Infectious Disease Control

Group leader: Michael Ramharter


Infectious diseases are afflicting disproportionally high morbidity and mortality on communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Our working group is actively involved in basic and clinical research projects at the CERMEL (Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambaréné, Gabon), the Institut für Tropenmedizin (University of Tübingen, Germany), and the Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine (Medical University of Vienna, Austria). Clinically relevant aspects of infectious diseases in the tropics are the main focus of our work. The ultimate aim is to ameliorate the treatment and prevention of major infectious diseases in the tropics.

Infectious Diseases and Maternal and Child Health

Children are suffering disproportionately from malaria in tropical Africa and case management is arguably still among the most effective strategies to control malaria in large parts of sub-Saharan Africa. The work of our group focuses on the improvement of therapeutic options for the treatment of malaria. In a series of clinical phase II and III trials, new antimalarial drugs and drug combinations (including fosmidomycin, artesunate-clindamycin, artesunate-mefloquine, and artesunate pyronaridine) and novel treatment concepts including matched short half-life artemisinin-combination therapies have been investigated. Based on this work, the clinical development of paediatric drug formulations of ACTs suitable for the treatment of young children became a priority of our work.

Malaria in pregnancy is another main focus of our research. We contribute to immunological surveys assessing malaria in pregnancy and evaluated the effectiveness of a newly established national programme on intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy. Due to an increasing rate and level of drug resistance against SP we co-initiated a large multicentre clinical trial evaluating mefloquine as potential alternative drug for IPTp in sub-Saharan Africa.

Protozoa, Helminths and other Infectious Pathogens

Neglected Tropical Diseases disproportionately affect communities in sub-Saharan Africa and intestinal helminths, urogenital schistosomiasis and filarial infections play an important role in Gabon. Other infectious pathogens show a more global epidemiology but can still afflict considerable morbidity and mortality on Central African communities. Our work focusses on the investigation of the epidemiology, transmission characteristics and pathology of these infections in Central Africa. The ultimate goal of this work is to contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of these infections and to develop potential intervention strategies.

Contact:

Assoc. Prof. Michael Ramharter, MD, DTMH
Email: michael.ramharter[at]meduniwien.at


Relevant Publications

  • Basra A, Mombo-Ngoma G, Capan Melser M, Akerey Diop D, Würbel H, Mackanga JR, Fürstenau M, Manego Zoleko R, Adegnika AA, Gonzalez R, Menendez C, Kremsner PG, Ramharter M. Efficacy of Mefloquine Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy Against Schistosoma haematobium Infection in Gabon: A Nested Randomized Controlled Assessor-Blinded Clinical Trial. Clin Infect Dis. 2013 Mar;56(6):e68-75.

  • Kurth F, Bélard S, Adegnika AA, Gaye O, Kremsner PG, Ramharter M. Do paediatric drug formulations of artemisinin combination therapies improve the treatment of children with malaria? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2010 Feb;10(2):125-32.

  • Puz S, Innerhofer A, Ramharter M, Haefner M, Hirschl AM, Kovách Z, Rotter M, Makristathis A. A novel noninvasive genotyping method of Helicobacter pylori using stool specimens. Gastroenterology. 2008 Nov;135(5):1543-51.

  • Ramharter M, Oyakhirome S, Klein Klouwenberg P, Adégnika AA, Agnandji ST, Missinou MA, Matsiégui PB, Mordmüller B, Borrmann S, Kun JF, Lell B, Krishna S, Graninger W, Issifou S, Kremsner PG. Artesunate-clindamycin versus quinine-clindamycin in the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria: a randomized controlled trial. Clin Infect Dis. 2005 Jun 15;40(12):1777-84.

  • Ramharter M, Chai SK, Adegnika AA, Klöpfer A, Längin M, Agnandji ST, Oyakhirome S, Schwarz NG, Grobusch MP, Issifou S, Kremsner PG. Shared breastfeeding in central Africa. AIDS. 2004 Sep 3;18(13):1847-9.


