Browsing by Author "Phillips, Richard Odame"
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- ItemAssessing and Strengthening African Universities’ Capacity for Doctoral Programmes(PLoS Medicine, 2011-09) Bates, Imelda; Phillips, Richard Odame; Martin-Peprah, Ruby; Kibiki, Gibson; Gaye, Oumar; et.alUniversities can make a major contribution to good policy-making by generating nationally relevant evidence, but little is known about how to strategically support universities in poorer countries to train and nurture sufficient internationally competitive researchers. N It is difficult for universities to develop a coherent strategy to identify and remedy deficiencies in their doctoral training programmes because there is currently no single process that can be used to evaluate all the components needed to make these programmes successful. N We have developed an evidence-based process for evaluating doctoral programmes from multiple perspectives that comprises an interview guide and a list of corroborating documents and facilities; we refined and validated this process by testing it in five diverse African universities. N The strategy and priority list that emerged from the evaluation process facilitated ‘‘buy-in’’ from internal and external agencies and enabled each university to lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of their own strategy for remedying doctoral programme deficiencies.
- ItemDiagnostics for COVID-19: A case for field-deployable, rapid molecular tests for community surveillance(Ghana Med J., 2020) Frimpong, Michael; Amoako, Yaw A.; Anim, Kwadwo B.; Ahor, Hubert S.; Yeboah Richmond; Arthur, Joshua; Dakorah, Justin S.; Gborgblovor, Delphine; Akrofi, Samuel; Owusu, Michael; Sylverken, Augustina Angelina; Binger, Tabea; Phillips, Richard Odame; Djan, Phyllis Sekyi; 0000-0003-1901-6793; 0000-0002-4642-789X; 0000-0001-5066-150XAcross the globe, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic is causing distress with governments doing everything in their power to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) to prevent morbidity and mortality. Actions are being implemented to keep health care systems from being overstretched and to curb the outbreak. Any policy responses aimed at slowing down the spread of the virus and mitigating its immediate effects on health care systems require a firm basis of information about the absolute number of currently infected people, growth rates, and locations/hotspots of infections. The only way to obtain this base of information is by conducting numerous tests in a targeted way. Currently, in Ghana, there is a centralized testing approach, that takes 4-5 days for samples to be shipped and tested at central reference laboratories with results communicated to the district, regional and national stakeholders. This delay in diagnosis increases the risk of ongoing transmission in communities and vulnerable institutions. We have validated, evaluated and deployed an innovative diagnostic tool on a mobile laboratory platform to accelerate the COVID-19 testing. A preliminary result of 74 samples from COVID-19 suspected cases has a positivity rate of 12% with a turn-around time of fewer than 3 hours from sample taking to reporting of results, significantly reducing the waiting time from days to hours, enabling expedient response by the health system for contact tracing to reduce transmission and additionally improving case management.
- ItemHaematological Profile and ACE2 Levels of COVID-19 Patients in a Metropolis in Ghana(COVID, 2024) Ackah, Ezekiel B.; Owusu, Michael; Sackey, Benedict; Boamah, Justice K.; Kamasah, Japhet S.; Aduboffour, Albert A.; Akortia, Debora; Nkrumah, Gifty; Amaniampong, Andrews; Klevor, Nicholas; Agyemang, Lawrence D.; Ayisi-Boateng, Nana K.; Sylverken, Augustina; Phillips, Richard Odame; Owusu-Dabo, Ellis; 0000-0001-7491-5420; 0000-0001-5066-150X; 0000-0003-1016-7720; 0000-0003-0369-555X; 0000-0002-0961-4434; 0000-0002-7691-914X; 0000-0001-8992-0222; 0000-0003-4232-4292Background: Several studies have linked coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk to age and ABO blood groups. Variations in plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) levels and blood counts have been reported, suggesting an association between disease severity and low lymphocyte levels. Aim: this study aimed to understand how these factors relate to COVID-19 in Ghanaian patients, considering geographical and demographic differences. Methods: Participants were recruited from six hospitals in Kumasi, Ghana, between June 2020 and July 2021. Nasopharyn geal swabs were taken to test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and blood samples were collected for complete blood count testing, ABO/Rhesus typing, and assessment of plasma ACE2 levels. Demographic and COVID-19 severity data were gathered, and IBM SPSS version 25.0 was used for analysis. Results: Overall, 515 patients were enrolled, out of which 55.9% (n = 288/515) were males and 50.3% (n = 259/515) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The median age was 37 years (IQR = 26–53). Age was significantly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection (p = 0.002). The severe COVID-19 group was the oldest (70 years, IQR = 35–80) and presented with anaemia (haemoglobin, g/dL: 9.55, IQR = 7.85–11.93), leukocytosis (WBC × 103/µL: 15.87, IQR = 6.68–19.80), neutrophilia (NEUT × 106/µL: 14.69, IQR = 5.70–18.96) and lymphocytopenia (LYMPH × 106/µL: 0.47, IQR = 0.22–0.66). No association was found between SARS-CoV-2 positivity and ABO (p = 0.711) or Rh (p = 0.805) blood groups; no association was also found between plasma ACE2 levels and SARS-CoV-2 status (p = 0.079). However, among COVID-19 participants, plasma ACE2 levels were significantly reduced in the moderate illness group (40.68 ng/mL, IQR = 34.09–48.10) compared with the asymptomatic group (50.61 ng/mL, IQR = 43.90–58.61, p = 0.015). Conclusions: While there may be no real association between the ABO blood group, as well as plasma ACE2 levels, and SARS-CoV-2 infection in Ghanaian patients, older individuals are at a higher risk of severe disease. Anaemia, and leukocytosis with lymphocytopenia may be indicators of poor disease progression.
