Name: Dr Seth Owusu-Agyei Get his Email address here: seth.owusu-agyei@ghana-khrc.org Related links: Message from the Director of KHRC || INDEPTH gets new CEO

KEY QUALIFICATION(S): MSC, PhD

Background:

He is an epidemiologist with extensive field experience in intervention trials. He joined the Kintampo Health Research Centre as the Director in July, 2002. He had before then worked in the Navrongo Health Research Centre from 1989 to 2002, in several positions, starting as the Assistant Head of Fieldwork on a large vitamin A supplementation trial of young children; rising to be the head of the biomedical group 2000. He was part of the team that set up the Navrongo Demographic Surveillance System and the malaria unit/agenda for the Navrongo Health Research Centre and currently a consultant to the Malaria group working on the NIH funded malaria studies. His research career started in the epidemiology unit of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in 1987.

Teaching

He is an examiner/marker on the distance learning infectious diseases epidemiology course of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) . He supervises project works of students of the School of Public Health, University of Ghana; as well as teaches on the epidemiology course of the Medical Assistants and Technical Officers at the Rural Health Training School in Kintampo. He enjoys teaching in the little spare time that he is able to create.

Research

His main current interests are in:

• Malaria interventions studies and clinical trials involving new antimalarial drugs and malaria vaccine candidates. Other interests in infectious diseases include emerging ones such as buruli ulcer and meningitis.
• Micronutrient intervention initiatives that targets improvement of children's nutrition. Of special mention are vitamin A supplementation of young children and mothers;
• Community-based Interventions that will enhance child health with the community and health providers as targets with the view of reducing early child deaths, as well as adult deaths.

Current Research Areas:

Infectious diseases, Micronutrient interventions, Health Interventions and outcomes.

Research and Collaborations:

• Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Impact of Vitamin A Supplementation on Maternal Mortality in Ghana. This trial is in collaboration with the Nutrition & Public Health Intervention Research Unit of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and funded by DFID, UK.
• Patterns and characteristics of P. falciparum malaria infections, and morbidity in the Kintampo district. This trial is in collaboration with the Gates Malaria Partnership, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine with funding from Gates Malaria Partnership.
• A non-inferiority, open-labeled, randomised trial of the efficacy and safety of three regimens of ACTs treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum in children in Ghana. This trial is in collaboration with the Gates Malaria Partnership, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine with funding from Gates Malaria Partnership.
• A randomised double-blind controlled study for comparing the immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety of GSKNMACW135 polysaccharide with NMACYW135. This project is in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine with funding from WHO.
• Prevention of Vit A deficiency by supplementation alongside routine vaccination - a randomised controlled trial in Ghana. ISRCTN97670178. This trial is in collaboration with the LSHTM with funding from WHO.
• Assessment of serological responses to Hep B and Hib vaccines in infants receiving vitamin A in Ghana. ISRCTN28820504. This trial is in collaboration with the LSHTM with funding from WHO.
• Studies on nutritional anaemia control through use of fortified iron granules “Supplefer Sprinkles”. These studies are in collaboration with Sick kids, Toronto, Canada.
• Malaria Transmission Intensity and Mortality Burden across Africa (MTIMBA). This trial is in collaboration with INDEPTH network sites with funding from WHO-TDR.

Selected publications:

• Oduro AR, Anyorigiya T, Adjuik M, Afful TM, Anto F, Atuguba F, Owusu-Agyei S, Hodgson A. A randomized, comparative study of two regimens of beta-artemether for treatment of uncomplicated, Plasmodium falciparum malaria in northern Ghana. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 2004 Jul; 98(5): 433-40
• KA. Koram, S Owusu-Agyei, DJ Fryauff, F Anto, F Atuguba, A Hodgson, SL Hoffmann, FK Nkrumah: Seasonal profiles of malaria infection, anaemia, and bednet use among age groups and communities in northern Ghana. Trop. Med. & Int. Hlth. 2003, September 8(9), 793-802.
• BR. Hale, S Owusu-Agyei, KA. Koram, DJ. Fryauff, M. Adjuik, AR. Oduro, WR Prescott, JK Baird, F. Nkrumah, ED. Franke, FN. Binka, J. Horton, SL. Hoffman: A Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Dose-ranging Trial of Tafenoquine for Weekly Prophylaxis against Plasmodium falciparum. Clin. Infect. Dis 2003, March 1; 36(5): 541-9.
• Owusu-Agyei S Fryauff DJ, Chandramohan D, Koram KA, Binka FN, Nkrumah FK, Utz GC, Baird JK and Hoffman SL. Characteristics of severe anaemia and its association with malaria in young children of the Kassena-Nankana District of Northern Ghana. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2002, 67(4):371-7.
• S. Owusu-Agyei, Fred N. Binka, K. A. Koram, F. Anto, and M.Adjuik, F. Nkrumah and T. Smith: Does Radical Cure of Asymptomatic P. falciparum place Adults in Endemic Areas at Increased Risk of Recurrent Symptomatic Malaria? Trop. Med. & Int. Hlth. 2002, July 7(7): 599-603.
• S. Owusu-Agyei, T. Smith, H-P. Beck, L. Amenga-Etego, I. Felger: Molecular Epidemiology of Plasmodium falciparum infections among asymptomatic inhabitants of a holoendemic malarious area in northern Ghana. Trop. Med. & Int. Hlth. 2002, May 7(5), 421-428.
• J. Kevin Baird, S. Owusu-Agyei, Gregory C. Utz, Kwadwo Koram, Mazie J. Barcus, Stephen L. Hoffman, and Francis N. Nkrumah: Seasonal Malaria Attack rates in Infants and Young Children in northern Ghana. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2002, 66(3), 280-286.
• S Owusu-Agyei, KA Koram, JK Baird, GC Utz, FN Binka, FK Nkrumah, DJ Fryauff, and SL Hoffman: Incidence of symptomatic and asymptomatic .P. falciparum infection following curative therapy in adult residents of northern Ghana: Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2001, 65(3), 197-203.
• K. A. Koram, S. Owusu-Agyei, G. Utz, F. Binka , K. Baird, S. L. Hoffman, and F. K. Nkrumah: Severe Anaemia in Young Children after High and Low Malaria Transmission seasons in the Kassena-Nankana District of northern Ghana. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2000, 62(6), 670-674.