I Okeke, University of Ibadan - Pathogenic lineages of enteric bacteria in Nigeria
Lead Research Organisation:
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Department Name: Research Directorate
Abstract
Childhood diarrhoea and bacterial bloodstream infections account for a considerable proportion of illnesses and deaths among children under five years of age worldwide. The under-five mortality produced by these infections is disproportionately high in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. This study proposes to examine two causes of these infections, enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and Salmonella, and to identify bacterial lineages that account for a significant proportion of childhood diarrhoeas and invasive infections among Nigerian children. Stool specimens will be obtained from children with diarrhoea and from healthy children attending clinics in Ibadan, Nigeria. E. coli and Salmonella will be isolated from the specimens and characterized at the molecular level to identify disease-causing strains and the disease-causing genes these subtypes carry. Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and Salmonella isolates will be subjected to further analysis, involving sequencing parts of their genomes. The resulting DNA sequences will be compared to determine inter-relationships among different genetic lineages of bacteria isolated in this study and between these isolates from Nigeria and strains other parts of the world. These analyses will reveal how disease-causing lineages change over time and are transmitted locally and globally.
This research will improve our understanding of the epidemiology and evolution of two important but under-addressed bacterial pathogens. The study will determine which subgroups of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and Salmonella are more likely to cause disease and whether there are subtypes that are associated with life-threatening disease. This is important for the study location, Nigeria, because very little is known about locally-prevalent subtypes within the country or in neighbouring countries. Identification and characterization of predominant subgroups serve as the basis for devising diagnostics to better their detection and surveillance. The findings from this study will also inform vaccine development and vaccine use policy because the most harmful subtypes can be targetted. This research will also determine whether healthy individuals carry these organisms, and if so, to what extent. Understanding healthy carriage is key to determining how these organisms are maintained and transmitted in communities.
The study will use molecular methods to characterize the strains in a laboratory to be set up at the University of Ibadan and lead by the African Research Leader Candidate who is co-investigator on this grant. The African Research Leader will additionally build on collaborative links with other regional laboratories and extend some of the expertise built at Ibadan to those labs. The research will therefore build capacity in the area of molecular bacteriology and provide a collaborative link between West African scientists and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, where the principal investigator is located.
This research will improve our understanding of the epidemiology and evolution of two important but under-addressed bacterial pathogens. The study will determine which subgroups of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and Salmonella are more likely to cause disease and whether there are subtypes that are associated with life-threatening disease. This is important for the study location, Nigeria, because very little is known about locally-prevalent subtypes within the country or in neighbouring countries. Identification and characterization of predominant subgroups serve as the basis for devising diagnostics to better their detection and surveillance. The findings from this study will also inform vaccine development and vaccine use policy because the most harmful subtypes can be targetted. This research will also determine whether healthy individuals carry these organisms, and if so, to what extent. Understanding healthy carriage is key to determining how these organisms are maintained and transmitted in communities.
The study will use molecular methods to characterize the strains in a laboratory to be set up at the University of Ibadan and lead by the African Research Leader Candidate who is co-investigator on this grant. The African Research Leader will additionally build on collaborative links with other regional laboratories and extend some of the expertise built at Ibadan to those labs. The research will therefore build capacity in the area of molecular bacteriology and provide a collaborative link between West African scientists and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, where the principal investigator is located.
Technical Summary
Enteric pathogens such as diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica are important causes of childhood illness and death in African countries. Very little is known about the epidemiology of these bacteria in Nigeria, including which lineages account for the burden of disease. In this proposal, we plan to determine the contributions of two enteric pathotypes, enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) and Salmonella, using a case-control study design. We will use sequence-based methods to identify predominant diarrheagenic lineages of both pathotypes in Nigeria and elucidate their recent evolutionary history. We will additionally use sequence-based methods to subtype invasive isolates recovered during the period of the case-control study and determine whether Salmonella lineages recovered from invasive infections are associated with diarrhoea and/or carried asymptomatically by healthy individuals. The study will yield information on the evolution and phylogeography typhoidal and non-typhoidal Salmonella and their role in invasive infections, which is relatively sparse for West Africa. It will additionally identify and characterize hypervirulent EAEC lineages, about which there is little information worldwide. Following characterization of key virulent lineages, we will devise DNA-based tests to facilitate their detection for epidemiological research and surveillance. Identification of such lineages will also inform vaccine development and public health policy.
