Does a waiting room increase same-day treatment for sexually transmitted infections among pregnant women? A quality improvement study at South African primary healthcare facilities.

Background: Same-day testing and treatment of curable sexually transmitted infections (STI) is a strategy to reduce infection duration and onward transmission. South African primary healthcare facilities often lack sufficient waiting spaces. This study aimed to assess the proportion of, and factors influencing, pregnant women waiting for on-site STI test results before and after the installation of clinic-based waiting rooms.

Suspected and confirmed mpox cases in DR Congo: a retrospective analysis of national epidemiological and laboratory surveillance data, 2010-23.

Background: DR Congo has the highest global burden of mpox, a disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. The incidence has risen since 1980, but recent analyses of epidemiological trends are lacking. We aimed to describe trends in suspected and confirmed mpox cases in DR Congo using epidemiological and laboratory mpox surveillance data collected from 2010 to 2023, and provide insights that can better inform the targeting and monitoring of control strategies.

Epidemiological and clinical features of mpox during the clade Ib outbreak in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Clade Ib, a new strain of clade I monkeypox virus, emerged in eastern DR Congo, sparking an international outbreak. Comprehensive studies are needed to assess its transmission dynamics and clinical presentation.

Methods: We did a prospective observational cohort study at Kamituga General Hospital in South Kivu, DR Congo, between May 2 and Oct 9, 2024.

Accuracy of screening tests for cervical precancer in women living with HIV in low-resource settings: a paired prospective study in Lusaka, Zambia.

Objective: This study aimed to provide evidence to improve cervical screening for women living with HIV (WLHIV). We assessed the accuracy of screening tests that can be used in low-resource settings and give results at the same visit.

Methods And Analysis: We conducted a paired, prospective study among consecutive eligible WLHIV, aged 18-65 years, receiving cervical cancer screening at one hospital in Lusaka, Zambia.

Viability assessment of Chlamydia trachomatis in men who have sex with men using molecular and culture methods.

Objectives: Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the most commonly reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection worldwide. Diagnosis relies on nucleic acid amplification techniques, such as PCR, which does not distinguish between viable pathogens and residual bacterial DNA, leading to potential overdiagnosis and overtreatment. PCR with confirmation of pathogen viability has not been widely explored in the sexually transmitted infection field.

Recommendations for the optimal introduction of novel antibiotics to treat uncomplicated gonorrhoea in the face of increasing antimicrobial resistance: a case study with zoliflodacin.

New, first-in-class oral antibiotics like zoliflodacin, developed in a public-private partnership, require an optimal introduction strategy while ensuring antibiotic stewardship. Zoliflodacin, given as a single dose for uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhoea, recently demonstrated non-inferiority to ceftriaxone plus azithromycin and safety in a phase 3 randomised controlled trial. Following regulatory approval, zoliflodacin could improve sexually transmitted infection (STI) management and help address the threat of untreatable gonorrhoea, as levels of resistance to current first-line treatments increase.

Clade I mpox virus genomic diversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2024: Predominance of zoonotic transmission.

Recent reports raise concerns on the changing epidemiology of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). High-quality genomes were generated for 337 patients from 14/26 provinces to document whether the increase in number of cases is due to zoonotic spillover events or viral evolution, with enrichment of APOBEC3 mutations linked to human adaptation. Our study highlights two patterns of transmission contributing to the source of human cases.

Presumed Transmission of 2 Distinct Monkeypox Virus Variants from Central African Republic to Democratic Republic of the Congo.

We linked 4 mpox cases in South Ubangi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, to transboundary transmission from Central African Republic. Viral genome sequencing demonstrated that the monkeypox virus sequences belonged to distinct clusters of subclade Ia. This finding demonstrates the borderless nature of mpox and highlights the need for vigilant regional surveillance.

Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 prevalence from repeated pooled testing: application to Swiss routine data.

Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 through reported positive RT-PCR tests is biased due to non-random testing. Prevalence estimation in population-based samples corrects for this bias. Within this context, the pooled testing design offers many advantages, but several challenges remain with regards to the analysis of such data.

