Frank Mockenhaupt

Frank Mockenhaupt
Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin | Charité · Institute of International Health

Prof. Dr. med.

About

346
Publications
58,363
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10,520
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Additional affiliations
January 2012 - present
January 2011 - December 2012
University of Rwanda
January 2009 - December 2010
Radboud University

Publications

Publications (346)
Article
Background In many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance marker pfcrt K76T disappeared within a decade of ceased chloroquine use. Pfaat1 S258L has recently been implicated as another chloroquine resistance marker. Both genes may affect parasite susceptibility to partner drugs in artemisinin-based combinat...
Article
After two consecutive AL treatment failures in a non-immune traveller returning from Uganda with Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the parasite showed artemisinin resistance ex vivo and in vitro, but no associated genetic markers in pfK13 or pfcoronin. In vitro evidence for increased lumefantrine tolerance was present, as were associated pfmdr1 allele...
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Background Long-term health consequences after mild COVID-19 are not well described. Our aim was to estimate their prevalence and describe the time course of signs and symptoms for a period of up to 24 months after confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods We conducted a cohort study matched for age, sex, and test week among individuals who had atte...
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Background A series of modifiable lifestyle factors, such as diet quality, physical activity, alcohol intake, and smoking, may drive the rising burden of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) among sub-Saharan Africans globally. It is unclear whether epigenetic changes play a mediatory role in the associations between these lifestyle factors and T2DM. We assessed...
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Background American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) shows variable response to therapy, but data on species-specific treatment efficacy is scarce. We describe the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with ACL imported to a tertiary centre in Germany and determine whether species-specific therapy according to the 2014 “LeishMan” group reco...
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Background Strongyloidiasis is caused by a neglected nematode, manifesting as chronic intestinal infection with potentially severe manifestations. The disease is an emerging problem in non-endemic countries affecting travelers and migrants. Diagnosis of strongyloidiasis is hampered by the lack of standardization and absence of a gold standard. Sinc...
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In the earlier phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, studies in Germany and elsewhere found an overall reduction in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among students. However, there is little evidence on later pandemic stages as well as socioeconomic influencing factors. We aimed to (1) describe HRQoL in a Berlin student cohort at two time points in...
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SARS-CoV-2 serology may be helpful to retrospectively understand infection dynamics in specific settings including kindergartens. We assessed SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in individuals connected to kindergartens in Berlin, Germany in September 2021. Children, staff, and household members from 12 randomly selected kindergartens were interviewed on COV...
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Partial artemisinin resistance has emerged in East Africa, posing a threat to malaria control across the continent. The Democratic Republic of the Congo carries one of the heaviest malaria burdens globally, and the South Kivu province directly borders current artemisinin resistance hot spots, but indications of such resistance have not been observe...
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During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the German healthcare system faced challenges of efficiently allocating testing resources. To address this, we developed an open-source personalized recommendation system (PRS) called “CovApp”. The PRS utilized a questionnaire to estimate the risk of infection, provided personalized recommendations such as testing, s...
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In 2023, we updated data collected since 2010 on Plasmodium falciparum K13 and MDR1 drug resistance markers in Huye district, southern Rwanda. Artemisinin resistance-associated PfK13 markers occurred in 17.5% of 212 malaria patients (561H, 9.0%; 675V, 5.7%; and 469F, 2.8%), nearly double the frequency from 2019. PfMDR1 N86, linked with lumefantrine...
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Objectives Extended‐spectrum beta‐lactamase‐producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL‐PE) are spreading globally. However, respective data from African communities including livestock and environmental specimens are rare. In a rural community of southern Rwanda, we assessed intestinal carriage of ESBL‐PE among residents and livestock as well as presence i...
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Plasmodium vivax is the second-most common malaria pathogen globally, but is considered very rare in the predominantly Duffy-negative sub-Saharan African population. In 259 malaria patients from highland southern Rwanda, we assessed Plasmodium species and Duffy blood group status by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Plasmodium falciparum , P. vivax...
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Background: Metabolic conditions, including intermediate hyperglycemia (IH), affect migrants to a greater extent than the populations of origin. Evidence suggests that IH increases the risk of vascular complications, but it is unclear whether the differences in IH between the non-migrant and migrant populations translate to differences in vascular...
Article
Two cases of imported cholera were diagnosed at the Charité Institute of International Health in Berlin, Germany, on 26 May 2023. The two business travellers had stayed in Yaoundé, Cameron, for 5 days. Within 1 day after return, both developed intense watery diarrhoea (up to 25 defecations/day). Blood count and C-reactive protein were unremarkable....
