Clinical Research

Centre of Tropical Medicine: Department of Clinical Research of the BNITM and Section of Clinical Tropical Medicine of the UKE under the direction of Prof. Michael Ramharter

Our work focuses on clinically relevant aspects of infectious diseases in the tropics and their significance for travel medicine. Together with our African partners, we are involved in clinical research projects to improve treatment and prevention options in the long term.

The lab groups Groger, Mischlinger, Omansen and Zoleko-Manego introduce themselves on the main page of the BNITM. Please click on the names, you will be linked to the corresponding pages.

Groger

Mischlinger

Omansen

Zoleko-Manego

 

LADEX – Dexamethasone for the treatment of Lassa fever

Lassa fever is a severe and often fatal haemorrhagic fever in humans. The disease affects a large number of countries in West Africa. The virus is mainly transmitted by contact with endemic rats and their remaining, but may also be transmitted from human to human. Vaccines are not available yet and treatment options are limited to supportive care and the drug ribavirin.

Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid which can suppress tissue inflammation. Therefore, dexamethasone is routinely used for a wide range of diseases. There is also indication that dexamethasone may be promising in severe Lassa fever. At the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) in Nigeria, one of the largest treatment centres for Lassa fever in West-Africa, dexamethasone has been successfully used in clinical practice to manage co-infections of Lassa virus and SARS-CoV-2. The combination of ribavirin and dexamethasone has been previously tested for treatment of severe Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever and the LADEX (LAssa fever adjunct treatment with DEXamethasone) clinical study shall explore for the first time a combination of the standard of care (ribavirin) and dexamethasone in patients with moderate to severe Lassa fever.

LADEX is a prospective open label randomized controlled phase II clinical trial with two arms:

  1. Standard of care antiviral ribavirin therapy
  2. Standard of care antiviral ribavirin therapy + dexamethasone

42 patients with moderate to severe Lassa fever shall be included until 2026. Study start will be at the end of 2023. BNITM is the study sponsor, recruitment of study participants will take place at ISTH.

The aim of this trial is to improve the outcome of patients suffering from moderate to severe Lassa fever.


MAMAH

Malaria infection during pregnancy is an important driver of maternal and neonatal health especially among HIV infected women. In Africa, at least one million pregnancies are co-infected with malaria and HIV annually. The interaction between the two infections is particularly deleterious in pregnancy, leading to increased risk of malaria and HIV viral load, which may increase the frequency of mother to child transmission of HIV (MTCTHIV).

Intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is recommended for malaria prevention in HIV-uninfected women but it is contraindicated in those HIV-infected on cotrimoxazole prophylaxis (CTXp) due to potential adverse effects. A recent EDCTP-funded trial showed that although an effective antimalarial (mefloquine) added to CTXp and long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLITNs) in HIV-infected pregnant women improves malaria prevention and maternal health, it was not well tolerated and it was associated with an increase in HIV viral load at delivery and a two-fold increased risk of MTCT-HIV. Thus, this highlights the need to find alternative drugs with better tolerability and safety profile to prevent malaria in this vulnerable group and to further study the pharmacological interactions between antimalarial and antiretroviral (ARV) drugs.

Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-PPQ), has been shown to improve antimalarial protection in HIV-uninfected women constituting the most promising candidate for IPTp in HIV-infected pregnant women. However, there is limited information on the pharmacokinetics of DHA-PPQ with concomitant use of ARV drugs and CTX.

Objective:

A randomized double blind placebo controlled trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DHA-PPQ for IPTp in HIV-infected pregnant women receiving CTXp and ARV drugs and using LLITNs will be conducted in Gabon and Mozambique where malaria and HIV infection are moderate to highly prevalent. The possibility of a pharmacokinetic interaction between DHA-PPQ and ARV drugs will be assessed. Women will receive ARV therapy according to national guidelines and their infants will be followed until one year of age to evaluate the impact of DHA-PPQ on MTCT-HIV.

This 5-year project, funded by EDCTP and coordinated by ISGlobal (Barcelona, Spain) in collaboration with the Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL, Gabon), the Manhiça Health Research Center/ Fundaçao Manhiça (CISM/FM, Mozambique), the Medical University of Vienna (MedUni Wien, Austria), the Bernhard Nocht Institut für Tropenmedizin (BNITM, Germany), and the Eberhard Karls Universitaet Tuebingen (EKUT, Germany) will provide conclusive evidence to reduce the burden of two of the most important poverty-related diseases (PRDs), in HIV-infected pregnant women exposed to malaria.

Total funding: 2,985,000 €

“This project is part of the EDCTP2 programme supported by the European Union”


Clinical evaluation of AntimalarialS tri-therapy with AtovAquone Proguanil for malaria treatment in African children (ASAAP)

ASAAP is a 48-month lasting clinical trial research to evaluate the efficacy, safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of a new antimalarial drug combination, with particular focus on its successful application in one of the largest and most vulnerable demographics of Africa – i.e. children 0-5 years old. The overall aim is to develop new antimalarial treatments by combining existing, efficacious medicines for treatment of malaria in African children by promoting African and European research collaboration and strengthening the capacity of African institutions to conduct clinical research.

ASAAP is part of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership 2 (EDCTP2) program supported by the European Union (EU) and receives funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the National Institut of Health and Medical Research in France (INSERM).

