Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Transmission Potential, Iran, 2020

To determine the transmission potential of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in Iran in 2020, we estimated the reproduction number as 4.4 (95% CI 3.9–4.9) by using a generalized growth model and 3.5 (95% CI 1.3–8.1) by using epidemic doubling time. The reproduction number decreased to 1.55 after social distancing interventions were implemented

SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario, Canada, December 25, 2019, to December 1, 2020

Objective: This study aimed to investigate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemiology in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario, Canada. Methods: Using data through December 1, 2020, we estimated time-varying reproduction number, R t , using EpiEstim package in R, and calculated incidence rate ratios (IRR) across the 3 provinces. Results: In Ontario, 76% (92 745/121 745) of cases were in Toronto, Peel, York, Ottawa, and Durham; in Alberta, 82% (49 878/61 169) in Calgary and Edmonton; in British Columbia, 90% (31 142/34 699) in Fraser and Vancouver Coastal. Across 3 provinces, R t dropped to ≤ 1 after April. In Ontario, R t would remain \u3c 1 in April if congregate-setting-associated cases were excluded. Over summer, R t maintained \u3c 1 in Ontario, ~1 in British Columbia, and ~1 in Alberta, except early July when R t was \u3e 1. In all 3 provinces, R t was \u3e 1, reflecting surges in case count from September through November. Compared with British Columbia (684.2 cases per 100 000), Alberta (IRR = 2.0; 1399.3 cases per 100 000) and Ontario (IRR = 1.2; 835.8 cases per 100 000) had a higher cumulative case count per 100 000 population. Conclusions: Alberta and Ontario had a higher incidence rate than British Columbia, but R t trajectories were similar across all 3 provinces

Social Media Data Analysis, a Tool for Public Health Emergency Management During Natural Disasters

Annually, thousands of people suffer as a result of natural disasters. They are left without power, water, or trapped by landslides or floods, while the world follows the communities’ ravages on social networks. All of the shared information and updates related to natural disasters on social media platforms present an opportunity for data collection to help in the emergency response cycle’s preparedness and response phases. Three studies were conducted to explore the application of social media data analysis for public health practitioners during emergency responses. First, a systematic review was completed to study social media use during emergency response to natural disasters. Results indicated that social media served as a broadcasting tool for emergency warnings. It also helped determine the location of messages and construct maps to help with relief efforts. Second, an imputation method for social media users’ location was designed using social network connections to schools and school districts in Georgia. The method identified users with unrealistic or non-local locations in their profile and assigned a location using the school or school district account they follow. Tweets posted during Hurricane Matthew were used as a case study to validate the imputation method and understand the behavior of social media users in Georgia during a natural disaster. Third, content analysis with latent Dirichlet allocation models and sentiment analysis categorized hurricane-related tweets to identify the needs and sentiment changes over time. A hurdle regression model was applied to study the association of retweet frequency and content analysis topics. Content analysis conveyed that users residing in counties affected by Hurricane Matthew posted tweets related to preparedness, awareness, and evacuations, with predominantly negative sentiment. Tweets posted by those in the hurricane path during the preparedness and response phase had a lower probability of being retweeted than those outside the track (Adjusted-Rate Ratio, aRR=0.09 (95%CI: 0.09, 0.09), aRR=0.26 (95%CI: 0.26, 0.26), respectively). Results from this research can help guide data collection and analysis during emergency response. It presents an opportunity for public health emergency responders to identify damage and individuals in need of assistance with a straightforward and easy to follow approach

Rickettsialpox – a Rare but Not Extinct Disease: a Review of the Literature and New Directions

