Rapid Quantification of Glutamate Dehydrogenase and Toxin B (TcdB) with a NanoBiT Split-Luciferase Assay.

infection (CDI) is a leading healthcare-associated infection with a high morbidity and mortality and is a financial burden. No current standalone point-of-care test (POCT) is sufficient for the identification of true CDI over a disease-free carriage of , so one is urgently required to ensure timely, appropriate treatment. Here, two types of binding proteins, Affimers and nanobodies, targeting two biomarkers, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and toxin B (TcdB), are combined in NanoBiT (NanoLuc Binary Technology) split-luciferase assays.

Engaging traditional barbers to identify and refer newborns for routine immunization services in Sokoto, Nigeria: a mixed methods evaluation.

Objectives: This study evaluates the effectiveness of an intervention that engaged traditional barbers to inform parents about the importance of vaccination and then refer newborns for vaccination services.

Methods: We conducted a pre-post quasi-experimental study (n = 2639) to evaluate changes in the coverage of three birth antigens among children aged 0-5 months in response to the intervention. We also conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions to assess the enabling factors and challenges associated with implementation.

How the introduction of a human resources information system helped the Democratic Republic of Congo to mobilise domestic resources for an improved health workforce.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has flagged health workforce management and compensation as issues requiring attention, including the problem of ghost workers (individuals on payroll who do not exist and/or show up at work). Recognising the need for reliable health workforce information, the government has worked to implement iHRIS, an open source human resources information system that facilitates health workforce management. In Kasaï Central and Kasaï Provinces, health workers brought relevant documentation to data collection points, where trained teams interviewed them and entered contact information, identification, photo, current job, and employment and education history into iHRIS on laptops.

Successful mLearning Pilot in Senegal: Delivering Family Planning Refresher Training Using Interactive Voice Response and SMS.

Background: In-service training of health workers plays a pivotal role in improving service quality. However, it is often expensive and requires providers to leave their posts. We developed and assessed a prototype mLearning system that used interactive voice response (IVR) and text messaging on simple mobile phones to provide in-service training without interrupting health services.

Health workers' and managers' perceptions of the integrated community case management program for childhood illness in Malawi: the importance of expanding access to child health services.

Community case management (CCM) is a promising task-shifting strategy for expanding treatment of childhood illness that is increasingly adopted by low-income countries. Its success depends in part on how the strategy is perceived by those responsible for its implementation. This study uses qualitative methods to explore health workers' and managers' perceptions about CCM provided by health surveillance assistants (HSAs) during the program's first year in Malawi.

Quality of sick child care delivered by Health Surveillance Assistants in Malawi.

Objective: To assess the quality of care provided by Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs)-a cadre of community-based health workers-as part of a national scale-up of community case management of childhood illness (CCM) in Malawi.

Methods: Trained research teams visited a random sample of HSAs (n = 131) trained in CCM and provided with initial essential drug stocks in six districts, and observed the provision of sick child care. Trained clinicians conducted 'gold-standard' reassessments of the child.

Operational issues and trends associated with the pilot introduction of zinc for childhood diarrhoea in Bougouni district, Mali.

Zinc for the treatment of childhood diarrhoea was introduced in a pilot area in southern Mali to prepare for a cluster-randomized effectiveness study and to inform policies on how to best introduce and promote zinc at the community level. Dispersible zinc tablets in 14-tablet blister packs were provided through community health centres and drug kits managed by community health workers (CHWs) in two health zones in Bougouni district, Mali. Village meetings and individual counselling provided by CHWs and head nurses at health centres were the principal channels of communication.

Effect of HIV/AIDS and malaria on the context for introduction of zinc treatment and low-osmolarity ORS for childhood diarrhoea.

Diarrhoea was estimated to account for 18% of the estimated 10.6 million deaths of children aged less than five years annually in 2003. Two--Africa and South-East Asia--of the six regions of the World Health Organization accounted for approximately 40% and 31% of these deaths respectively, or almost three-quarters of the global annual deaths of children aged less than five years attributable to diarrhoea.

Community case management of pneumonia: at a tipping point?

Pneumonia is the leading cause of child mortality globally. Community case management (CCM) of pneumonia by community health workers is a feasible, effective strategy to complement facility-based management for areas that lack access to facilities. We surveyed experts in the 57 African and Asian countries with the highest levels and rates of childhood mortality to assess current policies, implementation and plans regarding CCM of pneumonia.

Differential community response to introduction of zinc for childhood diarrhea and combination therapy for malaria in southern Mali.

Developing effective, affordable, and sustainable delivery strategies for the isolated low-income populations that stand to gain the most from micronutrient interventions has proven difficult. We discuss our experience with implementation of zinc as treatment for diarrhea in children less than 5 y of age over the course of 3 operational research studies in rural Sikasso Region, Mali, West Africa. The initial formative research study highlighted how malaria affects perceptions of diarrhea and its causes and that malaria and diarrhea are not necessarily viewed as distinct conditions.

Home management of childhood diarrhoea in southern Mali--implications for the introduction of zinc treatment.

Diarrhoea remains one of the leading killers of young children. A recent meta-analysis demonstrated that a two-week course of zinc tablets once daily significantly reduces the severity and duration of diarrhoea and mortality in young children (Bhutta et al., 2000.

Local terminology for medicines to treat fever in Bougouni District, Mali: implications for the introduction and evaluation of malaria treatment policies.

Objective: To explore Bambara language terminology and classification for locally available antimicrobial medicines in order to better target promotional messages and improve evaluation measures in Bougouni District, Mali.

Methods: Mothers (n = 20) and drug vendors (n = 15) were asked to freelist medicines used to treat childhood illnesses, and to identify all medicines that corresponded to each of the listed terms from an array of medicines displayed with their packaging.

Results: Each Bambara language medicine term can refer to numerous modern medicines, and each modern medicine has several Bambara names.

Prescription and administration of a 14-day regimen of zinc treatment for childhood diarrhea in Mali.

We evaluated prescription and correct dosing of a 14-day course of dispersible zinc tablets prescribed to young children with diarrhea by community and facility workers in rural, southern Mali, West Africa. One hundred twenty-three children were followed at home on days 3 and 14 after being prescribed zinc. The age-appropriate dose of zinc was dispensed in 94% of cases.

Intervention models for the management of children with signs of pneumonia or malaria by community health workers.

A systematic review was conducted to categorize and describe Intervention Models involving community health workers (CHWs) that aim to improve case management of sick children at the household and community levels. The review focused on management of children with signs of malaria or pneumonia. Seven Intervention Models were identified, and classified according to: (1) the role of CHWs and families in assessment and treatment of children, (2) system of referral to the nearest health facility (verbal or facilitated), and (3) the location in the community of the drug stock.