The project is being led and coordinated by Dr. Oumou Maiga-Ascofaré of the BNITM in Hamburg, Germany and the KCCR in Kumasi, Ghana under the authority of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in collaboration with:

  • Dr. Jerome Clain and Dr. Michel Cot at MERIT (Paris); and Dr. Anna Cohuet at MIVEGEC (Montpellier) from the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) in France
  • Prof. Abdoulaye Djimde from the Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (USTTB) in Bamako, Mali
  • Prof. Achille Massougbodji from the Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin (IRCB) in Abomey-Calavi, Benin
  • Dr. Ghyslain Mombo-Ngoma from the Center de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL) in Lambaréné, Gabon
  • Dr. Serge Yerbanga from the Institut des Sciences et Techniques (INSTech) in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
  • Prof. Jürgen May and Prof. Michael Ramharter from the Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin (BNITM) in Hamburg, Germany
  • Dr. John Amuasi from KCCR and the department of Global Health at the KNUST School of Public Health in Kumasi, Ghana 

Further information can be found on the EDCTP homepage (https://www.edctp.org/) and on the project homepage (https://asaap-malaria.org/).


Establishment of clinical study sites and conduct of drug trials to improve Lassa fever treatment in endemic regions


Most African countries are unable to reliably diagnose pathogens with epidemic potential and respond adequately to outbreaks. The widespread lack of these capacities has contributed to the delayed response to the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa. In addition, there is the lack of medical countermeasures for diseases with epidemic potential that have their origin in Africa. These diseases also include Lassa fever which is, similar to the Ebola virus disease, a so-called viral hemorrhagic fever. It is endemic in much of western Africa. Hundreds of thousands of infections are estimated every year and the mortality rate in the hospital is around 30%. There is no vaccine or evidence based treatment available. For these reasons, the WHO put Lassa fever on the list of diseases with urgent R&D needs.

 This project will build capacity in Nigeria to rapidly contain Lassa fever outbreaks and develop medical countermeasures for Lassa fever disease. To do so, it is necessary to review existing therapeutic options (ribavirin) because of doubts about the drug’s efficacy and, at the same time, to investigate new drug candidates (e.g. favipiravir) in humans. Therefore, appropriate capacity for on-site clinical studies must be built and initial studies need to be conducted collaboratively.

Together with the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) in Edo State, capacities are built up in Nigeria and medication studies are initiated to build up local expertise:

  • PAIRR: A prospective observational study to evaluate pharmacokinetic properties of routine ribavirin treatment for Lassa fever patients at ISTH.
  • SAFARI: A randomized, controlled phase II trial to investigate the pharmacokinetics, tolerability and safety of the drug candidate favipiravir by itself and in combination with ribavirin for the treatment of Lassa fever at the ISTH and the Federal Medical Center Owo (FMCO).

The SAFARI project is carried out in collaboration with the FMCO in Ondo State, Nigeria, the Institute National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm), the Université Bordeaux and the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA).

Further information on this project can be found on the GHPP (Global Health Protection Program) homepage under https://ghpp.de/de/projekte/lassa-nigeria/.



FAIR - Fighting Antibiotic Resistances


DVT-Study - Deep Vein Thrombosis Study


HHECO - The impact of Helicobacter pylori co-infection on immune regulation and clinical course in HIV patients in Ghana

Recently, the interplay between Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Helicobacter pylori infection has attracted attention. A number of studies reported more favorable immune and clinical parameters in HIV-infected individuals with H. pylori. The inverse relationship between H. pylori infection and immunocompetence of the host is unexpected, since most chronic infections are more common in patients with progressed HIV disease.

We aim to investigate the impact of H. pylori and other relevant co-infections on immune activation and clinical outcomes in a cohort of 1000 HIV-positive patients at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana.


KCS - Kumasi Cohort Study on the efficacy of first and second line ART in HIV patients in Ghana

As of 2011, 56 000 adult people living with HIV (PLHIV) were treated with antiretroviral drugs in Ghana. This represents a fourth of all adult PLHIV in Ghana and a 47% coverage among people with advanced HIV infection.

In a cohort of 1500 HIV-infected patients on first-line ART at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, the proportion of treatment failures and its determinates should be investigated. During this study, we established a cohort of PLHIV switched to second-line ART after virological or immunological treatment failure. Here as well, we aim to investigate the efficacy of this second-line ART, which is of high interest due to the fact that there is no third-line option available in Ghana.

Awards

DTG Award for the best oral presentation 2024, Marabelle Essandoh (September 2024)

Faculty of Medicine Hamburg: ‘Student of the Year’ award, Dorothea Ekoka Mbassi (June 2024)

Northern European Conference on Travel Medicine (NECTM9) Award for the best oral presentation 2024, Marabelle Essandoh (May 2024)

DTG Award for Tropical Medicine, Jonannes Mischlinger (June 2023)

DTG Poster Award, Charlotte Kriebel (June 2023)

Wolfgang Stille Science Award 2022, Paul Ehrlich Society for Infection Therapy, Mirjam Groger (April 2023)

BNITM Research Highlight, Q2 2022, Mirjam Groger (July 2022)

VdF PhD Award for Medicine 2022, Luzia Veletzky (June 2022)

DTG Poster Award, Hannah Müller (June 2022)

DTG Prize for Tropical Medicine 2021, Dr. Benno Kreuels (June 2021)

Dr. Martini Prize 2021, Luzia Veletzky (February 2021)

BNITM Research Highlight, Q2 2020, Luzia Veletzky (June 2020)

VdF PhD Award for Medicine 2020, Johannes Mischlinger (September 2020)

DZIF-DGI PhD Prize 2019, Till Omansen (November 2019)

Stephan Weiland Prize 2019, Johannes Mischlinger (September 2019)

VdF PhD Award for Medicine 2019, Mirjam Groger (June 2019)

ISTM Research Award 2019, Silja Bühler (April 2019)

DTG Poster Award, Mirjam Groger (April 2019)

