980 based on the literature and gene sequences of the PubMed and GenBank databases. A phylogenetic tree of VP4 genes was constructed to evaluate the distribution of the P genotype of RVC from various hosts. The specific mutation motifs in VP8* with P [2]/P [4]/P [5] specificity were analyzed to elucidate their roles in host range restriction. The rate of RVC infection in humans has fallen from 3% before 2009 to 1%, whereas in animals it has risen from 10% to 25%. The P genotype of RVC showed strict host species specificity, and current human RVC infections are exclusively caused by genotype P [2]. In the VP8* hemagglutinin domain of the P [4]/P [5] genotype of swine RVC, specific insertion or deletion were found relative to the human P [2] genotype, and these motifs are a possible critical factor for host range restriction. Our findings highlight the need for further epidemiological surveillance, preventive strategies, and elucidation of the factors involved in the specific host range restriction of RVC-circulating strains.

Evaluation of the Effect Coronavirus Lockdown had on Chronic Disease Management Care in Pediatrics: A Survey of Jordanian Pediatricians.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic puts a great strain on the healthcare system, as the national and global infection rates increased rapidly. Efforts were devoted to minimizing the effects of the spreading pandemic without overwhelming the already stretched healthcare system. The study objective was to establish how coronavirus lockdown was affecting chronic disease care among pediatric patients admitted to hospitals in developing countries. For that purpose, a cross-sectional survey of registered pediatricians was carried out. Findings showed that the mortality rate from COVID-19 in children seemed to be low. However, children with chronic illnesses were likely to be gravely affected by the disturbance of repetitive healthcare services. About 79% of pediatricians treated a child with a chronic condition during the lockdown. Furthermore, 15% of patients with chronic diseases visiting pediatricians exhibited uncontrolled emerging complications. In addition, 9% of pediatricians reported one to five fatalities among children under their care due to delay or lack of appropriate medical care in the period of the lockdown. Residents (48.9%) reported a significantly (p < 0.001) higher proportion of providing face-to-face services compared with consultants (17.9%) and specialists (13.6%). In conclusion, the care of chronically ill children should be taken into consideration when implementing lockdown and/or social distancing, thus minimizing the negative effects of lockdown and/or social distancing on children with chronic diseases.

A Successful Elimination of Indonesian SARS-CoV-2 Variants and Airborne Transmission Prevention by Cold Plasma in Fighting COVID-19 Pandemic: A Preliminary Study

Global infection and mortality rates have soared to millions due to SARS-CoV-2 human-to-human transmission from via droplets which then declared as pandemic. This study examined the created cold plasma equipment (CPE) effectiveness in reducing COVID-19 transmission in a confined space. CPE sucked air using a fan in a test chamber then pushed it into a cold plasma reactor. The results indicated that it was able to terminate all SARS-CoV-2 variants along with bacteria and fungi indoors by keeping it turned on for 30 minutes’ minimum. CPE was proven as safe and effective to hinder virus transmission with the acceptable ozone emission as the side effect.

Global malaria infection risk from climate change

As a long-standing public health issue, malaria still severely affects many parts of the world, especially Africa. With greenhouse gas emissions, temperatures continue to rise. Based on diverse shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs), future temperatures can be estimated. However, the impacts of climate change on malaria infection rates in all epidemic regions are unknown. Here, we estimate the differences in global malaria infection rates predicted under different SSPs during several periods as well as malaria infection case changes (MICCs) resulting from those differences. Our results indicate that the global MICCs resulting from the conversion from SSP1-2.6 to SSP2-4.5, to SSP3-7.0, and to SSP5-8.5 are 6.506 (with a 95% uncertainty interval [UI] of 6.150–6.861) million, 3.655 (3.416–3.894) million, and 2.823 (2.635–3.012) million, respectively, from 2021 to 2040; these values represent increases of 2.699%, 1.517%, and 1.171%, respectively, compared to the 241 million infection cases reported in 2020. Temperatures increases will adversely affect malaria the most in Africa during the 2021–2040 period. From 2081 to 2100, the MICCs obtained for the three scenario shifts listed above are −79.109 (−83.626 to −74.591) million, −238.337 (−251.920 to −0.141) million, and −162.692 (−174.628 to −150.757) million, corresponding to increases of −32.825%, −98.895%, and −67.507%, respectively. Climate change will increase the danger and risks associated with malaria in the most vulnerable regions in the near term, thus aggravating the difficulty of eliminating malaria. Reducing GHG emissions is a potential pathway to protecting people from malaria.

