Fellow

Infectious Disease
Howard University Hospital
1986

Fellow

Medical Staff
National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases,
1985

Internship and Residency

Internal Medicine
Howard University Hospital
1983

Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)

Medicine
Columbia University
1980

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Nursing
Hunter College

Member of CITI Program External Advisory Board

Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Research Advancement and Development (GRAND) Service Recognition Award for Dedication, Significant Contributions, and Longstanding Leadership on the GRAND Steering Committee

Service Recognition Award for Dedication, Significant Contributions, and Longstanding Leadership on the GRAND Steering Committee, 2023

Awarded by the Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Research Advancement and Development (GRAND)

10th Annual Congressional International Women’s Day Celebration, 2022

Honoring Top 20 Global Women of Excellence

Center for Infectious Disease Management and Research Score Excellence- Congressional Acknowledgment, 2022

The beacon of hope program

The beacon of hope program: Co-creating effective, measurable solutions for health equity

Healthcare providers and patients rely on the data generated from clinical trials to make informed decisions about treatment options. The representation of key demographic groups (races, ethnicities, sexes, ages, and socioeconomic backgrounds) among trial participants, in a way that accurately reflects the epidemiology of the condition under study, enhances the generalizability of study results. However, according to the Food and Drug Administration data, the median (Q1-Q3 interquartile range) representation of Black, Hispanic, and Asian participants in research on novel therapies (approved: 2018–2022, excluding those for infectious diseases) was only 4 % (2 %–9 %), 5 % (2 %–14 %), and 8 % (4 %–15 %), respectively. This lack of representation is complex and multifaceted, which include distrust in the system and the difficulty to access quality healthcare. The interaction between systemic barriers within health care delivery, historical instances of unfair treatment, and socioeconomic confounders account for the current gaps in representation of the aforementioned groups.

Absence of antibody responses & severe covid-19 in patients on hemodialysis following mrna vaccination

Absence of antibody responses & severe covid-19 in patients on hemodialysis following mrna vaccination

Inpatient dialysis patients cannot isolate, resulting in a higher rate of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections, with increased severity and higher mortality rate [1]. We present 2 African American dialysis patients who developed severe COVID-19 infections after vaccination. Both patients had not mounted antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccine or to hepatitis B vaccination.

HIV recency testing

HIV recency testing: should results be disclosed to individuals tested

Preventing new HIV infection remains a major challenge in our response to the HIV epidemic. A diagnostic assay that could rapidly identify acutely infected individuals who are not yet antibody positive could transform our response to the epidemic, particularly in high burden countries and communities. At an individual level, a positive recency test result would need to be confirmed with a more definitive assay, and that could lead to the individual being immediately offered to initiate antiretroviral therapy. Diagnosing individuals who have recently acquired HIV, initiating them on treatment and achieving viral transmission, reduces the likelihood of onward transmission at a time when viral load is highest, but routinely used antibody assays are unlikely to find them.

Factors Associated with Lower HIV Testing Rates in an Insured Urban Population

Factors Associated with Lower HIV Testing Rates in an Insured Urban Population

As of 2017 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that there were over one million individuals living with HIV/AIDS in the United States (CDC, 2017). Regionally the epicenter of HIV infection is in Washington DC with a prevalence rate of 1.9% (HAHSTA, 2018). Several wards including 5, 6, 7 and 8 are disproportionately impacted. Although the lack of insurance has been identified as a challenge for HIV detection and linkage to care, many insured individuals deny previous HIV testing. We implemented a routine HIV screening program in our institution since 2006. We present an analysis of our HIV testing data over a 42-month period to assess factors leading to lower HIV testing rates in an urban insured population.

Adherence to Combination Antiretroviral Therapy

Adherence to Combination Antiretroviral Therapy among Pregnant Women Enrolled in a HIV Prevention Program in Rural North-central Nigeria

Adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) among pregnant women is essential to attaining the goal of eliminating mother-to-child HIV transmission. The objective of this study was to determine which factors affect adherence to ART among HIV-positive women enrolled in a large prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) trial in rural north-central Nigeria.