ÖGTPM Travel Grant, Mirjam Groger (March 2019)

Dr. Martini Prize 2019, Johannes Mischlinger (February 2019)

ASTMH Young Investigator Award “Honorable mentionee”, Johannes Mischlinger (Oktober 2018)

ASTMH Young Investigator Award “Honorable mentionee”, Luzia Veletzky (October 2018)

CERMEL Research Award 2018, Prof. Michael Ramharter (2018)

Poster Award at the Congress on Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Christof Vinnemeier (June 2018)

Graduations

Dr. med. univ. Luzia Veletzky, PhD (2021)

Dr. med. Till Omansen, PhD (2020)

Dr. med. univ. Johannes Mischlinger, PhD (2019)

Dr. med. univ, Mirjam Groger, PhD (2018)

 

The Bernhard Nocht Centre for Clinical Trials (BNCCT) is part of the 1st Department of Tropical Medicine of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). It is located in the historic building of the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM).

Since 2008 the BNCCT performs vaccine trials and offers comprehensive services relating to the conduct of clinical trials in the areas of travel medicine and tropical medicine .

Our services include the management of multicenter clinical trials (e.g. RCTs, IITs), development of regulatory documents, consulting services related to study and protocol design as well as data and safety monitoring.

Further information on the Bernhard Nocht Centre for Clinical Trials (BNCCT) can be found here

A randomised, double-blind clinical phase II trial of the efficacy, safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of a single dose combination treatment with artefenomel and piperaquine in adults and children with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria
Macintyre F, Adoke Y, Tiono AB, Duong TT, Mombo-Ngoma G, Bouyou-Akotet M, Tinto H, Bassat Q, Issifou S, Adamy M, Demarest H, Duparc S, Leroy D, Laurijssens BE, Biguenet S, Kibuuka A, Tshefu AK, Smith M, Foster C, Leipoldt I, Kremsner PG, Phuc BQ, Ouedraogo A, Ramharter M; OZ-Piperaquine Study Group.
BMC Med. 2017 Oct 9;15(1):181. doi: 10.1186/s12916-017-0940-3

A Worldwide Map of Plasmodium falciparum K13-Propeller Polymorphisms
Ménard D, Khim N, Beghain J, Adegnika AA, Shafiul-Alam M, Amodu O, Rahim-Awab G, Barnadas C, Berry A, Boum Y, Bustos MD, Cao J, Chen JH, Collet L, Cui L, Thakur GD, Dieye A, Djallé D, Dorkenoo MA, Eboumbou-Moukoko CE, Espino FE, Fandeur T, Ferreira-da-Cruz MF, Fola AA, Fuehrer HP, Hassan AM, Herrera S, Hongvanthong B, Houzé S, Ibrahim ML, Jahirul-Karim M, Jiang L, Kano S, Ali-Khan W, Khanthavong M, Kremsner PG, Lacerda M, Leang R, Leelawong M, Li M, Lin K, Mazarati JB, Ménard S, Morlais I, Muhindo-Mavoko H, Musset L, Na-Bangchang K, Nambozi M, Niaré K, Noedl H, Ouédraogo JB, Pillai DR, Pradines B, Quang-Phuc B, Ramharter M, Randrianarivelojosia M, Sattabongkot J, Sheikh-Omar A, Silué KD, Sirima SB, Sutherland C, Syafruddin D, Tahar R, Tang LH, Touré OA, Tshibangu-wa-Tshibangu P, Vigan-Womas I, Warsame M, Wini L, Zakeri S, Kim S, Eam R, Berne L, Khean C, Chy S, Ken M, Loch K, Canier L, Duru V, Legrand E, Barale JC, Stokes B, Straimer J, Witkowski B, Fidock DA, Rogier C, Ringwald P, Ariey F, Mercereau-Puijalon O; KARMA Consortium.
N Engl J Med. 2016 Jun 23;374(25):2453-64. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1513137.

Mortality, Morbidity, and Developmental Outcomes in Infants Born to Women Who Received Either Mefloquine or Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine as Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnancy: A Cohort Study
Rupérez M, González R, Mombo-Ngoma G, Kabanywanyi AM, Sevene E, Ouédraogo S, Kakolwa MA, Vala A, Accrombessi M, Briand V, Aponte JJ, Manego Zoleko R, Adegnika AA, Cot M, Kremsner PG, Massougbodji A, Abdulla S, Ramharter M, Macete E, Menéndez C.
PLoS Med. 2016 Feb 23;13(2):e1001964. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001964. eCollection 2016 Feb.

Phase 1 Trials of rVSV Ebola Vaccine in Africa and Europe
Agnandji ST, Huttner A, Zinser ME, Njuguna P, Dahlke C, Fernandes JF, Yerly S, Dayer JA, Kraehling V, Kasonta R, Adegnika AA, Altfeld M, Auderset F, Bache EB, Biedenkopf N, Borregaard S, Brosnahan JS, Burrow R, Combescure C, Desmeules J, Eickmann M, Fehling SK, Finckh A, Goncalves AR, Grobusch MP, Hooper J, Jambrecina A, Kabwende AL, Kaya G, Kimani D, Lell B, Lemaître B, Lohse AW, Massinga-Loembe M, Matthey A, Mordmüller B, Nolting A, Ogwang C, Ramharter M, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Schmiedel S, Silvera P, Stahl FR, Staines HM, Strecker T, Stubbe HC, Tsofa B, Zaki S, Fast P, Moorthy V, Kaiser L, Krishna S, Becker S, Kieny MP, Bejon P, Kremsner PG, Addo MM, Siegrist CA.
N Engl J Med. 2016 Apr 28;374(17):1647-60. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1502924. Epub 2015 Apr 1

Efficacy of mefloquine intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy against Schistosoma haematobium infection in Gabon: a nested randomized controlled assessor-blinded clinical trial
Basra A, Mombo-Ngoma G, Melser MC, Diop DA, Würbel H, Mackanga JR, Fürstenau M, Zoleko RM, Adegnika AA, Gonzalez R, Menendez C, Kremsner PG, Ramharter M.
Clin Infect Dis. 2013 Mar;56(6):e68-75. doi: 10.1093/cid/cis976. Epub 2012 Nov 21.

