A5038306864- Rabies epidemiology and control
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Virology and Viral Diseases
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Immune responses and vaccinations
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Microbial infections and disease research
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Poxvirus research and outbreaks
- Leptospirosis research and findings
- Veterinary Equine Medical Research
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Turtle Biology and Conservation
- Reproductive Physiology in Livestock
- Venomous Animal Envenomation and Studies
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
University of Pretoria
2013-2024
Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine
2015-2024
Island Hospital
2023
Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital
2011-2022
Kenya Medical Research Institute
2012-2014
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2013
University of Glasgow
2010-2013
Glasgow Centre for Population Health
2010-2013
University of East London
2013
Naval Medical Research Command
2013
Background Canine rabies causes many thousands of human deaths every year in Africa, and continues to increase throughout much the continent. Methodology/Principal Findings This paper identifies four common reasons given for lack effective canine control Africa: (a) a low priority disease as result awareness burden; (b) epidemiological constraints such uncertainties about required levels vaccination coverage possibility sustained cycles infection wildlife; (c) operational including...
Background Canine rabies is one of the most important and feared zoonotic diseases in world. In some regions elimination being successfully coordinated, whereas others endemic continues to spread uninfected areas. As epidemics emerge, both accepted contentious control methods are used, as questions remain over effective strategy eliminate rabies. The Indonesian island Bali was rabies-free until 2008 when an epidemic domestic dogs began, resulting deaths 100 people. Here we analyze data from...
The dynamics of infectious diseases are highly variable. Host ranges, host responses to pathogens and the relationships between hosts heterogeneous. Here, we argue that use animal sentinels has potential this variation enable exploitation a wide range pathogen for surveillance purposes. Animal may be used address many questions, but they currently underused as tool there is need improved interdisciplinary collaboration communication in order fully explore sentinels. In different contexts,...
Abstract Background Mass vaccinations of domestic dogs have been shown to effectively control canine rabies and hence human exposure rabies. Knowledge dog population demography is essential for planning effective vaccination programmes; however, such information still rare African populations, particularly so in urban areas. This study describes the demographic structure dynamics a an sub-Saharan setting. In July November 2005, we conducted full household-level census cross-sectional survey...
Emergency vaccinations and culling failed to contain an outbreak of rabies in Bali, Indonesia, during 2008-2009. Subsequent island-wide mass vaccination (reaching 70% coverage, >200,000 dogs) led substantial declines incidence spread. However, the dog bites remains high, repeat campaigns are necessary eliminate Bali.
The flea-borne rickettsioses murine typhus (Rickettsia typhi) and spotted fever (FBSF) felis) are febrile diseases distributed among humans worldwide. Murine has been known to be endemic Kenya since the 1950s, but FBSF was only recently documented in northeastern (2010) western (2012) Kenya. To characterize potential exposure of rickettsioses, a total 330 fleas (134 pools) including 5 species (Xenopsylla cheopis, Ctenocephalides felis, canis, Pulex irritans, Echidnophaga gallinacea) were...
Abstract With rabies emerging as a particular threat to wild canids, we report on outbreak in subpopulation of endangered Ethiopian wolves the Bale Mountains, Ethiopia, 2003 and 2004. Parenteral vaccination was used manage outbreak.
Mass vaccination of owned domestic dogs is crucial for the control rabies in sub-Saharan Africa. Knowledge proportion households which own dogs, and factors associated with dog ownership, important planning implementation awareness programmes, promotion responsible ownership. This paper reports results a cross-sectional study ownership by urban rural communities United Republic Tanzania. Fourteen percent (202) 1,471 surveyed were identified as dog-owning, an average 2.4 per dog-owning...
We conducted serological surveys for Coxiella burnetii in archived sera from patients that visited a rural clinic western Kenya 2007 to 2008 and cattle, sheep, goats the same area 2009. also polymerase chain reaction-based surveillance pathogen 2009–2010, human with acute lower respiratory illness, ruminants following parturition, ticks collected domestic dogs. Antibodies against C. were detected 30.9% ( N = 246) of patient 28.3% 463) 32.0% 378) goats, 18.2% 159) sheep surveyed. Four 135...