Perspectives on Global Health and Volunteerism for Health Care Providers

Book Chapter: Perspectives on Global Health and Volunteerism for Health Care Providers: The Importance of Preparation, Identification and Management of Infectious Diseases and Mitigation of Other Risks (pp. 35-50) in Global Health and Volunteering Beyond Borders: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals

Exposure to preventable communicable diseases will be a constant for most volunteers going to areas where resources are limited and the public health infrastructure suboptimal or nonexistent. With ease of accessibility to almost anywhere in the world, health-care providers can travel on short notice, most for short periods of time, to provide needed assistance in under-resourced areas. While some of the provision of health-care services may be to areas or countries with severely limited resources but that are stable, a significant number are to areas of acute disease outbreaks, natural disasters, population displacements, or conflict. Many health-care workers may need to provide care in extreme conditions with negligible or absent health-care infrastructure, lack of basic hygienic supplies, high risk of infectious diseases acquisition, and encounters with violent acts including kidnappings.

Violence Exposure, Drug Use and HIV/Aids Risk Taking Behaviors

Violence Exposure, Drug Use and HIV/Aids Risk Taking Behaviors: The Role of Gender

Objective

To examine gender differences among African American young adults in their exposure to violence (ETV) before age 18 and community violence as an adult, and the relationship of these exposures to drug use and HIV risk taking behaviors (HIVRTB).

Importance of 4th Generation HIV Testing in an Urban Emergency Department

 Importance of 4th Generation HIV Testing in an Urban Emergency Department

Early Acute Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection (eAHI) diagnosis, via 4th generation testing methodology, presents an opportunity for earlier detection and immediate linkage to care for infected persons. We report on two patients with high-risk behaviors for HIV infection, presenting with atypical symptoms of eAHI in an urban Emergency Department (ED). This case report should raise the index of suspicion for HIV among ED physicians as well as underscore the importance of reducing HIV transmission through earlier detection. Universal screening of patients aged 13–64, incorporating new HIV diagnostic algorithms, is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). By employing the 4th generation HIV testing methodology, we can potentially diagnose HIV infection earlier compared to older testing methodologies. Currently, 3rd generation HIV testing is used to detect the presence of HIV antibodies, generally through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, detection of HIV antibodies can take anywhere from 3 to 12 weeks, depending on the individual and testing modality used. This newer diagnostic paradigm enables earlier identification of newly infected individuals. Early HIV detection allows for linkage to care and the administration of effective treatment modalities shortly thereafter. As HIV transmission is highest during its initial acquisition, early detection and linkage to care has been shown to be an efficient method to decrease transmission through subsequent changes in behaviors of those infected.

Correlates of HIV Testing Refusal Among Emergency Department Patients in the Opt-Out Testing Era

Correlates of HIV Testing Refusal Among Emergency Department Patients in the Opt-Out Testing Era

Opt-out HIV screening is recommended by the CDC for patients in all healthcare settings. We examined correlates of HIV testing refusal among urban emergency department (ED) patients. Confidential free HIV screening was offered to 32,633 ED patients in an urban tertiary care facility in Washington, DC, during May 2007–December 2011. Demographic differences in testing refusals were examined using χ2 tests and generalized linear models. HIV testing refusal rates were 47.7 % 95 % CI (46.7–48.7), 11.7 % (11.0–12.4), 10.7 % (10.0–11.4), 16.9 % (15.9–17.9) and 26.9 % (25.6–28.2) in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively. Persons 33–54 years of age [adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) 1.42, (1.36–1.48)] and those ≥55 years [APR 1.39 (1.31–1.47)], versus 33–54 years; and females versus males [APR 1.07 (1.02–1.11)] were more likely to refuse testing. Opt-out HIV testing is feasible and sustainable in urban ED settings. Efforts are needed to encourage testing among older patients and women.