Do paediatric drug formulations of artemisinin combination therapies improve the treatment of children with malaria? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Kurth F, Bélard S, Adegnika AA, Gaye O, Kremsner PG, Ramharter M.
Lancet Infect Dis. 2010 Feb;10(2):125-32. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(09)70327-5.

Fixed-dose pyronaridine-artesunate combination for treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in pediatric patients in Gabon
Ramharter M, Kurth F, Schreier AC, Nemeth J, Glasenapp Iv, Bélard S, Schlie M, Kammer J, Koumba PK, Cisse B, Mordmüller B, Lell B, Issifou S, Oeuvray C, Fleckenstein L, Kremsner PG.
J Infect Dis. 2008 Sep 15;198(6):911-9. doi: 10.1086/591096.

Artesunate-clindamycin versus quinine-clindamycin in the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria: a randomized controlled trial
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.
Clin Infect Dis. 2005 Jun 15;40(12):1777-84. Epub 2005 May 3.

Clinical and parasitological characteristics of puerperal malaria
Ramharter M, Grobusch MP, Kiessling G, Adegnika AA, Möller U, Agnandji ST, Kramer M, Schwarz N, Kun JF, Oyakhirome S, Issifou S, Borrmann S, Lell B, Mordmüller B, Kremsner PG.
J Infect Dis. 2005 Mar 15;191(6):1005-9. Epub 2005 Feb 4.

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

2018

Schistosomiasis detected during appendectomy.
Kraef C, Arand J, Veletzky L, Schäfer H, Jordan S, Schmiedel S, Ramharter M.
Lancet. 2018 Jun 23;391(10139):2546. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31329-1. No abstract available. PMID: 29976471

Validity and reliability of methods to microscopically detect and quantify malaria parasitaemia.
Mischlinger J, Pitzinger P, Veletzky L, Groger M, Zoleko-Manego R, Adegnika AA, Agnandji ST, Lell B, Kremsner PG, Mombo-Ngoma G, Mordmüller B, Ramharter M.
Trop Med Int Health. 2018 Jun 28. doi: 10.1111/tmi.13124. [Epub ahead of print]

DSM265: a novel drug for single-dose cure of Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
Bélard S, Ramharter M.
Lancet Infect Dis. 2018 Jun 13. pii: S1473-3099(18)30374-8. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30374-8. [Epub ahead of print]

Use of Capillary Blood Samples Leads to Higher Parasitemia Estimates and Higher Diagnostic Sensitivity of Microscopic and Molecular Diagnostics of Malaria than Venous Blood Samples.
Mischlinger J, Pitzinger P, Veletzky L, Groger M, Zoleko-Manego R, Adegnika AA, Agnandji ST, Lell B, Kremsner PG, Tannich E, Mombo-Ngoma G, Mordmüller B, Ramharter M.
J Infect Dis. 2018 May 25. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiy319. [Epub ahead of print]

Preliminary Evidence for the Absence of Cystic Echinococcosis in Gabon: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Survey in Humans and Definitive Hosts.
Lötsch F, Mombo-Ngoma G, Mischlinger J, Groger M, Veletzky L, Adegnika AA, Lell B, Agnandji ST, Bouyou-Akotet M, Obermüller M, Wassermann M, Schneider R, Auer H, Ramharter M.
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2018 Jul;99(1):97-101. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0955. Epub 2018 May 17.

Dalbavancin as primary and sequential treatment for Gram-positive infective endocarditis: 2-Year Experience at the General Hospital of Vienna.
Tobudic S, Forstner C, Burgmann H, Lagler H, Ramharter M, Steininger C, Vossen MG, Winkler S, Thalhammer F.
Clin Infect Dis. 2018 Apr 5. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciy279. [Epub ahead of print]

Detection of the Malaria causing Plasmodium Parasite in Saliva from Infected Patients using Topoisomerase I Activity as a Biomarker.
Hede MS, Fjelstrup S, Lötsch F, Zoleko RM, Klicpera A, Groger M, Mischlinger J, Endame L, Veletzky L, Neher R, Simonsen AKW, Petersen E, Mombo-Ngoma G, Stougaard M, Ho YP, Labouriau R, Ramharter M, Knudsen BR.
Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 7;8(1):4122. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-22378-7.

Behavioural and clinical predictors for Loiasis.
Mischlinger J, Veletzky L, Tazemda-Kuitsouc GB, Pitzinger P, Matsegui PB, Gmeiner M, Lagler H, Gebru T, Held J, Mordmüller B, Ramharter M.
J Glob Health. 2018 Jun;8(1):010413. doi: 10.7189/jogh.08.010413.

Molecular evidence for relapse of an imported Plasmodium ovale wallikeri infection.
Veletzky L, Groger M, Lagler H, Walochnik J, Auer H, Fuehrer HP, Ramharter M.
Malar J. 2018 Feb 9;17(1):78. doi: 10.1186/s12936-018-2226-4.

