Global WACh

May 20, 2015

Global WACh In Focus: Patricia Pavlinac

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Patricia Pavlinac, PhD, was trained in epidemiology and began working within the Department of Global Health on tuberculosis-related research projects in January 2010. Through coordinating a diarrheal and febrile illness surveillance study for Judd Walson, she developed a dissertation to determine the potential etiologies of acute diarrhea among Kenyan children, to determine how these etiologies associate with HIV-infection and HIV-exposure, and to evaluate the appropriateness of current international diarrhea management guidelines in correctly indicating antibiotics.  She found that specific enteric pathogens, namely enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and Cryptosporidium are associated with HIV-infection and HIV-exposure, respectively, a finding that builds upon recent evidence that these two pathogens are independently associated with mortality in children with diarrhea.  Additionally, she found that the indications for antibiotic use in current World Health Organization management guidelines miss most treatable bacteria. To give a bit of context to her research, over 3% of children under 5 years of age who present to a Western Kenya health facility with a moderate to severe form of diarrhea will die within the subsequent 60-days, despite receiving oral rehydration solution and zinc,  a risk of death 5-times higher than a healthy similarly aged child living in the same community. This knowledge, combined with her research in understanding the role of host and management factors in diarrheal disease consequences, have inspired her to focus her career on pediatric diarrheal disease in sub-Saharan Africa. (more…)

May 7, 2015

The Next Big Thing

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It’s that time of year again for our 3rd annual “Next Big Thing” end-of-year event. The evening will be dedicated to highlighting the achievements of our scholars, and certificate students. We will start off in Foege auditorium with Dr. Judith Wasserheit speaking, followed by brief highlights from our Scholars and their various projects around the world.  We will then move upstairs to Vista Café to enjoy some refreshments while looking at the Global WACh certificate student posters.

Here are the details!

Date: Wednesday, May 27th 2015

Place: UW Campus | William H. Foege Building | Foege Auditorium

Time:  

5:30-6:30 p.m. 
Presentations from:
Annie Hoopes, MD (WHO Scholar)
Emily Robinson and Kate Fizenmaier (SCOPE Scholars)
Our recent Seed Grant Awardees
Dr. Judith Wasserheit, Chair, Department of Global Health

6:30-7:30 p.m. – Light Reception & Student Posters in the Vista Cafe.