Children with cancer at the end of life in a middle-income country: integrated pediatric palliative care improves outcomes.

Background: In 2020, the Global Cancer Observatory reported 280,000 cases of childhood cancer worldwide, with a higher burden of disease and mortality rates in low- and middle-income countries. In 2022, the National Institute of Health reported 1708 new cases of childhood cancer in Colombia and an overall survival rate of approximately 55%. The aim of this study is to compare outcomes in children with cancer in the hospital setting during the last 72 h of life who received concurrent Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC) versus oncology care alone.

Characterizing the malaria rural-to-urban transmission interface: The importance of reactive case detection.

Background: Reported urban malaria cases are increasing in Latin America, however, evidence of such trend remains insufficient. Here, we propose an integrated approach that allows characterizing malaria transmission at the rural-to-urban interface by combining epidemiological, entomological, and parasite genotyping methods.

Methods/principal Findings: A descriptive study that combines active (ACD), passive (PCD), and reactive (RCD) case detection was performed in urban and peri-urban neighborhoods of Quibdó, Colombia.

Consistent prevalence of asymptomatic infections in malaria endemic populations in Colombia over time.

Background: Malaria control programmes rely on confirmation of parasite presence in patients' blood prior to treatment administration. Plasmodium parasites are detected mostly by microscopy or rapid diagnostic test (RDT). Although these methods contribute significantly to malaria control/elimination, they are not suitable for detecting the significant proportion of asymptomatic subjects harbouring low levels of parasitaemia, which endure untreated as potential reservoirs for transmission.