Projects
Improving Access to Mass Drug Administration for Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination using a Participatory Approach among Communities of Coastal Kenya
To assess the socio-economic factors contributing to low access to MDA, to identify the existing health services opportunities and other outlets specific to various socio-economic groups that could be used for improving access to MDA, and to develop feasible field-applicable strategies that can be used to reach groups with consistently low access to MDA.
Lymphatic filariasis positive-case follow-up after TAS 2 or TAS 3 in Philippines
To identify the sampling strategy for positive case follow-up after TAS 2 and TAS 3 that optimizes the chances of correctly identifying evidence of ongoing transmission, while saving program resources.
Integrating use of point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen rapid diagnostic by community health workers during mass drug administration campaign to increase uptake of praziquantel treatment among adult populations in North-Western Tanzania
To assess if introducing point-of-care Circulating Cathodic Antigen rapid test to community health workers will increase access, compliance and coverage to treatment among adult individuals at Kome Island in North-Western Tanzania, an area on the Lake Victoria highly endemic for schistosomiasis
Does infection data add anything to our understanding of trachoma prevalence in low endemic areas?
To investigate prevalence of ocular chlamydial infection and associated risk factors in children aged 1-9 year in Manyoni district
Development of a molecular diagnostic method for soil-transmitted helminthiases: Epidemiological implications for disease control
To improve STH detection by developing a reliable and easy to perform molecular diagnostic test for epidemiological surveillance and post-elimination monitoring of STH
Demand creation and services uptake push for onchocerciasis control in Cross River State, Nigeria
To increase onchocerciasis treatment coverage and to optimize service delivery through community mobilization, disease sensitization, training and strengthening of community health extension workers (CHEW), and community control advocates
Monitoring migrant groups as a post-treatment surveillance approach to contain the potential risk of lymphatic filaraisis re-emergence after stopping mass drug administration in Togo
In March 2016, the Republic of Togo submitted an application for validation of the elimination of LF as a public health problem. However, healthcare facility managers in some health regions – especially in the Savanes Region, have reported the presence of migrant groups from neighboring countries which are still endemic to LF – i.e. Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria. Migrants arrive and reside temporarily but recurrently in some localities of these regions. They constitute hotspots that can be source of resurgence, mainly because the nationwide passive surveillance has been stopped in 2016.
In order to track all population movements that constitute a potential risk to the Republic of Togo, the country proposes to set up a strategy for the identification of these groups, with the contribution of Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Focal Points, followed by the research of potential parasite carriers. Isolated cases discovered will be investigated in order to track all imported W. bancrofti. They will be treated, but if an effective hotspot is discovered, rounds of Albendazole and Ivermectin MDA will be implemented a follow up of infected individuals will be maintained.
The purpose of this study is to contribute maintaining the end of LF transmission across the country.
Investigation of possible ongoing Schistosoma hybridization in Nigeria and implications for response to treatment
To investigate the presence and epidemiology of Schistosoma hybrids in Nigeria. The acquisition of new genes through hybridization may generate new phenotypes that might differ in virulence, drug resistance, pathology, and host use, ultimately leading to the emergence of new diseases. Hybrids can develop into a new emerging pathogen, necessitating new control strategies in zones where both parental species overlap, an intense and rapid control response is required to minimize further spread of the hybrid and possible escalation of human schistosomiasis.