Ms Agerie Tadele wins ‘Best Scientific Presentation’ at TRAC conference!

Ms Agere’s presentation at the 8^th Tuberculosis Research Advisory Committee (TRAC) Annual Tuberculosis Research Conference was awarded as the best scientific abstract.

The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Tuberculosis Research Advisory Committee (TRAC) 8^th Annual Tuberculosis Research Conference and Commemoration of World TB Day Hosted by Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI) and Addis Ababa City Administration Health Bureau was held from March 21- 23 2013.

The theme of the conference was “Strengthening Operational Research and Innovative Approaches for TB Control in Ethiopia”. Welcome addresses were given by Director General of EHNRI and Head of Addis Ababa City Administration Health Bureau. Key note addresses were made by TRAC Chairperson and country representatives from WHO, USAID, GLRA and CDC. The official opening speech was delivered by His Excellency Dr Keseteberhan Admassu, Minister of Federal Ministry of Health.

The opening session was followed by a presentation from Dr Abraham Aseffa, TRAC Chairperson and another entitled “Post 2015 Global TB Control Strategy: Process and Vision” by distinguished Ethiopia scholar, Dr Haileyesus Getahun, TB Department at WHO, Geneva. Other sessions involved presentations on TB program implementation, progress, update and challenges by representative of regional health bureaus and city administrations.  Scientific findings addressing various aspects of tuberculosis from epidemiology, to clinical sciences to basic biomedical researches were also presented.

The University of Gondar was invited to send four participants in recognition of its hosting the 6^th TRAC TB Research conference in 2011. Accordingly, the following four delegates from University of Gondar were sent: Dr Sisay Yifru, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Dean of CMHS, Dr Nebiyou Mesfin, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Dr Beyene Moges, Assistant Professor of Immunology and Molecular Biology and Mr Mengistu Endris, Lecturer, Department of Medical Microbiology. Dr Afework Kassu General Director of Research and Community Services and Associate Professor at Department of Medical Microbiology participated in the conference as TRAC member. Dr Afework and Dr Sisay were given the opportunity to chair two different scientific sessions reflecting on timely issues of TB from the context of “One Health”. Dr Nebiyou was chosen to serve as a panelist on a panel discussion session where he shared the experiences from the University of Gondar Hospital MDR TB activity.

In addition to the invited delegates, six different staff members from University of Gondar (Mr. Baye Gelaw – Department of Medical Microbiology, Mrs. Martha Alemayehu – Department of Medical Microbiology, Mr. Kefyalew Addis – Institute of Public Health, Agerie Tadele – Department of Hematology and Immunohematology, Dr. Legese Garedew – Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Belay Tessema – Department of Medical Microbiology) presented three oral presentations and three poster presentations, respectively. Ms Agerie Tadele’s presentation was chosen by independent judges as the “best scientific presentation” from all abstracts and was given  an award in recognition.

The World TB day commemoration event was held at Sibseba Maekel at Addis Ababa in the presence of Mr Fekadu Teklemariam, Stop-TB Goodwill Ambassador, and many other invited dignitaries. Delegates from the University of Gondar were also in attendance.

Further Information

Oral presentations:

1. Martha Alemayehu, Baye Gelaw, Ebba Abate, Abraham Aseffa, Liya Wassie, Yeshambel Belyhun, Shiferaw Bekele, Russell R. Kempker, Henry M. Blumberg. Active Case Finding for Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Detection of Drug Resistance among HIV-infected Patients in Gondar, Ethiopia.
2. Kefyalew Addis, Belaynew Wassie, Ansha Nega. Incidence and Predictors of Tuberculosis among Adult People Living With HIV at University of Gondar Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.
3. Agerie Tadele, Aster Tsegaye, Asaye Birhanu, Abraham Aseffa, Demissew Beyene, Jemal Hussien, Lisbet Siviland, Amsalu Belete, Tuffa Gemechu. Evaluation of Immunocytochemistry for the Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Specific Antigen, MPT64, from Pleural Effusions and Lymph node Aspirates.

  Poster presentations:

1. Legese Garedew, Adane Mihret, Gobena Ameni. Moleculat typing of mycocobacterium isolated from extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients at Debre Birhan Referral Hospital, Central Ethiopia.
2. Belay Tessema, Joerg Beer, Mattias Merker, Frank Emmrich, Ulrich Sack, Arne C. Rodloff, Stefan Niemann. Molecular Epidemiology and transmission Dynamcis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Northwest Ethiopia: New Phylogenetic Lineages Found in Northwest Ethiopia.
3. Baye Gelaw, Gashaw Messele, Natalie J. Garton, Abraham Aseffa, Michael Richard Barer. Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide among HIV+ and HIV+TB patients co-infected with or without intestinal parasites and the corresponding lipid bodies within the tubercle bacilli.