My research interests focus on two major areas, the epidemiology and control of blinding ocular disease in the United States and in developing countries, and the epidemiology and control of micronutrient malnutrition and infectious disease among young children in developing countries with special emphasis on vitamin A, iron, zinc and neonatal health. Current research activities in the epidemiology of ocular disease include the Baltimore Pediatric Eye Disease Study and a number of other smaller studies. My interests cover the full range of studies involving epidemiologic methods in ophthalmology including basic descriptive epidemiologic studies of prevalence and incidence, etiologic research on risk factors for ocular disease, clinical trials of new treatments or community-based control strategies, screening, and health services research on inputs and outcomes of clinical management strategies on a population basis. Current research activities in micronutrient malnutrition and infectious disease include studies of the role of intestinal helminth infections on iron deficiency anemia and malnutrition in Zanzibar; the impact of iron and zinc supplementation on mortality, morbidity, growth, and neurodevelopment of preschool age children in Zanzibar and Nepal; and community-based trials of newborn washing and umbilical cord care on neonatal mortality and morbidity in Nepal.

International Health, epidemiology, blindness prevention, micronutrient malnutrition, neonatal and child health, developing countries, outcomes research

Delta Omega (Public Health Honorary Society), 1982.

Distinguished Service Award, Prevent Blindness America, 1994.

Honor Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology, 1997.

F. Park Lewis Lifetime Achievement Award, Prevent Blindness America, 2002.

Person of Vision Award, Prevent Blindness America, 2008.

1. Friedman DS, Repka MX, Katz J, Giordano L, Ibironke J, Hawes P, Tielsch JM. Prevalence of amblyopia and strabismus in White and African-American children aged 6 through 71 months: The Baltimore Pediatric Eye Disease Study. Ophthalmology (accepted for publication).

2. Kordas K, Siegel EH, Olney DK, Katz, J., Tielsch JM, Kariger PK, Khalfan SS, LeClerq SC, Khatry SK, Stoltzfus RJ. The effects of iron and/or zinc supplementation on maternal reports of sleep in infants from Nepal and Zanzibar. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (accepted for publication).

3. Giordano L, Friedman DS, Repka MX, Katz J, Ibironke J, Hawes P, Tielsch JM. Prevalence of refractive error among preschool children in an American urban population: the Baltimore Pediatric Eye Disease Study. Ophthalmology (accepted for publication).

4. Vittor AY, Pan W, Gilman RH, Tielsch J, Glass G, Shields T, Sanchez-Lozano W, Pinedo VV, Salas-Cobos E, Patz JA. Linking deforestation to malaria in the Amazon: characterization of breeding habitat of the principal malaria vector, Anopheles darlingi. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (accepted for publication).

5. Mullany LC, Faillace S, Tielsch JM, Stoltzfus RJ, Haji HJ, Kavle J, Farag T, Khalfan SS, Nygaard K, Darmstadt GL. Incidence and risk factors for newborn umbilical cord infections on Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal (accepted for publication).

6. Falle T, Mullany LC, Thatte N, Khatry SK, LeClerq SC, Darmstadt GL, Katz J, Tielsch JM. Role of traditional birth attendants in neonatal health care in communities: a survey of practices in rural Nepal. Journal of Health Population and Nutrition (accepted for publication).

7. Mullany LC, Darmstadt GL, Katz J, Khatry SK, LeClerq SC, Adhikari RK, Tielsch JM. Risk of mortality subsequent to umbilical cord infection among newborns of southern Nepal: cord infection and mortality. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 2009; 28:17-20. PMID: 19034065

8. Thatte N, Mullany LC, Khatry S, Katz J, Tielsch JM, Darmstadt GL. Traditional birth attendants in rural Nepal: knowledge, attitudes, and practices about maternal and newborn health. Global Public Health (accepted for publication).

9. Carlson MC, Saczynski JS, Rebok GW, Seeman T, Glass TA, McGill S, Tielsch J, Frick KD, Hill J, Fried LP: Exploring the effects of an “everyday” activity program on executive function and memory in older adults: Experience Corps®. The Gerontologist 2008;48(6):793-801. PMID: 19139252

10. Coles CL, Sherchand JB, Khatry SK, Katz J, LeClerq SC, Mullany LC, Shresta S, Tielsch JM. Zinc modifies the association between nasopharyngeal Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage and risk of acute lower respiratory infection among young children in rural Nepal. Journal of Nutrition 2008; 138:2462-2467. PMID: 19022973

11. Rosenberg RE, Ahmed S, Saha SK, Ahmed AS, Chowdhury MA, Law PA, Choi Y, Mullany LC, Tielsch JM, Katz J, Black RE, Santosham M, Darmstadt GL. Simplified age-weight mortality risk classification for very low birth weight infants in low-resource settings. Journal of Pediatrics 2008;153(4):519-524. PMID: 18539298

