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Gideon Kofi Helegbe

University for Development Studies

65 publications · 749 citations · ORCID 0000-0003-1468-301X

Malaria Research and ControlHepatitis B Virus StudiesIron Metabolism and DisordersMosquito-borne diseases and controlHemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders

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Gideon Kofi Helegbe is a public health researcher and infectious disease specialist focused on the epidemiology of co-infections, particularly malaria and hepatitis B, among vulnerable populations in Ghana. Helegbe's work spans clinical studies on maternal health, immunological responses in malaria, and the evaluation of diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions. Recent research has expanded to include COVID-19 management, neglected tropical diseases, and metabolic disorders such as diabetes.

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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

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

What are the long-term developmental and health outcomes in children born to mothers who experienced COVID-19-related mental health stressors compared to those who did not, controlling for socioeconomic status?

Why this gap exists: While recent studies [0, 5, 6] link pandemic-related maternal distress to child neurodevelopmental issues, the retrieved evidence focuses on general pandemic exposure rather than specifically isolating COVID-19 mental health stressors while controlling for socioeconomic status, leaving the specific comparison unresolved.

Sources

  1. Disrupted beginnings: Neurodevelopmental outcomes of COVID-19 lockdowns in early childhood (Review). — Experimental and therapeutic medicine, 2026
  2. Association of Birth During the COVID-19 Pandemic With Neurodevelopmental Status at 6 Months in Infants With and Without In Utero Exposure to Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection — JAMA Pediatrics, 2022
  3. Moms Are Not OK: COVID-19 and Maternal Mental Health — Frontiers in Global Women s Health, 2020
  4. Challenges and burden of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic for child and adolescent mental health: a narrative review to highlight clinical and research needs in the acute phase and the long return to normality — Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2020
  5. Parenting stress and risk of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A family stress theory-informed perspective — Developmental Child Welfare, 2020
  6. Maternal internalizing symptoms as a mechanism linking pre- and postnatal COVID-19 pandemic exposure with preschool-aged children's neurodevelopment. — Archives of women's mental health, 2026
  7. Maternal Distress Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Changes in Young Children's Behavior. — Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP, 2026
  8. Impact of the COVID‐19 Pandemic on Parent, Child, and Family Functioning — Family Process, 2021
  9. Exploring factors influencing mother-infant interaction trajectories post-NICU discharge in low-birth-weight infants during COVID-19 in China: a longitudinal qualitative study. — BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2026
  10. An Efficient Mixture of Deep and Machine Learning Models for COVID-19 and Tuberculosis Detection Using X-Ray Images in Resource Limited Settings — Artificial Intelligence for COVID-19. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, vol 358. 2021, Springer, Cham, 2020

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 are the specific long-term treatment strategies required to mitigate the risk of developing chronic non-communicable diseases in children born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus?

Why this gap exists: While the retrieved literature consistently establishes that maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the long-term risk of cardiometabolic diseases in offspring [1][2][3], it focuses primarily on pathogenesis and risk association rather than defining specific, evidence-based long-term treatment strategies for the children to mitigate these risks.

Sources

  1. Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus — Diabetes Care, 2010
  2. A Clinical Update on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus — Endocrine Reviews, 2022
  3. Maternal Diabetes and Risk of Early-Onset Cardiovascular Diseases in Offspring. — JAMA cardiology, 2026
  4. Gestational diabetes as an inter-generational cardiometabolic risk factor: spotlight on emerging exerkines. — Cardiovascular diabetology, 2026
  5. Gestational diabetes: from pathogenesis to therapeutic intervention. — Diabetology & metabolic syndrome, 2026
  6. 2. Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes:<i>Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022</i> — Diabetes Care, 2021
  7. Maternal congenital heart disease and risk of child developmental vulnerability in early school age: A population-based cohort study. — PLoS medicine, 2026
  8. Gestational Diabetes in Somali Women: Neglected Risks for Maternal and Neonatal Health. — International journal of women's health, 2026
  9. Gestational Diabetes and Obesity: Immediate and Late Sequelae for Offspring. — Children (Basel, Switzerland), 2025
  10. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Diagnostic Approaches and Maternal-Offspring Complications — Diabetes & Metabolism Journal, 2022

Publications

Bacterial Isolates From Orthopedic Posttraumatic Surgical Infections in Northern Ghana: ES <i>β</i> L Detection and Analysis of Antimicrobial Resistance Trends

International Journal of Microbiology · 2025 · 1 citations

Hospital-Based Analysis of Early-Onset Diabetes in Ghana's Upper East Region: Prevalence, Complications, and Challenges

Research Square · 2025

Co-infection; A Neglected Health Condition in Northern Ghana in the Wake of COVID-19

2025 · corresponding author

Rolling out COVID-19 Rapid Detection Test Point of Care Diagnoses in Managing and Curbing COVID-19 in Ghana

