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Journal articleQuijada Rodriguez ML, Vicco A, Bajura F, et al., 2026,
Dengue epidemiology and transmission intensity across Panama during 2000-2024: a modelling study
, The Lancet Regional Health. Americas, Vol: 58, ISSN: 2667-193XBackgroundPanama is a dengue endemic country which experienced a large outbreak in 2024 with over 32,000 reported cases and an incidence rate exceeding 700 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Despite decades of circulation, the epidemiology of dengue and its heterogeneity in transmission intensity across Panama have not yet been characterised.MethodsWe used 25 years of dengue case notification and population data from across Panama's 16 health regions and 82 districts to characterise dengue epidemiology and transmission intensity in the country. The analytic dataset comprised 128,890 dengue cases, of whom 52% were female and 48% were male; the mean age was 32.4 years (range 0–108 years). Ethnicity data are not collected in Panama's national dengue surveillance system and were therefore unavailable for this analysis. We characterised spatial heterogeneities in delay distributions by fitting parametric probability distributions to epidemiological delays, and demographic differences in the incidence risk ratio of dengue, and of dengue attributable hospitalisations and deaths. We also implemented catalytic models to infer the time-constant dengue force-of-infection (FOI) (i.e. the long-term average annual per capita risk of infection for a susceptible individual) from the age-stratified case notification data reported across Panama during 2000–2024 and explored age- and sex-related differences in dengue case reporting in sensitivity analyses.FindingsWe observed spatial variation in delay distributions across health regions. The mean of the regional average time from symptoms onset to (i) reporting was 4.78 days (95% CI: 4.72–4.84 days), (ii) hospitalisation was 4.49 days (95% CI: 4.22–4.76), and (iii) recovery was 7.82 days (95% CI: 6.47–8.85 days). The dengue transmission intensity also showed spatial heterogeneity, with a mean regional per-serotype FOI of 0.008 (95% CrI: 0.004–0.015). The mean regional probability of detecting a secondar
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Journal articleTurner H, Hung TM, Brady OJ, et al., 2026,
The cost-effectiveness of Wolbachia-based biocontrol interventions for dengue: a scoping review of the available evidence
, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol: 20, ISSN: 1935-2727Background Dengue incidence has increased sharply worldwide, placing nearly half of the global population at risk. In response, various innovative technologies and interventions, including biocontrol strategies that deploy Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, are being explored. These can be used to either replace the existing mosquito population with one that is less likely to transmit infection or to suppress the existing mosquito population. We conducted a scoping review of economic evaluations of Wolbachia-based interventions for dengue control, aimed at summarising assumptions and results of existing studies. Methodology/Principal Findings A scoping review of the published literature was conducted on the 29th of April 2024 using the MEDLINE (via OVID), Embase Classic+Embase (via OVID), Global Health - OVID, PubMed, and Econ Lit electronic databases. No date or language restrictions were applied to the searches. We identified nine studies that reported the results of economic evaluations of Wolbachia-based interventions for dengue control. The majority (eight out of nine studies) investigated Wolbachia replacement-based programmes. Overall, the results were supportive for the use of replacement-based programmes in large urban settings, with the intervention likely to generate cost savings from a societal perspective. Conclusions/Significance. The available economic evaluations consistently suggest that Wolbachia-based replacement interventions can be cost-effective for dengue control when targeted to densely populated urban areas, and several studies indicate that they can generate substantial long-term cost savings from a societal perspective. Further research is needed to understand how heterogeneity in epidemiological effectiveness influences long-term projected cost-effectiveness and to investigate the combination of Wolbachia-based interventions with other dengue control/prevention measures (such as vaccination). To support more robust and comparable analyses
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Journal articleSaluzzo F, Lindahl O, Chindelevitch L, et al., 2026,
When the whole exceeds the sum of its parts: squeezing greater cumulative benefit from cross-technology partnerships in bacterial infection
, International Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol: 167, ISSN: 1201-9712ObjectivesEffective care for bacterial infections requires both new antibiotics (ABx) to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and appropriate diagnostics (Dx) to guide their use. Diagnostics are essential to identify pathogens, determine susceptibility, and support targeted prescribing, including ruling out unnecessary antibiotic use. However, diagnostics are undervalued in the current market, limiting their availability and integration with antibiotic development. To examine the interplay between antibiotics and diagnostics and assess the potential value of coordinated development and partnerships.MethodsThis paper analyses the antibiotic and diagnostic development landscape, focusing on market dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and collaboration models involving ABx developers, Dx developers, clinicians, and public-sector stakeholders.ResultsAntibiotics and diagnostics are rarely developed or introduced in parallel, and available diagnostics often fail to deliver treatment-focused or point-of-care–relevant results. This misalignment hampers the effective deployment of new antibiotics and weakens stewardship. Cross-technology partnerships can improve trial efficiency, enhance market valuation, and support more targeted antibiotic use. Key barriers include fragmented incentives, regulatory misalignment, and financial constraints.ConclusionBetter alignment between antibiotic and diagnostic development is critical to maximise clinical impact and support resistance monitoring. Public-sector support could help enable effective partnerships and improve patient outcomes.
