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Akua Obeng Forson

University of Ghana

55 publications · 606 citations · ORCID 0000-0002-6398-3118

Malaria Research and ControlMosquito-borne diseases and controlParasites and Host InteractionsSalmonella and Campylobacter epidemiologyAntibiotic Resistance in Bacteria

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Akua Obeng Forson is a public health and infectious disease researcher focused on vector ecology, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Ghana. Forson investigates the biological and environmental drivers of malaria and arboviral transmission, while also characterizing drug-resistant pathogens in clinical, animal, and food settings. The research portfolio spans laboratory surveillance of mosquitoes and bacteria to community-based assessments of mass drug administration and sanitation.

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How do specific maternal microbiota profiles (gut, oral, or vaginal) during gestation correlate with the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and subsequent long-term metabolic health in offspring?

Why this gap exists: While recent reviews [8] confirm GDM alters maternal gut microbiota and neonatal health, and older studies [0] note dysbiosis across maternal sites, the retrieved evidence lacks direct, longitudinal studies correlating specific gestational maternal microbiota profiles with the *long-term* metabolic health of offspring, leaving the core question unresolved.

Sources

  1. Dysbiosis of maternal and neonatal microbiota associated with gestational diabetes mellitus — Gut, 2018
  2. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in disease — Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease, 2015
  3. Temporal development of the gut microbiome in early childhood from the TEDDY study — Nature, 2018
  4. Microbiota in health and diseases — Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 2022
  5. Maternal Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Congenital Heart Disease in Offspring: A Meta-Analysis — Hormone and Metabolic Research, 2024
  6. Perinatal phlorizin alleviates maternal high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome in female mouse offspring and is associated with modulation of the gut microbiota. — Frontiers in nutrition, 2026
  7. Offspring long-term infectious morbidity following pregnancies with cervical cerclage. — Archives of gynecology and obstetrics, 2026
  8. Interaction between microbiota and immunity in health and disease — Cell Research, 2020
  9. Gestational diabetes mellitus and maternal-infant microbiome axis: mechanistic insights and therapeutic interventions. — Journal of translational medicine, 2026
  10. Microbes in the Moonlight: How the Gut Microbiota Influences Sleep — arXiv preprint, 2025

How do specific cultural beliefs regarding 'insufficient milk' in rural South African communities mediate the relationship between maternal dietary diversity and the introduction of prelacteal feeds?

Why this gap exists: While the retrieved papers discuss general breastfeeding barriers in South Africa [8] and cultural influences in other regions like Ethiopia [6] and Malaysia [9], none specifically address the mediation of 'insufficient milk' beliefs on the relationship between maternal dietary diversity and prelacteal feeds in rural South African communities.

Sources

  1. African Political Systems. — American Sociological Review, 1940
  2. Maternal nutrition counselling is associated with reduced stunting prevalence and improved feeding practices in early childhood: a post-program comparison study — Nutrition Journal, 2019
  3. Trends and determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding in Ethiopia from 2000 to 2016 — International Breastfeeding Journal, 2019
  4. Marketing of commercial milk formula: a system to capture parents, communities, science, and policy — The Lancet, 2023
  5. Facilitators, barriers, and factors determining the willingness to donate human milk among postpartum mothers in a tertiary women's hospital in Nepal: a cross-sectional study. — International breastfeeding journal, 2026
  6. Assessment of Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices among Mothers Attending Maternal and Child Health Clinic at a Tertiary Hospital, North Karnataka, India - A Cross-sectional Study. — Indian journal of community medicine : official publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine, 2025
  7. Sociocultural and structural influences on infant and young child feeding in pastoralist communities of Afar, Ethiopia: a qualitative phenomenological study. — BMJ open, 2026
  8. Knowledge, attitude, and practice of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers in East Africa: a systematic review — International Breastfeeding Journal, 2020
  9. Facilitators and barriers associated with breastfeeding among mothers attending primary healthcare facilities in Mpumalanga, South Africa. — Frontiers in nutrition, 2023
  10. Assessing the Influence of Cultural Beliefs and Practices on Early Breastfeeding Initiation Rates in Rural Sarawak Communities, Malaysia — Scientific Journal of Pediatrics, 2023

What is the comparative efficacy of household water treatment interventions versus improved water source infrastructure in reducing stunting among children under five in low- and middle-income countries?

