RTS,S vaccination is associated with reduced parasitemia and anemia among children diagnosed with malaria in the outpatient department of a district hospital in rural Malawi

The RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine was recently approved by the World Health Organization, but real-world effectiveness is still being evaluated. We measured hemoglobin concentration and parasite density in vaccinated and unvaccinated children who had been diagnosed with malaria by rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) in the outpatient department of a rural hospital in Malawi. Considering all mRDT positive participants, the mean hemoglobin concentration among unvaccinated participants was 9.58 g/dL. There was improvement to 9.82 g/dL and 10.36 g/dL in the 1 or 2 dose group (p = 0.6) and the 3 or 4 dose group (p = 0.0007), respectively. Among a microscopy positive subset of participants, mean hemoglobin concentration of unvaccinated participants was 9.55 g/dL with improvement to 9.82 g/dL in the 1 or 2 dose group (p = 0.6) and 10.41 g/dL in the 3 or 4 dose group (p = 0.003). Mean parasite density also decreased from 115,154 parasites/μL in unvaccinated children to 87,754 parasites/μL in children who had received at least one dose of RTS,S (p = 0.04). In this study population, vaccination was associated with significant improvements in both hemoglobin concentration and parasite density in the setting of real-world administration of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine

Low Complexity of Infection Is Associated With Molecular Persistence of Plasmodium falciparum in Kenya and Tanzania

Background Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) is a threat to malaria elimination. ACT-resistance in Asia raises concerns for emergence of resistance in Africa. While most data show high efficacy of ACT regimens in Africa, there have been reports describing declining efficacy, as measured by both clinical failure and prolonged parasite clearance times. Methods Three hundred children aged 2–10 years with uncomplicated P. falciparum infection were enrolled in Kenya and Tanzania after receiving treatment with artemether-lumefantrine. Blood samples were taken at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h, and weekly thereafter until 28 days post-treatment. Parasite and host genetics were assessed, as well as clinical, behavioral, and environmental characteristics, and host anti-malarial serologic response. Results While there was a broad range of clearance rates at both sites, 85% and 96% of Kenyan and Tanzanian samples, respectively, were qPCR-positive but microscopy-negative at 72 h post-treatment. A greater complexity of infection (COI) was negatively associated with qPCR-detectable parasitemia at 72 h (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.53–0.94), and a greater baseline parasitemia was marginally associated with qPCR-detectable parasitemia (1,000 parasites/uL change, OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01–1.03). Demographic, serological, and host genotyping characteristics showed no association with qPCR-detectable parasitemia at 72 h. Parasite haplotype-specific clearance slopes were grouped around the mean with no association detected between specific haplotypes and slower clearance rates. Conclusions Identifying risk factors for slow clearing P. falciparum infections, such as COI, are essential for ongoing surveillance of ACT treatment failure in Kenya, Tanzania, and more broadly in sub-Saharan Africa

HPV Vaccination Recommendation Practices among Adolescent Health Care Providers in 5 Countries

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess adolescent health care providers' recommendations for, and attitudes towards human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in 5 countries. DESIGN: In-depth interviews of adolescent health care providers, 2013-2014. SETTING: Five countries where HPV vaccination is at various stages of implementation into national programs: Argentina, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain. PARTICIPANTS: Adolescent health care providers (N = 151) who had administered or overseen provision of adolescent vaccinations (N = Argentina: 30, Malaysia: 30, South Africa: 31, South Korea: 30, Spain: 30). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frequency of HPV vaccination recommendation, reasons providers do not always recommend the vaccine and facilitators to doing so, comfort level with recommending the vaccine, reasons for any discomfort, and positive and negative aspects of HPV vaccination. RESULTS: Over half of providers 82/151 (54%) recommend HPV vaccination always or most of the time (range: 20% in Malaysia to 90% in Argentina). Most providers 112/151 (74%) said they were comfortable recommending HPV vaccination, although South Korea was an outlier 10/30 (33%). Providers cited protection against cervical cancer 124/151 (83%) and genital warts 56/151 (37%) as benefits of HPV vaccination. When asked about the problems with HPV vaccination, providers mentioned high cost 75/151 (50% overall; range: 26% in South Africa to 77% in South Korea) and vaccination safety 28/151 (19%; range: 7% in South Africa to 33% in Spain). Free, low-cost, or publicly available vaccination 59/151 (39%), and additional data on vaccination safety 52/151 (34%) and efficacy 43/151 (28%) were the most commonly cited facilitators of health provider vaccination recommendation. CONCLUSION: Interventions to increase HPV vaccination should consider a country's specific provider concerns, such as reducing cost and providing information on vaccination safety and efficacy.Área de Salud, Economía y Socieda

