Publications

Day C.J, Favuzza P, Bielfeld S, Haselhorst T, Seefeldt L, Hauser J, Shewell L.K, Flück C, Poole J, Jen F.E.-C, Schäfer A, Dangy J.P, Gilberger T.-W, França C.T, Duraisingh M.T, Tamborrini M, Brancucci N.M.B, Grüring C, Filarsky M, Jennings M.P, Pluschke G. The essential malaria protein PfCyRPA targets glycans to invade erythrocytes. Cell Rep. 2024;43(4):114012. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114012

Junghanss T, Pluschke G. Mycobacterium ulcerans disease (Buruli ulcer). In: Farrar J,Hotez P.J,Junghanss T,Kang G,Lalloo D,White N.J,Garcia P.J, eds. Manson's Tropical Diseases, 557-568. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2024. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-7020-7959-7.00048-8

Sakakibara Y, Konishi M, Ueno T, Murase C, Miyamoto Y, Ato M, de Souza D.K, Biamonte M, Pluschke G, Yotsu R.R. Pilot use of a mycolactone-specific lateral flow assay for Buruli ulcer: a case report from Japan. J Clin Tuberc Other Mycobact Dis. 2024;36:100469. DOI: 10.1016/j.jctube.2024.100469

Ispasanie E, Muri L, Schmid M, Schubart A, Thorburn C, Zamurovic N, Holbro T, Kammüller M, Pluschke G. In vaccinated individuals serum bactericidal activity against B meningococci is abrogated by C5 inhibition but not by inhibition of the alternative complement pathway. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1180833. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1180833

Jen F.E, Abrahams J.L, Schulz B.L, Lamelas Cabello A, Pluschke G, Jennings M.P. High-frequency changes in pilin glycosylation patterns during Neisseria meningitidis serogroup a meningitis outbreaks in the African meningitis belt. ACS Infect Dis. 2023;9:1451–1457. DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00149

Mäser P, Bernhard S, Brun R, Burri C, Gagneux S, Hetzel M.W, Kaiser M, Lengeler C, Pluschke G, Reus E, Rottmann M, Utzinger J, Warryn L, Wittlin S, Keiser J. Key contributions by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute towards new and better drugs for tropical diseases. Chimia (Aarau). 2023;77(9):593-606. DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2023.593

Pluschke G, Warryn L. How our molecular understanding of the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium ulcerans infection can improve diagnosis of Buruli ulcer. Expert Rev Mol Diagn. 2023(1-2):1-4. DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2023.2294333

Tamborrini M, Schäfer A, Hauser J, Zou L, Paris D.H, Pluschke G. The malaria blood stage antigen PfCyRPA formulated with the TLR-4 agonist adjuvant GLA-SE elicits parasite growth inhibitory antibodies in experimental animals. Malar J. 2023;22:210. DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04638-8

Warryn L, Pluschke G. Repurposing of tuberculosis drug candidates for the treatment of Mycobacterium ulcerans disease. Chimia (Aarau). 2023;77(9):577-581. DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2023.577

Day C.J, Poole J, Pluschke G, Jennings M.P. Investigation of Mycobacterium ulcerans glycan interactions using glycan array and surface plasmon resonance. In: Pluschke G,Röltgen K, eds. Mycobacterium ulcerans:, 29-40. New York, NY: Humana, 2022. (Methods in molecular biology: 2387). DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1779-3_4

Eddyani M, Affolabi D, Ablordey A, Eyangoh S, Pluschke G. Laboratory investigations in Buruli ulcer. In: Nunzi E,Massone C,Portaels F, eds. Leprosy and Buruli ulcer: a practical guide, 443-454. Cham: Springer Nature, 2022. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-89704-8_41

Fernandes B, Sousa M, Castro R, Schäfer A, Hauser J, Schulze K, Amacker M, Tamborrini M, Pluschke G, Alves P.M, Fleury S, Roldão A. Scalable process for high-yield production of PfCyRPA using insect cells for inclusion in a malaria virosome-based vaccine candidate. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2022;10:879078. DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.87907

Hall B.S, Dos Santos S.J, Hsieh L.T, Manifava M, Ruf M.T, Pluschke G, Ktistakis N, Simmonds R.E. Inhibition of the SEC61 translocon by mycolactone induces a protective autophagic response controlled by EIF2S1-dependent translation that does not require ULK1 activity. Autophagy. 2022;18(4):841-859. DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2021.1961067

Hsieh L.T, Dos Santos S.J, Hall B.S, Ogbechi J, Loglo A.D, Salguero F.J, Ruf M.T, Pluschke G, Simmonds R.E. Aberrant stromal tissue factor localisation and mycolactone-driven vascular dysfunction, exacerbated by IL-1β, are linked to fibrin formation in Buruli ulcer lesions. PLoS Pathog. 2022;18:e1010280. DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010280

