18 April 2022 – 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

  • Oxitec expanding GMO mosquito trials in bid to control the spread of malaria – Link
  • New frontiers in vector control – Link
  • Genuine intersectoral collaboration is needed to achieve better progress in vector control – Link

Diagnostic testing and treatment

  • A new role for anti-Wolbachia therapy of lymphatic filariasis – blocking the transmission of the parasite through mosquitoes. – Link | Link to Paper
  • Local plant may hold potential for new anti-malaria drug – Scientists at KNUST declare – Link

Drug and vaccine development

  • Hunting the ‘perfect protein’ for malaria mRNA vaccine – Link

Drug resistance

  • Host-directed therapy’ could treat infectious diseases – including COVID – and limit drug-resistance – Link

Immunisation

  • Tanzania gears up for second round of mass polio vaccination end of April – Link

Elimination progress

  • Ghana is aiming at having no malaria deaths by 2025 – Link
  • Reaching the malaria elimination goal in Brazil: a spatial analysis and time-series study – Link
  • Could 2022 be the endgame for polio? – Link

Outbreak

  • Jerusalem polio cases put Israel back on WHO ‘outbreak countries’ list – Link

Climate change and Environment

  • Agriculture is linked with malaria in complex ways: Evidence from 16 African countries – Link
  • Malaria surges in the Amazon as wildcat mining devours Indigenous land – Link
  • Special Report: Changing climate, changing diseases – Link

Other

  • Re-orienting anti-malarial drug development to better serve pregnant women – Link
  • Kenya, global firm seek partnership to fight malaria – Link
  • “March to Kigali” campaign launched to raise fund to eliminate NTDs Elephantiasis is still endemic in Ghana – GHS – Link
  • Scientists make breakthrough in malaria infection study of humans, apes – Link | Link to Paper
  • Mobilizing communities to help prevent and control malaria in Cameroon – Link
  • Could a culturally and age-appropriate song contribute towards malaria prevention in primary school learners? – Link

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