Given the interconnectedness of animal health, environmental health and human health/well-being, it is necessary to investigate the ecological context of animal disease systems that have public health, conservation or economic implications. Such host-pathogen systems are highly complex and heterogeneous, and often, our understanding of such systems is fraught with uncertainties. Our aim is to develop and use models to elucidate host-pathogen dynamics in such systems, and translate the insights gained into actionable outcomes for effective and meaningful management of diseases. At present, I continue to work on Kyasanur Forest Disease, canine rabies, and leptospirosis. I am also developing a conceptual framework for informing policies on emerging zoonoses.
With Matt Gompper (New Mexico State University). Raccoon roundworm _Baylisascaris procyonis_ can cause clinical infections with high morbidity and mortality in several vertebrate species including humans, and therefore poses a public health as well as conservation threat. The objective of this modeling project is to develop a tool to compare and contrast interventions for effective surveillance and management of raccoon roundworms.
With Claudia Munoz-Zanzi (University of Minnesota), Meghan Mason (St. Catherine University), Matt Gompper (New Mexico State University). We are using an agent-based approach to simulate transmission dynamics of host-adapted Leptospira strains in a multi-host system. One of the main objectives of this model is to evaluate alternate interventions aimed at reducing human infection risk in small-scale communities like urban slums.
The objective of this collaborative, OneHealth research project is to use viral genome sequencing, dog demography and epidemiological modeling to better understand the mechanisms of persistence and dispersal of canine rabies, and find focused, efficient strategies for interrupting dog-to-dog transmission of rabies virus in resource-limited settings.