Epidemiological links between malaria parasitaemia and hypertension: findings from a population-based survey in rural Côte d'Ivoire (Publications)
between malaria parasitaemia and hypertension in Ivorian adults. METHODS: We estimated the adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of hypertension in relation to malaria parasitaemia [...] mmHg or clinician-diagnosed hypertension. RESULTS: Prevalence of malaria parasitaemia and hypertension were 10 and 22%, respectively. Malaria parasitaemia was negatively associated with hypertension in p [...] Participants having microscopic malaria parasitaemia with elevated body...
Immuno-gold silver staining assays on capillary-driven microfluidics for the detection of malaria antigens (Publications)
a lack of highly sensitive malaria RDTs that can detect low antigen concentration at the onset of infection. Here, we present a strategy to improve the sensitivity of malaria RDTs by using capillary-driven [...] al to the concentration of antigen in a sample. We illustrate this method using the recombinant malaria antigen Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich-protein 2 (rPfHRP2) spiked in human serum. This antigen [...] min, which is approaching the desired sensitivity needed in the Target...
Hemozoin-catalyzed precipitation polymerization as an assay for malaria diagnosis (Publications)
Methods to diagnose malaria are of paramount interest to eradicate the disease. Current methods have severe limitations, as they are either costly or not sensitive enough to detect low levels of parasitemia [...] increase is proportional to the concentration of hemozoin, with a detection limit of 0.85 ng mL(-1). Malaria parasites in human blood can be detected down to 10 infected red blood cells muL(-1). The assay could
High cure rates and tolerability of artesunate-amodiaquine and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in... (Publications)
BACKGROUND: The Tanzanian National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) and its partners have been implementing regular therapeutic efficacy studies (TES) to monitor the performance of different drugs used [...] mefantrine, which is the first-line anti-malarial for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Data on the performance of other artemisinin-based combinations is urgently needed to support timely [...] parasitological responses of ASAQ and DP for directly observed treatment of...
Insufficient sensitivity of laser desorption-time of flight mass spectrometry-based detection of hemozoin for malaria screening (Publications)
detection of hemozoin was assessed for its performance characteristics as a rapid screening test for malaria. In spite of good specificity of > 95%, poor sensitivity of 80.2% for microscopically positive samples
Lysyl-tRNA synthetase as a drug target in malaria and cryptosporidiosis (Publications)
Malaria and cryptosporidiosis, caused by apicomplexan parasites, remain major drivers of global child mortality. New drugs for the treatment of malaria and cryptosporidiosis, in particular, are of high [...] PfKRS1 and C. parvum KRS (CpKRS). In vivo proof of concept was established in an SCID mouse model of malaria, after oral administration (ED90 = 1.5 mg/kg, once a day for 4 d). Furthermore, we successfully [...] HsKRS. Our work validates apicomplexan KRSs as promising targets for the...
RTS,S malaria vaccine pilot studies: addressing the human realities in large-scale clinical trials (Publications)
A malaria vaccine as part of the integrated malaria control and elimination efforts will have a major impact on public health in sub-Sahara Africa. The first malaria vaccine, RTS,S, now enters pilot i [...] the malaria vaccine clinical trial experiences, key ethical practices for effective clinical trial research in low-resource settings are described. For successful vaccine integration into malaria intervention
Linking human behaviours and malaria vector biting risk in south-eastern Tanzania (Publications)
To accelerate malaria elimination in areas where core interventions such as insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are already widely used, it is crucial to consider additional factors associated with persistent [...] persistent transmission. Qualitative data on human behaviours and perceptions regarding malaria risk was triangulated with quantitative data on Anopheles mosquito bites occurring indoors and outdoors in sou [...] south-eastern Tanzania communities where ITNS are already used but lower...