Leuenberger A, Koné B.V, N'krumah R.T.A.S, Koffi D.Y, Bonfoh B, Utzinger J, Pluschke G. Perceived water-related risk factors of Buruli ulcer in two villages of south-central Côte d’Ivoire. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022;16(12):e0010927. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010927

Muri L, Schubart A, Thorburn C, Zamurovic N, Holbro T, Kammüller M, Pluschke G, Ispasanie E. Inhibition of the different complement pathways has varying impacts on the serum bactericidal activity and opsonophagocytosis against Haemophilus influenzae type b. Front Immunol. 2022;13:1020580. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1020580

Pluschke G,Röltgen K, eds. Mycobacterium ulcerans: methods and protocols. New York, NY: Humana Press, 2022. DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1779-3

Pluschke G, Röltgen K. Overview: development of drugs against Mycobacterium ulcerans. In: Pluschke G,Röltgen K, eds. Mycobacterium ulcerans:, 185-187. New York, NY: Humana, 2022. (Methods in molecular biology: 2387). DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1779-3_17

Pluschke G, Röltgen K. Preface. In: Pluschke G,Röltgen K, eds. Mycobacterium ulcerans:, V-VI. New York, NY: Humana, 2022. DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1779-3_1

Portaels F, Pluschke G. History and geographic distribution of Buruli ulcer. In: Nunzi E,Massone C,Portaels F, eds. Leprosy and Buruli ulcer: a practical guide, 421-430. Cham: Springer Nature, 2022. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-89704-8_39

Röltgen K, Johnson P.D.R, Pluschke G. Epidemiology of Buruli ulcer. In: Nunzi E,Massone C,Portaels F, eds. Leprosy and Buruli ulcer. A practical guide, 541-550. Cham: Springer Nature, 2022. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-89704-8_47

Röltgen K, Pluschke G. Overview: Mycobacterium ulcerans disease (Buruli ulcer). In: Pluschke G,Röltgen K, eds. Mycobacterium ulcerans:, 3-6. New York, NY: Humana, 2022. (Methods in molecular biology: 2387). DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1779-3_1

Röltgen K, Pluschke G. Overview: mycolactone, the macrolide toxin of Mycobacterium ulcerans. In: Pluschke G,Röltgen K, eds. Mycobacterium ulcerans:, 105-108. New York, NY: Humana, 2022. (Methods in molecular biology: 2387). DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1779-3_11

Toppino S, Koffi D.Y, Koné B.V, N'Krumah R.T.A.S, Coulibaly I.D, Tobian F, Pluschke G, Stojkovic M, Bonfoh B, Junghanss T. Community-based wound management in a rural setting of Côte d'Ivoire. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022;16(10):e0010730. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010730

Toppino S, N'Krumah R.T.A.S, Koné B.V, Koffi D.Y, Coulibaly I.D, Tobian F, Pluschke G, Stojkovic M, Bonfoh B, Junghanss T. Skin wounds in a rural setting of Côte d'Ivoire: population-based assessment of the burden and clinical epidemiology. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022;16(10):e0010608. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010608

Warryn L, Pluschke G. Efficacy of an acid-oxidising solution against Mycobacterium ulcerans. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2022;66(1):e00870-21. DOI: 10.1128/AAC.00870-21

Brunetti G, Padovani F, De Pastina A, Rotella C, Monahan Am, Hoffman S.L, Jongo S.A, Abdulla S, Corradin G, Pluschke G, Daubenberger C, Hegner M. Nanotechnological immunoassay for rapid label-free analysis of candidate malaria vaccines. Nanoscale. 2021;13(4):2338-2349. DOI: 10.1039/D0NR08083G

Day C.J, Röltgen K, Pluschke G, Jennings M.P. The cell surface protein MUL_3720 confers binding of the skin pathogen Mycobacterium ulcerans to sulfated glycans and keratin. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021;15(2):e0009136. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009136

Ispasanie E, Muri L, Schubart A, Thorburn C, Zamurovic N, Holbro T, Kammüller M, Pluschke G. Alternative complement pathway inhibition does not abrogate meningococcal killing by serum of vaccinated individuals. Front Immunol. 2021;12:747594. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.747594

Please H.R, Vas Nunes J.H, Patel R, Pluschke G, Tholley M, Ruf M.T, Bolton W, Scott J.A, Grobusch M.P, Bolkan H.A, Brown J.M, Jayne D.G. Chronic wounds in Sierra Leone: searching for Buruli ulcer, a NTD caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, at Masanga Hospital. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021;15(10):e0009862. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009862

Warryn L, Dangy J.P, Gersbach P, Gehringer M, Altmann K.H, Pluschke G. An antigen capture assay for the detection of mycolactone, the polyketide toxin of Mycobacterium ulcerans. J Immunol. 2021;206(11):2753-2762. DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2001232

