The Research Group “Infectious Disease Epidemiology” based at KCCR is part of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) in Hamburg, Germany. Our main focus is the performance of studies on communicable diseases in humans.

In Ghana, the research group developed expertise in conducting epidemiological studies on the following diseases: Malaria, Sepsis, gastrointestinal/helminth infections, respiratory illnesses, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD), emerging/re-emerging diseases.

Most of the thematic developed are within the following areas:

• Infectious Diseases Surveillance
• Pathogen Genetic Epidemiology
• Drug Resistance
• Transmission Dynamics including zoonoses
• Differential Diagnostics
• Clinical Trials
• Outbreaks
• Medical Entomology
• eHealth

The research group is not only based in Kumasi but it also constitutes of teams based in district hospitals at:

• the Agogo Presbyterian Hospital (APH), Agogo, Asante Akyem district, Ashanti Region
• the Francis Xavier Hospital (SFXH), Assin Foso, Foso Municipality District, Central Region
• the Martin Hospital (SMH), Agroyesum, Amansie South district, Ashanti Region
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The teams at the satellite centers are responsible in collecting primary data and are constitute of a clinical unit (composed of medical doctors, nurses and pharmacists), a field unit for patient and community outreach activities, a clinical lab unit responsible for sample collection and primary processing and a data entry unit.

In Kumasi, the teams cover principally three laboratories: Parasitology with the clinical lab unit, molecular biology responsible of the PCR and genetic analysis and the Entomology unit.

All research activities are supported by the coordination team responsible of the logistics, quality management, human resources and financial aspects.

List of Grants and Fellowships – as Lead or Co-Applicant

• Malaria Coinfections in Febrile Pediatric Inpatients: A Hospital-Based Study from Ghana. Hogan B, Eibach D, Krumkamp R, Sarpong N, Dekker D, Kreuels B, Maiga-Ascofaré O, Gyau Boahen K, Wiafe Akenten C, Adu-Sarkodie Y, Owusu-Dabo E, May J; Fever Without Source (FWS) Study Clin Infect Dis. 2018:66(12):1838-1845.
• Major subpopulations of Plasmodium falciparum in sub-Saharan Amambua-Ngwa A, Amenga-Etego L, Kamau E, Amato R, Ghansah A, Golassa L, Randrianarivelojosia M, Ishengoma D, Apinjoh T, Maïga-Ascofaré O, Andagalu B, Yavo W, Bouyou-Akotet M, Kolapo O, Mane K, Worwui A, Jeffries D, Simpson V, D’Alessandro U, Kwiatkowski D, Djimde AA. Science. 2019:365(6455):813-816.
• Transmission of Cryptosporidium among human and animal local contact networks in sub-Saharan Africa: a multi-country study. Krumkamp R, Aldrich C, Maiga-Ascofare O,Mbwana J, Rakotozandrindrainy N, Borrmann S, Caccio SM, Rakotozandrindrainy R, Adegnika AA, Lusingu JPA, Amuasi J, May J, Eibach D; CRYPTO study group. Clin Infect Dis. 2020. pii: ciaa223.
• Arbovirus Epidemiology: The Mystery of Unnoticed Epidemics in Ghana, West Agboli E, Tomazatos A, Maiga-Ascofaré O, May J, Lühken R, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Jöst H. Microorganisms. 2022;10(10):1914.
• Challenges in the clinical development pathway for triple and multiple drug combinations in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum Bassat Q, Maïga-Ascofaré O, May J, Clain J, Mombo-Ngoma G, Groger M, Adegnika AA, Agobé JD, Djimde A, Mischlinger J, Ramharter M; ASAAP and Multimal Consortia. Malar J. 2022; 21(1):61.

Key Staff Title and Role (out of over 60 staff)

1. Henry Hanson – Parasitologist, Responsible of the Clinical lab and  sample handling team
2. Kwadwo Sarfo Marfo – Biomedical Scientist, Responsible of the Molecular and cell biology team
3. Priscilla Adjei-Kusi – Entomologist, Responsible of the Entomology team
4. Ebenezer Ahenkan – Study Pharmacist, clinical monitoring
5. Felix Osei Boateng- Research Fellow, Agogo Site   coordinator
6. Dominic Kanin- Research Fellow, Assin Foso Site coordinator
7. Isaac Darko Agyiri – Study Doctor, CLEAR Study Coordinator
8. Esi Yacoba Bart-Plange – Study Doctor, ASAAP Study Coordinator
9. Eva Puorideme – Project Manager
10. Lawrencia Naadu Lartey – Logistics Officer