A5003415539- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Malaria Research and Control
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Dengue and Mosquito Control Research
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Poxvirus research and outbreaks
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research
Kenya Medical Research Institute
2018-2025
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
2013-2020
United States Army Medical Research Directorate - Africa
2020
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
2018
Tick-borne viruses infect humans through the bite of infected ticks during opportunistic feeding or crushing by hand and, in some instances, contact with viremic animals. The Ijara District, an arid to semiarid region northern Kenya, is home a pastoralist community for whom livestock keeping way life. Part District lies within boundaries Kenya Wildlife Service–protected conservation area. Arbovirus activity among mosquitoes, animals, and reported region, mainly because prevailing conditions...
The diversity of mosquito arbovirus vectors was investigated to define regional risk transmission in Kenya. Mosquitoes were sampled between April, 2007 and December, 2010 at thirteen sites across seven administrative provinces ecological zones. CDC light traps used collect mosquitoes while human-landing collection conducted five the target day-feeding Aedes (Stegomyia) species. Over 524,000 collected identified into 101 species, 30 them known arboviruses endemic Ae. (Neomelaniconion)...
Aedes aegypti ( Ae. ) is the primary vector of several arboviruses, including dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya (CHIKV), yellow fever (YFV), and Zika (ZIKV). This widespread globally in tropical subtropical areas but also found temperate areas. Kenya experienced its first outbreak Lamu County 2004, followed by subsequent outbreaks Mandera 2016 Mombasa 2017. Despite presence Kisumu Busia counties, no have been reported these two western counties. To investigate this phenomenon, we collected...
Susceptibility of Ae. aegypti mosquito to dengue virus (DENV) varies geographically and can be influenced by climatic factors such as temperature, which affect the incidence, seasonality distribution vector-borne diseases. The first outbreak fever (DF) in Kenya occured 1982 coastal towns Malindi Kilifi. Unlike Nairobi where no active transmission has been reported, DF is currently re-emerging at Coast causing major outbreaks. This study investigated vector competence populations from two...
Aedes aegypti is a competent arthropod vector of chikungunya virus (CHIKV). The rate at which the disseminate in limited by temperature their environment can be an important determinant geographical and seasonal limits to transmission arthropods tropics. This study investigated competence Ae. for CHIKV ambient 32 26 °C (Coastal Western Kenya respectively) reared Extrinsic Incubation Temperature (EIT) that resembles those two regions. eggs were collected from coastal Kenya, hatched insectary...
Multiple outbreaks of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) with devastating effects have occurred in East Africa. These cause disease both livestock and humans affect poor households most severely. Communities living areas practicing nomadic movement may be at higher risk infection. This study sought to i) determine the human exposure fever virus (RVFV) populations within animal routes Kenya; ii) identify factors for RVFV infection these communities.A cross-sectional descriptive design was used. Samples...
Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreaks in Kenya have increased frequency and range to include northeastern where viruses are increasingly being isolated from known (Aedes mcintoshi) newly-associated (Ae. ochraceus) vectors. The factors contributing these changing outbreak patterns unclear the population genetic structure of key vectors and/or specific virus-vector associations, particular, under-studied. By conducting mitochondrial nuclear DNA analyses on >220 Kenyan specimens Ae. mcintoshi...
Journal Article Ticks and Tick-Borne Viruses From Livestock Hosts in Arid Semiarid Regions of the Eastern Northeastern Parts Kenya Get access Joel Lutomiah, Lutomiah 3 1Centre for Virus Research, Medical Research Institute, P. O. Box 54628, Nairobi 00100, Kenya.2Division Emerging Infectious Disease, US Army Unit, Kenya, 606-00621, Village Market, 00621, Kenya. 3Corresponding author, e-mail: joel.lutomiah@usamru-k.org. Search other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google...
In April, 2004, chikungunya virus (CHIKV) re-emerged in Kenya and eventually spread to the islands Indian Ocean basin, South-East Asia, Americas. The virus, which is often associated with high levels of viremia humans, mostly transmitted by urban vector, Aedes aegypti. expansion CHIKV presents a public health challenge both locally internationally. this study, we investigated ability Ae. aegypti mosquitoes from three distinct cities Kenya; Mombasa (outbreak prone), Kisumu, Nairobi (no...
Background Until recently, arbovirus surveillance is mainly focused on mosquito and tick vectors, resulting in the discovery of several mosquito- tick-borne arboviruses. However, role sandflies transmission disease has remained largely unexplored. This study sought to isolate characterize arboviruses from phlebotomine selected pastoral ecozones North Rift region Kenya. Methods Sandflies were collected sites Kenya between 2015 2018. They sorted pooled by sex, site, collection date. The pools...
