Objective: In April 2022, the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) COVID-19 Contact Tracing & Epidemiology Program identified an outbreak associated with an indoor student gala. This study's aims were to characterize COVID-19 transmission dynamics and measure symptom severity among cases. Participants: The study population included…

We explore ways in which statistics can be used to understand disease spread and support decision-making by governments. "Past performance does not guarantee future results"--we hope. We discuss and show examples from the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded COVID-Inspired Data Science Education through Epidemiology (CIDSEE) project.…

Chemistry experiments involving biological aspects are in high demand. This laboratory exercise blends biochemistry and physical chemistry, illustrates key concepts of the virus capsid surface, and is designed for a chemistry laboratory course for students majoring in biology in college. The experimental part provides a mastery of…

Objectives: Before the Fall 2020 semester, college presidents and the NCAA made decisions about playing college football. The current study aims to examine the association between college football games and COVID-19 infections at universities. Participants: More than 1,800 college campuses nationwide from "The New York Times" database on…

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is a prevalent yet underrecognized cause of sensorineural hearing loss and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. While CMV infection is typically asymptomatic in healthy individuals, its transmission during pregnancy can result in significant and lasting health consequences for the fetus. Despite its…

Since the introduction by Kermack and McKendrick in 1927, the Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) epidemic model has been a foundational model to comprehend and predict the dynamics of infectious diseases. Almost for a century, the SIR model has been modified and extended to meet the needs of different characteristics of various infectious…

The faculty at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) recognized the potential benefits for collaborative teaching and learning across disciplines. Research and development of an Interprofessional Case Learning Project (ICLP) laid the foundation for the creation and implementation of a problem-based learning course. This…

What is power? What is knowledge? What is the link between power and knowledge? This paper interrogates the relationship between knowledge and power in the context of Guinea's epidemic crises and political events. It draws on observational data collected during the Ebola epidemic (2013-2016), the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022), and the ongoing…

Background: Despite the overwhelming benefits of vaccinations, suboptimal public confidence in vaccines keeps immunization rates in the U.S far from ideal levels. Purpose: To assess the efficacy of a high school video set curriculum, on vaccine history, science, and safety, in improving vaccine knowledge. Methods: Sample included high school…

Background: Familiarity breeds complacency. One case of sore throat can start to sound like another. However, even common viral and bacterial infections can lead to serious sequelae. Clinicians cannot make a diagnosis if they do not consider it in their differential. Case: The presentation -- and subsequent hospitalization -- of a septic 19…

The SIR model is a differential equations based model of the spread of an infectious disease that compartmentalises individuals in a population into one of three states: those who are susceptible to a disease (S), those who are infected and can transmit the disease to others (I), and those who have recovered from the disease and are now immune…

Purpose: This study explored undergraduate college students' opinions of the CDC's online "Solve the Outbreak" (StO) game, a recommended aid in higher education for teaching concepts epidemiological outbreak investigations. Methods: The study was conducted as a game debriefing, in which 16 students enrolled in an undergraduate-level…

Objective: We developed an Excel-based cost calculator to assess the economic burden of university-based "Neisseria meningitidis" serogroup B (MenB) outbreaks. Participants: Hypothetical university with 6,354 students. Methods: Total societal costs of outbreak were estimated for three MenB pre-matriculation immunization…

Objective: To examine how in-person classroom instruction was related to risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in undergraduate students. Participants: Indiana University undergraduate students (n = 69,606) enrolled in Fall 2020, when courses with in-person and remote instruction options were available. Methods: Students participated weekly in mandatory…

Objective: This longitudinal study tested the relationship between cigarette and e-cigarette use and SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion among US college students. Participants: Undergraduate students (n = 764), drawn from a randomly selected invitation-only pool from a large Midwestern university, that were initially negative for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and…