Alexander Yaw Debrah
100 Publications21 Research Themes89 Open Access
Research Overview & Focus
The researcher's work is centered on infectious diseases, particularly parasitic infections such as lymphatic filariasis (lymphatic), malaria, and helminthiasis (mangonital). Their research has focused on innovative treatments like doxycycline, doxorubicin, 5-azacytidinylhyruprolin A, and plasminogen activator inhibitors. Key themes include clinical trials in immunohistochemistry, mobile health applications, and the application of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for parasitic disease detection. The researcher emphasizes their contributions to improving treatment efficacy, enhancing immunological understanding, and leveraging modern medical technologies like mobile devices for community-based infectious disease surveillance.
Faculty Biography
Prof. Alexander Yaw Debrah is a Professor of Parasitology and Global Health. He holds PhD in Medical Parasitology from Bonn University/KNUST. He joined KNUST as a lecturer since 2007, and has held a number of positions at KNUST including Head of Department, Dean of Faculty of Allied Health Sciences and Acting Provost of the College of Health Sciences. He is the Chairman of the Graduate Committee of the College of Health Sciences, a member of the School of Graduate Studies Board and College of Health Sciences representative on the KNUST Academic Board.His research focus is on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) but his area of interest is in filariasis. Prof. Debrah has research collaborations with many international universities and research institutions including University of Bonn, Case Western Reserve University of Cleveland, University of Buea in Cameroon, The Task Force for Global Health in the US, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals among others. He has been involved in a number of research activities including being the Director of German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) funded TAKeOFF Consortium involving three African countries (Cameroon, Tanzania and Ghana) and two German institutions (Bonn University Hospital and Munich University). He has a number of research activities sponsored by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, European Commission, German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and German Research Foundation (DFG) among others. He has won grants to the tune of over 15 million euros.He has received a number of awards including German Paul-Ehrlich-Society for anti-infective therapy (“PEG”) and the German “Momento Research” Prize.He has held a number of National and International positions including the Chair of the Planning Committee of Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) of the American Society of Microbiology.Prof. Debrah has over 120 publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Key Research Themes (21)
Health Sciences
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia research
Health Sciences
Clinical Laboratory Practices and Quality Control
Health Sciences
COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction
Health Sciences
Data-Driven Disease Surveillance
Health Sciences
Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders
Health Sciences
HIV-related health complications and treatments
Life Sciences
IL-33, ST2, and ILC Pathways
Life Sciences
Immune responses and vaccinations
Health Sciences
Lymphatic System and Diseases
Health Sciences
Malaria Research and Control
Health Sciences
Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
Health Sciences
Mycobacterium research and diagnosis
Health Sciences
Neonatal Health and Biochemistry
Physical Sciences
Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
Life Sciences
Parasites and Host Interactions
Health Sciences
Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
Life Sciences
Protease and Inhibitor Mechanisms
Life Sciences
Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics
Life Sciences
Toxoplasma gondii Research Studies
Health Sciences
Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology
Life Sciences
Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
Publications (100)
Vector-borne helminthiases: a road map for current and future research to support control and elimination in sub-Saharan Africa
Helminth Coinfections Modulate Disease Dynamics and Vaccination Success in the Era of Emerging Infectious Diseases
Open AccessHaemato‐Urological Profile and Asymptomatic Urinary Tract Infection in Ghanaian Steady‐State Sickle Cell Disease Patients: A Case‐Control Study
Open AccessRobust COVID-19 Vaccine Responses Despite Filarial Co-Infection: Insights from a Lymphatic Filariasis Cohort in Ghana
Open AccessHelminth Seropositivity Inversely Correlated with Th1 and Th17 Cytokines and Severe COVID-19
Open AccessChanges in circulating filarial antigen status in previously positive individuals: Lessons for treatment monitoring and pre-transmission assessment surveys
Open AccessHelminth Seropositivity Inversely Correlated with Th1 and Th17 Cytokines and Severe COVID-19
Open AccessMonocyte transcriptome signatures of inflammation and enhanced neutrophil recruitment characterize immunopathology in the blood of tuberculosis patients
Open AccessAdherence to Hygiene Protocols and Doxycycline Therapy in Ameliorating Lymphatic Filariasis Morbidity in an Endemic Area Post-Interruption of Disease Transmission in Ghana
