My research is focused at the human-animal interface in East Africa investigating the relationship between animal health and productivity, and human health, nutrition and welfare. I use epidemiological methods to identify and quantify the main animal infections and their combinations (co-infections) responsible for animal morbidity, mortality and production losses, those that jump species to infect humans (zoonoses), and design innovative control strategies that reduce this dual burden of disease in people and their animals. We measure the impact of these interventions at the household level by determining improvement in health of household members, their nutritional status and overall household wealth. The goal of this research is to improve human health and livelihood among rural households in East Africa, through improvement of animal health and productivity, and reducing the risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases. Previously I worked on the epidemiology and molecular diagnostics of African animal trypanosomiasis, and on the consequences of hosts harboring multiple infections concurrently.
