Kai Wanner is an MSc student at Swiss TPH who is pursuing his MSc project in both EVE and VIM.

Kai’s MSc project focuses on investigating the prevalence and diversity of Enteroviruses (EVs) in Ghana, using samples from an ongoing longitudinal study. Despite EVs being widespread globally, their circulation and impact in African populations remain underexplored. This project will target key EVs such as EV-D68, EV-A71, CVA6, and CVA16.

Kai will use serological assays (ELISAs) to assess past EV infections and monitor changes in antibody levels over time, helping estimate infection incidence. In parallel, active infections will be identified through RT-PCR screening of saliva and nasal swabs. Positive samples will undergo viral genome sequencing using the Minion platform, with data analyzed via the Nextstrain phylogenetic pipeline to explore the genetic diversity of EVs in Africa and their global connections.