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Adult-onset diabetes mellitus (here: aDM) is not a uniform disease entity. In European populations, five diabetes subgroups have been identified by cluster analysis using simple clinical variables; these may elucidate diabetes aetiology and disease prognosis. We aimed at reproducing these subgroups among Ghanaians with aDM, and establishing their i...
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Introduction People experiencing homelessness (PEH) are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. For many PEH it is impossible to isolate due to the lack of permanent housing. Therefore, an isolation facility for SARS-CoV-2 positive PEH was opened in Berlin, Germany, in May 2020, offering medical care, opioid and alcohol substitution t...
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Background: Malaria infections during pregnancy can cause adverse birth outcomes, yet many infections are undetected by microscopy. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of submicroscopic malaria infections in pregnant women in Asia, the Americas, and Africa using aggregated and individual participant data (IPD). Methods: For this systematic rev...
Preprint
Full-text available
In the earlier phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, studies in Germany and elsewhere found an overall reduction in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among students. However, there is little evidence on later pandemic stages as well as socioeconomic influencing factors. We aimed to 1) describe HRQoL in a Berlin student cohort at two time points in...
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Full-text available
Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, children and adolescents worldwide have disproportionally been affected in their psychological health and wellbeing. We conducted a cohort study among German school children, aiming at assessing levels of general anxiety disorder (GAD) and identifying associated factors in the second pandemic year. Methods...
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Background Plasmodium falciparum malaria is associated with anaemia-related morbidity, attributable to host, parasite and drug factors. We quantified the haematological response following treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria to identify the factors associated with malarial anaemia. Methods Individual patient data from eligible antimala...
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Background: The extent to which psychosocial stress relates to type 2 diabetes among sub-Saharan Africans is not well understood. We assessed associations of psychosocial stresses with type 2 diabetes status and glycaemic control among Ghanaians. Methods: We used data from Research on Obesity and Diabetes among African Migrants (RODAM) study. We...
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Background During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, school-related leisure activities were either completely prohibited or only feasible to a limited extent. Especially group musical activities carry a high risk of transmission. Up until now, the question of whether they can be safely re-implemented, has hardly been systematically examined. Therefore,...
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CONGRESS ABSTRACT - BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the important role of providing people with easy to access up-to-date health information in digital formats. People experiencing homelessness have limited access to health information and were hardly ever directly addressed through communication channels in Germany. Lack of digitali...
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Background The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions have affected the wellbeing of school children worldwide. Specific problems evolving during the pandemic, their extent and duration haveńt been sufficiently explored yet. We aimed at describing school childreńs psychosocial and behavioral parameters and associated factors during the COVID-19...
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Our manufacturer-independent, prospective diagnostic accuracy study assessed clinical performance in participants presumed to have a SARS-CoV-2 infection at three study sites in two countries. We assessed the accuracy overall and in predefined subgroups ( C T values and symptom duration).
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The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions have affected the wellbeing of schoolchildren worldwide, but the extent and duration of specific problems are still not completely understood. We aimed to describe students’ psychosocial and behavioral parameters and associated factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Berlin, Germany. Our longitudinal s...
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Purpose Rapid antigen-detecting tests (Ag-RDTs) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ( SARS-CoV-2 ) can transform pandemic control. Thus far, sensitivity (≤ 85%) of lateral-flow assays has limited scale-up. Conceivably, microfluidic immunofluorescence Ag-RDTs could increase sensitivity for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Methods This multi-ce...
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Artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum is conferred by mutations in the kelch 13 (K13) gene. In Rwanda, K13 mutations have increased over the past decade, including mutations associated with delayed parasite clearance. We document artemisinin resistance in P. falciparum patient isolates from Rwanda carrying K13 R561H, A675V, and C469F muta...
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Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are the main reason for dermatological consultations of travellers returning from tropical and subtropical regions, frequently caused by Staphylococcus (S.) aureus.¹ Some strains of S. aureus produce the pore forming toxin Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL), that causes tissue necrosis and lysis of phagocytic...
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Background Adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) in malaria-endemic areas might be more susceptible to Plasmodium infection than healthy individuals. Herein, the study was aimed at verifying the hypothesis that increased fasting blood glucose (FBG) promotes parasite growth as reflected by increased parasite density. Methods Seven adults without DM we...
