December 5, 2019
Researchers present findings at the 2019 American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Conference
Last week, researchers from Global WACh’s Gut Health and Child Survival scientific priority area attended the 68th annual American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Conference in National Harbor, MD. ASTMH founded in 1903, is the largest international scientific organization of experts dedicated to reducing the worldwide burden of tropical infectious diseases and improving global health. Experts envision a world free of tropical infectious diseases by generating and sharing scientific evidence, informing health policies and practices, fostering career development, recognizing excellence, and advocating for investment in tropical medicine/global health research.
Left to right: Hannah Atlas (MPH Student and Research Assistant), Dr. Rebecca Brander (Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Former Research Assistant), Dr. Christine McGrath (Assistant Professor, Global Health), Stephanie Tornberg-Belanger (PhD Epidemiology Student and Research Assistant)
Our researchers gave six oral presentations and presented six selected poster abstracts. Topics ranged from childhood diarrhea and enteric diseases to implementation science approaches for mass drug administration to factors of hospitalized-based child mortality. Scroll below to read each abstract and see photos from the conference.
Oral presentations
Thursday, November 21
- “Minimally invasive tissue sampling among hospital-based child deaths in Blantyre, Malawi: The role of social relationships and power dynamics.”
Dave Mankhokwe Namusanya, Sarah Lawrence, Andrew Hamuza, Cornelius Huwa, Maureen Kelley, Sassy Molyneux, Wieger Voskuijl, Donna Denno, Nicola Desmond, Dennis Chasweka - “Projected impact & cost-effectiveness of high-risk targeted vs. community-based administration of azithromycin for reducing child mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Rebecca Brander, Marcia Weaver, Benson Singa, Grace John-Stewart, Patricia Pavlinac, Judd Walson
Friday, November 22
- “Human milk oligosaccharides & growth in HIV exposed uninfected infants in Kenya.” Christine J. McGrath, Judd L. Walson, Lars Bode, Chloe Yonemitsu, Rose Bosire, James A. Berkley, Dorothy Mbori-Ngacha, Grace C. John-Stewart
Saturday, November 23
Dr. Arianna Means (Assistant Professor, Global Health) gave the opening presentation as the Symposium Organizer of the Achieving and Monitoring High Mass Drug Administration Treatment Coverage in Soil-Transmitted Helminth Control and Elimination Programs session. Dr. Judd Walson (center; Professor, Global Health) participated in the panel.
- “Correlates of high & low MDA treatment coverage: An implementation science approach” Arianna Means
- “Azithromycin to improve survival: a solution for everyone?” Judd Walson
- “Clinical implications of second hit infections: epidemiology of post-discharge deaths in Africa” Judd Walson
Selected poster presentations
Dave Namusanya (Social Scientist, Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust) and Dr. Donna Denno (Professor, Global Health) presented a poster on community attitudes on minimally invasive tissue sampling in Malawi.
- “Intestinal Sampling: A Feasible Component of Postmortem Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS) Procedures” Donna M. Denno, Peter Finch, Steve Kamiza, Ta-Chiang Liu, Phillip I. Tarr, Robert Bandsma, Lisa A. Niemann, Wieger Voskuijl
- “Predictors of Shigella severity & derivation of a Shigella-severity score in the Global enteric multicenter study.” Patricia Pavlinac et al.
- “Correlates of frequent hospitalizations in children discharged from hospital in western Kenya (Toto Bora Trial).” Rebecca Brander, Benson Singa, Kirkby Tickell, Christine McGrath, Hannah Atlas, Lucy Bunyige, Bertha Odhiambo, Grace John-Stewart, Barbra Richardson, Patricia Pavlinac, Judd Walson
- “Change in prevalence of risk factors for diarrhea mortality across a 10 yr. period between Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) and vaccine impact on diarrhea in Africa.” Emily L. Deichsel, Helen Powell, Adama M. Keita, M Jahangir Hossain, Richard Omore, Doh Sanogo, Samba O. Sow, Joquina CM Jones, Anna Roose, Dilruba Nasrin, Jennifer Verani, Mark-Alain Widdowson, Milagritos Tapia, Karen L. Kotloff
- “Prevalence & correlates of stunting among children 1-59 months discharged from three hospitals in W. Kenya.” Hannah E. Atlas, Rebecca L. Brander, Kirkby D. Tickell, Christine J. McGrath, Susan K. Oongo, Ingred V. Bitengo, Grace C. John-Stewart, Barbra A. Richardson, Benson O. Singa, Judd L. Walson, Patricia B. Pavlinac
Stephanie Tornberg-Belanger (Research Assistant) discusses her research findings with conference attendees.
- “Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in commensal E.coli from children discharged from hospital in W. Kenya.” Stephanie N. Tornberg-Belanger, Doreen Rwigi, Rebecca L. Brander, Kirkby D. Tickell, Christine J. McGrath, Michael Muraya, Lynnete Kitheka, Nancy Onamu, Derrick Ounga, Samuel M. Kariuki, Benson O. Singa, Judd L. Walson, Patricia B. Pavlinac