Why this gap exists: While the retrieved literature confirms associations between water quality and child growth (e.g., Abstracts 2, 5, 8), no study directly compares the efficacy of household water treatment interventions against improved water source infrastructure for reducing stunting, leaving the specific comparative question unresolved.

Sources

  1. Determinants of stunting in Indonesian children: evidence from a cross-sectional survey indicate a prominent role for the water, sanitation and hygiene sector in stunting reduction — BMC Public Health, 2016
  2. Early estimates of the indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and child mortality in low-income and middle-income countries: a modelling study — The Lancet Global Health, 2020
  3. Effects of water quality, sanitation, handwashing, and nutritional interventions on diarrhoea and child growth in rural Kenya: a cluster-randomised controlled trial — The Lancet Global Health, 2018
  4. Effects of Water Pollution on Human Health and Disease Heterogeneity: A Review — Frontiers in Environmental Science, 2022
  5. Associated factors with malnutrition among children under-5 years old in Somaliland: evidence from Somaliland health and demographic survey of 2020. — BMC public health, 2026
  6. Safe Drinking Water and Its Impact on Children's Growth and Development: A Systematic Review. — International journal of environmental research and public health, 2026
  7. Modelling the impact of dietary diversity on child nutrition in Pakistan: a machine learning analysis with Shapley Additive exPlanations and Boruta interpretability. — Journal of global health, 2026
  8. Effectiveness of interventions to improve drinking water, sanitation, and handwashing with soap on risk of diarrhoeal disease in children in low-income and middle-income settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis — The Lancet, 2022
  9. Effect of Household Source of Drinking Water on Malnutrition among under Five Children in Ethiopia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis — 2026
  10. Water Bridging Dynamics of Polymerase Chain Reaction in the Gauge Theory Paradigm of Quantum Fields — Water 2017, 9, 339, 2018

To what extent does maternal access to improved water and sanitation facilities mediate the relationship between maternal undernutrition and child developmental outcomes during the first 1,000 days?

Why this gap exists: While the retrieved papers confirm the individual importance of WASH access for child nutrition [0], maternal undernutrition for child development [5, 8], and the critical nature of the first 1,000 days [5], none of the provided abstracts directly analyze the specific mediating role of water and sanitation facilities in the relationship between maternal undernutrition and child developmental outcomes.

Sources

  1. Household water, sanitation, and hygiene access and its impact on nutritional outcomes in children under five: evidence from Pakistan. — BMC public health, 2026
  2. Early childhood development and stunting: Findings from the MAL‐ED birth cohort study in Bangladesh — Maternal and Child Nutrition, 2019
  3. Policy and Structural Drivers of Malnutrition in Afghan Women: Evidence and Interventions. — International journal of women's health, 2026
  4. COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation strategies: implications for maternal and child health and nutrition — American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2020
  5. Maternal and child undernutrition 3: what works? Interventions for maternal and child undernutrition and survival — Child: Care, Health and Development, 2008
  6. Nutrition as the Foundation of Human Capital: Pathways to Holistic Development. — Maternal & child nutrition, 2026
  7. The impacts of maternal iron deficiency and being overweight during pregnancy on neurodevelopment of the offspring. — The British journal of nutrition, 2017
  8. Early estimates of the indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and child mortality in low-income and middle-income countries: a modelling study — The Lancet Global Health, 2020
  9. Prevalence of undernutrition and its associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care service in public hospitals in Mogadishu, Somalia. — PloS one, 2026
  10. Concurrent wasting and stunting among under‐five children in Niakhar, Senegal — Maternal & Child Nutrition, 2018

What are the comparative efficacy and adherence rates of new short-course latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) regimens versus traditional long-course therapies in high-burden, low-resource settings?

