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