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Prof. Thumbi Mwangi

Biography

Thumbi Mwangi is an infectious disease epidemiologist combining classical epidemiology, applied epidemiological modelling and data science to improve the speed and quality of policy decision making in human and animal health. His research program conducts population-based studies, statistical and mathematical tools to understand the epidemiology, optimize surveillance and control of zoonotic diseases.

His current research includes:
    - implementation research for the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies
      - optimal use and placement of primary healthcare services
        - improvement of essential health services
          - syndromic surveillance for early detection of zoonotic spillover
            - transmission and control of animal and human brucellosis
              - livestock interventions for improvement of human nutritional status
                - transmission dynamics and control of SARS-CoV2 in Kenya
                  - analytics and epidemiological modelling to support elimination of preventative chemotherapy Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) in Africa, working in collaboration with the NTD modelling consortium

                  He serves as the Chair of the National Technical Committee on Modelling advising the Kenya government on COVID-19 responses, member of the National Rabies Elimination Coordination Committee charged with oversight of the implementation of the rabies elimination strategy for Kenya, and member of Kenya’s Zoonotic Technical Working Group. Internationally, he is a member of the Africa CDC COVID-19 modelling group, member of the Technical Review Committee of the African Union Africa Risk Capacity - epidemics and outbreaks program. He has served as a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) rabies modelling consortium, and a member of WHO Rabies Expert Group that reviewed and updated the current WHO rabies guidelines.

                  His research has been funded by the:
                    - Wellcome Trust
                      - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
                        - World Health Organization
                          - UK Global Challenges Research Fund
                            - Kenya National Research Fund
                              - Paul G Allen Family Foundation
                                - UK Medical Research Council
                                  - Scottish Funding Council
                                    - USAID
                                      - Sanofi Pasteur
                                        - the German Research Foundation.

Other Titles


Research Interests

Outbeaks| Primary Health Care | Neglected Tropical Diseases | Epidemiology | Data Science

Recent Publications

2024
Molecular characterisation of human rabies in East Africa - a case series report and phylogenetic investigation
Impact of helminth infections on clinical and epidemiological features of microbial infections, and vaccine responses in ruminants: a systematic review.
Accelerating Progress Towards the 2030 Neglected Tropical Diseases Targets: How Can Quantitative Modeling Support Programmatic Decisions?
Strengthening health policy modelling in Africa
Biphasic MERS-CoV Incidence in Nomadic Dromedaries with Putative Transmission to Humans, Kenya, 2022–2023
2023
Modelling seasonal household variation in harvested rainwater availability: a case study in Siaya County, Kenya
Effect of Phone Text Message Reminders on Compliance with Rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis following Dog Bites in Rural Kenya
Addressing child and maternal nutrition: a qualitative study on food prescriptions and proscriptions determining animal source food consumption in rural Kenya
United Against Rabies Forum: The first 2 years. Frontiers in Public health
A global analysis of One Health Networks and the proliferation of One Health collaborations
Conflicting COVID-19 excess mortality estimates
The impact of livestock interventions on nutritional outcomes of children younger than 5 years old and women in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis
The Livestock for Health Study: A Field Trial on Livestock Interventions to Prevent Acute Malnutrition Among Women and Children in Pastoralist Communities in Northern Kenya
World Rabies Day 2023–Is an end to Human Rabies Deaths in Sight?
Ecological and subject-level drivers of interepidemic Rift Valley fever virus exposure in humans and livestock in Northern Kenya
2022
The global burden of Chikungunya fever among children: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis
A call to accelerate an end to human rabies deaths
Impact of traffic congestion on spatial access to healthcare services in Nairobi
Evaluating and mitigating the potential indirect effect of COVID-19 on control programmes for seven neglected tropical diseases: a modelling study
Endemicity of Coxiella burnetii infection among people and their livestock in pastoral communities in northern Kenya
The COVID-19 pandemic and disruptions to essential health services in Kenya: a retrospective time-series analysis
Infectious disease modelling for SARS-CoV-2 in Africa to guide policy: A systematic review
Vaccination of household chickens results in a shift in young children’s diet and improves child growth in rural Kenya
Incidence of chikungunya virus infections among Kenyan children with neurological disease, 2014–2018: A cohort study
The COVID-19 pandemic and disruptions to essential health services in Kenya: a retrospective time-series analysis
United Against Rabies Forum: The One Health Concept at Work
Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in Kenya: a multicentre cohort study
Rabies Elimination in Rural Kenya: Need for Improved Availability of Human Vaccines, Awareness and Knowledge on Rabies and Its Management Among Healthcare Workers
Spatio-temporal patterns of domestic water distribution, consumption and sufficiency: Neighbourhood inequalities in Nairobi, Kenya
Spatio-temporal patterns of domestic water distribution, consumption and sufficiency: Neighbourhood inequalities in Nairobi, Kenya