0709 203000 - Nairobi 0709 983000 - Kilifi
0709 203000 - NRB 0709 983000 - Kilifi
0709 203000 - NRB | 0709 983000 - Kilifi

Epidemiology & Demography

Bio

I am a clinical epidemiologist with a specific focus on infectious diseases and vaccines. I trained in clinical medicine at Oxford University, in infectious diseases in London and Newcastle and in epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). I joined the Programme in 1993 and I was based at the University of Oxford for 15 years before taking up my current position at LSHTM as Professor of Vaccine Epidemiology.

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Current Work

My work has explored the aetiology of pneumonia in children and adults, the incidence of bacterial invasive diseases in children and the impact of conjugate vaccines against H. influenzae type b and pneumococcus. I have run trials of different types of vaccines against pneumococcus, in different schedules (e.g. for neonates) and different doses and I have established various systems of public health surveillance against invasive bacterial disease and SARS-CoV-2. With Tom Williams I set up the Kilifi Health and Demographic Surveillance System (KHDSS) in 2000 and I have worked with many internal and external collaborators to estimate cause specific morbidity and mortality in the KDHSS. Research Group - Katherine Gallagher - Wangeci Kagucia - Esther Muthumbi - John Ojal Other Roles; Director of the Health Protection Research Unit in Immunisation, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Policy roles: Member – Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) UK Member – World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (WHO SAGE)

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Recent publications

Seroprevalence of antibodies against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis over a 12-year period in children in Kilifi, Kenya (2009-2021).
Mburu, C. N., Ojal, J., Selim, R., Ombati, R., Akech, D., Karia, B., Tuju, J., Sigilai, A., Smits, G., van Gageldonk, P. G. M., van der Klis, F. R. M., Flasche, S., Kagucia, E. W., Scott, J. A. G., Adetifa, I . M. O.
Int J Infect Dis, (2026). :108396

The effect of a 5-day course of azithromycin on Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage and antimicrobial resistance among Kenyan children discharged from hospital.
Libby, T. E., Karani, A., Tickell, K. D., Akech, D., Singa, B., Rwigi, D., Kariuki, K., Onamu, N., Ounga, D., Berkley, J. A., Walson, J. L., Scott, J. A. G., Pavlinac, P. B.
J Infect Dis, (2026). :

Determining the dose-response relationship for pneumococcal conjugate vaccines: a nested analysis of the fractional dose PCV trial.
Martinez-de-Albeniz, I., Bottomley, C., Lucinde, R., Kaniu, M. W., Badaud, S., Mutahi, M., Mwalekwa, L., Ragab, S., Twi-Yeboah, L., Berkley, J. A., Hamaluba, M., Karani, A., Shangala, J., Otiende, M., Gardiner, E., Mugo, D., Smith, P. G., Tabu, C., Were, F., Goldblatt, D., Scott, J. A. G., Gallagher, K. E.
Vaccine, (2026). 73:128186

Correction: Comparison of causes of stillbirth and child deaths as determined by verbal autopsy and minimally invasive tissue sampling.
Assefa, N., Scott, J. A. G., Madrid, L., Dheresa, M., Mengesha, G., Madhi, S., Mahtab, S., Dangor, Z., Myburgh, N., Mothibi, L. K., Sow, S. O., Kotloff, K. L., Tapia, M. D., Onwuchekwa, U. U., Djiteye, M., Varo, R., Mandomando, I., Nhacolo, A., Sacoor, C., Xerinda, E., Ogbuanu, I., Samura, S., Duduyemi, B., Swarray-Deen, A., Bah, A., Arifeen, S. E., Gurley, E. S., Hossain, M. Z., Rahman, A., Chowdhury, A. I., Bassat, Q., Mutevedzi, P., Cunningham, S. A., Blau, D., Whitney, C. G.
PLOS Glob Public Health, (2025). 5:e0005586

Active vaccine safety surveillance: Experience from a prospective cohort event monitoring study of COVID-19 vaccines in Kenya.
Odhiambo, D. B., Akech, D., Karia, B., Kimani, M., Sang, S., Sigilai, A., Voller, S., Mataza, C., Mang'ong'o, D., Jalang'o, R., Mandale, M., Etyang, A. O., Scott, J. A. G., Agweyu, A., Kagucia, E. W.
PLOS Glob Public Health, (2025). 5:e0005080