Abstract To determine previous exposure and incidence of rickettsial infections in western Kenya during 2007–2010, we conducted hospital-based surveillance. Antibodies against rickettsiae were detected 57.4% previously collected serum samples. In a 2008–2010 prospective study, Rickettsia felis DNA was 2.2× more likely to be febrile than afebrile persons.
Background Rabies is a serious yet neglected public health threat in resource-limited communities Africa, where the virus maintained populations of owned, free-roaming domestic dogs. elimination can be achieved through mass vaccination dogs, but maintaining critical threshold coverage for herd immunity these hampered by their rapid turnover. Knowledge population dynamics dog inform effective planning and implementation campaigns to control rabies. Methodology/Principal Findings We...
Tick-borne spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsioses are emerging human diseases caused by obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Rickettsia. Despite being important causes systemic febrile illnesses in travelers returning from sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about reservoir hosts these pathogens. We conducted surveys for rickettsiae domestic animals and ticks a rural setting western Kenya. Of 100 serum specimens tested each species ruminant 43% goats, 23% sheep, 1%...
Bartonella bovis is commonly detected in cattle. One B. strain was recently isolated from a cow with endocarditis the USA, suggesting its role as an animal pathogen. In present study, we investigated bartonella infections 893 cattle five countries (Kenya, Thailand, Japan, Georgia, and Guatemala) 103 water buffaloes Thailand to compare prevalence of infection among different regions bovid hosts. We developed multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) scheme based on nine loci (16S rRNA, gltA, ftsZ,...
Leptospirosis is a widespread but under-reported cause of morbidity and mortality. Global re-emergence leptospirosis has been associated with the growth informal urban settlements in which rodents are thought to be important reservoir hosts. Understanding multi-host epidemiology essential control prevent disease. A cross-sectional survey Kibera settlement Nairobi, Kenya was conducted September–October 2008 demonstrate presence pathogenic leptospires. real-time quantitative polymerase chain...
African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious, lethal and economically devastating haemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs. Insights into the dynamics scale virus transmission can be obtained from estimates basic reproduction number (R0). We estimate R0 for ASF in small holder, free-range pig production system Gulu, Uganda. The estimation was based on data collected outbreaks that affected 43 villages (out 289 with an overall population 26,570) between April 2010 November 2011. A total 211...
Members of the order Rickettsiales are small, obligate intracellular bacteria that vector-borne and can cause mild to fatal diseases in humans worldwide. There is little information on zoonotic rickettsial pathogens may be harbored by dogs from rural localities South Africa. To characterize infecting dogs, we screened 141 blood samples, 103 ticks, 43 fleas collected domestic Bushbuckridge Municipality, Mpumalanga Province Africa, between October 2011 May 2012 using reverse line blot (RLB)...
A stochastic model designed to simulate transmission dynamics of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in a free-ranging pig population under various intervention scenarios is presented. The was used assess the relative impact timing implementation different control strategies on disease-related mortality. biosecurity measures simulated through incorporation decay function rate. predicts that implemented within 14 days onset an epidemic can avert up 74% deaths due ASF while hypothetical vaccines...
Summary As outbreaks of infectious diseases have emerged as a threat to small populations, conservation managers are increasingly making decisions regarding whether and how intervene in such situations. Past controversies lack knowledge firm guidelines may inhibit this process. We present data on vaccination campaign against rabies outbreak endangered Ethiopian wolves case study disease‐control intervention threatened population. the periphery area were trapped administer dose injectable...
A participatory epidemiological (PE) study was conducted with livestock keepers in Moroto and Kotido districts, Karamoja Region, Uganda, between October December 2013 to determine the management options relative importance of tick-borne diseases (TBDs) amongst transhumant zebu cattle. Data collection involved 24 focus group discussions (each comprising 8–12 people) settlement areas (manyattas), key informant interviews (30), direct observation, a review surveillance data, clinical...
Background Diarrheal disease remains among the leading causes of global mortality in children younger than 5 years. Exposure to domestic animals may be a risk factor for diarrheal disease. The objectives this study were identify animal-related exposures associated with cases moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) rural western Kenya, and major zoonotic enteric pathogens present residing homesteads case control children. Methodology/Principal findings We characterized subset (n = 73 pairs matched...