Modelling the impact of One Health interventions against foodborne toxoplasmosis

Martin Walker (primary)
Pathobiology & Population Sciences
Royal Veterinary College & London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research
Joanne Webster (secondary)
Pathobiology & Population Sciences
Royal Veterinary College & London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a foodborne disease caused by the globally ubiquitous parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Congenital transmission in humans causes a high burden of disease and, in livestock, infection causes abortions that exert substantial economic losses and threaten the livelihoods of subsistence farmers. Current interventions are limited in scope and do not exploit the synergies offered by integrated control in humans and livestock. This PhD will measure the current burden of toxoplasmosis in Senegal and the United Kingdom using serological and molecular diagnostic assays and will develop mathematical models to project the potential public health and economic benefits of One Health interventions.


References

  1. Jones JL, Dubey JP, Foodborne toxoplasmosis. Clin Infect Dis 2012; 55: 845-851
  2. Innes EA, et al. Ovine toxoplasmosis. Parasitology 2009; 136: 1887-1894.
  3. Webster JP, et al. Toxoplasma gondii infection, from predation to schizophrenia: can animal behaviour help us understand human behaviour? J Exp Biol 2013; 216: 99-112
  4. Webster JP, et al. Who acquires infection from whom and how? Disentangling multi-host and multi-mode transmission dynamics in the ‘elimination’ era. Phil Trans R Soc B 2016; 372: 20160091
  5. Opsteegh M, et al. Intervention strategies to reduce human Toxoplasma gondii disease burden. Clin Infect Dis 2015; 60: 101-107

BBSRC Area
Animal disease, health and welfare
Area of Biology
GeneticsMicrobiology
Techniques & Approaches
BiochemistryBioinformaticsBiophysicsGeneticsMathematics / StatisticsMolecular BiologySimulation / Modelling