Pascal Bessong
A5043728694- Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- HIV Research and Treatment
- HIV/AIDS drug development and treatment
- HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
- Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations
- Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics
- Amoebic Infections and Treatments
- Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare
- Fecal contamination and water quality
- Escherichia coli research studies
- Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies
- Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
- Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
- Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology
- Essential Oils and Antimicrobial Activity
- Gut microbiota and health
- Hepatitis C virus research
- Vibrio bacteria research studies
- Infant Nutrition and Health
- Birth, Development, and Health
- HIV/AIDS Impact and Responses
- HIV-related health complications and treatments
- Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
University of Venda
2016-2025
Center for Global Health
2005-2025
University of Virginia
2004-2025
University of KwaZulu-Natal
2023-2025
South African Medical Research Council
2024-2025
Universidade Federal do Ceará
2020-2023
Great Zimbabwe University
2020
University of the Free State
2020
Foundation for the National Institutes of Health
2019
Johns Hopkins University
2017
BackgroundMost studies of the causes diarrhoea in low-income and middle-income countries have looked at severe disease people presenting for care, there are few estimates pathogen-specific burdens community.MethodsWe undertook a birth cohort study with not only intensive community surveillance but also routine collection non-diarrhoeal stools from eight sites South America, Africa, Asia. We enrolled children within 17 days birth, diarrhoeal episodes (defined as maternal report three or more...
Highly prevalent conditions with multiple and complex underlying etiologies are a challenge to public health. Undernutrition, for example, affects 20% of children in the developing world. The cause consequence poor nutrition multifaceted. Undernutrition has been associated half all deaths worldwide aged <5 years; addition, its pernicious long-term effects early childhood have cognitive physical growth deficits across generations thought suppress immunity further infections reduce efficacy...
Optimum management of childhood diarrhoea in low-resource settings has been hampered by insufficient data on aetiology, burden, and associated clinical characteristics. We used quantitative diagnostic methods to reassess refine estimates aetiology from the Etiology, Risk Factors, Interactions Enteric Infections Malnutrition Consequences for Child Health Development (MAL-ED) cohort study.We re-analysed stool specimens multisite MAL-ED study children aged 0-2 years done at eight locations...
BackgroundEnteropathogen infections in early childhood not only cause diarrhoea but contribute to poor growth. We used molecular diagnostics assess whether particular enteropathogens were associated with linear growth across seven low-resource settings.MethodsWe quantitative PCR detect 29 diarrhoeal and non-diarrhoeal stools collected from children the first 2 years of life obtained during Etiology, Risk Factors, Interactions Enteric Infections Malnutrition Consequences for Child Health...
Enteric infections are associated with linear growth failure in children. To quantify the association between intestinal inflammation and three commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (neopterin [NEO], alpha-anti-trypsin [AAT], myeloperoxidase [MPO]) were performed a structured sampling of asymptomatic stool from children under longitudinal surveillance for diarrheal illness eight countries. Samples 537 contributed 1,169 AAT, 916 MPO, 954 NEO test results that significantly...
There is no standardized approach to comparing socioeconomic status (SES) across multiple sites in epidemiological studies. This particularly problematic when cross-country comparisons are of interest. We sought develop a simple measure SES that would perform well diverse, resource-limited settings.A cross-sectional study was conducted with 800 children aged 24 60 months eight settings. Parents were asked respond household questionnaire, and the height each child measured. A statistical...
Environmental enteropathy (EE), the adverse impact of frequent and numerous enteric infections on gut resulting in a state persistent immune activation altered permeability, has been proposed as key determinant growth failure children low- middle-income populations. A theory-driven systems model to critically evaluate pathways through which enteropathogens, intestinal systemic inflammation affect child was conducted within framework Etiology, Risk Factors Interactions Enteric Infections...
To describe the frequency and factors associated with antibiotic use in early childhood, estimate proportion of diarrhoea respiratory illnesses episodes treated antibiotics.Between 2009 2014, we followed 2134 children from eight sites Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa United Republic Tanzania, enrolled MAL-ED birth cohort study. We documented all mothers' reports at twice-weekly visits over children's first two years life. estimated incidence associations child...
Characterizing the organization of human gut microbiota is a formidable challenge given number possible interactions between its components. Using statistical approach initially applied to financial markets, we measured temporally conserved covariance among bacterial taxa in healthy members Bangladeshi birth cohort sampled from 1 60 months age. The results revealed an "ecogroup" 15 covarying that provide concise description development children this and other low-income countries, means for...
Sustainable Development Goal 2.2-to end malnutrition by 2030-includes the elimination of child wasting, defined as a weight-for-length z-score that is more than two standard deviations below median World Health Organization standards for growth
Globally, 149 million children under 5 years of age are estimated to be stunted (length more than 2 standard deviations below international growth standards)
Abstract Growth faltering in children (low length for age or low weight length) during the first 1,000 days of life (from conception to 2 years age) influences short-term and long-term health survival 1,2 . Interventions such as nutritional supplementation pregnancy postnatal period could help prevent growth faltering, but programmatic action has been insufficient eliminate high burden stunting wasting low- middle-income countries. Identification windows population subgroups on which focus...
Background. Enteropathogen infections have been associated with enteric dysfunction and impaired growth in children low-resource settings. In a multisite birth cohort study (MAL-ED), we describe the epidemiology impact of Campylobacter infection first 2 years life. Methods. Children were actively followed up until 24 months age. Diarrheal nondiarrheal stool samples collected tested by enzyme immunoassay for Campylobacter. Stool blood assayed markers intestinal permeability inflammation....
Giardia are among the most common enteropathogens detected in children low-resource settings. We describe here epidemiology of infection with first 2 years life Etiology, Risk Factors, and Interactions Enteric Infections Malnutrition Consequences for Child Health Development Project (MAL-ED), a multisite birth-cohort study.From 2089 children, 34916 stool samples collected during monthly surveillance episodes diarrhea were tested using an enzyme immunoassay. quantified risk detection,...
Consumption of microbial-contaminated water can result in diarrheal illnesses and enteropathy with the heaviest impact upon children below age five. We aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis quality low-resource setting Limpopo province, South Africa. Surveys were conducted 405 households rural communities province determine their water-use practices, perceptions quality, household water-treatment methods. Drinking samples tested from for microbiological contamination. Water potential...
Stunting results from decreased food intake, poor diet quality, and a high burden of early childhood infections, contributes to significant morbidity mortality worldwide. Although insecurity is an important determinant child nutrition, including stunting, development universal measures has been challenging due cumbersome nutritional questionnaires concerns about lack comparability across populations. We investigate the relationship between household access, one component security, indicators...
Background. Norovirus is an important cause of childhood diarrhea. We present data from a longitudinal, multicountry study describing norovirus epidemiology during the first 2 years life. Methods. A birth cohort 1457 children across 8 countries contributed 7077 diarrheal stools for testing. subset 199 additional asymptomatic samples (2307) and (770), which were used to derive incidence rates evaluate evidence acquired immunity. Results. Across sites, 89% experienced at least 1 infection...
Fourteen plants used in traditional medicine the Venda region of South Africa were screened for activity against fifteen bacterial species. Methanol, acetone and hexane extracts some cases essential oils tested using disc diffusion microdilution methods. Most active at least one Methanol most while Gram positive bacteria sensitive as compared to negative bacteria. This study has revealed strong vitro Syzigium cordatum, Peltophorum africanum, Rhoicissus tridentata, Bridelia micrantha Ximenia...
A central hypothesis of The Etiology, Risk Factors and Interactions Enteric Infections Malnutrition the Consequences for Child Health Development (MAL-ED) study is that enteropathogens contribute to growth faltering. To examine this question, MAL-ED network investigators set out achieve 3 goals: (1) develop harmonized protocols test a diverse range enteropathogens, (2) provide quality-assured comparable results from 8 global sites, (3) maximum laboratory throughput minimum cost. This paper...
Growth and development shortfalls that are disproportionately prevalent in children living poor environmental conditions postulated to result, at least part, from abnormal gut function. Using data The Etiology, Risk Factors, Interactions of Enteric Infections Malnutrition the Consequences for Child Health Development (MAL-ED) longitudinal cohort study, we examine biomarkers inflammation permeability relation exposures feeding practices. Trends concentrations three biomarkers, myeloperoxidase...
Background Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) have been associated with mildly inflammatory diarrhea in outbreaks and travelers increasingly recognized as enteric pathogens young children without overt diarrhea. We examined the risk factors for EAEC infections their associations environmental enteropathy biomarkers growth outcomes over first two years of life eight low-resource settings MAL-ED study. Methods were detected by PCR gene probes aatA aaiC virulence traits 27,094 non-diarrheal...