Borel N, Sauer-Durand A.M, Hartel M, Kuratli J, Vaupel P, Scherr N, Pluschke G. wIRA: hyperthermia as a treatment option for intracellular bacteria, with special focus on Chlamydiae and Mycobacteria. Int J Hyperthermia. 2020;37:373-383. DOI: 10.1080/02656736.2020.1751312

Chaguza C, Yang M, Cornick J.E, du Plessis M, Gladstone R.A, Kwambana-Adams B.A, Lo S.W, Ebruke C, Tonkin-Hill G, Peno C, Senghore M, Obaro S.K, Ousmane S, Pluschke G, Collard J.M, Sigaùque B, French N, Klugman K.P, Heyderman R.S, McGee L, Antonio M, Breiman R.F, von Gottberg A, Everett D.B, Kadioglu A, Bentley S.D. Bacterial genome-wide association study of hyper-virulent pneumococcal serotype 1 identifies genetic variation associated with neurotropism. Commun Biol. 2020;3:559. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01290-9

Röltgen K, Pluschke G, Spencer J.S, Brennan P.J, Avanzi C. The immunology of other mycobacteria: M. ulcerans, M. leprae. Semin Immunopathol. 2020;42(3):333-353. DOI: 10.1007/s00281-020-00790-4

Röltgen K, Pluschke G. Buruli ulcer: the efficacy of innate immune defense may be a key determinant for the outcome of infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans. Front Microbiol. 2020;11:1018. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01018

Tamborrini M, Hauser J, Schäfer A, Amacker M, Favuzza P, Kyungtak K, Fleury S, Pluschke G. Vaccination with virosomally formulated recombinant CyRPA elicits protective antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum parasites in preclinical in vitro and in vivo models. Vaccines. 2020;5:9. DOI: 10.1038/s41541-020-0158-9

Thomas S.S, Kalia N.P, Ruf M.T, Pluschke G, Pethe K. Toward a single-dose cure for Buruli ulcer. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020;64(9):e00727-20. DOI: 10.1128/AAC.00727-20

Vandelannoote K, Pluschke G, Bolz M, Bratschi M.W, Kerber S, Stinear T.P, de Jong B.C. Introduction of Mycobacterium ulcerans disease in the Bankim Health District of Cameroon follows damming of the Mapé river. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2020;14(9):e0008501. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008501

Warryn L, Dangy J.P, Gersbach P, Gehringer M, Schäfer A, Ruf M.T, Ruggli N, Altmann K.H, Pluschke G. Development of an ELISA for the quantification of mycolactone, the cytotoxic macrolide toxin of Mycobacterium ulcerans. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2020;14(6):e0008357. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008357

Gehringer M, Mäder P, Gersbach P, Pfeiffer B, Scherr N, Dangy J.P, Pluschke G, Altmann K.H. Configurationally stabilized analogs of M. ulcerans exotoxins mycolactones A and B reveal the importance of side chain geometry for mycolactone virulence. Org Lett. 2019;21(15):5853-5857. DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.9b01947

Guenin-Macé L, Ruf M.T, Pluschke G, Demangel C. Mycolactone: more than just a cytotoxin. In: Pluschke G,Röltgen K, eds. Buruli ulcer: , 117-134. Cham: Springer, 2019. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-11114-4_7

Piazena H, Müller W, Pendl W, von Ah S, Cap V.H, Hug P.J, Sidler X, Pluschke G, Vaupel P. Thermal field formation during wIRA-hyperthermia: temperature measurements in skin and subcutis of piglets as a basis for thermotherapy of superficial tumors and local skin infections caused by thermosensitive microbial pathogens. Int J Hyperthermia. 2019;36(1):938-952. DOI: 10.1080/02656736.2019.1655594

Pluschke G,Röltgen K, eds. Buruli ulcer: Mycobacterium ulcerans disease. Cham: Springer, 2019. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-11114-4

Röltgen K, Cruz I, Ndung'u J.M, Pluschke G. Laboratory diagnosis of Buruli ulcer: challenges and future perspectives. In: Pluschke G,Röltgen K, eds. Buruli ulcer: , 183-202. Cham: Springer, 2019. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-11114-4_10

Röltgen K, Pluschke G. Buruli ulcer: history and disease burden. In: Pluschke G,Röltgen K, eds. Buruli ulcer: , 1-42. Cham: Springer, 2019. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-11114-4_1

Scherr N, Pluschke G. Buruli ulcer. In: Swinney D.C,Pollastri M.P, eds. Neglected tropical diseases: drug discovery and development, 327-347: Wiley, 2019

Tabah E.N, Johnson C.R, Degnonvi H, Pluschke G, Röltgen K. Buruli ulcer in Africa. In: Pluschke G,Röltgen K, eds. Buruli ulcer: , 43-60. Cham: Springer, 2019. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-11114-4_2

