The EDCTP Alumni Network

Dr
Marc Christian Tahita

Related fellows

Mr Nneka Onyejepu

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Professor Pauline Byakika-Kibwika

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Dr Clifford Banda

Specialist Clinical Pharmacologist

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Profile EDCTP Fellowship 1

Project Title

Operational feasibility, impact of additional screening using highly-sensitives Rapid Diagnostic Tests combined with high coverage of IPTp-SP on placental malaria and low birth weight (ASSER Malaria)

EDCTP Project

TMA2018CDF-2397

EDCTP Program

EDCTP2

EDCTP Project Call

Career Development Fellowship (CDF)

Project Objectives

1. To determine the gain of additional screening with HS-RDTs and treatment with DP against placental malaria, LBW and peripheral malaria infection at delivery 2.To assess the determinants of the poor coverage and improve the number of IPTp doses received using phone call or SMS as a reminder

Study Design

This study is a phase III, 2-arms randomized open trial with a nested study study (qualitative social behavioral study) to be carried out in Nanoro district.

Project Summary

National malaria control strategies in pregnant women relies primarily on effective case management along with the use of long lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs)throughout pregnancy and intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) in the second and third trimesters in malaria-endemic regions in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). For the latter, 3 or more doses are recommended by the national malaria control program (NMCP) but available data suggests that only 19% of eligible women received this in 2016 despite observed high attendance to antenatal clinic (ANC). Adherence to IPTp may be affected by perceptions, acceptability and contextual factors that need to be understood and therefore improve the effectiveness of this health interventions. In addition, all malaria cases should be confirmed either by microscopy or using a rapid diagnostic test (RDTs) before any treatment. Despite the crucial role of RDTs in improving malaria case management SSA, many malaria cases are missed in pregnant women due to the power performance of recommended RDTs which are unable to detect very low parasitaemia. Identifying lower density infections in pregnant women by the use of highly-sensitive RDTs and clearing them with an effective ACT could improve the outcome of the pregnancy in addition to IPTp-SP. The objective of this proposal is to determine the operational feasibility and the impact of additional screening with HS-RDTs and treatment with Dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine (DP) on placental malaria (PM) and low birth weight (LBW) in a context of IPTp-SP, in rural central Burkina Faso. More specifically the objectives are: 1. To determine the gain of additional screening with HS-RDTs and treatment with DP against PM, LBW and peripheral malaria infection at delivery 2.To assess the determinants of the poor coverage and improve the number of IPTp doses received using phone call or SMS as a reminder To achieve these objectives, this proposal is designed as a 2-arm randomized controlled trial with a nested qualitative behavioral study. The present proposal if awarded, will help to train and retain an African scientist in his home country. In addition, the fellow by leading this project will have the opportunity to develop his research, statistic and leadership skills as well as. More importantly, results of this project will be disseminated in order to improve outcomes of MiP in SSA.

Host Organisation

Department	Institution	Country
IRSS-DRCO/Clinical Reearch Unit of Nanoro	Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST) - Institut de Recherche en Science de la Santé (IRSS)	Burkina Faso

Sites

Sanitary District of Nanoro

Current Organisation

Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro/IRSS-DRCO/CNRST

Current Job Title

Research Associate

Biography

Publications

Authors:

Journal:

Malaria Journal

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Date:

2017-12-01

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Malaria Journal

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2017-12-01

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Journal of Clinical Microbiology

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2014-05-01

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PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

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Date:

2016-03-04

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BMC Pediatrics

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Date:

2018-12-01

Authors:

Marc Christian Tahita1* Paul Sondo1 Berenger Kabore1 Hamidou Ilboudo1 Toussaint Rouamba1 Hyacinthe Sanou1 Kadija Ouédraogo1 Adélaïde Compaoré1 Palpouguini Lompo1 Florence Ouedraogo1 Seydou Sawadogo1 Karim Derra1 Yabré Edmond Sawadogo2 Athanase M. Somé1 Macaire Nana2 Hermann Sorgho1 Maminata Traore-Coulibaly1 Quique Bassat3 4 5 6 7 and Halidou Tinto1

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2022-01-01

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Emerging Infectious Diseases

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2007-04-01

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Malaria Journal

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2019-12-01

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Journal:

Malaria Journal

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Date:

2017-12-01

Authors:

Halidou Tinto

Journal:

Pilot and Feasibility Studies

Content:

Background: Malaria infection during pregnancy (MIP) is not only deleterious to the woman, but it also puts her fetus at increased risk of adverse outcomes, such as preterm delivery, low birth weight, and intrauterine growth retardation. Additionally, all-cause mortality during the first year of life in babies born to women with malaria during pregnancy is also increased. Many interventions such as IPTp-SP and long-lasting insecticidal nets have proven to be efficient at reducing malaria in pregnancy burden but adherence to recommended policies remains poor. In sub- Saharan Africa, malaria in pregnancy is often asymptomatic and many malaria infections may be missed due to the inadequate performance of the current rapid diagnostic test to detect low-level parasitemias. Therefore, additional strategies such as intermittent screening with ultrasensitive rapid diagnostic tests and treatment with an effective artemisinin-based combination therapy in addition to IPTp-SP could reduce placental malaria, peripheral malaria infection at delivery, and low birth weight.

Methods: This pilot 2-group randomized open trial with a nested qualitative social behavioral will be carried out
in Nanoro district in which 340 pregnant women will be recruited. Pregnant women will be randomized into two groups and followed on a monthly basis until delivery. In the intervention group, monthly screening using ultrasensi- tive rapid diagnostic tests and treatment of those found to be infected with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine will be performed. In addition, a reminder will be sent to increase the uptake of IPTp-SP doses per woman. During scheduled and unscheduled visits, malaria infection, hemoglobin level, and other clinical outcomes will be assessed and com- pared by the group. The primary feasibility outcome will evaluate the study site’s capacity to enroll participants and

the women’s perception and acceptability of the intervention. The primary clinical outcome will be the prevalence of placental malaria at delivery.

