Point-of-care diagnostics for sexually transmitted infections among migrants in Greece.

Setting: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can impact individuals of any demographic. The most common pathogens causing STIs are , and ; these can be treated with specific antibiotics.

Objective: To compare the GeneXpert CT/NG test-and-treat algorithm to the syndromic approach algorithm and their impact on antibiotic prescription for gonorrhoea and chlamydia STIs.

Antibiotic susceptibility patterns at the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Acute Trauma Hospital in Aden, Yemen: a retrospective study from January 2018 to June 2021.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an urgent global health concern, especially in countries facing instability or conflicts, with compromised healthcare systems. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) established an acute trauma hospital in Aden, Yemen, treating mainly war-wounded civilians, and implemented an antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programme. This study aimed to describe clinical characteristics and identify antibiotic susceptibility patterns representative of patients treated with antibiotics.

Correction: How to bring residents' psychosocial well-being to the heart of the fight against Covid-19 in Belgian nursing homes-A qualitative study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

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Background: In a war-torn African country, Médecins Sans Frontières supports two regional referral hospitals to address emergencies, including the treatment of firearm-related traumas. It facilitates access to healthcare and referrals, which are often hindered due to non-medical reasons.

Objective: To determine the factors influencing the unfavourable outcome of cases referred for firearm trauma (December 2020-November 2021).

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Background: Maternal mortality rates remain high (882/100,000 births) in the Central African Republic (CAR), primarily due to frequent obstetric complications. Médecins Sans Frontières supports a referral maternity ward in the capital, Bangui.

Objectives: To describe the prevalence, associated factors and fatality of one of the most severe complications, uterine rupture, as well as the effect of a history of uterine surgery.

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Context: Abdominal trauma (AT) appears to be frequent in Haiti, which is confronted with recurrent socio-political violence.

Objective: To study patients admitted for AT to the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Tabarre trauma centre (Port-au-Prince), and the circumstances of occurrence.

Design: This was a cross-sectional study with retrospective data from January 2020 to December 2021.

Nutritional Preconditioning in Cancer Treatment in Relation to DNA Damage and Aging.

Dietary restriction (DR) is the most successful nutritional intervention for extending lifespan and preserving health in numerous species. Reducing food intake triggers a protective response that shifts energy resources from growth to maintenance and resilience mechanisms. This so-called survival response has been shown to particularly increase life- and health span and decrease DNA damage in DNA repair-deficient mice exhibiting accelerated aging.

Chemotherapy Side-Effects: Not All DNA Damage Is Equal.

Recent advances have increased survival rates of children and adults suffering from cancer thanks to effective anti-cancer therapy, such as chemotherapy. However, during treatment and later in life they are frequently confronted with the severe negative side-effects of their life-saving treatment. The occurrence of numerous features of accelerated aging, seriously affecting quality of life, has now become one of the most pressing problems associated with (pediatric) cancer treatment.

Fasting Intervention for Children With Unilateral Renal Tumors to Reduce Toxicity.

Childhood renal tumors account for around 6% of all childhood cancers and 90% of these cases are Wilms tumor. In Europe, the SIOP-RTSG approach is considered standard of care and has resulted in five-year survival rates of over 90%. Efforts to decrease toxicity are now being pursued.

Fasting before living-kidney donation: effect on donor well-being and postoperative recovery: study protocol of a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Background: One of the main effectors on the quality of life of living-kidney donors is postoperative fatigue. Caloric restriction (CR) and short-term fasting (STF) are associated with improved fitness and increased resistance to acute stress. CR/STF increases the expression of cytoprotective genes, increases immunomodulation via increased anti-inflammatory cytokine production, and decreases the expression of pro-inflammatory markers.

The effect of home-based care on housebound patients and their caregivers in two Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon: a qualitative study.

Background: The incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) increases annually by approximately 5% among older (age 50 years and older) Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, of whom around 10% are housebound. Care for housebound patients does not exist in the over-medicalised and highly privatised Lebanese health system or within the health system for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. This has led to a neglected population.

"I try the one that they say is good." - factors influencing choice of health care provider and pathways to diabetes care for Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Background: Navigating health systems in host countries can be a challenge for refugees, particularly in a multi-provider system such as Lebanon. Syrian refugees in Lebanon face a high burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) including diabetes mellitus. Evidence on how refugees navigate the health system is essential to improve provision of NCD services.

How to bring residents' psychosocial well-being to the heart of the fight against Covid-19 in Belgian nursing homes-A qualitative study.

Background: Nursing homes (NH) for the elderly have been particularly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic mainly due to their hosted vulnerable populations and poor outbreak preparedness. In Belgium, the medical humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) implemented a support project for NH including training on infection prevention and control (IPC), (re)-organization of care, and psychosocial support for NH staff. As psychosocial and mental health needs of NH residents in times of Covid-19 are poorly understood and addressed, this study aimed to better understand these needs and how staff could respond accordingly.

Identifying exceptional malaria occurrences in the absence of historical data in South Sudan: a method validation.

