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Abstract.Increasing the active participation of professional women in vector control (VC) activities may help promote greater gender equity in the workplace and reduce the burden of vector-borne diseases. This stakeholder survey examined the current roles and perspective of professionals employed in the VC sector in Kenya, Indonesia, India, and other countries. The largest barriers that women face in pursuing leadership roles in the VC sector include lack of awareness of career opportunities, limitations based on cultural norms, and the belief that VC is men’s work. These barriers could be addressed through improving education and recruitment campaigns, as well as supporting higher education and mentoring programs. Females were almost six times more likely to be encouraged to pursue leadership positions in their organization compared with male respondents (odds ratio = 5.9, P > 0.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.19, 29.42). These findings suggest that once women are recruited into the VC workforce, they face minimal discrimination and have increased leadership opportunities.

reduction-program.html. Published 2014. Accessed July 10, 2016. 4. Dicks KV, Baker AW, Durkin MJ, et al. The potential impact of excluding funguria from the surveillance definition of catheter-associated urinary tract infection. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;36:467-469. 5. Urinary tract infection (catheter-associated urinary tract infection [CAUTI] and non-catheter-associated urinary tract infection [UTI]) and other urinary system infection [USI]) events. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Workshops with academic, national and local government, and community stakeholders were held in Kenya (2017) and Indonesia (2018) to understand the role and perceptions of women in vector control and to identify strategies for accelerating involvement of women in sustained support for vector control interventions at multiple levels/sectors.

BackgroundMigrant farmworkers are among the highest-risk populations for latent TB infection (LTBI) in the United States with numerous barriers to healthcare access and increased vulnerability to infectious diseases. LTBI is usually diagnosed on the border using the tuberculin skin test (TST). QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) also measures immune response against specific Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens. The objective of this study is to assess the comparability of TST and QFT-GIT to detect LTBI among migrant farmworkers on the border, as well as to examine the effects of various demographic and clinical factors on test positivity.MethodsParticipants were recruited using mobile clinics on the San Luis US-Mexico border and tested with QFT-GIT and TST. Demographic profiles and clinical histories were collected. Kappa coefficients assessed agreement between TST and QFT-GIT using various assay cutoffs. Logistic regression examined factors associated with positive TST or QFT-GIT results.ResultsOf 109 participants, 59 of 108 (55 %) were either TST (24/71, 34 %) or QFT-GIT (52/106, 50 %) positive. Concordance between TST and QFT-GIT was fair (71 % agreement, ĸ = 0.38, 95 % CI: 0.15, 0.61). Factors associated with LTBI positivity included smoking (OR = 1.26, 95 % CI–1.01–1.58) and diabetes/high blood sugar (OR = 0.70, 95 % CI = 0.51–0.98).DiscussionTest concordance between the two tests was fair, with numerous discordant results observed. Greater proportion of positives detected using QFT-GIT may help avoid LTBI under-diagnosis. Assessment of LTBI status on the border provides evidence whether QFT-GIT should replace the TST in routine practice, as well as identifies risk factors for LTBI among migrant populations.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-016-1959-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Utilising routine surveillance data, this study presents a method for generating a baseline comparison that can be used in future foodborne outbreak investigations following a case-case methodology. Salmonella and Campylobacter cases (2012-2015) from Maricopa County, AZ were compared to determine differences in risk factors, symptoms and demographics. For foods and other risk factors, adjusted odds ratios were developed using Campylobacter as the reference. Comparisons were also made for three major Salmonella subtypes, Typhimurium, Enteritidis and Poona as compared with Campylobacter. Salmonella cases were younger, while Campylobacter cases were more Hispanic and female. Campylobacter cases reported consuming peppers, sprouts, poultry, queso fresco, eggs and raw nuts more and reported contact with animal products, birds, visiting a farm or dairy, owning a pet, a sick pet, swimming in a river, lake or pond, or handling multiple raw meats more. Salmonella cases reported visiting a petting zoo and contact with a reptile more. There were significant variations by Salmonella subtype in both foods and exposures. We recommend departments conduct this analysis to generate a baseline comparison and a running average of relevant odds ratios allowing staff to focus on trace-back of contaminated food items earlier in the outbreak investigation process.

Experiential learning exercises developed for multidisciplinary teams are effective and enjoyable for students (Myers & Burgess, 2003; Thistlethwaite et al., 2012; Willock, Goodrow, & Meyers, 2000). Although experiential and simulation-based learning exercises are extensively used in health professions, in public health, outbreak investigations are often conducted as tabletop or passivelistening lectures. However, exercises that use experiential learning for students who will conduct these types of investigations after graduation enhance learning outcomes and provide valuable hands-on experience (Karlsen, Mehli, Wahl, & Staberg, 2015). Experiential learning enhances active listening and collaboration between teams, which can improve the students' risk assessment and decision-making capabilities as well as interpersonal and targeted teamwork competencies (Lateef, 2010). Progressive education such as experiential learning bridges education and experience but can create problems integrating theory and practice (Dewey, 1998). In other health education professions, such as nursing, attempts have been made to address the so-called theorypractice gap (Ehrenberg & Haggblom, 2007). This exercise attempts to intertwine practical experiences and theoretical knowledge, which may increase the integration between theory and practice in public health education. Despite the benefits of experiential learning, significant investment is required on the instructor's part to develop and evaluate the exercises effectively (Gormally, Brickman, Hallar, & Armstrong, 2009). The purpose of this exercise is to simulate a food-borne outbreak in the classroom in order to engage students in all the steps of the outbreak investigation process. This experiential multiday exercise takes place in a required graduate-level course that teaches public health students about outbreak investigations. The Student Aid for Field Epidemiology and Response class at a large southwestern U.S. public university meets on a weekly basis, and as needed, to work with state and county health departments on actual outbreaks (Pogreba-Brown et al., 2010). Students are also expected to complete outside trainings at local health departments, and on their own, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency's IS-100.b and IS-700.a online courses (Federal Emergency Management Institute, 2015). If students are not familiar with local health department structures or Incident 700440P HPXXX10.

Hispanics had a higher likelihood of consuming high risk foods, while non-Hispanics were more likely to have environmental exposures linked to Campylobacter infection. Focused questionnaires can reveal differences and contribute to improving public health action/education for specific populations.