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Journal articleOkumu FO, Finda M, Odero JO, et al., 2026,
Adapting Africa's vector surveillance systems to monitor gene-drive mosquitoes in malaria control
, Trends in Parasitology, Vol: 42, Pages: 463-493, ISSN: 1471-4922Gene-drive mosquitoes could transform malaria control in Africa, but their rapid, autonomous spread requires rigorous post-release monitoring. Most malaria-endemic countries already conduct some entomological surveillance, although it is often limited, fragmented, and externally funded. Molecular diagnostics are also expanding but remain mostly research focused and ad hoc. These imperfect systems offer workable foundations for strategic upgrades to support essential gene-drive monitoring. Priority investments should strengthen field-entomology, high-throughput genotyping for drive alleles and resistance, technical expertise, and integrated data for decision-making. Fortunately, first-generation gene drives already align with common phenotyping and genotyping workflows, avoiding major infrastructure overhauls, and permit simpler evaluation metrics than conventional interventions. This feature review examines key technical and operational considerations for monitoring gene drives and recommends how countries can adapt their vector surveillance systems to effectively monitor gene-drive mosquito releases.
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Journal articleSilva L, Gogoi M, Lal Z, et al., 2026,
Antibiotic knowledge among ethnic minority groups in high-income countries: A mixed-methods systematic review.
, Public Health Pract (Oxf), Vol: 11OBJECTIVES: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global public health concern. Although low-income countries are disproportionately affected by AMR, certain underserved groups in high-income countries (HICs), such as migrants and ethnic minorities, disproportionately bear the burden of AMR. This may be driven by socio-cultural factors including differences in health literacy. This review aimed to investigate the level of antibiotic knowledge amongst different ethnic minority groups in HICs. STUDY DESIGN: This was a mixed-methods systematic literature review. METHODS: We searched four databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane library, CINAHL) to May 5, 2023, for primary studies on knowledge of antibiotics in different ethnic groups in HICs. We included studies in English using qualitative, quantitative and/or mixed-methods approaches and reporting on antibiotic knowledge by ethnicity. We used the convergent integrated approach for data synthesis and the Mixed-Methods Appraisal tool for quality assessment. RESULTS: 3935 articles were screened and 24 studies (17 quantitative, 5 qualitative, and 2 mixed-methods) were included, comprising 52778 participants from 8 countries (USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Greece, Sweden, Germany). Overall, participants from ethnic minority groups were able to identify common names of antibiotics and were aware of risks of antibiotics and side effects. However, participants thought antibiotics would treat viral-type illnesses. Ethnic minority groups generally had lower levels of knowledge compared to ethnic majority groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although ethnic minority communities possessed good levels of knowledge on certain aspects of antibiotics (e.g. being able to identify names of antibiotics), there were gaps in other areas (e.g. misperception that antibiotics are used for viral infections). The lower level of knowledge in ethnic minority groups compared to majority groups may be a contributing factor to health inequaliti
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Journal articleCui F, Faini D, Razavi-Shearer D, et al., 2026,
The burden of chronic hepatitis B and C in 2022 and progress towards elimination: a global report.
, Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol, Vol: 11, Pages: 509-520BACKGROUND: WHO has worked closely with member states to set baseline targets, monitor progress and gaps, and develop a strategy to achieve the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. This analysis aimed to use the latest data to assess global progress, identify gaps, and provide strategic support to countries and regions to scale up prevention and treatment services to meet global, regional, and country-level targets. METHODS: Data on key indicators for 2022 were collated in 2023, including prevalence, incidence, mortality, and the cascade of care for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. WHO country offices, regional offices, related departments, and partners were involved to verify and ensure the quality and completeness of the data. Data from 2022 were compared with historical data to monitor progress, and reported data were compared with expected data and targets to identify gaps in incidence and mortality. FINDINGS: As of June 30, 2023, WHO had received verified data reports from 187 of 194 countries and territories, including data contributions from collaborative partners. We estimated that, in 2022, globally, 254 million (3·27%) of 7758 million people were living with chronic HBV infection and 50 million (0·65%) people were living with HCV infection. Overall, five countries (China [83·7 million; 27·5%], India [35·3 million; 11·6%], Indonesia [18·9 million; 6·2%], Nigeria [15·7 million; 5·2%], and Pakistan [12·6 million; 4·2%]) accounted for 55% of the combined global burden of HBV and HCV. There were more than 2·2 million (95% CI 1·8-2·7) new chronic HBV and HCV infections and more than 1·3 million (95% CI 1·1-1·6) deaths due to HBV and HCV in 2022, with the majority of deaths due to HBV (1·1 million [95% CI 0·98-1·24]); as a result, the point est
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Journal articleJudge C, Iani FCM, Finch E, et al., 2026,
Drivers of sylvatic yellow fever transmission in southeast Brazil: a joint epidemiological and phylodynamic inference.
