PD Dr. Valérie R. Louis

MSc, PhD

Senior Researcher

Valérie R. Louis is a senior research at the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, which she joined in 2004. She has a particular interest in topics that link health and the environment. While in Heidelberg, her research has focused on vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue, as well as climate change and health, a topic that she has been teaching extensively. She has experience in qualitative methods, field surveys, management of large datasets, statistics analysis, and geographic information systems (GIS). She has also dedicated her time to capacity building and development of Masters of Public Health in French-speaking Africa (Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Togo).

Within HIGH, she is part of the Research to Practice Group Coordination Team, which specializes in systematic reviews. In 2022, she joined the Research Unit in Health Economics and Health Financing (HEHF) to bridge research  areas and expand research  topics.

Education

Selected Publications

Schnieders E, Röhr F, Mbewe M, Shanzi A, Berner-Rodoreda A, Barteit S, Louis VR, Andreadis P, Syakantu G, Neuhann F. Real-life Evaluation of an Interactive Versus Noninteractive e-Learning Module on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease for Medical Licentiate Students in Zambia: Web-Based, Mixed Methods Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Med Educ. 2022 Feb 24;8(1):e34751. doi: 10.2196/34751.

           

Brown Wilson J, Deckert A, Shah R, Kyei N, Copeland Dahn L, Doe-Rogers R, Hinneh AB, Johnson LW, Natt GD, Verdier JA, Vosper A, Louis VR, Dambach P, Thomas-Connor I. COVID-19-related knowledge, attitudes and practices: a mixed-mode cross-sectional survey in Liberia. BMJ Open. 2021 Jul 27;11(7):e049494. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049494.

           

Dambach P, Bärnighausen T, Yadouleton A, Dambach M, Traoré I, Korir P, Ouedraogo S, Nikiema M, Sauerborn R, Becker N, Louis VR. Is biological larviciding against malaria a starting point for integrated multi-disease control? Observations from a cluster randomized trial in rural Burkina Faso. PLoS One. 2021 Jun 18;16(6):e0253597. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253597.

 

Schnieders E, Ünal E, Winkler V, Dambach P, Louis VR, Horstick O, Neuhann F, Deckert A. Performance of alternative COPD case-finding tools: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Respir Rev. 2021 May 25;30(160):200350. doi: 10.1183/16000617.0350-2020. Print 2021 Jun 30.

           

Sorgho R, Quiñonez CAM, Louis VR, Winkler V, Dambach P, Sauerborn R, Horstick O. Climate Change Policies in 16 West African Countries: A Systematic Review of Adaptation with a Focus on Agriculture, Food Security, and Nutrition. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Nov 30;17(23):8897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17238897.

 

Dambach P, Winkler V, Bärnighausen T, Traoré I, Ouedraogo S, Sié A, Sauerborn R, Becker N, Louis VR. Biological larviciding against malaria vector mosquitoes with Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) - Long term observations and assessment of repeatability during an additional intervention year of a large-scale field trial in rural Burkina Faso. Glob Health Action. 2020 Dec 31;13(1):1829828. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2020.1829828.

 

Dambach P, Baernighausen T, Traoré I, Ouedraogo S, Sié A, Sauerborn R, Becker N, Louis VR. Reduction of malaria vector mosquitoes in a large-scale intervention trial in rural Burkina Faso using Bti based larval source management. Malar J. 2019 Sep 14;18(1):311. doi: 10.1186/s12936-019-2951-3.

 

Barteit S, Sié A, Yé M, Depoux A, Louis VR, Sauerborn R. Lessons learned on teaching a global audience with massive open online courses (MOOCs) on health impacts of climate change: a commentary. Global Health. 2019 Aug 22;15(1):52. doi: 10.1186/s12992-019-0494-6.

           

Wilder-Smith A, Tissera H, AbuBakar S, Kittayapong P, Logan J, Neumayr A, Rocklöv J, Byass P, Louis VR, Tozan Y, Massad E, Preet R. Novel tools for the surveillance and control of dengue: findings by the DengueTools research consortium. Glob Health Action. 2018;11(1):1549930. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2018.1549930.

           

Atique S, Chan TC, Chen CC, Hsu CY, Iqtidar S, Louis VR, Shabbir SA, Chuang TW. Investigating spatio-temporal distribution and diffusion patterns of the dengue outbreak in Swat, Pakistan. J Infect Public Health. 2018 Jul-Aug;11(4):550-557. doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2017.12.003. Epub 2017 Dec 26.

           

Herrmann A, Fischer H, Amelung D, Litvine D, Aall C, Andersson C, Baltruszewicz M, Barbier C, Bruyère S, Bénévise F, Dubois G, Louis VR, Nilsson M, Richardsen Moberg K, Sköld B, Sauerborn R. Household preferences for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in four European high-income countries: Does health information matter? A mixed-methods study protocol. BMC Public Health. 2017 Aug 1;18(1):71. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4604-1.

