ASTMH 2022 Annual Meeting
30 Oct 22 - 04 Nov 22 | Seattle Convention Center Seattle, Washington
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The ASTMH’s 2022 Annual Meeting will take place at the Seattle Convention Center in Seattle, Washington, October 30 – November 3.  The Meeting draws tropical medicine and global health professionals representing academia, foundations, government, not for profit organizations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, military and private practice. The meeting is designed for researchers, professors, government and public health officials, military personnel, travel clinic physicians, practicing physicians in tropical medicine, students and all healthcare providers working in the fields of tropical medicine, hygiene and global health. Check out the list of Act | West-related scientific sessions, poster presentations and symposiums at #TropMed22 below!

Monday, October 31

8:00 am – 9:45 am (PDT) Symposia and Scientific Sessions

11 - The Innovative Use of Electronic Data Capture (EDC) Technology During Mass Drug Administration for NTDP Implementation      

Symposium   

The use of EDC over paper-based collection modes is well-established for DSAs and has obvious advantages: a) the ability to code questionnaire flows, skips, and filters into devices, b) the ability to directly enter data during fieldwork and to eliminate entry of paper-based results after fieldwork at central office, c) the mitigation and rectification of obvious coherence and consistency errors in near real time during fieldwork, and d) the facilitation of near real time data transmission via Internet to a central office. Although EDC is broadly used in the collection of data for DSAs, the use of EDC for MDAs is less commonly utilized. This session explores a diverse set of attempts to utilize EDC technology during NTD MDA implementation in resource-limited settings in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Presenters:  

  • Diana Stukel (FHI 360) 

  • Nissou Ines Dossa (FHI 360) 

  • Perpetua Amodu-Agbi (Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health, NTD Unit) 

  • Ewnetu Firdawek Liyew (Ethiopian Public Health Institute) 

  • Caleb Parker (FHI 360) 

 

20 - Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis Is No Longer a Public Health Problem in Burkina Faso

Oral presentation

ASTMH 2022_BF-Soil-transmitted helminthiasis is no longer a public health - Final.pdf

Presenters:  

  • Clarisse Bougouma (Burkina Faso Ministry of Health) 

  • Hamado Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso Ministry of Health) 

  • Christophe Nassa (Burkina Faso Ministry of Health) 

  • Fanny Yago-Wienne (Helen Keller International) 

  • Dieudonne Nare (Helen Keller International) 

  • Micheline Kalkoundo-Ouedraogo (Helen Keller International) 

  • Lucien Mano (Helen Keller International) 

  • Yaobi Zhang (Helen Keller International) 

  • Benoit Dembele (Helen Keller International) 

  • Steven Reid (Helen Keller International) 

  • Angela Weaver (Helen Keller International) 

  • Anna Phillips (FHI 360) 

  • Jennier Magalong (FHI 360) 

 

11:00 pm – 12:45 pm (PDT) Symposia and Scientific Sessions

LB-5062 - Determining Where to Conduct Trachoma Confirmatory Mapping in the Tambacounda and Kédougou regions of Senegal

Poster Presentation 

Trachoma rapid assessments are underway in districts in Senegal.  While the decision-making framework classified Kédougou as trachoma suspected and the confirmatory mapping revealed that trachoma was not endemic, the development of a decision-making framework can prioritize where confirmatory mapping should be undertaken.     

ASTMH 2022_Determining Where to Conduct Trachoma Confirmatory Mapping.pdf

Presenters:  

  • Mouctar Dieng Badiane (Programme National de Promotion de la Sante Oculaire, Dakar, Sénégal) 

  • Serigne Niang (FHI 360) 

  • Rose Monteil (FHI 360) 

  • Achille Kabore (FHI 360) 

  • Stephanie L. Palmer (FHI 360) 
Tuesday, November 1

12:00 pm – 1:45 pm (PDT) Symposia and Scientific Sessions

1068 - Cote d'Ivoire Interrupts Transmission of Lymphatic Filariasis for the First Time in 37 Districts Despite the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic    

Poster Presentation

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is endemic in 99 of 113 districts in Cote d’Ivoire. World Health Organization (WHO) recommended annual mass drug administration (MDA) for elimination of LF as a public health problem was initiated in the country in 2013. Despite challenges, Cote d’Ivoire is on a trajectory to stop LF MDA in endemic districts and achieve elimination.

ASTMH 2022_Cote d'Ivoire Interrupts Transmission of LF.pdf

Presenters:  

  • Aboulaye Meite (Cote d'Ivoire Ministry of Health)
  • Dje Norbert (Cote d'Ivoire Ministry of Health)
  • Regina Ngoran Hayat (Cote d'Ivoire Ministry of Health)
  • Dje Amoin Laurence (Cote d'Ivoire Ministry of Health)
  • Mama Djima Adam (Cote d'Ivoire Ministry of Health)
  • Virginie Ettiegne-Traore (FHI360)
  • Achille Kabore (FHI360)
  • Ernest Mensah (FHI360)

 

1:45 pm -3:30 pm Symposia and Scientific Sessions

72 - An Innovative Approach to Improve Preventive Chemotherapy for NTDs: Adaptation of a Quality Improvement Model      

Symposium  

Experiences from Benin, Ghana, and Sierra Leone in the design and implementation of the QI model will be presented.   

Presenters:  

  • Kisito Ogoussan (FHI 360) 

  • Diane Ehoumi Dah-Bolinon (FHI 360)

  • Dr. Kofi Asemanyi-Mensah (Ghana Ministry of Health)

  • Victoria Kezia Turay (Helen Keller International)

 

4:00 pm -5:45 pm Symposia and Scientific Sessions

1206 - Characteristics of Non-treated Populations among Select Neglected Tropical Disease MDA Campaigns in West Africa

Oral Presentation 

Effective mass drug administration (MDA) is the cornerstone of preventive chemotherapy (PC) neglected tropical disease (NTD) programs.  USAID’s Act to End NTDs | West program supports Ministries of Health to eliminate or control five PC NTDs across 11 West African countries by assisting with (among other interventions) MDA and M&E2, such as coverage evaluation surveys (CES) to validate coverage shortly after MDA. Our findings indicate the most influential programmatic response to reach non-treated populations could include implementing age and sex specific MDA mop-up, reviewing CDD catchment areas, or improving CDD motivation to visit or re-visit households. In the future, we plan to investigate the movement of targeted populations and the timing of MDA to determine if there is a more suitable time for MDA activities. 

Presenters:  

  • Maureen K. Headland (FHI 360) 

  • Diana Stukel (FHI 360) 

  • Kaustubh Wagh (FHI 360) 

  • Caleb Parker (FHI 360) 

Wednesday, November 2

11:00 am – 12:45 pm (PDT) Symposia and Scientific Sessions

1700 - An Excel-based Tool for Monitoring the Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis Program      

Poster Presentation

The World Health Organization (WHO) NTD roadmap aims to eliminate Schistosomiasis (SCH) and Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) as a public health problem by 2030. Evidence-based decision-making is a critical part of the M&E framework in the NTD roadmap, specifically highlighting the need for systematic data collection from baseline prevalence mapping to post-treatment impact surveillance. The objective of this session is to use the SCH-STH integrated tracker and dashboard to complement the ESPEN Schistosomiasis Community Tool for evidence-based decision-making and advocacy both for in-country sustainability planning and donor data requests.  

ASTMH 2022_Excel based SCH STH Tracker Poster.pdf

Presenters:

  • Kaustubh Wagh (FHI 360) 

  • Anna Phillips (FHI 360) 

  • Diana Stukel (FHI 360) 

  • Maureen Headland (FHI 360)     

 

 1638 - Reaching the Trachomatous iInflammation--Follicular Target and Stopping MDA in All Trachoma Endemic Health Districts in Guinea

Poster Presentation 

One to five rounds of annual trachoma MDA with sufficient program coverage has significantly reduced TF prevalence to below 5% in all endemic HDs, reaching the criteria to stop MDA in Guinea. The persistently elevated TT prevalence in some districts highlights the need of systematic TT surgical intervention in Guinea. 

ASTMH 2022_Reaching TF target and stopping MDA in Guinea.pdf

Presenters:  

  • Mamadou Camara (Ghana Ministry of Health) 

  • Aissatou Diaby (Ghana Ministry of Health) 

  • Lamine Lamah (Helen Keller International) 

  • Mamadou Siradiou Balde (Guinea Ministry of Health) 

  • Abdoul Karim Camara (Helen Keller International) 

  • Abdoul Aziz Diallo (Helen Keller International) 

  • Steven Reid (Helen Keller International) 

  • Fatou Gueye (Helen Keller International) 

  • Benoit Dembele (Helen Keller International) 

  • Sarah Craciunoiu (FHI 360) 

  • Stephanie Palmer (FHI 360) 

  • Yaobi Zhang (Helen Keller International) 

  • Angela Weaver (Helen Keller International) 

    

1675 - TAS Evaluations in Mali: Strategic Innovations in Insecure Areas

Poster Presentation  

The development of new strategies has allowed for the implementation of trachoma assessment surveys (TAS) in otherwise inaccessible areas, accounting for about 33 HDs. With these innovative strategies, the program will likely be able to eliminate LF despite the challenging security situation.   

ASTMH 2022_TAS evaluations in Mali - Strategic innovations in insecure areas.pdf

Presenters:  

  • Massitan Dembele (Mali Ministry of Health) 

  • Modibo Keita (Helen Keller International)

  • Boubacar Guindo (Helen Keller International) 

  • Mama Niele Doumbia (Helen Keller International)

  • Benoit Dembele (Helen Keller International) 

  • Yaya I Coulibaly (International Center for Excellence in Research/Mali) 

  • Salif S Doumbia (International Center for Excellence in Research/Mali) 

  • Moussa Mintou Kone (Mali Ministry of Health) 

  • Cleo Stern (Helen Keller International) 

  • Steven Reid (Helen Keller International) 

  • Fama Kondo (Helen Keller International) 

  • Ouassa Sanogo (Helen Keller International)

  • Alex K Brown (Helen Keller International)

  • Ernest Mensah (FHI 360) 

  • Elizabeth Layfield (FHI 360) 

  • Yaobi Zhang (Helen Keller International) 

  • Angela Weaver (Helen Keller International) 

  • Modibo Keita (Helen Keller International) 

 

1639 - Mass Distribution Campaigns in Insecure Contexts: Challenges and Solutions for Campaign Implementation in Bosso and Diffa districts in Diffa region, Niger

Poster Presentation

Despite progress in Niger to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, insecurity is a challenge to achieve the elimination targets. Since the implementation of new strategies, MDA coverage has increased in Diffa and Bosso HDs from 59.3% and 50.5% in 2018, to 91% and 71% in 2020, and 100.2% and 99.8% in 2021. Additional work is planned to account for the internally displaced population living among targeted communities to better understand the true population magnitude and ensure all targeted populations are reached in future MDA campaigns.

ASTMH 2022_MDA Campaigns insecure contexts.pdf

Presenters:  

  • Aichatou Alfari (Niger Ministry of Health) 

  • Hamadou Sita (Helen Keller International)

  • Fatimata Alambey (Niger Ministry of Health) 

  • Youssouf Yaye (Helen Keller International)

  • Mounkailia Isoufou (Helen Keller International)

  • Benoit Dembele (Helen Keller International)

  • Steven Reid (Helen Keller International)

  • Angela Weaver (Helen Keller International)

  • Nadia Ben Meriem (Helen Keller International)

  • Stephanie Palmer (FHI 360) 

  • Jennifer Magalong (FHI 360) 

  • Sidikou Sambo (Helen Keller International)

  • Mohamed Yattara (Helen Keller International)

  • Hamadou Sita (Helen Keller International)

     

1662 - Strategies for Addressing Persistent Lymphatic Filariasis in Hot Spot Districts: Lessons Learned from Sierra Leone      

Poster Presentation  

Sixteen districts in Sierra Leone were endemic for lymphatic filariasis (LF) and eligible for mass drug administration (MDA). To date, 9 districts (HDs) have stopped LF MDA. Despite good MDA coverage at the HD level, 6 HDs (4 prior to redistricting) failed both pre-transmission assessment survey (pre-TAS) in 2013 and re-pre-TAS in 2017, with microfilaremia prevalence ≥1% and antigenemia prevalence ≥2%, respectively. Recent assessment results suggest that novel approaches implemented during the 2020 re-pre-TAS helped reduce transmission to low levels.