Ispasanie E, Micoli F, Lamelas A, Keller D, Berti F, De Riccio R, Di Benedettoi R, Rondini S, Pluschke G. Spontaneous point mutations in the capsule synthesis locus leading to structural and functional changes of the capsule in serogroup A meningococcal populations. Virulence. 2018;9(1):1138-1149. DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2018.1467710

Lamelas A, Hamid A.M, Dangy J.P, Hauser J, Jud M, Röltgen K, Hodgson A, Junghanss T, Harris S.R, Parkhill J, Bentley S.D, Pluschke G. Loss of genomic diversity in a Neisseria meningitidis clone through a colonization bottleneck. Genome Biol Evol. 2018;10(8):2102-2109. DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evy152

Pinho-Nascimento C.A, Bratschi M.W, Höfer R, Soares C.C, Warryn L, Pecerska J, Minyem J.C, Paixão I.C.N.P, Baroni de Moraes M.T, Um Boock A, Niel C, Pluschke G, Röltgen K. Transmission of hepatitis B and D viruses in an African rural community. mSystems. 2018;3(5):e00120-18. DOI: 10.1128/mSystems.00120-18

Röltgen K, Rose N, Ruggieri A, Warryn L, Scherr N, Pinho-Nascimento C.A, Tamborrini M, Jaenisch T, Pluschke G. Development of dengue virus serotype-specific NS1 capture assays for the rapid and highly sensitive identification of the infecting serotype in human sera. J Immunol. 2018;200(200):3857-3866. DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1701790

Scherr N, Bieri R, Thomas S.S, Chauffour A, Kalia N.P, Schneide P, Ruf M.T, Lamelas A, Manimekalai M.S.S, Grüber G, Ishii N, Suzuki K, Tanner M, Moraski G.C, Miller M.J, Witschel M, Jarlier V, Pluschke G, Pethe K. Targeting the Mycobacterium ulcerans cytochrome bc1:aa3 for the treatment of Buruli ulcer. Nat Commun. 2018;9:5370. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07804-8

Tabah E.N, Nsagha D.S, Bissek A.Z, Njamnshi T.N, Njih I.N, Pluschke G, Njamnshi A.K. Community knowledge, perceptions and attitudes regarding leprosy in rural Cameroon: the case of Ekondotiti and Mbonge health districts in the south-west region. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2018;12(2):e0006233. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006233

Addison N.O, Pfau S, Koka E, Aboagye S.Y, Kpeli G, Pluschke G, Yeboah-Manu D, Junghanss T. Assessing and managing wounds of Buruli ulcer patients at the primary and secondary health care levels in Ghana. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017;11(2):e0005331. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005331

Bibert S, Bratschi M.W, Aboagye S.Y, Collinet E, Scherr N, Yeboah-Manu D, Beuret C, Pluschke G, Bochud P.Y. Susceptibility to Mycobacterium ulcerans disease (Buruli ulcer) is associated with IFNG and iNOS gene polymorphisms. Front Microbiol. 2017;8:1903. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01903

Bieri R, Scherr N, Ruf M.T, Dangy J.P, Gersbach P, Gehringer M, Altmann K.H, Pluschke G. The macrolide toxin mycolactone promotes bim-dependent apoptosis in Buruli ulcer through inhibition of mTOR. ACS Chem Biol. 2017;12(5):1297-1307. DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.7b00053

Cornick J.E, Bishop Ö.T, Yalcin F, Kiran A.M, Kumwenda B, Chaguza C, Govindpershad S, Ousmane S, Senghore M, du Plessis M, Pluschke G, Ebruke C, McGee L, Sigauque B, Collard J.M, Bentley S.D, Kadioglu A, Antonio M, Von Gottberg A, French N, Klugman K.P, Heyderman R.S, Alderson M, Everett D.B, PAGe Consortium. The global distribution and diversity of protein vaccine candidate antigens in the highly virulent Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 1. Vaccine. 2017;35(6):972-980. DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.12.037

Favuzza P, Guffart E, Tamborrini M, Scherer B, Dreyer A.M, Rufer A.C, Erny J, Hoernschemeyer J, Thoma R, Schmid G, Gsell B, Lamelas A, Benz J, Joseph C, Matile H, Pluschke G, Rudolph M.G. Structure of the malaria vaccine candidate antigen CyRPA and its complex with a parasite invasion inhibitory antibody. eLife. 2017;6:e20383. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.20383

Kpeli G, Buultjens A.H, Giulieri S, Owusu-Mireku E, Aboagye S.Y, Baines S.L, Seemann T, Bulach D, Goncalves da Silva A, Monk I.R, Howden B.P, Pluschke G, Yeboah-Manu D, Stinear T. Genomic analysis of ST88 community-acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Ghana. PeerJ. 2017;5:e3047. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3047

