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by a DFG-supported RCT on the long-term
effects of insecticide-treated mosquito nets
(ITN) on malaria morbidity and all-cause
mortality (PI Olaf Müller), a DFG-supported
study on operational aspects of ITN pro-
grammes in Africa (PI Olaf Müller), a DFG-
supported study on the efficacy and effec-
tiveness of alternative first-line treatment
regimens compared to artemisinin-based
combination therapy (ACT) in Burkina Faso
(PI Olaf Müller). Most of these projects were
part of the DFG-funded SFB 544 which also
concluded in 2011. A partly industry-funded
clinical research project on the develop-
ment of methylene blue-based combination
therapy as an alternative treatment regimen
for falciparum malaria in Africa is ongoing.
The goal of this project is the establishment
of a product development partnership for
the development of an alternative malaria
drug regimen until registration (PI Olaf
Müller). Moreover, studies have started or
are planned which aim to assess the effects
of methylene blue-based combination the-
rapy on the gametocytes in falciparum mala-
ria and on the hypnocytes in vivax malaria.
A new solid methylene blue formulation for
children has just been developed in collabo-
ration with the University of Düsseldorf
(PI Olaf Müller).
Dengue
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral
disease estimated to cause about 50-100
million infections worldwide every year, of
which 25,000 are fatal. Global incidence
has risen rapidly in recent decades: some
2.5 billion people, two fifths of the world‘s
population, are now at risk, mainly in the
tropics and sub-tropics, but climate change
and travel patterns have also contributed
to the introduction of dengue fever even in
Europe.
Our dengue working group consists of phy-
sicians, epidemiologists and environmental
scientists. The group is part of the EU Den-
gueTools project. DengueTools endeavours
to achieve better diagnosis, surveillance,
prevention, prediction and/or prevention
of the spread of dengue fever to previously
non-endemic regions (including Europe) in
the context of climate change. The project
is funded under the health theme of the 7th
framework programme of the European Com-
mission, grant agreement number: 282589
DengueTools.
www.denguetools.net
Maternal & child health (MCH)
The MCH projects consist of:
›› Research on public health aspects of
routine childhood vaccinations in Sub-
Saharan Africa (SSA)
›› Research on the epidemiology and
prevention of childhood malnutrition in
Burkina Faso
›› Research on infectious disease elimi-
nation and eradication strategies in SSA
›› Research on the effectiveness of care
in pregnancy and child birth with an
emphasis on antenatal screening, referral
systems, community-based safe mother-
hood, and related health systems issues,
Doctoral student Germain Mandi examining a child with malaria enrolled in a RCT on the efficacy of methylene
blue-based combination therapy in Nouna, Burkina Faso