Why this gap exists: While a 2023 network meta-analysis [6] synthesizes general efficacy and adherence data for LTBI regimens, the retrieved evidence lacks direct comparative studies specifically focused on high-burden, low-resource settings, leaving the specific constraints of these environments unresolved.

Sources

  1. New developments in tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment — Breathe, 2022
  2. Latent Tuberculosis and HIV Infection — Current Infectious Disease Reports, 2020
  3. Epidemic and pandemic viral infections: impact on tuberculosis and the lung — European Respiratory Journal, 2020
  4. Overcoming barriers to patient adherence: the case for developing innovative drug delivery systems — Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2023
  5. Drug resistant tuberculosis: Implications for transmission, diagnosis, and disease management — Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2022
  6. Updates on the Treatment of Drug-Susceptible and Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: An Official ATS/CDC/ERS/IDSA Clinical Practice Guideline — American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2024
  7. Efficacy and safety of different regimens in the treatment of patients with latent tuberculosis infection: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials — Archives of Public Health, 2023
  8. Improving Tuberculosis Medication Adherence: The Potential of Integrating Digital Technology and Health Belief Model — Tuberculosis & respiratory diseases, 2023
  9. Mind the gap – Managing tuberculosis across the disease spectrum — EBioMedicine, 2022
  10. Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment in High TB-Burden Settings: A State-of-the-Art Review — Drugs, 2024

To what extent do changes in the maternal microbiota (gut, oral, or vaginal) during pregnancy mediate the relationship between maternal perinatal anxiety/depression and the neurodevelopmental outcomes of the offspring?

Why this gap exists: While recent studies confirm associations between maternal mental health and microbiota composition (Abstract 5, 8) and suggest the microbiome-gut-brain axis influences neurodevelopment (Abstract 0, 2), the retrieved evidence does not contain studies that directly test the mediating role of maternal microbiota changes between perinatal anxiety/depression and offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Sources

  1. Parental microbiome programming of early-life neurodevelopment: multi-niche contributions through the microbiome-gut-brain axis. — Gut microbes, 2026
  2. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in disease — Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease, 2015
  3. Stress during pregnancy alters temporal and spatial dynamics of the maternal and offspring microbiome in a sex-specific manner — Scientific Reports, 2017
  4. The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids From Gut Microbiota in Gut-Brain Communication — Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2020
  5. Ultra-processed food consumption across early life: implications for pediatric health and disease risk. — Frontiers in nutrition, 2026
  6. Mental health in early pregnancy: Interplay of objectively measured lifestyles, gut microbiota, and metabolomics. — iScience, 2026
  7. The impact of maternal high-fat diet on offspring neurodevelopment — Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2022
  8. Maternal education and offspring birthweight for gestational age: the mediating effect of smoking during pregnancy — arXiv preprint, 2020
  9. Is Gut Microbiota Altered in Depression and Anxiety? — 2025
  10. Vaginal Microbiota: A Critical Component of Reproductive Health and Pregnancy Outcomes — Vaginal Microbiota: A Critical Component of Reproductive Health and Pregnancy Outcomes, 2025

Publications

Insecticide resistance dynamics in Anopheles gambiae s.l. in Ghana

Gigabyte · 2026

Molecular characterization of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana: a ‘One Health’ approach

One Health Outlook · 2025 · 6 citations

Invasion of the Dengue Vector Aedes albopictus in the Port City of Takoradi, Southwestern Ghana

Research Square · 2025 · 3 citations

Insecticide resistance dynamics in Aedes mosquitoes in Ghana

Gigabyte · 2025 · 2 citations

Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Dogs and Potential Implications to Human Health in Accra, Ghana