2025 · corresponding author

Resilience to Disease Outbreaks in Resource-Limited Endemic Regions—A Post-COVID-19 Analysis

2025

Early‐Onset Diabetes in Ghana's Upper East Region—Insights From Hospital Data

Endocrinology Diabetes & Metabolism · 2025

Viral Hepatitis B/C Co‐Infection and Its Association With Haematological and Virological Parameters in HIV Patients in Northern Ghana

Anemia · 2025 · corresponding author

Rabies, a Neglected Tropical Disease

2025

Circulation of multiple hepatitis B virus genotypes in individual pregnant women seeking antenatal care in northern Ghana

Virology Journal · 2023 · corresponding author · 5 citations

Evaluating circulating soluble markers of endothelial dysfunction and risk factors associated with PE: A multicentre longitudinal case control study in northern Ghana

Heliyon · 2023 · 4 citations

Serum Metabolome Signatures Characterizing Co-Infection of Plasmodium falciparum and HBV in Pregnant Women

Diseases · 2023 · corresponding author · 4 citations

Alcohol intake, smoking, self-medication practices and burden of anaemia among traders in Tamale metropolis of Ghana

BMC Research Notes · 2023 · corresponding author · 3 citations

Co-Occurrence of G6PD Deficiency and SCT among Pregnant Women Exposed to Infectious Diseases

Journal of Clinical Medicine · 2023 · corresponding author · 3 citations

Preterm Delivery and Neonatal Deaths among Anaemic Pregnant Women in the Bolgatanga Metropolis of Ghana

Anemia · 2023 · corresponding author · 1 citations

Dyslipidemias: Prevalence and Associated Factors among Lactating Women in a Lower- and Middle-Income Country, Ghana

Journal of Lipids · 2023 · corresponding author · 1 citations

Aetiology of Anaemia among Pregnant Women in Northern Ghana

2023

Phased Multi-Country Seroepidemiology Study of Over 20000 Individuals&amp;nbsp;In West Africa Reveals the Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Exposure Driven by Delta, Omicron and Omicron Waves

SSRN Electronic Journal · 2023

Home-Based Remedies to Prevent COVID-19-Associated Risk of Infection, Admission, Severe Disease, and Death: A Nested Case-Control Study

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine · 2022 · 15 citations

Assessment of NSAIDs as potential inhibitors of the fatty acid amide hydrolase I (FAAH-1) using three different primary fatty acid amide substrates in vitro

BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology · 2022 · 9 citations

Foeto-maternal complications associated with low birth weight: A prospective multicenter study in northern Ghana

PLoS ONE · 2022 · 8 citations

In vivo inhibition of gastric acid secretions and H+/K+- ATPase activity, and enhancement of mucin activity by Dissotis rotundifolia plant extract

Scientific African · 2022 · 6 citations

Serum metabolome signatures characterizing co-infection of Plasmodium falciparum and HBV in pregnant women

Research Square · 2022 · corresponding author · 1 citations

Prevalence of Plasmodium Species among Humans and Monkeys at Mole National Park in Northern Ghana

Austin Environmental Sciences · 2022

Serum metabolome signatures characterizing co-infection of Plasmodium falciparum and HBV in pregnant women

Research Square · 2022 · corresponding author

Rabies mortality and morbidity associated with animal bites in Africa: a case for integrated rabies disease surveillance, prevention and control: a scoping review

BMJ Open · 2021 · 74 citations

Assessment of NSAIDS as Potential Inhibitors of the Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase I (FAAH-1) using Three Different Primary Fatty Acid Amide Substrates In Vitro

Research Square · 2021

High Hepatitis B Seroprevalence, Low Knowledge, and Poor Attitude towards Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Market Women in Bolgatanga Metropolis in the Upper East Region of Ghana

Journal of Tropical Medicine · 2020 · corresponding author · 10 citations

Routine haematinics and multivitamins: Adherence and its association with haemoglobin level among pregnant women in an urban lower‐middle‐income country, Ghana

Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology · 2020 · 6 citations

Asymptomatic malaria and hepatitis B do not influence cytokine responses of persons involved in chronic sedentary activities

BMC Infectious Diseases · 2020 · corresponding author · 5 citations

Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated With Preeclampsia, Low Birth Weight and Postpartum Hemorrhage in Northern Ghana

Research Square (Research Square) · 2020 · 3 citations

Rabies mortality and morbidity associated with animal bites in Africa: A case for Integrated Rabies Diseases Surveillance, Prevention and Control - A Scoping review

medRxiv · 2020

Rabies Mortality and Morbidity Associated with Animal Bites in Africa: A Case for Integrated Rabies Diseases Surveillance, Prevention and Control - A Scoping Review

Research Square · 2020

Prevalence of malaria and hepatitis B among pregnant women in Northern Ghana: Comparing RDTs with PCR

PLoS ONE · 2019 · corresponding author · 75 citations

Prevalence of Asymptomatic Malaria among Children in the Tamale Metropolis: How Does the PfHRP2 CareStart™ RDT Perform against Microscopy?