Lamelas A, Hauser J, Dangy J.P, Hamid A.M, Roltgen K, Abdul Sater M.R, Hodgson A, Sie A, Junghanss T, Harris S.R, Parkhill J, Bentley S.D, Pluschke G. Emergence and genomic diversification of a virulent serogroup W:ST-2881(CC175) Neisseria meningitidis clone in the African meningitis belt. Microb Genom. 2017;3(8):e000120. DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000120

N'krumah R.T.A.S, Kroné B, Cissé G, Tanner M, Utzinger J, Pluschke G, Tiembré I. Characteristics and epidemiological profile of Buruli ulcer in the district of Tiassalé, south Côte d’Ivoire. Acta Trop. 2017;175:138-144. DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2016.12.023

Owusu E, Newman M.J, Akumwena A, Bannerman E, Pluschke G. Evaluating decontamination protocols for the isolation of Mycobacterium ulcerans from swabs. BMC Microbiol. 2017;17:2. DOI: 10.1186/s12866-016-0918-x

Röltgen K, Pluschke G, Johnson P.D.R, Fyfe J. Mycobacterium ulcerans DNA in bandicoot excreta in Buruli ulcer-endemic area, Northern Queensland, Australia. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017;23(12):2042-2045. DOI: 10.3201/eid2312.170780

Ruf M.T, Andreoli A, Vujic G, Itin P, Pluschke G, Schmid P. Exudate collection using wound sponges - an easy, non-invasive and reliable method to explore protease activities in ulcers. Wound Repair Regen. 2017;25(2):320-326. DOI: 10.1111/wrr.12517

Ruf M.T, Steffen C, Bolz M, Schmid P, Pluschke G. Infiltrating leukocytes surround early Buruli ulcer lesions, but are unable to reach the mycolactone producing mycobacteria. Virulence. 2017;8(8):1918-1926. DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1370530

Ampah K.A, Asare P, Binnah D.D, Maccaulley S, Opare W, Röltgen K, Pluschke G, Yeboah-Manu D. Burden and historical trend of Buruli ulcer prevalence in selected communities along the Offin River of Ghana. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(4):e0004603. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004603

Ampah K.A, Nickel B, Asare P, Ross A, De-Graft D, Kerber S, Spallek R, Singh M, Pluschke G, Yeboah-Manu D, Röltgen K. A sero-epidemiological approach to explore transmission of Mycobacterium ulcerans. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10:e0004387. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004387

Ampah K.A, Pinho-Nascimento C.A, Kerber S, Asare P, De-Graft D, Adu-Nti F, Paixao I.C, Niel C, Yeboah-Manu D, Pluschke G, Röltgen K. Limited genetic diversity of hepatitis B virus in the general population of the Offin River valley in Ghana. PLoS One. 2016;11(6):e0156864. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156864

Bénard A, Sala C, Pluschke G. Mycobacterium ulcerans mouse model refinement for pre-clinical profiling of vaccine candidates. PLoS One. 2016;11(11):e0167059. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167059

Bieri R, Bolz M, Ruf M.T, Pluschke G. Interferon-gamma is a crucial activator of early host immune defense against Mycobacterium ulcerans infection in mice. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(2):e0004450. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004450

Bolz M, Bénard A, Dreyer A.M, Kerber S, Vettiger A, Oehlmann W, Singh M, Duthie M.S, Pluschke G. Vaccination with the surface proteins MUL_2232 and MUL_3720 of Mycobacterium ulcerans induces antibodies but fails to provide protection against Buruli ulcer. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(2):e0004431. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004431

Bolz M, Ruggli N, Borel N, Pluschke G, Ruf M.T. Local cellular immune responses and pathogenesis of Buruli ulcer lesions in the experimental Mycobacterium ulcerans pig infection model. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(4):e0004678. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004678

Chaguza C, Cornick J.E, Harris S.R, Andam C.P, Bricio-Moreno L, Yang M, Yalcin F, Ousmane S, Govindpersad S, Senghore M, Ebruke C, Du Plessis M, Kiran A.M, Pluschke G, Sigauque B, McGee L, Klugman K.P, Turner P, Corander J, Parkhill J, Collard J.M, Antonio M, von Gottberg A, Heyderman R.S, French N, Kadioglu A, Hanage W.P, Everett D.B, Bentley S.D, PAGe Consortium. Understanding pneumococcal serotype 1 biology through population genomic analysis. BMC Infect Dis. 2016;16:649. DOI: 10.1186/s12879-016-1987-z

Dangy J.P, Scherr N, Gersbach P, Hug M.N, Bieri R, Bomio C, Li J, Huber S, Altmann K.H, Pluschke G. Antibody-mediated neutralization of the exotoxin mycolactone, the main virulence factor produced by Mycobacterium ulcerans. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(6):e0004808. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004808

Favuzza P, Blaser S, Dreyer A.M, Riccio G, Tamborrini M, Thoma R, Matile H, Pluschke G. Generation of Plasmodium falciparum parasite-inhibitory antibodies by immunization with recombinantly-expressed CyRPA. Malar J. 2016;15:161. DOI: 101.1186/s12936-016-1213-x