Smallpox rickettsia is an urban zoonosis caused by Rickettsia akari. To date, R. akari is the only characterized representative of the group of spotted fevers transmitted by the gamasid mite Liponyssoides sanguineus, which is common among peridomic rodents. This disease was first described in New York in 1946, and a few years later a similar outbreak occurred in the Ukrainian SSR. Numerous serological studies and diagnostics of sporadic cases of smallpox rickettsiosis suggest its widespread occurrence on the planet; however, the current geography and incidence of smallpox rickettsiosis is unknown. Smallpox rickettsiosis is characterized by the classic clinical triad of primary affect, high fever, and atypical papulovesicular rash. Dermatological manifestations and progression of smallpox rickettsiosis may resemble other infectious and non-infectious syndromes, including sexually transmitted diseases. This review aimed to raise awareness of this unique disease by analyzing the classic and current clinical descriptions of rickettsial pox, assessing its global prevalence and new insights into its public health relevance, and the ecology and vector-vector relationship of R. akari. Analysis of the data indicates that there is only limited genetic diversity among the available R. akari isolates from previous outbreaks. Additional efforts will be required to identify specific genetic markers that allow for epidemiological surveillance, as well as accurate and reliable diagnosis, tracking and study of modern isolates, vectors and interactions with the host organism. The potential of R. akari to be transmitted by other vectors underlines the need to identify outbreaks in unexplored regions and new environmental conditions. We describe the existing gaps in the modern understanding of the pathogenesis of smallpox rickettsiosis, its epidemiology and the genetic diversity of R. akari. We propose a list of research studies needed to improve the understanding of this neglected rickettsiosis and its etiological agent. akari transmitted by other vectors emphasizes the need to identify disease outbreaks in unexplored regions and in new environmental conditions. We describe the existing gaps in the modern understanding of the pathogenesis of smallpox rickettsiosis, its epidemiology and the genetic diversity of R. akari. We propose a list of research studies needed to improve the understanding of this neglected rickettsiosis and its etiological agent. akari transmitted by other vectors emphasizes the need to identify disease outbreaks in unexplored regions and in new environmental conditions. We describe the existing gaps in the modern understanding of the pathogenesis of smallpox rickettsiosis, its epidemiology and the genetic diversity of R. akari. We propose a list of research studies needed to improve the understanding of this neglected rickettsiosis and its etiological agent

Utilizing Twitter to Identify Unplanned School Closures during the 2017-2018 Winter Season for Massachusetts and Georgia Public School Districts

Presentation given at Public Health Association and the Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards Conference

Exploring Social Media Network Connections to Assist During Public Health Emergency Response: A Retrospective Case-Study of Hurricane Matthew and Twitter Users in Georgia, USA

Objective: To assist communities who suffered from hurricane-inflicted damages, emergency responders may monitor social media messages. We present a case-study using the event of Hurricane Matthew to analyze the results of an imputation method for the location of Twitter users who follow school and school districts in Georgia, USA. Methods: Tweets related to Hurricane Matthew were analyzed by content analysis with latent Dirichlet allocation models and sentiment analysis to identify needs and sentiment changes over time. A hurdle regression model was applied to study the association between retweet frequency and content analysis topics. Results: Users residing in counties affected by Hurricane Matthew posted tweets related to preparedness (n = 171; 16%), awareness (n = 407; 38%), call-for-action or help (n = 206; 19%), and evacuations (n = 93; 9%), with mostly a negative sentiment during the preparedness and response phase. Tweets posted in the hurricane path during the preparedness and response phase were less likely to be retweeted than those outside the path (adjusted odds ratio: 0.95; 95% confidence interval: 0.75, 1.19). Conclusions: Social media data can be used to detect and evaluate damages of communities affected by natural disasters and identify users’ needs in at-risk areas before the event takes place to aid during the preparedness phases

Social Media Use in Emergency Response to Natural Disasters: A Systematic Review with a Public Health Perspective

Presentation given at Georgia Southern University, Research Symposium

Pet Ownership and Risk of Dying From Cancer: Observation From a Nationally Representative Cohort

We longitudinally examined the relationship between pet ownership and risk of dying from cancer in a nationally representative cohort of 13,725 adults in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1994. The vital status was followed through 31 December 2010. Women who owned pets (any type) presented one-year shorter survival time (15.88 years) than non-pet owner (16.83 years). A larger difference of survival time was particularly seen in bird owners (13.01 years) compared to non-bird owners (16.82 years). After adjusting for potential confounders, hazard ratio (HR) of dying from cancer associated with any type of pets was 1.08 (95% CI = 0.77–1.50) for men and 1.40 (1.01–1.93) for women. The association in women was presumably driven by owning birds [HR 2.41 (1.34–4.31)] or cats [HR 1.48 (0.97–2.24)]. Keeping birds and cats in the household was associated with an increased risk of dying from cancer, especially in women

Pet ownership and risk of dying from cancer: observation from a nationally representative cohort

We longitudinally examined the relationship between pet ownership and risk of dying from cancer in a nationally representative cohort of 13,725 adults in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994. The vital status was followed through 31 December 2010. Women who owned pets (any type) presented one-year shorter survival time (15.88 years) than non-pet owner (16.83 years). A larger difference of survival time was particularly seen in bird owners (13.01 years) compared to non-bird owners (16.82 years). After adjusting for potential confounders, hazard ratio (HR) of dying from cancer associated with any type of pets was 1.08 (95% CI = 0.77-1.50) for men and 1.40 (1.01-1.93) for women. The association in women was presumably driven by owning birds [HR 2.41 (1.34-4.31)] or cats [HR 1.48 (0.97-2.24)]. Keeping birds and cats in the household was associated with an increased risk of dying from cancer, especially in women