Professor
Center for Global Health & Diseases and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
M.D. 1978 State University of New York-Downstate Medical Center
M.S. University of Michigan School of Public Health, 2001
RESEARCH
Urinary schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium remains a major health burden in areas of Africa and the Middle East, affecting more than 110 million people in rural, agricultural, and peri-urban areas. Individuals infected by S. haematobium frequently experience dysuria, pelvic pain, and hematuria, and are at risk of developing bladder cancer or renal failure later in life. In addition, schistosome infection is significantly associated with anemia, impaired growth, and impaired development and cognition. Consequently, schistosomiasis affects not only the health of individuals, but the economic strength of an affected area as well.
I am pursuing long-term collaborative research with Case colleagues and with the Ministry of Health (Kenya) on the epidemiology of schistosomiasis and other human parasite infections and the ecology of infectious disease transmission. Through recent collaborations with vector-borne disease specialists/ecologists at University of Illinois, and with public health specialists at University of Michigan, I am also pursuing the design of novel and optimal control strategies for disease due to schistosomiasis in Kenya and other endemic areas of the world.
These programs involve the implementation of new PCR and GIS database technologies for disease mapping and for modeling of spatially linked data, and new statistical approaches to study the influence of socio-economic and other household environmental factors in the transmission of chronic parasitic diseases. Formal clinical trials of the efficacy and effectiveness of different schistosomiasis control strategies are planned, including cost-benefit analysis from a societal perspective, to be performed in conjunction with Kenyan researchers and Health Economics colleagues from the University of Heidelberg.
Collateral studies have engaged us in the study of transmission of Rift Valley Fever during epidemic and interepidemic periods in Kenya, and in studies of the transmission of West Nile Virus in Cuyahoga County, in collaboration with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.
 
Schistosoma haematobium egg and adult worm (Credits: CDC, WHO)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Phone: 216-368-3667
Fax: 216-368-4825
e-mail: chk@cwru.edu
PUBLICATIONS
• King, C.H . R.E. Blanton, E.M. Muchiri, J.H. Ouma, H.C.Kariuki, P. Mungai, P. Magak, H. Kadzo, E. Ireri, and D.K. Koech, Low heritable component of risk for infection intensity and infection associated disease in urinary schistosomiasis among Wadigo village populations in Coast Province, Kenya. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 70:57-62, 2004.
• Clennon, J.A., C.H. King , E.M. Muchiri, H.C. Kariuki, J.H. Ouma, P. Mungai, and U. Kitron. Spatial patterns of urinary schistosomiasis infection in a highly-endemic area of coastal Kenya, American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 70: 443-448, 2004.
• Kariuki, H.C., J. Clennon, M. Brady, U. Kitron, R. F. Sturrock, J. H. Ouma, S. Tosha, M. Ndzovhu, P. Mungai, J. Hamburger, O. Hoffman, C. Pellegrini, E.M. Muchiri and C.H. King , Distribution patterns and cercarial shedding of Bulinus nasutus and other snails in Msambweni area, Coast Province, Kenya, American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 70: 449-456, 2004.
• Guwatudde, D., S. Debanne, M. Diaz, C.H. King , and C.C. Whalen, A re-examination of the potential impact of preventive therapy on the public health problem of tuberculosis in contemporary sub-Saharan Africa. Preventive Medicine, 39:1036-1046, 2004.
Wamachi, A.N., J.S. Mayadev, P. Mungai, P.L. Magak, J.H. Ouma, J.K. Magambo, E.M. Muchiri, D.K Koech, C.H. King, and C.L. King, Increased ratio of TNF-alpha to IL-10 production is associated with Schistosoma haematobium -induced urinary tract morbidity. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 190:2020-2030, 2004.
• Hamburger, J., O. Hoffman, H.C. Kariuki, E.M. Muchiri, J.H. Ouma, D.K. Koech, R.F. Sturrock and C.H. King , Large-scale, Polymerase Chain Reaction-based surveillance of Schistosoma haematobium DNA in snails from transmission sites in coastal Kenya: A new tool for studying the dynamics of snail infection. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 71: 765-773, 2004.
• Gurarie, D. and C.H. King , Heterogeneous model of schistosomiasis transmission and long-term control: The combined influence of spatial variation and age-dependent factors on optimal allocation of drug therapy, Parasitology, 130: 49-65, 2005.
• King, C.H ., K. Dickman, and D. J. Tisch. Reassessment of the cost of chronic helminth infection: Meta-analysis of disability-related outcomes in endemic schistosomiasis. The Lancet, 365:1561-69, 2005.
• Blanton, R.E., E. Abdel-Salam, C.H. King , and K.A. Goddard. Schistosomal hepatic fibrosis and the interferon gamma receptor: A linkage analysis using single nucleotide polymorphic markers. European Journal of Human Genetics, 13:660-668, 2005.
• Kayanja, H. K., S. Debanne, C.H. King and C.C. Whalen, Tuberculosis infection among health care workers in Kampala, Uganda, International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease 9:686-8, 2005.
• Ouma, J.H., C.H. King , E.M. Muchiri, P. Mungai, D.K. Koech, E. Ireri, P. Magak, and H. Kadzo. Late benefits 10-18 years after drug therapy for infection with Schistosoma haematobium in Kwale District, Coast Province, Kenya. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 73: 359-364, 2005.
• Gurarie, D., P. Zimmerman, and C.H. King , Dynamic regulation of single- and mixed-species malaria infection: Insights to specific and non-specific mechanisms of control, Journal of Theoretical Biology, (accepted for publication).
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