Kpeli G, Darko Otchere I, Lamelas A, Buultjens A.L, Bulach D, Baines S.L, Seemann T, Giulieri S, Nakobu Z, Aboagye S.Y, Owusu-Mireku E, Pluschke G, Stinear T.P, Yeboah-Manu D. Possible healthcare-associated transmission as a cause of secondary infection and population structure of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from two wound treatment centres in Ghana. New Microbes New Infect. 2016;13:92-101. DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2016.07.001

Lamelas A, Ampah K.A, Aboagye S, Kerber S, Danso E, Asante-Poku A, Asare P, Parkhill J, Harris S.R, Pluschke G, Yeboah-Manu D, Röltgen K. Spatiotemporal co-existence of two Mycobacterium ulcerans clonal complexes in the Offin River valley of Ghana. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(7):e0004856. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004856

N'krumah R.T, Koné B, Tiembre I, Cissé G, Pluschke G, Tanner M, Utzinger J. Socio-environmental factors associated with the risk of contracting Buruli ulcer in Tiassalé, south Côte d'Ivoire: a case-control study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(1):e0004327. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004327

Rose N, Pinho-Nascimento C.A, Ruggieri A, Favuzza P, Tamborrini M, Roth H, Baroni de Moraes M.T, Matile H, Janisch T, Pluschke G, Roltgen K. Generation of monoclonal antibodies against native viral proteins using antigen-expressing mammalian cells for mouse immunization. BMC Biotechnol. 2016;16:83. DOI: 10.1186/s12896-016-0314-5

Ruf M.T, Bolz M, Vogel M, Bayi P.F, Bratschi M.W, Sopho G.E, Yeboah-Manu D, Um Boock A, Junghanss T, Pluschke G. Spatial distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans in Buruli ulcer lesions: implications for laboratory diagnosis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(6):e0004767. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004767

Scherr N, Pluschke G, Panda M. Comparative study of activities of a diverse set of anti-mycobacterial agents against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium ulcerans. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2016;60(5):3132-3137. DOI: 10.1128/AAC.02658-15

Tabah E.N, Nsagha D.S, Bissek A.C, Njamnshi A.K, Bratschi M.W, Pluschke G, Um Boock A. Buruli ulcer in Cameroon: the development and impact of the National Control Programme. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(1):e0004224. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004224

Tabah E.N, Nsagha D.S, Bissek A.Z, Bratschi M.W, Njamnshi T.N, Pluschke G, Njamnshi A.K. The burden of leprosy in Cameroon: fifteen years into the post-elimination era. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(10):e0005012. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005012

Vogel M, Bayi P.F, Ruf M.T, Bratschi M.W, Bolz M, Um Boock A, Zwahlen M, Pluschke G, Junghanss T. Local heat application for the treatment of Buruli ulcer: results of a phase II open label single center non comparative clinical trial. Clin Infect Dis. 2016;62(3):342-350. DOI: 10.1093/cid/civ883

Aboagye S.Y, Ampah K, Asare P, Danso E.K, Darko I.O, Röltgen K, Pluschke G, Fyfe J, Yeboah-Manu D. Understanding the ecology of Mycobacterium ulcerans to facilitate strategies for prevention and control of Buruli ulcer in Ghana. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):242. Abstracts of the 9th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health, 6-10 September 2015, Basel, Switzerland

Addison N.O, Pfau S, Koka E, Aboagye S, Pluschke G, Yeboah-Manu D, Junghanss T. Diagnosis and management of Buruli ulcer patients at a health centre in Ghana. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):244

Andreoli A, Bratschi M.W, Bolz M, Minyem J.C, Grize L, Wantong F.G, Kerber S, Tabah E.N, Ruf M.T, Mou F, Noumen D, Boock A.U, Pluschke G. Epidemiology of Buruli ulcer in the Mape Dam region of Cameroon: a longitudinal study. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):245. Abstracts of the 9th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health, 6-10 September 2015, Basel, Switzerland

Andreoli A, Mou F, Minyem J.C, Wantong F.G, Noumen D, Awah P.K, Pluschke G, Boock A.U, Bratschi M.W. Complete healing of a laboratory-confirmed Buruli ulcer lesion after receiving only herbal household remedies. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015;9(11):e0004102. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004102

Andreoli A, Ruf M.T, Itin P, Pluschke G, Schmid P. Phosphorylation of the ribosomal protein S6, a marker of mTOR pathway activation, is strongly increased in hypertrophic scars and keloids [Research letter]. Br J Dermatol. 2015;172(5):1415-1417. DOI: 10.1111/bjd.13523

