Clinical Science and Epidemiology
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyMolecular Architecture of Early Dissemination and Massive Second Wave of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus in a Major Metropolitan AreaThere is concern about second and subsequent waves of COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus occurring in communities globally that had an initial disease wave. Metropolitan Houston, TX, with a population of 7 million, is experiencing a massive second disease wave that began in late May 2020. To understand SARS-CoV-2 molecular population genomic architecture and evolution and the relationship between virus genotypes and patient...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyThe Interaction of Natural and Vaccine-Induced Immunity with Social Distancing Predicts the Evolution of the COVID-19 PandemicThe ability of our society to function effectively moving forward will depend on how the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is contained. Immunity to the virus will be critical to this equation.
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyImmune Response and Microbiota Profiles during Coinfection with Plasmodium vivax and Soil-Transmitted HelminthsPlasmodium (malaria) and helminth parasite coinfections are frequent, and both infections can be affected by the host gut microbiota. However, the relationship between coinfection and the gut microbiota is unclear. By performing comprehensive analyses on blood/stool samples from 130 individuals in Colombia, we found that the gut microbiota may have a stronger relationship with the number of...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologySARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence among a Southern U.S. Population Indicates Limited Asymptomatic Spread under Physical Distancing MeasuresThis study suggests limited but accelerating asymptomatic spread of SARS-CoV-2. Asymptomatic infections, like symptomatic infections, disproportionately affected vulnerable communities in this population, and seroprevalence was higher in African American participants than in White participants. The low, overall prevalence may reflect the success of shelter-in-place mandates at the time this study was performed and of maintaining...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyAn Early Pandemic Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Population Structure and Dynamics in ArizonaAs the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the United States, there was great differential impact on local and regional communities. One of the earliest and hardest hit regions was in New York, while at the same time Arizona (for example) had low incidence. That situation has changed dramatically, with Arizona now having the highest rate of disease increase in the country. Understanding the roots of the pandemic during the initial months is...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyMicrowave-Generated Steam Decontamination of N95 Respirators Utilizing Universally Accessible MaterialsDue to the rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there is an increasing shortage of protective gear necessary to keep health care providers safe from infection. As of 9 April 2020, the CDC reported 9,282 cumulative cases of COVID-19 among U.S. health care workers (CDC COVID-19 Response Team, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 69:477–481, 2020, https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6915e6...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyCritical Relevance of Stochastic Effects on Low-Bacterial-Biomass 16S rRNA Gene AnalysisDNA contamination from external sources (reagents, environment, operator, etc.) has long been assumed to be the main cause of spurious signals that appear under low-bacterial-biomass conditions. Here, we demonstrate that contamination can be separated from another, random signal generated during low-biomass-sample sequencing. This stochastic noise is not reproduced between technical replicates; however, results for any one replicate...
Perspective | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyPandemic COVID-19 Joins History’s Pandemic LegionWith great apprehension, the world is now watching the birth of a novel pandemic already causing tremendous suffering, death, and disruption of normal life. Uncertainty and dread are exacerbated by the belief that what we are experiencing is new and mysterious. However, deadly pandemics and disease emergences are not new phenomena: they have been challenging human existence throughout recorded history. Some have killed sizeable...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyImmune Profiling To Predict Outcome of Clostridioides difficile InfectionClostridioides difficile infection is the most common health care-associated infection in the United States with more than 20% patients experiencing symptomatic recurrence. The complex nature of host-bacterium interactions makes it difficult to predict the course of the disease based solely on clinical parameters. In the present study, we built a robust prediction...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyEmergence of Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli within the ST131 Lineage as a Cause of Extraintestinal InfectionsE. coli ST131 is an important extraintestinal pathogenic lineage. A signature characteristic of ST131 is its ability to asymptomatically colonize the gastrointestinal tract and then opportunistically cause extraintestinal infections, such as cystitis, pyelonephritis, and urosepsis. In this study, we identified an ST131 H27 sublineage that has acquired the...