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BackgroundSARS-CoV-2 infections in preschool and school settings potentially bear occupational risks to educational staff.AimWe aimed to assess the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in teachers and preschool educators and at identifying factors associated with infection.Methods We analysed cross-sectional data derived from 17,448 voluntary, PCR-ba...
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Background Antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) for SARS-CoV-2 are important diagnostic tools. We assessed clinical performance and ease-of-use of seven Ag-RDTs in a prospective, manufacturer-independent, multi-centre cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study to inform global decision makers. Methods Unvaccinated participants suspect...
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While SARS-CoV-2 infection activity in German kindergartens during the first year of the pandemic appeared to be overall low, outbreaks did occur. We retrospectively investigated an outbreak in November and December 2020 in a Berlin kindergarten participating in the Berlin Corona School and Kindergarten Study (BECOSS). Interviews were conducted wit...
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Background Living conditions in homeless shelters facilitate the transmission of COVID-19. Social determinants and pre-existing health conditions place homeless people at increased risk of severe disease. Described outbreaks in homeless shelters resulted in high proportions of infected residents and staff members. In addition to other infection pre...
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Molecular mechanisms at the intersection of inflammation and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among Africans are still unknown. We performed an epigenome-wide association study to identify loci associated with serum C-reactive protein (marker of inflammation) among Ghanaians and further assessed whether differentially methylated positions (DMPs) were...
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India faces 0.5 million malaria cases annually, including half of all Plasmodium vivax malaria cases worldwide. This case–control study assessed socioeconomic determinants of urban malaria in coastal Mangaluru, Karnataka, southwestern India. Between June and December 2015, we recruited 859 malaria patients presenting at the governmental Wenlock Hos...
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Background: Adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) in malaria-endemic areas might be more susceptible to Plasmodium infection than healthy individuals. Herein, we aimed at verifying the hypothesis that increased fasting blood glucose (FBG) promotes parasite growth as reflected by increased parasite density. Methods: Seven adults without DM were recruit...
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This cohort study assesses the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among students, teachers, and household members during lockdown and split classes in 2021 in Berlin, Germany, and examines the association between pandemic restrictions and student health-related quality of life.
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Introduction Most SARS-CoV-2 antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests require nasopharyngeal sampling, which is frequently perceived as uncomfortable and requires healthcare professionals, thus limiting scale-up. Nasal sampling could enable self-sampling and increase acceptability. The term nasal sampling is often not used uniformly and sampling pr...
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Background School attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic is intensely debated. Aim In November 2020, we assessed SARS-CoV-2 infections and seroreactivity in 24 randomly selected school classes and connected households in Berlin, Germany. Methods We collected oro-nasopharyngeal swabs and blood samples, examining SARS-CoV-2 infection and IgG antib...
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Plasmodium falciparum multidrug resistance-1 gene (pfmdr1) polymorphisms associate with altered antimalarial susceptibility. Between 2010 and 2018/19, we observed that the prevalence of the wildtype allele N86 and the wildtype combination NYD increased ten-fold (4% versus 40%) and more than two-fold (18% versus 44%), respectively. Haplotypes other...
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Introduction: Containing COVID-19 requires broad-scale testing. However, sample-collection requires qualified personnel, protective equipement and may cause transmission. We assessed the sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2-rtPCR applying three self-sampling techniques as compared to professional-collected oro-nasopharyngeal samples (cOP/NP). Methods: From...
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Within 5 weeks in 2021, B.1.1.7 became the dominant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 lineage at an outpatient testing site in Berlin, Germany. Compared with outpatients with wild-type virus infection, patients with B.1.1.7 had similar cycle threshold values, more frequent sore throat and travel history, and less frequent anosmia/ageu...
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Virus mutations have the potential to impact the accuracy of diagnostic tests. The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 lineage is defined by a large number of mutations in the spike gene and four in the nucleocapsid (N) gene. Most commercially available SARS-CoV-2 antigen-detecting rapid tests (Ag-RDTs) target the viral N-protein, encoded by the N-gene. We conducte...
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Objectives Diagnostics are essential for controlling the pandemic. Identifying a reliable and fast diagnostic device is needed for effective testing. We assessed performance and ease-of-use of the Abbott PanBio antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic test (Ag-RDT). Methods This prospective, multi-centre diagnostic accuracy study enrolled at two sites i...
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Full-text available
SARS-CoV-2 infections in childcare and school settings potentially bear occupational risks to educational staff. We analyzed data derived from voluntary, PCR-based screening of childcare educators and teachers attending five testing sites in Berlin, Germany, between June and December 2020. Within seven months, 17,491 tests were performed (4,458 edu...