Prospective Clinical Trial Assessing Species-Specific Efficacy of Artemether-Lumefantrine for the Treatment of Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale, and Mixed Plasmodium Malaria in Gabon.
Groger M, Veletzky L, Lalremruata A, Cattaneo C, Mischlinger J, Zoleko-Manego R, Endamne L, Klicpera A, Kim J, Nguyen T, Flohr L, Remppis J, Matsiegui PB, Adegnika AA, Agnandji ST, Kremsner PG, Mordmüller B, Mombo-Ngoma G, Ramharter M.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2018 Feb 23;62(3). pii: e01758-17. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01758-17. Print 2018 Mar.

2017

Efficacy and safety of fosmidomycin-piperaquine as non-artemisinin-based combination therapy for uncomplicated falciparum malaria - A single-arm, age-de-escalation proof of concept study in Gabon.
Mombo-Ngoma G, Remppis J, Sievers M, Zoleko Manego R, Endamne L, Kabwende L, Veletzky L, Nguyen TT, Groger M, Lötsch F, Mischlinger J, Flohr L, Kim J, Cattaneo C, Hutchinson D, Duparc S, Joerg M, Velavan TP, Lell B, Ramharter M, Adegnika AA, Mordmüller B, Kremsner PG.
Clin Infect Dis. 2017 Dec 26. doi: 10.1093/cid/cix1122. [Epub ahead of print]

Safety and immunogenicity of rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP Ebola vaccine in adults and children in Lambaréné, Gabon: A phase I randomised trial.
Agnandji ST, Fernandes JF, Bache EB, Obiang Mba RM, Brosnahan JS, Kabwende L, Pitzinger P, Staarink P, Massinga-Loembe M, Krähling V, Biedenkopf N, Fehling SK, Strecker T, Clark DJ, Staines HM, Hooper JW, Silvera P, Moorthy V, Kieny MP, Adegnika AA, Grobusch MP, Becker S, Ramharter M, Mordmüller B, Lell B; VEBCON Consortium, Krishna S, Kremsner PG.
PLoS Med. 2017 Oct 6;14(10):e1002402. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002402. eCollection 2017 Oct.

Species and genotype diversity of Plasmodium in malaria patients from Gabon analysed by next generation sequencing.
Lalremruata A, Jeyaraj S, Engleitner T, Joanny F, Lang A, Bélard S, Mombo-Ngoma G, Ramharter M, Kremsner PG, Mordmüller B, Held J.
Malar J. 2017 Oct 3;16(1):398. doi: 10.1186/s12936-017-2044-0.

FDG-PET/MRI in alveolar echinococcosis.
Lötsch F, Waneck F, Auer H, Kaczirek K, Karanikas G, Ramharter M.
Int J Infect Dis. 2017 Nov;64:67-68. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2017.09.006. Epub 2017 Sep 19.

Dalbavancin for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy of skin and soft tissue infections in a returning traveller : Proposal for novel treatment indications.
Mischlinger J, Lagler H, Harrison N, Ramharter M.
Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2017 Sep;129(17-18):642-645. doi: 10.1007/s00508-017-1243-6. Epub 2017 Aug 3.

Prof. Walther H. Wernsdorfer (1928-2016).
Ramharter M.
Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2017 Sep;129(17-18):650-651. doi: 10.1007/s00508-017-1236-5. Epub 2017 Jul 25.

Resisting and tolerating P. falciparum in pregnancy under different malaria transmission intensities.
Ndam NT, Mbuba E, González R, Cisteró P, Kariuki S, Sevene E, Rupérez M, Fonseca AM, Vala A, Maculuve S, Jiménez A, Quintó L, Ouma P, Ramharter M, Aponte JJ, Nhacolo A, Massougbodji A, Briand V, Kremsner PG, Mombo-Ngoma G, Desai M, Macete E, Cot M, Menéndez C, Mayor A.
BMC Med. 2017 Jul 17;15(1):130. doi: 10.1186/s12916-017-0893-6.

Direct detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum by polymerase chain reaction followed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry from human blood.
Lagler H, Harrison N, Kussmann M, Obermüller M, Burgmann H, Makristathis A, Ramharter M.
Int J Infect Dis. 2017 Jul;60:61-63. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2017.05.006. Epub 2017 May 16.

Severe malaria in Europe: an 8-year multi-centre observational study.
Kurth F, Develoux M, Mechain M, Malvy D, Clerinx J, Antinori S, Gjørup IE, Gascon J, Mørch K, Nicastri E, Ramharter M, Bartoloni A, Visser L, Rolling T, Zanger P, Calleri G, Salas-Coronas J, Nielsen H, Just-Nübling G, Neumayr A, Hachfeld A, Schmid ML, Antonini P, Lingscheid T, Kern P, Kapaun A, da Cunha JS, Pongratz P, Soriano-Arandes A, Schunk M, Suttorp N, Hatz C, Zoller T.
Malar J. 2017 Jan 31;16(1):57. doi: 10.1186/s12936-016-1673-z.

Progressive Perforation of the Nasal Septum Due to Leishmania major: A Case of Mucosal Leishmaniasis in a Traveler.
Harrison N, Walochnik J, Ramsebner R, Veletzky L, Lagler H, Ramharter M.
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2017 Mar;96(3):653-655. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0809. Epub 2017 Apr 6.

Demography, maternal health and the epidemiology of malaria and other major infectious diseases in the rural department Tsamba-Magotsi, Ngounie Province, in central African Gabon.
Manego RZ, Mombo-Ngoma G, Witte M, Held J, Gmeiner M, Gebru T, Tazemda B, Mischlinger J, Groger M, Lell B, Adegnika AA, Agnandji ST, Kremsner PG, Mordmüller B, Ramharter M, Matsiegui PB.
BMC Public Health. 2017 Jan 28;17(1):130. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4045-x.