Access to Social Protection by People Living with, at Risk of, or Affected by HIV in Eswatini, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia: Results from Population-Based HIV Impact Assessments

We aimed to measure social protection coverage among the general population, women and men living with HIV (WLHIV, MLHV), female and male sex workers (FSW, MSW), men who have sex with men (MSM), adolescent girls young women (AGYW), and orphans vulnerable children (OVC) in Eswatini, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia. We used Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment data. We operationalised social protection benefits as external economic support from private and public sources to the household in the last three or 12 months. We estimated survey-weighted proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each population receiving social protection benefits. The sample size ranged from 10,233 adults ages 15-59 years in Eswatini to 29,638 in Tanzania. In the surveyed countries, social protection coverage among the general population was lower than the global average of 45%, ranging from 7.7% (95% CI 6.7%-8.8%) in Zambia to 39.6% (95% CI 36.8%-42.5%) in Eswatini. In Malawi and Zambia, social protection coverage among OVC, AGYW, SW, MSM, and people living with HIV (PLHIV) was similar to the general population. In Eswatini, more AGWY reported receiving social projection benefits than older women and more men not living with HIV reported receiving social protection benefits than MLHIV. In Tanzania, more WLHIV than women not living with HIV, MLHIV than men not living with HIV, and FSW than women who were not sex workers reported receiving social protection benefits. More data on access to social protection benefits by PLHIV or affected by HIV are needed to estimate better their social protection coverage

Adolescent providers' knowledge of human papillomavirus vaccination age guidelines in five countries

PURPOSE: To examine provider knowledge of HPV vaccination age guidelines in five countries. METHODS: A total of 151 providers of adolescent vaccinations in Argentina, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain were interviewed between October 2013 and April 2014. Univariate analyses compared providers' understanding of recommended age groups for HPV vaccination to that of each country's national guidelines. RESULTS: In three of five countries surveyed, most providers (97% South Africa, 95% Argentina, 87% Malaysia) included all nationally recommended ages in their target age group. However, a relatively large proportion of vaccinators in some countries (83% Malaysia, 55% Argentina) believed that HPV vaccination was recommended for women above age 26, far exceeding national guidelines, and beyond the maximum recommended age in the United States. National median minimum and maximum age recommendations cited by the respondents for HPV vaccination were 11 and 29 years in Argentina (national guideline: 11-14), 13 and 48 years in Malaysia (guideline 13-14), 8 and 14 years in South Africa (guideline 9-14), 10 and 20 years in South Korea (guideline 11-14), and 11 and 12 years in Spain (guideline 11-14). In all countries, a higher percentage of vaccinators included all nationally recommended ages for vaccination, as compared to providers who did not administer HPV vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, a substantial proportion of providers incorrectly reported their country's age guidelines for HPV vaccination, particularly the upper age limit. As provider recommendation is among the strongest predictors of successful vaccination uptake among adolescents, improved education and clarification of national guidelines for providers administering HPV vaccination is essential to optimize prevention of infection and associated disease.Área de Salud, Economía y Socieda

No evidence of sustained nonzoonotic Plasmodium knowlesi transmission in Malaysia from modelling malaria case data

Abstract Reported incidence of the zoonotic malaria Plasmodium knowlesi has markedly increased across Southeast Asia and threatens malaria elimination. Nonzoonotic transmission of P. knowlesi has been experimentally demonstrated, but it remains unknown whether nonzoonotic transmission is contributing to increases in P. knowlesi cases. Here, we adapt model-based inference methods to estimate R C , individual case reproductive numbers, for P. knowlesi, P. falciparum and P. vivax human cases in Malaysia from 2012–2020 (n = 32,635). Best fitting models for P. knowlesi showed subcritical transmission (R C   1) was estimated historically for P. falciparum and P. vivax, with declines in R C estimates observed over time consistent with local elimination. Together, this suggests sustained nonzoonotic P. knowlesi transmission is highly unlikely and that new approaches are urgently needed to control spillover risks

Adolescent providers’ knowledge of human papillomavirus vaccination age guidelines in five countries

