Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yonas Alemu, Teshome Degefa, Mitiku Bajiro, Getachew Teshome
Summary: This study assessed the prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infection among individuals in model and non-model households in Jimma zone. The study found that the prevalence and intensity of STH infection were higher in non-model households than in model households. Factors such as household training status, age of participants, and latrine use pattern were found to be significant predictors of STH infection prevalence.
Review
Immunology
Sehar Iqbal, Juweria Abid, Sajeela Akram, Hassan Bin Usman Shah, Umar Farooq, Abdul Momin Rizwan Ahmad
Summary: This study summarizes the literature on the effect of zinc status/deficiency or supplementation on soil-transmitted helminth infection in children. Most studies found lower zinc levels in children with parasitic infections. The effect of zinc supplementation on parasitic infection in children had inconsistent results.
PARASITE IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Robert J. Hardwick, James E. Truscott, William E. Oswald, Marleen Werkman, Katherine E. Halliday, Rachel L. Pullan, Roy M. Anderson
Summary: This study presents a general framework to understand the impact of adherence and non-adherence behavior on mass drug administration (MDA) programs for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). By developing probability models informed by observed adherence behavior, the study explores how different patterns influence the success of MDA programs. The analysis conducted on the TUMIKIA data highlights the importance of accurately capturing non-adherence patterns for effective control measures.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Parasitology
E. Raj, B. Calvo-Urbano, C. Heffernan, J. Halder, J. P. Webster
Summary: Despite the significant mortality and morbidity caused by helminth infections, the current evidence does not support the hypothesis that helminths directly cause physical stunting in children. However, there is significant heterogeneity between studies, and data from key demographic groups are lacking.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Patsy A. Zendejas-Heredia, Allison Crawley, Helen Byrnes, Rebecca J. Traub, Vito Colella
Summary: Soil-transmitted helminths are highly prevalent in the Asia-Pacific region, with a 96.5% prevalence in dogs in Kiribati. Urgent implementation of treatment and prevention programs is advocated to address these zoonotic pathogens, in accordance with the Kiribati-World Health Organization Cooperation Strategy 2018-2022.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mthandazo Dube, Boingotlo Raphane, Bongani Sethebe, Nkaelang Seputhe, Tsholofelo Tiroyakgosi, Peter Imming, Cecile Haberli, Jennifer Keiser, Norbert Arnold, Kerstin Andrae-Marobela
Summary: This study collected ten plant species used by traditional health practitioners to treat worm infections and tested their efficacy against various types of worms. Two plants, Laphangium luteoalbum and Commiphora pyaracanthoides, showed promising activity against schistosomiasis.
Article
Biology
Benjamin S. S. Collyer, James E. E. Truscott, Charles S. S. Mwandawiro, Sammy M. M. Njenga, Roy M. M. Anderson
Summary: Human mobility is a contributing factor to the spread of infectious diseases, and understanding this can aid in planning interventions. This study focuses on the spatial dynamics of hookworm, a common parasitic infection, and develops a transmission model based on data from Kenya. The model considers human mobility and successfully reproduces observed patterns of infection decline during a mass chemotherapy trial. The results highlight the importance of considering mobility in the design of elimination programs for helminth transmission.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Javier Gandasegui, Berta Grau-Pujol, Maria Cambra-Pelleja, Valdemiro Escola, Maria Antonietta Demontis, Anelsio Cossa, Jose Carlos Jamine, Rafael Balana-Fouce, Lisette van Lieshout, Jose Munoz, Maria Martinez-Valladares
Summary: This study optimized the sample processing methodology and standardized pyrosequencing in soil-transmitted helminth (STH) pooled eggs. The protocols developed in this study can be used for large-scale screenings or anthelmintic efficacy trials in STH populations. The results suggest that the new pyrosequencing assays designed in this study provided accurate SNP frequencies in simulated resistance levels.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Gabriela Matamoros, Ana Sanchez, Jose Antonio Gabrie, Marisa Juarez, Laura Ceballos, Andres Escalada, Carol Rodriguez, Helena Marti-Soler, Maria Mercedes Rueda, Maritza Canales, Carlos Lanusse, Pamela Cajal, Luis Alvarez, Ruben O. Cimino, Alejandro Krolewiecki
