Projects per year
Personal profile
Research expertise
Introduction
This unit was established in January 2012. The fulltime members are Chris Kenyon (head), Kara Osbak and Ilan Schwartz (PhD Students). We collaborate extensively with the units of Prof X Van Ostade (Antwerp University), Prof Philippe Buscher (ITM), Prof Jacques van Lankveld (Open University), Prof Rebecca Brotman (University of Maryland) Prof Caroline Cameron (University of Victoria) as well as a number of other units in the ITM, UA and South African institutions.
Research in the STI Unit is focussed on:
- Preventing the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in STIs
- Testing the pharmacoecological theory of AMR. This theory postulates that the reason why AMR in organisms such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae frequently emerges in core-groups such as sex workers and MSM is due to a combination of a dense sex network and high rates of consumption of antimicrobials. The high network connectivity generates a high prevalence of the STI and the antimicrobial consumption then places a selection pressure for the emergence of AMR. We are testing this theory through the following strategies:
- Ecological studies of the association between network conectivity + antimicrobial consumption vs. AMR
- Observational studies of changes in antimicrobial consumption in high network connectivity populations and subequent changes in AMR
- RCTs:
- 1. PReGo Study - Preventing the emergence of resistance in gonorrhoea Study. We aim to assess in this RCT if we can reduce the cumulative incidence of gonorrhoea, chlamydia and syphilis throught he use of a commercially available mouthwash product
- 2. RCT of 3 site 3monthly screening for N. gonorrhoea/C. trachomatis vs no screening in higher risk MSM
- In vitro testing of the theory in an Ngonorrhoea morbidostat
- Altering our STERGM model of N gonorrhoea transmission to include probability of the emergence of AMR depending on screening and treatment strategy
- We are evaluating alternative antibiotic combinations, screening policies on the emergence of resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
- SeTPAT. The search for a Treponema pallidum antigen test. We are using MS/MS and MRM to detect the presence of various T pallidum antigens in the sera of 120 patients with a new diagnosis of syphilis. We aim to develop an ELISA that can detect T pallidum antigen via this approach
- Further develop and test the Sexual Network Connectivity is a fundamental determinant of STI prevalence (SeNCoSTI) theory
- Refine the SeNCoSTI Theory on the basis of empirical evidence and modelling analyses
- Map the global and within country variations in the prevalence of the major STIs over the last century and relate these changes to parameters in SeNCoSTI
- Develop a model for transmission of genital microbiomes in general and bacterial vaginosis associated bacteria in specific
- Emergomyces africana. We aim to develop a new antigen test and serologic test for diagnosis and seroprevalence surveys.
Education/Academic qualification
PHD, Doctor
Award Date: 27-May-2012
MPH, Master
Award Date: 26-May-2000
External positions
Lecturer, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town
30-Jan-2002 → …Keywords
- B500-immunology
- S211-sociology-of-science
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Network
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Contemporary challenges in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Pre-Exposure-Prophylaxis care in Belgium
Vanbaelen, T., Kenyon, C., Florence, E. & Verhoeven, V.
15/11/22 → …
Project: PhD-project
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Investigating the feasibility of providing injectable PrEP for HIV Prevention in Flanders
Reyniers, T., De Baetselier, I., Nöstlinger, C., Kenyon, C., Hensen, B. & Van Aerde, K.
Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
1/10/22 → 30/09/26
Project: Research Project
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Understanding and preventing the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Laumen, J., Kenyon, C. & Malhotra-Kumar, S.
12/01/21 → 24/02/23
Project: PhD-project
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PRESTIP: PReventing the Emergence of untreatable STIs via radical Prevention
Kenyon, C., Crucitti, T., De Baetselier, I., Florence, E., Soentjens, P., Basil, S. S. & Van Wymeersch, K.
1/01/21 → 31/12/24
Project: Research Project
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GonoScreen: Efficacy of screening STIs in MSM: Is screening for gonorrhea and chlamydia cost-effective in reducing the cumulative incidence of these infections in men who have sex with men taking HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP): a randomized, multicenter controlled trial
Kenyon, C., Herssens, N., De Hondt, A. & Van Wymeersch, K.
Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre
1/07/20 → 30/06/23
Project: Research Project
Research output
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Characteristics of confirmed mpox cases among clinical suspects: a prospective single-centre study in Belgium during the 2022 outbreak
ITM mpox study groupc, 2023, In: New Microbes and New Infections. 52, p. 101093 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Web of Science-article › peer-review
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Persistent morbidity in Clade IIb mpox patients: interim results of a long-term follow-up study, Belgium, June to November 2022
ITM Monkeypox Study Group, 2023, In: Eurosurveillance. 28, 7, 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Web of Science-article › peer-review
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Self-control for harm reduction in chemsex
Platteau, T., Herrijgers, C., Kenyon, C. & Florence, E., 2023, In: Lancet HIV. 10, 1, p. e8 1 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review
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The oropharynx of men using HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis is enriched with antibiotic resistance genes: a cross-sectional observational metagenomic study
Van Dijck, C., Laumen, J. G. E., de Block, T., Abdellati, S., De Baetselier, I., Tsoumanis, A., Malhotra-Kumar, S., Manoharan-Basil, S. S., Kenyon, C. & Xavier, B. B., 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Infection.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Web of Science-article › peer-review
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Urethritis without skin lesions as the primary manifestation of Mpox virus infection
Liesenborghs, L., Huyst, V., Van Dijck, C., Rutgers, J., De Baetselier, I., Kenyon, C., Van Esbroeck, M. & Vercauteren, K., 2023, In: European Urology. 83, 4, p. 378-379 2 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Web of Science-article › peer-review