Recherche scientifique en faveur de la lèpre et la tuberculose
Depuis plus de 60 ans, Action Damien jouit d’une reconnaissance internationale pour son expertise médicale en faveur des personnes vulnérables affectées par la tuberculose et par des maladies tropicales négligées de la peau telles que la lèpre et la leishmaniose.
L’innovation et la recherche scientifique demeurent au cœur de notre action car elles sont essentielles pour mettre un terme à ces maladies. Dans le cadre de la recherche empirique, nous collaborons étroitement avec les autorités locales, les structures de santé publique, les fondations et les entreprises, les ONG nationales et internationales, ainsi qu’avec les université et instituts de recherche.
Projets de recherche
Nos études couvrent aussi bien les innovations technologiques (outils géospatiaux, intelligence artificielle, nouvelles méthodes de diagnostic…) que la prévention, le diagnostic, le traitement (notamment les effets secondaires et la résistance aux médicaments), le renforcement des systèmes de santé et des soins, la réhabilitation des personnes affectées et leur réinsertion socio-économique.

Recherche scientifique sur la résistance de la tuberculose aux antimicrobiens
Action Damien effectue des recherches opérationnelles approfondies sur la résistance de la tuberculose aux antimicrobiens, notamment au Niger, au Bangladesh, au Nigeria et en Guinee. Pour répondre au défi de la propagation de souches résistantes à travers le monde, nous recherchons des méthodes de diagnostic plus rapides et de nouveaux schémas thérapeutiques.
Recherche scientifique sur les traitements préventifs contre la lèpre
Aux Comores, Action Damien collabore actuellement à une étude novatrice sur les traitements préventifs contre la lèpre avec I’Institut de Médecine tropicale d’Anvers. En administrant préventivement des antibiotiques aux personnes qui ont eu un contact strict avec des personnes touchées par la lèpre, nous avons réussi à diminuer de pas moins de 44 % le risque de les voir développer la maladie. Cette approche qui mise sur la prévention est également déployée au Sénégal, en République démocratique du Congo et en Bolivie.
Publications scientifiques
Publications scientifiques en 2026
- Preliminary outcomes of the first population-based project on pulmonary rehabilitation for post-TB lung disease. Rifat, M. Piubello, A. Islam, S. Rahman, T. Chakma, P. Kamruzzaman Rony, S.M. Dutta, T.K D’Ambrosio, L. Centis, R. Migliori, G.B. IJTLD Chronic Respiratory Disease. 2026
- Feasibility and efficacy of a population-based pulmonary rehabilitation for post-tuberculosis lung disease in Bangladesh. Rifat M, Silva DR, Mahmud AM, Bennoor KS, D’Ambrosio L, Centis R, Ardesi F, Visca D, Piubello A, Migliori GB. Int J Infect Dis. 2026
- Drug-resistant tuberculosis in war and complex emergencies: jeopardising progress towards TB elimination and antimicrobial resistance control – a scoping review and perspective. Monedero-Recuero I, Wei X, Jouberton F, Duarte R, Rodríguez-Ortega M, Santiago MRT, Adekunle AO, Daru P, Felker I, Conradie F, Isani AK, Chiang CY, Mahmoud M, Hamdan HM, Sharma S, Skrahina A, Thuy HTT, Wei S. BMJ Glob Health. 2026
- End-user global study to identify countries’ challenges and solutions in the uptake and implementation of new tuberculosis treatment regimens. Global Tuberculosis Network and FAST-TB End-User Survey Group. 2026
Publications scientifiques en 2025
En 2025, Action Damien continue de s’engager dans la recherche scientifique sur les maladies tropicales.
- Yield of community outreach events for TB screening. Rifat M, Faisal SM, Naher KM, Biswas DK, Piubello A, Hambridge T, Migliori GB. The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. 2025.
- Drivers of Lassa fever in an endemic area of southwestern Nigeria (2017-2021): An epidemiological study. Cadmus S, Akinseye V, Cadmus E, Famokun G, Fagbemi S, Ogunde G, Philip A, Ansumana R, Ayinmode A, Taiwo O, Oluwayelu D, Tomori O, Odemuyiwa S. PLOS One. 2025 Jun 25
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Optimal dosing and duration of linezolid for the treatment of multidrug-resistant and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis: an individual patient data meta-analysis. Kwak N, Kim JY, Han A, Berry C, Beumont M, Tweed C, Crook A, Dheda K, Fabiane S, Fadeyi MO. European Respiratory Journal. 2025 Aug 22.
