Effect of preventive chemotherapy with praziquantel on schistosomiasis among school-aged children in sub-Saharan Africa: a spatiotemporal modelling study.

Background: Over the past 20 years, schistosomiasis control has been scaled up. Preventive chemotherapy with praziquantel is the main intervention. We aimed to assess the effect of preventive chemotherapy on schistosomiasis prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa, comparing 2000-10 with 2011-14 and 2015-19.

Comparison of platforms for testing antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis antigens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Togo.

Trachoma, caused by repeated ocular infection with Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct), is targeted for elimination as a public health problem. Serological testing for antibodies is promising for surveillance; determining useful thresholds will require collection of serological data from settings with different prevalence of the indicator trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF). Dried blood spots were collected during trachoma mapping in two districts each of Togo and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Assessment of the usefulness of anti-Wb123 antibody for post-elimination surveillance of lymphatic filariasis.

Background: The World Health Organization has targeted lymphatic filariasis (LF) for elimination as a public health problem and recommends, among other measures, post-elimination surveillance of LF. The identification of sensitive and specific surveillance tools is therefore a research priority. The Wuchereria bancrofti-specific antigen Wb123-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Wb123 ELISA) detects antibodies to the recombinant Wb123 antigen of W.

Impact of community-based integrated mass drug administration on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth prevalence in Togo.

Background: Togo has conducted annual, integrated, community-based mass drug administration (MDA) for soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and schistosomiasis since 2010. Treatment frequency and target populations are determined by disease prevalence, as measured by baseline surveys in 2007 and 2009, and WHO guidelines. Reported programmatic treatment coverage has averaged over 94%.

The associations between water and sanitation and hookworm infection using cross-sectional data from Togo's national deworming program.

Background: Sustainable control of soil-transmitted helminths requires a combination of chemotherapy treatment and environmental interventions, including access to safe drinking water, sufficient water for hygiene, use of clean sanitation facilities, and handwashing (WASH). We quantified associations between home-, school-, and community-level WASH characteristics and hookworm infection-both prevalence and eggs per gram of stool (intensity)-among Togolese school children in the context of community-based chemotherapy treatments administered in the country from 2010 through 2014.

Methodology/principal Findings: We analyzed data from two surveys conducted by the Togo Ministry of Health: a school-based survey of students aged 6-9 years across Togo conducted in 2009 and a follow-up survey in 2015, after four to five years of preventive chemotherapy.

Pilot community-mobilization program reduces maternal and perinatal mortality and prevents obstetric fistula in Niger.

Objective: To assess the impact of a pilot community-mobilization program on maternal and perinatal mortality and obstetric fistula in Niger.

Methods: In the program, village volunteers identify and evacuate women with protracted labor, provide education, and collect data on pregnancies, births, and deaths. These data were used to calculate the reduction in maternal mortality, perinatal mortality, and obstetric fistula in the program area from July 2008 to June 2011.

Comparison of anaemia and parasitaemia as indicators of malaria control in household and EPI-health facility surveys in Malawi.

Background: The World Health Organization has recommended that anaemia be used as an additional indicator to monitor malaria burden at the community level as malaria interventions are nationally scaled up. To date, there are no published evaluations of this recommendation.

Methods: To evaluate this recommendation, a comparison of anaemia and parasitaemia among 6-30 month old children was made during two repeated cross-sectional household (HH) and health facility (HF) surveys in six districts across Malawi at baseline (2005) and in a follow-up survey (2008) after a scale up of malaria control interventions.

Diagnosis of malaria: challenges for clinicians in endemic and non-endemic regions.

Malaria is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are critical factors in reducing morbidity and mortality, as delayed treatment of malaria increases the risk of death. Microscopy has long been the standard of malaria diagnosis, but newer diagnostic tests now offer advantages in certain settings.

Using malarial retinopathy to improve the classification of children with cerebral malaria.

The mechanisms leading to death in cerebral malaria (CM) remain unclear. We compared clinical and laboratory data among children with CM, categorized by ocular fundus findings, to elucidate differences that suggest different underlying pathological processes. From 1999-2005, standard examinations, treatment and record keeping were used for children with a clinical diagnosis of CM.

Cost-effectiveness of on-site antenatal screening to prevent congenital syphilis in rural eastern Cape Province, Republic of South Africa.

Objectives: On-site screening and same-day treatment of maternal syphilis in underresourced settings can avert greater numbers of congenital syphilis cases, but health outcomes and associated costs must be evaluated jointly.

Methods: We used decision analysis to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of two on-site antenatal syphilis screening strategies to avert congenital infections-qualitative RPR (on-site RPR) and treponemal immunochromatographic strip assay (on-site ICS)-compared to the current practice (off-site RPR/TPHA).

Findings: With antenatal active syphilis prevalence of 6.

Bacteremia in Malawian children with severe malaria: prevalence, etiology, HIV coinfection, and outcome.

Background: Previous prospective studies of bacteremia in African children with severe malaria have mainly included children with cerebral malaria, and no study has examined the impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We examined the prevalence and etiology of bacteremia and the impact of HIV infection on bacteremia in Malawian children with severe malaria, as well as the impact of bacteremia and HIV infection on outcome.

Methods: From 1996 until 2005, blood for culture was obtained on admission from all children admitted with severe malaria during the rainy season to the Paediatric Research Ward at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi.

On-site rapid antenatal syphilis screening with an immunochromatographic strip improves case detection and treatment in rural South African clinics.

Objectives: Congenital syphilis is a significant cause of adverse pregnancy outcomes. In South Africa, rural clinics perform antenatal screening offsite, but unreliable transport and poor client follow up impede effective treatment. We compared 3 syphilis screening strategies at rural clinics: on-site rapid plasma reagin (RPR), on-site treponemal immunochromatographic strip (ICS) test, and the standard practice offsite RPR with Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay (RPR/TPHA).