Posts Tagged ‘malaria’

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Vaccine fever

November 9th, 2011

By: Charles Ebikeme

Last month, the results of the largest malaria study of its kind was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, spelling out the possibility of new hope for fighting a disease that accounts for 800,000 lives lost on a yearly basis – most of them children under the age of 5. This sparked a promise of hope in controlling a disease that causes so much human death and suffering. But it is by no means the last word. As we all take a step back from the ground-breaking news of the most advanced new malaria vaccine in the field so far – the pros and cons, drawbacks and potential of the RTS,S vaccine is being debated. Those of us interested in NTDs are drawn to the next logical question: how far along are we in vaccine development for NTDs?

With NTDs a heady mix of infections caused by bacterial and parasitic agents, vaccine development for many of the NTDs will have to overcome much of the same problems of the malaria vaccine – both technically and clinically.

The benefit of a vaccine is clear for all to see, and may be complemented with drug administrations as part of a total strategy to eliminate or eradicate many of these diseases. But despite the lack of research and development that plagues the NTDs, there is some progress at hand – or, at least, there is a realization and drive for developing more ‘antipoverty’ vaccines.

Of all the NTDs on the list, only rabies is vaccine-preventable with Buruli ulcer coming in a far second (the current Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine appears to offer some short-term protection). A vaccine for hookworm, the almost vampiric parasite that ingests enough blood to cause anaemia, is in development. Schistosomiasis, arguably the most important human helminth infection in terms of mortality, has one antigen vaccine in clinical trials and a number in preclinical studies. The situation is promising – many have suggested that schistosomiasis could be the next disease to be ‘consigned to history’ by the next time the MDGs have to be rewritten. We wait in hope. » Read more: Vaccine fever

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“Human Time Bomb for Mosquitoes”

July 12th, 2011

Echoing several articles published last week, Donald McNeil Jr. of the New York Times also shed light on the recent study conducted in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene by scientists from Senegal and Colorado State University.

As mentioned previously, the study demonstrated that ivermectin, a drug used to treat onchocerciasis, can also kill mosquitoes.

Scientists such as Dr. Peter Hotez, President of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, are enthusiastic about this study’s effects on combating malaria and other mosquito borne illnesses, however, the article also provided some cautious perspectives from others. For the drug to effectively kill mosquitoes, nearly everyone in an infested area would need to take the pill simultaneously. In addition, the mosquito killing effects fade after a month so ivermectin, which is typically only distributed once or twice a year to a community, would need to be distributed more frequently.

The article goes on to say, “Also, when people with lots of worms are treated, they suffer fever and intense itching as the worms die. Though that might be bearable once a year, it discourages people from seeking treatment more frequently. And ivermectin is dangerous for a few people — those infested with large numbers of a relatively rare West African worm, the loa loa. These worms circulate in the blood and lungs and may jam capillaries when they die, potentially causing coma or death. Detecting them means drawing blood and viewing it under a microscope.”

Read the full article here

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Posted in Africa, de-worming, Global Health, malaria, Tropical Medicine, Water and Sanitation

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WHO research programme on tropical diseases wins Gates Award

June 17th, 2011

The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), based at WHO headquarters in Geneva and co-sponsored by UNICEF, UNDP, the World Bank and WHO, has won the 2011 Gates Award for Global Health.
TDR which has been operating since 1975, has supported and advocated for research and development to address infectious diseases and has had a major impact on reducing the burden of onchocerciasis, dengue, malaria, Chagas’ disease and visceral leishmaniasis .TDR will recieve $1 Million as a part of the reward which will go to expanding its fellowship and training programs.

Read the full press release here

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Posted in Africa, Chagas, Global Health, malaria, NTDs, Press Release, Public Health, Tropical Medicine, WHO

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New Editorial Highlights Importance of NTD Treatments Into Existing Control Programs for HIV-AIDs, TB and Malaria

June 2nd, 2011

Today, a new editorial authored by Peter Hotez, Jeffrey Sachs and others in the New England Journal of Medicine reinforces the importance of integrating neglected tropical disease (NTD) control measures into existing control efforts for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Highlighting a growing body of evidence from global health interventions over the past several years, the editorial argues that there are significant gains that can be achieved by adding treatments for the seven most prevalent NTDs to prevention and control programs targeting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, including those supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

At approximately 50 cents per per­son annually, the value of tying NTD control to other major health initiatives poses one of the most cost effective health interventions avail­able. The editorial also outlines the operational synergies of integrating control and elimination efforts into existing health interventions.  For instance, community drug distributors who provide ivermectin for onchocer­ciasis also provide insecticide-treated bed nets for malaria pro­tection, and bed nets appear to interrupt the transmission of lymphatic filariasis (and possibly other NTDs).

Additionally, low-cost anthelminthic drugs can be administered to pregnant women for intestinal helminth infections and schistosomiasis, thereby improving preg­nancy outcomes.  These drugs could be co-administered with intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) for malaria during pregnancy or with antiretroviral drugs for reducing mother-to-child HIV transmis­sion.

Click here to read the press release and here to access the NEJM website.

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Posted in Global Health, malaria, NTDs, Press Release, Public Health, Tuberculosis

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