Summary: This study demonstrates that the combined use of ALB and high-dose IVM is highly effective and well tolerated for the treatment of Trichuris trichiura infections. Comparisons show that the efficacy of the IVM groups is significantly better than the ALB-only groups.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Mary Lorraine S. Mationg, Veronica L. Tallo, Gail M. Williams, Catherine A. Gordon, Archie C. A. Clements, Donald P. McManus, Darren J. Gray
Summary: Despite major efforts to control soil-transmitted helminth infections in the Philippines for nearly two decades, high prevalence rates persist due to suboptimal mass drug administration coverage, limited water, sanitation, and hygiene programs, and inadequate health education. Sustainable delivery of integrated control approaches is crucial for reducing the burden of soil-transmitted helminth infections in the Philippines.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF POVERTY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Lukas Ihnacik, Julia Smigova, Jindrich Soltys, Diana Bobikova, Zofia Kuzevicova, Stefan Kuzevic, Ingrid Schusterova, Ingrid Papajova
Summary: Roma people in Slovakia are at the highest risk for soil-transmitted helminths (STH) due to unsanitary living conditions. The study also found that soil and animals could be sources of STH eggs.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Ameyo M. Dorkenoo, Anna E. Phillips, Luke Klein, Fiali Lack, Essoham Ataba, Kossi Yakpa, Atna-Edi Tagba, Bozi-Esso Assoti, Efoe Sossou, Maweke Tchalim, Gbati Datagni, Anders Seim, Marie Denise Milord, Yao Kassankogno
Summary: After 10 years of high coverage integrated mass drug administration, Togo has achieved a low prevalence of schistosomiasis infection through sub-district implementation. However, soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection remains a problem in some areas. additional measures such as improving treatment coverage among preschool age children and hygiene and sanitation practices are needed.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hanchen Li, Ambily Abraham, David Gazzola, Yan Hu, Gillian Beamer, Kelly Flanagan, Ernesto Soto, Florentina Rus, Zeynep Mirza, Austin Draper, Sridhar Vakalapudi, Cheryl Stockman, Perry Bain, Joseph F. Urban, Gary R. Ostroff, Raffi Aroian
Summary: Gastrointestinal nematodes have a negative impact on childhood growth, cognition, nutrition, education, productivity, income, and pregnancy. The development of an anthelmintic for mass drug administration must be safe, effective, inexpensive, stable without a cold chain, and massively scalable. The Bacillus thuringiensis Cry5B (IBaCC) has been proven to be a safe, inexpensive, highly effective, easy-to-manufacture, and scalable anthelmintic for treating human GINs.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Fan-Zhen Mao, Yu-Ying Chen, Xiang-Zhen Xu, Bi-Xian Ni, Xiao-Lin Jin, Yang Dai, Jun Cao
Summary: From 1989 to 2019, a multi-intervention integrated deworming approach in Jiangsu Province of China, including mass drug administration, health education, and environmental sanitation improvements, significantly reduced the infection rate of soil-transmitted helminths, demonstrating the effectiveness of comprehensive interventions in sustaining control efforts.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF POVERTY
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Caroline Stein, Hasan Nassereldine, Reed J. D. Sorensen, Joanne Amlag, Catherine Bisignano, Sam Byrne, Emma Castro, Kaleb Coberly, James K. Collins, Jeremy Dalos, Farah Daoud, Amanda Deen, Emmanuela Gakidou, John R. Giles, Erin N. Hulland, Bethany M. Huntley, Kasey E. Kinzel, Rafael Lozano, Ali H. Mokdad, Tom Pham, David M. Pigott, Robert C. Reiner Jr, Theo Vos, Simon Hay, Christopher J. L. Murray, Stephen S. Lim
Summary: By conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis, it was found that protection from past SARS-CoV-2 infection is high and remains high even after 40 weeks. Protection against symptomatic disease is high for ancestral, alpha, beta, and delta variants, but lower for the omicron BA.1 variant. Protection against severe disease remains high for all variants. The findings have important implications for predicting disease burden, vaccine policy, and travel restrictions.