Journal of Parasitology Research · 2025 · 2 citations

Malaria vector diversity, transmission and insecticide resistance in Island communities along the Volta lake in Southern Ghana

BMC Infectious Diseases · 2025 · 1 citations

Assessment of the Bacterial communities associated with Anopheles gambiae larval habitats in Southern Ghana

PLoS ONE · 2025 · corresponding author · 1 citations

Malaria vector diversity, transmission, and insecticide resistance, in island communities along the Volta Lake in southern Ghana

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025

Carriage of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase and Carbapenemase Genes in Food Animals and Their Human Handlers: A One Health Perspective in a Low-Resource Setting in Africa

Microbial Drug Resistance · 2025

Prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis in Pregnant Women in the Ghanaian Capital City

2025

Characterization of the Phenotypic and Genotypic Antibiotic Resistance Markers in <i>Escherichia coli</i> ( <i>E. coli</i> ) Associated With Diabetes and Nondiabetic Patients

International Journal of Microbiology · 2025 · corresponding author

Intestinal Parasitic Infection and Associated Risk Factors Among Pre-school Children in a Deprived Community in Amasaman, Accra-Ghana

International Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology · 2025

The role of car tyres in the ecology of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Ghana

Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases · 2024 · 12 citations

Knowledge, Perceptions, Challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable coverage of mass drug administration towards the control and elimination of Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminths in hard-to-reach communities of Ghana

PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2024 · corresponding author · 4 citations

Enteroparasitism among School Children in a Coastal Community of Chorkor, Accra-Ghana: An Urgent Need for Improved Sanitation and Public Health Education

International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE & Health · 2024 · 3 citations

Schistosomiasis

2024 · 2 citations

Antimicrobial resistance and virulent nature of <i>Escherichia coli</i> from an abattoir and retail market in Ghana

Cogent Food & Agriculture · 2024

Molecular characterization of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana: a ‘One Health’ approach.

Research Square · 2024

The Role of Car Tyres in the Ecology of &lt;i&gt;Aedes Aegypti&lt;/i&gt; Mosquitoes in Ghana

SSRN Electronic Journal · 2024

Insecticide resistance status of Aedes aegypti in southern and northern Ghana

Parasites & Vectors · 2023 · 25 citations

Larval habitat stability and productivity in two sites in Southern Ghana

Malaria Journal · 2023 · 13 citations

Perceptions of the roles, impact, challenges and needs of community drug distributors in the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases in difficult-to-access communities in Ghana

BMC Infectious Diseases · 2023 · 8 citations

Coverage of preventive measures and surveillance for neglected tropical diseases in hard-to-reach communities in Ghana

BMC Public Health · 2023 · 5 citations

The Role of Car Tyres in the Ecology of Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes in Ghana

Research Square · 2023 · 2 citations

A comparative study on the prevalence of intestinal helminths in dewormed and non-dewormed healthy persons in Ghana

Journal of Clinical Images and Medical Case Reports · 2023 · corresponding author · 2 citations

Occurrence of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Salmonella&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Enteric Serovar Typhi Antibodies among Blood Donors in Ghana

Journal of Biosciences and Medicines · 2023 · 1 citations

Perceptions of the roles, impact, challenges and needs of community drug distributors in the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases in difficult-to-access communities in Ghana

Research Square · 2023

The resting behavior of malaria vectors in different ecological zones of Ghana and its implications for vector control

Parasites & Vectors · 2022 · 35 citations

Insecticide resistance status of Aedes aegypti in Southern and Northern Ghana

Research Square · 2022 · 1 citations

Resting Behavior of Malaria Vectors in Ghana and Its Implication on Vector Control.