           

Liyanage P, Tissera H, Sewe M, Quam M, Amarasinghe A, Palihawadana P, Wilder-Smith A, Louis VR, Tozan Y, Rocklöv J. A Spatial Hierarchical Analysis of the Temporal Influences of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Weather on Dengue in Kalutara District, Sri Lanka. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016 Nov 4;13(11):1087. doi: 10.3390/ijerph13111087.

Louis V, Phalkey R. Health Impacts in a Changing Climate – An Overview. Eur.Phys.J. Special Topics. May 2016, Volume 225, Issue 3, pp 429-441.

Phalkey R, Louis V. Two hot to handle: how do we manage the simultaneous impacts of climate change and natural disasters on human health?. Eur.Phys.J. Special Topics. May 2016, Volume 225, Issue 3, pp 443-457.

Louis VR , Montenegro Quiñonez CA, Kusumawathie P, Palihawadana P, Janaki S, Tozan Y, Wijemuni R, Wilder-Smith A,Tissera HA. Characteristics of and factors associated with dengue vector breeding sites in Colombo City, Sri Lanka. Pathogens and Global Health. Accepted March 31  2016. In Press.- FEATURED ARTICLE

Louis VR, Phalkey R, Horstick O, Ratanawong P, Wilder-Smith A, Tozan Y, Dambach P. Modeling tools for dengue risk mapping - a systematic review. Int J Health Geogr. 2014 Dec 9;13:50. doi: 10.1186/1476-072X-13-50.

Ratanawong P, Kittayapong P, Olanratmanee P, Wilder-Smith A, Byass P, Tozan Y, Dambach P, Quiñonez CA, Louis VR. Spatial Variations in Dengue Transmission in Schools in Thailand. PLoS One. 2016 Sep 26;11(9):e0161895. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161895.

Louis V, Schoeps A, Tiendrebéogo J, Beiersmann C, Yé M, Damiba Mbayiha A, De Allegri M, Jahn A, Sié A, Becher H, Mueller O: No clear effect of a national insecticide-treated bed net on childhood mortality and malaria burden in a high transmission area of Burkina Faso. WHO Bull 2015 ;93(11):750-8. doi: 10.2471/BLT.14.147702. Epub 2015 Aug 31

Murray N, Jansarikij S, Olanratmanee P, Maskhao P, Souares A, Wilder-Smith A, Kittayapong P, Louis VR: Acceptability of impregnated school uniforms for dengue control in Thailand: a mixed methods approach. Glob Health Action 2014, 7.

Louis VR, Badolo A, Schröer T, Guelbeogo WM, Sagnon N, Yé M, Jahn A, Müller O. Evaluation of field performance of insecticide-treated mosquito nets in north-western Burkina Faso.   Internat. J. Tropical Disease & Health. 2012, 2(4): 284-289,

Louis VR, Bals J, Tiendrebéogo J, Bountogo M, Ramroth H, De Allegri M, Traoré C, Beiersmann C, Coulibaly B, Yé M, Jahn A, Becher H, Müller O. Long-term effects of malaria prevention with insecticide-treated mosquito nets on morbidity and mortality in African children: randomised controlled trial. Trop Med Int Health. 2012 Apr 23. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2012.02990.x.

Béguin, A, Hales, S, Rocklöv, J, Åström, C, Louis, VR, Sauerborn, R. The opposing effects of climate change and socio-economic development on the global distribution of malaria. Global Environmental Change. 2011, 21: 1209-1214.

*Sié A, *Louis VR, Gbangou A, Müller O, Niamba L, Stieglbauer G, Yé M, Kouyaté B, Sauerborn R, Becher H. The Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) in Nouna, Burkina Faso, 1993-2007. Glob Health Action. 2010, Sep 14;3. doi: 10.3402/gha.v3i0.5284.
*Equal contribution as first author.

*Tipke M, *Louis VR, Yé M, De Allegri M, Beiersmann C, Sié A, Mueller O, Jahn A. Access to malaria treatment in young children of rural Burkina Faso. Malar J. 2009 Nov 24;8:266.
*Equal contribution as first author.

Yamamoto S, Louis VR, Sié A, Sauerborn R. Household risk factors for clinical malaria in a semi-urban area of Burkina Faso: a case-control study. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2010 Jan;104(1):61-5. Epub 2009 Aug 28

Müller O, Yé M, Louis VR, Sié A. Malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Lancet. 2009 Jan 10; 373 (9658): 122

Yé Y, Louis VR, Simboro S, Sauerborn R. Effect of meteorological factors on clinical malaria risk among children: an assessment using village-based meteorological stations and community-based parasitological survey. BMC Public Health. 2007, Jun 8;7:101.

Louis VR, Russek-Cohen E, O’Brien SJ, Pearson AD, and R.R. Colwell.  Ecological modeling of Campylobacter cases in England and Wales (1990-1999).  Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2005, 71(1):85-92.

Louis VR, Russek-Cohen E, Choopun N, Rivera ING, Gangle B, Jiang SC, Rubin A, Russek-Cohen E, Patz E, Huq A, and Colwell RR. Predictability of Vibrio cholerae in Chesapeake Bay. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2003, 69(5):2773-2785 (Publication highlighted in “ASM News”)