Publications by authors named "Kevin P O'Callaghan"
Objective: To describe the association between syphilis treatment status and adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes among pregnancies complicated by syphilis.
Methods: Six jurisdictions that participated in SET-NET (Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network) reported data on women with syphilis during pregnancy and outcomes that occurred during 2018-2021. Frequencies of adverse outcomes were reported by syphilis treatment status during pregnancy as defined by the 2021 Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines (inadequate, adequate, and no treatment).
Background And Objectives: Many neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) do not give rotavirus vaccines to inpatients due to a theoretical risk of horizontal transmission of vaccine strains. We aimed to determine incidence and clinical significance of vaccine-strain transmission to unvaccinated infants in a NICU that routinely administers pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (RV5).
Methods: This prospective cohort study included all patients admitted to a 100-bed NICU for 1 year.
Article Synopsis
- The study aims to assess syphilis treatment and prenatal care during pregnancy to find ways to prevent congenital syphilis.
- It involved enhanced surveillance across six jurisdictions and analyzed data on syphilis treatment adequacy and prenatal care timing among 1,476 pregnant individuals with syphilis.
- Results showed 42.1% received inadequate treatment, with timely prenatal care linked to better outcomes, although 32.1% of those with timely care still received inadequate treatment, highlighting significant gaps in care, especially for those with substance use or homelessness issues.
Congenital syphilis (CS) rates have risen in the United States since 2013. Prevention of CS requires testing and treatment of pregnant and pregnancy-capable persons at high risk for syphilis. We developed a CS Prevention Cascade to assess how effectively testing and treatment interventions reached pregnant persons with a CS outcome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSubstance Use Among Persons with Syphilis During Pregnancy - Arizona and Georgia, 2018-2021.
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep
January 2023
Article Synopsis
- Despite recommendations for universal prenatal syphilis screening and effective treatments, syphilis rates in pregnant individuals and cases of congenital syphilis have been on the rise in the U.S.
- Data from Arizona and Georgia show that pregnant individuals with a congenital syphilis pregnancy outcome have significantly higher rates of substance use (48.1%) compared to those without (24.6%).
- There's a need for targeted interventions to improve access to syphilis screening and treatment, particularly for pregnant individuals using substances, many of whom had inadequate prenatal care.
The World Health Organization has named vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten threats to global health in 2019. The reasons why people choose not to vaccinate are complex, but lack of confidence in vaccine safety, driven by concerns about adverse events, has been identified as one of the key factors. Healthcare workers, especially those in primary care, remain key influencers on vaccine decisions.
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