Why Climate Action Is Global Health Action.

The impacts of climate change on global health and populations are far-reaching, yet they disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, thereby exacerbating disparities. As humanity reckons with the emergency of climate change, our global health community needs to contend with our own contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. We know that transformation is possible and that climate action is the antidote to the existential challenge.

General contextual effects on neglected tropical disease risk in rural Kenya.

The neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are characterized by their tendency to cluster within groups of people, typically the poorest and most marginalized. Despite this, measures of clustering, such as within-group correlation or between-group heterogeneity, are rarely reported from community-based studies of NTD risk. We describe a general contextual analysis that uses multi-level models to partition and quantify variation in individual NTD risk at multiple grouping levels in rural Kenya.

Serological and spatial analysis of alphavirus and flavivirus prevalence and risk factors in a rural community in western Kenya.

Alphaviruses, such as chikungunya virus, and flaviviruses, such as dengue virus, are (re)-emerging arboviruses that are endemic in tropical environments. In Africa, arbovirus infections are often undiagnosed and unreported, with febrile illnesses often assumed to be malaria. This cross-sectional study aimed to characterize the seroprevalence of alphaviruses and flaviviruses among children (ages 5-14, n = 250) and adults (ages 15 ≥ 75, n = 250) in western Kenya.

The sero-epidemiology of Rift Valley fever in people in the Lake Victoria Basin of western Kenya.

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a zoonotic arbovirus affecting livestock and people. This study was conducted in western Kenya where RVFV outbreaks have not previously been reported. The aims were to document the seroprevalence and risk factors for RVFV antibodies in a community-based sample from western Kenya and compare this with slaughterhouse workers in the same region who are considered a high-risk group for RVFV exposure.

An integrated study of human and animal infectious disease in the Lake Victoria crescent small-holder crop-livestock production system, Kenya.

Background: The neglected zoonotic diseases (NZD) are an understudied group that are a major cause of illness throughout the developing world. In general, little is known about the prevalence and burden of NZDs in affected communities, particularly in relation to other infectious diseases with which they are often co-endemic. We describe the design and descriptive epidemiological outputs from an integrated study of human and animal zoonotic and non-zoonotic disease in a rural farming community in western Kenya.

Assessment of lymphatic filariasis prior to re-starting mass drug administration campaigns in coastal Kenya.

Background: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a debilitating disease associated with extensive disfigurement and is one of a diverse group of diseases referred to as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) which mainly occur among the poorest populations. In line with global recommendations to eliminate LF, Kenya launched its LF elimination programme in 2002 with the aim to implement annual mass drug administration (MDA) in order to interrupt LF transmission. However, the programme faced financial and administrative challenges over the years such that sustained annual MDA was not possible.

Modelling the risk of Taenia solium exposure from pork produced in western Kenya.

The tapeworm Taenia solium is the parasite responsible for neurocysticercosis, a neglected tropical disease of public health importance, thought to cause approximately 1/3 of epilepsy cases across endemic regions. The consumption of undercooked infected pork perpetuates the parasite's life-cycle through the establishment of adult tapeworm infections in the community. Reducing the risk associated with pork consumption in the developing world is therefore a public health priority.

The Sero-epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii in Humans and Cattle, Western Kenya: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study.

Evidence suggests that the intracellular bacterial pathogen Coxiella burnetii (which causes Q fever) is widespread, with a near global distribution. While there has been increasing attention to Q fever epidemiology in high-income settings, a recent systematic review highlighted significant gaps in our understanding of the prevalence, spatial distribution and risk factors for Q fever infection across Africa. This research aimed to provide a One Health assessment of Q fever epidemiology in parts of Western and Nyanza Provinces, Western Kenya, in cattle and humans.

Correction: The Influence of Socio-economic, Behavioural and Environmental Factors on Taenia spp. Transmission in Western Kenya: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Survey in Humans and Pigs.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.

The Influence of Socio-economic, Behavioural and Environmental Factors on Taenia spp. Transmission in Western Kenya: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Survey in Humans and Pigs.

Unlabelled: Taenia spp. infections, particularly cysticercosis, cause considerable health impacts in endemic countries. Despite previous evidence of spatial clustering in cysticercosis and the role of environmental factors (e.

Prevalence of Taenia solium cysticercosis in pigs entering the food chain in western Kenya.

Three hundred forty-three pigs slaughtered and marketed in western Kenya were subjected to lingual examination and HP10 Ag-ELISA for the serological detection of Taenia solium antigen. When estimates were adjusted for the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic assays, prevalence of T. solium cysticercosis estimated by lingual exam and HP10 Ag-ELISA was between 34.

Shrinking a large dataset to identify variables associated with increased risk of Plasmodium falciparum infection in Western Kenya.

Large datasets are often not amenable to analysis using traditional single-step approaches. Here, our general objective was to apply imputation techniques, principal component analysis (PCA), elastic net and generalized linear models to a large dataset in a systematic approach to extract the most meaningful predictors for a health outcome. We extracted predictors for Plasmodium falciparum infection, from a large covariate dataset while facing limited numbers of observations, using data from the People, Animals, and their Zoonoses (PAZ) project to demonstrate these techniques: data collected from 415 homesteads in western Kenya, contained over 1500 variables that describe the health, environment, and social factors of the humans, livestock, and the homesteads in which they reside.

