This proposal is submitted by the HJF Medical Research International (HJFMRI) in response to announcement RFA-GH-16-006, Conducting Public Health Research in Kenya, a funding opportunity from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to conduct and monitor epidemiologic, clinical- and laboratory-based studies of important human diseases in Kenya. In collaboration with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), we are applying for Components A, B, C, D and E. For Component A, the Division of Global Health Protection, our proposal addresses, for example: surveillance for infectious zoonotic diseases in animals, covering causes of diseases in livestock and quantifying the linkages between the health of people and the animals with which they live; and the role of pathogens in acute febrile illness (AFI), characterizing the epidemiology, including seasonality of AFI. For Component B, our proposal covers, for example, identification of clinical, epidemiologic and nutritional characteristics of patients hospitalized with respiratory illness and risk factors, in settings like western Kenya, which may further predispose pregnant women to severe outcomes from influenza, especially in relationship to influenza vaccination. For Component C, we include proposed projects, such as determination of the effectiveness of patient delivered partner therapy in reducing Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhea re-infection in conjunction with assessment of the prevalence and incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. For Component D, for instance, we consider measuring schistosome antigens in oral fluid samples via detection of Circulating Cathodic Antigen (CCA) and present a sampling design to assess the therapeutic efficacy of Artemisinin-based combination therapies for symptomatic, uncomplicated P. falciparum infection among children. Finally, for Component E, for example, we propose a study to measure the effectiveness of three different strategies to increase the TB case detection rate compared to the standard approach, Directly Observed Treatment (DOTS) as implemented in Kenya. Each of our proposed projects is consistent with and beneficial to furthering CDC Kenya's mission to promote health through collaboration on science, policy and evidence-based public health actions. Collaborative public health research is HJFMRI's forte, and we offer our expertise in management to fulfill CDC strategic priorities.
Proposal Narrative The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to conduct and monitor epidemiologic-, clinical- and laboratory-based studies of important human diseases in Kenya. Each of our proposed projects, from surveillance to prevention, is consistent with and beneficial to advancing CDC Kenya's mission to promote health through collaboration on science, policy, and evidence- based public health actions.
