A5020102237- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Malaria Research and Control
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Human Mobility and Location-Based Analysis
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Dengue and Mosquito Control Research
- Data-Driven Disease Surveillance
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Travel-related health issues
- Influenza Virus Research Studies
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
- Community Health and Development
- Trypanosoma species research and implications
- Vibrio bacteria research studies
- Hepatitis Viruses Studies and Epidemiology
- Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies
- Urban Transport and Accessibility
Emergent BioSolutions (United States)
2023-2024
San Diego State University
2016-2023
Bavarian Nordic (Denmark)
2023
University of California, Davis
2009-2019
Fogarty International Center
2012-2019
National Institutes of Health
2012-2019
Naval Medical Research Command
2013
Asociación para la Conservación de la Cuenca Amazónica
2013
United States Naval Medical Research Unit SOUTH
2013
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
2010
Human movement is a key behavioral factor in many vector-borne disease systems because it influences exposure to vectors and thus the transmission of pathogens. transcends spatial temporal scales with different on dynamics. Here we develop conceptual model evaluate importance variation due individual human movements for pathogen transmission, focusing mosquito-borne dengue virus.We showing that relevance at particular scale depends vector behavior. Focusing day-biting Aedes aegypti,...
Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease of growing global health importance. Prevention efforts focus on mosquito control, with limited success. New insights into the spatiotemporal drivers dengue dynamics are needed to design improved disease-prevention strategies. Given restricted range movement primary vector, Aedes aegypti, local human movements may be an important driver virus (DENV) amplification and spread. Using contact-site cluster investigations in case-control design, we demonstrate...
Empiric quantification of human mobility patterns is paramount for better urban planning, understanding social network structure and responding to infectious disease threats, especially in light rapid growth urbanization globalization. This need particular relevance developing countries, since they host the majority global population are disproportionally affected by burden disease. We used Global Positioning System (GPS) data-loggers track fine-scale (within city) 582 residents from two...
Background Comprehensive, longitudinal field studies that monitor both disease and vector populations for dengue viruses are urgently needed as a pre-requisite developing locally adaptable prevention programs or to appropriately test license new vaccines. Methodology Principal Findings We report the results from such study spanning 5 years in Amazonian city of Iquitos, Peru where DENV infection was monitored serologically among ∼2,400 members neighborhood-based cohort through school-based...
Because no dengue vaccine or antiviral therapy is commercially available, controlling the primary mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, currently only means to prevent outbreaks. Traditional models of Ae. aegypti assume that population dynamics are regulated by density-dependent larval competition for food and little affected oviposition behavior. Due direct impacts on offspring survival development, however, choice in site can have important consequences regulation should be taken into account...
Background. Antibodies induced by infection with any 1 of 4 dengue virus (DENV) serotypes (DENV-1–4) may influence the clinical outcome subsequent heterologous infections. To quantify potential cross-protective effects, we estimated disease risk as a function DENV infection, using data from longitudinal studies performed September 2006 through February 2011 in Iquitos, Peru, during periods DENV-3 and DENV-4 transmission. Methods. infections before study period were determined analysis serial...
Our understanding of the effects human movement on dengue virus spread remains limited in part due to lack precise tools monitor time-dependent location individuals. We determined utility a new, commercially available, GPS data-logger for long-term tracking movements Iquitos, Peru. conducted series evaluations focused device attributes key reliable use and accuracy. observations from two participants were later compared with semi-structured interview data assess usefulness technology track...
For sexually and directly transmitted infectious diseases, social connections influence transmission because they determine contact between individuals. pathogens that are indirectly by arthropod vectors, the movement of vectors is thought to diminish role connections. Results from a recent study mosquito-borne dengue virus (DENV), however, indicate human alone can explain significant spatial variation in urban rates. Because patterns structured ties, this result suggests proximity may be...
Significance Using mathematical models to extend knowledge of pathogen transmission and recommend optimized control efforts is dependent on the accuracy model parameters. The rate at which susceptible individuals become infected [the force infection (FoI)] one most important parameters, but due data constraints it often incorrectly assumed be constant over time. a bespoke method for 12-y longitudinal dataset serotype-specific dengue virus (DENV) infections, we estimated time-varying, FoIs...
Introduction Long-term disease surveillance data provide a basis for studying drivers of pathogen transmission dynamics. Dengue is mosquito-borne caused by four distinct, but related, viruses (DENV-1-4) that potentially affect over half the world's population. incidence varies seasonally and on longer time scales, presumably driven interaction climate host susceptibility. Precise understanding dengue dynamics constrained, however, relative paucity laboratory-confirmed longitudinal data....
Background Nearly half of the world's population is at risk for dengue, yet no licensed vaccine or anti-viral drug currently available. Dengue caused by any four dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1 through DENV-4), and infection a DENV serotype assumed to provide life-long protection against re-infection that serotype. We investigated validity this fundamental assumption during large epidemic DENV-2 in Iquitos, Peru, 2010–2011, 15 years after first outbreak region. Methodology/Principal Findings...