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Background: African populations in sub-Saharan Africa and African migrants in Europe are facing a rapid upsurge in obesity. This trend has been related to urbanization, migration and associated shifts in lifestyle, including dietary habits. Whether changes in eating patterns contribute to the rising burden of obesity among African populations is c...
Article
Actual surveys in kindergartens on SARS-CoV-2 infections are rare. At the beginning of the second pandemic wave, we screened twelve randomly selected kindergartens in Berlin, Germany. A total of 720 participants (pre-school children, staff, and connected household members) were briefly examined and interviewed, and SARS-CoV-2 infections and anti-SA...
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Multi-drug resistant (MDR), gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) limit therapeutic options and increase morbidity, mortality, and treatment costs worldwide. They pose a serious burden on healthcare systems, especially in developing countries like Rwanda. Several studies have shown the effects caused by the global spr...
Article
Background Considering the possibility of nasal self-sampling and the ease of use in performing SARS-CoV-2 antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs), self-testing is a feasible option. Objective The goal of this study was a head-to-head comparison of diagnostic accuracy of patient self-testing with professional testing using a SARS-CoV-2...
Preprint
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Introduction: Containment of the COVID-19 pandemic requires broad-scale testing. Laboratory capacities for real-time-PCR were increased, and are complemented by Ag-tests. However, sample-collection still requires qualified personnel and protective equipement, may produce transmission to others during conduct and travel, and is perceived uncomfortab...
Preprint
Full-text available
Within five weeks in early 2021, B.1.1.7 became the dominant SARS-CoV-2 lineage at an outpatient testing site in Berlin. Characteristics including Ct-values of 193 and 125 recently ill outpatients with B.1.1.7 and wildtype virus, respectively, were similar, except for more commonly reported sore throat and travel, and less frequently stated loss of...
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Background Giardia duodenalis is a leading cause of gastroenteritis worldwide. Humans are mainly infected by two different subtypes, i.e., assemblage A and B. Genotyping is hampered by allelic sequence heterozygosity (ASH) mainly in assemblage B, and by occurrence of mixed infections. Here we assessed the suitability of current genotyping protocols...
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Briefly before the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Berlin, Germany, schools closed in mid-March 2020. Following re-opening, schools resumed operation at a reduced level for nine weeks. During this phase, we aimed at assessing, among students and teachers, infection status, symptoms, individual behaviour, and institutional infection preventio...
Preprint
Full-text available
Background: Rapid antigen-detecting tests (Ag-RDTs) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can transform pandemic control. Thus far, sensitivity (≤85%) of lateral-flow assays has limited scale-up. Conceivably, microfluidic immunofluorescence Ag-RDTs could increase sensitivity for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Materials and Methods...
Article
Full-text available
Background We evaluated a one-tube multiplex real-time PCR targeting DNA of Schistosoma haematobium complex and S. mansoni complex in serum samples obtained at different German diagnostic centers. Methods Simplex real-time PCR protocols for the detection of the multi-copy DNA-repeats Dra1 of S. haematobium complex and Sm1-7 of S. mansoni complex i...
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Full-text available
Objectives: The aim of this diagnostic accuracy study was direct comparison of two different nasal sampling methods for an antigen-based rapid diagnostic test (Ag-RDT) that detects severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Furthermore, the accuracy and feasibility of self-sampling was evaluated. Methods: This manufacturer-indepe...
Article
Aims To compare body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) as determinants of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and determine optimal cut-offs in a sub-Saharan African population. Methods Data from the RODAM study including Ghanaians aged 25-70 living in rural Ghana, urban Ghana and Europe were used. Logistic regression was...
Preprint
Full-text available
Background: School attendance during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is intensely debated. Modelling studies suggest that school closures contribute to community transmission reduction. However, data among school-attending students and staff are scarce. In November 2020, we examined SARS-CoV-2 infections and seroreactivity in 24 randomly selected school cl...
Article
Full-text available
Background: Dietary weight-loss interventions often fail among migrant populations. We investigated the practicability and acceptability of a culturally adapted dietary weight-loss intervention among Ghanaian migrants in Berlin. Methods: The national guidelines for the treatment of adiposity were adapted to the cultural characteristics of the ta...
Preprint
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Background Antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) have been widely recommended as a complement to RT-PCR. Considering the possibility of nasal self-sampling and the ease-of-use in performing the test, self-testing may be an option. Methods and Findings We performed a manufacturer-independent, prospective diagnostic accuracy study of na...