Background: Detecting unusual malaria events that may require an operational intervention is challenging, especially in endemic contexts with continuous transmission such as South Sudan. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) utilises the classic average plus standard deviation (AV+SD) method for malaria surveillance. This and other available approaches, however, rely on antecedent data, which are often missing.

"I prefer dying fast than dying slowly", how institutional abuse worsens the mental health of stranded Syrian, Afghan and Congolese migrants on Lesbos island following the implementation of EU-Turkey deal.

Background: In 2015 and early 2016, close to 1 million migrants transited through Greece, on their way to Western Europe. In early 2016, the closure of the "Balkan-route" and the EU/Turkey-deal led to a drastic reduction in the flow of migrants arriving to the Greek islands. The islands became open detention centers, where people would spend months or years under the constant fear of being returned to Turkey.

Blended SORT-IT for operational research capacity building: the model, its successes and challenges.

The Structured Operational Research Training Initiative (SORT-IT) has been shown to be very effective in strengthening capacity for conducting operational research, publishing in scientific journals and fostering policy and practice change. The 'classic' model includes three face-to-face modules during which, respectively, a study protocol, a data analysis plan, and a manuscript are elaborated. Meanwhile, the lectures of the SORT-IT are available online as YouTube videos.

Age-stratified tuberculosis treatment outcomes in Zimbabwe: are we paying attention to the most vulnerable?

A high tuberculosis (TB) incidence, resource-limited urban setting in Zimbabwe. To compare treatment outcomes among people initiated on first-line anti-tuberculosis treatment in relation to age and other explanatory factors. This was a retrospective record review of routine programme data.

Where technology does not go: specialised neonatal care in resource-poor and conflict-affected contexts.

Although neonatal mortality is gradually decreasing worldwide, 98% of neonatal deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where hospital care for sick and premature neonates is often unavailable. Médecins Sans Frontières Operational Centre Brussels (MSF-OCB) managed eight specialised neonatal care units (SNCUs) at district level in low-resource and conflict-affected settings in seven countries. To assess the performance of the MSF SNCU model across different settings in Africa and Southern Asia, and to describe the set-up of eight SNCUs, neonate characteristics and clinical outcomes among neonates from 2012 to 2015.

Emergency obstetric care in a rural district of Burundi: What are the surgical needs?

Objectives: In a rural district hospital in Burundi offering Emergency Obstetric care-(EmOC), we assessed the a) characteristics of women at risk of, or with an obstetric complication and their types b) the number and type of obstetric surgical procedures and anaesthesia performed c) human resource cadres who performed surgery and anaesthesia and d) hospital exit outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of EmOC data (2011 and 2012).

Results: A total of 6084 women were referred for EmOC of whom 2534(42%) underwent a major surgical procedure while 1345(22%) required a minor procedure (36% women did not require any surgical procedure).

How do low-birthweight neonates fare 2 years after discharge from a low-technology neonatal care unit in a rural district hospital in Burundi?

Objectives: As neonatal care is being scaled up in economically poor settings, there is a need to know more on post-hospital discharge and longer-term outcomes. Of particular interest are mortality, prevalence of developmental impairments and malnutrition, all known to be worse in low-birthweight neonates (LBW, <2500 g). Getting a better handle on these parameters might justify and guide support interventions.

Mental health and trauma in asylum seekers landing in Sicily in 2015: a descriptive study of neglected invisible wounds.

Background: In 2015, Italy was the second most common point of entry for asylum seekers into Europe after Greece. The vast majority embarked from war-torn Libya; 80,000 people claimed asylum that year. Their medical conditions were assessed on arrival but their mental health needs were not addressed in any way, despite the likelihood of serious trauma before and during migration.

"Providing a Roof" and More to Communities Affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines: the Médecins Sans Frontières Experience.

Objectives: Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in November 2013 and left a trail of destruction. As part of its emergency response, Médecins Sans Frontières distributed materials for reconstructing houses and boats as standardized kits to be shared between households. Community engagement was sought and communities were empowered in deciding how to make the distributions.

Emergency department care for trauma patients in settings of active conflict versus urban violence: all of the same calibre?

Background: Trauma is a leading cause of death and represents a major problem in developing countries where access to good quality emergency care is limited. Médecins Sans Frontières delivered a standard package of care in two trauma emergency departments (EDs) in different violence settings: Kunduz, Afghanistan, and Tabarre, Haiti. This study aims to assess whether this standard package resulted in similar performance in these very different contexts.

Prevalence and diagnostics of congenital malaria in rural Burundi, a cross-sectional study.

Background: Congenital malaria, defined as the presence of asexual forms of malaria parasites in the peripheral blood during the first 7 days of life, remains a neglected area of research. Knowledge gaps exist about prevalence and management of malaria in this age group. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of congenital malaria and the validity of a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for its diagnosis in rural Burundi.

Caesarean sections in rural Burundi: how well are mothers doing two years on?

Setting: A caesarean section (C-section) is a life-saving emergency intervention. Avoiding pregnancies for at least 24 months after a C-section is important to prevent uterine rupture and maternal death.

Objectives: Two years following an emergency C-section, in rural Burundi, we assessed complications and maternal death during the post-natal period, uptake and compliance with family planning, subsequent pregnancies and their maternal and neonatal outcomes.