The research will be performed in the laboratory of an African Research Leader Candidate based at the University of Ibadan, the Co-I on this proposal, in collaboration with PI based at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge. The study will bring molecular bacteriology expertise to an important research centre in West Africa, facilitate training and capacity building and provide an important collaborative link for the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in West Africa.
The research will be performed in the laboratory of an African Research Leader Candidate based at the University of Ibadan, the Co-I on this proposal, in collaboration with PI based at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge. The study will bring molecular bacteriology expertise to an important research centre in West Africa, facilitate training and capacity building and provide an important collaborative link for the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in West Africa.
Planned Impact
Beneficiaries of the research
1. Scientists and students at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria: The Co-I will establish a molecular microbiology research laboratory in the school of Pharmacy. Her presence and research will strengthen molecular expertise at the Faculty of Pharmacy, in UI's three other microbiology departments (in Medicine, Science and Veterinary Medicine) as well as more broadly at the institution. Multiple undergraduate and post-graduate students will receive intensive training in molecular microbiology and the molecular biology content of undergraduate and postgraduate curricular will be strengthened. The University of Ibadan will also benefit from having a senior scientist with pharmaceutical credentials in its Pharmaceutical Microbiology Department.
2. Scientists and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, and their collaborators: Researchers interested in global phylogeography of bacterial lineages will have a partnership through which they can obtain representative strains from a West African site other than the MRC Gambia.
3. Students and trainees at the University of Ibadan: The University of Ibadan is working to increase and improve the molecular biology content of its bioscience curricula. Students enrolled at the University will have the opportunity to enroll in basic and applied molecular biology courses taught by the CoI who has taught molecular biosciences at a highly selective US university for over a decade.
4. African Microbiologists: As part of this project, partnerships among other West African laboratories that have been initiated will be strengthened and molecular expertise will be shared among them. Included in the already recruited nucleus are Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria (Microbiology in the Pharmacy, Medicine and Science Faculties), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (Pharmaceutical Microbiology) and the University of Ghana Medical School. The partnership will extend to other microbiology departments and will also forge links with other African scientists, from Kenya and Malawi, that collaborate with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute on an on-going basis.
5. Diaspora Nigerian microbiologists: Nigerian Post doctoral fellows currently based abroad will be invited to participate in the research and/or serve as resource personnel in workshops. Other Diaspora scientists could see the Co-I's return to Nigeria as a model for re-entry and establishment of a productive research program.
6. Scientists involved in vaccine development research and vaccine policy development will benefit from the data obtained in this research.
7. Public health researchers who wish to understand healthy carriage of EAEC and non-typhoidal Salmonella and how this might affect transmission and endemicity of these pathogens.
8. New, more sensitive and specific, diagnostic protocols for enteric pathogens will be developed and made available to clinical diagnostic laboratories in Nigeria and similar countries
9. Nigeria has seen vaccine boycotts and spurious AIDS cures, all of which undermine health care delivery and public health. Boosting in-country molecular microbiology research could help engender societal trust in infectious disease interventions in civil society.
1. Scientists and students at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria: The Co-I will establish a molecular microbiology research laboratory in the school of Pharmacy. Her presence and research will strengthen molecular expertise at the Faculty of Pharmacy, in UI's three other microbiology departments (in Medicine, Science and Veterinary Medicine) as well as more broadly at the institution. Multiple undergraduate and post-graduate students will receive intensive training in molecular microbiology and the molecular biology content of undergraduate and postgraduate curricular will be strengthened. The University of Ibadan will also benefit from having a senior scientist with pharmaceutical credentials in its Pharmaceutical Microbiology Department.
2. Scientists and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, and their collaborators: Researchers interested in global phylogeography of bacterial lineages will have a partnership through which they can obtain representative strains from a West African site other than the MRC Gambia.
