Roundup of articles and publications on the latest innovations in malaria, polio, lymphatic filariasis, and onchocerciasis

30 November 2021 – 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.

 

 

Diagnostic Testing and Treatment

• Arakoda malaria prophylaxis confirmed safe and tolerable in long-term analysis – Link
• Artesunate Amivas (artesunate) granted approval in Europe for treatment of severe malaria – Link

 

Data

• Why we should reconsider population data for disease control and public health progammes – Link
• Airobotics in malaria eradication project in Africa – Link

 

Drug and Vaccine Development

• Scientists create a new best-in-class anti-malarial antibody – Link | Link to paper
• Assessment of experimental malaria vaccine induced protection in pre-exposed populations – Link
• UVM researchers are developing a safer polio vaccine – Link
• Istari moves quickly to validate its poliovirus vaccine-based cancer immunotherapy – Link
• Safety and efficacy of a three-dose regimen of Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite vaccine in adults during an intense malaria transmission season in Mali: a randomised, controlled phase 1 trial – Link
• Assessment of experimental malaria vaccine induced protection in pre-exposed populations – Link
• WHO recommends malaria vaccine for children – Link
• Making a good malaria vaccine better – Link

 

Drug Resistance

• Malaria parasite genomes provide insights and tools for control and elimination in Lake Victoria, Kenya – Link | Link to paper

 

Immunisation

• Over 700 children complete malaria vaccination in Cape Coast – Link

 

Surveillance

• To sustain malaria-free status: DOH-6 beefs up surveillance – Link

 

Elimination Progress

• Drive to eliminate elephantiasis in East Africa – Link
• Ivermectin credited with eliminating river blindness in Plateau and Nasarawa states in Nigeria – Link
• Kenya, Uganda & Tanzania renew efforts to eliminate Elephantiasis in the region with mass distribution of drugs to 4.5 million Dar residents – Link
• Media urged to contribute to Nigeria’s goal of eliminating malaria – Link
• Onchocerciasis elimination: achieving NTD road map targets, despite current pandemic challenges – Link | Link to paper

 

Outbreak

• Ukraine vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 outbreak – Situation Report #7 (19 November 2021) – Link

 

Other

• Assessing the impact of polio supplementary immunisation activities on routine immunisation and health systems: a systematic review – Link
• Mosquitoes are symbiotic with the pathogens that cause malaria – Link | Link to paper
• Malaria and lymphatic filariasis co-transmission in endemic health districts in Burkina Faso – Link
• Polio eradication vaccine investment: how do we ensure polio vaccines are available to keep the world polio-free after transmission of wild poliovirus (wPV) has been interrupted? – Link
• Statement of the thirtieth Polio IHR emergency committee – Link
• WHO malaria terminology, 2021 update – Link
• Climate change: An ideal breeding ground for malaria – Link | Link to paper
• River blindness increases in Uganda – Link
• Assessing the effects of disease-specific programs on health systems: An analysis of the Bangladesh Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Program’s impacts on health service coverage and catastrophic health expenditure – Link

 

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