Socio-ecological risk factors associated with human flea infestations of rural household in plague-endemic areas of Madagascar.

Plague is a flea-borne fatal disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which persists in rural Madagascar. Although fleas parasitizing rats are considered the primary vectors of Y. pestis, the human flea, Pulex irritans, is abundant in human habitations in Madagascar, and has been found naturally infected by the plague bacterium during outbreaks.

A social network analysis model approach to understand tuberculosis transmission in remote rural Madagascar.

Background: Quality surveillance data used to build tuberculosis (TB) transmission models are frequently unavailable and may overlook community intrinsic dynamics that impact TB transmission. Social network analysis (SNA) generates data on hyperlocal social-demographic structures that contribute to disease transmission.

Methods: We collected social contact data in five villages and built SNA-informed village-specific stochastic TB transmission models in remote Madagascar.

An overdue catalyst: Limitations imposed by COVID-19 improved capacity building in community-led environmental education in Madagascar.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus brought many primatology research programs and conservation efforts to a halt. After Madagascar closed its borders during March 2020, many on-site international project leaders and researchers returned to their home countries when their programs were delayed or canceled. Madagascar remained closed to travelers until November 2021, when it reopened to international flights.

Latent tuberculosis infection prevalence in rural Madagascar.

Background: Understanding latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (LTBI) prevalence is crucial for the design of TB control strategies. There are no data on LTBI in rural Madagascar.

Methods: Tuberculin skin tests were performed in 98 adults aged >15 y in five rural villages in the Ifanadiana district, Madagascar.