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Hein Sprong
Research coordinator & scientist at Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), RIVM
Hein Sprong is a distinguished scientist and research coordinator specializing in vector-borne diseases, particularly those transmitted by ticks. Born in 1971, he has an extensive academic and professional background in biomedical sciences and infectious disease research.1
Academic Background
Sprong studied Biomedical Sciences at Utrecht University and obtained his PhD in Medicine from the University of Amsterdam in 2001.1 Following his doctoral studies, he pursued postdoctoral research at the Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden, Germany, until 2003.1
Professional Career
Academic Positions::
- Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Chemistry, Utrecht University (until 2007)1
- Visiting Scientist at Wageningen UR (University & Research centre)
Current Role:: Sprong currently works at the Centre for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology of the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and Environment in the Netherlands) as a researcher and research coordinator.12 He leads a multidisciplinary team focusing on wildlife and vector-borne diseases, with a particular emphasis on the Lyme disease spirochete.1
Research Focus
Sprong's research interests encompass:
- Ecology and epidemiology of vectors and vector-borne diseases
- Molecular aspects of infectious diseases
- Diagnostics of infectious diseases
- Control of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases12
Achievements and Contributions
- Published over 200 scientific articles on vector-borne diseases1
- Participated in numerous national and international projects on controlling Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases1
- Recently contributed to diagnosing the first human case of babesiosis in the Netherlands, caused by Babesia venatorum3
Hein Sprong's extensive experience and contributions have established him as a prominent figure in the field of vector-borne diseases, particularly in tick-borne pathogens research and public health.
Highlights
Scientific progress often relies on the development of new methodologies. Here, we used uninfected ticks to measure the infectiousness of wild birds for Borrelia garinii, one of the causative agents of #Lyme neuroborreliosis. Infectiousness is the ability to infect others: in this case Ixodes ricinus ticks. Furthermore, we developed & validated a molecular test(strategy) to specifically detect Borrelia garinii. We observed previously that the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens vary greatly in space and time. This new study shows the same for the infectiousness of resident bird, namely large seasonal variation in the ability of great tits (Parus major) to transmit B. garinii to feeding ticks.
https://lnkd.in/e3D2PbGu
Special thanks to Jens Zarka, Manoj Fonville, Dieter Heylen and Matthysen Erik.
In this observational study, we saw that the spatial and temporal variation of horizontallly (e.g. Lyme-Borrelia) and vertically (e.g. Borrelia miyamotoi) transmitted pathogens is mainly driven by the density of questing (Ixodes ricinus) ticks. Spatially, the variation in tick densities is mainly driven by habitat characteristics (flora/fauna/landscape), whereas temporal variation in densities of questing ticks is mainly driven by weather (climatic) conditions.
This information helps to identify risk areas, but also the timing of the highest risk of acquiring tick-borne diseases.
https://lnkd.in/eh4aiVD9
Special thanks to Nienke Hartemink, Aleksandra Krawczyk, Arnold van Vliet, Gerrit Gort, Manoj Fonville and Willem Takken!
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Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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