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07 January 2018
Photo Charl Devenish
Dr Anneke van der Spoel van Dijk is invested in contributing
to the global effort of stopping TB by 2035.
The work of Dr Anneke van der Spoel van Dijk investigates the spread of TB in the Free State population using techniques such as next generation sequencing, spoligotyping and MIRU-VNTR typing. Dr Van der Spoel van Dijk, a senior medical scientist in the Department of Medical Microbiology at the University of the Free State (UFS) also looks at drug resistance in her research. This work informs decisions about how best to treat patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).
She employs rapid molecular techniques to track one of Africa’s most serious diseases, tuberculosis (TB).
Drug resistance
Scientists assist the National Health Laboratory Service and Department of Health in trying to refine the diagnostic tools to identify these cases earlier. Dr Van der Spoel van Dijk explains: “Until recently, it took up to two years to fine-tune treatment decisions for patients with MDR-TB. Patients get a cocktail of anti-TB drugs, but it takes time to find the right combination. Re-infection and relapse (patients stopping treatment for several reasons) add to the diagnostic and treatment management challenges.
Enormous impact
“Now doctors can reduce the time needed for diagnostic certainty to about seven days, while new drugs allow reduction of treatment from more than 18 to nine months. This can have an enormous impact on the life of many patients.”
Dr Van der Spoel van Dijk’s work forms part of research in the faculty looking at resistance development in TB strains. She is currently also doing her doctoral thesis on the differences and incidence of MDR-TB among adolescents versus adults. Dr Van der Spoel van Dijk says: “It is a complicated picture, but we hope to unravel it to support better diagnostic tools and patient care.”
As part of the National Health Laboratory Service, her department is playing an important role in TB diagnostics and the training of scientists and future pathologists. “Our work is contributing to the global vision to stop TB by 2035,” Dr Van der Spoel van Dijk says.
Shimlas have reason to celebrate
2010-03-04
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Joubert Horn, the Shimlas’ lock, was one of the try scorers against the FNB TUT Vikings.
Photo: Gerhard Louw |
Wayne Stevens, captain of the Shimlas at the University of the Free State (UFS), has reason to smile after his team won another match in the FNB Varsity Cup on Monday.
Both teams played well, but in the end it was the FNB TUT Vikings who had to accept defeat. The Shimlas sent the Vikings home with a score of 37-31.
The Shimlas got a bonus point for scoring four tries. This places them in the fourth position on the league log.
This week the team is preparing for their match against the FNB Tuks. The Shimlas feel confident about their next match and are now working on their strategy.
The Shimlas will play against the FNB Tuks at the Tuks Rugby Stadium in Pretoria on Monday, 8 March 2010 at 18:30.
– Lize du Plessis