Download Internet Explorer 8 or Firefox 3 now!
Laura L Hammitt
kilifi [dot] kemri-wellcome [dot] org Research
Laura joined the Programme in July 2008, as an epidemiologist and consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases. She serves as the epidemiologist for Anthony Scott’s Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Introduction Study. In preparation for the national introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), Laura is conducting a trial in Malindi to assess the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of 10-valent PCV in children aged 12-59 months, who will be targeted by the catch-up campaign. She is particularly interested in the impact of vaccination on the ecology of the nasopharynx and how this relates to serotype replacement. In addition, Laura serves as the PI of the pneumonia aetiolgy study, which aims to inform strategies for prevention and treatment of pneumonia in the era of pneumococcal- and Hib-conjugate vaccine use. Other activities include assessment of the impact of water and sanitation on rates of disease and evaluation of trends in the use of antibiotics in the community.
Collaborations
Publications
Hammitt LL, Bulkow L, Hennessy TW, Zanis C, Snowball M, Williams JL, Bell BP, McMahon BJ. Persistence of antibody to hepatitis A virus 10 years following vaccination among children and adults. JID 2008; 198:1776-82.
Hammitt LL, Hennessy TW, Fiore AE, Zanis C, Boyd Hummel K, Dunaway E, Bulkow L, McMahon BJ. Hepatitis B immunity in children vaccinated with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine beginning at birth: a follow-up study at 15 years. Vaccine 2007; 25: 6958-64.
Singleton RJ, Hennessy TW, Bulkow LR, Hammitt LL, Zulz T, Hurlburt DA, Butler JC, Rudolph K, Parkinson A. Invasive pneumococcal disease caused by non-vaccine serotypes among Alaska Native children with high levels of 7-Valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine coverage. JAMA 2007; 297:1784-1792.
Castrodale L, Gessner B, Hammitt L, Chimonas M, Hennessy T. Invasive early-onset neonatal group B streptococcal cases - Alaska, 2000-2004. Matern Child Health J. 2007; 11:91-5.
Singleton R, Hammitt L, Hennessy T, Bulkow L, DeByle C, Parkinson A, Cottle TE, Peters H, Butler JC. The Alaska Haemophilus influenzae type b experience: lessons in controlling a vaccine-preventable disease. Pediatrics. 2006; 118:e421-9.
Hammitt LL, Hennessy TW, Romero-Steiner S, Butler, JC. Assessment of carriage of Haemophilus influenzae type a after a case of invasive disease. Clin Infect Dis. 2006; 43:386-7.
Hammitt LL, Bruden DL, Butler, JC, Baggett HC, Hurlburt D, Reasonover A, Hennessy TW. Indirect effect of conjugate vaccine on adult carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae: an explanation for trends in invasive pneumococcal disease. Journal Infect Dis. 2006;
193:1487-94.
Hammitt LL, Block S, Hennessy T, DeByle C, Peters H, Parkinson A, Singleton R, Butler JC. Outbreak of invasive Haemophilus influenzae serotype a disease. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2005; 24:453-456.
Jorgenson G, Singleton R, Butler J, Cottle T, Hennessy T, Hurlburt D, Rudolph K, Parks D, Hammitt LL. Outbreak of invasive pneumococcal disease in rural Alaska. MMWR 2005; 54:72-75.
Bohnsack JF, Takahashi S, Detrick SR, Pelinka LR, Hammitt LL, Aly AA, Whiting AA, Adderson EE. Phylogenetic classification of serotype III group B streptococci on the basis of hylB gene analysis and DNA sequences specific to restriction digest pattern type III-3. J Infect Dis 2001:183:1694-7.
Bohnsack JF, Takahaski S, Hammitt L, Aly A, Miller DW, Adderson EE. Genetic polymorphisms of group B streptococcus scpB alter functional activity of a cell-associated peptidase that inactivates C5a. Infect Immun, 2000:68:5018-25.