PhD
November 18, 2020
Urethral sexual exposures: relationship with prevalent nongonococcal urethritis, the urethral microbiota, and resolution of symptoms
Non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU), the most common male genital tract syndrome, is often caused by Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Mycoplasma genitalium (MG). However, up to 50% of cases are of unknown etiology, and yet-unidentified pathogens and polymicrobial communities likely play a role in some of these cases. Studies suggest that specific urethral sexual exposures influence the…
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) adherence among East African women
HIV incidence remains disproportionately high for women, particularly young women, in Sub-Saharan Africa; women are also at heightened risk while pregnant, which may account for a substantial portion of their adult lives. Although HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in pill form is known to be efficacious for women, there remain unanswered questions about adherence in open-label…
Effect of road safety-conscious motorcycle taxi programs on riding behaviors and risk of road traffic crash among motorcycle taxi drivers in Kampala, Uganda
Background: SafeBoda is a private transportation company that started providing motorcycle taxi services in Kampala in 2015. Prior to the introduction of SafeBoda, motorcycle taxi services in Kampala were entirely provided by independent motorcycle taxi drivers with limited formal training on road safety and proclivity for risky riding behaviors (e.g., driving without protective gear and…
Molecular epidemiology of the multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli sequence type 131-H30 lineage among U.S. Children
Escherichia coli sequence type 131-H30 is a globally important pathogen implicated in rising rates of antimicrobial resistance among extraintestinal E. coli infections. H30 causes both community- and healthcare-associated infections, and is associated with resistance to several commonly used antimicrobial agents. This dissertation addresses several knowledge gaps about the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of H30 among…
Effects of Parental Mental Illness on Common Child Health Outcomes
Background: Serious mental illness (SMI), including major depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, in parents is a major public health concern. Parental mental illness can adversely affect the health and well-being of children. Prior studies have demonstrated associations between maternal depression and child physical health conditions, including infection and injury, which are leading causes of morbidity…
The human gut microbiome: methodological issues in characterization and role in trimethylamine N-oxide formation
The human gut microbiome has been of great interest in recent years and is being increasingly incorporated into epidemiological research. While early work was primarily interested in characterizing the gut microbiota within healthy individuals, studies have gradually shifted focus towards identifying associations with disease risk and outcomes. The gut microbiome has already been linked to…
Effects of Parental Mental Illness on Common Child Health Outcomes
Background: Transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has not been well-characterized in large population studies with clinically adjudicated cases. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of adults who underwent allogeneic HCT between 2006 and 2015 to determine the incidence of and risk factors for TA-TMA, and to describe its natural…
Rotavirus vaccines in low-income settings
BACKGROUND An estimated 200,000 deaths due to rotavirus diarrhea occur annually in children with most of the burden in low-income settings. Rotavirus is a double stranded RNA virus transmitted via the fecal-oral route. Without a vaccine, nearly all children <5 years old become infected with rotavirus and recurrent infection is common. Rotavirus vaccines continue to…
Investigating the sexual partnerships of transgender women in Lima, Peru to improve targeted HIV interventions
Background: Transgender women (TW) have a high burden of HIV but remain understudied in HIV research. One poorly understood aspect of HIV risk among TW is the source of HIV infection in epidemics driven by sexual transmission. TW primarily report sexual partnerships with hetero- or bisexual cisgender men, populations that generally have a low HIV…
Integrating data systems to improve HIV care engagement in King County, WA
Continuous engagement in HIV care and treatment is crucial for the health of persons living with HIV (PLWH) and for preventing HIV transmission to others. However, in the United States (US), care engagement, or retention in care, represents the biggest drop off in the HIV care continuum, which maps out the care process from HIV…
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