Publications
Indirect Effects of Ebola Virus Disease Epidemics on Health Systems in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia Vrije Universiteit Brussel Institute of Tropical Medicine
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) epidemics have been extensively documented and have received large scientific and public attention since 1976. Until July 2022, 16 countries worldwide had reported at least one case of EVD, resulting in 43 epidemics. Most of the epidemics occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) but the largest epidemic occurred from 2014-2016 in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia in West Africa. The indirect effects of EVD ...
Epidemiology of polyparasitism with Taenia solium, schistosomes and soil-transmitted helminths in the co-endemic village of Malanga, Democratic Republic of Congo Institute of Tropical Medicine Ghent University
Helminth co-infections are common in sub-Saharan Africa. However, little is known about the distribution and determinants of co-infections with Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis. Building on a previous community-based study on human cysticercosis in Malanga village, we investigated co-infections with Taenia solium, soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and Schistosoma spp and associated risk factors in a random subsample of 330 participants. ...
Outbreak of tuberculosis and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, Mbuji-Mayi Central Prison, Democratic Republic of the Congo Institute of Tropical Medicine University of Antwerp
After an alert regarding approximate to 31 tuberculosis (TB) cases, 3 of which were rifampin-resistant TB cases, in Mbuji-Mayi Central Prison, Democratic Republic of the Congo, we conducted an outbreak investigation in January 2015. We analyzed sputum of presumptive TB patients by using the Xpert MTB/RIF assay. We also assessed the Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates' drug-susceptibility patterns and risk factors for TB infection. Among a ...
Costs and outcomes of integrated Human African Trypanosomiasis surveillance system using rapid diagnostic tests, Democratic Republic of the Congo Institute of Tropical Medicine
We integrated sleeping sickness case detection into the primary healthcare system in 2 health districts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We replaced a less field-friendly serologic test with a rapid diagnostic test, which was followed up by human African trypanosomiasis microscopic testing, and used a mixed costing methodology to estimate costs from a healthcare provider perspective. We screened a total of 18,225 persons and ...
Diabetes prevalence and risk factors, underestimated without oral glucose tolerance test, in rural Gombe-Matadi Adults, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2019 Institute of Tropical Medicine
An increase in the diabetes prevalence is reported worldwide. We aimed to determine the diabetes prevalence and its risk factors among adults in a rural area of the Democratic Republic of Congo. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1531 inhabitants, selected by five stages, in the Health Zone of Gombe-Matadi. Diabetes was defined according to the American Diabetes Association and the International Diabetes Federation. Fasting glycemia ...
Multilevel Governance and Control of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo Vrije Universiteit Brussel Institute of Tropical Medicine
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impose a heavy burden on people around the world. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has also been affected. The objective of this study was to explore national policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the DRC and drivers of the response, and to generate lessons for strengthening health systems' resilience and public health capacity to respond to health security threats. This was a case study ...