Global health news briefs

September/October 2024 | Volume 23 Number 5

NIAID updates its mpox research priorities

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has revised its priorities for mpox research as part of the overall U.S. government response to the current mpox outbreak,. The agenda includes increasing knowledge about the biology of all clades (strains) of the virus, including how the virus is transmitted; evaluating dosing regimens of current vaccines to stretch the supply; advancing treatments; and supporting strategies for detecting the virus. The first human case of mpox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The disease is endemic in central and western Africa. Two strains causing mpox have been identified: Clade I is endemic in Central Africa and can cause severe illness; Clade II, a milder strain endemic in West Africa, caused the global mpox outbreak in 2022.

Natural antimicrobial could prevent or treat cholera

Cholera, a deadly diarrheal disease caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria, can trigger severe dehydration and prove deadly. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin explored a class of natural antimicrobials called microcins, which are produced by bacteria in the gut, and identified one that targets V. cholerae. Microcins, unlike traditional antibiotics that kill both desirable and undesirable bacteria, could potentially remove unwanted bacteria without disturbing the healthy balance of the gut microbiome, the researchers noted. They believe someday microcins might be used to prevent or treat cholera or fight off other pathogens, including some that have developed antibiotic resistance. Their work was published in Cell Host & Microbe in September.

CDC describes imported Oropouche virus infections

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported findings on 21 imported Oropouche virus cases. Since late 2023, Oropouche virus has spread beyond the Amazon regions where it is endemic to new areas of South America and the Caribbean. The virus, which is transmitted by infected biting midges and some mosquito species, can cause fever, headache, muscle ache, nausea and vomiting. Three of the 21 patients with an infection imported from Cuba required hospitalization, two died, and transmission from one mother to her child occurred during pregnancy, leading to adverse outcomes. The Florida Department of Health has identified an additional 10 imported cases. Scientists are working to see if U.S. midge and mosquito species are capable of carrying the virus, according to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

A marine sponge microbe provides insights into TB

Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, yet the origins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the pathogen that causes it, are not fully understood. Researchers at Australia’s Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity discovered a bacterium in a marine sponge from the Great Barrier Reef with striking similarity to M. tuberculosis. They say their findings could inform future research and lead to the development of new TB treatment strategies, including potential vaccines. Details of their discovery were published in PLOS Pathogens.

Health sector spending in Sub-Saharan Africa declines

Total health spending as a share of GDP is decreasing in sub-Saharan Africa and this trend is expected to continue until 2050, according to researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle. Reasons include low prioritization by governments and a reduction in development assistance. The Millennium Development Goals led to a period of growth in health funding, with development assistance growing on average 11.1% annually from 2000 until 2015. Since then, these levels have dropped to just 4.6% due to global economic issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and additional shocks such as the war in Ukraine. The study was published in the PLOS Global Public Health.

Preterm delivery is a growing tendency in Brazil

Researchers at INSPER, a research institution in São Paulo, looked at cesarean sections scheduled to take place during the Carnival holiday in Brazil to understand the wider dynamics of premature birth and low birthweight. In Brazil, 55% of deliveries are by C-section, second highest in the world after the Dominican Republic (58.1%). The World Health Organization recommends 15% at most. This research investigating the effects of manipulation of birth timing on infant health focused on the Carnival period, but the researchers believe the tendency to opt for an earlier delivery is general and not confined to holidays (given that the average Brazilian pregnance lasts just 38.5 weeks, not 39 weeks as recommended by WHO). Their findings appeared in an article published in Health Economics.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hec.4858

Men infected with high-risk HPV could struggle with fertility

Researchers at Universidad Nacional de Córdoba in Argentina noted that cervical cancer leads to approximately 350,000 deaths each year, mainly in low- and middle-income countries. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is known to cause 95% of these cases, yet the potential effects of HPV in men and boys is unknown. The researchers enlisted 250 volunteers and found High Risk (HR) HPV-positive men had significantly lower counts of leukocytes (a type of white blood cell) in their semen, while their sperm showed evidence of frequent damage from oxidative stress. The study, published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, suggests that HR-HPV positive men could have impaired fertility.

To view Adobe PDF files, download current, free accessible plug-ins from Adobe's website.