A population-scale temporal case–control evaluation of COVID-19 disease phenotype and related outcome rates in patients with cancer in England (UKCCP)

Patients with cancer are at increased risk of hospitalisation and mortality following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, the SARS-CoV-2 phenotype evolution in patients with cancer since 2020 has not previously been described. We therefore evaluated SARS-CoV-2 on a UK populationscale from 01/11/2020-31/08/2022, assessing case-outcome rates of hospital assessment(s), intensive care admission and mortality. We observed that the SARS-CoV-2 disease phenotype has become less severe in patients with cancer and the non-cancer population. Case-hospitalisation rates for patients with cancer dropped from 30.58% in early 2021 to 7.45% in 2022 while case-mortality rates decreased from 20.53% to 3.25%. However, the risk of hospitalisation and mortality remains 2.10x and 2.54x higher in patients with cancer, respectively. Overall, the SARS-CoV-2 disease phenotype is less severe in 2022 compared to 2020 but patients with cancer remain at higher risk than the non-cancer population. Patients with cancer must therefore be empowered to live more normal lives, to see loved ones and families, while also being safeguarded with expanded measures to reduce the risk of transmission

An ecological approach to understanding gut microbiota and macrobiota interactions

Despite a plethora of research on the positive and negative impacts of gut microbiota (community of micro-organisms) and macrobiota (parasitic helminths), as yet there is little focus on how these two sympatric and ubiquitous communities interact. Given that there are increasing evolutionary pressures imposed on microbiota and macrobiota, which have currently unknown system-wide implications, e.g., antibiotic and anthelmintic treatment, it is timely to investigate microbiota-macrobiota interactions. This thesis uses an ecological approach to understand microbiota-macrobiota interactions in a wild rodent system. First, a review of animal gut microbiota literature established the current research landscape of this topic, which highlighted the lack of studies on wild animals, despite the advantages that these animals can provide, e.g., as model systems (Chapter 2). In addition, perturbation field experiments were used to tease apart microbiota-macrobiota interactions in a wild rodent. The impact of helminth removal (using anthelmintic) on microbiota was investigated, which revealed that, with the exception of faecal microbiota composition, gut bacterial communities remained stable following anthelmintic treatment (Chapter 3). Following perturbation of the microbiota (using antibiotic), both fecundity and size of helminths increased (Chapter 4). Helminths were found to be associated with a microbiota that exhibits interspecific variation as well as intraspecific variation, which was driven by gut location of helminths, although composition of helminth microbiota also significantly differed to that of the gut (Chapter 5). Finally, the effect of faecal microbiota on helminth development was tested; egg hatching was less successful in host faeces, compared to faeces from another individual, indicating that faecal microbiota may have some resistance to helminth development (Chapter 6). This thesis highlights the importance of considering systemwide implications of a treatment or perturbation, particularly on gut microbiota-macrobiota interaction

Sometimes scientists get the flu. Wrong…!

In an international research environment, accurate communication is vital. However, the scientific literature does not always utilise consistent terminology and the misuse of some expressions in epidemiology is rife. We encourage the correct terms to be used appropriately to avoid confusion between scientists, policy makers, and members of the publi

Global change, parasite transmission and disease control: lessons from ecology

Parasitic infections are ubiquitous in wildlife, livestock and human populations, and healthy ecosystems are often parasite rich. Yet, their negative impacts can be extreme. Understanding how both anticipated and cryptic changes in a system might affect parasite transmission at an individual, local and global level is critical for sustainable control in humans and livestock. Here we highlight and synthesize evidence regarding potential effects of ‘system changes’ (both climatic and anthropogenic) on parasite transmission from wild host–parasite systems. Such information could inform more efficient and sustainable parasite control programmes in domestic animals or humans. Many examples from diverse terrestrial and aquatic natural systems show how abiotic and biotic factors affected by system changes can interact additively, multiplicatively or antagonistically to influence parasite transmission, including through altered habitat structure, biodiversity, host demographics and evolution. Despite this, few studies of managed systems explicitly consider these higher-order interactions, or the subsequent effects of parasite evolution, which can conceal or exaggerate measured impacts of control actions. We call for a more integrated approach to investigating transmission dynamics, which recognizes these complexities and makes use of new technologies for data capture and monitoring, and to support robust predictions of altered parasite dynamics in a rapidly changing world. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Opening the black box: re-examining the ecology and evolution of parasite transmission’

Harness Mobility: Managing the Off-Task Property

Technological advancements in mobile computing and wireless networks open up to new applications and new user-groups in the mobile workforce However, a considerable part of the mobile workforce, such as e g drivers or healthcare staff, is chiefly performing other tasks than interacting with their computers As a result. they are not able to pay attention to computer interaction, making them mainly off computer tasks The aim of the paper is to develop a design theory to manage off-task situations in mobile computing Interviews were performed with developers of an information system comprising mobile devices for drivers From the interviews, a design of an artifact and a design theory based on a strategy to automate routine administration task using place awareness is presented The eight components of IS design theory by Gregor and Jones is applied as a theoretical framewor