Pachka HAMMAMI
PhD student - Modeling in epidemiology and ecology
34 years old
Driving License
Montpellier (34000) France
Professional Status
Available soon
Open to opportunities
Internship in Population dynamics modeling “Modeling the impact of meteorological and environmental factors on the population dynamics of the vectors of Rift Valley fever in Northern Botswana”
Animal and Integrated Risk Management research unit, CIRAD (Centre de coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement)
November 2013
Internship
Montpellier & Pretoria
- Tools & skills: Scilab and R ; computer modeling, sensitivity analyses, dataset treatment (simulation and model adaptation)
Detailed Description
- Publication in course
- Following an epidemiological study highlighting the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) circulation in the region of the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the identification of the factors involved in the population dynamics of vectors of this disease proves to be essential. Knowledge on the epidemiological patterns leading to the emergence of RVFV outbreaks is still limited and a significant increase in the mosquito abundance remains the most likely hypothesis. The main objective of this study is to adapt a mechanist model of population dynamics for mosquitoes from this area, in order to i) determine the relative influence of temperature, rainfall and flooding on the vectors abundance and ii) to test the genericity of this model. The results of monthly mosquito catches conducted in four sites at the northwest border of the Delta between 2011 and 2012 were analysed. Four scenarii involving different combinations of environmental factors were assessed. Our main results indicate (1) the overabundance of the Culex pipiens and the very low occurrence of Aedes spp. in all sites, (2) a strong spatial variability between the catching sites, (3) a significant and equivalent influence of rainfall and flooding, (4) the genericity of the model in different environments. The implications of these results on the dynamics of fever Rift alley were discussed. This analysis is part of a study about the conditions leading to the Rift Valley fever emergence by analysing the response of vector populations to environmental change. The study highlights the importance to continue biological and field studies concerning vector dynamics and the relevance of this type of tool to describe and monitor the vector population evolution and develop surveillance and control strategies for vector-borne diseases.
Company Description
Work placement mentors:
Annelise Tran at the Maison de la télédétection in Montpellier, France.
Ferran Jori at the University of Pretoria in South Africa.
Annelise Tran at the Maison de la télédétection in Montpellier, France.
Ferran Jori at the University of Pretoria in South Africa.
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