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Epidemiology and Transmission

Epidemiology and Transmission

Project Lead(s)
Project Background 

Key Publications  
  1. Aboagye, S. Y., Ampah, K. A., Ross, A., Asare, P., Otchere, I. D., Fyfe, J., & Yeboah-Manu, D. (2017). Seasonal Pattern of Mycobacterium ulcerans, the Causative Agent of Buruli Ulcer, in the Environment in Ghana. Microbial Ecology, 74(2), 350-361. doi:10.1007/s00248-017-0946-6
  2. Aboagye, S. Y., Asare, P., Otchere, I. D., Koka, E., Mensah, G. E., Yirenya-Tawiah, D., & Yeboah-Manu, D. (2017). Environmental and Behavioral Drivers of Buruli Ulcer Disease in Selected Communities Along the Densu River Basin of Ghana: A Case-Control Study. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 96(5), 1076-1083. doi:doi:https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.16-0749
  3. Aboagye, S. Y., Danso, E., Ampah, K. A., Nakobu, Z., Asare, P., Otchere, I. D., . . . Yeboah-Manu, D. (2016). Isolation of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria from the Environment of Buruli Ulcer Endemic Communities in Ghana. Appl Environ Microbiol. doi:10.1128/aem.01002-16
  4. Aboagye, S. Y., Kpeli, G., Tuffour, J., & Yeboah-Manu, D. (2018). Challenges associated with the treatment of Buruli ulcer. Journal of Leukocyte Biology. doi:10.1002/JLB.MR0318-128
  5. Ampah, K. A., Asare, P., Binnah, D. D., Maccaulley, S., Opare, W., Roltgen, K., . . . Yeboah-Manu, D. (2016). Burden and Historical Trend of Buruli Ulcer Prevalence in Selected Communities along the Offin River of Ghana. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 10(4), e0004603. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004603
  6. Ampah, K. A., Nickel, B., Asare, P., Ross, A., De-Graft, D., Kerber, S., . . . Röltgen, K. (2016). A Sero-epidemiological Approach to Explore Transmission of Mycobacterium ulcerans. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 10(1), e0004387. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004387
  7. Bibert, S., Bratschi, M. W., Aboagye, S. Y., Collinet, E., Scherr, N., Yeboah-Manu, D., . . . Bochud, P. Y. (2017). Susceptibility to Mycobacterium ulcerans Disease (Buruli ulcer) Is Associated with IFNG and iNOS Gene Polymorphisms. Frontiers in Microbiology, 8, 1903. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2017.01903
  8. Diaz, D., Dobeli, H., Yeboah-Manu, D., Mensah-Quainoo, E., Friedlein, A., Soder, N., . . . Pluschke, G. (2006). Use of the immunodominant 18-kiloDalton small heat shock protein as a serological marker for exposure to Mycobacterium ulcerans. Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, 13(12), 1314-1321. doi:10.1128/CVI.00254-06
  9. Lamelas, A., Ampah, K. A., Aboagye, S., Kerber, S., Danso, E., Asante-Poku, A., . . . Röltgen, K. (2016). Spatiotemporal Co-existence of Two Mycobacterium ulcerans Clonal Complexes in the Offin River Valley of Ghana. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 10(7), e0004856. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004856
  10. Roltgen, K., Bratschi, M. W., Ross, A., Aboagye, S. Y., Ampah, K. A., Bolz, M., . . . Pluschke, G. (2014). Late onset of the serological response against the 18 kDa small heat shock protein of Mycobacterium ulcerans in children. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 8(5), e2904. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002904
  11. Roltgen, K., Qi, W., Ruf, M. T., Mensah-Quainoo, E., Pidot, S. J., Seemann, T., . . . Pluschke, G. (2010). Single nucleotide polymorphism typing of Mycobacterium ulcerans reveals focal transmission of buruli ulcer in a highly endemic region of Ghana. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 4(7), e751. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000751
  12. Ruf, M. T., Bolz, M., Vogel, M., Bayi, P. F., Bratschi, M. W., Sopho, G. E., . . . Pluschke, G. (2016). Spatial Distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans in Buruli Ulcer Lesions: Implications for Laboratory Diagnosis. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 10(6), e0004767. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004767
  13. Yeboah-Manu, D., Roltgen, K., Opare, W., Asan-Ampah, K., Quenin-Fosu, K., Asante-Poku, A., . . . Pluschke, G. (2012). Sero-epidemiology as a tool to screen populations for exposure to Mycobacterium ulcerans. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 6(1), e1460. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0001460
Team 
Internal Collaborator(s) 
Prof. Kwadwo Ansah Koram
External Collaborator(s) 
Prof. Gerd Pluschke, Swiss TPH
Dr. Janet Fyfe, VIDRL, Melbourne
Prof. Timothy Stinear, University of Melbourne
Dr. Ernestina Mensah Quinooh
Dr. Albert Paintstil, KBTH
Dr. Edwin Ampadu, NBUCP
Funder(s) 
Heidelberg University Hospital
UBS Optimus Foundation
Ghana Health Service
Swiss TPH
Kanton Basel-Stadt
Stop Buruli
VolkswagenStiftung