12 July 2024 – Below we feature a compilation of headlines, scientific articles, and technical reports on innovations, R&D and elimination progress towards polio, malaria, onchocerciasis, and lymphatic filariasis. We will be publishing these updates bi-weekly and hope they are useful.

Vector Control

  • Loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay to detect invasive malaria vector Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes – Link
  • In vitro extracellular replication of Wolbachia endobacteria – Link

Diagnostic testing and treatment

  • Bridging the diagnostic gap: WHO’s battle against Neglected Tropical Diseases – Link
  • Novel approaches to enable equitable access to monoclonal antibodies in low- and middle-income countries – Link
  • Brazil and Thailand become first malaria-endemic countries to launch new single-dose radical cure medicine to prevent the relapse of Plasmodium vivax malaria – Link

Data

  • AI sees an end to filariasis – Link
  • Assessing the relationship between malaria incidence levels and meteorological factors using cluster-integrated regression – Link 

Drug and vaccine development

  • The R21 malaria vaccine: Spotlight on policy goals and pathways to African vaccine manufacturing – Link

Immunisation

  • Guinean community mobilises to immunise children against polio – Link
  • A randomised trial of malaria vaccine R21/Matrix-M™ with and without antimalarial drugs in Thai adults – Link

Surveillance

  • Establishment of environmental surveillance in Lesotho – Link

Elimination progress

  • Guyana on its way to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, through the Mass Drug Administration Campaign – Link 

Outbreak

  • Maldives – Lymphatic Filariasis Response – DREF Operational Update MDRMV004 – Link

Climate and Health

  • Malaria zones to decrease, but transmission to speed up under new climate models – Link

Other

  • The Malaria ‘Dividend’: Why investing in malaria elimination creates returns for all – Link
  • Africa-Europe partnership to launch historic Phase 3 clinical trial in early pregnancy – Link
  • Tailoring malaria interventions to high–risk groups in Senegal – Link
  • Extension of efficacy range for targeted malaria-elimination interventions due to spillover effects – Link
  • Rwanda and Global Fund launch new grants to expand progress against AIDS, TB and Malaria and strengthen health systems – Link

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