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White NJ, Peto T, Watson JA. Rectal artesunate: lives not saved. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2024:trae036. [PMID: 38794950 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trae036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- N J White
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, New Richards Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7LG, UK
| | - T Peto
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, New Richards Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7LG, UK
| | - J A Watson
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, New Richards Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7LG, UK
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, 764 Vo Van Kiet, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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Dunican C, Andradi-Brown C, Ebmeier S, Georgiadou A, Cunnington AJ. The malarial blood transcriptome: translational applications. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:651-660. [PMID: 38421063 PMCID: PMC11088907 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The blood transcriptome of malaria patients has been used extensively to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms and host immune responses to disease, identify candidate diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and reveal new therapeutic targets for drug discovery. This review gives a high-level overview of the three main translational applications of these studies (diagnostics, prognostics, and therapeutics) by summarising recent literature and outlining the main limitations and future directions of each application. It highlights the need for consistent and accurate definitions of disease states and subject groups and discusses how prognostic studies must distinguish clearly between analyses that attempt to predict future disease states and those which attempt to discriminate between current disease states (classification). Lastly it examines how many promising therapeutics fail due to the choice of imperfect animal models for pre-clinical testing and lack of appropriate validation studies in humans, and how future transcriptional studies may be utilised to overcome some of these limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Dunican
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, U.K
- Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health, Imperial College London, London, U.K
| | - Clare Andradi-Brown
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, U.K
- Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health, Imperial College London, London, U.K
| | - Stefan Ebmeier
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, U.K
- Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health, Imperial College London, London, U.K
| | - Athina Georgiadou
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, U.K
- Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health, Imperial College London, London, U.K
| | - Aubrey J. Cunnington
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, U.K
- Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health, Imperial College London, London, U.K
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3
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Ogbuanu IU, Otieno K, Varo R, Sow SO, Ojulong J, Duduyemi B, Kowuor D, Cain CJ, Rogena EA, Onyango D, Akelo V, Tippett Barr BA, terKuile F, Kotloff KL, Tapia MD, Keita AM, Juma J, Assefa N, Assegid N, Acham Y, Madrid L, Scott JAG, Arifeen SE, Gurley ES, Mahtab S, Dangor Z, Wadula J, Dutoit J, Madhi SA, Mandomando I, Torres-Fernandez D, Kincardett M, Mabunda R, Mutevedzi P, Madewell ZJ, Blau DM, Whitney CG, Samuels AM, Bassat Q. Burden of child mortality from malaria in high endemic areas: Results from the CHAMPS network using minimally invasive tissue sampling. J Infect 2024; 88:106107. [PMID: 38290664 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2024.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria is a leading cause of childhood mortality worldwide. However, accurate estimates of malaria prevalence and causality among patients who die at the country level are lacking due to the limited specificity of diagnostic tools used to attribute etiologies. Accurate estimates are crucial for prioritizing interventions and resources aimed at reducing malaria-related mortality. METHODS Seven Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Network sites collected comprehensive data on stillbirths and children <5 years, using minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS). A DeCoDe (Determination of Cause of Death) panel employed standardized protocols for assigning underlying, intermediate, and immediate causes of death, integrating sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory (including extensive microbiology, histopathology, and malaria testing), and verbal autopsy data. Analyses were conducted to ascertain the strength of evidence for cause of death (CoD), describe factors associated with malaria-related deaths, estimate malaria-specific mortality, and assess the proportion of preventable deaths. FINDINGS Between December 3, 2016, and December 31, 2022, 2673 deaths underwent MITS and had a CoD attributed from four CHAMPS sites with at least 1 malaria-attributed death. No malaria-attributable deaths were documented among 891 stillbirths or 924 neonatal deaths, therefore this analysis concentrates on the remaining 858 deaths among children aged 1-59 months. Malaria was in the causal chain for 42.9% (126/294) of deaths from Sierra Leone, 31.4% (96/306) in Kenya, 18.2% (36/198) in Mozambique, 6.7% (4/60) in Mali, and 0.3% (1/292) in South Africa. Compared to non-malaria related deaths, malaria-related deaths skewed towards older infants and children (p < 0.001), with 71.0% among ages 12-59 months. Malaria was the sole infecting pathogen in 184 (70.2%) of malaria-attributed deaths, whereas bacterial and viral co-infections were identified in the causal pathway in 24·0% and 12.2% of cases, respectively. Malnutrition was found at a similar level in the causal pathway of both malaria (26.7%) and non-malaria (30.7%, p = 0.256) deaths. Less than two-thirds (164/262; 62.6%) of malaria deaths had received antimalarials prior to death. Nearly all (98·9%) malaria-related deaths were deemed preventable. INTERPRETATION Malaria remains a significant cause of childhood mortality in the CHAMPS malaria-endemic sites. The high bacterial co-infection prevalence among malaria deaths underscores the potential benefits of antibiotics for severe malaria patients. Compared to non-malaria deaths, many of malaria-attributed deaths are preventable through accessible malaria control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kephas Otieno
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Rosauro Varo
- ISGlobal - Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça [CISM], Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Samba O Sow
- Centre pour le Développement des Vaccins (CVD-Mali), Ministère de la Santé, Bamako, Mali
| | | | - Babatunde Duduyemi
- University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospital Complex, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | | | | | - Emily A Rogena
- School of Medicine, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Juja, Kenya
