Engaging homeless service providers in educational efforts during a tuberculosis outbreak in Atlanta

Background: During an outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) in the homeless population of metropolitan Atlanta, education of homeless service providers (HSPs) about the implementation of local infection control measures was imperative to limiting the spread of TB and to preventing future outbreaks. Methods: By use of educational sessions and teaching posters, two interventions were designed to focus educational efforts from November 2014 to August 2015: 1) a spatially-targeted approach that identified HSPs within an area of Fulton County, GA (which includes downtown Atlanta) with high TB case density (cases per square mile) from 2009 – 2014, and 2) an organizational meeting approach that included scheduled meetings of professionals who had regular contact with homeless individuals at risk of TB infection. Results: Of the 18 HSPs targeted in the identified high-TB density area, 9 engaged in educational activities, and 9 were closed at time of contact or unreachable by email or phone. Through organizational meetings, 36 additional facilities were reached. Conclusions: The HSPs with successful contact were amenable to educational efforts, and a combination of spatially targeted and organizational meeting approaches with teaching aids was feasible in developing sustainable TB educational programs in the homeless communit

A cross-sectional analysis of HIV and hepatitis C clinical trials 2007 to 2010: the relationship between industry sponsorship and randomized study design

Abstract Background The proportion of clinical research sponsored by industry will likely continue to expand as federal funds for academic research decreases, particularly in the fields of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C (HCV). While HIV and HCV continue to burden the US population, insufficient data exists as to how industry sponsorship affects clinical trials involving these infectious diseases. Debate exists about whether pharmaceutical companies undertake more market-driven research practices to promote therapeutics, or instead conduct more rigorous trials than their non-industry counterparts because of increased resources and scrutiny. The ClinicalTrials.gov registry, which allows investigators to fulfill a federal mandate for public trial registration, provides an opportunity for critical evaluation of study designs for industry-sponsored trials, independent of publication status. As part of a large public policy effort, the Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative (CTTI) recently transformed the ClinicalTrials.gov registry into a searchable dataset to facilitate research on clinical trials themselves. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 477 HIV and HCV drug treatment trials, registered with ClinicalTrials.gov from 1 October 2007 to 27 September 2010, to study the relationship of study sponsorship with randomized study design. The likelihood of using randomization given industry (versus non-industry) sponsorship was reported with prevalence ratios (PR). PRs were estimated using crude and stratified tabular analysis and Poisson regression adjusting for presence of a data monitoring committee, enrollment size, study phase, number of study sites, inclusion of foreign study sites, exclusion of persons older than age 65, and disease condition. Results The crude PR was 1.17 (95% CI 0.94, 1.45). Adjusted Poisson models produced a PR of 1.13 (95% CI 0.82, 1.56). There was a trend toward mild effect measure modification by study phase, but this was not statistically significant. In stratified tabular analysis the adjusted PR was 1.14 (95% CI 0.78, 1.68) among phase 2/3 trials and 1.06 (95% CI 0.50, 2.22) among phase 4 trials. Conclusions No significant relationship was found between industry sponsorship and use of randomization in trial design in this cross-sectional study. Prospective studies evaluating other aspects of trial design may shed further light on the relationship between industry sponsorship and appropriate trial methodology

Predictors of latent tuberculosis treatment initiation and completion at a U.S. public health clinic: a prospective cohort study

Background Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a key component in U.S. tuberculosis control, assisted by recent improvements in LTBI diagnostics and therapeutic regimens. Effectiveness of LTBI therapy, however, is limited by patients’ willingness to both initiate and complete treatment. We aimed to evaluate the demographic, medical, behavioral, attitude-based, and geographic factors associated with LTBI treatment initiation and completion of persons presenting with LTBI to a public health tuberculosis clinic. Methods Data for this prospective cohort study were collected from structured patient interviews, self-administered questionnaires, clinic intake forms, and U.S. census data. All adults (>17 years) who met CDC guidelines for LTBI treatment between January 11, 2008 and May 6, 2009 at Wake County Health and Human Services Tuberculosis Clinic in Raleigh, North Carolina were included in the study. In addition to traditional social and behavioral factors, a three-level medical risk variable (low, moderate, high), based on risk factors for both progression to and transmission of active tuberculosis, was included for analysis. Clinic distance and neighborhood poverty level, based on percent residents living below poverty level in a person’s zip code, were also analyzed. Variables with a significance level <0.10 by univariate analysis were included in log binomial models with backward elimination. Models were used to estimate risk ratios for two primary outcomes: (1) LTBI therapy initiation (picking up one month’s medication) and (2) therapy completion (picking up nine months INH therapy or four months rifampin monthly). Results 496 persons completed medical interviews and questionnaires addressing social factors and attitudes toward LTBI treatment. 26% persons initiated LTBI therapy and 53% of those initiating completed therapy. Treatment initiation predictors included: a non-employment reason for screening (RR 1.6, 95% CI 1.0-2.5), close contact to an infectious TB case (RR 2.5, 95% CI 1.8-3.6), regular primary care(RR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-2.0), and history of incarceration (RR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0-2.8). Persons in the “high” risk category for progression/transmission of TB disease had higher likelihood of treatment initiation (p < 0.01), but not completion, than those with lower risk. Conclusions Investment in social support and access to regular primary care may lead to increased LTBI therapy adherence in high-risk populations