Between late 2017 and mid-2018, a chikungunya fever outbreak occurred in Mombasa, Kenya that followed an earlier mid-2016 Mandera County on the border with Somalia. Using targeted Next Generation Sequencing, we obtained genomes from clinical samples collected during 2017/2018 Mombasa outbreak. We compared data 2016 outbreak, found both had Aedes aegypti adapting mutations, E1:K211E E2:V264A. Further to above two 11 of 15 CHIKV showed novel triple mutation signature E1:V80A, E1:T82I E1:V84D....
Kenya has experienced outbreaks of chikungunya in the past years with most recent outbreak occurring Mandera northern region May 2016 and Mombasa coastal from November 2017 to February 2018. Despite Kenya, studies on vector competence have only been conducted Aedes aegypti. However, role played by other mosquito species transmission maintenance virus endemic areas remains unclear. This study sought determine possible rural bromeliae vittatus virus, focusing Kilifi West Pokot regions...
Chikungunya virus is an alphavirus, primarily transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus. In late 2017-2018, outbreak of chikungunya occurred in Mombasa county, Kenya, investigations were conducted to establish associated entomological risk factors. Homes stratified water-filled containers inspected for immature aegypti, larval indices calculated. Adult mosquitoes collected the same homesteads using BG-Sentinel CDC light traps screened virus. Experiments also determine ability Culex...
The West Nile virus (WNV), primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, is one of the most widespread flaviviruses globally, with past outbreaks occurring in USA and Europe. Recent studies parts Africa, including Kenya, have identified Koutango lineage (WN-KOUTV) among phlebotomine sandfly populations, however, our understanding this remains limited. This study aimed to characterize WN-KOUTV from sandflies. Sandflies were sampled between 12 th -16 March 2021 16 -20 2023 six villages each Baringo...
Abstract Mpox is a zoonotic disease caused by the Monkeypox virus (MPXV) in family: Poxviridae, genus: Orthopoxvirus. Historically, was restricted mostly to Africa with cases being reported Central (mostly clade I) and West (caused II). However, there has been recent shift range outbreaks Europe America, countries where initially not endemic. This multi-country outbreak driven IIb lineage of MPXV. Since December 2023, an ongoing mpox Democratic Republic Congo (DRC), new I virus, designated...
Abstract Background Arbovirus surveillance and recurrence of outbreaks in Kenya continues to reveal the re-emergence viruses public health importance. This calls for sustained efforts early detection characterization these agents avert future potential outbreaks. Methods A larval survey was carried out three different sites Kwale County, Vanga, Jego Lunga Lunga. All containers every accessible household compound were sampled immature mosquitoes. In addition, adult mosquitoes also using CO 2...
Abstract The West Nile virus (WNV), primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, is one of the most widespread flaviviruses globally, with past outbreaks occurring in USA and Europe. Recent studies parts Africa, including Kenya, have identified Koutango lineage (WN-KOUTV) among phlebotomine sandfly populations, however, our understanding this remains limited. Hence, study aimed to characterize WN-KOUTV from sandflies. Sandflies were sampled between 12-16 th March 2021 six villages Baringo South,...
Phleboviruses are an emerging threat to public health. Recent surveillance efforts in Kenya have unveiled novel phleboviruses. Despite these efforts, there remain knowledge gaps. This study tested female sandflies from diverse ecological settings for arboviruses. Sandfly pools were cultured Vero-CCL cells. Pools showing reproducible cytopathic effects subjected next-generation sequencing, followed by phylogenetic analysis. In vitro, cell kinetics analysis was performed using both Vero-E6...
Ticks are ecto-parasites of domestic animals, rodents, and wildlife living for periods at a time on one or more vertebrate hosts. They important vectors viral, bacterial, parasitic diseases in livestock humans. Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus the spotted rickettsiae some tick-borne public health importance reported Kenya. Their distribution risks among communities, especially pastoralists, remain poorly characterized due to limited surveillance, affected partly by inadequate capacity...
Background Bunyamwera(BUNV) and Ngari (NGIV) viruses are arboviruses of medical importance globally, the endemic in Africa, Aedes(Ae) aegypti Anopheles(An) gambiae mosquitoes currently competent vectors for BUNV NGIV respectively. Both have been isolated from humans various ecologies Kenya. Understanding risk patterns spread necessitate studies vector competence local population Ae . simpsoni sl which is abundant coastal region. This study sought to assess ability Simpsoni at Coast Kenya...
Abstract Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of several arboviruses, including dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya (CHIKV), yellow fever (YFV), and Zika (ZIKV). This widespread globally in tropical subtropical areas, but also found temperate areas. Kenya experienced its first outbreaks Lamu County 2004 later Mandera: 2016, Mombasa: 2017. While there yet to be a report Kenya, sero-surveillance studies indicate low-level transmission this coastal northern parts country. Despite presence Ae....