Projects
Does infection data add evidence to the understanding of trachoma prevalence in low endemic areas?
- To evaluate strategies for the elimination of trachoma by evaluating potential makers that show interruption of transmission of C. trachomatis
- To determine the prevalence of ocular chlamydial infection among children aged 1 – 9 years old in Mpwapwa and Kalambo District, Tanzania
- To determine the associated risk factors of ocular Chlamydia infection among children aged 1 – 9 years old in Mpwapwa and Kalambo District, Tanzania
- To determine the usability of antibody test to detect Chlamydia antigen pgp3 using lateral flow assay
- To examine the longevity of the antibody response to trachoma antigens in a high and low-prevalence setting
Investigation of communities at increased risk of trachoma recrudescence & a model post-elimination surveillance strategy
Primary research question
Is there evidence of on-going or recent ocular Ct transmission in communities of northern Ghana felt to be at increased risk of recrudescence, at least two years since they were identified with Ct infection and or high anti-Pgp3 seroprevalence during pre-validation trachoma surveillance surveys?
Secondary research questions
What is the geographical extent of the boundaries of any persistent Ct infection and on-going transmission in the post-elimination setting?
What is the community-level (anti-Pgp3) prevalence of seropositivity for the multiplex bead array (MBA) (and possibly ELISA) as compared to the lateral flow assay (LFA)?
Evaluation of elimination of onchocerciasis in Malawi using the OV-16 serologic test
Evaluate the current status of transmission of onchocerciasis in a hyperendemic area treated for many years and in a hypoendemic area treated for lymphatic filariasis for 5 years using the Ov16 ELISA and supplemented by entomology results from a previous study
Mf Clearance post-IDA in Samoa
What is the effectiveness of appropriately dosed IDA in clearing microfilariae (Mf) from Mf positive people who (i) reported taking triple drug therapy with ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, and albendazole (IDA) in August 2018, and (ii) did not report recently taking IDA.
This will be investigated by:
- assessing the baseline (current) Mf presence and density before re/treatment with IDA, against which post-treatment Mf presence and density can be compared
- assessing the peak plasma concentration levels of ivermectin, DEC and albendazole in treated Mf positive individuals to identify whether the recommended dosages of medications are sufficient for achieving effective plasma concentrations
- assessing Mf clearance one week following directly observed IDA re/treatment
Assessing drug coverage following mass drug administration to monitor the impact of the WHO recommended three-drug regimen of ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, and albendazole for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis
To validate the reported coverage of the 2018 mass drug administration in American Samoa in order to assess the impact of triple drug therapy with ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, and albendazole (IDA) for lymphatic filariasis on infection prevalence
Improving Mass Drug Administration After Pre-Transmission Assessment Survey (Pre-TAS) Failure: A Mixed Methods Study in Nepal
This study builds on the methods developed for the operational studies ongoing in Ghana and Burkina Faso. The first two research questions are the same as those earlier studies with two new questions added here- question 3 on triple drug therapy (ivermectin, DEC, albendazole – IDA) and 4 on the use of a new rapid ethnography approach.
- What factors are associated with effective (and lower) MDA coverage as defined as availability, accessibility, and acceptability in settings that have repeatedly failed Pre-TAS?
- What is the impact of an adapted and tailored intervention package on achieving effective coverage?
- What messages and community engagement approaches are needed to ensure the acceptability of IDA triple drug therapy in Nepal?
- How does the rapid ethnography approach compare to more traditional qualitative analysis methods in terms of cost, timeliness, and ability to provide required information for programmatic decisions? Can local capacity for use of this approach be built rapidly?
Operational research to develop an M&E study to guide a triple drug stopping decision for lymphatic filariasis in India
What is the indicator(s) and accompanying M&E strategy that enables country programs to determine when the risk of ongoing transmission of LF has been reduced so that IDA can be stopped with little risk of resurgence of transmission?