Links

Medical University of Vienna
Interdisciplinary Outpatient Department for Echinococcosis
University of Tübingen


Graduations

  • Ghyslain Mombo Ngoma. The effect of young maternal age on offspring birth weight in African settings. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

  • Mario Jäckle. Malaria in pregnancy in rural Gabon: a cross-sectional survey on the impact of seasonality in high-risk groups. University of Tübingen Germany

  • Annette Schreier. Doctoral Thesis, Medicine; University of Tübingen. Germany. Pyronaridine-Artesunate combination for the treatment of acute uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in paediatric patients in Gabon. University of Tübingen, Germany

  • Katharina Schuster. Doctoral Thesis, Medicine; University of Tübingen. Germany. Malaria in der Schwangerschaft vor und nach Einführung eines nationalen IPTp Programmes in Gabun. University of Tübingen, Germany

  • Sabine Belard. Doctoral Thesis, Medicine; University of Freiburg, Germany. Efficacy, Safety, Tolerability, and Acceptability of Two Paediatric Formulations of Artesunate-Mefloquine in African Children with Acute Uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum Malaria. University of Tübingen, Germany

  • Florian Kurth. Doctoral Thesis, Medicine; University of Tuebingen, Germany. Pharmacokinetic Characteristics of Two Paediatric Formulations of Artesunate-Mefloquine in African Children with Acute Uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum Malaria. University of Tübingen, Germany

Current and Previous Members of Infectious Disease Control Group

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Michael Ramharter Principal Investigator
Ghyslain Mombo-Ngoma Investigator
Florian Kurth Investigator
Felix Lötsch Investigator
Mirjam Groger Investigator
Rodolphe Mackanga Investigator
Daisy Akerey Diop Investigator
Arti Basra Investigator
Christian Klein Investigator
Rella Zoleko Manego Investigator
Joachim Melser Investigator
Pablo Martinez de Salazar Investigator
Tchassama Yerima Romain Medical Officer
Meskure Capan PhD Student
Heike Würbel Site Coordinator
Sten Ducot Nziengui Site Coordinator
Auxiliatrice Moussiali Massande Site Administrator
Prisca Sonia Guitsouga Administration
Till Bühler Medical Student
Julia Schwing Medical Student
Florian Thol Medical Student
Ulla Schipulle Medical Student
Malte Witte Medical Student
Moritz Fürstenau Medical Student
Mario Jäckle Medical Student
Meike Schlie Medical Student
Annette Schreier Medical Student
Katharina Schuster Medical Student
Sandrine Raissa Mengue Study Nurse
Anasthase Bopenga Study Nurse
Bertille Moumiakeloumi Study Nurse
Béatrice Moussounda Study Nurse
Rachelle Mboumba Study Nurse
Netta Lembe Study Nurse
Lidwina Mawili Loembet Study Nurse
Dominique Matsanga Mayombo Study Nurse
Eudoxie Simbou Study Nurse
Denise Friquita Ogandaga Study Nurse
Yolande Cecily Youmbou Ngoussou Study Nurse
Dalia Bertille Ada Bekale Study Nurse
Viviane Mbangou Study Nurse
Philemon Koumba-Koumba Study Nurse
Franck Armand Ngouimbi Study Nurse
Pamela Dounanou Fieldworker
Grace Bikene Fieldworker
Melina Ateme Nguema Fieldworker
Roger Mouckoga Moussodou Fieldworker
Cecile Bendoume Fieldworker
Joel Moyiya Embo Fieldworker
Stevy Ngome Fieldworker
Bernadette Simbou Logistics
Sydney Boussengui Data Clerk
Francoise Assengone Data Clerk
Jean-Paul Ngoma IT
Francois de Salle Makaga Driver
Serge Tchikaya Driver-Fieldworker
Roméo Lendamba Lab Technician