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

4 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.

Data

• Exploring predictive frameworks for malaria in Burundi – Link

Diagnostic testing and treatment

• New partnership to pilot radical cure treatments for P. vivax malaria – Link
• DR Congo study shows ‘strong’ signal for fake malaria drugs – Link to article | Link to paper

Discoveries

• New insights into immune responses to malaria – Link to article | Link to paper

Drug and Vaccine development

• New vaccine targets for a neglected malaria parasite – Link to article | Link to paper
• Single dose of small molecule cures malaria in mice – Link to article | Link to paper
• China supports global polio endgame strategy with new vaccine – Link
• BioNTech says it plans to develop an mRNA vaccine to prevent malaria – Link

Drug resistance

• Inducing Mosquitoes to Lay Eggs Aids in Insecticide Resistance Testing – Link to article | Link to paper

Elimination progress

• Malaria: elimination tale from Yunnan Province of China and new challenges for reintroduction – Link
• Pakistan reports no new cases of polio in first six months of 2021: report – Link

Immunisation

• Tajikistan completes second round of immunization campaign against circulating poliovirus – Link

Outbreak

• Brazil: Southern Bahia experiencing malaria outbreak – Link
• African Countries Confirm Vaccine-derived Polio Cases – Link

Surveillance

• The importance of enterovirus surveillance in a post-polio world – Link
• Africa: Malaria Consortium Highlights Vital Role of Responsive Surveillance Systems in Eliminating Malaria – Link to article | Link to paper

Vector control

• GM mosquitoes to fight malaria – Link
• Even as it fights new COVID-19 threats, Kenya turns to drones in battling longtime malaria foe – Link

Other

• Malawi: empowering children to spearhead malaria fight – Link
• Gender dynamics of malaria’s impact on communities is under-researched, ignored – Link to article | Link to report
• Mass Drug Administration launched to fight Onchocerciasis – Link

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