Bolz M, Bratschi M.W, Kerber S, Minyem J.C, Um Boock A, Vogel M, Bayi P.F, Junghanss T, Brites D, Harris S.R, Parkhill J, Pluschke G, Lamelas Cabello A. Locally confined clonal complexes of Mycobacterium ulcerans in two Buruli ulcer endemic regions of Cameroon. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015;9(6):e0003802. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003802

Bolz M, Kerber S, Zimmer G, Pluschke G. Use of recombinant virus replicon particles for vaccination against Mycobacterium ulcerans disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015;9(8):e0004011. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004011

Bolz M, Ruggli N, Ruf M.T, Ricklin M.E, Zimmer G, Pluschke G. Experimental infection of the pig with Mycobacterium ulcerans: a novel model for studying the pathogenesis of Buruli ulcer disease. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):240. Abstracts of the 9th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health, 6-10 September 2015, Basel, Switzerland

Cornick J.E, Chaguza C, Harris S.R, Yalcin F, Senghore M, Kiran A.M, Govindpershad S, Ousmane S, du Plessis M, Pluschke G, Ebruke C, McGee L, Sigauque B, Collard J.M, Antonio M, von Gottberg A, French N, Klugman K.P, Heyderman R.S, Bentley S.D, Everett D.B. Region-specific diversification of the highly virulent serotype 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae. Microb Genom. 2015;1(2):1-13. DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000027

Dangy J.P, Scherr N, Bieri R, Gersbach P, Altmann K.H, Pluschke G. Antibody-mediated neutralisation of the exotoxin mycolactone prevents cells from undergoing apoptosis. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):56. Abstracts of the 9th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health, 6-10 September 2015, Basel, Switzerland

Dreyer A, Röltgen K, Dangy J.P, Ruf M.T, Scherr N, Bolz M, Tobias N.J, Moes C, Vettiger A, Stinear T.P, Pluschke G. Identification of the Mycobacterium ulcerans protein MUL_3720 as a promising target for the development of a diagnostic test for Buruli ulcer. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015;9(2):e0003477. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003477

Favuzza P, Blaser S, Dreyer A, Tamborrini M, Matile H, Pluschke G. Novel approaches for the identification and profiling of new Plasmodium falciparum antigens as promising blood-stage candidates for inclusion in a malaria subunit vaccine. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):20-21

Kpeli G, Owusu-Mireku E, Hauser J, Hinic V, Danso E, Frei R, Pluschke G, Yeboah-Manu D. Extended spectrum beta lactam resistance among gram negative bacterial isolates from wounds of patients attending a Ghanaian Hospital. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):155

Kpeli G.S, Owusu-Mireku E, Lamelas A, Otchere D, Aboagye S.Y, Ampadu E, Pluschke G, Yeboah-Manu D. Possible nosocomial transmission as a cause of secondary infection and healing delay of Buruli ulcer wounds. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):68

Ogbechi J, Ruf M.T, Hall B.S, Bodman-Smith K, Vogel M, Wu H.L, Stainer A, Esmon C.T, Ahnstrom J, Pluschke G, Simmonds R.E. Mycolactone-dependent depletion of endothelial cell thrombomodulin is strongly associated with fibrin deposition in Buruli ulcer lesions. PLoS Pathog. 2015;11(7):e1005011. DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005011

Owusu E, Newman M.J, Akumwena A, Ofosu-Appiah L, Pluschke G. Maximizing microscopy as a diagnostic tool in peripheral health centres of BU endemic areas in Ghana. Int J Mycobacteriol. 2015;4(3):184-190. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmyco.2015.03.003

Pfau S, Addison N.O, Pluschke G, Yeboah-Manu D, Junghanss T. Chronic ulcers in Buruli ulcer patients following specific treatment in a district hospital in Ghana. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):243-244. Abstracts of the 9th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health, 6-10 September 2015, Basel, Switzerland

Röltgen K, Dreyer A, Dangy J.P, Scherr N, Ruf M.T, Kerber S, Ndung'u J.M, Pluschke G. On the way to point-of-care diagnostics for Buruli ulcer: an antigen capture approach. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):55

Röltgen K, Pluschke G. Mycobacterium ulcerans disease (Buruli ulcer): potential reservoirs and vectors. Curr Clin Micro Rpt. 2015;2:35-43. DOI: 10.1007/s40588-015-0013-3

Röltgen K, Pluschke G. Epidemiology and disease burden of Buruli ulcer: a review. Res Rep Trop Med. 2015;6:59-73. DOI: 10.2147/RRTM.S62026

Ruf M.T, Andreoli A, Sopoh G.E, Schmid P, Pluschke G. Immunohistochemical monitoring of wound healing in Buruli ulcer patients treated with RIF/STR. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):241. Abstracts of the 9th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health, 6-10 September 2015, Basel, Switzerland

Sater M.R, Lamelas A, Wang G, Clark T.A, Röltgen K, Mane S, Korlach J, Pluschke G, Schmid C.D. DNA methylation assessed by SMRT sequencing is linked to mutations in Neisseria meningitidis isolates. PLoS One. 2015;10(12):e0144612. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144612

