Research Group: Sexual and Reproductive Health

Journal club on infectious diseases

Dates: 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month (there are some exceptions, see list
Time & place: 12:30 – 13:30, Seminar Room (Room 606, Finkenhubelweg 11, Bern)
Goal: To promote interesting and informative discussions of recent papers covering the fields of modelling, epidemiology, biostatistics or public health research, with a focus on infectious diseases.
Presenters: please see the list in the corresponding flyer on the Courses for PhD students page

Ongoing projects

• COVID-19 living evidence
  (Diana Buitrago-Garcia, Michel Counotte, Dianne Egli-Gany, Stefanie Hossmann, Hira Imeri, Mert Aziz Ipekci, Nicola Low, Georgia Salanti)
  • Protocol, version 4.0: The role of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections: A rapid living systematic review and meta-analysis
  • Preprint, version 1.0: The role of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections: rapid living systematic review and meta-analysis
  • Rapid response to: Covid-19: four fifths of cases are asymptomatic, China figures indicate
  • Preprint, version 2.0: The role of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections: rapid living systematic review and meta-analysis
  • Preprint, version 3.0: Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections: a living systematic review and meta-analysis
• Political prioritisation of the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections: a global challenge
  (Dianne Egli-Gany, Nicola Low)
  • Political prioritisation of the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections: a global challenge
• Trends in the use of diagnostic test modalities for Neisseria gonorrhoeae detection in Switzerland
  (Dianne Egli-Gany, Nicola Low)
• Zika virus: causality, open science and risks of emerging infectious diseases (Zika Open Access Project, zika.ispm.unibe.ch)
  (Michel Counotte, Dianne Egli-Gany, Hira Imeri, Nicola Low, Katayoun Taghavi)
  Related publications:
  • Zika virus infection as a cause of congenital brain abnormalities and Guillain-Barré syndrome: From systematic review to living systematic review
  • Zika Virus Infection as a Cause of Congenital Brain Abnormalities and Guillain–Barré Syndrome: Systematic Review
  • Zika Virus as a Cause of Neurologic Disorders
  • Investigating the sexual transmission of Zika virus
  • Sexual transmission of Zika virus and other flaviviruses: A living systematic review
  • Zika virus infection as a cause of congenital brain abnormalities and Guillain-Barré syndrome: A living systematic review
  • WHO guidelines for the prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus
• Chlamydia Rapid Test project
  (Nicola Low)
• Cochrane Collaboration Sexually Transmitted Infections Review Group: Partner notification strategies for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV
  (Nicola Low)
• Identifying and implementing appropriate and effective public policy responses for improving the sexual health of migrants and refugees
  (Dianne Egli-Gany, Nicola Low)
  • Occupational health outcomes among international migrant workers
• Improving neonatal and infant outcomes using point-of-care tests for sexually transmitted infections in high prevalence settings (wantaim.org)
  (Dianne Egli-Gany, Nicola Low)
  Related publication:
  • Adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes associated with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma genitalium, M. hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and U. parvum: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol
  • Point-of-care testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections to improve birth outcomes in high-burden, low-income settings: Study protocol for a cluster randomized crossover trial (the WANTAIM Trial, Papua New Guinea)
• The influence of case management on the burden of antibiotic resistant gonorrhoea: patient and provider perspectives
  (Nicola Low)
  Related publication:
  • Epidemiological, behavioural, and clinical factors associated with antimicrobial-resistant gonorrhoea: a review
• LUSTRUM: Limiting Undetected Sexually Transmitted infections to RedUce Morbidity (www.lustrum.org.uk)
  (Nicola Low, Christian Althaus)
• Individual patient data meta-analysis of sexually transmitted infection epidemiology in sub Saharan African women
  (Nicola Low)
  Related publication:
  • Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and bacterial vaginosis among women in sub-Saharan Africa: An individual participant data meta-analysis of 18 HIV prevention studies

(Please note that only members of staff of ISPM Bern are listed.)

Completed projects

• Epidemiology and Mathematical Modelling for Infection Control (EpideMMIC)
  • Prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium in different population groups: systematic review and meta-analysis
  • Age difference between heterosexual partners in Britain: Implications for the spread of Chlamydia trachomatis
  • Mycoplasma genitalium incidence, persistence, concordance between partners and progression: systematic review and meta-analysis
  • Discrepancies between observed data and predictions from mathematical modelling of the impact of screening interventions on Chlamydia trachomatis prevalence
• RADAR-Go: Rapid Diagnosis of Antibiotic Resistance in Gonorrhoea
  • Recent advances in the development and use of molecular tests to predict antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae
  • Detection of antibiotic resistance is essential for gonorrhoea point-of-care testing: a mathematical modelling study
  • Multiplex Real-Time PCR assay with high-resolution melting analysis for characterization of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae
  • Antibiotic-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae spread faster with more treatment, not more sexual partners
  • Mismatch Amplification Mutation Assay (MAMA)-Based Real-Time PCR for Rapid Detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Antimicrobial Resistance Determinants in Clinical Specimens
  • Antimicrobial resistance prediction and phylogenetic analysis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates using the Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencer
• Vaccination schedules for HPV vaccine
  • Two-dose schedules for human papillomavirus vaccine: Systematic review and meta-analysis
• CIN3+plus: Human papillomavirus-associated cervical neoplasia in Switzerland at the start of a national vaccination programme: cross-sectional study
  • BAG-Bulletin 06/17
  • Human papillomavirus genotype distribution and socio-behavioural characteristics in women with cervical precancer and cancer at the start of a human papillomavirus vaccination programme: the CIN3+ plus study
• Screening for Chlamydia Review in Europe (SCREen)
  • Review of chlamydia control activities in EU countries
• UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence reviews of partner notification and chlamydia screening
  • Rapid review of chlamydia screening
  • Rapid review of partner notification
• ClaSS project: Chlamydia screening studies project
  • The Chlamydia Screening Studies project report
• STI surveillance in Switzerland
  • Clinical settings and specialities notifying cases of bacterial sexually transmitted infections in Switzerland
• Clinical and cost-effectiveness of technologies for testing and treating sexual partners of people with sexually transmitted infections: Evidence synthesis and mathematical modelling study
  • Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of traditional and new partner notification technologies for curable sexually transmitted infections: observational study, systematic reviews and mathematical modelling
• Sexual and reproductive ill health in Switzerland European Partner Notification Project (EuroPN)
  • Public health benefits of partner notification for sexually transmitted infections and HIV
• Independent patient data meta-analysis of studies of HIV and sexually transmitted infections
  • Intravaginal Practices, Bacterial Vaginosis, and HIV Infection in Women: Individual Participant Data Metaanalysis
  • Hormonal contraception and HIV acquisition and link to publication
• Measles Aerosol Vaccine Project
  • A Randomized, Controlled Trial of an Aerosolized Vaccine against Measles
• Chlamydia Control in Europe
  • Genital Chlamydia Prevalence in Europe and Non-European High Income Countries: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis