Special Bacterial Pathogens

Overview

Contact Us

Staff

Research

Publications

Contact us

Please direct any queries via one of the following:


e-mail:
back to top

Staff
Associate Professor JA Frean,
Principal Pathologist

Ms L Dini,
Section Supervisor

Ms R van Deventer,
Medical Technologist

Mr J Mathebula,
Student Technician

Ms L Arntzen,
Laboratory Manager
back to top

Research

Current Research


RATZOOMAN is a multicountry, multidisciplinary study of disease risks linked to rodents at the rural/peri-urban interface, which began in 2003. SBPU is involved in investigation of the ecology of the rodent-borne zoonoses plague, leptospirosis, and toxoplasmosis. Collection sites are in Limpopo Province (Mapate), Durban (Cato Ridge), and Port Elizabeth. The results of the investigations into seroprevalence of the three diseases in trapped rodents are given in the table below. To date 3758 specimens have been tested. Plague is clearly continuing its quiescent phase in the country; the substantial prevalence of both toxoplasmosis and leptospirosis draw attention to these zoonotic infections that are almost certainly underdiagnosed in humans in South Africa.

 Rat weighing, plague course, Madagascar
back to top

Publications

Recent publications
Frean J, Arntzen L, van den Heever J, Perovic O. Fatal type A botulism in South Africa, 2002. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (2004); 98: 290-295.

International Meetings Attended

L. Arntzen: RATZOOMAN Regional Meetings, Maputo, 11-13 February and Copenhagen, 19-25 Sept. 2004.

Conference Papers and Posters Presented

Arntzen L. Zoonotic infections feedback. RATZOOMAN Regional Meetings, Maputo, 11-13 February and Copenhagen, 19-25 Sept. 2004.
back to top