Improved cholera control in Kenya: A retrospective analysis of 2017-2019 in Nairobi and Homabay.

Background: Kenya has recorded at least 38 678 cases and 695 deaths over the last decade, and costing on average $2.2 million annually. From 2014 to 2016, the country experienced one of the deadliest and largest outbreak.

Telephone hotlines for infectious disease outbreaks in Africa: A review and qualitative study.

Background: Mobile health interventions like telephone hotlines face challenges that may threaten their use, adoption and sustainability in Africa.

Aim: We sought to understand the barriers and facilitators for sustainability of telephone hotlines used in infectious disease outbreaks in Africa using a scoping review and a qualitative study.

Setting: Participants form 12 African countries and Database searches.

Frequency of Cardiac Valvulopathies in Patients With Marfan Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a progressive connective tissue disease with a broad range of clinical manifestations. We sought to establish the spectrum of structural valvular abnormalities as cardiovascular involvement has been identified as the most life-threatening aspect of the syndrome. This was a systematic review with a meta-analysis of studies indexed in Medline from the inception of the database to November 7, 2022.

Hidden Burden of on the African Continent: Should the Bacterial Infection Be Considered a Neglected Tropical Disease?

is a louse-borne gram-negative bacillus that remains a poorly characterized cause of bacteremia, fever, and infective endocarditis. Due to the link with pediculosis, transmission is tied to poverty, conflict, overcrowding, and inadequate water access to maintain personal hygiene. Although these risk factors may be present globally, we argue that a substantial burden of undocumented infection occurs in Africa due to the high prevalence of these risk factors.

Development of a research mentorship guide and consensus statement for low- and middle-income countries: Results of a modified Delphi process.

Background: Institutional research mentorship is a form of mentorship whereby institutions foster mentor-mentee relationships. Research mentorship improves research effectiveness and supports relationships. However, resources are needed in order to institutionalize research mentorship tailored to low- and middle- income countries (LMICs).

Non-calcified plaque in asymptomatic patients with zero coronary artery calcium score: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: There is growing interest in understanding the coronary atherosclerotic burden in asymptomatic patients with zero coronary artery calcium score (CACS). In this population, we aimed to investigate the prevalence and severity of non-calcified coronary plaques (NCP) as detected by coronary CT angiography (CCTA), and to analyze the associated clinical predictors.

Methods: This was a systematic review with meta-analysis of studies indexed in PubMed/Medline and Web of Science from inception of the database to March 31st, 2023.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence, incidence, and predictors of atrial fibrillation in cardiac sarcoidosis.

Background: The occurrence of atrial arrhythmias, in particular, atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) are of growing interest in the field of infiltrative cardiomyopathies. Via a systematic review with meta-analysis, we sought to synthesize data on the prevalence, incidence, and predictors of atrial arrhythmias as well as outcomes in patients with CS.

Methods: PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus were systematically queried from inception until April 26th, 2023.

Diagnostics to support mycetoma management-Development of two target product profiles.

Objective: Mycetoma is a neglected tropical disease caused by more than 70 different microorganisms and identified by the WHO as one of the high-priority diseases for developing diagnostic tests. To ensure the production of diagnostic assays for use by clinical staff in endemic regions, target product profiles (TPPs) were designed.

Methods: We describe the development of two TPPs: one for a diagnostic test able to identify the causative agent of mycetoma and another that would determine when treatment could be stopped.

Diagnostics to support the eradication of yaws-Development of two target product profiles.

Background: Yaws is targeted for eradication by 2030, using a strategy based on mass drug administration (MDA) with azithromycin. New diagnostics are needed to aid eradication. Serology is currently the mainstay for yaws diagnosis; however, inaccuracies associated with current serological tests makes it difficult to fully assess the need for and impact of eradication campaigns using these tools.

Crowdsourcing to develop open-access learning resources on antimicrobial resistance.

Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant threat to global public health. Many medical curricula have limited clinical cases and materials focused on AMR, yet enhanced AMR education and training are needed to support antimicrobial stewardship programmes. We used crowdsourcing methods to develop open-access, learner-centred AMR resources.

Target product profile for a dengue pre-vaccination screening test.

With increasing geographic spread, frequency, and magnitude of outbreaks, dengue continues to pose a major public health threat worldwide. Dengvaxia, a dengue live-attenuated tetravalent vaccine, was licensed in 2015, but post hoc analyses of long-term data showed serostatus-dependent vaccine performance with an excess risk of hospitalized and severe dengue in seronegative vaccine recipients. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that only persons with evidence of past dengue infection should receive the vaccine.

Implementation strategies for the first licensed dengue vaccine: A meeting report.

Dengue vaccination would enhance the control of dengue, one of the most frequent vector-borne viral diseases globally. CYD-TDV is the first dengue vaccine to be licensed, but global uptake has been hampered due to its use being limited to seropositive persons aged 9 years and above, and the need for a 3-dose schedule. The Partnership for Dengue Control (PDC) organized a meeting with key opinion leaders and stakeholders to deliberate on implementation strategies for the use of CYD-TDV.

Scaling up COVID-19 rapid antigen tests: promises and challenges.

WHO recommends a minimum of 80% sensitivity and 97% specificity for antigen-detection rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs), which can be used for patients with symptoms consistent with COVID-19. However, after the acute phase when viral load decreases, use of Ag-RDTs might lead to high rates of false negatives, suggesting that the tests should be replaced by a combination of molecular and serological tests. When the likelihood of having COVID-19 is low, such as for asymptomatic individuals in low prevalence settings, for travel, return to schools, workplaces, and mass gatherings, Ag-RDTs with high negative predictive values can be used with confidence to rule out infection.

Diagnostic Infectious Diseases Testing Outside Clinics: A Global Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Most people around the world do not have access to facility-based diagnostic testing, and the gap in availability of diagnostic tests is a major public health challenge. Self-testing, self-sampling, and institutional testing outside conventional clinical settings are transforming infectious disease diagnostic testing in a wide range of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We examined the delivery models of infectious disease diagnostic testing outside clinics to assess the impact on test uptake and linkage to care.

Serology testing in the COVID-19 pandemic response.

The collapse of global cooperation and a failure of international solidarity have led to many low-income and middle-income countries being denied access to molecular diagnostics in the COVID-19 pandemic response. Yet the scarcity of knowledge on the dynamics of the immune response to infection has led to hesitation on recommending the use of rapid immunodiagnostic tests, even though rapid serology tests are commercially available and scalable. On the basis of our knowledge and understanding of viral infectivity and host response, we urge countries without the capacity to do molecular testing at scale to research the use of serology tests to triage symptomatic patients in community settings, to test contacts of confirmed cases, and in situational analysis and surveillance.

Rapid diagnostic tests for determining dengue serostatus: a systematic review and key informant interviews.

Objectives: Vaccination for dengue with the live attenuated tetravalent CYD-TDV vaccine (Dengvaxia®) is only recommended in individuals who have had prior dengue virus (DENV) infection. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) for past DENV infection would offer a convenient method for pre-vaccination screening at point-of-care. A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the performance of current dengue RDTs for determining dengue serostatus, using IgG antibodies against DENV as a marker of past infection.