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Management of individuals exposed to multidrug-resistant or rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis. Seddon JA, Achar J, Malik AA, Hughes J, Burzynski J, Chen C, Denholm JT, Dravniece G, Fox GJ, Furin J, Geliukh E, Goncharova O, Guglielmetti L, Harries AD, Hesseling AC, Nguyen BH, Kavenga F, Khan U, Kherabi Y, Kiria N, Kock Y, Liu Q, Mesic A, Moore DAJ, Mubanga A, Naidoo L, Nilsen D, Piubello A. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2025 Jun 5.
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Using linezolid as a substitute for the injectable in case of ototoxicity is safer and as effective as all-oral treatment for rifampicin-resistant TB. Souleymane MB, Decroo T, Soumana A, Lawan IM, Aboubacar AC, Gagara-Issoufou A, Moussa RH, Kabirou AA, Hamidou I, Moussa SH, Adamou M, Adehossi E, Mamadou S, de Jong BC, Rigouts L, Piubello A. IJTLD Open. 2025 Aug 13.
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Exploration of tongue dorsum sampling to support clinical diagnosis of leprosy patients in the Comoros: A cross-sectional study. Krausser L, Van Nieuwenhove M, Attoumani N, Grillone SH, Van Dyck-Lippens M, Rigouts L, Baco A, Abdou W, Mzembaba A, Hasker E, Assoumani Y, de Jong BC, Braet SM. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2025 Sep 17.
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Assessing the feasibility of an intensified extended contact survey (IECS) compared to passive household screening for leprosy in Bangladesh. Naher K, Rifat M, Biswas DK, Faisal SM, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N, Hasker E. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease. 2025.
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Improving tuberculosis diagnosis: evaluation of tongue swabbing as a complementary method to sputum analysis in Guinea. Hassane-Harouna S, Condé M, Bah K, Braet SM, Van Dyck-Lippens M, Ruhwald M, Gaichiri M, De Vos M, De Jong BC, Rigouts L. Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob. 2025
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Demographic and clinical profile of leprosy patients in Lagos, Nigeria: a 17-year retrospective study. Cole-Adeife O, Dairo G, Agaga L, Ajose F. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2025
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Roadmap towards zero leprosy, Pakistan. Fastenau A, Murtaza A, Salam A, Iqbal M, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N, Schlumberger F, Unterkircher SC, Treml E, Hambridge T, Hasker E, Schmotzer C, Saunderson P. Bull World Health Organ.
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Geospatial tools in leprosy elimination: Enhancing precision in active case detection and resource allocation. Fastenau A, Gadah DAY, Bakoubayi AW, Gnossike P, Schwermann F, Willis M, Schlumberger F, Hambridge T, Vedithi SC, Stuetzle SCW, Deps PD, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N. PLOS Digit Health. 2025
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Understanding stigma: The experiences of people with drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Stein R, Fastenau A, Aman H, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N, Schmotzer C, Unterkircher SC, Pilot E. PLoS One. 2025
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From Knowledge to Practice: The Effect of Multimodal Strategies on Hand Hygiene Improvement in Tunisia. Ben Jmaa M, Ben Hmida M, Ben Ayed H, Maamri H, Trigui M, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N, Sargsyan A, Kassis M, Zachariah R, Yaich S. Trop Med Infect Dis. 2025
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Challenges and opportunities in the development and implementation of zero leprosy roadmaps in low-endemic settings: Experiences from Bolivia, Pakistan, and Togo. Fastenau A, Schwermann F, Mora AB, Maman I, Hambridge T, Willis M, Vedithi SC, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2025
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Tracing leprosy trends in Pakistan: a two-decade analysis of geographic and demographic shifts (2001-2023). Fastenau A, Van Heesewijk NS, Willis M, Saunderson P, Schlumberger F, Murtaza A, Iqbal M, Salam A, Unterkircher SC, Treml E, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N, Hambridge T. BMC Glob Public Health. 2025