Explainable features responsible for the high or low spread of SARS-CoV-2: Africa in view

The low spread of the global pandemic in Africa has raised concerns. Consequently, many commentators have misconstrued concerns suspecting weather, and immunity to be prime reasons. This study investigates the factors associated with the high and low spread of the SARS-CoV-2 (also known as COVID-19) and employs graphical Bayesian models to investigate feature interactions and causality. Through experimentation with the Bayesian framework, we propose that: (i) the proportion of people within the country population who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 and a country's test capacity cause the rate of spread of the virus [i.e., P(S|P) and P(S|T)] (ii) poverty gaps, welfare and freedom of the press directly cause the spread of the virus [i.e., P(S|E), P(S|W), and P(S|R)] (iii) Government effectiveness serves as a parent to poverty gaps and welfare [ i.e., P(E|G) and P(W|G)] and voice and accountability serve as a parent to freedom of the press [i.e., P(R|V)]. For the output, we "dichotomized" regions based on the "share of global infection rate" metric (SGIR) that implicitly accounts for a given region's population, and we find that - out of two hundred and nineteen countries investigated, one hundred and twenty-seven have SGIR ≥ 1%, and the majority (44 out 58 - 75.86%) of Africa countries (as of 12th February 2021) have SGIR < 1%. With Africa in the mirror, the study shows that only 2.2% of the Africa population has been tested for SARS-CoV-2 and finds that the low proportion of population tested [i.e., P(S|P)] for SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of the low spread (i.e., cases reported) of SARS-CoV-2 in Africa. Similarly, the fragmented socioeconomic statuses [i.e., P(S|E)] among citizens leads to socioeconomic distancing, causing socio-class gaps between the rich and poor/average citizens, ensuring low interaction in social space, thus limiting the spread.

Multi-functional vesicles improve Helicobacter pylori eradication by a comprehensive strategy based on complex pathological microenvironment

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), creating a global infection rate over 50%, presents great challenges in clinical therapies due to its complex pathological microenvironment in vivo. To improve the eradication efficacy, herein we fabricated a pharmaceutical vesicle RHL/Cl-Ch-cal where cholesterol-PEG, calcitriol and first-line antibiotic clarithromycin were co-loaded in the rhamnolipid-composed outer lipid layer. RHL/Cl-Ch-cal could quickly penetrate through gastric mucus layer to reach H. pylori infection sites, and then effectively destroyed the architecture of H. pylori biofilms, killed dispersed H. pylori and inhibited the re-adhesion of residual bacteria (called biofilms eradication tetralogy). Moreover, RHL/Cl-Ch-cal activated the host immune response to H. pylori by replenishing cholesterol to repair lipid raft on the cell membrane of host epithelial cells. Finally, RHL/Cl-Ch-cal killed the intracellular H. pylori through recovering the lysosomal acidification and assisting degradation. In experiments, RHL/Cl-Ch-cal demonstrated prominent anti-H. pylori efficacy in the classical H. pylori-infected mice model. Therefore, the study provides a “comprehensive attack” strategy for anti-H. pylori therapies including biofilms eradication tetralogy, immune activation and intracellular bacteria killing.

Will cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome rise with the greater spread of the Omicron variant amongst children?

Will cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome rise with the greater spread of the Omicron variant amongst children?

Probiotics: Potential Novel Therapeutics Against Fungal Infections.

The global infection rate of fungal diseases is increasing year by year, and it has gradually become one of the most serious infectious diseases threatening human health. However, the side effects of antifungal drugs and the fungal resistance to these drugs are gradually increasing. Therefore, the development of new broad-spectrum, safe, and economical alternatives to antibacterial drugs are essential. Probiotics are microorganisms that are beneficial for human health. They boost human immunity, resist pathogen colonization, and reduce pathogen infection. Many investigations have shown their inhibitory activity on a wide range of pathogenic fungi. However, their antibacterial mechanism is still a secret. This article reviews the progress of probiotics as a new method for the treatment of fungal diseases.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection rates in questing and host-attached ticks: a global systematic review and meta-analysis

Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes a multi-organ non-specific febrile illness referred to as human granulocytic anaplasmosis. The epidemiologic risk of the pathogen is underestimated despite human encroachment into the natural habitats of ticks. In this study, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the global infection rates and distribution of A. phagocytophilum in tick vectors. We pooled data using the random-effects model, assessed individual study quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal instrument for prevalence studies and determined heterogeneity and across study bias using Cochran's Q-test and Egger's regression test respectively. A total of 126 studies from 33 countries across 4 continents reported A. phagocytophilum estimated infection rate of 4.76% (9453/174,967; 95% CI: 3.96, 5.71). Estimated IRs across sub-groups varied significantly (p <0.05) with a range of 1.95 (95% CI: 0.63, 5.86) to 7.15% (95% CI: 5.31, 9.56). Country-based IRs ranged between 0.42 (95% CI: 0.22, 0.80) in Belgium and 37.54% (95% CI: 0.72, 98.03) in Norway. The highest number of studies on A. phagocytophilum were in Europe (82/126) by continent and the USA (33/126) by country. The risk of transmitting this pathogens from ticks to animals and humans exist and therefore, we recommend the use of chemical and biological control measures as well as repellents and protective clothing by occupationally exposed individuals to curtail further transmission of the pathogen to humans and animals.