Impact of HIV infection and antiretroviral treatment on N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide as surrogate of myocardial function.
Schuster C, Binder C, Strassl R, Aichelburg MC, Blackwell E, Pavo N, Ramharter M, Hülsmann M, Grabmeier-Pfistershammer K, Rieger A, Goliasch G.
AIDS. 2017 Jan 28;31(3):395-400. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000001350.

Urogenital schistosomiasis during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight delivery: analysis of a prospective cohort of pregnant women and their offspring in Gabon.
Mombo-Ngoma G, Honkpehedji J, Basra A, Mackanga JR, Zoleko RM, Zinsou J, Agobe JC, Lell B, Matsiegui PB, Gonzales R, Agnandji ST, Yazdanbakhsh M, Menendez C, Kremsner PG, Adegnika AA, Ramharter M.
Int J Parasitol. 2017 Jan;47(1):69-74. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2016.11.001. Epub 2016 Dec 18.

Zika virus-induced itching rash in a returning traveller from Brazil.
Veletzky L, Knafl D, Schuster C, Aberle SW, Stiasny K, Ramharter M, Lagler H.
Int J Infect Dis. 2017 Jan;54:13-14. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2016.11.004. Epub 2016 Nov 7

2016

Seroprevalence of Toxocara spp. in a rural population in Central African Gabon.
Lötsch F, Obermüller M, Mischlinger J, Mombo-Ngoma G, Groger M, Adegnika AA, Agnandji ST, Schneider R, Auer H, Ramharter M.
Parasitol Int. 2016 Dec;65(6 Pt A):632-634. doi: 10.1016/j.parint.2016.09.001. Epub 2016 Sep 2.

Molecular diagnosis of African tick bite fever using eschar swabs in a traveller returning from Tanzania.
Harrison N, Burgmann H, Forstner C, Ramharter M, Széll M, Schötta AM, Stanek G, Markowicz M.
Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2016 Aug;128(15-16):602-5. doi: 10.1007/s00508-016-1047-0. Epub 2016 Aug 3.

Young adolescent girls are at high risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa: an observational multicountry study.
Mombo-Ngoma G, Mackanga JR, González R, Ouedraogo S, Kakolwa MA, Manego RZ, Basra A, Rupérez M, Cot M, Kabanywany AM, Matsiegui PB, Agnandji ST, Vala A, Massougbodji A, Abdulla S, Adegnika AA, Sevene E, Macete E, Yazdanbakhsh M, Kremsner PG, Aponte JJ, Menéndez C, Ramharter M.
BMJ Open. 2016 Jun 29;6(6):e011783. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011783.

A Worldwide Map of Plasmodium falciparum K13-Propeller Polymorphisms.
Ménard D, Khim N, Beghain J, Adegnika AA, Shafiul-Alam M, Amodu O, Rahim-Awab G, Barnadas C, Berry A, Boum Y, Bustos MD, Cao J, Chen JH, Collet L, Cui L, Thakur GD, Dieye A, Djallé D, Dorkenoo MA, Eboumbou-Moukoko CE, Espino FE, Fandeur T, Ferreira-da-Cruz MF, Fola AA, Fuehrer HP, Hassan AM, Herrera S, Hongvanthong B, Houzé S, Ibrahim ML, Jahirul-Karim M, Jiang L, Kano S, Ali-Khan W, Khanthavong M, Kremsner PG, Lacerda M, Leang R, Leelawong M, Li M, Lin K, Mazarati JB, Ménard S, Morlais I, Muhindo-Mavoko H, Musset L, Na-Bangchang K, Nambozi M, Niaré K, Noedl H, Ouédraogo JB, Pillai DR, Pradines B, Quang-Phuc B, Ramharter M, Randrianarivelojosia M, Sattabongkot J, Sheikh-Omar A, Silué KD, Sirima SB, Sutherland C, Syafruddin D, Tahar R, Tang LH, Touré OA, Tshibangu-wa-Tshibangu P, Vigan-Womas I, Warsame M, Wini L, Zakeri S, Kim S, Eam R, Berne L, Khean C, Chy S, Ken M, Loch K, Canier L, Duru V, Legrand E, Barale JC, Stokes B, Straimer J, Witkowski B, Fidock DA, Rogier C, Ringwald P, Ariey F, Mercereau-Puijalon O; KARMA Consortium.
N Engl J Med. 2016 Jun 23;374(25):2453-64. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1513137.

Single dose treatment of malaria - current status and perspectives.
Mischlinger J, Agnandji ST, Ramharter M.
Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2016 Jul;14(7):669-78. doi: 10.1080/14787210.2016.1192462. Epub 2016 Jun 7.

Gametocyte carriage in uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria following treatment with artemisinin combination therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data.
WWARN Gametocyte Study Group.
BMC Med. 2016 May 24;14:79. doi: 10.1186/s12916-016-0621-7.

The first meeting of the European Register of Cystic Echinococcosis (ERCE).
Rossi P, Tamarozzi F, Galati F, Pozio E, Akhan O, Cretu CM, Vutova K, Siles-Lucas M, Brunetti E, Casulli A; HERACLES extended network.
Parasit Vectors. 2016 Apr 28;9:243. doi: 10.1186/s13071-016-1532-3.

Intra-cystic concentrations of albendazole-sulphoxide in human cystic echinococcosis: a systematic review and analysis of individual patient data.
Lötsch F, Naderer J, Skuhala T, Groger M, Auer H, Kaczirek K, Waneck F, Ramharter M.
Parasitol Res. 2016 Aug;115(8):2995-3001. doi: 10.1007/s00436-016-5054-x. Epub 2016 Apr 16.