Article
Immunology
Olga S. Fedorova, Anna E. Kovshirina, Yulia Kovshirina, Jan Hattendorf, Sergey Onishchenko, Ludmila L. Katanakhova, Stanislav S. Taslicki, Andrey Chizhikov, Ilya A. Tataurov, Sergey V. Vtorushin, Banchob Sripa, Ludmila M. Ogorodova, Peter Odermatt
Summary: An individually matched case-control study in Western Siberia revealed a strong association between Opisthorchis felineus infection and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA).
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Sophie Welsche, Emmanuel C. Mrimi, Jan Hattendorf, Eveline Huerlimann, Said M. Ali, Jennifer Keiser
Summary: This study compared the efficacy and safety of moxidectin and albendazole with ivermectin and albendazole for the treatment of Trichuris trichiura infections in adolescents in Pemba Island, Tanzania. The results showed that ivermectin and albendazole had superior efficacy in treating Trichuris trichiura compared to moxidectin and albendazole. Overall, this study is rated 7 out of 10 in terms of importance.
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Danielle Dolley, Rosa Du Randt, Uwe Puhse, Markus Gerber, Jacob Bosma, Ann Aerts, Larissa Adams, Patricia Arnaiz, Nandi Joubert, Ivan Muller, Siphesihle Nqweniso, Harald Seelig, Peter Steinmann, Jurg Utzinger, Cheryl Walter
Summary: This study aimed to establish the prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity, as well as the level of physical activity among vulnerable children from low-income communities in South Africa. The results showed that a significant percentage of children were underweight, overweight, or obese, and only 64% engaged in the recommended amount of physical activity per day. Girls had a higher risk of being overweight or obese compared to boys. It was also found that underweight to normal-weight children were more likely to engage in physical activity than overweight to obese children.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fabienne B. Fischer, Apolline Saucy, Danielle Vienneau, Jan Hattendorf, Julia Fanderl, Kees de Hoogh, Daniel Mausezahl
Summary: The number of Legionnaires' disease cases has increased significantly in Switzerland and abroad in the past decade. This study aimed to understand the environmental factors, especially weather conditions, that contribute to the regional and seasonal distribution of the disease in Switzerland. The findings revealed a strong association between elevated temperature and vapour pressure and Legionnaires' disease occurrence, providing insights for prevention and control measures.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Fabienne Fischer, Melina Bigler, Daniel Mausezahl, Jan J. Hattendorf, Adrian E. Egli, Timothy Julian, Franziska Rolli, Valeria Gaia, Monica Wymann, Francoise Fridez, Stefanie Bertschi
Summary: Switzerland has a high annual rate of Legionnaires' disease, but the sources and causes for this remain largely unknown. The SwissLEGIO study aims to investigate risk factors and infection sources for community-acquired LD in Switzerland through a national case-control and molecular source attribution approach. The study recruits LD patients and healthy controls, and assesses risk factors through interviews and compares clinical and environmental Legionella isolates using whole genome sequencing. The study is innovative and provides a unique platform for national Legionellosis and Legionella research.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Emmanuel C. C. Mrimi, Sophie Welsche, Said M. M. Ali, Jan Hattendorf, Jennifer Keiser
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of Emodepside in treating soil-transmitted helminth infections. The results demonstrated that Emodepside has potential as a therapeutic option for both Trichuris trichiura and hookworm infections.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Francis Sena Nuvey, Gunther Fink, Jan Hattendorf, Gloria Ivy Mensah, Kennedy Kwasi Addo, Bassirou Bonfoh, Jakob Zinsstag
Summary: Livestock diseases have a significant impact on agricultural productivity and pose a threat to livelihoods and food safety. Vaccines are effective in controlling infectious livestock diseases, but their utilization is low. This study examines the barriers and determinants of vaccination utilization for priority livestock diseases in Ghana.