Open AccessEfficacy of Intensified Hygiene Measures with or without the Addition of Doxycycline in the Management of Filarial Lymphedema: A Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial in Tanzania
Open AccessDiversity of Culicoides in the middle belt of Ghana with Implications on the transmission of Mansonella perstans; a molecular approach
Open AccessDifferences in PPD- and mitogen-induced T-cell activation marker expression characterize immunopathology in acute tuberculosis patients
Open Access<i>Mhealth tools for community-based infectious disease surveillance in Africa</i>: a scoping review protocol
Open AccessMalaria, Urogenital Schistosomiasis, and Anaemia in Pregnant Ghanaian Women
Open AccessDiminished Interleukin-7 receptor expression on T-cell subsets in tuberculosis patients
Plasma levels of fibrinolytic and coagulation biomarkers in HIV‐infected individuals on highly active antiretroviral therapy: A case‐control study in a Northern Ghanaian population
Open AccessStage-Dependent Increase of Systemic Immune Activation and CCR5+CD4+ T Cells in Filarial Driven Lymphedema in Ghana and Tanzania
Open AccessMonocyte pathology in human tuberculosis is due to plasma milieu changes and aberrant <scp>STAT</scp> signalling
Open AccessFirst genome-wide association study for lymphatic filariasis in a West African population points to a human leukocyte antigen-mediated disease pathophysiology
Open AccessReduced Type 2 Innate Lymphocyte Cell Frequencies in Patent Wuchereria bancrofti-Infected Individuals
Open AccessBCG-Vaccinated Children with Contact to Tuberculosis Patients Show Delayed Conversion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Specific IFN-γ Release
Open AccessFilariasis research – from basic research to drug development and novel diagnostics, over a decade of research at the Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Bonn, Germany
Open AccessIncreased HIV Incidence in Wuchereria bancrofti Microfilaria Positive Individuals in Tanzania
Open AccessHistopathological evaluation of Onchocerca volvulus nodules by microscopy and by digital image analysis for the study of macrofilaricidal drug efficacy
Open AccessImpaired T-cell response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) in tuberculosis patients is associated with high IL-6 plasma levels and normalizes early during anti-mycobacterial treatment
Open AccessOccurrence of Lymphatic Filariasis infection after 15 years of mass drug administration in two hotspot districts in the Upper East Region of Ghana
Open AccessStep towards elimination of Wuchereria bancrofti in Southwest Tanzania 10 years after mass drug administration with Albendazole and Ivermectin
Open AccessThe viability of utilising phone-based text messages in data capture and reporting morbidities due to lymphatic Filariasis by community health workers: a qualitative study in Kilwa district, Tanzania
Open AccessPlasma cytokine levels characterize disease pathogenesis and treatment response in tuberculosis patients
Open AccessDoxycycline Treatment of <i>Mansonella perstans</i>–Infected Individuals Affects Immune Cell Activation and Causes Long-term T-cell Polarization
Effect of pulmonary tuberculosis on natural anticoagulant activity in therapy-naïve Ghanaian adults; a case-control study
A qPCR to quantify Wolbachia from few Onchocerca volvulus microfilariae as a surrogate for adult worm histology in clinical trials of antiwolbachial drugs
Open AccessFilarial Lymphedema Patients Are Characterized by Exhausted CD4+ T Cells
Open AccessMultimodal biomarker discovery for active Onchocerca volvulus infection
Open AccessDistinct Immune Profiles of Exhausted Effector and Memory CD8+ T Cells in Individuals With Filarial Lymphedema
Open AccessCoagulation abnormalities in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: assessing the impact of L-asparaginase therapy in Ghana
Open AccessPlasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 in poorly controlled vs well controlled Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus patients: A case-control study in a district hospital in Ghana
Open AccessPodoconiosis – From known to unknown: Obstacles to tackle
Open AccessSeroprevalence and Risk Factors of Toxoplasma gondii Infection among Pregnant Women in Kumasi: A Cross-Sectional Study at a District-Level Hospital, Ghana
Open AccessAcute Phase Responses Vary Between Children of HbAS and HbAA Genotypes During Plasmodium falciparum Infection
Open AccessFlow cytometric analysis of cell lineage and immune activation markers using minimal amounts of human whole blood—Field method for remote settings
Open AccessReference intervals for selected haematological and biochemical parameters among apparently healthy adults in different eco-geographical zones in Ghana
Open AccessMorbidity management and surveillance of lymphatic filariasis disease and acute dermatolymphangioadenitis attacks using a mobile phone-based tool by community health volunteers in Ghana
Open AccessSARS-CoV-2 updates in a West African population and precautionary measures for sustaining quality antenatal care delivery
Open AccessMolecular Characterization of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase: Do Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Affect Hematological Parameters in HIV-Positive Patients?