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Non-exanthematous mpox infections in Nigeria: a possible explanation of the sporadic outbreaks in city centers? Cadmus S, Besong M, Akinseye V, Ayanwale S, Ayinmode A, Oluwayelu D, Ebenyi H, Fowotade A, Olisa M, Sampson E, Nwanga E, Orum TG, Alayande O, Ansumana R, Cadmus E, Odemuyiwa S, Tomori O. Pan Afr Med J. 2025
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Pakistan on the Road to Zero Leprosy, an analysis of routine data for the period 1980-2022: a retrospective cohort study. Iqbal M, Fastenau A, Salam A, Sadia II, Fernandes I, Murtaza A, Ali MA, Willis M, Unterkircher SCW, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N, Schlumberger F, Hambridge T, Cloots K, Schmotzer C, Hasker E. Lancet Glob Health. 2025
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Large-scale field application of a fingerstick blood test for Mycobacterium leprae infection: Monitoring population-wide effects of case finding and post-exposure prophylaxis on transmission in the Comoros and Madagascar. Pierneef L, Braet SM, de Jong D, Ramboarina S, van Hooij A, Abdou MW, Ortuno-Gutierrez N, Snijders R, Maharavo L, Grillone SH, Randrianantoandro A, Rakoto-Andrianarivelo M, Rasamoelina T, Hasker E, Corstjens P, de Jong BC, Cauchoix B, Assoumani Y, Geluk A. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2025
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Barriers to leprosy elimination in Bolivia: Exploring perspectives and experiences of medical professionals and leprosy patients-A phenomenological study. Messa Carmona P, Chaudhuri N, Mora AB, Paniagua DZ, Willis M, Schlumberger F, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N, Fastenau A. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2025
- Poor glycemic control among people with diabetes mellitus is associated with tuberculosis infection: a cross-sectional study in Nepal. Shrestha SK, Koirala S, Bhattarai PR, Gautam R, Hasker E, Mitchell E BMC Infect Dis. 202
Publications scientifiques en 2024
En 2024, des chercheurs liés à Action Damien ont publié divers articles scientifiques sur la tuberculose et la lèpre.
- Armand Van Deun ‐ pioneering public health physician (1953–2023). Rieder HL, Declercq E, Rigouts L, Piubello A, Billo NE, Ba F, et al. The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease [Internet]. 2024 Jan 1;28(1):68–9.
- Feasibility of post-exposure-prophylaxis with single-dose rifampicin and identification of high prevalent clusters in villages’ hyperendemic for leprosy in Senegal. Batista G, Dioussé P, Diagne PM, Cissé M, Tamba IT, Diop F, et al. Blacksell SD, editor. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases [Internet]. 2024 Feb 1;18(2):e0011755.
- Community-Based Intervention for Active Detection and Provision of Single-Dose Rifampicin Post-Exposure Prophylaxis to Household Contacts of Leprosy in Bolivia. Baptista Mora, A.; Ortuño-Gutiérrez, N.; Zurita Paniagua, D.; Hurtado Solares, C.; Fastenau, A.; Kasang, C. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease. 2024, 9, 101.
- Post-exposure prophylaxis in leprosy (PEOPLE): a cluster randomised trial. Hasker, E., Assoumani, Y., Randrianantoandro, A., Ramboarina, S., Braet, S. M., Cauchoix, B., Baco, A., Mzembaba, A., Salim, Z., Amidy, M., Grillone, S., Attoumani, N., Grillone, S. H., Ronse, M., Peeters Grietens, K., Rakoto-Andrianarivelo, M., Harinjatovo, H., Supply, P., Snijders, R., Hoof, C., Tsoumanis, A., Suffys P., Rasamoelina, T., Corstjens, P., Ortuno-Gutierrez, N., Geluk, A., Cambau, E., de Jong, B. C. (2024). The Lancet Global Health, 12(6), e1017–e1026.
- Scrutinising delay in leprosy diagnosis in Colombia: perceptions and experiences by leprosy health professionals. Duighuisen HNW, Fastenau A, Eslava Albarracin DG, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N, Penna S, Kamenshchikova A. Glob Public Health. 2024;19. doi:10.1080/17441692.2024.2354777
- Strategies for leprosy services in low-endemic areas and countries. van Brakel WH, Warne G, Cambau E, Vedithi SC, Chukwu J, Ebenso J, Fenenga C, Fiebig L, Groenendijk J, Hambridge T, Kreibich S, Mieras L, Mukhier M, Nobre ML, Ouss O, Quao B, Rao P, Saadi A, Schoenmakers A, et al. Leprosy Review. 2024;95. doi:10.47276/lr.95.3.2024073
- Does the use of antenatal corticosteroids reduce respiratory morbidity in babies born in late preterm period? Shittu KA, Ahmed B, Rabiu KA, Akinlusi F, Akinola OI. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2024 May 2;24(1):334. doi: 10.1186/s12884-024-06304-6. PMID: 38698318; PMCID: PMC11064281.
