The eco-epidemiology of leptospirosis in South Africa and Madagascar 

Zoonotic diseases are transmitted from animals to humans. Many of the organisms which cause these diseases are difficult or dangerous to grow, and this has led to underdiagnosis and a poor understanding of how to control them. Leptospirosis, caused by the Leptospira bacterium, is one of the most common zoonotic diseases in the low-income countries with rodents or livestock acting as sources of infection. The disease is an increasing problem in some communities in South Africa. 

I will use DNA from clinical samples to identify the Leptospira strains responsible for human infections, the animals which act as sources of infection and the evolutionary changes which allow these strains to be transmitted between animals and humans. 

My results will be used to design better methods for diagnosing and controlling leptospirosis in Africa.