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13 September 2022 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Stephen Collett
Prof Trudi O’Neill, Professor in the UFS Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, delivered her inaugural lecture on the topic: Rotavirus: New strategies to outsmart an old foe.
Prof Trudi O’Neill, Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry at the University of the Free State (UFS) – whose research over the past 14 years is geared towards the development of a low-cost rotavirus vaccine for use in Africa – recently delivered her inaugural lecture on the Bloemfontein Campus on the topic: Rotavirus: New strategies to outsmart an old foe, a very appropriate topic for the time we live in. Most of her work is funded by the German Research Foundation.

She is a founding member and since 2016 Chairperson of the African Research Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ARNTD). This African-based network aims to empower current and future African researchers to support evidence-based control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases. 

Prof O’Neill, known among her colleagues as being passionate about her work, also investigates rotavirus-host interactions and strain diversity in both humans and animals. 

She obtained her PhD in Molecular Virology at the University of Pretoria in 2001 and started her career at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute. In 2012, she joined the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry at the UFS.

Burden of the disease

“Rotavirus, a zoonotic infection, competes with adenovirus, cholera, and shigella as the biggest cause (27% of diarrhoea cases) of severe dehydrating diarrhoea in children under five,” says Prof O'Neill.

Repeated infections by rotavirus or other diarrhoea-causing pathogens can cause a number of long-term complications, such as intestinal damage and inflammation, nutrient loss, and malabsorption, resulting in malnutrition and subsequently a weak immune system. Malnutrition at a young age can lead to metabolic diseases such as diabetes in the long run.

She says vaccine effectiveness is dependent on many factors. Those suffering from malnutrition in poor countries with inadequate sanitation and who are living in close contact with animals, are most at risk of severe dehydrating diarrhoea caused by rotavirus infections. Low-income countries saw an efficiency rate of less than 50% compared to middle-income countries' 75% efficiency rate. She says, however, that vaccines have had the biggest public health impact in low-income countries due to the high burden of disease. 

Prof O’Neill’s presentation included a review of the research that had been conducted, including diversity studies using genome characterisation (sequencing of more than 100 strains, most of which from Mozambique), lipid studies, and investigations into the use of virus-like particles (VLPs) and subunit proteins as vaccine candidates. Production of VLPs and proteins was explored in insect cells and yeast, exploiting the Biobanks SA Yeast culture collection housed in the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry. A subunit vaccine containing parts (proteins) of the virus that causes the disease and broad-spectrum antiviral vaccine candidates are some of the strategies she is investigating to combat the long-term effects of rotavirus infections. 

Cost and safety

Decades of work in the rotavirus field led to the licensing of the first vaccines to fight the infection in the late 2000s. Prof O’Neill says that there has been a 65% decline in rotavirus-related deaths since 2000, with vaccines being a major contributor to this. 

Two of the concerns she pointed out in terms of the vaccine were about safety and cost. For persons with severe immune deficiencies, the vaccine can cause vaccine-derived rotavirus infection.

Addressing the concern about cost, Gavi, a public–private global health partnership that aims to increase access to immunisation in poor countries, has done great work in providing rotavirus vaccine support to low-income countries. 

News Archive

“Deploy your education and not connections,” Chancellor tells graduates
2012-05-16

 

Qwaqwa Autumn Graduation
Photo: Thabo Kessah
16 May 2012

Our Qwaqwa Campus conferred 424 degrees, diplomas and certificates at this year’s autumn graduation ceremony held on 12 May 2012.

Amongst the degrees conferred were two doctorates in Polymer Science, two Master’s of Arts in Geography and African Languages, respectively, five Master’s of Science degrees in Physics (3) and Polymer Science (2) and 37 honours degrees in Education, Zoology, Physics, Botany and Polymer Science.

In their congratulatory messages, both the Vice-Rector: Institutional Affairs, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, and the Chancellor, Dr Khotso Mokhele, challenged the graduates to start focusing their attention beyond their graduation on what they both referred to as “the real world”.

“Graduation ceremonies are a fantastic event, but you must never lose sight of appreciating the support given by those around you,” said Dr Mokhele.

“This hall was full of shouting and yes, you must bask in that glory, knowing that you have achieved part of your goals. Yes, this is your moment, so shine. You deserve it. You have earned it.”

“However, this noise also means you must go out there and face the real world. You are graduating in a model country on how people can reconcile, despite their painful and divided past. You deserve all the accolades, but that model country is disappearing before your eyes. How can you mess up what Mandela, Biko, Sobukwe, Nardine Gordimer lived and fought for? How can you mess up such a good thing?” Dr Mokhele asked of an attentive audience that included proud parents and siblings, as well as educators and learners from the Thabo Mofutsanyana District.

“Go out there and deploy your education and not your connections, as these are embedded in corruption. Go out there and help get rid of the patronage system where hard-workers are more likely to be constructively dismissed as they stand in the way of those with corrupt tendencies. Save this country from becoming another Zimbabwe. Let us do whatever it takes to save this country. Let these matriculants who are here today want to walk that red carpet with pride in the next few years,”,said Dr Mokhele.

Dignitaries in attendance included the former Chief Minister of the former Qwaqwa homeland, Dr T K Mopeli; the Executive Mayor of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality, Councillor Tjhetane Mofokeng; Dr SWF Moloi (Thabo Mofutsanyana Education District) and representatives from various government departments.
 

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