Open AccessPlasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 diversity in Ghana
Open AccessThe design and development of a multicentric protocol to investigate the impact of adjunctive doxycycline on the management of peripheral lymphoedema caused by lymphatic filariasis and podoconiosis
Open AccessComparison of Repeated Doses of Ivermectin Versus Ivermectin Plus Albendazole for the Treatment of Onchocerciasis: A Randomized, Open-label, Clinical Trial
Open AccessSeroprevalence and the associated risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant women in the middle belt of Ghana
Open AccessThe Efficacy of Doxycycline Treatment on Mansonella perstans Infection: An Open-Label, Randomized Trial in Ghana
Open AccessWuchereria bancrofti-infected individuals harbor distinct IL-10-producing regulatory B and T cell subsets which are affected by anti-filarial treatment
Open AccessPerformance evaluation of 3 serodiagnostic peptide epitopes and the derived multi-epitope peptide OvNMP-48 for detection of Onchocerca volvulus infection
Open AccessUpdate on the biology and ecology of Culicoides species in the South-West region of Cameroon with implications on the transmission of Mansonella perstans
Open AccessLinear epitopes in <i>Onchocerca volvulus</i> vaccine candidate proteins and excretory‐secretory proteins
Open AccessEvaluation of the Diagnostic Performance of Onchocerca volvulus Linear Epitopes in a Peptide Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Open AccessSingle nucleotide polymorphisms in the angiogenic and lymphangiogenic pathways are associated with lymphedema caused by Wuchereria bancrofti
Open AccessPathological manifestations in lymphatic filariasis correlate with lack of inhibitory properties of IgG4 antibodies on IgE-activated granulocytes
Open AccessValidation of onchocerciasis biomarker N-acetyltyramine-O-glucuronide (NATOG)
Open AccessAnalysis of Mycobacterium ulcerans-specific T-cell cytokines for diagnosis of Buruli ulcer disease and as potential indicator for disease progression
Open AccessPlasma-derived parasitic microRNAs have insufficient concentrations to be used as diagnostic biomarker for detection of Onchocerca volvulus infection or treatment monitoring using LNA-based RT-qPCR
Open AccessEpidemiology of Mansonella perstans in the middle belt of Ghana
Open AccessComparison of Doxycycline, Minocycline, Doxycycline plus Albendazole and Albendazole Alone in Their Efficacy against Onchocerciasis in a Randomized, Open-Label, Pilot Trial
Open AccessAn isothermal DNA amplification method for detection of Onchocerca volvulus infection in skin biopsies
Open AccessEvaluation of the diagnostic potential of urinary N-Acetyltyramine-O,β-glucuronide (NATOG) as diagnostic biomarker for Onchocerca volvulus infection
Open AccessSituational analysis of lymphatic filariasis morbidity in Ahanta West District of Ghana
Open AccessDeveloping a community-led SMS reporting tool for the rapid assessment of lymphatic filariasis morbidity burden: case studies from Malawi and Ghana
Open AccessDoxycycline Leads to Sterility and Enhanced Killing of Female<i>Onchocerca volvulus</i>Worms in an Area With Persistent Microfilaridermia After Repeated Ivermectin Treatment: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Trial
Open AccessReductions in microfilaridermia by repeated ivermectin treatment are associated with lower Plasmodium-specific Th17 immune responses in Onchocerca volvulus-infected individuals
Open AccessExtracellular Onchocerca-derived small RNAs in host nodules and blood
Open AccessAssessments of the transmission of Onchocerca volvulus by Simulium sanctipauli in the Upper Denkyira District, Ghana, and the intermittent disappearance of the vector
Hyperreactive Onchocerciasis is Characterized by a Combination of Th17-Th2 Immune Responses and Reduced Regulatory T Cells
