Thoko Kapalamula , PhD

PhD in Infectious Diseases from Hokkaido University, Japan and is a certified Zoonotic Disease Control Expert

Antimicrobial resistance surveillance, molecular epidemiology, veterinary public health, zoonotic diseases, and the application of genomics to improve animal and human health

Dr. Kapalamula has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and has led and collaborated on national and international research projects across Africa, Asia, and North America.

1.           Simulundu, E., Mtine, N., Kapalamula, T.F., et al. Genetic characterization of orf virus associated with an outbreak of severe orf in goats at a farm in Lusaka, Zambia, Archives of Virology, 162, 2363–2367, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-017-3352-y

2.           Pachanon, R., Koide, K., Kongsoi, S., Nakajima, C., Kapalamula, T.F., Suthienkul, O., Suzuki, Y. Interaction of the plasmid-encoded quinolone resistance protein QnrB19 with Salmonella Typhimurium DNA gyrase, Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy, 26(11), 1139–1145, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiac.2020.06.002

3.           Pachanon, R., Koide, K., Kongsoi, S., Ajima, N., Kapalamula, T.F., Nakajima, C., Suthienkul, O., Suzuki, Y. Effectiveness of fluoroquinolones with difluoropyridine derivatives as R1 groups on Salmonella DNA gyrase, Microbial Drug Resistance, https://doi.org/10.1089/mdr.2020.0455

4.           Kapalamula, T.F., Thapa, J., Akapelwa, M.L., Hayashida, K., et al. Development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for specific detection of Mycobacterium bovis, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 15(1), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008996

5.           Kapalamula, T.F., Chizimu, J., Belotindos, L., et al. Molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium bovis in central parts of Malawi, Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.14127

6.           Akapelwa, M.L., Kapalamula, T.F., Ouchi-Aizu, Y., et al. Evaluation of IS1245 LAMP in Mycobacterium avium and host-related genetic diversity, Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, 101(4), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2021.115494

7.           Tanomsridachchai, W., et al., Kapalamula, T.F., Nakajima, C., Suzuki, Y. Antimicrobial resistance and molecular characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from slaughtered pigs in Thailand, Antibiotics, 10, 206, https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10020206

8.           Chizimu, J.Y., Solo, E.S., Bwalya, P., Kapalamula, T.F., et al. Genetic diversity and transmission of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Lusaka, Zambia, International Journal of Infectious Diseases, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2021.10.044

9.           Chizimu, J.Y., Solo, E.S., Bwalya, P., Kapalamula, T.F., et al. Whole-genome sequencing reveals recent transmission of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis CAS1-Kili strains in Zambia, Antibiotics, 11(1), 29, https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11010029

10.        Kapalamula, T.F., Chizimu, J.Y., Akapelwa, M.L., et al. Insight into the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium bovis isolated from cattle in Malawi, Research in Veterinary Science, 164, 105030, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2023.105030

11.        Kapalamula, T.F., Kawonga, F., Shawa, M., et al. Prevalence and risk factors of bovine tuberculosis in slaughtered cattle in Malawi, Heliyon, 9(2), e13647, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13647

12.        Kapalamula, T.F., Thapa, J., Hayashida, K., et al. Direct detection of Mycobacterium bovis using dry-LAMP during abattoir inspection, Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, https://doi.org/10.1177/10406387231164596

13.        Chizimu, J., Solo, E.S., Bwalya, P., Kapalamula, T.F., et al. Genomic analysis of second-line drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Zambia, Antibiotics, 12(7), 1126, https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12071126

14.        Toyting, J., Miura, N., et al., Kapalamula, T.F., Nakajima, C., Suzuki, Y. * Novel fluoroquinolones against quinolone-resistant Salmonella DNA gyrase, Microbiology Spectrum, 11(6), https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01330-23

15.        Mhonjo, W., Chaka, G., Patel, E., Kapalamula, T.F., et al. In vitro infectivity of Theileria parva strains in the Muguga cocktail vaccine, Parasitology, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182025101443

16.        Chatanga, E., Ahedor, B., Kapalamula, T.F., et al. Epidemiological survey of equine piroplasmosis in Malawi, Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports, 63, 101315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2025.101315

17.        Mogha, L., Kainga, H., Kapalamula, T.F., et al. Genetic diversity of Fasciola gigantica in cattle in Malawi, Veterinary Research Communications, 49, 157, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-025-10717-9

18.        Nundwe, M., et al., Kapalamula, T.F., et al. Antimicrobial resistance patterns of Shigella spp. in Zambia, Bacteria, 4(2), 18, https://doi.org/10.3390/bacteria4020018

19.        Akapelwa, M.L., Kapalamula, T.F., et al. Development of a multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for differential detection of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis by dipstick DNA chromatography, Microbiology Spectrum, 13, e02421-24, https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02421-24

20.        Mastala, P.I., Kalonde, P.K., Kapalamula, T.F., et al. Challenges and opportunities for One Health surveillance in Malawi: a rabies case study, One Health Outlook, https://doi.org/10.1186/s42522-025-00193-1

21.        Mtila, Y., Chikomola, S., Kawaya, E.K., Kapalamula, T.F., et al. Assessing Malawi’s animal health surveillance system using the FAO surveillance evaluation tool: gaps, strengths, and opportunities for one health resilience, BMC Veterinary Research, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-026-05662-x