Schistosomiasis
Joseph K Mwatha, PhD. Immunologist, Principal Research Officer.
Email: Jmwatha@kemri.org
Research Interests:
-Immunity and immunopathological mechanisms associated with human schistosomiasis.
-Relationship between immunological responses to helminthes and allergies.
-Interactions between anti-malarial and worm immunological responses in relation to morbidity.
-Control of parasitic diseases
Some Recent Publications:
1. Mwatha JK, Kimani G, Kamau T, Mbugua GG, Ouma JH, Mumo J, Fulford AJ, Jones FM, Butterworth AE, Roberts MB, Dunne DW.; High levels of TNF, soluble TNF receptors, soluble ICAM-1, and IFN-gamma, but low levels of IL-5, are associated with hepatosplenic disease in human schistosomiasis mansoni. J Immunol. 1998 Feb 15;160(4):1992-9
2. Dunne DW, Vennervald BJ, Booth M, Joseph S, Fitzsimmons CM, Cahen P, Sturrock RF, Ouma JH, Mwatha JK, Kimani G, Kariuki HC, Kazibwe F, Tukahebwa E, Kabatereine NB.
Applied and basic research on the epidemiology, morbidity, and immunology of schistosomiasis in fishing communities on Lake Albert, Uganda.
Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2006Mar;100(3):216-23
3. Mwatha JK, Jones FM, Mohamed G, Naus CW, Riley EM, Butterworth AE, Kimani G, Kariuki CH, Ouma JH, Koech D, Dunne DW.;
Associations between anti-Schistosoma mansoni and anti-Plasmodium falciparum antibody responses and hepatosplenomegaly, in Kenyan schoolchildren. J Infect Dis. 2003 Apr 15;187(8):1337-41
4. Booth M, Mwatha JK, Joseph S, Jones FM, Kadzo H, Ireri E, Kazibwe F, Kemijumbi J, Kariuki C, Kimani G, Ouma JH, Kabatereine NB, Vennervald BJ, Dunne DW.
Periportal fibrosis in human Schistosoma mansoni infection is associated with low IL-10, low IFN-gamma, high TNF-alpha, or low RANTES, depending on age and gender.
J Immunol. 2004 Jan 15;172(2):1295-303.
5. Vennervald BJ, Booth M, Butterworth AE, Kariuki HC, Kadzo H, Ireri E, Amaganga C, Kimani G, Kenty L, Mwatha J, Ouma JH, Dunne DW.; Regression of hepatosplenomegaly in Kenyan school-aged children after praziquantel treatment and three years of greatly reduced exposure to Schistosoma mansoni. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2005 Feb;99(2):150-160
6. Naus CW, Jones FM, Satti MZ, Joseph S, Riley EM, Kimani G, Mwatha JK, Kariuki CH, Ouma JH, Kabatereine NB, Vennervald BJ, Dunne DW.;
Serological responses among individuals in areas where both schistosomiasis and malaria are endemic: cross-reactivity between Schistosoma mansoni and Plasmodium falciparum. J Infect Dis. 2003 Apr 15;187(8):1272-82.
7. Mwatha J, Moreno C, Sengupta U, Sinha S, Ivanyi J.
A comparative evaluation of serological assays for lepromatous leprosy.
Lepr Rev. 1988 Sep;59(3):195-9
8. Booth M, Vennervald BJ, Butterworth AE, Kariuki HC, Amaganga C, Kimani G, Mwatha JK, Otedo A, Ouma JH, Dunne DW.; Exposure to malaria affects the regression of hepatosplenomegaly after treatment for Schistosoma mansoni infection in Kenyan children. BMC Med. 2004 Sep 27;2(1):36
9. Joseph S, Jones FM, Walter K, Fulford AJ, Kimani G, Mwatha JK, Kamau T, Kariuki HC, Kazibwe F, Tukahebwa E, Kabatereine NB, Ouma JH, Vennervald BJ, Dunne DW.
Increases in human T helper 2 cytokine responses to Schistosoma mansoni worm and worm-tegument antigens are induced by treatment with praziquantel.
J Infect Dis. 2004 Aug 15;190(4):835-42.
10. Fitzsimmons CM, Joseph S, Jones FM, Reimert CM, Hoffmann KF, Kazibwe F, Kimani G, Mwatha JK, Ouma JH, Tukahebwa EM, Kariuki HC, Vennervald BJ, Kabatereine NB, Dunne DW.
Chemotherapy for schistosomiasis in Ugandan fishermen: treatment can cause a rapid increase in interleukin-5 levels in plasma but decreased levels of eosinophilia and worm-specific immunoglobulin E. Infect Immun. 2004 Jul;72(7):4023-30.