Cryptosporidiosis in HIV/AIDS patients in Kenya: clinical features, epidemiology, molecular characterization and antibody responses.

We investigated the epidemiological and clinical features of cryptosporidiosis, the molecular characteristics of infecting species and serum antibody responses to three Cryptosporidium-specific antigens in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients in Kenya. Cryptosporidium was the most prevalent enteric pathogen and was identified in 56 of 164 (34%) of HIV/AIDS patients, including 25 of 70 (36%) with diarrhea and 31 of 94 (33%) without diarrhea. Diarrhea in patients exclusively infected with Cryptosporidium was significantly associated with the number of children per household, contact with animals, and water treatment.

Once a year school-based deworming with praziquantel and albendazole combination may not be adequate for control of urogenital schistosomiasis and hookworm infection in Matuga District, Kwale County, Kenya.

Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) predominantly occur in resource poor settings where they often present a serious public health burden. Sustained global advocacy has been important in raising awareness of NTDs and the relatively low cost for control of helminthic NTDs using preventive chemotherapy. This enthusiasm was boosted at the London declaration on NTDs in 2012 through commitments by different partners to avail resources required for control of NTDs particularly those that employ preventive chemotherapy as the major intervention strategy.

Infectious diarrhoea in antiretroviral therapy-naive HIV/AIDS patients in Kenya.

Background: Diarrhoea is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. The objectives of this study were to investigate the aetiological agents, risk factors and clinical features associated with diarrhoea in HIV/AIDS patients in Kenya.

Methods: Sociodemographic, epidemiological and clinical data were obtained for 164 HIV/AIDS patients (70 with and 94 without diarrhoea) recruited from Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya.

MOLECULAR CHARACTERISATION OF ECHINOCOCCUS GRANULOSUS SPECIES/STRAINS IN HUMAN INFECTIONS FROM TURKANA, KENYA.

Background: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) or hydatid disease is a neglected, economically important zoonotic disease endemic in pastoralist communities, in particular the Turkana community of Kenya. It is caused by the larval stage of the highly diverse species complex of Echinococcusgranulosus sensu lato (s.l).

Characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from skin and soft tissue infections in patients in Nairobi, Kenya.

Background: Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are among the most common infectious diseases and a frequent cause of hospital visits. In this study we sought to assess the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and antibiotic susceptibility patterns in SSTIs in patients attending hospitals in Kenya.

Methods: Eighty-two S.

Sustained reduction in prevalence of lymphatic filariasis infection in spite of missed rounds of mass drug administration in an area under mosquito nets for malaria control.

Background: The Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) was established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2000 with the goal of eliminating lymphatic filariasis (LF) as a public health problem globally by 2020. Mass drug administration (MDA) of antifilarial drugs is the principal strategy recommended for global elimination. Kenya launched a National Programme for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (NPELF) in Coast Region in 2002.

Evaluation of effectiveness of diethylcarbamazine/albendazole combination in reduction of Wuchereria bancrofti infection using multiple infection parameters.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of multiple rounds of annual single dose of DEC (6 mg/kg) or albendazole (400mg) given alone or in combination on Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemia, anti-filarial IgG1 and IgG4 and antigenaemia.

Methods: A total of 170 participants were randomly assigned to albendazole (n = 62), DEC (n = 54), and DEC plus albendazole (DEC/ALB) combination (n = 54). Blood samples were collected at pre-treatment in 1998, at 1 week and 6 months after the first treatment and thereafter before subsequent treatments in 1999 and 2000.

Oxacillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus among HIV infected and non-infected Kenyan patients.

Background: Infections due to methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) present global challenges to clinicians since therapeutic options are limited and suboptimal dosing contributes to heightened mortality and increased length of hospital stay particularly among the HIV infected patients.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and relative risk of MRSA infections in HIV infected patients.

Biochemical changes in cerebrospinal fluid of Chlorocebus aethiops naturally infected with zoonotic Meningonema peruzzii.

Background: Thirty-four wild Chlorocebus aethiops monkeys were trapped for research purposes.

Methods: During routine quarantine check-up, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood were microscopically examined for parasites. Estimations of CSF protein levels were made by the biuret method and the white cell counts by the hemocytometer.

Impact of two rounds of mass treatment with diethylcarbamazine plus albendazole on Wuchereria bancrofti infection and the sensitivity of immunochromatographic test in Malindi, Kenya.

Annual single-dose mass treatment of endemic populations with a combination of either diethylcarbamazine (DEC) or ivermectin plus albendazole is recommended as the mainstay of lymphatic filariasis elimination programmes. We evaluated the impact of two rounds of annual mass drug administration (MDA) of DEC and albendazole on bancroftian filariasis in a pilot elimination programme in an endemic area of Kenya. Overall prevalence of microfilaraemia decreased by 65.