Author | Lightnews

Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · 2d

🧬 How can genomics fight neonatal sepsis?
Find out at our seminar on 26 Nov, 15:00 SAST!

Hear experts share insights on:
🦠 K. pneumoniae transmission
🔬 Vaccine potential
🌍 Lab capacity in Africa

🔗 Register now: bit.ly/klebs_seminar

Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Sep 4

📢 Applications are now open for DAIDD 2025!

💰 Course fee: ZAR 28,000 (incl. meals and accommodation)
🗓️ Application deadline: 01 October 2025
👉 Apply here: lnkd.in/dAT5QX8X
⁉️Researchers in infectious disease modelling, epidemiology, public health, and related fields.

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Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Sep 4

🚨 New at #DigitalHealthAfrica!

👶🏾 Neonatal sepsis is deadly. AMR makes it worse. We built a reproducible, scalable tool to match antibiotics to pathogens using Bayesian WISCA models. Faster, better, open-access.
#NeonatalHealth #OpenScience #RStats #GlobalHealth #AMR #DataForGood

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Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Aug 25

⚠️ Preeclampsia can be silent.

Warning signs:
🧠 Severe headaches
🖐️ Swelling (face, hands, feet)
👀 Blurred/flashing vision
💔 Pain below ribs
🤢 Nausea after 1st trimester
😮‍💨 Breathlessness

Early detection saves lives.

#WomensMonth #PreeclampsiaAwareness #MaternalHealth

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Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Aug 21

🤰🏽 Gestational Diabetes (GDM) often has no symptoms.

When signs appear, they may look like:
💧 Constant thirst
🚽 Frequent urination
😴 Fatigue
👀 Blurred vision

Screening at 24–28 weeks is vital.

#WomensMonth #GestationalDiabetes #MaternalHealth

Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Aug 11

⚠️ Preeclampsia can be silent—but deadly.

It’s a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy that can damage the brain, liver, kidneys, and more.

Signs? Headaches, swelling, vision changes.

Early detection = lives saved.

#WomensMonth #PreeclampsiaAwareness #MaternalHealth

Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Aug 7

Gestational diabetes affects up to 13% of pregnancies globally — and even more in SA.

It can be silent and deadly.

Most women never see it coming.

Better screening = better outcomes.

#WomensMonth #GDM #MaternalHealthMatters

Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Jul 10

🛡️ FINAL EVENT!
Join us for the last in the Neonatal Outbreaks in Africa series:

📣 Seminar 3: Outbreak control & prevention
📆 24 July | 🕒 14:00 SAST

🧼 Let’s talk action and impact in neonatal health.
🔗 Sign up: bit.ly/neonatal_con...

#HealthInAfrica #InfectionPrevention #NeonatalCare

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Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Jun 20

👶 Missed our 2nd #NeonatalOutbreaksInAfrica seminar?
We covered real-world lessons on
🧬 WGS in NICU outbreaks; 🧪 Lab + clinical data = 🔑;
🧼 Smart sampling in tricky settings

🎯 NEXT: Control & prevention tips!
📅 24 July | 🕑 14:00–15:00 SAST
🔗 Register: bit.ly/neonatal_con...

#NeonatalCare

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Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Jun 11

🦠 From genomes to cleaning protocols — how do we detect & investigate neonatal outbreaks in Africa?
Join us 19 June | 14:00 SAST for Seminar 2 of #NeoNET series:
🧬 Whole-genome sequencing
🧽 Infection control in low-resource settings
🔬 Lab-led responses

🔗 bit.ly/neonatal_det...

#NeonatalCare #AMR

Reposted by Larisse B

David Hettle @david-hettle.bsky.social · Apr 22

Look after patients with neonatal sepsis in sub-Saharan Africa?

🫵We want to hear from YOU!

❓Why❓
Exploring clinicians experiences of diagnostics, antibiotics + guidelines

📢 English, French or Portuguese

🔗 redcap.sun.ac.za/surveys/?s=N9A…

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Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · May 19

📢 Seminar 2 in the Neonatal Outbreaks in Africa series!

🦠 Outbreak Detection & Investigation
📅 19 June | 🕑 14:00–15:00 SAST
🎯 Tools, pathogens, and lessons from LMIC facilities
👶 Register: bit.ly/neonatal_det...

#NeonatalCare #InfectiousDiseases #OutbreakDetection

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Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · May 19

39 attendees joined our recent seminar on neonatal outbreaks in Africa 🧼🦠

Key insights:
— Hospital-acquired pathogens are more common than expected
— Rare bugs like Pantoea are deadlier than Klebsiella
— Standardised reporting + WGS = 🔑 to tackling future outbreaks

#GlobalHealth #NeonatalCare

Image created with AI using OpenAI’s ChatGPT (2025).