Scherr N, Pluschke G, Thompson C.J, Ramón-García S. Selamectin is the avermectin with the best potential for Buruli ulcer treatment. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015;9(8):e0003996. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003996

Scherr N, Ramon-Garcia S, Röltgen K, Thompson C.J, Witschel M, Pluschke G. Re-purposing antimicrobial compounds as a promising approach for the identification of scaffolds with activity against Mycobacterium ulcerans. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):243. Abstracts of the 9th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health, 6-10 September 2015, Basel, Switzerland

Silbereisen A, Tamborrini M, Wittwer M, Schürch N, Pluschke G. Development of a bead-based Luminex assay using lipopolysaccharide specific monoclonal antibodies to detect biological threats from Brucella species. BMC Microbiol. 2015;15:198. DOI: 10.1186/s12866-015-0534-1

Silbereisen A, Tamborrini M, Wittwer M, Urch N.S, Pluschke G. Development of a bead-based Luminex assay using lipopolysacharide specific monoclonal antibodies for the detection of bio threat Brucella species. Trop Med Int Health, 2015;20(Suppl. 1):394

Tamborrini M, Geib N, Marrero-Nodarse A, Jud M, Hauser J, Aho C, Lamelas A, Zuniga A, Pluschke G, Ghasparian A, Robinson J.A. A synthetic virus-like particle streptococcal vaccine candidate using B-cell epitopes from the proline-rich region of pneumococcal surface protein A. Vaccine. 2015;3(4):850-874. DOI: 10.3390/vaccines3040850

Tuffour J, Owusu-Mireku E, Ruf M.T, Aboagye S, Kpeli G, Akuoku V, Pereko J, Paintsil A, Bonney K, Ampofo W, Pluschke G, Yeboah-Manu D. Challenges associated with management of Buruli ulcer/human immunodeficiency virus coinfection in a treatment center in Ghana: a case series study. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2015;93(2):216-223. DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.14-0571

Walker K.M, Okitsu S, Porter D.W, Duncan C, Amacker M, Pluschke G, Cavanagh D.R, Hill A.V, Todryk S.M. Antibody and T cell responses associated with experimental human malaria infection or vaccination show limited relationships. Immunology. 2015;145(1):71-81. DOI: 10.1111/imm.12428

Andreoli A, Ruf M.T, Sopoh G.E, Schmid P, Pluschke G. Immunohistochemical monitoring of wound healing in antibiotic treated Buruli ulcer patients. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014;8(4):e2809. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002809

Bolz M, Ruggli N, Ruf M.T, Ricklin M.E, Zimmer G, Pluschke G. Experimental infection of the pig with Mycobacterium ulcerans: a novel model for studying the pathogenesis of Buruli ulcer disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014;8(7):e2968. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002968

Bratschi M.W, Bolz M, Grize L, Kerber S, Minyem J.C, Um Boock A, Yeboah-Manu D, Ruf M.T, Pluschke G. Primary cultivation: factors affecting contamination and Mycobacterium ulcerans growth after long turnover time of clinical specimens. BMC Infect Dis. 2014;14:636. DOI: 10.1186/s12879-014-0636-7

Bratschi M.W, Ruf M.T, Andreoli A, Minyem J.C, Kerber S, Wantong F.G, Pritchard J, Chakwera V, Beuret C, Wittwer M, Noumen D, Schürch N, Um Book A, Pluschke G. Mycobacterium ulcerans persistence at a village water source of Buruli ulcer patients. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014;8(3):e2756. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002756

Hilty M, Wüthrich D, Salter S.J, Engel H, Campbell S, Sa-Leao R, de Lencastre H, Hermans P, Sadowy E, Turner P, Chewapreecha C, Diggle M, Pluschke G, McGee L, Eser O.K, Low D.E, Smith-Vaughan H, Endimiani A, Kuffer M, Dupasquier M, Beaudoing E, Weber J, Bruggmann R, Hanage W.P, Parkhill J, Hathaway L.J, Mühlemann K, Bentley S.D. Global phylogenomic analysis of nonencapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae reveals a deep-branching classic lineage that is distinct from multiple sporadic lineages. Genome Biol Evol. 2014;6(12):3281-3294. DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evu263

Ispasanie E, Pluschke G, Hodgson A, Sie A, MacLennan C, Koeberling O. Characterization of vaccine antigens of meningococcal serogroup W isolates from Ghana and Burkina Faso from 2003 to 2009. F1000Res. 2014;3:264. DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.3881.1

Junghanss T, Johnson R.C, Pluschke G. Mycobacterium ulcerans disease. In: Farrar J,Hotez P.J,Junghanss T,Kang G,Lalloo D,White N.J, eds. Manson's tropical diseases, 519-531. [Edinburgh]: Saunders, 2014