Routine entomological monitoring data are used to quantify the abundance of Ae. aegypti. The public health utility these indicators is based on assumption that greater mosquito increases risk human DENV transmission, and therefore reducing exposure vector decreases incidence infection. Entomological survey from two longitudinal cohort studies in Iquitos, Peru, linked with 8,153 paired serological samples taken approximately six months apart were analyzed. Indicators aegypti density...
Background Knowledge of spatial patterns dengue virus (DENV) infection is important for understanding transmission dynamics and guiding effective disease prevention strategies. Because movement infected humans mosquito vectors plays a role in the spread persistence virus, dimensions can range from small household foci to large community clusters. Current limited because past analyses emphasized clinically apparent illness did not account potentially proportion inapparent infections. In this...
Background Empiric evidence shows that Aedes aegypti abundance is spatially heterogeneous and some areas larval habitats produce more mosquitoes than others. There a knowledge gap, however, with regards to the temporal persistence of such Ae. hotspots. In this study, we used longitudinal entomologic dataset from city Iquitos, Peru, (1) quantify spatial clustering patterns adult pupae counts per house, (2) determine overlap between clusters, (3) stability clusters over nine surveys spaced...
Background Heterogeneous mosquito biting results in different individuals a population receiving an uneven number of bites. This is feature many vector-borne disease systems that, if understood, could guide preventative control efforts toward who are expected to contribute most pathogen transmission. We aimed characterize factors determining patterns Aedes aegypti, the principal vector dengue virus. Methodology/Principal Findings Engorged female Ae. aegypti and human cheek swabs were...
Quantifying human mobility has significant consequences for studying physical activity, exposure to pathogens, and generating more realistic infectious disease models. Location-aware technologies such as Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled devices are used increasingly a gold standard research. The main goal of this observational study was compare contrast the information obtained through GPS semi-structured interviews (SSI) assess issues affecting data quality and, ultimately, our...
Individual-based models of infectious disease transmission depend on accurate quantification fine-scale patterns human movement. Existing movement either pertain to overly coarse scales, simulate some aspects but not others, or were designed specifically for populations in developed countries. Here, we propose a generalizable framework simulating the locations that an individual visits, time allocation across those locations, and population-level variation therein. As case study, fit...
As use of global positioning system (GPS) technology to study disease transmission increases, it is important assess possible barriers its from the perspective potential participants. Fifteen focus group discussions stratified by sex, age, and motherhood status were conducted in 2008 Iquitos, Peru. All participants said they would accept using a GPS unit for purposes 2–4 weeks. Participants' main concerns included caring properly unit, whether audio/videotape them, health effects prolonged...
Background Current Aedes aegypti larval control methods are often insufficient for preventing dengue epidemics. To improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness, some advocate eliminating or treating only highly productive containers. The population-level outcome of this strategy, however, will depend on details Ae. oviposition behavior. Methodology/Principal Findings We simultaneously monitored female juvenile development in 80 experimental containers located across 20 houses Iquitos, Peru, to...
Pathogens inflict a wide variety of disease manifestations on their hosts, yet the impacts behaviour infected hosts are rarely studied empirically and seldom accounted for in mathematical models transmission dynamics. We explored potential one most common manifestations, fever, key determinant pathogen transmission, host mobility, residents Amazonian city Iquitos, Peru. did so by comparing two groups febrile individuals (dengue-positive dengue-negative) with an afebrile control group. A...
Prophylactic vaccination is a powerful tool for reducing the burden of infectious diseases, due to combination direct protection vaccinees and indirect others via herd immunity. Computational models play an important role in devising strategies by making projections its impacts on public health. Such are subject uncertainty about numerous factors, however. For example, many vaccine efficacy trials focus measuring against disease rather than infection, leaving extent breakthrough infections...
Abstract Transmission heterogeneity, whereby a disproportionate fraction of pathogen transmission events result from small number individuals or geographic locations, is an inherent property many, if not most, infectious disease systems. For vector-borne diseases, heterogeneity inferred the distribution vectors per host, which could lead to significant bias in situations where vector abundance and risk at household do correlate, as case with dengue virus (DENV). We used data contact tracing...
During the last 50 years, geographic range of mosquito Aedes aegypti has increased dramatically, in parallel with a sharp increase disease burden from viruses it transmits, including Zika, chikungunya, and dengue. There is growing consensus that vector control essential to prevent Aedes-borne diseases, even as effective vaccines become available. What remains unclear how across broad operational scales because data analytical tools necessary isolate effect vector-oriented interventions have...
Vector control remains the primary measure available to prevent pathogen transmission for most devastating vector-borne diseases (VBDs): malaria, dengue, trypanosomiasis, filariasis, leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease. Current strategies, however, are proving insufficient remarkable advances in molecular biology of disease vectors over last two decades have yet result tangible tools that effectively reduce VBD incidence. Here we argue vector biologists must fundamentally shift their approach...