UP’s top infectious disease expert dies after surgery complications
The University of Pretoria mourns the loss of a talented hero, who devoted his life to saving the lives of others.
Top infectious diseases expert from the University of Pretoria (UP), Professor Anton Carel Stoltz, died on Wednesday night from complications following a surgery.
Stoltz’s death is a loss to the health sciences fraternity nationally and globally.
Since February 2020 Stoltz had dedicated his time to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, despite facing personal setbacks in his health.
Prof Stoltz started his career as a biochemist and researcher.
“In 1983 he completed his honours degree in biochemistry with research into the physical properties of IgM molecules. His master’s degree in biochemistry focused on malaria. He then went on to study medicine and while doing his MMed (Internal Medicine) he was selected to go to Belgium as a researcher to pioneer a new field in tuberculosis (TB), working in the world-class laboratories of Professor Johan Grooten at Ghent University and Patric De Baetselier at the University of Brussels,” UP said in a statement.
“The function of mycolic acids in the cell wall of mycobacterium TB was at that stage unknown. He was asked to start a new field in lipid biochemistry and look at immunological properties of these long-chain fatty acids. After two years, he published a paper on the innate immunity of mycolic acids. Papers that followed were on the use of biosensors to detect anti-mycolic acid antibodies and its use in a novel assay for tuberculosis.”
Stoltz dedicated himself unconditionally to relieving the burden of infectious diseases.
In 2010 he became the head of the division of infectious diseases at UP, after the Health Professions Council of South Africa-registration as a subspecialist in infectious diseases.
“He was an internist and infectious diseases subspecialist with interests in the management of patients with multi-drug resistant and extensive drug-resistant TB co-infected with HIV; and diseases originating from Africa, including severe malaria, schistosomiasis and drug-resistant infections in intensive-care units.
Stoltz’s research interests were in the field of infectious diseases, including:
– Resistant tuberculosis using novel nano-particle medicine
– Resistant tuberculosis transmission/aerobiology
– Novel prevention of infection
– HIV infections and the heart plus HIV
– CMV co-infections
– Malaria pheromones
– Malaria drug reformulations
Stoltz was classified as the ultimate overachiever who has worked with various intensive-care units at the referral academic hospital. He initiated an infection prevention and control unit as well as an antibiotic stewardship from several centres for disease control grants.
“These projects were used as a platform to teach healthcare workers, students and hospital managers the correct management of infectious diseases and infection control practices.”
He was also a consultant to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and UP’s TB research programmes focusing on nano-particle medicine and novel diagnostics in TB.
Stoltz was involved in a major breakthrough in collaborative research with the University of Leicester in revolutionising the way TB is detected, through the invention and application of a 3D-printed insert added to simple face masks.
This new approach has the potential to detect millions of currently missed infections across the world.
Stoltz held positions and were involved in:
– Gauteng Health/University of Pretoria: Principal Medical Subspecialist and Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases in Internal Medicine.
– Foundation for Professional Development (NGO): Head of the Infectious Diseases Unit
– Medical Research Council: Principal Medical Researcher
– Ndlovu Care Group: Principal Medical Specialist
UP said Stoltz yet again proved his dedication to bettering the lives of others, and will forever be remembered for his clinical excellence, his dedication to research, his unfaltering leadership and his unwavering love for his children and wife.
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