Evolutionarily Successful Asian 1 Dengue Virus 2 Lineages Contain One Substitution in Envelope That Increases Sensitivity to Polyclonal Antibody Neutralization

UC BERKELEY AUTHOR: Chunling Wang, Leah C. Katzelnick, Magdela Montoya, Eva Harris DATE OF PUBLICATION: March 2016 REGION: Asia REFERENCE: Wang C, Katzelnick LC, Montoya M, Hue KD, Simmons CP, Harris E. Evolutionarily Successful Asian 1 Dengue Virus 2 Lineages Contain One Substitution in Envelope That Increases Sensitivity to Polyclonal Antibody Neutralization. J Infect Dis. 2016;213(6):975-84. SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: The 4 dengue

Exposure versus Susceptibility as Alternative Bases for New Approaches to Surveillance for Schistosoma japonicum in Low Transmission Environments

UC BERKELEY AUTHOR: Shuo Wang, Robert C. Spear DATE OF PUBLICATION: March 2016 REGION: China REFERENCE: Wang S, Spear RC. Exposure versus Susceptibility as Alternative Bases for New Approaches to Surveillance for Schistosoma japonicum in Low Transmission Environments. Mutapi F, ed. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2016;10(3):e0004425. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004425. SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: Currently, schistosomiasis in China provides an excellent example of many of

The Impact of Repeat HIV Testing on Risky Sexual Behavior: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Malawi

UC BERKELEY AUTHOR: Zachary Wagner DATE OF PUBLICATION: March 2016 REGION: Malawi, Africa REFERENCE: Delavande A, Wagner Z, Sood N. The Impact of Repeat HIV Testing on Risky Sexual Behavior: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Malawi.Journal of AIDS & clinical research. 2016;7(3):549. doi:10.4172/2155-6113.1000549. SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: A significant proportion of HIV-positive adults in sub-Saharan Africa are in

Effectiveness of a conditional cash transfer programme on TB cure rate: a retrospective cohort study in Brazil

UC BERKELEY AUTHOR: Zachary Olson DATE OF PUBLICATION: March 2016 REGION: Brazil, Latin America REFERENCE: Torrens AW, Rasella D, Boccia D, et al. Effectiveness of a conditional cash transfer programme on TB cure rate: a retrospective cohort study in Brazil. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2016;110(3):199-206. SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: Despite the efforts of the National Tuberculosis Programme, TB cure

UC Berkeley Global Health Case Competition Highlights Student Energy for Global Health

On Saturday, February 27th, a large group of students gathered at the Li Ka Shing Building on the UC Berkeley campus to participate in the first ever UC Berkeley Intramural Global Health Case Competition. 9 interdisciplinary teams of undergraduate, graduate, and PhD-level students from UCB—all together, around 60 students—gave presentations based on a complex global

Metabolomics-Based Discovery of Small Molecule Biomarkers in Serum Associated with Dengue Virus Infections and Disease Outcomes

UC BERKELEY AUTHOR: Eva Harris DATE OF PUBLICATION: Februray 2016 REGION: Nicaragua and Mexico REFERENCE: Voge NV, Perera R, Mahapatra S, et al. Metabolomics-Based Discovery of Small Molecule Biomarkers in Serum Associated with Dengue Virus Infections and Disease Outcomes. Simmons CP, ed. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2016;10(2):e0004449. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004449. SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: Epidemic dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue

Burden of Influenza and Influenza-associated Pneumonia in the First Year of Life in a Prospective Cohort Study in Managua, Nicaragua

UC BERKELEY AUTHOR: Eva Harris DATE OF PUBLICATION: February 2016 REGION: Managua, Nicaragua REFERENCE: Gresh L, Kuan G, Sanchez N, et al. Burden of Influenza and Influenza-Associated Pneumonia in the First Year of Life in a Prospective Cohort Study in Managua, Nicaragua. The Pediatric infectious disease journal. 2016;35(2):152-156. doi:10.1097/INF.0000000000000944. SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: Influenza is a major public health problem worldwide;

Oblongifolin M, an active compound isolated from a Chinese medical herb Garcinia oblongifolia, potently inhibits enterovirus 71 reproduction through downregulation of ERp57

UC BERKELEY AUTHOR: Jason He DATE OF PUBLICATION: February 2016 REGION: China REFERENCE: Wang M, Dong Q, Wang H, et al. Oblongifolin M, an active compound isolated from a Chinese medical herb Garcinia oblongifolia, potently inhibits enterovirus 71 reproduction through downregulation of ERp57. Oncotarget. 2016;7(8):8797-8808. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.7122. SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: There is no effective drug to treat EV71 infection yet. Traditional Chinese

Climate and the Timing of Imported Cases as Determinants of the Dengue Outbreak in Guangzhou, 2014: Evidence from a Mathematical Model

UC BERKELEY AUTHOR: Qu Cheng, Robert C. Spear DATE OF PUBLICATION: February 2016 REGION: China REFERENCE: Cheng Q, Jing Q, Spear RC, Marshall JM, Yang Z, Gong P. Climate and the Timing of Imported Cases as Determinants of the Dengue Outbreak in Guangzhou, 2014: Evidence from a Mathematical Model. Scarpino SV, ed.PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2016;10(2):e0004417. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004417. SUMMARY/ABSTRACT:

Cardiovascular disease and impoverishment averted due to a salt reduction policy in South Africa: an extended cost-effectiveness analysis

UC BERKELEY AUTHOR: Zachary D. Olson DATE OF PUBLICATION: February 2016 REGION: South Africa REFERENCE: Watkins DA, Olson ZD, Verguet S, Nugent RA, Jamison DT. Cardiovascular disease and impoverishment averted due to a salt reduction policy in South Africa: an extended cost-effectiveness analysis. Health Policy and Planning. 2016;31(1):75-82. doi:10.1093/heapol/czv023. SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: The South African Government recently set targets to

Human exposure to methylmercury from crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) in China

UC BERKELEY AUTHOR: Ben K. Greenfield DATE OF PUBLICATION: February 2016 REGION: China REFERENCE: Peng Q, Greenfield BK, Dang F, Zhong H. Human exposure to methylmercury from crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) in China. Environ Geochem Health. 2016;38(1):169-81. SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: Methylmercury (MeHg) accumulation in aquatic food raises global concerns about human exposure to MeHg. Crayfish is the world’s third largest farmed

3/3/16: UCB expert panel on the Zika virus

Event information The Zika virus has been spreading rapidly throughout Latin America, with numerous implications for global public health regionally and across borders. In response, the UC Berkeley Center for Global Public Health (SPH), Henry Wheeler Center for Emerging & Neglected Disease, and Center for Latin American Studies are organizing an expert panel of some of the country’s leading infectious disease and