ASTMH 2022_SL_Rapid Social Assessment Poster.pdf

Presenters:  

  • Ibrahim Kargbo-Labour (Sierra Leone Ministry of Health) 

  • Mohamed S Bah (Helen Keller International)

  • Victoria Turay (Helen Keller International)

  • Habib I Kamara ((Helen Keller International)

  • Abdulai Conteh (Sierra Leone Ministry of Health) 

  • Gandi Kallon (Helen Keller International)

  • Alhassan Konneh (Helen Keller International)

  • Abdulai Loroma (Helen Keller International)

  • Unidiatu Kabia (Helen Keller International)

  • Beah J Lebby (Helen Keller International)

  • Patricia Houck (Helen Keller International)

  • Benoit Dembele (Helen Keller International)

  • Steven D Reid (Helen Keller International)

  • Angela Weaver (Helen Keller International)

  • Sugandh Juneja (Helen Keller International)

  • Yaobi Zhang (Helen Keller International)

  • Ernest Mensah (FHI 360) 

  • Sarah Craciunoiu (FHI 360) 

 

3:30 pm – 5:15 pm (PDT) Symposia and Scientific Sessions

120 - The Curious Case of a High Prevalence of Trachomatous Inflammation - Follicular (TF) with No Trachomatous Trichiasis (TT): Can alternative indicators of chlamydia trachomatis help us better understand the epidemiology of trachoma in Côte d'Ivoire?    

Oral Presentation

Despite the baseline mapping results, recent infection, antibody, and clinical data provide strong evidence that trachoma is not a public health problem in Cote d'Ivoire. This research was supported by Sightsavers in collaboration with FHI 360.  

Presenters:

  • Aboulaye Meite (Cote d'Ivoire Ministry of Health) 

  • Diana Martin (Centers for Disease Control) 

  • Anthony W. Solomon (World Health Organization) 

  • Philip Downs (Sightsavers) 

  • Michaela Kelly (Sightsavers) 

  • Anoma Bovary (Cote d'Ivoire Ministry of Health) 

  • Konan Nguessan (Sightsavers) 

  • Sarah Gwyn (Centers for Disease Control) 

  • Karana Wickens (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) 

  • Ana Bakhtiari (ITI) 

  • Ange Aba (FHI 360) 

  • Achille Kaboré (FHI 360) 

  • Emma Harding-Esch (London School of Hygiene) 

  • Stephanie Palmer (FHI 360) 

  • Paul Courtright (Sightsavers) 

  • Kareen Atekem (Sightsavers) 

  • Aboulaye Meite (Cote d'Ivoire Ministry of Health) 

Thursday, November 3

8:00 am – 9:45 am (PDT) Symposia and Scientific Sessions

137 - Strengthening Laboratory Capacity and Optimizing the Utilization of Novel Approaches to Accelerate the Elimination of Onchocerciasis in the WHO African Region (AFRO) 

Symposium 

In this symposium, participants will learn about the perspectives in laboratory strengthening. Panelists will discuss new diagnostic tools for onchoceriasis and the implication for field activities and laboratory support in developing countries.  

Presenters:

  • Achille Kabore (FHI 360) 

  • Upendo Mwinguira (RTI)

  • Thomas Unnasch (University of Florida, Tampa)

  • Kim Won (Center for Disease Control)

  • Didier Bakajika (WHO ESPEN)

  • Joseph Kagnmo (Centre for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases)

  • Yao Kassankogno (Health Development International) 

 

11:15 am – 1:00 pm (PDT) Symposia and Scientific Sessions

145 - Accelerating NTDs 2030 Targets Achievement through Paradigm Shifts in Country Ownership 

Symposium 

The 2021-2030 WHO NTD Road Map identifies country ownership as a key strategic pillar to achieve the 2030 control and elimination targets. Although challenging to operationalize and measure, increased country ownership is essential to advance the sustainability of NTD programs (NTDP) and health systems and ensure the delivery of comprehensive NTD interventions. Through an interactive knowledge exchange, this symposium will highlight the consultation process of the USAID NTD sustainability approach in prioritizing country ownership to achieve NTD sustainability milestones. Representatives from endemic countries and technical partners supporting country efforts towards sustainability will exchange views and practical experiences of country-owned interventions that are advancing mainstreaming of NTDs within various levels of the health system.  

Presenters:  

  • Justin Tine (FHI 360) 

  • Carly Smith (Deloitte) 

  • Arielle Dolegui (World Vision) 

  • Miette Aboulaye (Cote D'Ivoire Ministry of Health)

  • Abdoulaye Diaw (Senegal Ministry of Health)

  • Massitan Dembele (Mali Ministry of Health)

  • Adam Hafez (Ghana Ministry of Health)