Effect of mild medical hypothermia on in vitro growth of Plasmodium falciparum and the activity of anti-malarial drugs.
Rehman K, Sauerzopf U, Veletzky L, Lötsch F, Groger M, Ramharter M.
Malar J. 2016 Mar 15;15:162. doi: 10.1186/s12936-016-1215-8.

Mortality, Morbidity, and Developmental Outcomes in Infants Born to Women Who Received Either Mefloquine or Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine as Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnancy: A Cohort Study.
Rupérez M, González R, Mombo-Ngoma G, Kabanywanyi AM, Sevene E, Ouédraogo S, Kakolwa MA, Vala A, Accrombessi M, Briand V, Aponte JJ, Manego Zoleko R, Adegnika AA, Cot M, Kremsner PG, Massougbodji A, Abdulla S, Ramharter M, Macete E, Menéndez C.
PLoS Med. 2016 Feb 23;13(2):e1001964. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001964. eCollection 2016 Feb.

Anaplasmataceae-Specific PCR for Diagnosis and Therapeutic Guidance for Symptomatic Neoehrlichiosis in Immunocompetent Host.
Schwameis M, Auer J, Mitteregger D, Simonitsch-Klupp I, Ramharter M, Burgmann H, Lagler H.
Emerg Infect Dis. 2016 Feb;22(2):281-4. doi: 10.3201/eid2202.141762.

Alterations of blood coagulation in controlled human malaria infection.
Riedl J, Mordmüller B, Koder S, Pabinger I, Kremsner PG, Hoffman SL, Ramharter M, Ay C.
Malar J. 2016 Jan 7;15:15. doi: 10.1186/s12936-015-1079-3.

2015

Imported malaria in pregnant women: A retrospective pooled analysis.
Käser AK, Arguin PM, Chiodini PL, Smith V, Delmont J, Jiménez BC, Färnert A, Kimura M, Ramharter M, Grobusch MP, Schlagenhauf P.
Travel Med Infect Dis. 2015 Jul-Aug;13(4):300-10. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2015.06.011. Epub 2015 Jul 9.

Activity of antimicrobial drugs against bacterial pathogens under mild hypothermic conditions.
Wallmüller C, Herold B, Sterz F, Makristathis A, Ramharter M.
Am J Emerg Med. 2015 Oct;33(10):1445-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2015.07.005. Epub 2015 Jul 4.

Epidemiology of Human Herpes Virus 8 in Pregnant Women and their Newborns--A cross-sectional delivery survey in Central Gabon.
Capan-Melser M, Mombo-Ngoma G, Akerey-Diop D, Basra A, Manego-Zoleko R, Würbel H, Lötsch F, Groger M, Skoll M, Schwing J, Schipulle U, Matsiegui PB, González R, Menendez C, Kremsner PG, Adegnika AA, Agnandji ST, Ramharter M.
Int J Infect Dis. 2015 Oct;39:16-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2015.08.004. Epub 2015 Aug 10.

Intravenous Artesunate Reduces Parasite Clearance Time, Duration of Intensive Care, and Hospital Treatment in Patients With Severe Malaria in Europe: The TropNet Severe Malaria Study.
Kurth F, Develoux M, Mechain M, Clerinx J, Antinori S, Gjørup IE, Gascon J, Mørch K, Nicastri E, Ramharter M, Bartoloni A, Visser L, Rolling T, Zanger P, Calleri G, Salas-Coronas J, Nielsen H, Just-Nübling G, Neumayr A, Hachfeld A, Schmid ML, Antonini P, Pongratz P, Kern P, Saraiva da Cunha J, Soriano-Arandes A, Schunk M, Suttorp N, Hatz C, Zoller T; TropNet Severe Malaria Investigator Group.
Clin Infect Dis. 2015 Nov 1;61(9):1441-4. doi: 10.1093/cid/civ575. Epub 2015 Jul 17.

Economic evaluation of an alternative drug to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine as intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy.
Sicuri E, Fernandes S, Macete E, González R, Mombo-Ngoma G, Massougbodgi A, Abdulla S, Kuwawenaruwa A, Katana A, Desai M, Cot M, Ramharter M, Kremsner P, Slustker L, Aponte J, Hanson K, Menéndez C.
PLoS One. 2015 Apr 27;10(4):e0125072. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0125072. eCollection 2015.

Evaluation of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria against group B Streptococcus colonization in pregnant women: a nested analysis of a randomized controlled clinical trial of sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine versus mefloquine.
Capan-Melser M, Mombo Ngoma G, Akerey-Diop D, Basra A, Würbel H, Groger M, Mackanga JR, Zoleko-Manego R, Schipulle U, Schwing J, Lötsch F, Rehman K, Matsiegui PB, Agnandji ST, Adegnika AA, Bélard S, González R, Kremsner PG, Menendez C, Ramharter M.
J Antimicrob Chemother. 2015;70(6):1898-902. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkv041. Epub 2015 Feb 25.

Loa loa Infection in Pregnant Women, Gabon.
Mombo-Ngoma G, Mackanga JR, Basra A, Capan M, Manego RZ, Adegnika AA, Lötsch F, Yazdanbakhsh M, González R, Menendez C, Mabika B, Matsiegui PB, Kremsner PG, Ramharter M.
Emerg Infect Dis. 2015 May;21(5):899a-901. doi: 10.3201/eid2105.141471.

Adherence of patients to long-term medication: a cross-sectional study of antihypertensive regimens in Austria.
Lötsch F, Auer-Hackenberg L, Groger M, Rehman K, Morrison V, Holmes E, Parveen S, Plumpton C, Clyne W, de Geest S, Dobbels F, Vrijens B, Kardas P, Hughes D, Ramharter M.
Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2015 May;127(9-10):379-84. doi: 10.1007/s00508-015-0782-y. Epub 2015 Apr 24.

