2024
Disentangling the influence of reservoir abundance and pathogen shedding on zoonotic spillover of the Leptospira agent in urban informal settlements
Soni N, Eyre M, Souza F, Diggle P, Ko A, Begon M, Pickup R, Childs J, Khalil H, Carvalho-Pereira T, Pertile A, Carvalho M, de Oliveira D, Nery N, Giorgi E, Costa F. Disentangling the influence of reservoir abundance and pathogen shedding on zoonotic spillover of the Leptospira agent in urban informal settlements. Frontiers In Public Health 2024, 12: 1447592. PMID: 39360250, PMCID: PMC11445007, DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1447592.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRat abundanceReservoir abundanceAbundance of ratsEnvironmentally transmitted diseasesVegetation land coverInfection riskSexually mature ratsHuman infection riskLive trapsUrban informal settlementsZoonotic spilloverLand coverSpatial variationHydrological factorsValley bottomTrack plateAbundanceHuman riskShedding rateMature ratsEco-epidemiological studiesLeptospira infectionSpillover transmissionSpatial distributionInformal settlements
2023
Evidence of leaky protection following COVID-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection in an incarcerated population
Lind M, Dorion M, Houde A, Lansing M, Lapidus S, Thomas R, Yildirim I, Omer S, Schulz W, Andrews J, Hitchings M, Kennedy B, Richeson R, Cummings D, Ko A. Evidence of leaky protection following COVID-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection in an incarcerated population. Nature Communications 2023, 14: 5055. PMID: 37598213, PMCID: PMC10439918, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40750-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSARS-CoV-2 infectionPrior infectionHybrid immunityInfection riskCOVID-19 vaccinationNon-pharmaceutical interventionsInfected residentsVaccinationInfectionDocumented exposureDelta periodCell exposureIncarcerated populationsExposureImmunityRiskAssociationPotential benefitsCorrectional facilitiesCrowded settingsResidentsPeriod
2022
Why is leptospirosis hard to avoid for the impoverished? Deconstructing leptospirosis transmission risk and the drivers of knowledge, attitudes, and practices in a disadvantaged community in Salvador, Brazil
Palma F, Costa F, Lustosa R, Mogaji H, de Oliveira D, Souza F, Reis M, Ko A, Begon M, Khalil H. Why is leptospirosis hard to avoid for the impoverished? Deconstructing leptospirosis transmission risk and the drivers of knowledge, attitudes, and practices in a disadvantaged community in Salvador, Brazil. PLOS Global Public Health 2022, 2: e0000408. PMID: 36962720, PMCID: PMC10022107, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000408.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLow socioeconomic statusLower riskLeptospirosis transmissionSocioeconomic statusIndividual infection riskEnvironmental risk factorsPublic health messagingUrban disadvantaged communitiesKAP variablesMale genderRisk factorsCross-sectional KAP surveyEpidemiological dataHigh-risk activitiesHealth messagingPrevention practicesGreater riskInfection riskInfectious diseasesKAP surveyTransmission riskResidents' knowledgeDisadvantaged communitiesRiskRisk activitiesLinking rattiness, geography and environmental degradation to spillover Leptospira infections in marginalised urban settings: An eco-epidemiological community-based cohort study in Brazil
Eyre MT, Souza FN, Carvalho-Pereira T, Nery N, de Oliveira D, Cruz JS, Sacramento GA, Khalil H, Wunder EA, Hacker KP, Hagan JE, Childs JE, Reis MG, Begon M, Diggle PJ, Ko AI, Giorgi E, Costa F. Linking rattiness, geography and environmental degradation to spillover Leptospira infections in marginalised urban settings: An eco-epidemiological community-based cohort study in Brazil. ELife 2022, 11: e73120. PMID: 36111781, PMCID: PMC9560157, DOI: 10.7554/elife.73120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInfection riskSignificant global public health burdenCommunity-based cohort studyGlobal public health burdenPublic health burdenAgents of leptospirosisExposure of interestYears of agePublic health interventionsHigh-risk communitiesJoint spatial modellingZoonotic spilloverCohort studyHuman infection riskMale genderSerological evidenceHealth burdenLeptospira infectionLeptospiral infectionInfection rateHealth interventionsEco-epidemiological studiesHealth surveillanceFundação de Amparo à PesquisaOswaldo Cruz Foundation
2021
Social determinants associated with Zika virus infection in pregnant women
Nery N, Ticona J, Gambrah C, Doss-Gollin S, Aromolaran A, Rastely-Júnior V, Lessa M, Sacramento GA, Cruz JS, de Oliveira D, dos Santos LL, da Silva CG, Botosso VF, Soares CP, Araujo DB, Oliveira DB, dos Santos Alves RP, Andreata-Santos R, Durigon EL, de Souza Ferreira LC, Wunder EA, Khouri R, Oliveira-Filho J, de Siqueira IC, Almeida ARP, Reis MG, Ko AI, Costa F. Social determinants associated with Zika virus infection in pregnant women. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021, 15: e0009612. PMID: 34329305, PMCID: PMC8323902, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009612.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPregnant womenSocial determinantsZIKV exposureZIKV infectionZika virusPlaque reduction neutralization testReferral maternity hospitalZika virus infectionReduction neutralization testCross-sectional studyKey social determinantsZIKV resultsClinical characteristicsMaternity hospitalRisk factorsVirus infectionExposure statusSociodemographic determinantsNeutralization testMultivariate analysisInfection riskLogistic regressionLower educationFuture interventionsInfection
2019
Coinfection modifies carriage of enzootic and zoonotic parasites in Norway rats from an urban slum
Carvalho‐Pereira T, Souza F, do Nascimento Santos L, Pedra G, Minter A, Bahiense T, Reis M, Ko A, Childs J, da Silva E, Costa F, Begon M. Coinfection modifies carriage of enzootic and zoonotic parasites in Norway rats from an urban slum. Ecosphere 2019, 10 DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2887.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchUrban slumsLoad of parasitesZoonotic parasitesUrban ratsStrongyloides spBrazilian urban slumsIntensity of infectionReduced prevalenceNippostrongylus brasiliensisCoinfectionSignificant associationInfection riskRatsNematode Angiostrongylus cantonensisAngiostrongylus cantonensisInfectionNorway ratsEggs/larvaeCantonensisZoonotic pathogensCorrelation testInterrogansParasitesPopulation
2008
Impact of Environment and Social Gradient on Leptospira Infection in Urban Slums
Reis RB, Ribeiro GS, Felzemburgh RD, Santana FS, Mohr S, Melendez AX, Queiroz A, Santos AC, Ravines RR, Tassinari WS, Carvalho MS, Reis MG, Ko AI. Impact of Environment and Social Gradient on Leptospira Infection in Urban Slums. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2008, 2: e228. PMID: 18431445, PMCID: PMC2292260, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000228.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLeptospira antibodiesLeptospira infectionRisk factorsIndependent risk factorSocioeconomic statusUrban slumsCommunity-based surveyPopulation-based informationHousehold environmental factorsPoisson regression modelsBlack raceOverall prevalencePrior infectionHealth outcomesHealth problemsUrban leptospirosisInfection riskInfectionSocial gradientUnequal health outcomesEffective preventionLeptospira transmissionTransmission determinantsAntibodiesSystem survey