Epidemic Spreading and Equilibrium Social Distancing in Heterogeneous Networks.

We study a multi-type SIR epidemic process within a heterogeneous population that interacts through a network. We base social contact on a random graph with given vertex degrees, and we give limit theorems on the fraction of infected individuals. For given social distancing individual strategies, we establish the epidemic reproduction number mathfrak {R}_0, which can be used to identify network vulnerability and inform vaccination policies. In the second part of the paper, we study the equilibrium of the social distancing game. Individuals choose their social distancing level according to an anticipated global infection rate, which must equal the actual infection rate following their choices. We give conditions for the existence and uniqueness of an equilibrium. In the case of random regular graphs, we show that voluntary social distancing will always be socially sub-optimal.

Computing the daily reproduction number of COVID-19 by inverting the renewal equation using a variational technique

The COVID-19 pandemic has undergone frequent and rapid changes in its local and global infection rates, driven by governmental measures or the emergence of new viral variants. The reproduction number Rt indicates the average number of cases generated by an infected person at time t and is a key indicator of the spread of an epidemic. A timely estimation of Rt is a crucial tool to enable governmental organizations to adapt quickly to these changes and assess the consequences of their policies. The EpiEstim method is the most widely accepted method for estimating Rt But it estimates Rt with a significant temporal delay. Here, we propose a method, EpiInvert, that shows good agreement with EpiEstim, but that provides estimates of Rt several days in advance. We show that Rt can be estimated by inverting the renewal equation linking Rt with the observed incidence curve of new cases, it Our signal-processing approach to this problem yields both Rt and a restored it corrected for the "weekend effect" by applying a deconvolution and denoising procedure. The implementations of the EpiInvert and EpiEstim methods are fully open source and can be run in real time on every country in the world and every US state.

Infection rates, species diversity, and distribution of zoonotic Babesia parasites in ticks: a global systematic review and meta-analysis.

Zoonotic Babesia species are emerging public health threats globally, and are the cause of a mild to severe malaria-like disease which may be life threatening in immunocompromised individuals. In this study, we determine the global infection rate, distribution, and the diversity of zoonotic Babesia species in tick vectors using a systematic review and meta-analysis. We used the random-effects model to pool data and determined quality of individual studies using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal instrument for prevalence studies, heterogeneity using Cochran's Q test, and across study bias using Egger's regression test. Herein, we reported a 2.16% (3915/175345, 95% CI: 1.76-2.66) global infection rate of zoonotic Babesia species (B. divergens, B. microti, and B. venatorum) in tick vectors across 36 countries and 4 continents. Sub-group infection rates ranged between 0.65% (95% CI: 0.09-4.49) and 3.70% (95% CI: 2.61-5.21). B. microti was the most prevalent (1.79%, 95% CI: 1.38-2.31) species reported in ticks, while Ixodes scapularis recorded the highest infection rate (3.92%, 95% CI: 2.55-5.99). Larvae 4.18% (95% CI: 2.15-7.97) and females 4.08% (95% CI: 2.56-6.43) were the tick stage and sex with the highest infection rates. The presence of B. divergens, B. microti, and B. venatorum in tick vectors as revealed by the present study suggests possible risk of transmission of these pathogens to humans, especially occupationally exposed population. The control of tick vectors through chemical and biological methods as well as the use of repellants and appropriate clothing by occupationally exposed population are suggested to curtail the epidemiologic, economic, and public health threats associated with this emerging public health crisis.

An Evolutionary Clustering Analysis of Social Media Content and Global Infection Rates During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study investigates the impact of global infection rates on social media posts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study analysed over 179 million tweets posted between March 22 and April 13, 2020 and the global COVID-19 infection rates using evolutionary clustering analysis. Results showed six clusters constructed for each term type, including three-level [Formula: see text]-grams (unigrams, bigrams and trigrams). The frequent occurrences of unigrams (“COVID-19”, “virus”, “government”, “people”, etc.), bigrams (“COVID 19”, “COVID-19 cases”, “times share”, etc.) and trigrams (“COVID 19 crisis”, “things help stop” and “trying times share”) were identified. The results demonstrated that the unigram trends on Twitter were up to about two times and 54 times more common than the bigram terms and trigram terms, respectively. Unigrams like “home” or “need” also became important as these terms reflected the main concerns of people during this period. Taken together, the present findings confirm that many tweets were used to broadcast people’s prevalent topics of interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the results indicate that the number of COVID-19 infections had a significant effect on all clusters, being strong on 86% of clusters and moderate on 16% of clusters. The downward slope in global infection rates reflected the start of the trending of “social distancing” and “stay at home”. These findings suggest that infection rates have had a significant impact on social media posting during the COVID-19 pandemic.