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

31 August 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.

 

Vector control

• How Papua New Guinea can eliminate vector-borne diseases- Link
• Phenomenal advancements in gene drive technology to eradicate disease-carrying mosquitoes – Link | Link to paper
• Genetically changed mosquitoes could transform Africa’s long fight against malaria – Link

Diagnostic testing and treatment

• Diagnostic testing holds the key to NTD elimination – Link 
• Gates Foundation working with Centre to eliminate elephantiasis through triple drug therapy – Link
• Trial suggests malaria sickness could be cut by 70% – Link | Link to paper
• Intravenous artesunate safe, effective in treating severe malaria – Link | Link to paper

Data

• Investment in quality data is essential to fight neglected tropical diseases in Africa – Link
• Integrated Transmission Assessment Surveys (iTAS) of Lymphatic Filariasis and Onchocerciasis in Cross River, Taraba and Yobe States Nigeria – Link

Drug and vaccine development

• Medicinal garden at Dundee University hopes to show how plants help cure malaria – Link
• Malaria treatment shown to be 100% effective in Phase 2 trial – Link | Link to paper
• BioNTech selects Rwanda, Senegal for potential malaria and tuberculosis mRNA vaccine manufacturing – Link

Drug resistance

• Association of Plasmodium falciparum kelch13 R561H genotypes with delayed parasite clearance in Rwanda: an open-label, single-arm, multicentre, therapeutic efficacy study – Link
• Emerging ivermectin resistance, a global issue – Link

Immunisation

• Uganda: Polio Immunisation to Kick-Off in October – Link
• Sierra Leone safeguards children with new vaccine against polio – Link

Surveillance

• Wellcome Sanger Institute enables genomic surveillance of drug resistant malaria parasites in Greater Mekong subregion – Link

Elimination progress

• River blindness is still here: Active cooperation of citizens imperative for eradication – Link
• African countries commit to ending all forms of polio – Link

Outbreak

• Nigeria detects re-emergence of poliovirus in northern state – Link
• Uganda confirms polio outbreak – Link

Other

• Evaluation of the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a Community-delivered Integrated Malaria Elimination (CIME) model in Myanmar: protocol for an open stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial – Link
• Neglected tropical diseases: enhancing safe treatment for more than 1 billion people annually – Link | Link to paper
• Statement of the twenty-ninth polio IHR Emergency Committee – Link
• Studying mosquito immune cells could improve understanding of disease transmission – Link | Link to paper
• Towards a shared understanding of sustainability for neglected tropical disease programs – Link

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