| | | | - Victor Akelo
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention--Kenya, Kisumu, Kenya
| | | | - Feiko terKuile
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Karen L Kotloff
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Milagritos D Tapia
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Adama Mamby Keita
- Centre pour le Développement des Vaccins (CVD-Mali), Ministère de la Santé, Bamako, Mali
| | - Jane Juma
- Centre pour le Développement des Vaccins (CVD-Mali), Ministère de la Santé, Bamako, Mali
| | - Nega Assefa
- College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia; Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nardos Assegid
- College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Yenework Acham
- College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Lola Madrid
- College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia; Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - J Anthony G Scott
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Shams El Arifeen
- International Center for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research (ICDDR,B), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Emily S Gurley
- International Center for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research (ICDDR,B), Dhaka, Bangladesh; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sana Mahtab
- South African Medical Research Council Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ziyaad Dangor
- South African Medical Research Council Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jeannette Wadula
- South African Medical Research Council Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jeanie Dutoit
- South African Medical Research Council Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Shabir A Madhi
- South African Medical Research Council Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Wits Infectious Diseases and Oncology Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Inácio Mandomando
- ISGlobal - Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça [CISM], Maputo, Mozambique; Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Ministério de Saúde, Maputo, Moçambique
| | - David Torres-Fernandez
- ISGlobal - Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça [CISM], Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Milton Kincardett
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça [CISM], Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Rita Mabunda
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça [CISM], Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Portia Mutevedzi
- Emory Global Health Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Zachary J Madewell
- Global Health Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dianna M Blau
- Global Health Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Aaron M Samuels
- Global Health Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA; Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Quique Bassat
- ISGlobal - Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça [CISM], Maputo, Mozambique; ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain; Pediatrics Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Esplugues, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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4
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Tchole AIM, Ye RZ, Xu Q, Li ZW, Liu JY, Wang SS, Liu J, Wang XY, Bachir AM, Zhao L, Cao WC. Epidemiological behaviour and interventions of malaria in Niger, 2010-2019: a time-series analysis of national surveillance data. Malar J 2024; 23:30. [PMID: 38243247 PMCID: PMC10799420 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-024-04835-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria remains a significant public health concern in Niger, with the number of cases increasing from 592,334 in 2000 to 3,138,696 in 2010. In response, a concerted campaign against the disease has been initiated. However, the implementation of these malaria interventions and their association with epidemiological behaviour remains unclear. METHODS A time-series study was conducted in Niger from 2010 to 2019. Multiple data sources concerning malaria were integrated, encompassing national surveillance data, Statistic Yearbook, targeted malaria control interventions, and meteorological data. Incidence rate, mortality rate, and case fatality ratio (CFR) by different regions and age groups were analysed. Joinpoint regression models were used to estimate annual changes in malaria. The changes in coverage of malaria interventions were evaluated. RESULTS Between 2010 to 2019, the incidence rate of malaria decreased from 249.43 to 187.00 cases per 1,000 population in Niger. Niamey had a high annual mean incidence rate and the lowest CFR, while Agadez was on the contrary. Joinpoint regression analysis revealed a declining trend in malaria incidence for all age groups except the 10-24 years group, and the mortality rate and the CFR initially decreased followed by an increase in all age groups. Niger has implemented a series of malaria interventions, with the major ones being scaled up to larger populations during the study period. CONCLUSIONS The scale-up of multi-interventions in Niger has significantly reduced malaria incidence, but the rise in mortality rate and CFR addresses the challenges in malaria control and elimination. Malaria endemic countries should enhance surveillance of malaria cases and drug resistance in Plasmodium, improve diagnosis and treatment, expand the population coverage of insecticide-treated bed nets and seasonal malaria chemoprevention, and strengthen the management of severe malaria cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Issakou Malam Tchole
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 Wenhua Road, Lixia District, Jinan, 250012, People's Republic of China
- Directorate of Surveillance and Response to Epidemics, Ministry of Public Health, Niamey, Niger
| | - Run-Ze Ye
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 Wenhua Road, Lixia District, Jinan, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Xu
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 Wenhua Road, Lixia District, Jinan, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen-Wei Li
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 Wenhua Road, Lixia District, Jinan, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin-Yue Liu
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 Wenhua Road, Lixia District, Jinan, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Shan-Shan Wang
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 Wenhua Road, Lixia District, Jinan, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Liu
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 Wenhua Road, Lixia District, Jinan, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Yang Wang
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 Wenhua Road, Lixia District, Jinan, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | | | - Lin Zhao
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 Wenhua Road, Lixia District, Jinan, 250012, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wu-Chun Cao
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 Wenhua Road, Lixia District, Jinan, 250012, People's Republic of China.