PREVENTIVE VETERINARY MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
A. J. Larson, S. Haver, J. Hattendorf, G. Salmon-Mulanovich, M. Riveros, H. Verastegui, D. Ma, S. M. Hartinger
Summary: This study investigated the association between household factors, the presence of thermotolerant coliform, and the presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in drinking water among households with young children in Peru. The study found that using narrow-mouthed containers for drinking water reduced the likelihood of contamination. Ownership of farm birds and animal waste in the kitchen area were associated with higher levels of contamination. Higher levels of antibiotic resistance were also found in households with pig ownership and free-roaming animals in the kitchen area. Recent child antibiotic use increased the prevalence of resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole among E. coli isolates. These findings highlight the importance of secure water storage and suggest the potential transmission of bacteria and antibiotic resistance between domestic animals and human drinking water supplies.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Said Abukhattab, Salome Hosch, Niveen M. E. Abu-Rmeileh, Shadi Hasan, Pascale Vonaesch, Lisa Crump, Jan Hattendorf, Claudia Daubenberger, Jakob Zinsstag, Tobias Schindler
Summary: This study is the first of its kind in the Middle East to comprehensively investigate antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the human-animal-environment interface. The results highlight the widespread transmission of multidrug-resistant foodborne pathogens from animals to humans through the food chain, emphasizing the importance of an integrated approach that considers human, animal, and environmental health.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Francis Sena Nuvey, Daniel T. Haydon, Jan Hattendorf, Kennedy Kwasi Addo, Gloria Ivy Mensah, Guenther Fink, Jakob Zinsstag, Bassirou Bonfoh
Summary: Livestock production is crucial for the livelihoods of many people in developing countries, but poor control of livestock diseases hampers productivity and threatens farmers' wellbeing and food security. This study examines the impact of disease-induced livestock mortalities on the wellbeing of livestock farmers.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Francis Sena Nuvey, Nick Hanley, Katherine Simpson, Daniel T. Haydon, Jan Hattendorf, Gloria Ivy Mensah, Kennedy Kwasi Addo, Bassirou Bonfoh, Jakob Zinsstag, Gunther Finka
Summary: Livestock vaccination coverage rates in many lower and middle income countries remain low, leading to the prevalence of preventable infectious diseases. This study assessed farmers' willingness to pay for vaccination of cattle (CBPP) and sheep and goats (PPR) in Ghana, and found that farmers value vaccination highly.
PREVENTIVE VETERINARY MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Kayla C. Lanker, Abdifatah M. Muhummed, Gueladio Cisse, Jakob Zinsstag, Jan Hattendorf, Ramadan Budul Yusuf, Shamil Barsenga Hassen, Rea Tschopp, Pascale Vonaesch
Summary: Intestinal parasitic infections are common in agro-pastoralist and pastoralist children in the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia, with a prevalence of 35%. The study found that drinking water from the river or rainwater, toilet sharing, and ownership of cattle and chickens are associated with intestinal protozoan infections. Improving access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services is crucial to reduce the burden of these infections.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jules N. Kouadio, Jennifer Giovanoli Evack, Jean-Baptiste K. Sekre, Louise Y. Achi, Mamadou Ouattara, Jan Hattendorf, Oliver Balmer, Bassirou Bonfoh, Jakob Zinsstag, Jurg Utzinger, Eliezer K. N'Goran
Summary: The study examines the epidemiology of schistosomiasis and hookworm infection in northern Cote d'Ivoire and finds low transmission rates. The establishment and rigorous implementation of an integrated surveillance-response system are recommended to eliminate schistosomiasis and hookworm in this region.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Karine Vila Real Nunes Neves, Lubia Maieles Gomes Machado, Maurcio Nobre Lisboa, Peter Steinmann, Eliane Ignotti
Summary: This study investigated the misdiagnosis of leprosy in Brazil, specifically in the State of Mato Grosso. Data from telephone interviews of leprosy patients released from treatment due to misdiagnosis were analyzed. Results showed that most patients were dissatisfied with their treatment and sought reevaluation, with alternative diagnoses including musculoskeletal diseases, skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases, and even being re-diagnosed with leprosy. The study highlights the importance of collaborative efforts between primary care and reference services in complex diagnostic cases.
CADERNOS DE SAUDE PUBLICA
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Francis Sena Nuvey, Gloria Ivy Mensah, Jakob Zinsstag, Jan Hattendorf, Gunther Fink, Bassirou Bonfoh, Kennedy Kwasi Addo
Summary: This study examined the management strategies employed by farmers for priority livestock diseases in Ghana and the utilization and performance of veterinary services. The findings reveal the existing challenges in disease management and underutilization of veterinary services by farmers.
BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2023)