Journal of Tropical Medicine · 2019 · corresponding author · 25 citations

Impact of malaria and hepatitis B co-infection on clinical and cytokine profiles among pregnant women

PLoS ONE · 2019 · corresponding author · 23 citations

Targeted Next Generation Sequencing for malaria research in Africa: current status and outlook

Malaria Journal · 2019 · 17 citations

Evaluation of hepatic and kidney dysfunction among newly diagnosed HIV patients with viral hepatitis infection in Cape Coast, Ghana

BMC Research Notes · 2019 · 15 citations

Seroprevalence of Malaria and Hepatitis B Coinfection among Pregnant Women in Tamale Metropolis of Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study

Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology · 2018 · corresponding author · 35 citations

Hematological abnormalities in patients with malaria and typhoid in Tamale Metropolis of Ghana

BMC Research Notes · 2018 · corresponding author · 32 citations

Prevalence and factors associated with incomplete immunization of children (12–23 months) in Kwabre East District, Ashanti Region, Ghana

Archives of Public Health · 2018 · 25 citations

Elevated IL-17 levels in semi-immune anaemic mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA

Malaria Journal · 2018 · 13 citations

Evaluation of hematological indices of childhood illnesses in Tamale Metropolis of Ghana

Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis · 2018 · 8 citations

A Matter of Fat

2018

MOESM1 of Elevated IL-17 levels in semi-immune anaemic mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA

Figshare · 2018

MOESM2 of Hematological abnormalities in patients with malaria and typhoid in Tamale Metropolis of Ghana

Figshare · 2018

Additional file 1: of Prevalence and factors associated with incomplete immunization of children (12â 23Â months) in Kwabre East District, Ashanti Region, Ghana

Figshare · 2018

A comparative assessment of the glucose monitor (SD Codefree) and auto analyzer (BT-3000) in measuring blood glucose concentration among diabetic patients

BMC Research Notes · 2017 · corresponding author · 7 citations

MOESM1 of A comparative assessment of the glucose monitor (SD Codefree) and auto analyzer (BT-3000) in measuring blood glucose concentration among diabetic patients

Figshare · 2017

Medical students' knowledge and attitude towards complementary and alternative medicine – A survey in Ghana

Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine · 2015 · 80 citations

Sickle Cell Gene Transmission: Do Public Servants in Tamale, Ghana Have the Right Knowledge and Attitude to Curb It?

Open Journal of Preventive Medicine · 2015 · 20 citations

Herbal medicine: a survey on the knowledge and attitude of medical students in Tamale, Ghana

2015 · 16 citations

Human-applicable dendrigraft poly- <scp>l</scp> -lysine-based nanoparticle-coated <i>Plasmodium yoelii</i> -transamidase DNA vaccine is immunogenic and protective as the polyethylenimine-based formulation

Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers · 2015 · 6 citations

Nanoparticle formulation enhanced protective immunity provoked by PYGPI8p-transamidase related protein (PyTAM) DNA vaccine in Plasmodium yoelii malaria model

Vaccine · 2014 · 16 citations

Anti-erythropoietin antibody levels and its association with anaemia in different strains of semi-immune mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA

Malaria Journal · 2013 · 8 citations

Immunogenicity of novel nanoparticle-coated MSP-1 C-terminus malaria DNA vaccine using different routes of administration

Vaccine · 2011 · 41 citations

Effect of nanoparticle coating on the immunogenicity of plasmid DNA vaccine encoding P. yoelii MSP-1 C-terminal

Vaccine · 2011 · 19 citations

Human leukocyte antigen class I polymorphisms influence the mild clinical manifestation of Plasmodium falciparum infection in Ghanaian children

Human Immunology · 2011 · 16 citations

Histopathological studies in two strains of semi-immune mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA after chronic exposure

Parasitology Research · 2010 · corresponding author · 22 citations

Selection and identification of malaria vaccine target molecule using bioinformatics and DNA vaccination

Vaccine · 2010 · 12 citations

Cryptococcal meningitis associated HIV infection in the Donka national hospital in Conakry (Guinea)

African Journal of Neurological Sciences · 2010 · 2 citations

Microfluorometric assay for quantification of anti-erythrocytic antibody level in sera of Plasmodium berghei ANKA infected semi-immune mice

Tropical Medicine and Health · 2010

Rate of red blood cell destruction varies in different strains of mice infected with Plasmodium berghei-ANKA after chronic exposure

Malaria Journal · 2009 · 19 citations

Screening of the Efficacy of Some Commonly Used Antibiotics in Ghana

Research Journal of Microbiology · 2009 · 8 citations

Complement activation in Ghanaian children with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria

Malaria Journal · 2007 · 31 citations

Complement-Mediated Destruction of Red Blood Cells in Children with Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria

2001 · corresponding author