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Proto-zoonoses

Project Lead(s)
Dr. Irene Ayi picture-Parasitology
HOD, Associate Professor
Objectives/Research Areas 
  1. Transmission and host-parasite interactions focusing on profiling and characterizing strains of protozoan parasites mainly Babesia spp, Cryptosporidium spp, Entamoeba spp, Giardia spp in Ghana and their role in undiagnosed febrile illness among children.
  2. Investigating patterns in gut and lung microbiota co-morbidities with emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases by exploring biomarkers of innate gut immunity as proxy for systemic immunity.
  3. Review of school health interventions-related policies and other documents for improvement in planning and implementation of school health programmes in East and West Africa.
Key Publications  
  1. Botchie SK, Mtewa AG and Ayi I. (2020) Cryptosporidiosis: A Potential Anti-diarrheal Natural Product Drug Discovery Journey in Ghana, West Africa   Journal of Scientific Research & Reports 26(9): 85-93, 2020; Article no.JSRR.62528. ISSN: 2320-0227 DOI: 10.9734/JSRR/2020/v26i930311
  2. Squire SA, Robertson ID, Yanga R, Ayi I, Ryana U. (2019) Prevalence and risk factors associated with gastrointestinal parasites in ruminant livestock in the Coastal Savannah zone of Ghana. Acta Tropica 199 (2019) 105126 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105126
  3. Squire, S.A., Yang, R., Robertson, I., Ayi, I., Ryan, U,. (2017). Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in farmers and their ruminant livestock from the Coastal Savannah zone of Ghana. Genet. Evol. 55, 236–243
  4. Sampson, A., Owusu-Ansah, E. d-G. J., Mills-Robertson F. C., Ayi I., Abaidoo R. C., Hald T., Permin A. (2017) Probabilistic quantitative microbial risk assessment model of farmer exposure to Cryptosporidium spp. in irrigation water within Kumasi Metropolis-Ghana. Microbial Risk Analysis 6 (2017) 1–8 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mran.2017.06.001
  5. Arthur-Mensah Jnr R, Blay EA, Larbi J, Suzuki T, Ohta N, Ayi I (2016) Effectiveness of SP-IPTp for malaria and evidence for the need of T. gondii infection preventive policy during pregnancy in Ghana Journal of Infect Dis Epidemiol 2:018. Vol 2, issue 3. DOI:10.23937/2474-3658/1510018
  6. Kwofie, K. D., Ghansah, A., Osei, J. H. N., Frempong, K. K., Obed, S., Frimpong, E. H., Boakye, D. A., Suzuki, T., Ohta, N., & Ayi, I. (2016) Indication of Risk of Mother-to-Child Toxoplasma gondii Transmission in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Maternal and Child Health Journal  20:2581–2588. doi: 10.1007/s10995-016-2084-z
  7. Ayi I., Kwofie K. D., Blay E. A., Osei J. H. N., Frempong K. K., Koku R., Ghansah A., Lartey M., Suzuki  , Boakye D. A., Koram K. A., and Ohta N.  Clonal types of Toxoplasma gondii among immune compromised and immune competent individuals in Accra, Ghana.  Parasitology International 65, January 8 2016, Pages 238-244.   DOI:10.1016/j.parint.2016.01.004 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1383576916000052
  8. Kyei G., Ayi I., Boampong J. N., and Turkson P. K. Sero-epidemiology of Toxocara canis infection in children attending four selected health facilities in the Central Region of Ghana.  Ghana Medical Journal June 2015 Volume 49, Number 2 77 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gmj.v49i2.3
  9. Abu E. K., Boampong J. N., Ayi I., Ghartey-Kwansah G., Afoakwa R., Nsiah P. and Blay E. Infection risk factors associated with seropositivity for Toxoplasma gondii in a population-based study in the Central Region, Ghana. Epidemiol. Infect., –143 (9), July 2015, pp 1904-1912. © Cambridge University Press 2014 doi:10.1017/S0950268814002957 Published online: 06 November 2014
  10. Ayi I., Edu S. A.A, Apea-Kubi K. A., Boamah D., Bosompem K. M. and Edoh D. Sero-Epidemiology of Toxoplasmosis amongst Pregnant Women in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Ghana Medical Journal 43(3):107-14, 2009.
  11. Ayi, I., Boateng, N. A. D., Ayeh-Kumi, P. F., Sagoe, K., Asmah, R. H., Akao N. A study on Amoebiasis as an opportunistic infection in HIV/AIDS patients at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Ghana Journal of Allied Health Sciences 1(2):35-42, 2007.
  12. Ayi, I., Akao, N., Bosompem, K. M., Akafo, S. K., Clarke, J., Nyador, L., Apea-Kubi, K. and Fujita, K. Development of membrane-bases tests for the detection of urinary antigens and antibodies in human toxoplasmosis: preliminary studies in Ghanaian patients. Acta Tropica 93, 151-159. 2005.PMID 15652329

 

For more of my publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&view_op=list_works

Patents

  1. Shoji YAMAOKA (TMDU), Nobuo Ohta (TMDU), Mitsuko Suzuki (TMDU), Yukihiro Shoyama (NIU), Osamu Morinaga (NIU), Takuhiro Uto (NIU), Nguyen Huu Tung (NIU), Kwadwo Ansah Koram (NMIMR), Kwabena Mante Bosompem (NMIMR), Alexander Kwadwo Nyarko (NMIMR), Daniel Adjei Boakye (NMIMR), Irene Ayi (NMIMR), Regina Appiah-Opong (NMIMR), Dominic Adotei Edoh (CPMR), Laud Kenneth Nii-ayitey Okine (CPMR), Frederick Asare Aboagye (CPMR) Novel compounds having a tetracyclic iridoid skeleton and an anti-trypanosomal, anti-leishmanial and anti-plasmodial agents comprising the same as an active ingredient.  Application Number: 14/149,262  International Classification: C07D 493/16 (20060101)  US patent application filed: Jan 7, 2014  Publication Date: Jul 16, 2015  Publication number: WO 2015/105198 A1
    World Intellectual Property Organization [CH] | https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/ar/detail.jsf;jsessionid=35E356026EFFCFBA42B8624A396BC2E4.wapp1nA?docId=WO2015105198&recNum=36&docAn=JP2015050856&queryString=FP%3A(%22malaria%22)%20AND%20EN_ALL%3Anmr&maxRec=689
Team 
Internal Collaborator(s) 
Dr. Samuel Adjei, Animal Experimentation
Prof. Regina Appiah-Opong, Clinical Pathology
External Collaborator(s) 
Victorien
Mary Anti Chama, Chemistry Department, UG
Daniel Boamah, CPMR, Mampong Akuapem
Maxwell Sakyiama, CPMR
Kingsley Benjamin Harley, UHAS, Ho
Funder(s) 
The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)
Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)