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Fengtai District, 20 Dong-da Street, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China.
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Chu CS, Stolbrink M, Stolady D, Saito M, Beau C, Choun K, Wah TG, Mu N, Htoo K, Nu B, Keereevijit A, Wiladpaingern J, Carrara V, Phyo AP, Lwin KM, Luxemburger C, Proux S, Charunwatthana P, McGready R, White NJ, Nosten F. Severe Falciparum and Vivax Malaria on the Thailand-Myanmar Border: A Review of 1503 Cases. Clin Infect Dis 2023; 77:721-728. [PMID: 37144342 PMCID: PMC10495127 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The northwestern border of Thailand is an area of low seasonal malaria transmission. Until recent successful malaria elimination activities, malaria was a major cause of disease and death. Historically the incidences of symptomatic Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria were approximately similar. METHODS All malaria cases managed in the Shoklo Malaria Research Unit along the Thailand-Myanmar border between 2000 and 2016 were reviewed. RESULTS There were 80 841 consultations for symptomatic P. vivax and 94 467 for symptomatic P. falciparum malaria. Overall, 4844 (5.1%) patients with P. falciparum malaria were admitted to field hospitals, of whom 66 died, compared with 278 (0.34%) with P. vivax malaria, of whom 4 died (3 had diagnoses of sepsis, so the contribution of malaria to their fatal outcomes is uncertain). Applying the 2015 World Health Organization severe malaria criteria, 68 of 80 841 P. vivax admissions (0.08%) and 1482 of 94 467 P. falciparum admissions (1.6%) were classified as severe. Overall, patients with P. falciparum malaria were 15 (95% confidence interval, 13.2-16.8) times more likely than those with P. vivax malaria to require hospital admission, 19 (14.6-23.8) times more likely to develop severe malaria, and ≥14 (5.1-38.7) times more likely to die. CONCLUSIONS In this area, both P. falciparum and P. vivax infections were important causes of hospitalization, but life-threatening P. vivax illness was rare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy S Chu
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Marie Stolbrink
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Daniel Stolady
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Makoto Saito
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Advanced Clinical Research Center, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Candy Beau
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Kan Choun
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Tha Gay Wah
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Ne Mu
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Klay Htoo
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Be Nu
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Arunrot Keereevijit
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Jacher Wiladpaingern
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Verena Carrara
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Aung Pyae Phyo
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Khin Maung Lwin
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Christine Luxemburger
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Stephane Proux
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Prakaykaew Charunwatthana
- Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Rose McGready
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J White
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - François Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol–Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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6
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Prah DA, Dunican C, Amoah LE, Marjaneh MM, Kaforou M, Nordgren A, Jones-Warner W, Aniweh Y, Awandare GA, Cunnington AJ, Hafalla JC. Asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infection evades triggering a host transcriptomic response. J Infect 2023; 87:259-262. [PMID: 37356628 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2023.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Ahu Prah
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana; Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana; Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Dunican
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Linda Eva Amoah
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana; Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Mahdi Moradi Marjaneh
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Myrsini Kaforou
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Asa Nordgren
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - William Jones-Warner
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yaw Aniweh
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana; Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Gordon A Awandare
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana; Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Aubrey J Cunnington
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
| | - Julius Clemence Hafalla
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
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7
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Hetzel MW, Okitawutshu J, Tshefu A, Omoluabi E, Awor P, Signorell A, Kwiatkowski M, Lambiris MJ, Visser T, Cohen JM, Buj V, Burri C, Lengeler C. Pre-referral rectal artesunate is no "magic bullet" in weak health systems. BMC Med 2023; 21:119. [PMID: 36991404 PMCID: PMC10060914 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-02777-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe malaria is a potentially fatal condition that requires urgent treatment. In a clinical trial, a sub-group of children treated with rectal artesunate (RAS) before being referred to a health facility had an increased chance of survival. We recently published in BMC Medicine results of the CARAMAL Project that did not find the same protective effect of pre-referral RAS implemented at scale under real-world conditions in three African countries. Instead, CARAMAL identified serious health system shortfalls that impacted the entire continuum of care, constraining the effectiveness of RAS. Correspondence to the article criticized the observational study design and the alleged interpretation and consequences of our findings.Here, we clarify that we do not dispute the life-saving potential of RAS, and discuss the methodological criticism. We acknowledge the potential for confounding in observational studies. Nevertheless, the totality of CARAMAL evidence is in full support of our conclusion that the conditions under which RAS can be beneficial were not met in our settings, as children often failed to complete referral and post-referral treatment was inadequate.The criticism did not appear to acknowledge the realities of highly malarious settings documented in detail in the CARAMAL project. Suggesting that trial-demonstrated efficacy is sufficient to warrant large-scale deployment of pre-referral RAS ignores the paramount importance of functioning health systems for its delivery, for completing post-referral treatment, and for achieving complete cure. Presenting RAS as a "magic bullet" distracts from the most urgent priority: fixing health systems so they can provide a functioning continuum of care and save the lives of sick children.The data underlying our publication is freely accessible on Zenodo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel W Hetzel
