Mr Jose Carlos de Sousa Figueiredo

Biography

Employment history

        Nov 2008 - Present

Research Assistant in the Wolfson Wellcome Biomedical Laboratories, Biomedical Parasitology Division, Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum (London)

       Oct 2007 - Oct 2008

Part-time data analyst in the Wolfson Wellcome Biomedical Laboratories, Biomedical Parasitology Division, Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum (London)

      
      Aug 2005 - Sept 2005

Lab technician in the Parasitology Laboratory of Luanda's Military Hospital (Angola)

Qualifications

        Sept 2006 - Sept 2007

Imperial College - London

MSc. in Modern Epidemiology 

MSc. thesis - "Burden of urinary schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in children and adults on Unguja Island, Zanzibar"

        
        Oct 2003 - July 2006

Imperial College - London

BSc. (Hons.) Biology with Microbiology

BSc. thesis - "Identification of the immune signaling pathway responsible for the expression of Leucine Rich-Repeat Immune Gene 2 (LRIM2) in Anopheles gambiae"

Research

Interests

Epidemiology of neglected tropical diseases, particularly schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis.

During my masters I got involved with tropical disease epidemiology, and become increasingly interested in transmission dynamics, implications of preventative chemotherapy, as well as development and implementation of rapid diagnostic tests. 

During my stay in the museum, I have been able to further develop my abilities as a data analysis, as well as understand the complexities and wonders of field-work.

Current Project

Control of intestinal schistosomiasis and molecular epidemiology of Schistosoma mansoni in Ugandan infants and preschool children

Research Aims

The project aims to improve current public health practices for control of intestinal schistosomiasis within Ugandan infants and preschool children using preventive chemotherapy. A study cohort of mothers and children will be selected, treated and regularly examined over a 3-year period to determine the most appropriate treatment
interval with praziquantel. Putative cross-contaminating behaviours, co-trends in parasitic burdens and associations with local risk factors will be assessed between mother and child pairs and cohorts. Using DNA typing tools, a fresh insight will be made into the likely role that these younger children play in local transmission of Schistosoma mansoni.

Poster Presentations

Royal Society of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine - Research in Progress meeting (December 2007) VND.MS-POWERPOINT (434.0 KB)

Title - "The macro- and microepidemiology of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in pre-school children of Zanzibar: Towards integrating the younger child in control initiatives"

Title - "Evaluation of the use of urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) for assessment of urinary schistosomiasis-associated morbidity on Zanzibar"

Royal Society of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine - December 2008 meeting (poster 1) VND.MS-POWERPOINT (2.0 MB)

Title - "Advocating control of schistosomiasis in African children (≤ 6 year olds): Development of a 'dose pole' for the administration of praziquantel"

Field Work

             Angola 2005

After working in the Military Hospital, I decided to take some time and learn more about the field. In a team of 6, we set out from the northern, wet, vegetation-rich, densely populated areas, to the southern, dry, deserted territories (some 1200Km) close to the border with Namibia. 

During our journey, we were able to observe sharp changes in environment, as well as contact local health officers and enquire on local health concerns and current epidemiological studies.

As found in previous studies in other countries, but poorly observed or documented in Angola, children (bellow on the left) and adult males (bellow on the right) of lower socio-economic strata are at higher risk for water-bourne infections (e.g. schistosomiasis)

The field was a very good experience for me, not only because I was able to apply some of my academic background, but also because it gave me the opportunity to fully understand not only the concerns and complexities of African health-care systems and field-based surveys, but also to be immersed a beautiful continent full of wonderful people and awe-inspiring views.

Publications

Publications

2008

• Sousa-Figueiredo JC, Basanez M-G, Mgeni, AF, Khamis, IS, Rollinson D and Stothard JR (2008) A parasitological survey, in rural Zanzibar, of pre-school children and their mothers for urinary schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases and malaria, with observations on the prevalence of anaemia Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology 102 (8) : 679–692 . 10.1179/136485908X337607
• Stothard JR, Imison E, French MD, Sousa-Figueiredo JC, Khamis IS, Rollinson D. (2008) Soil-transmitted helminthiasis among mothers and their pre-school children on Unguja Island, Zanzibar with emphasis upon ascariasis. Parasitology 135(12): 1447-55. 10.1017/S0031182008004836