PURPOSE: To examine provider knowledge of HPV vaccination age guidelines in five countries. METHODS: A total of 151 providers of adolescent vaccinations in Argentina, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain were interviewed between October 2013 and April 2014. Univariate analyses compared providers' understanding of recommended age groups for HPV vaccination to that of each country's national guidelines. RESULTS: In three of five countries surveyed, most providers (97% South Africa, 95% Argentina, 87% Malaysia) included all nationally recommended ages in their target age group. However, a relatively large proportion of vaccinators in some countries (83% Malaysia, 55% Argentina) believed that HPV vaccination was recommended for women above age 26, far exceeding national guidelines, and beyond the maximum recommended age in the United States. National median minimum and maximum age recommendations cited by the respondents for HPV vaccination were 11 and 29 years in Argentina (national guideline: 11-14), 13 and 48 years in Malaysia (guideline 13-14), 8 and 14 years in South Africa (guideline 9-14), 10 and 20 years in South Korea (guideline 11-14), and 11 and 12 years in Spain (guideline 11-14). In all countries, a higher percentage of vaccinators included all nationally recommended ages for vaccination, as compared to providers who did not administer HPV vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, a substantial proportion of providers incorrectly reported their country's age guidelines for HPV vaccination, particularly the upper age limit. As provider recommendation is among the strongest predictors of successful vaccination uptake among adolescents, improved education and clarification of national guidelines for providers administering HPV vaccination is essential to optimize prevention of infection and associated disease.Área de Salud, Economía y Socieda

Effectiveness of a national mass distribution campaign of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying on clinical malaria in Malawi, 2018–2020

Introduction Malawi’s malaria burden is primarily assessed via cross-sectional national household surveys. However, malaria is spatially and temporally heterogenous and no analyses have been performed at a subdistrict level throughout the course of a year. The WHO recommends mass distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets (LLINs) every 3 years, but a national longitudinal evaluation has never been conducted in Malawi to determine LLIN effectiveness lifespans.Methods Using District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) health facility data, available from January 2018 to June 2020, we assessed malaria risk before and after a mass distribution campaign, stratifying by age group and comparing risk differences (RDs) by LLIN type or annual application of indoor residual spraying (IRS).Results 711 health facilities contributed 20 962 facility reports over 30 months. After national distribution of 10.7 million LLINs and IRS in limited settings, malaria risk decreased from 25.6 to 16.7 cases per 100 people from 2018 to 2019 high transmission seasons, and rebounded to 23.2 in 2020, resulting in significant RDs of −8.9 in 2019 and −2.4 in 2020 as compared with 2018. Piperonyl butoxide (PBO)-treated LLINs were more effective than pyrethroid-treated LLINs, with adjusted RDs of −2.3 (95% CI −2.7 to −1.9) and −1.5 (95% CI −2.0 to −1.0) comparing 2019 and 2020 high transmission seasons to 2018. Use of IRS sustained protection with adjusted RDs of −1.4 (95% CI −2.0 to −0.9) and −2.8% (95% CI −3.5 to −2.2) relative to pyrethroid-treated LLINs. Overall, 12 of 28 districts (42.9%) experienced increases in malaria risk in from 2018 to 2020.Conclusion LLINs in Malawi have a limited effectiveness lifespan and IRS and PBO-treated LLINs perform better than pyrethroid-treated LLINs, perhaps due to net repurposing and insecticide-resistance. DHIS2 provides a compelling framework in which to examine localised malaria trends and evaluate ongoing interventions

Engaging in cognitive activities, aging, and mild cognitive impairment: A population-based study

The authors investigated whether engaging in cognitive activities is associated with aging and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a cross-sectional study derived from an ongoing populationbased study of normal cognitive aging and MCI in Olmsted County, MN. A random sample of 1,321 study participants ages 70 to 89 (N_1,124 cognitively normal persons, and N_197 subjects with MCI) were interviewed about the frequency of cognitive activities carried out in late life (within 1 year of the date of interview). Computer activities; craft activities, such as knitting, quilting, etc.; playing games; and reading books were associated with decreased odds of having MCI. Social activities, such as traveling, were marginally significant. Even though the point-estimates for reading magazines, playing music, artistic activities, and group activities were associated with reduced odds of having MCI, none of these reached statistical significance. The equally high prevalence of reading newspapers in both groups yielded no significant between-group difference, © 2011 American Psychiatric Association