BU-RPA Project

Project leader: Dr. Michael Frimpong

Phone: +233 265940908
E-Mail: frimpong@kccr.de

Master Student: Hubert S. Ahor

Rapid detection of Mycobacterium ulcerans infection by recombinase polymerase amplification (BU RPA).

This is an EDCTP career development fellowship grant to Dr. Michael Frimpong (Postdoc, Buruli ulcer group).

The purpose of this study is to explore the potential of using recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) as a tool for Buruli ulcer diagnosis. RPA has emerged as a novel isothermal technology for use in molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases. This means that it can be carried out at room temperature in unsophisticated laboratories in West Africa close to patients. The key goal is to develop a diagnostic test for the early detection of Buruli ulcer in symptomatic patients with sufficient positive predictive value to put patients on appropriate treatment.

Characterization of Salmonella enterica from invasive bloodstream infections and water sources in rural Ghana. Dekker D, Krumkamp R, Eibach D, Sarpong N, Boahen KG, Frimpong M, Fechtner E, Poppert S, Hagen RM, Schwarz NG, Adu-Sarkodie Y, Owusu-Dabo E, Im J, Marks F, Frickmann H, May J. BMC Infect Dis. 2018 Jan 19;18(1):47. doi: 10.1186/s12879-018-2957-4. PMID: 29351771

Clearance of viable Mycobacterium ulcerans from Buruli ulcer lesions during antibiotic treatment as determined by combined 16S rRNA reverse transcriptase /IS 2404 qPCR assay. Sarpong-Duah M, Frimpong M, Beissner M, Saar M, Laing K, Sarpong F, Loglo AD, Abass KM, Frempong M, Sarfo FS, Bretzel G, Wansbrough-Jones M, Phillips RO. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017 Jul 3;11(7):e0005695. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005695. eCollection 2017 Jul. PMID:28671942

High prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among patients with rifampicin resistance using GeneXpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampicin in Ghana. Boakye-Appiah JK, Steinmetz AR, Pupulampu P, Ofori-Yirenkyi S, Tetteh I, Frimpong M, Oppong P, Opare-Sem O, Norman BR, Stienstra Y, van der Werf TS, Wansbrough-Jones M, Bonsu F, Obeng-Baah J, Phillips RO. Int J Mycobacteriol. 2016 Jun;5(2):226-30. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmyco.2016.02.004. Epub 2016 Mar 8. PMID: 27242237

Metabolomic profiles delineate mycolactone signature in Buruli ulcer disease. Niang F, Sarfo FS, Frimpong M, Guenin-Macé L, Wansbrough-Jones M, Stinear T, Phillips RO, Demangel C. Sci Rep. 2015 Dec 4;5:17693. doi: 10.1038/srep17693. PMID:26634444

Simple, Rapid Mycobacterium ulcerans Disease Diagnosis from Clinical Samples by Fluorescence of Mycolactone on Thin Layer Chromatography. Wadagni A, Frimpong M, Phanzu DM, Ablordey A, Kacou E, Gbedevi M, Marion E, Xing Y, Babu VS, Phillips RO, Wansbrough-Jones M, Kishi Y, Asiedu K. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015 Nov 19;9(11):e0004247. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004247. eCollection 2015 Nov. PMID:26583925

Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification for Laboratory Confirmation of Buruli Ulcer Disease-Towards a Point-of-Care Test. Beissner M, Phillips RO, Battke F, Bauer M, Badziklou K, Sarfo FS, Maman I, Rhomberg A, Piten E, Frimpong M, Huber KL, Symank D, Jansson M, Wiedemann FX, Banla Kere A, Herbinger KH, Löscher T, Bretzel G. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015 Nov 13;9(11):e0004219. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004219. eCollection 2015 Nov. PMID: 26566026

Drinking water from dug wells in rural ghana–salmonella contamination, environmental factors, and genotypes. Dekker DM, Krumkamp R, Sarpong N, Frickmann H, Boahen KG, Frimpong M, Asare R, Larbi R, Hagen RM, Poppert S, Rabsch W, Marks F, Adu-Sarkodie Y, May J. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2015 Mar 27;12(4):3535-46. doi: 10.3390/ijerph120403535. PMID:25826395

Effectiveness of routine BCG vaccination on buruli ulcer disease: a case-control study in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Togo. Phillips RO, Phanzu DM, Beissner M, Badziklou K, Luzolo EK, Sarfo FS, Halatoko WA, Amoako Y, Frimpong M, Kabiru AM, Piten E, Maman I, Bidjada B, Koba A, Awoussi KS, Kobara B, Nitschke J, Wiedemann FX, Kere AB, Adjei O, Löscher T, Fleischer B, Bretzel G, Herbinger KH. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015 Jan 8;9(1):e3457. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003457. eCollection 2015 Jan. PMID:25569674

Reply to “compliance with antimicrobial therapy for buruli ulcer". Phillips RO, Sarfo FS, Abass MK, Frimpong M, Ampadu E, Forson M, Amoako YA, Thompson W, Asiedu K, Wansbrough-Jones M. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2014 Oct;58(10):6341. doi: 10.1128/AAC.03874-14. No abstract available.  PMID:25225343

A severe case of Buruli ulcer disease with pleural effusions. Sarfo FS, Thompson W, Phillips RO, Paintsil A, Abass MK, Frimpong M, Abotsi J, Asiedu K, Wansbrough-Jones MH. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014 Jun 19;8(6):e2868. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002868. eCollection 2014 Jun. No abstract available. PMID: 24945409

Infection with Mansonella perstans Nematodes in Buruli Ulcer Patients, Ghana. Phillips RO, Frimpong M, Sarfo FS, Kretschmer B, Beissner M, Debrah A, Ampem-Amoako Y, Abass KM, Thompson W, Duah MS, Abotsi J, Adjei O, Fleischer B, Bretzel G, Wansbrough-Jones M, Jacobsen M. Emerg Infect Dis. 2014 Jun;20(6):1000-3. doi: 10.3201/eid2006.131501. PMID:24857346

Combined inflammatory and metabolic defects reflected by reduced serum protein levels in patients with Buruli ulcer disease. Phillips RO, Sarfo FS, Landier J, Oldenburg R, Frimpong M, Wansbrough-Jones M, Abass K, Thompson W, Forson M, Fontanet A, Niang F, Demangel C.PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014 Apr 10;8(4):e2786. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002786. eCollection 2014 Apr. PMID:24722524

European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership, Career Development Fellowship grant (CDF 2015)