Open AccessInfection with<i>Mansonella perstans</i>Nematodes in Buruli Ulcer Patients, Ghana
Open AccessImmunoepidemiological Profiling of Onchocerciasis Patients Reveals Associations with Microfilaria Loads and Ivermectin Intake on Both Individual and Community Levels
Open AccessDoxycycline Improves Filarial Lymphedema Independent of Active Filarial Infection: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Open AccessElevated Adaptive Immune Responses Are Associated with Latent Infections of Wuchereria bancrofti
Open AccessTransforming growth factor–β1 variant Leu10Pro is associated with both lack of microfilariae and differential microfilarial loads in the blood of persons infected with lymphatic filariasis
Filariasis in Africa—treatment challenges and prospects
Open AccessMacrofilaricidal Activity in<i>Wuchereria bancrofti</i>after 2 Weeks Treatment with a Combination of Rifampicin plus Doxycycline
Open AccessThe role of ultrasonography in the differentiation of the various types of filaricele due to bancroftian filariasis
Open AccessImmunohistological studies on neoplasms of female and male<i>Onchocerca volvulus</i>: filarial origin and absence of<i>Wolbachia</i>from tumor cells
Open AccessLymphatic Vascularisation and Involvement of Lyve-1+ Macrophages in the Human Onchocerca Nodule
Open AccessMacrofilaricidal Activity and Amelioration of Lymphatic Pathology in Bancroftian Filariasis after 3 Weeks of Doxycycline Followed by Single-Dose Diethylcarbamazine
Open AccessNewly acquired Onchocerca volvulus filariae after doxycycline treatment
Open AccessReduction in Levels of Plasma Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A and Improvement in Hydrocele Patients by Targeting Endosymbiotic Wolbachia sp. in Wuchereria bancrofti with Doxycycline
Filariasis and lymphoedema
Open AccessOnchocerciasis Control: Vision for the Future from a Ghanian perspective
Open AccessEfficacy of 5-week doxycycline treatment on adult Onchocerca volvulus
Open AccessEfficacy of 2- and 4-week rifampicin treatment on the Wolbachia of Onchocerca volvulus
Effects of 6-week azithromycin treatment on the Wolbachia endobacteria of Onchocerca volvulus
Wolbachia endobacteria depletion by doxycycline as antifilarial therapy has macrofilaricidal activity in onchocerciasis: a randomized placebo-controlled study
Open AccessEfficacy of 5-week doxycycline treatment on adult Onchocerca volvulus. Parasitol Res
2008Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
Macrofilaricidal effect of 4 weeks of treatment with doxycycline on <i>Wuchereria bancrofti</i>
Open AccessWolbachia endobacteria depletion by doxycycline as antifilarial therapy has macrofilaricidal activity in onchocerciasis: a randomized placebo-controlled study
Open AccessPlasma Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF-A) and VEGF-A Gene Polymorphism are Associated with Hydrocele Development in Lymphatic Filariasis
Open AccessDoxycycline Reduces Plasma VEGF-C/sVEGFR-3 and Improves Pathology in Lymphatic Filariasis
Open AccessA Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial of a 3-Week Course of Doxycycline plus Albendazole and Ivermectin for the Treatment of Wuchereria bancrofti Infection
Open AccessAssessment of microfilarial loads in the skin of onchocerciasis patients after treatment with different regimens of doxycycline plus ivermectin
Open AccessFrequent detection of worm movements in onchocercal nodules by ultrasonography
Open AccessReliable and frequent detection of adult <i>Wuchereria bancrofti</i> in Ghanaian women by ultrasonography
Open AccessDoxycycline as a novel strategy against bancroftian filariasis?depletion of Wolbachia endosymbionts from Wuchereria bancrofti and stop of microfilaria production
Academic Metrics
DepartmentDepartment of Medical Diagnostics
Total Publications100
Research Themes21
Open Access Papers89
Department of Medical Diagnostics
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology