Areas of Expertise
Epidemiology Malaria & other VBDs Population Genetics Vector ControlContact me for
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Amharic EnglishMy Profile
I am studying on Medical Entomology focusing on malaria and onchocerciasis diseases affecting the African countries. The major activities include but not limited to the following:
-Conducting field specimen collection of different blood-sucking vectors such as Simulium species, Anopheles, Culex, ticks, snails,Chrysops/Tabanid using different catching methods.
-Identification of breeding sites of those blood sucking vectors and collection of different stages of the specimens.
-Identification of parasites of Simulium stages.
-Dissection of Gamarrus for detection of Acanthocephala worms (parasites of fish)
-Conducting morphometric techniques to identify different anthropophilic Simulium species caught on man using dissecting, phase contrast and electron microcsopes.
- conducting dissection of different Simulium species such as Simulium bovis, S.damnosum complex (S.squamosum), S.gibiense, S.ornatum etc. collected from Cameroon, Ethiopia and Germany for detection of developing Onchocerca filarial larvae (L1,L2 & L3).
- Employing DNA extraction, gel-electrophoresis, PCR and NGS sequencing (Macrogen) techniques using COX and ITS genes for Simulium species and Schistosome species identification.
- Conducting phylogenetic tree analysis for evolutionary relation of Simulium species.
Past Experirence
I studied my MSc Degree on Plasmodium falciparum drug resistance against Coartem, and detection of PfEMP1, PfEMP2 and the roles of msp1 and msp2.
I worked on molecular Laboratory (PCR, ELISA) and field epidemiological sample collections using skin snips, dried blood spots and vector collection.
I did entomological surviellance on Simulium black flies breeding site identification, vector species identification, collection and diagnosis for Onchocerca volulus parasite.
I actively worked as an Entomologist in Ethiopia for about 9 years and 9 months.
Publications
Published:
https://plos.figshare.com/articles/figure/
Number_of_MDA_ivermectin_treatments_provided_once_or_twice_yearly_in_Galabat_subfocus_Sudan_and_Metema_sub-focus_in_Metema_and_West_Armachiho_districts_of_Ethiopia_-
_2003_2017_/11816856 – 2020
Oral Abstracts/Posters Preseneted (Reviewed for Publication):
Genetic Diversity of Blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Cameroon, Ethiopia and Tunisia (Kamtsap,P.,
Nguemaim,F., Yilak, A., Paguem,A. and Renz,A.). GenBank Accession No: MZ475118.1 & MZ475117.1).
The Distribution of Human Onchocerciasis Vectors in Ethiopia: Longitudinal Study of Anthropophilic Simulium Species (Abebual Yilak, Aderajew Mohammed, Tekola Endeshaw, Fikresilasie Samuel, Yihenew Wubet,Adane Yayeh, Jemal Moges, Henok Tesfaye, Tewodros Seid, Yewondwossen Bitew, Firdaweke Bekele, Kadu Meribo, Sindew Mekasha, Zerihun Tadesse, Emily Griswold, Moses Katabarwa, Frank Richards). Control/Tracking Number (poster): 20-LB-3408 ASTMH.
Discovery of lymphatic filariasis transmission in nine of ten districts originally declared non-endemic in baseline mapping, Ethiopia (Aderajew M., Mohammed H., Mossie T., Abebual Yilak et al; Control/Tracking Number(poster): 20-LB-3406-ASTMH.
Dispersal of Simulium vectors and its Effect on Onchocerciasis Elimination demystified. Lessons from the Elimination Programs (Moses N K., Peace H., Zerihun T., David W O, Aderajew M., Edson B, Abebual Yilak et al.), Control/Tracking Number: 20-A-1695-ASTMH