- ItemIs pulmonary tuberculosis in pregnant women a problem in Ghana? Observations and lessons from the National Tuberculosis Prevalence Project(Wolters Kluwer - Medknow, 2019) Awua‑Boateng, Nana Yaa; Mohammed, Aliyu; Aglanu, Leslie Mawuli; Acheampong, Godfred; Amuasi,J. H.; Bonsu,F.A.; Phillips, Richard Odame; Owusu-Dabo, EllisBackground: Despite appropriate prevention and control measures, tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis of the disease in pregnancy is usually challenging, as the symptoms may be attributed to the pregnancy. Little is known about the true burden of the disease and its associated risk factors among pregnant women. This study sought to assess the prevalence of TB among pregnant women and associated sociodemographic characteristics in Ghana. Methods: The study used nationally representative data gathered from the national TB project in 2013. A total of 1747 pregnant women were sampled from 56 randomly selected diagnostic health centers across the ten regions of Ghana. TB was confirmed with Ziehl–Neelsen staining technique using morning sputum samples from pregnant women who reported coughing for more than 2 weeks. We assessed how the observed TB prevalence differed by some sociodemographic characteristics and other factors. We further examined the regional spatial distribution of pregnant women with TB in the country. Results: Up to 11.2% of the pregnant women had a history of cough during pregnancy. Eighteen (1.1%) cases of TB were confirmed among the pregnant women during the 2‑year period, with the Eastern region of the country recording the highest (n = 13, 72%), followed by Volta region ( n = 2, 11.1%). No cases were recorded in five regions. The geographical region of residence was the only determinant of TB in pregnancy significantly associated with TB (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Although the burden of TB was found to be low, appropriate control measures have to be put in place to detect the disease during the early stages of pregnancy to safeguard the health of the expectant mother and the unborn child.
- ItemMycolactone Diffuses into the Peripheral Blood of Buruli Ulcer Patients - Implications for Diagnosis and Disease Monitoring(PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2011-07-19) Sarfo, Fred Stephen; Chevalier, Fabien Le; Aka, N’Guetta; Phillips, Richard Odame; Amoako, Yaw; et. alBackground: Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent of Buruli ulcer (BU), is unique among human pathogens in its capacity to produce a polyketide-derived macrolide called mycolactone, making this molecule an attractive candidate target for diagnosis and disease monitoring. Whether mycolactone diffuses from ulcerated lesions in clinically accessible samples and is modulated by antibiotic therapy remained to be established. Methodology/Principal Finding: Peripheral blood and ulcer exudates were sampled from patients at various stages of antibiotic therapy in Ghana and Ivory Coast. Total lipids were extracted from serum, white cell pellets and ulcer exudates with organic solvents. The presence of mycolactone in these extracts was then analyzed by a recently published, fieldfriendly method using thin layer chromatography and fluorescence detection. This approach did not allow us to detect mycolactone accurately, because of a high background due to co-extracted human lipids. We thus used a previously established approach based on high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. By this means, we could identify structurally intact mycolactone in ulcer exudates and serum of patients, and evaluate the impact of antibiotic treatment on the concentration of mycolactone. Conclusions/Significance: Our study provides the proof of concept that assays based on mycolactone detection in serum and ulcer exudates can form the basis of BU diagnostic tests. However, the identification of mycolactone required a technology that is not compatible with field conditions and point-of-care assays for mycolactone detection remain to be worked out. Notably, we found mycolactone in ulcer exudates harvested at the end of antibiotic therapy, suggesting that the toxin is eliminated by BU patients at a slow rate. Our results also indicated that mycolactone titres in the serum may reflect a positive response to antibiotics, a possibility that it will be interesting to examine further through longitudinal studies.
- ItemPerformance of SARS COV-2 IgG Anti-N as an Independent Marker of Exposure to SARS COV-2 in an Unvaccinated West African Population(Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.,, 2023) Abdullahi, Adam; Frimpong, James; Cheng, Mark T. K.; Aliyu, Sani H.; Smith, Colette; Abimiku, Alash’le; Phillips, Richard Odame; Owusu, Michael; Gupta, Ravindra K.; 0000-0001-9703-8264; 0000-0001-8992-0222; 0000-0001-5066-150X; 0000-0001-9751-1808Determination of previous SARS-COV-2 infection is hampered by the absence of a standardized test. The marker used to assess previous exposure is IgG antibody to the nucleocapsid (IgG anti-N), although it is known to wane quickly from peripheral blood. The accuracies of seven antibody tests (virus neutralization test, IgG anti-N, IgG anti-spike [anti-S], IgG anti–receptor binding domain [anti-RBD], IgG anti-N 1 anti-RBD, IgG anti-N 1 anti-S, and IgG anti-S 1 anti RBD), either singly or in combination, were evaluated on 502 cryopreserved serum samples collected before the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Kumasi, Ghana. The accuracy of each index test was measured using a composite reference standard based on a combination of neutralization test and IgG anti-N antibody tests. According to the composite reference, 262 participants were previously exposed; the most sensitive test was the virus neutralization test, with 95.4% sensitivity (95% CI: 93.6–97.3), followed by 79.0% for IgG anti-N 1 anti-S (95% CI: 76.3–83.3). The most specific tests were virus neutrali zation and IgG anti-N, both with 100% specificity. Viral neutralization and IgG anti-N 1 anti-S were the overall most accu rate tests, with specificity/sensitivity of 100/95.2% and 79.0/92.1%, respectively. Our findings indicate that IgG anti-N alone is an inadequate marker of prior exposure to SARS COV-2 in this population. Virus neutralization assay appears to be the most accurate assay in discerning prior infection. A combination of IgG anti-N and IgG anti-S is also accurate and suited for assessment of SARS COV-2 exposure in low-resource settings.