Publications
Which patient and doctor behaviours make a medical consultation more effective from a patient point of view. Results from a European multicentre study in 31 countries KU Leuven
Accessibility to primary care physicians in Belgium: an assessment of policy methods to identify medical deficits Ghent University
An assessment of geographical access and factors influencing travel time to emergency obstetric care in the urban state of Lagos, Nigeria Institute of Tropical Medicine
Previous efforts to estimate the travel time to comprehensive emergency obstetric care (CEmOC) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have either been based on spatial models or self-reported travel time, both with known inaccuracies. The study objectives were to estimate more realistic travel times for pregnant women in emergency situations using Google Maps, determine system-level factors that influence travel time and use these ...
Spatial modelling of malaria cases associated with environmental factors in South Sumatra, Indonesia Institute of Tropical Medicine
BACKGROUND: Malaria, a parasitic infection, is a life-threatening disease in South Sumatra Province, Indonesia. This study aimed to investigate the spatial association between malaria occurrence and environmental risk factors.
METHODS: The number of confirmed malaria cases was analysed for the year 2013 from the routine reporting of the Provincial Health Office of South Sumatra. The cases were spread over 436 out of 1613 villages. Six ...
Timing of influenza A(H5N1) in poultry and humans and seasonal influenza activity worldwide, 2004-2013 Institute of Tropical Medicine
Co-circulation of influenza A(H5N1) and seasonal influenza viruses among humans and animals could lead to co-infections, reassortment, and emergence of novel viruses with pandemic potential. We assessed the timing of subtype H5N1 outbreaks among poultry, human H5N1 cases, and human seasonal influenza in 8 countries that reported 97% of all human H5N1 cases and 90% of all poultry H5N1 outbreaks. In these countries, most outbreaks among poultry ...
Comparative genomic analysis of six Glossina genomes, vectors of African trypanosomes Institute of Tropical Medicine University of Antwerp KU Leuven
Background: Tsetse flies (Glossina sp.) are the vectors of human and animal trypanosomiasis throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Tsetse flies are distinguished from other Diptera by unique adaptations, including lactation and the birthing of live young (obligate viviparity), a vertebrate blood-specific diet by both sexes, and obligate bacterial symbiosis. This work describes the comparative analysis of six Glossina genomes representing three ...
National and sub-national variation in patterns of febrile case management in sub-Saharan Africa Institute of Tropical Medicine
Given national healthcare coverage gaps, understanding treatment-seeking behaviour for fever is crucial for the management of childhood illness and to reduce deaths. Here, we conduct a modelling study triangulating household survey data for fever in children under the age of five years with georeferenced public health facility databases (n = 86,442 facilities) in 29 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, to estimate the probability of seeking ...
Shifts in the distribution of ixodid ticks parasitizing cattle in Zimbabwe Institute of Tropical Medicine Ghent University
In an attempt to update information on the ecological distribution of ixodid ticks (Ixodida: Ixodidae) in Zimbabwe, a cross-sectional survey was carried out between September 2013 and May 2015 at 322 dip tanks. A total of 15 tick species were collected, namely: Amblyomma hebraeum Koch (65.2%, n=210/322), Amblyomma variegatum Fabricius (14.9%, n=48/322), Hyalomma rufipes Koch (62.4%, n=201/322), Hyalomma truncatum Koch (37.9%, n=122/322), ...
Demographic, socio-economic and geographic determinants of seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in rural western Kenya, 2011 Institute of Tropical Medicine
Influenza-associated acute lower respiratory infections cause a considerable burden of disease in rural and urban sub-Saharan Africa communities with the greatest burden among children. Currently, vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza infection and accompanying morbidities. We examined geographic, socio-economic and demographic factors that contributed to acceptance of childhood seasonal influenza vaccination among children living ...