Epidemiology and Transmission of Influenza in Nicaragua

描述（由申请人提供）：候选人：奥布里戈登，博士，公共卫生硕士是助理兼职教授和助理研究员在加州大学伯克利分校（UCB）。职业发展计划：戈登博士将在热带国家尼加拉瓜进行流感流行病学特征的重要研究。本项目的目标 扩大热带国家对流感的了解，以便为干预措施的必要性提供证据，并为干预措施的设计提供知识。此外，该K02奖将为候选人的研究计划提供受保护的时间，以确保她作为全球健康领域的独立研究人员和领导者继续成功发展。项目：该计划将分为两个相关的项目：项目1将侧重于 项目2将包括一项前瞻性队列中儿童流感的流行病学和系统发育特征研究，项目2将包括一项流感的家庭传播研究。在项目1中，将在目标1中检查队列中流感的负担和季节性。个体人口统计学和医学风险因素以及流感病毒感染和流感严重程度的社会人口统计学风险因素将在目标2中描述。在目标3中，将使用从队列研究和家庭传播研究中获得的病毒，评估甲型流感病毒随时间和空间的进化动态，包括宿主内多样性的调查。在项目2的家庭传播研究中，将对222个有流感指示病例的家庭进行为期9天的随访。将从所有家庭接触者中采集血清和呼吸道样本，以调查发展中国家环境中流感传播的参数，并检查影响流感传播和疾病严重程度的个人和家庭风险因素。基本流感传播参数，包括二次发病率和连续发病间隔，将在目标4中计算。家庭的影响 及流感传播的个人特征将在目标5中确定。最后，将在目标6中审查无症状流感感染的比例和决定因素。指导：初级指导将由联合国儿童基金会的伊娃哈里斯博士和尼加拉瓜卫生部的安赫尔·巴尔马塞达博士提供。哈里斯博士是一名病毒学家，因其在资源不足环境中的科学能力建设工作而闻名。Angel Balmaseda博士是一名病毒学家，也是哥伦比亚国家实验室的负责人。亚瑟·莱因戈尔德博士将担任共同导师。Reingold博士是传染病流行病学专家，其主题领域包括流感流行病学，儿科呼吸道疾病和疫苗。牙髓健康相关性：由于缺乏流行病学知识，以及拟议研究将解决的热带国家流感传播问题，因此该提案很有可能产生重大影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Candidate: Aubree Gordon, PhD, MPH is an Assistant Adjunct Professor and an Assistant Researcher at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB). Career Development Plan: Dr. Gordon will conduct vital research on the epidemiologic features of influenza in Nicaragua, a tropical country. The objective of this project is to expand knowledge of influenza in tropical countries in order to provide evidence for the need for interventions and knowledge for the design of interventions. Additionally, this K02 award will provide the candidate with protected time for her research program in order to ensure her continued successful development as an independent researcher and leader in global health. Project: The program will be divided into two related projects: Project 1 will focus on the epidemiology and phylogenetic characterization of pediatric influenza in a prospective cohort, and Project 2 will consist of a household transmission study of influenza. Within Project 1, the burden and seasonality of influenza in the cohort will be examined in Aim 1. Individual demographic and medical risk factors as well as socio- demographic risk factors for influenza virus infection and influenza severity will be characterized in Aim 2. In Aim 3, the evolutionary dynamics of influenza A virus will be evaluated over time and space, including an investigation of intra-host diversity, using viruses obtained from both the cohort study and the household transmission study. In the household transmission study in Project 2, 222 households with an index case of influenza will be followed for 9 days. Serum and respiratory samples will be collected from all household contacts to investigate parameters of influenza transmission in a developing country setting and to examine individual and household risk factors that affect influenza transmission and disease severity. Basic influenza transmission parameters, including the secondary attack rate and serial interval, will be calculated in Aim 4. The effect of household and individual characteristics on influenza transmission will be determined in Aim 5. Finally, the proportion and determinants of asymptomatic influenza infection will be examined in Aim 6. Mentorship: Primary mentorship will be provided by Dr. Eva Harris at UCB and by Dr. Angel Balmaseda at the Ministry of Health in Nicaragua. Dr. Harris is a virologist and reknowned for her work in scientific capacity building in under-resourced settings. Dr. Angel Balmaseda is a virologist and head of the Nicaraguan National Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Diagn �stico y Referencia. Dr. Arthur Reingold will serve as a co-mentor. Dr. Reingold is a specialist in infectious disease epidemiology, with topic areas that include the epidemiology of influenza, pediatric respiratory diseases and vaccines. Pulbic Health Relevance: This proposal is well- positioned to have substantial impact because of the lack of knowledge of the epidemiology, and transmission of influenza in tropical countries, which the proposed studies will address.