I am supported by the Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to undertake my PhD within the Zoonotic & Emerging Diseases research group at the University of Edinburgh, supervised by Dr Eric Fèvre & Dr Mark Bronsvoort. I have a particular interest in the utilisation of livestock for socio-economic development and in the concept of ‘One health, One Medicine’. I was first introduced to the work of the Zoonotic & Emerging Diseases group and gained my interest in quantitative veterinary epidemiology whilst participating in the DEFRA-VTRI programme as a summer student.

My current research is concerned with the epidemiology of cysticercosis, the intermediate stage of the tapeworm Taenia solium in human and porcine populations in Western Kenya. Cysticercosis is a zoonotic disease of increasing public health and economic importance. It is estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to affect over 50 million people worldwide and infection of the central nervous system, neurocysticercosis, is now understood to be a leading cause of acquired epilepsy. The infection in pork leads to an economic burden upon farmers as they are unable to achieve the highest prices for their meat.

This disease has been neglected by the international community due to a paucity of region specific epidemiological data. This project will start to address this issue and hence inform the development of effective control interventions relevant to the situation in Western Kenya.

 Aims

• To determine the prevalence of cysticercosis and taeniasis in the human population
• To determine the prevalence of cysticercosis in the porcine population
• To use Bayesian analysis to validate serologic and coproantigen diagnostics for cysticercosis in the local population
• To understand the spatial distribution of human and porcine cysticercosis at homestead and district level
• Elucidate risk factors for human and porcine cysticercosis
  
• Quantification of the burden of disease on humans and animals and the combined social burden
• Molecular epidemiology of T.solium
  
• Validation of a laminar flow pen-side test

Contact: L.DobleNOSPAM@sms.ed.ac.uk (please remove the 'NOSPAM' part of the address before sending)