, Lancet Planet Health, Vol: 10BACKGROUND: Yellow fever virus (YFV) has caused substantial human disease in Brazil, driven by spillover from outbreaks in nearby non-human primates (NHPs). As disease surveillance in NHPs is challenging, the impact of environmental conditions on YFV outbreaks in NHPs remains poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to use joint inference modelling to overcome these obstacles by integrating diverse data streams and to estimate YFV transmission dynamics in NHPs to enhance understanding of yellow fever disease ecology. METHODS: We applied a multistage analysis using epidemiological, phylogenetic, demographic, and meteorological data in conjunction with mechanistic and statistical modelling. We used EpiFusion joint inference models to infer YFV infection dynamics in NHPs from 2015 to 2019, and statistical generalised additive models to test hypothesised associations between NHP infections and environmental variables and human cases. FINDINGS: The effective reproduction number (Rt) of YFV in NHPs was approximately 1·0, indicating that small changes in transmissibility can enable explosive sylvatic outbreaks. We also found the possibility of large, entirely unobserved outbreaks in NHPs. El Niño sea surface temperature anomalies at medium-term and long-term lags were important predictors of YFV infection dynamics in NHPs. Finally, we found that the risk of YFV spillover to humans, measured in terms of the effect of NHP infections on human cases, was correlated with the number of NHP infections, with a 7-day to 21-day lag. INTERPRETATION: YFV might be establishing recurrent transmission in NHP populations in southeast Brazil, indicating that more comprehensive and consistent surveillance is needed. Identifying key environmental drivers and their lags with human YFV cases can be used to develop early warning systems to guide reactive vaccination and public health campaigns to prevent future outbreaks. FUNDING: None.
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Journal articleOuchtar Y, Ali DA, Ahmed YA, et al., 2026,
Drought-attributable mortality in Somalia, 2015–2024: a retrospective and modelling study
, The Lancet Regional Health - Africa, Pages: 100072-100072, ISSN: 3050-5011 -
Journal articleBilinski A, Ciaranello A, Ramaswamy A, et al., 2026,
The Delivery Disconnect: Why We Could Not Model the Impact of Foreign Aid Reductions on Vertical HIV Transmission and What Remains Evident About Strategic Priorities.
, J Int AIDS Soc, Vol: 29 Suppl 1 -
Journal articleLang MM, Lyne B, Donnelly CA, et al., 2026,
Shared risk factors for malaria and schistosomiasis co-infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
, PLoS Negl Trop Dis, Vol: 20BACKGROUND: Malaria and schistosomiasis are co-endemic across sub-Saharan Africa, where both diseases often co-occur, yet the shared risk factors for co-infection remain poorly synthesized. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify shared risk factors for malaria-Schistosoma co-infection and to narratively synthesize the statistical methodologies applied in the literature. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Global Index Medicus, and Global Health from inception to February 19, 2025 (PROSPERO CRD420250648824). We pooled effect sizes for risk factors across sociodemographic, environmental, and behavioral dimensions. Fixed-effects meta-analysis with inverse variance weighting was used to calculate pooled Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Study quality was assessed using a modified version of the Quality Assessment tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies by the National Institutes of Health. RESULTS: We screened 1,345 records and included 30 studies conducted across 12 African countries. A meta-analysis of 23 studies showed that schistosomiasis infection was associated with 1.27 times higher odds of malaria (OR 1.27; 95% CI: 1.17-1.39). Narrative synthesis identified age as an important predictor, with risk consistently peaking in older children and adolescents (typically 8-17 years). Associations with sex were setting-dependent: males had significantly higher odds of co-infection in community-based studies (OR 2.08; 95% CI: 1.64-2.63), whereas no significant association was found in school-based studies (OR 0.87; 95% CI: 0.64-1.19). Direct water contact was strongly associated with co-infection (OR 2.53; 95% CI: 1.60-4.00). Heterogeneity was high (I2 > 80%), warranting caution during interpretation. Only one study was categorized as high risk of bias. CONCLUSION: The association between malaria and schistosomiasis appears to be associated with overlapping environmental
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