Dynamics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae transmission among female sex workers and clients: A mathematical modeling study.

Background: This study aimed to examine the transmission dynamics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) in heterosexual sex work networks (HSWNs) and the impact of variation in sexual behavior and interventions on NG epidemiology.

Methods: The study employed an individual-based mathematical model to simulate NG transmission dynamics in sexual networks involving female sex workers (FSWs) and their clients, primarily focusing on the Middle East and North Africa region. A deterministic model was also used to describe NG transmission from clients to their spouses.

Characteristics and completeness of reporting of systematic reviews of prevalence studies in adult populations: a metaresearch study.

Objectives: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, first published in 2009, has been widely endorsed and compliance is high in systematic reviews (SRs) of intervention studies. SRs of prevalence studies are increasing in frequency, but their characteristics and reporting quality have not been examined in large studies. Our objectives were to describe the characteristics of SRs of prevalence studies in adults, evaluate the completeness of reporting, and explore study-level characteristics associated with the completeness of reporting.

The prioritisation of curable sexually transmitted infections among pregnant women in Zambia and Papua New Guinea: Qualitative insights.

Curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are neglected in public health policy, services and society at large. Effective interventions are available for some STI but seem not to be prioritised at global, regional or local levels. Zambia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) have a high burden of STIs among pregnant women but little is known about the prioritisation of STI treatment and care among this group.

Polarization and health-related behaviours and outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic affected people's health behaviours and health outcomes. Political or affective polarization could be associated with health behaviours such as mask-wearing or vaccine uptake and with health outcomes, e.g.

Social contact patterns following the COVID-19 pandemic: a snapshot of post-pandemic behaviour from the CoMix study.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented changes in behaviour. To estimate if these persisted, a final round of the CoMix social contact survey was conducted in four countries at a time when all societal restrictions had been lifted for several months. We conducted a survey on a nationally representative sample in the UK, Netherlands (NL), Belgium (BE), and Switzerland (CH).

Social contacts in Switzerland during the COVID-19 pandemic: Insights from the CoMix study.

To mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the Swiss government enacted restrictions on social contacts from 2020 to 2022. In addition, individuals changed their social contact behavior to limit the risk of COVID-19. In this study, we aimed to investigate the changes in social contact patterns of the Swiss population.

Understanding the factors affecting global political priority for controlling sexually transmitted infections: a qualitative policy analysis.

Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a significant public health challenge, but there is a perceived lack of political priority in addressing STIs as a global health issue. Our study aimed to understand the determinants of global political priority for STIs since the 1980s and to discern implications for future prioritisation.

Methods: Through semistructured interviews from July 2021 to February 2022, we engaged 20 key stakeholders (8 women, 12 men) from academia, United Nations agencies, international non-governmental organisations, philanthropic organisations and national public health agencies.

Genital tract infections, the vaginal microbiome and gestational age at birth among pregnant women in South Africa: a cohort study protocol.

Introduction: Preterm birth complications are the most common cause of death in children under 5 years. The presence of multiple microorganisms and genital tract inflammation could be the common mechanism driving early onset of labour. South Africa has high levels of preterm birth, genital tract infections and HIV infection among pregnant women.

Preexposure prophylaxis availability among health facilities participating in the global International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) consortium.

Background: While recognized as a key HIV prevention strategy, preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) availability and accessibility are not well documented globally. We aimed to describe PrEP drug registration status and the availability of PrEP services across HIV care sites participating in the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) research consortium.

Methods: We used country-level PrEP drug registration status from the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition and data from IeDEA surveys conducted in 2014, 2017 and 2020 among participating HIV clinics in seven global regions.

Authorship inequalities in global health research: the IeDEA Southern Africa collaboration.

Background: The International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS conducts research in several regions, including in Southern Africa. We assessed authorship inequalities for the Southern African region, which is led by South African and Swiss investigators.

Methods: We analysed authorships of publications from 2007 to 2020 by gender, country income group, time and citation impact.