The Footprint of Old Syphilis: Using a Reverse Screening Algorithm for Syphilis Testing in a US Geographic Information Systems–Based Community Outreach Program

The impact of syphilis reverse sequence screening has not been evaluated in community outreach. Using reverse sequence screening in neighborhoods identified with geographic information systems, we found that among 239 participants, 45 (19%) were seropositive. Of these, 3 (7%) had untreated syphilis, 33 (73%) had previously treated syphilis infection, and 9 (20%) had negative nontreponemal test results

Feasibility and willingness-to-pay for integrated community-based tuberculosis testing

BACKGROUND: Community-based screening for TB, combined with HIV and syphilis testing, faces a number of barriers. One significant barrier is the value that target communities place on such screening. METHODS: Integrated testing for TB, HIV, and syphilis was performed in neighborhoods identified using geographic information systems-based disease mapping. TB testing included skin testing and interferon gamma release assays. Subjects completed a survey describing disease risk factors, healthcare access, healthcare utilization, and willingness to pay for integrated testing. RESULTS: Behavioral and social risk factors among the 113 subjects were prevalent (71% prior incarceration, 27% prior or current crack cocaine use, 35% homelessness), and only 38% had a regular healthcare provider. The initial 24 subjects reported that they would be willing to pay a median $20 (IQR: 0-100) for HIV testing and$10 (IQR: 0-100) for TB testing when the question was asked in an open-ended fashion, but when the question was changed to a multiple-choice format, the next 89 subjects reported that they would pay a median $5 for testing, and 23$5 to get tested for TB, HIV, or syphilis. Among persons who received tuberculin skin testing, only 14/78 (18%) participants returned to have their skin tests read. Only 14/109 (13%) persons who underwent HIV testing returned to receive their HIV results. CONCLUSION: The relatively high-risk persons screened in this community outreach study placed low value on testing. Reported willingness to pay for such testing, while low, likely overestimated the true willingness to pay. Successful TB, HIV, and syphilis integrated testing programs in high risk populations will likely require one-visit diagnostic testing and incentives

Ertapenem for treatment of osteomyelitis: a case series

Abstract Background Ertapenem is a once-daily broad spectrum carbapenem that is increasingly used to treat polymicrobial osteomyelitis due to diabetic foot and traumatic wound infections. However, limited data exists on ertapenem use for osteomyelitis. This study aimed to characterize outcomes and adverse effects with empiric use of ertapenem for osteomyelitis. Findings A total of 112 patients presenting to Duke, Durham Regional or Durham VA Medical Centers with a suspected diagnosis of osteomyelitis and ertapenem use from 11/2001 to 8/2009 were screened, and 12 subjects met inclusion criteria for the study. Mean age was 60 ± 16 years, 68% were female, 75% were Caucasian, and the most common comorbidities included diabetes (58%), peripheral vascular disease (42%), and history of tobacco use (75%). Over half of the patients presented to a primary care clinic or emergency room greater than six months after the onset of clinical symptoms. Bone culture was obtained for diagnostic guidance in only two cases; and surgical intervention was pursued in three cases. Patients received a mean duration of 34.6 ± 7.8 days of therapy, and in three cases, subsequent suppressive oral antibiotics were given. Six (50%) patients met criteria for clinical success, defined as resolution of clinical signs and symptoms of infection such that discontinuation of antibiotics was deemed appropriate at end of ertapenem therapy, without recurrence at one year follow-up. No adverse drug effects were noted. Conclusions In this case series of mostly community-acquired, lower extremity osteomyelitis, bone biopsy was infrequent, and an average six-week course of empiric ertapenem was well-tolerated with curative rates of 50% at one year.</p