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Reposted by Larisse B

South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis @sacema-su.bsky.social · Apr 29

🚨 Meet the people shaping Africa’s vaccine policies:
SACEMA’s Policy Modelling Fellows use local data to build tools for polio and measles in Africa.
🔗 www.sacema.org
#HumanlyPossible #VaccinesWork

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Reposted by Larisse B

South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis @sacema-su.bsky.social · Apr 27

Cervical cancer is the top cause of cancer death among women in South Africa. 🧬 Women living with HIV face even greater risks. MSc student Kim Malloch (supervised by Dr Cari van Schalkwyk) is modelling how therapeutic HPV vaccines (TxVs) could turn the tide. 🌍
#HPV #CancerPrevention #Vaccines

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Reposted by Larisse B

South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis @sacema-su.bsky.social · Apr 26

🎯 Cervical cancer is vaccine-preventable.
In South Africa, too many girls are missing their HPV shots.
SACEMA’s models show that without better coverage, we won’t reach elimination targets.
📢 Let’s change that. HPV vaccines work and #ImmunizationForAll is #HumanlyPossible. #CervicalCancer #HPV

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Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Apr 25

🚨 Happening 15 May!
Join our free webinar on Outbreak Epidemiology in Neonatal Care 👶🏽🦠
📅 15 May | 🕒 14:00–15:00 SAST
🧠 Learn how outbreaks affect neonatal units across Africa & how to respond.
🔗 Sign up: bit.ly/outbreak_epi
#NeonatalCare #Outbreaks #NeoNETAFRICA #KlebNET

Reposted by Larisse B

South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis @sacema-su.bsky.social · Apr 25

🍼 Immunity should start from birth.
The #IMPACTHB project is modelling real solutions:
✅ Maternal screening; ✅ Timely birth-dose vaccination
📍Focus: High-risk, high-HIV settings where gaps are widest.
🌍 Goal: Eliminate #HepB for good.
🧠 Dive into our work 👉 www.sacema.org/2024/07/29/w...

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Reposted by Larisse B

South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis @sacema-su.bsky.social · Apr 24

🧬 Vaccines save 6 lives a minute.
This #WorldImmunizationWeek we’re highlighting how modelling + policy + people = vaccine access for all.
Stay tuned as we spotlight HPV, hepatitis B, measles, and our Policy Modelling Fellows.
#HumanlyPossible #VaccinesWork #SACEMAResearch #ResearchforImpact

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Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Apr 22

📢 Healthcare workers across Africa — we want to hear from you! Together, we can improve newborn health in LMICs. 💪👶Don't forget to take our survey before 10 May 2025!📝
🔗 redcap.sun.ac.za/surveys/?s=N...

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Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Apr 17

📢Watch this space! More to come from Dr Wilfred Otambo as Malaria Week approaches!😉🔥

South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis @sacema-su.bsky.social · Apr 17

Ever wonder what inspires someone to turn lived experience into impactful science? Wilfred Otambo opens up about his journey from malaria-endemic villages to health research across Africa 🌍📊
His story is thoughtful, grounded—and inspiring.
📄 Read more below! #PublicHealth #MalariaResearch

In Conversation with Dr Wilfred Otambo, a Junior Researcher at SACEMA and Postdoc at CERI.

Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Apr 14

🧪 New research alert: The urgent challenge of #NeonatalSepsis in low-resource settings.
⚠️ High AMR ⚠️ Vulnerable newborns ⚠️ Limited diagnostic access.
🔗https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-024-10219-0
🔗https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-024-10406-z
🔗https://janeonatology.org/index.php/jan/article/view/105

Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Apr 9

🎉 Big news! Prof Angela Dramowski from @suhealthsci.bsky.social has WON an annual PHILA award at #PHASA2025 for her outstanding leadership in public health! 👏 So proud to celebrate her impact in paediatric infectious diseases & AMR.
#PHASA2025 #WomenInSTEM #PublicHealth 🧬💡

Prof Angela Dramowski (left) receiving annual PHILA award at PHASA 2025.

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Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Apr 8

🩸Our latest study in the SAMJ critically examines adult platelet product use across SA’s healthcare sectors (2014–2021). The results? Striking differences in utilisation patterns!
📄 Read the full article: www.samajournals.co.za/index.php/sa...
#BloodTransfusion #UniversalHealthCoverage

Larisse B @boltonl.bsky.social · Apr 8

🌍 Shining a light on #NeonatalSepsis in Africa—responsible for up to 29% of neonatal deaths.
🆕 Read our latest review (bit.ly/neonatal_sep... ) + take our short survey to improve care:
🔗 bit.ly/neonatal_sur...
#GlobalHealth #AMR

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