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Schistosomes as a threat to human reproduction

Dingase Kumwenda — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 08:00:04 +0000

Schistosomiasis is a serious threat to human sexual and reproductive health, as highlighted in this blog by Dingase Kumwneda, a specialist gynaecologist working at the Queen Elizabeth central hospital in Malawi. In this blog Dr Kumwenda describes the impact of FGS on women's health and ongoing research on Female Genital Schistosomiasis through collaborative projects such as the MORBID-FGS study.

介绍了BMC系列西班牙编辑部Members: Jean-Michel Heraud

Jean-Michel Heraud — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 10:22:51 +0000

Dr. Jean-Michel Heraud, Ph.D, is an Editorial Board Member of BMC Infectious Diseases. Virologist by training, he graduated in 2004 from the University Denis Diderot (Paris, France). After being a post-doc at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), he joined the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar as head of the WHO-National Influenza Centre, becoming chief of the virology unit. There, he developed several research and public health programs on various topics (influenza, arboviruses, zoonotic viruses, polioviruses, measles) and trained numerous Malagasy scientists. After many years of dedicated work in the field of public health, outbreak response, and virology in Madagascar, Dr. Heraud received the medal of the Knight of the National Order of Madagascar, by the President of the Republic of Madagascar. Recently, Dr. Heraud joined the Institut Pasteur de Dakar to develop new programs on Rabies and Viral encephalitis.

Why interdisciplinary approaches are essential for complex public health challenges

Suzan Trienekens — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 09:00:46 +0000

In this study, we use mixed methods to understand water contact and the related risk of acquiring schistosomiasis among school-aged children. The study was conducted over two years in communities that have persistent high endemicity (>50% school-aged children infected).

Eye disease eliminated from The Gambia

Hilary Hurd — Fri, 20 May 2022 09:00:02 +0000

Another good news story: a recent article in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases outlines the journey taken by The Gambia to reach the point where the WHO has declared that the eye disease, trachoma, is no longer a public health problem.

What is the economic impact of schistosomiasis? A One Health question.

Anouk Gouvras — Fri, 06 May 2022 11:15:43 +0000

A recent study in Senegal looks at the financial impact of livestock schistosomiasis, highlighting that loss of earnings and reduced productivity is an outcome of both human and livestock schistosomiasis. A One Health approach is needed to understand the true socio-economic impact of schistosomiasis and to help design multi-sector coordinated elimination efforts.

消灭疟疾:使用创新工具,possible

Kennedy Zembere — Tue, 03 May 2022 09:00:57 +0000

Two main methods are key for preventing malaria and these include bed net use and indoor spraying with insecticides. However, with the increased switching in mosquito behaviour from indoor to outdoor biting and changes in biting time (dawn and at dusk) these are not enough as these outdoor mosquitoes are left untargeted. For elimination to be achieved, new and innovative techniques are more than needed to complement bednets and indoor spraying.

Are helminth infections making children fall short?

Eleanor Raj — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 09:00:55 +0000

Parasitic worm (helminth) infections are often described as a cause of stunting in children. However, a variety of factors can contribute to childhood stunting. Our recent systematic review found a lack of data to support this causative nexus and highlights the need for more research on this topic, particularly to recognise the role of maternal health and possible in utero stunting.

Long-term benefits of bed nets in Malaria endemic areas

Anja Choon — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 09:00:29 +0000

That fact bed net use protects users from Malaria deaths, especially children, is no news. But what happens once children grow up and stop sleeping under a net? We know that without bed nets, children acquire a partial immunity that protects them against severe malaria. Hence, it was speculated that protecting children from exposure to the pathegon would raise mortality among them once they were older. A new study sheds light on the matter.

What influences the cost of vector control in Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) elimination?

Anouk Gouvras — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:30:06 +0000

In a recent study, researchers evaluate the cost of using ‘Tiny Target’ tsetse control in Cote D’Ivoire and demonstrate how vector ecology and geography can influence the cost of vector control strategies.

Identification of biomarkers of cure in Chagas disease

Niamh Murphy — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 12:00:29 +0000

Today, we kick off a series of blog articles written by guest authors publishing in The LCNTDR Collection: Advances in scientific research for NTD control in Parasites and Vectors. We are delighted to start this series with an article by Niamh Murphy discussing her paper on the Assessing antibody decline after chemotherapy of early Chagas disease patients.