Research Square · 2022

Larval habitat diversity and Anopheles mosquito species distribution in different ecological zones in Ghana

Parasites & Vectors · 2021 · 69 citations

Bacteriological Analysis of Raw Beef Retailed in Selected Open Markets in Accra, Ghana

Journal of Food Quality · 2021 · corresponding author · 15 citations

Microbial Quality of Sliced Pawpaw (Carica papaya) and Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) Sold on Some Streets of Accra Metropolis, Ghana

International Journal of Microbiology · 2021 · corresponding author · 14 citations

Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria on the Mobile Phones and Computer Keyboards of Healthcare University Students in Ghana

Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology · 2021 · corresponding author · 12 citations

Bacterial drug-resistance patterns and genetic diversity of bacteria-associated bacteriuria in diabetic patients in Ghana

IJID Regions · 2021 · corresponding author · 9 citations

Ecology of Anopheles Mosquito Larvae in Different Ecological Zones in Ghana

Research Square · 2021

Metallo‐Beta‐Lactamase‐Producing <i>Acinetobacter</i> spp. from Clinical Isolates at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Ghana

BioMed Research International · 2020 · corresponding author · 13 citations

Characterization of Campylobacter associated gastric enteritis among patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in a hospital in Accra, Ghana

PLoS ONE · 2020 · corresponding author · 11 citations

Correction to: Escherichia coli bacteriuria in pregnant women in Ghana: antibiotic resistance patterns and virulence factors

BMC Research Notes · 2019 · corresponding author · 3 citations

The role of family size, employment and education of parents in the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in school children in Accra

PLoS ONE · 2018 · corresponding author · 55 citations

Escherichia coli bacteriuria in pregnant women in Ghana: antibiotic resistance patterns and virulence factors

BMC Research Notes · 2018 · corresponding author · 40 citations

Microbial Assessment of Tomatoes (<i>Lycopersicon esculentum</i>) Sold at Some Central Markets in Ghana

BioMed Research International · 2018 · corresponding author · 32 citations

Occurrence of Antibiotic Residues and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Nile Tilapia Sold in Some Markets in Accra, Ghana: Public Health Implication

Journal of Food Research · 2018 · 19 citations

The use of Body Surface Index as a Better Clinical Health indicators Compare to Body Mass Index and Body Surface Area for Clinical Application

International Journal of Scientific Research in Science Engineering and Technology · 2018 · 7 citations

<i>Escherichia coli</i> Bcteriuria in pregnant women in Ghana: Antibiotic resistance pattern, Virulence Factors and Resistant genetic markers

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2018 · 1 citations

Intestinal parasitic infections and risk factors: a cross-sectional survey of some school children in a suburb in Accra, Ghana

BMC Research Notes · 2017 · 49 citations

Detection and characterization of drug-resistant conferring genes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains: A prospective study in two distant regions of Ghana

Tuberculosis · 2016 · 52 citations

Malaria, helminths and malnutrition: a cross-sectional survey of school children in the South-Tongu district of Ghana

BMC Research Notes · 2016 · 37 citations

Factors associated with mortality in extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients at a teaching hospital in Ghana

Ghana Medical Journal · 2016 · 7 citations

Prevalence of Gastro-Intestinal Parasites in Chickens Sold in Some Major Markets in Greater Accra, Ghana

International Journal of Poultry Science · 2016 · 4 citations

MOESM1 of Malaria, helminths and malnutrition: a cross-sectional survey of school children in the South-Tongu district of Ghana

Figshare · 2016

MOESM1 of Malaria, helminths and malnutrition: a cross-sectional survey of school children in the South-Tongu district of Ghana

Figshare · 2016

High frequency of first-line anti-tuberculosis drug resistance among persons with chronic pulmonary tuberculosis at a teaching hospital chest clinic

Ghana Medical Journal · 2011 · corresponding author · 14 citations

Elemental evaluation of some herbal plants used in Ghana using INAA

Der pharma chemica · 2011 · 8 citations

Evaluation of some elemental variation in raw egg yolk and egg white of domestic chicken, Guinea fowl and duck eggs.

Annals of biological research · 2011 · 7 citations