About

Dr. Ciccone’s research focuses on the use of diagnostic testing to improve the evaluation and management of infectious diseases in resource-constrained settings, particularly as it relates to antimicrobial stewardship, antibiotic resistance, and pediatric respiratory illness. Clinically, her areas of interest include general infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, and the care of individuals living with HIV. From an education standpoint, he is a member of the UNC Global Health Advisory Board, which leads the design and implementation of the Global Health Pathway for IM, Peds, and Med/Peds residents.

In the news

• 

  Antimicrobial Stewardship Implementation in Malawi: Findings From the 2023 National Program Audit

  Antimicrobial resistance is a significant global health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Malawi, frequent stockouts of essential medicines and the widespread dispensing of antibiotics without prescriptions have exacerbated the AMR burden, highlighting the urgent need for robust antimicrobial stewardship interventions. A study led by researchers at UNC Project-Malawi with members of the … Read more

• 

  A study of Point-of-Care Lactate Testing in Integrated Community Care Management for Children with Acute Respiratory Illness in Rural Uganda

  Integrated community case management (iCCM) programs leverage lay village health workers (VHWs) to carry out the initial evaluation of children with common conditions, including malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea. Elevated venous lactate levels have been associated with severe illness and adverse health outcomes, including death. However, lactic acidosis may not be recognized in rural settings because … Read more

• 

  Study Provides Evidence For Updates to WHO Guidelines: Treatable Infections Are Major Drivers of Mortality in Young Children With Severe Acute Malnutrition

  Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) affects over 14 million children under the age of five worldwide and is a leading cause of mortality in low-resource settings with infections being the major drivers. With a lack of rigorous studies, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended broad-spectrum antibiotics for infections in this population since 2012. Since then, … Read more

• 

  Point-of-Care Diagnostics Guide Antibiotic Use in Rural Uganda

  Globally, the overuse of antibiotics has led to the spread of antimicrobial resistance, and this is a growing threat to child health. Antibiotics are frequently used to treat children with fever and respiratory symptoms, even though most of these illnesses will resolve on their own. The measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood, produced … Read more

Education