Discussion: The present protocol aims to evaluate the feasibility on a large-scale and also to demonstrate the impact and the operational feasibility of additional screening with ultrasensitive rapid diagnostic tests and treatment with DHA-PQ on placental malaria, low birth weight, and peripheral malaria infection at delivery in a high-burden setting in Burkina Faso.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT04147546 (14 October 2019).
Keywords: Malaria in pregnancy, IPTp, Intermittent screening and treatment, Ultrasensitive RDTs, Placental malaria

Date:

2022-09-29

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Journal:

Malaria Journal

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2015-12-01

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PLOS ONE

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Date:

2017-07-10

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Journal:

mSphere

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ABSTRACT Burkholderia pseudomallei , an environmental bacterium that causes the deadly disease melioidosis, is endemic in northern Australia and Southeast Asia. An increasing number of melioidosis cases are being reported in other tropical regions, including Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. B. pseudomallei first emerged in Australia, with subsequent rare dissemination event(s) to Southeast Asia; however, its dispersal to other regions is not yet well understood. We used large-scale comparative genomics to investigate the origins of three B. pseudomallei isolates from Madagascar and two from Burkina Faso. Phylogenomic reconstruction demonstrates that these African B. pseudomallei isolates group into a single novel clade that resides within the more ancestral Asian clade. Intriguingly, South American strains reside within the African clade, suggesting more recent dissemination from West Africa to the Americas. Anthropogenic factors likely assisted in B. pseudomallei dissemination to Africa, possibly during migration of the Austronesian peoples from Indonesian Borneo to Madagascar ~2,000 years ago, with subsequent genetic diversity driven by mutation and recombination. Our study provides new insights into global patterns of B. pseudomallei dissemination and adds to the growing body of evidence of melioidosis endemicity in Africa. Our findings have important implications for melioidosis diagnosis and management in Africa. IMPORTANCE Sporadic melioidosis cases have been reported in the African mainland and Indian Ocean islands, but until recently, these regions were not considered areas where B. pseudomallei is endemic. Given the high mortality rate of melioidosis, it is crucial that this disease be recognized and suspected in all regions of endemicity. Previous work has shown that B. pseudomallei originated in Australia, with subsequent introduction into Asia; however, the precise origin of B. pseudomallei in other tropical regions remains poorly understood. Using whole-genome sequencing, we characterized B. pseudomallei isolates from Madagascar and Burkina Faso. Next, we compared these strains to a global collection of B. pseudomallei isolates to identify their evolutionary origins. We found that African B. pseudomallei strains likely originated from Asia and were closely related to South American strains, reflecting a relatively recent shared evolutionary history. We also identified substantial genetic diversity among African strains, suggesting long-term B. pseudomallei endemicity in this region.

Date:

2016-04-27

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Journal:

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

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2017-07-28

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Journal:

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

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Date:

2019-10-14

Authors:

Kattenberg JH Tahita CM Versteeg IA Tinto H Traoré-Coulibaly M Schallig HD Mens PF

Journal:

Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH

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Date:

2012-05-01

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PLOS ONE

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2015-09-14

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PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

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2016-02-29

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The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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2012-08-01

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BMC Infectious Diseases

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2013-12-01

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Malaria Journal

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2018-12-01

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Malaria journal

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BACKGROUND: The opportunities for developing new drugs and vaccines for malaria control look brighter now than ten years ago. However, there are few places in sub-Saharan Africa with the necessary infrastructure and expertise to support such research in compliance to international standards of clinical research (ICH-GCP). The Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (CRUN) was founded in 2008 to provide a much-needed GCP-compliant clinical trial platform for an imminent large-scale Phase 3 malaria vaccine trial. A dynamic approach was used that entailed developing the required infrastructure and human resources, while engaging local communities in the process as key stakeholders. This provided a better understanding and ownership of the research activities by the local population. CASE DESCRIPTION: Within five years (2008-2013), the CRUN set up a fully and well-equipped GCP-compliant clinical trial research facility, which enabled to attract 25 grants. The research team grew from ten health workers prior to 2008 to 254 in 2013. A Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), which covers a total population of about 60,000 people in 24 villages was set up in the district. The local community contributed to the development of the facility through the leadership of the king and the mayor of Nanoro. As a result of their active advocacy, the government extended the national electrical grid to the new research center, and later to the entire village. This produced a positive impact on the community's quality of life. The quality of health care improved substantially, due to the creation of more elaborate clinical laboratory services and the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment. CONCLUSION: Involving the community in the key steps of establishing the centre provided the foundation for what was to become the CRUN success story. This experience demonstrates that when clinical trials research sites are carefully developed and implemented, they can have a positive and powerful impact on local communities in resource-poor settings, well beyond the task of generating expected study data.

Date:

2014-03-22

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Journal:

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics

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Date:

2018-06-03

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Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials

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2019-12-01

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Journal of Clinical Microbiology

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2009-11-01

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Journal:

Infectious Diseases of Poverty

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2018-12-01

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Malaria Journal

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Date:

2013-01-01

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Journal:

The Lancet

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Date:

2015-07-01

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Journal:

PLOS ONE

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Date:

2019-02-13

Dr Marc Christian Tahita

Related fellows

Mr Nneka Onyejepu

Professor Pauline Byakika-Kibwika

Dr Clifford Banda

Project Title

EDCTP Project

EDCTP Program

EDCTP Project Call

Project Objectives

Study Design

Project Summary

Host Organisation

Sites

Current Organisation

Current Job Title

Biography

Publications

Dr
Marc Christian Tahita