3. Students and trainees at the University of Ibadan: The University of Ibadan is working to increase and improve the molecular biology content of its bioscience curricula. Students enrolled at the University will have the opportunity to enroll in basic and applied molecular biology courses taught by the CoI who has taught molecular biosciences at a highly selective US university for over a decade.
4. African Microbiologists: As part of this project, partnerships among other West African laboratories that have been initiated will be strengthened and molecular expertise will be shared among them. Included in the already recruited nucleus are Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria (Microbiology in the Pharmacy, Medicine and Science Faculties), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (Pharmaceutical Microbiology) and the University of Ghana Medical School. The partnership will extend to other microbiology departments and will also forge links with other African scientists, from Kenya and Malawi, that collaborate with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute on an on-going basis.
5. Diaspora Nigerian microbiologists: Nigerian Post doctoral fellows currently based abroad will be invited to participate in the research and/or serve as resource personnel in workshops. Other Diaspora scientists could see the Co-I's return to Nigeria as a model for re-entry and establishment of a productive research program.
6. Scientists involved in vaccine development research and vaccine policy development will benefit from the data obtained in this research.
7. Public health researchers who wish to understand healthy carriage of EAEC and non-typhoidal Salmonella and how this might affect transmission and endemicity of these pathogens.
8. New, more sensitive and specific, diagnostic protocols for enteric pathogens will be developed and made available to clinical diagnostic laboratories in Nigeria and similar countries
9. Nigeria has seen vaccine boycotts and spurious AIDS cures, all of which undermine health care delivery and public health. Boosting in-country molecular microbiology research could help engender societal trust in infectious disease interventions in civil society.
Organisations
Publications
Ikhimiukor OO
(2022)
A bottom-up view of antimicrobial resistance transmission in developing countries.
in Nature microbiology
Monárrez R
(2019)
A large self-transmissible resistance plasmid from Nigeria contains genes that ameliorate a carrying cost
in Scientific Reports
Monárrez R
(2020)
A plasmid-encoded papB paralogue modulates autoaggregation of Escherichia coli transconjugants.
in BMC research notes
Ikhimiukor OO
(2023)
A snapshot survey of antimicrobial resistance in food-animals in low and middle-income countries.
in One health (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Kwasi DA
(2022)
Antibiofilm agents with therapeutic potential against enteroaggregative Escherichia coli.
in PLoS neglected tropical diseases
Mohammed Y
(2018)
Antimicrobial resistance of Vibrio cholerae from sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review.
in African journal of laboratory medicine
Kariuki S
(2018)
Antimicrobial resistance surveillance in Africa: Successes, gaps and a roadmap for the future.
in African journal of laboratory medicine
Jibril AH
(2021)
Association between antimicrobial usage and resistance in Salmonella from poultry farms in Nigeria.
in BMC veterinary research
Popoola O
(2019)
Bacteremia Among Febrile Patients Attending Selected Healthcare Facilities in Ibadan, Nigeria.
in Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
Nwoko EQA
(2021)
Bacteria autoaggregation: how and why bacteria stick together.
in Biochemical Society transactions
Birkhold M
(2023)
Characterization of Typhoid Intestinal Perforation in Africa: Results From the Severe Typhoid Fever Surveillance in Africa Program.
in Open forum infectious diseases
Afolayan A
(2021)
Clones and Clusters of Antimicrobial-Resistant Klebsiella From Southwestern Nigeria
in Clinical Infectious Diseases
Odih EE
(2020)
Could Water and Sanitation Shortfalls Exacerbate SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Risks?
in The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
Bejide OS
(2023)
Diarrhoeal pathogens in the stools of children living with HIV in Ibadan, Nigeria.
in Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology
Okeke I
(2020)
Dreams and dream spaces of West African molecular microbiology
in Africa
Okeke IN
(2016)
Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli May Account for Uncultured Shigella.
in The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
Akinlabi OC
(2023)
Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Carriage among Children in Northern Ibadan, Nigeria.
in The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
Okeke IN
(2022)
Establishing a national reference laboratory for antimicrobial resistance using a whole-genome sequencing framework: Nigeria's experience.
in Microbiology (Reading, England)
Kwasi D
(2023)
Evaluation of fecal occult blood testing for rapid diagnosis of invasive diarrhea in young children
in PLOS Global Public Health
Chattaway MA
(2016)
Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Enteric Bacteria in Sub-Saharan Africa: Clones, Implications and Research Needs.
in Frontiers in microbiology
Jibril AH
(2021)
Genomic Analysis of Antimicrobial Resistance and Resistance Plasmids in Salmonella Serovars from Poultry in Nigeria.
in Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
Title | Additional file 1 of A plasmid-encoded papB paralogue modulates autoaggregation of Escherichia coli transconjugants |
Description | Additional file 1: Figure S1. Coomassie blue-stained SDS PAGE gel of whole cell lysates of DH5a pRMKO transformed with pINKpefB and grown in LB containing 0, 1, 2 and 4 % arabinose or 1% glucose showing induction of a protein of papB/pefB predicted size (7 KDa). Ladder: Prestained protein marker (Biorad). |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2020 |
URL | https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/figure/Additional_file_1_of_A_plasmid-encoded_papB_para... |
Title | Additional file 1 of A plasmid-encoded papB paralogue modulates autoaggregation of Escherichia coli transconjugants |
Description | Additional file 1: Figure S1. Coomassie blue-stained SDS PAGE gel of whole cell lysates of DH5a pRMKO transformed with pINKpefB and grown in LB containing 0, 1, 2 and 4 % arabinose or 1% glucose showing induction of a protein of papB/pefB predicted size (7 KDa). Ladder: Prestained protein marker (Biorad). |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2020 |
URL | https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/figure/Additional_file_1_of_A_plasmid-encoded_papB_para... |
Description | Africa PGI Focus Group on WGS for AMR surveillance |
Geographic Reach | Africa |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Surveillance Advisors Group |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Description | Board member, The Wellcome Trust Surveillance and Epidemiology of Drug Resistant Infections Consortium (SEDRIC) |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Impact | The Surveillance and Epidemiology of Drug Resistant Infections Consortium (SEDRIC) is a policy think-tank that works to identify evidence gaps, describe solutions and advocate for research and policy change in antimicrobial resistance surveillance, particularly in low- and middle-income country settings. |
URL | https://sedric.org.uk/ |
Description | International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions - ICARS' Technical Advisory Forum (TAF) |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
URL | https://www.icars-global.org/ |
Description | National Antimicrobial Resistance Working Group |
Geographic Reach | Africa |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Impact | The Working Group steered the process towards Nigeria's National Action Plan on Antibiotic Resistance (2017) and set up a national surveillance system for antimicrobial resistance, which now reports to the WHO GLASS and is being strenghtened and extended. The working group also promotes and oversees national events to improve antimicrobial resistance awareness and encourages antimicrobial stewardship in hospitals |
URL | http://ncdc.gov.ng/news/65/combating-antimicrobial-resistance-in-nigeria%3A-merging-all-hands%2C-ass... |
Description | Nigerian Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plan |
Geographic Reach | Africa |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | Increased the awareness of the problem of antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria. Provided global awareness that Nigeria is invested in addressing this problem |
Description | Research Networks for Health Innovations in Sub-Saharan Africa |
Geographic Reach | Africa |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Description | Strengthening the role of laboratories in tracking antimicrobial resistance in East Africa |
Geographic Reach | Africa |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
URL | http://www.cddep.org/publications/east_africa_public_health_laboratory_networking_project#sthash.RfD... |
Description | Surveillance and Epidemiology of Drug Resistant Infections Consortium (SEDRIC) |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
URL | https://wellcome.ac.uk/what-we-do/our-work/surveillance-and-epidemiology-drug-resistant-infections-c... |
Description | WHO Expert Working Group on enteric fever disease burden |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | WHO Working Group on the role of vaccines against antimicrobial resistance (VAC-AMR) |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | World Health Organization Vaccine Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Impact | WHO description: The board provides advice to WHO on its action on the role of vaccines against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). It generates global WHO guidance on priority actions aimed to strengthen the role of vaccines against AMR, and is developing a semi quantitative framework of value attribution to vaccines regarding their role against AMR. The board is engaged in a value attribution exercise to support prioritization of investment decisions on vaccine development and use. Since the committee began its work and completed the value attribution excercise, there has been better awareness of the role that vaccines play and could play in containing antimicrobial resistance. |
Description | African Journal of Laboratory Medicine: Special issue on the role in African laboratories in AMR surveillance |
Amount | $39,997 (USD) |
Funding ID | OPP1178631 |
Organisation | Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United States |
Start | 07/2017 |
End | 12/2018 |
Description | Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship_Iruka Okeke |
Amount | $926,755 (USD) |
Funding ID | INV-036234 |
Organisation | Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United States |
Start | 09/2021 |
End | 09/2026 |
Description | Minimal genomics lab for AMR surveillance & diagnostics in provincial low-income settings_2018 GCAM |
Amount | $200,000 (USD) |
Funding ID | OPP1210746 |
Organisation | Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United States |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 08/2020 |
Description | NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Genomic Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance |
Amount | £6,863,271 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 16/136/111 |
Organisation | National Institute for Health Research |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | Public Health Alliance for Genomic Epidemiology (PHA4GE) bioinformatics training within the Nigeria Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance system |
Amount | $19,332 (USD) |
Organisation | University of the Western Cape |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | South Africa |
Start | 04/2021 |
End | 11/2021 |
Description | Severe Typhoid in Africa |
Amount | $465,447 (USD) |
Organisation | International Vaccine Institute (IVI) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Korea, Republic of |
Start | 09/2016 |
End | 09/2018 |
Description | TWAS visiting expert award |
Amount | $2,200 (USD) |
Organisation | The World Academy of Science |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | Italy |
Start | 03/2016 |
End | 03/2017 |
Description | Typhoid Environmental Surveillance Nigeria I |
Amount | $394,428 (USD) |
Funding ID | INV-048135 |
Organisation | Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United States |
Start | 04/2023 |
End | 08/2024 |
Description | Bioinformatics collaboration for Pathogenic Lineages of Enteric Bacteria in Nigeria |
Organisation | The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute |
Department | Pathogen Genomics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Nothing to add |
Collaborator Contribution | We welcome Professor Nicholas Thomson to our research group. Nick is one of the foremost authorities on Escherichia coli pathogen genomics and will oversee bioinformatics associated with this project. This fills the expertise gap generated when post doc bioinformatician Dr Chinyere Okoro relocated close to the start of the project, provides a means to train Nigerian students in bioinformatics and allows Nick to serve as lead UK collaborator, which Professor Gordon Dougan has stepped back on. |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Clinical collaboration for case-control study |
Organisation | University of Ibadan |
Department | Department of Biochemistry |
Country | Nigeria |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are contributing etiologic information to infantile diarrhea cases retrospectively. This information would not otherwise have been available. |
Collaborator Contribution | Pediatrician Dr Adedayo Adepoju contributed to study design and is supervising clinical personnel aiding with sample collection for our case-control study. |
Impact | No outcomes yet |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Epidemiological consult for case-control study |
Organisation | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are performing a case-control study to which Dr Clare Flach will contribute as a collaborator. |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr Clare Flach provides study design and statistical expertise for our project. She ratified our case-control design and sample size calculations at the inception of our research and will contribute to data analysis later on. |
Impact | No outputs yet |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | One Health Contexts for Salmonella in Nigeria |
Organisation | University of Copenhagen |
Country | Denmark |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The collaboration with Professor Anders Dalsgaard was established to enhance One Health sampling and research skills within our group. Doctoral student Abdulrahman Jibril , who we co-supervised was trained in how to collect samples from animals and farms and culture these for Salmonella. A second co-supervised student is currently performing wastewater sampling as part of a different project. We have also conducted Escherichia coli and Salmonella sampling of retail meats in our setting in collaboration with Pilar Donado-Godoy of AGROSAVIA, Colombia. |
Collaborator Contribution | We performed a collaborative search for Salmonella in poultry settings, and then retail poultry, as part of Aim 2 of our project. We have also conducted wastewater assessment of resistant Acinetobacters. As our own expertise is with human infections and colonization, our partners have been instrumental in experimental design, working with us to design sampling and analysis protocols. |
Impact | Dr AH Jibril doctoral thesis - defended Erkison Odih doctoral thesis - awaiting defence Gabriel Temitope Sunmonu Master's thesis defended - Jibril AH, Okeke IN, Dalsgaard A, Olsen JE. Prevalence and whole genome phylogenetic analysis reveal genetic relatedness between antibiotic resistance Salmonella in hatchlings and older chickens from farms in Nigeria. Poult Sci. 2022 Dec 15;102(3):102427. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2022.102427. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36584420; PMCID: PMC9827064. Jibril AH, Okeke IN, Dalsgaard A, Olsen JE. Association between antimicrobial usage and resistance in Salmonella from poultry farms in Nigeria. BMC Vet Res. 2021 Jul 2;17(1):234. doi: 10.1186/s12917-021-02938-2. PMID: 34215271; PMCID: PMC8254292. Jibril AH, Okeke IN, Dalsgaard A, Menéndez VG, Olsen JE. Genomic Analysis of Antimicrobial Resistance and Resistance Plasmids in Salmonella Serovars from Poultry in Nigeria. Antibiotics (Basel). 2021 Jan 20;10(2):99. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics10020099. PMID: 33498344; PMCID: PMC7909428. Jibril AH, Okeke IN, Dalsgaard A, Kudirkiene E, Akinlabi OC, Bello MB, Olsen JE. Prevalence and risk factors of Salmonella in commercial poultry farms in Nigeria. PLoS One. 2020 Sep 23;15(9):e0238190. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238190. PMID: 32966297; PMCID: PMC7510976. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | The Lancet Commission for Nigeria |
Organisation | University College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | INO was a Commissioner involved in data collection, curation and bespoke analyses to evaluate Nigeria's health system and chart ways for the future. |
Collaborator Contribution | We have reviewed the state of health in Nigeria and developed a decade-long plan for improvements. These were published in The Lancet in 2022. |
Impact | Abubakar I, Dalglish SL, Angell B, Sanuade O, Abimbola S, Adamu AL, Adetifa IMO, Colbourn T, Ogunlesi AO, Onwujekwe O, Owoaje ET, Okeke IN, Adeyemo A, Aliyu G, Aliyu MH, Aliyu SH, Ameh EA, Archibong B, Ezeh A, Gadanya MA, Ihekweazu C, Ihekweazu V, Iliyasu Z, Kwaku Chiroma A, Mabayoje DA, Nasir Sambo M, Obaro S, Yinka-Ogunleye A, Okonofua F, Oni T, Onyimadu O, Pate MA, Salako BL, Shuaib F, Tsiga-Ahmed F, Zanna FH. The Lancet Nigeria Commission: investing in health and the future of the nation. Lancet. 2022 Mar 19;399(10330):1155-1200. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02488-0. Epub 2022 Mar 15. PMID: 35303470; PMCID: PMC8943278. Angell B, Sanuade O, Adetifa IMO, Okeke IN, Adamu AL, Aliyu MH, Ameh EA, Kyari F, Gadanya MA, Mabayoje DA, Yinka-Ogunleye A, Oni T, Jalo RI, Tsiga-Ahmed FI, Dalglish SL, Abimbola S, Colbourn T, Onwujekwe O, Owoaje ET, Aliyu G, Aliyu SH, Archibong B, Ezeh A, Ihekweazu C, Iliyasu Z, Obaro S, Obadare EB, Okonofua F, Pate M, Salako BL, Zanna FH, Glenn S, Walker A, Ezalarab M, Naghavi M, Abubakar I. Population health outcomes in Nigeria compared with other west African countries, 1998-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study. Lancet. 2022 Mar 19;399(10330):1117-1129. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02722-7. Epub 2022 Mar 15. PMID: 35303469; PMCID: PMC8943279. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Antibiotic Awareness Week: Open panel for the public |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | During World Antibiotic Awareness Week in November last year, we held panel discussion in Ibadan, Nigeria featuring lecturers and students of pharmaceutical microbiology with physicians and pharmacists, which Iruka Okeke organized, curated and moderated. In addition to Iruka, there were two other Professors that study antimicrobial resistance, a researcher studying resistance in livestock, a practicing infectious disease physician and a pharmacist. The event was attended by about 150 people. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://apps.who.int/world-antibiotic-awareness-week/activities/en#/grid-content |
Description | Curbing Infectious Diseases Ideas Lab at the World Economic Forum |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The event was an 'Ideas Lab" at the 2018 World Economic Forum sponsored by the Wellcome Trust. Its objective was to inform world leaders and other Davos attendeefs about cutting edge science being performed in Africa with three Africa-based scientists, George Warimbe, Iruka Okeke and Tolullah Oni as speakers. The session was moderated by Francis Collins of the NIH and each speaker also held a separate 'Ask About' session at the WEF for attendees who wanted more information. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwasmJRW2kY |
Description | Drug Discovery in Africa Spotlight |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | A spotlight on research in our lab that contributes to drug discovery, which was filmed and posted by Science for Africa |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNk1eHXX0wA |
Description | Emerging Public Health Leaders in Nigeria |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The activity was organized to provide young graduates with information about careers in public health and public health-related fields. Six practioners, including myself were asked to describe what they do and the career path that got them there and then there was a panel discussion and questions from the audience. I discussed and responded to questions on biomedical research with connections to public health |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Grand Challenge Meeding presentations |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Four presentations were made at the 2019 Grand Challenges meeting A TED talk to a large plenary audience: Going for routine: Doing our best work every day. African Innovation Rapid-fire talk. A talk to in smaller break out session on genomic surveilance: Genomic surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria. Grand Challenges Annual Meeting, Addis Ababa, 27-30 October 2019. A poster: Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) Antibiofilm Agents in Pathogen Box I was part of a panel in the final plenary: Women and Girls at the Center of Development. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Handle Antibiotics With Care Interactive Panel for Antibiotic Awareness Week |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology of Faculty of Pharmacy led by Prof Iruka N. Okeke on Tuesday, 13 November, 2018 held a panel discussion on Handle Antibiotics with Care to commemorate the World Antibiotics Awareness Week (WAAW). The discussion involved panellists from different fields. There were over hundred attendees at the event including Univesity of Ibadan staff and students and other members of the public. List of panellists 1) Prof EO Adeleke - Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan 2) Prof Bolanle Adeniyi - Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan 3) Prof Aderemi Kehinde - Medical Doctor and Clinical Microbiologist, UCH, Ibadan 4) Mr Wale Adeniyi - PhD student from the Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan The event started at 12:15pm with a short welcome and introduction given by the moderator, Prof Iruka Okeke. In her welcome address she stated that antimicrobial resistance is inevitable but could be controlled. Thereafter she proceeded to the first question to the panellist which was how has organisms changed over time to become resistant to antibiotics or antimicrobials. The audience contributed various questions and comments. Among these were a request for an explanation of what misuse/abuse of antibiotics actually means. Prof B. Adeniyi responded by citing inappropriate prescription is an example of misuse is skipping doses and irregular use of drugs is abuse. Another question asked was whether the Widal test is appropriate to diagnose typhoid fever. Prof Iruka Okeke responded that Widal test done is to check for antibodies that have been stimulated by Salmonella typhi and individuals can test positive if they have previously had typhoid. She also mentioned that the Widal test is diffcult to read and prone to error but there were alternate tests for typhoid fever such as blood culture. Another attendee commented that regulations should be enforced to reduce accessibility to drugs, water supply should be made available for use especially in toilets, quality of water should be monitored to ensure potable water. Also only animals that are ill should be treated by a vet. Also, question was raised on whether over the counter drugs are really bad. Prof Iruka Okeke responded that over the counter drugs are illegal in some cases, with antibiotics being a specific example but that drugs like pain killers and antimalarials are allowed to be sold over the counter in medicine stores, the latter after a malaria diagnosis test has been done. rof Kehinde Aderemi contributed that over the counter drugs is not so good when there is no prescription. Another response was that people might not survive without over the counter drugs but antibiotics should not be allowed to be sold over the counter. In conclusion of the event Prof. Iruka Okeke said the causes of infections that warrant treatment of antibiotics should be attacked first so that fewer antibiotics will be needed. And antibiotics should only be taken if they have been prescribed by a qualified health professional who has taken the appropriate steps to diagnose and infection. She also enjoined everyone to join the AMR campaign and spread it everywhere since there are no alternative for antibiotics yet. The meeting ended at about 2pm. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | High Level Panel: The Case for Investing in Innovation & Collaboration. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | High Level Panel Moderation: The panel was on the Case for Investing in Innovation & Collaboration. Panelists were Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister, Belgium, Bill Gates, Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, United States, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Federal Minister for Education and Research, Germany. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.grandchallenges.org/video/case-investing-innovation-and-collaboration |
Description | Innovative drug discovery approach addresses childhood diarrhoea in Africa. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Innovative drug discovery approach addresses childhood diarrhoea in Africa. A News Feature/ Blog that describes how this work informs drug discovery and development. African Academy of Science. 8 Jan 2021 https://www.aasciences.africa/news/innovative-drug-discovery-approach-addresses-childhood-diarrhoea-africa |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Inqaba Science Show Feature on The Beats 97.9FM |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Doctoral student David Kwasi was guest on the Inqaba Science Show on The Beats 97.9FM Ibadan from 7.30 to 8.00 am 22 June 2020 where he discussed infectious disease drug discovery with the host. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Okeke, IN. Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance in Nigeria: progress and challenges |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Open talk preceding a panel discussion. Title: Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance in Nigeria: progress and challenges. University College Hospital Ibadan. World Antibiotic Awareness Week Open online seminar. 20 November 2020. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Panel Discussion: The Future of Antibiotics Depends on All of Us |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We organized and moderated a panel discussion on antibiotic stewardship and resistance. The panelists included a physician, a pharmacist, a vet and a genomic epidemiologist. Attending invitees included about 150 students from area secondary schools, health professionals, patients, and the general public. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Public Lecture: 2019. Olumbe Bassir Memorial Lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Holding on and letting go: Dissecting attachment by an exceptional bacterial colonizer. Biennual Olumbe Bassir Memorial Lecture Otunba Subomi Balogun Conference Centre, University of Ibadan on the 18th of June 2019. Published Bodija, Ibadan : Bookbuilders, Editions Africa, 2019. 30 pages ISBN 9789789211968, NLM ID:101763549 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Radio Interview on Diamond FM for Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | A live radio interview on antibiotics and antibiotic resistance, which was aired during World Antibiotic Awareness Week |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Short Expert Talk at The Economist event: Antibiotic Resistance 2019: Preventing an Apocalypse |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Event organizer's description of my presentation: Spotlight: Science 101 If developing antibiotics were simple, there would be more than one or two prospects in the pipeline, even for the most resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections. Why is the science so hard, and what prospective antibiotics look most promising? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://events.economist.com/events-conferences/emea/amr2019 |
Description | Stakeholder meeting for Salmonella surveillance |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | We conducted a stakeholder meeting open to the public to report the results of two year's surveillance for blood-borne Salmonella in Ibadan metropolis. We described our enrollment and blood culture of over 3000 febrile patients in the metropolitan Ibadan area and our principal findings, which were that bacteriamia, and in particular Salmonella Typhi are predominant causes of febrile illness in Ibadan. the data we have collected is sufficient to provide evidence to justify improved diagnostics and introduction of Typhoid Conjugate Vaccines. We believe our findings are pivotal to understanding the burden of invasive Salmonella disease, constitute evidence to support best practices for typhoid diagnosis and treated, and have the potential to be used to support a GAVI application for access to the new typhoid conjugate vaccine. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Your Digital Mentor Podcast |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | A podcast interview, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in science (Part 1), on Your Digital Mentor. https://your-digital-mentor.simplecast.com/episodes. Posted on 4 October 2020. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://your-digital-mentor.simplecast.com/episodes |