Title of the centre:
WHO Collaborating Centre for the Diagnosis and Surveillance of Mycobacterium Ulcerans Infection
Director / Head:
Prof. Bouke de Jong
Institution:
Mycobacteriology Unit
Institute of Tropical Medicine
Address:
Nationalestraat 155
2000
Town:
Antwerp
Country:
BELGIUM
Region:
EURO
Phone:
+3232476590
Fax:
+32-32476333
Date of Designation:
11/Sep/2002
Last Redesignation:
28/Feb/2011
Expiry:
28/Feb/2015
Date of Discontinuation:
Terms of Reference:
- 1. To assist African & Latin American countries in the clinical diagnosis of Buruli ulcer. a. To provide bacteriological transport media for the shipment of clinical specimens at ambient temperature. b. To perform microbiological analysis of the specimens using direct smear examination, culture, PCR analysis & other molecular methods (fingerprinting).
- 2. To provide epidemiological surveillance of BU in endemic countries. a. To collect data on the prevalence & incidence of the disease by supporting active case finding programmes. b. To define the risk factors of the disease. c. To search for the reservoir of M. ulcerans in the environment by culture and by PCR. d. To analyse the clinical & environmental isolates using molecular tools.
- 3. To pursue the maintenance & expansion of our bank of well-documented M. ulcerans strains (kept at -80°C or freeze dried), and to provide the scientific community with such isolates.
- 4. To pursue the maintenance & expansion of our bank of well-documented tissue fragments from patients with M. ulcerans infections, & to provide the scientific community with such tissue fragments.
- 5. To provide the scientific world with well-documented M. ulcerans infected tissue fragments from experimentally infected animals (frozen tissues, tissues kept in transport media or kept in alcohol).
- 6. To establish training programs in the microbiology & epidemiology of Buruli ulcer (courses & seminar) for health professionals & researchers. These practical & theoretical training sessions will be organized in Antwerp & in endemic countries.
- 7. To establish quality assurance for the microbiological tests used for the diagnosis of BU in endemic countries.
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Subjects:
- Communicable diseases other than those specifically mentioned
- Tuberculosis
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Types of activity:
- Information dissemination
- Product development (guidelines; manual; methodologies; etc.)
- Training and education
WHO organization wide expected result:
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1.5 - New knowledge, intervention tools and strategies that meet priority needs for the prevention and control of communicable diseases developed and validated, with scientists from developing countries increasingly taking the lead in this research. |
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Responsible Officer:
ASIEDU Kingsley Bampoe
Phone:
+41 22 79 12803
Technical Counterpart:
MERCER David John
Phone:
+45 39171467
Access to annual progress reports and the current workplan (this is accessible to WHO Staff Members only):
Link to eWork
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