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Jean Okitawutshu
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- Kinshasa School of Public Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Antoinette Tshefu
- Kinshasa School of Public Health, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | - Phyllis Awor
- Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Aita Signorell
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marek Kwiatkowski
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mark J Lambiris
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Valentina Buj
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- UNICEF, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christian Burri
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Lengeler
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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8
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Srinamon K, Watson JA, Silamut K, Intharabut B, Phu NH, Diep PT, Lyke KE, Fanello C, von Seidlein L, Chotivanich K, Dondorp AM, Day NPJ, White NJ. The prognostic and diagnostic value of intraleukocytic malaria pigment in patients with severe falciparum malaria. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6882. [PMID: 36371433 PMCID: PMC9653500 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34678-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe falciparum malaria is a major cause of death in tropical countries, particularly in African children. Rapid and accurate diagnosis and prognostic assessment are critical to clinical management. In 6027 prospectively studied patients diagnosed with severe malaria we assess the prognostic value of peripheral blood film counts of malaria pigment containing polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and monocytes. We combine these results with previously published data and show, in an individual patient data meta-analysis (n = 32,035), that the proportion of pigment containing PMNs is predictive of in-hospital mortality. In African children the proportion of pigment containing PMNs helps distinguish severe malaria from other life-threatening febrile illnesses, and it adds to the prognostic assessment from simple bedside examination, and to the conventional malaria parasite count. Microscopy assessment of pigment containing PMNs is simple and rapid, and should be performed in all patients hospitalised with suspected severe malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ketsanee Srinamon
- grid.10223.320000 0004 1937 0490Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400 Thailand
| | - James A. Watson
- grid.412433.30000 0004 0429 6814Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ,grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, New Richards Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7LG UK ,grid.499581.8WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network, Oxford, UK
| | - Kamolrat Silamut
- grid.10223.320000 0004 1937 0490Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400 Thailand
| | - Benjamas Intharabut
- grid.10223.320000 0004 1937 0490Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400 Thailand
| | - Nguyen Hoan Phu
- grid.412433.30000 0004 0429 6814Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Pham Thi Diep
- grid.412433.30000 0004 0429 6814Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Kirsten E. Lyke
- grid.411024.20000 0001 2175 4264Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Caterina Fanello
- grid.10223.320000 0004 1937 0490Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400 Thailand ,grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, New Richards Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7LG UK
| | - Lorenz von Seidlein
- grid.10223.320000 0004 1937 0490Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400 Thailand ,grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, New Richards Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7LG UK
| | - Kesinee Chotivanich
- grid.10223.320000 0004 1937 0490Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400 Thailand
| | - Arjen M. Dondorp
- grid.10223.320000 0004 1937 0490Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400 Thailand ,grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, New Richards Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7LG UK
| | - Nicholas P. J. Day
- grid.10223.320000 0004 1937 0490Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400 Thailand ,grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, New Richards Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7LG UK
| | - Nicholas J. White
- grid.10223.320000 0004 1937 0490Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400 Thailand ,grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, New Richards Building, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7LG UK
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Abstract
Severe malaria is a medical emergency. It is a major cause of preventable childhood death in tropical countries. Severe malaria justifies considerable global investment in malaria control and elimination yet, increasingly, international agencies, funders and policy makers are unfamiliar with it, and so it is overlooked. In sub-Saharan Africa, severe malaria is overdiagnosed in clinical practice. Approximately one third of children diagnosed with severe malaria have another condition, usually sepsis, as the cause of their severe illness. But these children have a high mortality, contributing substantially to the number of deaths attributed to ‘severe malaria’. Simple well-established tests, such as examination of the thin blood smear and the full blood count, improve the specificity of diagnosis and provide prognostic information in severe malaria. They should be performed more widely. Early administration of artesunate and broad-spectrum antibiotics to all children with suspected severe malaria would reduce global malaria mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J White
- Mahidol Oxford Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. .,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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