Baseline data of parasite clearance in patients with falciparum malaria treated with an artemisinin derivative: an individual patient data meta-analysis.
WWARN Parasite Clearance Study Group, Abdulla S, Ashley EA, Bassat Q, Bethell D, Björkman A, Borrmann S, D'Alessandro U, Dahal P, Day NP, Diakite M, Djimde AA, Dondorp AM, Duong S, Edstein MD, Fairhurst RM, Faiz MA, Falade C, Flegg JA, Fogg C, Gonzalez R, Greenwood B, Guérin PJ, Guthmann JP, Hamed K, Hien TT, Htut Y, Juma E, Lim P, Mårtensson A, Mayxay M, Mokuolu OA, Moreira C, Newton P, Noedl H, Nosten F, Ogutu BR, Onyamboko MA, Owusu-Agyei S, Phyo AP, Premji Z, Price RN, Pukrittayakamee S, Ramharter M, Sagara I, Se Y, Suon S, Stepniewska K, Ward SA, White NJ, Winstanley PA.
Malar J. 2015 Sep 22;14:359. doi: 10.1186/s12936-015-0874-1.

Clinical development of RTS,S/AS malaria vaccine: a systematic review of clinical Phase I-III trials.
Agnandji ST, Fernandes JF, Bache EB, Ramharter M.
Future Microbiol. 2015;10(10):1553-78. doi: 10.2217/fmb.15.90. Epub 2015 Oct 6.

Streptococcus agalactiae Serotype Distribution and Antimicrobial Susceptibility in Pregnant Women in Gabon, Central Africa.
Belard S, Toepfner N, Capan-Melser M, Mombo-Ngoma G, Zoleko-Manego R, Groger M, Matsiegui PB, Agnandji ST, Adegnika AA, González R, Kremsner PG, Menendez C, Ramharter M, Berner R.
Sci Rep. 2015 Nov 25;5:17281. doi: 10.1038/srep17281.

Hepatosplenic Abscesses and Osteomyelitis of the Spine in an Immunocompetent Adult with Cat Scratch Disease.
Knafl D, Lötsch F, Burgmann H, Goliasch G, Poeppl W, Ramharter M, Thalhammer F, Schuster C
Case Rep Infect Dis. 2015;2015:317260. doi: 10.1155/2015/317260. Epub 2015 Oct 21.

Case report: spontaneous rupture of spleen in patient with Plasmodium ovale malaria.
Lemmerer R, Unger M, Voßen M, Forstner C, Jalili A, Starzengruber P, Werzowa J, Ramharter M, Winkler S, Thalhammer F.
Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2016 Jan;128(1-2):74-7. doi: 10.1007/s00508-015-0888-2. Epub 2015 Nov 5.

Neither Single nor a Combination of Routine Laboratory Parameters can Discriminate between Gram-positive and Gram-negative Bacteremia.
Ratzinger F, Dedeyan M, Rammerstorfer M, Perkmann T, Burgmann H, Makristathis A, Dorffner G, Loetsch F, Blacky A, Ramharter M.
Sci Rep. 2015 Nov 2;5:16008. doi: 10.1038/srep16008.

Population Pharmacokinetics of Pyronaridine in Pediatric Malaria Patients.
Ayyoub A, Methaneethorn J, Ramharter M, Djimde AA, Tekete M, Duparc S, Borghini-Fuhrer I, Shin JS, Fleckenstein L.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Dec 14;60(3):1450-8. doi: 10.1128/AAC.02004-15.

Helicobacter pylori Infection Is Associated with Higher CD4 T Cell Counts and Lower HIV-1 Viral Loads in ART-Naïve HIV-Positive Patients in Ghana.
Sarfo FS, Eberhardt KA, Dompreh A, Kuffour EO, Soltau M, Schachscheider M, Drexler JF, Eis-Hübinger AM, Häussinger D, Oteng-Seifah EE, Bedu-Addo G, Phillips RO, Norman B, Burchard G, Feldt T.
PLoS One. 2015 Nov 24;10(11):e0143388. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143388. eCollection 2015.

Helicobacter pylori Coinfection Is Associated With Decreased Markers of Immune Activation in ART-Naive HIV-Positive and in HIV-Negative Individuals in Ghana.
Eberhardt KA, Sarfo FS, Dompreh A, Kuffour EO, Geldmacher C, Soltau M, Schachscheider M, Drexler JF, Eis-Hübinger AM, Häussinger D, Bedu-Addo G, Phillips RO, Norman B, Burchard GD, Feldt T.
Clin Infect Dis. 2015 Nov 15;61(10):1615-23. doi: 10.1093/cid/civ577. Epub 2015 Jul 20.

Group B Streptococci serotype distribution in pregnant women in Ghana: assessment of potential coverage through future vaccines.
Vinnemeier CD, Brust P, Owusu-Dabo E, Sarpong N, Sarfo EY, Bio Y, Rolling T, Dekker D, Adu-Sarkodie Y, Eberhardt KA, May J, Cramer JP.
Trop Med Int Health. 2015 Nov;20(11):1516-1524. doi: 10.1111/tmi.12589.

CCN1 mutation is associated with atrial septal defect.
Perrot A, Schmitt KR, Roth EM, Stiller B, Posch MG, Browne EN, Timmann C, Horstmann RD, Berger F, Özcelik C.
Pediatr Cardiol. 2015 Feb;36(2):295-9. doi: 10.1007/s00246-014-1001-8. Epub 2014 Aug 19.