12. Farag TH, Fahey JW, Khalfan SS, Tielsch JM: Diet as a factor in unexpectedly low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection. Transactions Royal Society Tropical Medicine & Hygiene 2008;102(11):1164-1165. PMID: 18804252

13. Friedman DS, Repka MX, Katz J, Giordano L, Ibironke J, Hawes P, Burkom D, Tielsch JM. Prevalence of decreased visual acuity among preschool-aged children in an American urban population: the Baltimore Pediatric Eye Disease Study, methods and results. Ophthalmology 2008; 115(10):1786-1795. PMID: 18538407

14. Kavle JA, Stoltzfus RJ, Witter F, Tielsch JM, Khalfan SS, Caulfield LE. Association between anaemia during pregnancy and blood loss at and after delivery among women with vaginal births in Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Journal of Health Population and Nutrition 2008; 26:232-240. PMID: 18686556

15. Friedman DS, Katz J, Repka MX, Giordano L, Ibironke J, Hawes P, Tielsch JM. Lack of concordance between fixation preference and HOTV optotype visual acuity in preschool children: the Baltimore Pediatric Eye Disease Study. Ophthalmology 2008; 115:1796-1799. PMID: 18538405

16. Sharma V, Katz J, Mullany LC, Khatry SK, LeClerq SC, Darmstadt GL, Tielsch JM. Young maternal age and the risk of neonatal mortality in rural Nepal. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 2008; 162:828-835. PMID: 18762599

17. Allen L, Black RE, Brandes N, Brittenham G, Chazot G, Chunming C, Crawley J, de Benoist B, Dalmiya N, Darnton-Hill I, Dewey K, El-Arifeen S, Fontaine O, Geissler C, Haberle H, Harvey P, Hasler J, Hershko C, Hurrell R, Juma MA, Lönnerdal B, Lozoff B, Lynch S, Martines Salgado H, McLean E, Metz J, Oppenheimer S, Premji Z, Prentice A, Ramsan M, Ratledge C, Stoltzfus R, Tielsch J, Winachagoon P; Secrétariat de l'Organisation Mondiale de la Santé, au nom des participants à la consultation. Conclusions and recommendations of a WHO expert consultation meeting on iron supplementation for infants and young children in malaria endemic areas. Médecine Tropicale 2008; 68:182-188. PMID: 18630054

18. Lee AC, Mullany LC, Tielsch JM, Katz J, Khatry SK, LeClerq SC, Adhikari RK, Shrestha SR, Darmstadt GL. Verbal Autopsy Methods to Ascertain Birth Asphyxia Deaths in a Community-based Setting in Southern Nepal. Pediatrics 2008; 121:e1372-80. PMID: 18450880

19. Tielsch JM, Rahmathullah L, Katz J, Thulasiraj RD, Coles C, Sheeladevi S, Prakash K. Maternal night blindness during pregnancy is associated with low birthweight, morbidity, and poor growth in South India. Journal of Nutrition 2008; 138:787-792. PMID: 18356336

20. Mullany LC, Katz J, Li YM, Khatry SK, LeClerq SC, Darmstadt GL, Tielsch JM. Breastfeeding patterns, time to initiation, and neonatal mortality risk in southern Nepal. Journal of Nutrition 2008; 138:599-603. PMID: 18287373

21. Mullany LC, Khatry SK, Sherchand JB, LeClerq SC, Darmstadt GL, Katz J, Gauchan P, Adhikari RK, Rana A, Tielsch JM. A randomized controlled trial of the impact of chlorhexidine skin cleansing on bacterial colonization of hospital-born infants in Nepal. Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal 2008; 27:505-511. PMID: 18449064

22. Kawasaki R, Tielsch JM, Wang JJ, Wong TY, Mitchell P, Tano Y, Tominaga M, Oizumi T, Daimon M, Kato T, Kawata S, Kayama T, Yamashita H. The metabolic syndrome and retinal microvascular signs in a Japanese population: the Funagata Study. British Journal of Ophthalmology 2008; 92:161-6. PMID: 17965107

23. Rhee V, Mullany LC, Khatry SK, Katz J, LeClerq SC, Darmstadt GL, Tielsch JM. Maternal and birth attendant hand-washing and neonatal mortality in southern Nepal. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 2008; 162:603-608. PMID: 18606930

24. Kordas K, Siegel E, Olney D, Katz, J., Tielsch JM, Kariger P, LeClerq S, Khatry S, Stoltzfus RJ. Maternal reports of sleep in 6-18 month old infants from Nepal and Zanzibar: association with iron deficiency anemia and stunting. Early Human Development 2008; 84:389-398. PMID: 18022771

25. Broman AT, Quigley HA, West SK, Katz J, Munoz B, Bandeen-Roche K, Tielsch JM, Friedman DS, Crowston J, Taylor HR, Varma R, Leske MC, Bengtsson B, Heijl A, He M, Foster PJ. Estimating the rate of progressive visual field damage among those with open angle glaucoma from cross-sectional data. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 2008; 49:66-76. PMID: 18172076

26. Lee AC, Mullany LC, Tielsch JM, Katz J, Khatry SK, LeClerq SC, Adhikari RK, Shrestha SR Darmstadt GL. Risk factors for neonatal mortality due to birth asphyxia in southern Nepal: a prospective, community-based cohort study. Pediatrics 2008; 121(5):e1381-90. PMID: 18450881

27. Friedman DS, Gazzard G, Min CB, Devereux J, Broman AT, Quigley H, Tielsch J, Seah S, Foster PJ. Age and sex variation in angle findings among normal Chinese subjects: a comparison of UBM, Scheimpflug and gonioscopic assessment of the anterior chamber angle. Journal of Glaucoma 2008; 17:5-10. PMID: 18303376

28. Olney DK, Pollitt E, Kariger PK, Khalfan SS, Ali NS, Tielsch JM, Sazawal S, Black R, Mast D, Allen LH, Stoltzfus RJ. Young Zanzibari children with iron deficiency, iron deficiency anemia, stunting or malaria have lower motor activity scores and spend less time in locomotion. Journal of Nutrition 2007; 137:2756-2762. PMID: 18029495

29. Tielsch JM, Rahmathullah L, Thulasiraj RD, Katz J, Coles C, Sheeladevi S, John R, Prakash K. Newborn vitamin A dosing reduces the case fatality but not incidence of common childhood morbidity in south India. Journal of Nutrition 2007; 137:2470-2474. PMID: 17951487

30. Tielsch JM, Khatry SK, Stoltzfus RJ, Katz J, LeClerq SC, Adhikari R, Mullany LC, Black R, Shresta S. Effect of daily zinc supplementation on child mortality in southern Nepal: a community-based, cluster randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2007; 370:1230-1239. PMID: 17920918

31. Farag TH, Stoltzfus RJ, Khalfan SS, Tielsch JM. Unexpectedly low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection among pregnant women on Pemba Island, Zanzibar. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2007; 101:915-922. PMID: 17617430

32. Chalmers RL, McNally JJ, Schein OD, Katz J, Tielsch JM, Alfonso E, Bullimore M, O'day D, Shovlin J. Risk factors for corneal infiltrates with continuous wear of contact lenses.

Optometry and Vision Science 2007 84(7):573-579. PMID: 17632304

33. Young SL, Goodman D, Farag T, Ali SM, Khatib MR, Khalfan SS, Tielsch JM, Stoltzfus RJ. Geophagia is not associated with Trichuris or hookworm transmission in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2007; 101:766-772. PMID: 17568644

34. McClure EM, Goldenberg RL, Brandes N, Darmstadt GL, Wright LL; CHX Working Group, Armbruster D, Biggar R, Carpenter J, Free MJ, Mattison D, Mathai M, Moss N, Mullany LC, Schrag S, Tielsch J, Tolosa J, Wall SN, Schuchat A, Smine A. The use of chlorhexidine to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity in low-resource settings. Internation Journal of Gynaecology & Obstetrics. 2007; 97(2):89-94. PMID: 17399714

35. Goodman D, Haji HJ, Bickle QD, Stoltzfus RJ, Tielsch JM, Ramsan M, Savioli L, Albonico M. A comparison of methods for detecting the eggs of Ascaris, Trichuris, and hookworm in infant stool, and the epidemiology of infection in Zanzibari infants. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2007; 76:725-731. PMID: 17426179

36. Farag TH, Stoltzfus RJ, Khalfan SS, Tielsch JM. Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with severe anemia of pregnancy on Pemba Island, Zanzibar. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2007; 76:541-548. PMID: 17360881

37. Samet JM, Tielsch J. Commentary: Could biomass fuel smoke cause anaemia and stunting in early childhood? International Journal of Epidemiology 2007; 36:130-131. PMID: 17218324

38. Tielsch JM, Darmstadt GL, Mullany LC, Khatry SK, Katz J, LeClerq SC, Shresta S, Adhikari R. Impact of newborn skin cleansing with chlorhexidine on neonatal mortality in southern Nepal: a community-based, cluster-randomized trial. Pediatrics 2007; 119(2):e330-40. PMID: 17210728

39. Budenz DL, Anderson DR, Varma R, Schuman J, Cantor L, Savell J, Greenfield DS, Patella VM, Quigley HA, Tielsch J. Determinants of Normal Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Measured by STRATUS OCT. Ophthalmology 2007; 114:1046-1052. PMID: 17210181

40. Mullany LC, Darmstadt GL, Khatry SK, LeClerq SC, Tielsch JM. Relationship between the surrogate anthropometric measures, foot length and chest circumference, and birth weight among newborns of Sarlahi, Nepal. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007; 61:40-46. PMID: 16885929

41. Mullany LC, Darmstadt GL, Katz J, Khatry SK, LeClerq SC, Tielsch JM. Risk factors for umbilical cord infection among newborns of southern Nepal. American Journal of Epidemiology 2007; 165:203-211. PMID: 17065275