11. Booth M, Vennervald BJ, Kenty L, Butterworth AE, Kariuki HC, Kadzo H, Ireri E, Amaganga C, Kimani G, Mwatha JK, Otedo A, Ouma JH, Muchiri E, Dunne DW.
Micro-geographical variation in exposure to Schistosoma mansoni and malaria, and exacerbation of splenomegaly in Kenyan school-aged children.
BMC Infect Dis. 2004 May 17;4(1):13
12. Satti MZ, Cahen P, Skov PS, Joseph S, Jones FM, Fitzsimmons C, Hoffmann KF, Reimert C, Kariuki HC, Kazibwe F, Mwatha JK, Kimani G, Vennervald BJ, Ouma JH, Kabatereine NB, Dunne DW. Changes in IgE- and antigen-dependent histamine-release in peripheral blood of Schistosoma mansoni-infected Ugandan fishermen after treatment with praziquantel.
BMC Immunol. 2004 Apr 21;5(1):6
13. Vennervald BJ, Kenty L, Butterworth AE, Kariuki CH, Kadzo H, Ireri E, Amaganga C, Kimani G, Mwatha JK, Otedo A, Booth M, Ouma JH, Dunne DW.
Detailed clinical and ultrasound examination of children and adolescents in a Schistosoma mansoni endemic area in Kenya: hepatosplenic disease in the absence of portal fibrosis.
Trop Med Int Health. 2004 Apr;9(4):461-70
14. Booth M, Vennervald BJ, Kabatereine NB, Kazibwe F, Ouma JH, Kariuki CH, Muchiri E, Kadzo H, Ireri E, Kimani G, Mwatha JK, Dunne DW. Hepatosplenic morbidity in two neighbouring communities in Uganda with high levels of Schistosoma mansoni infection but very different durations of residence. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2004 Feb;98(2):125-36.
15. Joseph S, Jones FM, Kimani G, Mwatha JK, Kamau T, Kazibwe F, Kemijumbi J, Kabatereine NB, Booth M, Kariuki HC, Ouma JH, Vennervald BJ, Dunne DW.
Cytokine production in whole blood cultures from a fishing community in an area of high endemicity for Schistosoma mansoni in Uganda: the differential effect of parasite worm and egg antigens.
Infect Immun. 2004 Feb;72(2):728-34.
16. Mentink-Kane MM, Cheever AW, Thompson RW, Hari DM, Kabatereine NB, Vennervald BJ, Ouma JH, Mwatha JK, Jones FM, Donaldson DD, Grusby MJ, Dunne DW, Wynn TA.
IL-13 receptor alpha 2 down-modulates granulomatous inflammation and prolongs host survival in schistosomiasis.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Jan 13;101(2):586-90.
17. Mark Booth, Marie A. Shaw, Danielle Carpenter, Sarah Joseph, Narcis B. Kabatereine, Henry C. Kariuki, Joseph K. Mwatha, Frances M. Jones, Brigitte J. Vennervald, John H. Ouma, and David W. Dunne.
Carriage of DRB1*13 Is Associated with Increased Posttreatment IgE Levels against Schistosoma mansoni Antigens and Lower Long-Term Reinfection Levels
J Immunol 2006 176: 7112-7118.
18. Fitzsimmons CM, McBeath R, Joseph S, Jones FM, Walter K, Hoffmann KF, Kariuki HC, Mwatha JK, Kimani G, Kabatereine NB, Vennervald BJ, Ouma JH, Dunne DW.
Factors affecting human IgE and IgG responses to allergen-like Schistosoma mansoni antigens: Molecular structure and patterns of in vivo exposure.
Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2007;142(1):40-50. Epub 2006 Oct 2.
19. Walter K, Fulford AJ, McBeath R, Joseph S, Jones FM, Kariuki HC, Mwatha JK, Kimani G, Kabatereine NB, Vennervald BJ, Ouma JH, Dunne DW.
Increased human IgE induced by killing Schistosoma mansoni in vivo is associated with pretreatment Th2 cytokine responsiveness to worm antigens.
J Immunol. 2006 Oct 15;177(8):5490-8.
20. Reimert CM, Fitzsimmons CM, Joseph S, Mwatha JK, Jones FM, Kimani G, Hoffmann KF, Booth M, Kabatereine NB, Dunne DW, Vennervald BJ.
Eosinophil activity in Schistosoma mansoni infections in vivo and in vitro in relation to plasma cytokine profile pre- and posttreatment with praziquantel Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2006 May;13(5):584-93 .
