Jun 15, 2016 | Blog, Food Safety, Latest news, Poultry, Urban Zoo Project
Under the Urban Zoo umbrella, we have been sampling chicken farms as well as chicken meat retailers in Kibera, Nairobi, in order to investigate the prevalence of a food-borne pathogen, Campylobacter. Kibera, said to be the largest urban slum in Africa, is a surprising, challenging and rewarding environment to work in. The constantly evolving environment illustrates urban farming in its most inventive form. Densely populated and very low-income, the urban landscape goes from shiny newly-built roads, public toilets and other community spaces, often sponsored by donors, to muddy alleyways with open sewers and precarious living spaces.
Jun 15, 2016 | Blog, Emerging Diseases, Latest news, Research, Urban Zoo Project
Human, food and environmental data are among the wide range of data collected within the 99 households. The data are often collected by Clinical Officers. Human sampling involves among others, individual consenting to participate, questionnaire interviews administration, general physical examination and anthropometric measurements, biological data collection and offering feedback and health education on the outcome of the laboratory based investigations. Two sets of structured questionnaires are administered; a general household and individual participant questionnaires. Biological data that is collected includes fecal samples and nasal swabs. Fecal samples are assessed for E. coli and campylobacter bacteria while nasal swabs are assessed for antimicrobial resistance. Collection and transportation of human samples from the field to laboratories involves sterile techniques.
Jun 15, 2016 | Blog, Latest news, Research, Urban Zoo Project, Zoonotic Diseases
As we approach the final quarter of the 99 household study, it is a pleasure to be asked to reflect on the wildlife sampling component of this study. The wildlife sampling team has come a long way since its inception in September 2015, when we were all relative...
Jun 15, 2016 | Blog, Emerging Diseases, Latest news, Research, Urban Zoo Project
Well, time has flown since we sampled the first household in the 99 households study. On 7th June we visited our 66th household, meaning that after 8 months we are now two thirds of the way through. The project is taking us to all parts of Nairobi, as the maps illustrate. The field teams normally spend Monday to Wednesday collecting data, then use Thursdays and Fridays to recruit new households to the study, meet with local chiefs and county officials, give feedback to participants and keep on top of all the other jobs, such as vehicle maintenance, stock-keeping, accounting and paperwork. The wildlife team regularly go out on evenings and weekends to set and check traps for rodents and bats (who inconveniently refuse to venture out during normal working hours!) In some areas it has occasionally been necessary to conduct the study interviews in the evening, when participants return from work. Having to be flexible to fit around our human and animal participants’ needs, plus the perennial problem of Nairobi traffic, means early starts and long days.
Jun 15, 2016 | Blog, Emerging Diseases, Latest news, PI&Co-PI letters, Research, Urban Zoo Project
Epidemiology Ecology and Social-Economics of Disease emergence in Nairobi (ESEI) is a project that has been implemented in Nairobi city for the last five years. In this newsletter I would like to review the public health and demography and economic threads of the...
Mar 12, 2016 | Blog, Emerging Diseases, Latest news, PI&Co-PI letters, Research
The Urban Zoo project is certainly an exciting and challenging ‘beast.’ Funded by the UK Research Council Environmental and Social Ecology of Human Infectious Diseases (ESEI) initiative, we’ve certainly been deeply engaged in building an evidence base that is allowing us to understand the human, natural, wildlife and social environment of the complex and fascinating city of Nairobi. Our teams, each led by specific expertise in different leading academic institutions in Kenya and the UK, have lifted the lid on the complex worlds of livestock production, food supply, human nutrition, diarrhoeal disease, wildlife-human-livestock interfaces, microbial genetics, low income settlement patterns and urban planning. The efforts and energy of the field teams and lab teams in delivering the samples and the data on this project are quite astounding.
Jun 15, 2015 | Blog, Latest news
We are pleased to announce the launch of the new website, along with a new look, we have included some features that we hope will make visiting the site easier, enjoyable and a more interactive experience.
May 19, 2015 | Past opportunities, ZELS Project
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a Project Assistant to support research within the Zoonoses in Livestock in Kenya (ZooLink) Project. He/she will provide project management and coordination support across the ZooLink Project, including co-ordination of personnel, field research logistics, project partner co-ordination, donor interaction, research deliverables, contributions to budget management and other key outputs. It is 100% funded by a bilateral grant. ZooLinK is a standalone bilateral project in which ILRI has a major co-ordination role, and this post will be dedicated to delivering that responsibility on behalf of ILRI.
Apr 14, 2015 | Blog, Urban Zoo Project
Apr 12, 2015
Dr. John Kiiru profile Postdoctoral research associate Bio Current Positions: Senior researcher KEMRI Post-Doctoral Researcher:- University of Liverpool/KEMRI/UoN/ILRI: Zoonotic and Emerging Diseases Program Lecturer, ITROMID Post-Graduate Program (KEMRI/JKUAT)...