- Feasibility and accuracy of mobile QT interval monitoring strategies in bedaquiline-enhanced prophylactic leprosy treatment. Bergeman AT, Nourdine S, Piubello A, Salim Z, Braet SM, Baco A, Grillone SH, Snijders R, Hoof C, Tsoumanis A, van Loen H, Assoumani Y, Mzembaba A, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N, Hasker E, van der Werf C, de Jong BC. Clinical and Translational Science. 2024 Aug;17(8):e13861. doi: 10.1111/cts.13861. PMID: 39075882; PMCID: PMC11286973.
- A four-drug standardized short regimen for highly resistant TB in South-West Nigeria. Fadeyi MO, Decroo T, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N, Ahmed B, Jinadu A, El-Tayeb O, Adebola W, Kehinde A, Lynen L, Gils T. International Health. 2024 Jan 2;16(1):123-125. doi: 10.1093/inthealth/ihad023. PMID: 37026448; PMCID: PMC10759290.
- Impact of COVID-19 on diagnosis of tuberculosis and tuberculosis infection in South America, Asia, and Africa. Silva DR, Centis R, D’Ambrosio L, Mello FCQ, Pereira GR, Aguirre S, Al-Abri S, Al-Thohli K, Yaquobi FA, Calnan M, Teixeira RC, Inwentarz S, Palmero DJ, Piubello A, Sharma S, Souleymane MB, Soumana A, Tham SM, Thong PM, Udwadia ZF, Boom MVD, Sotgiu G, Migliori GB. Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia. 2024 Jul 8;50(3):e20240077. doi: 10.36416/1806-3756/e20240077. PMID: 38985022; PMCID: PMC11449606.
- Safety of single-dose bedaquiline combined with rifampicin for leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis: A Phase 2 randomized non-inferiority trial in the Comoros Islands. de Jong BC, Nourdine S, Bergeman AT, Salim Z, Grillone SH, Braet SM, Wirdane Abdou M, Snijders R, Ronse M, Hoof C, Tsoumanis A, Ortuño-Gutiérrez N, der Werf CV, Piubello A, Mzembaba A, Assoumani Y, Hasker E. PLOS Medicine. 2024 Oct 21;21(10):e1004453. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004453. PMID: 39432509; PMCID: PMC11534270.
- Successful Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture isolation from tongue swabs: Results from both experimentally infected and clinical swabs from pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Rigouts L, Condé M, Hassane-Harouna S, Bah K, Gumusboga M, Ruhwald M, Reenaers R, Fissette K, Gaichiri M, De Vos M, De Jong BC. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 2024 Oct;110(2):116423. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116423. Epub 2024 Jul 6. PMID: 39121811.
- Risk factors for rifampicin resistance tuberculosis among patients attending Directly Observed Treatments Centres in Southwestern Nigeria. Cadmus S, Akinseye VO, Olagunju T, Makolo A, Falodun O, Lawal O, Babalola J, Cadmus E, Yasir O, Fadeyi M, Ahmed B, Piubello A, Ortuno Guiterrez N, El-Tayeb O. The Pan African Medical Journal. 2024 Nov 22;49:87. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2024.49.87.43958. PMID: 40027092; PMCID: PMC11871884.
- Experience of People Living with Leprosy at Leprosy Settlements in Nigeria. Edith Nnenna Utaka, 1. Gabriel Ilerioluwa Oke, Ifeanyi Nsofor, et al. April 25, 2024.
- Bedaquiline/Linezolid-containing all-oral Regimen is Less Safe with Similar Efficacy Compared to the Niger Approach for Rifampicin-resistant Tuberculosis. Souleymane MB, Decroo T, Soumana A, Gutiérrez NO, Adehossi E, de Jong BC, Rigouts L, Piubello A. International Journal of Mycobacteriology 13 (Abstract Supplement): p S13, July–Aug 2024. | DOI: 10.4103



