Annual Report 2013

The 2013 Annual Report includes a review of the year, research highlights and activities across the School's three Faculties, and key facts and figures. The financial review provides an overview of the School's finances and activities during 2012-13

Effect of ready-to-use-therapeutic food supplementation on the nutritional status, mortality and morbidity of children 6 to 60 months in Niger, a cluster randomized trial

Presented at the conference of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 200

Pharmacokinetics, clinical and safety outcomes of Pyronaridine/artesunate Treatment of Acute Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in Uganda

Presented at the conference of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 200

A Snap Shot of the Prevalence of Anopheles Merus and its Role in Malaria Transmission in Pemba

Malaria is a serious public health problem in Pemba. It is holoendemic and thus affects mostly children and pregnant women. Following intense vector control activities in recent years, there has been a notable decline in malaria cases, presumably due to reduced populations of An. gambiae s.s. However, it was noted by Wastling (2007) that some areas in Pemba were supporting large populations of An. merus, a vector which the ZMCP recorded as absent in 2005 (ZMCP, 2007). It is probable that changes to vector population previously observed following vector control activities of the 1960’s may be taking place. To ensure the continued effectiveness of the Pemban malaria vector control campaign, it is prudent to determine the relative proportion of An. merus (and other members of An. gambiae s.l.) in Pemba; to document where the larvae and adults are found and consider its potential impact in the transmission of Plasmodium and the implications for clinical malaria in the region. Larvae were sampled from a diverse range of water habitats (41 sites) and ecological features of each larval site were recorded in order to investigate their relationship to species distribution and relative abundance. CDC light traps were used to collect host seeking mosquitoes from households and a goat shed neighbouring suspected An. merus breeding sites. A PCR assay was used to identify the specimens collected. Ribosomal DNA (rDNA) analysis was performed on a total of 216 larvae from 19 populations. 120 larvae were positively assigned to 3 species: An. merus (50%), An. arabiensis (5%) and An. quadrannulatus (1%). Whilst 96 larvae (44%) remained unidentified. Of the 5 mosquitoes collected 2 were identified as An. merus and 3 were unidentified. An. merus dominated in brackish-waters, showing great plasticity in its choice of larval habitat. However its relative abundance decreased at high altitudes. The species composition of the An. gambiae complex appears to be undergoing the same changes as observed during the spraying campaigns of the 1950s and 60s. The occurrence of endophilic members of the An. gambiae complex have reduced significantly whilst the exophilic members; (mostly) An. merus, An. arabiensis and An. quadriannulatus thrive. However the role of this species in malaria transmission cannot be commented upon due to limited sampling results

Cytochrome P450associated with insecticide resistance catalyzes cuticular hydrocarbon production in Anopheles gambiae.

The role of cuticle changes in insecticide resistance in the major malaria vector Anopheles gambiae was assessed. The rate of internalization of 14C deltamethrin was significantly slower in a resistant strain than in a susceptible strain. Topical application of an acetone insecticide formulation to circumvent lipid-based uptake barriers decreased the resistance ratio by ∼50%. Cuticle analysis by electron microscopy and characterization of lipid extracts indicated that resistant mosquitoes had a thicker epicuticular layer and a significant increase in cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) content (∼29%). However, the CHC profile and relative distribution were similar in resistant and susceptible insects. The cellular localization and in vitro activity of two P450 enzymes, CYP4G16 and CYP4G17, whose genes are frequently overexpressed in resistant Anopheles mosquitoes, were analyzed. These enzymes are potential orthologs of the CYP4G1/2 enzymes that catalyze the final step of CHC biosynthesis in Drosophila and Musca domestica, respectively. Immunostaining indicated that both CYP4G16 and CYP4G17 are highly abundant in oenocytes, the insect cell type thought to secrete hydrocarbons. However, an intriguing difference was indicated; CYP4G17 occurs throughout the cell, as expected for a microsomal P450, but CYP4G16 localizes to the periphery of the cell and lies on the cytoplasmic side of the cell membrane, a unique position for a P450 enzyme. CYP4G16 and CYP4G17 were functionally expressed in insect cells. CYP4G16 produced hydrocarbons from a C18 aldehyde substrate and thus has bona fide decarbonylase activity similar to that of dmCYP4G1/2. The data support the hypothesis that the coevolution of multiple mechanisms, including cuticular barriers, has occurred in highly pyrethroid-resistant An. gambiae.Fil: Balabanidou, Vasileia. Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas; Grecia. Universidad de Creta; GreciaFil: Kampouraki, Anastasia. Universidad de Creta; GreciaFil: Mac Lean, Marina. University of Nevada; Estados UnidosFil: Blomquist, Gary J.. University of Nevada; Estados UnidosFil: Tittiger, Claus. University of Nevada; Estados UnidosFil: Juarez, Marta Patricia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata ; ArgentinaFil: Mijailovsky, Sergio Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata ; ArgentinaFil: Chalepakis, George. Universidad de Creta; GreciaFil: Anthousi, Amalia. Universidad de Creta; GreciaFil: Lynd, Amy. Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; Reino UnidoFil: Antoine, Sanou. Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; Reino UnidoFil: Hemingway, Janet. Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; Reino UnidoFil: Ranson, Hilary. Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; Reino UnidoFil: Lycett, Gareth J.. Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; Reino UnidoFil: Vontas, John. Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas; Grecia. Agricultural University of Athens; Greci

Traumatic Myiasis Caused by an Association of <i>Sarcophaga tibialis</i> (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) and <i>Lucilia sericata</i> (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in a Domestic Cat in Italy

received: 2015-05-07 accepted: 2015-06-30 published: 2015-08-25© 2015, Korean Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The attached file is the published version of the article.© 2015, Korean Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The attached file is the published version of the article

The Benjamin H. Kean Travel Fellowship in Tropical Medicine: Assessment of Impact at 15 Years

Abstract. The Benjamin H. Kean Fellowship in Tropical Medicine is an American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene initiative that provides medical students with funding for international clinical or research experiences lasting at least 1 month. Of the 175 Kean fellows from 1998 to 2013, 140 had current available e-mails, and 70 of the 140 (50%) responded to a survey about their fellowship experience. Alumni indicated that the Kean Fellowship had a high impact on their career plans with regard to preparation for (N = 65, 94.2%) and inspiration to pursue (N = 59, 88.1%) a career in tropical medicine and global health. Continued involvement in tropical medicine and global health was common: 52 alumni (74.3%) were currently working in tropical medicine or global health, 49 (71.0%) had done so in the interim between the Kean fellowship and their current position; and 17 of 19 Kean fellows (89.4%) who had completed all medical training and were now in professional practice continued to work in tropical medicine and global health. Alumni had been highly productive academically, publishing a total of 831 PubMed-indexed manuscripts, almost all on tropical medicine or global health topics, in the period between their fellowship year and 2013. Alumni reported strengths of the fellowship including funding, networking, and flexibility, and suggested that more networking and career mentoring would enhance the program. The Benjamin H. Kean fellowship program has been highly successful at inspiring and fostering ongoing work by trainees in tropical medicine and global health

Plasma neuronal specific enolase : a potential stage diagnostic marker in human African trypanosomiasis

© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected]. Funding: This work was supported through grants from the Wellcome Trust [082786] and Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

LSHTM Data Compass Procedures

LSHTM Data Compass is a digital repository of research data and other digital objects produced by researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and its affiliates. These procedures outlines processes for the management of digital objects that the LSHTM Library & Archives has agreed to curate and preserve for the purpose of making available through LSHTM Data Compass