31 July 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

  • Effectiveness of indoor residual spraying on malaria control: a systematic review and meta-analysis – Link
  • Operationalizing stakeholder engagement for gene drive research in malaria elimination in Africa—translating guidance into practice – Link

Diagnostic testing and treatment

  • Etramp5 as a useful serological marker in children to assess the immediate effects of mass drug campaigns for malaria – Link

Data

  • AI learns how to recognise the species of splatted mosquitoes – Link | Link to Paper
  • Geospatial modeling of pre-intervention nodule prevalence of Onchocerca volvulus in Ethiopia as an aid to onchocerciasis elimination – Link
  • Spatiotemporal dynamics of malaria in Banmauk Township, Sagaing region of Northern Myanmar: characteristics, trends, and risk factors – Link

Drug and vaccine development

  • Malaria vaccine in clinical trials could reduce deaths by 75 percent – Link
  • Targeting a parasite’s DNA could be more effective way to treat malaria: Research – Link
  • Africa prepares rollout of world’s first malaria vaccine – Link
  • Testing malaria vaccines in the clinic is just as rigorous as natural exposure – Link
  • Continuous innovation needed to eliminate malaria – Link

Drug resistance

  • Malaria Burden and Associated Risk Factors in an Area of Pyrethroid-Resistant Vectors in Southern Benin – Link

Surveillance

  • qPCR in a suitcase for rapid Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax surveillance in Ethiopia – Link
  • Assessing Thailand’s 1-3-7 surveillance strategy in accelerating malaria elimination – Link

Elimination progress

  • Guatemala Moves Closer to Eliminating Malaria by 2025 with IDB’s Support – Link
  • Step towards elimination of Wuchereria bancrofti in Southwest Tanzania 10 years after mass drug administration with Albendazole and Ivermectin – Link
  • Karnataka to be malaria-free by 2025: Minister – Link
  • Preplanned Studies: Plasmodium vivax in the Elimination Phase — China, 2013–2020 – Link

Outbreak

  • Polio case confirmed in New York state, health-care providers told to look for more infections – Link

Climate change

  • Conflict and climate change thwart progress on SDGs – Link
  • Why Climate Action Is Global Health Action – Link
  • Extreme Heat & Climate Change Increase Risk of Malaria, other Health Threats – Link

Other

  • DOLF Project’s role in effort to eliminate tropical disease recognized – Link
  • BACATMA commences massive campaign on malaria, target 2 million under 5 children – Link
  • Opinion: Preventing malaria in pregnancy to sow seeds of success in Africa – Link
  • Hypnozoite depletion in successive Plasmodium vivax relapses – Link
  • Malaria chemoprevention efficacy study protocol – Link
  • Community-based house improvement for malaria control in southern Malawi: Stakeholder perceptions, experiences, and acceptability – Link
  • A mixed-methods exploration into the resilience of community drug distributors conducting mass drug administration for preventive chemotherapy of lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis in Côte d’Ivoire and Uganda – Link
  • Telling our own story in global health–experience from Nigeria – Link
  • Standard operating procedures for supply chain management of health products for neglected tropical diseases amenable to preventive chemotherapy – Link
  • Cameroon and the Mectizan Donation Program sign historic agreement to end neglected tropical diseases – Link
  • Edo, Centre strengthen advocacy on treatment, prevention of NTD – Link

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