Partnering to implement the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer in the Americas: prioritizing systems strengthening / Alianzas para ejecutar la Iniciativa Mundial contra el Cáncer Infantil en la Región de las Américas: priorizar el fortalecimiento de los sistemas / Parceria para implementar a Iniciativa Global para o Câncer Infantil nas Américas: priorização do fortalecimento dos sistemas

ABSTRACT Working with PAHO/WHO to prioritize childhood cancer in the context of systems strengthening is central to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (SJCRH)'s role as WHO Collaborating Centre for Childhood Cancer. This manuscript focuses on how SJCRH and PAHO/WHO have partnered to apply C5 (Country Collaboration for Childhood Cancer Control) to define and implement priority actions regionally, strengthening Ministry programs for childhood cancer, while implementing the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer since 2018. Using C5, a tool developed by SJCRH, PAHO/WHO and SJCRH co-hosted regional/national workshops engaging authorities, clinicians and other stakeholders across 10 countries to map health systems needs and prioritize strategic activities (spanning Central America, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Brazil and Uruguay). SJCRH provided English/Spanish/Portuguese C5 versions/templates for analysis/prioritization exercises, and worked with PAHO/WHO and country teams to implement C5, analyze findings, and develop outputs. In an eight-country regional workshop, countries defined priorities within national/regional initiatives and ranked their value and political will, incorporating country-specific surveys and stakeholder dialogues. Each country prioritized one strategic activity for 2022-2023, exchanged insights via storytelling, and disseminated and applied results to inform country-specific and regional action plans. National workshops analyses have been incorporated into cancer control planning activities and collaborative work regionally. Implementation success factors include engaging actors beyond the clinic, enabling flexibility, and focusing on co-design with stakeholders. Joint implementation of C5 catalyzed prioritization and accelerated strategic activities to improve policies, capacity, and quality of care for children in the Americas, supporting Ministries to integrate childhood cancer interventions as part of systems strengthening.

RESUMEN La colaboración con la OPS/OMS para priorizar el cáncer infantil en el contexto del fortalecimiento de los sistemas es fundamental para la labor del St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (SJCRH) como centro colaborador de la OMS contra el cáncer infantil. Este artículo se centra en la alianza entre el SJCRH y la OPS/OMS en la aplicación de la herramienta C5 (colaboración nacional para el control del cáncer infantil) para definir y ejecutar medidas prioritarias a nivel regional, fortalecer los programas contra el cáncer infantil del ministerio y poner en marcha la Iniciativa Mundial contra el Cáncer Infantil desde el 2018. Con C5, una herramienta elaborada por el SJCRH, la OPS/OMS y este hospital organizaron conjuntamente talleres regionales y nacionales con autoridades, personal médico y otras partes interesadas en diez países para determinar cuáles son las necesidades de los sistemas de salud y priorizar las actividades estratégicas (en América Central, República Dominicana, Haití, Brasil y Uruguay). El SJCRH proporcionó versiones y plantillas de C5 en inglés, español y portugués para actividades de análisis y priorización y trabajó con la OPS/OMS y los equipos de país para ejecutar la herramienta C5, analizar los resultados y elaborar productos. En un taller regional de ocho países, se definieron las prioridades en las iniciativas regionales y nacionales, se clasificó su valor y la voluntad política y se incorporaron encuestas específicas para cada país y diálogos con las partes interesadas. Cada país priorizó una actividad estratégica para el período 2022-2023, intercambió ideas por medio de narrativas, y difundió y aplicó los resultados para fundamentar planes de acción tanto regionales como específicos para el país. Los análisis de los talleres nacionales se han incorporado a las actividades de planificación del control del cáncer y al trabajo colaborativo a nivel regional. Entre los factores de éxito de la ejecución se encuentra involucrar a los agentes más allá de lo clínico, permitir que haya flexibilidad y centrarse en un diseño elaborado en colaboración con las partes interesadas. La ejecución conjunta de la herramienta C5 catalizó la priorización y aceleró las actividades estratégicas para mejorar las políticas, la capacidad y la calidad de la atención infantil en la Región de las Américas y brindó apoyo a los ministerios para integrar las intervenciones contra el cáncer infantil en el fortalecimiento de los sistemas.

RESUMO A colaboração com a OPAS/OMS para priorizar o câncer infantil no contexto do fortalecimento dos sistemas é fundamental para o papel do St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (SJCRH) como Centro Colaborador da OMS para o Câncer Infantil. Este artigo mostra como o SJCRH e a OPAS/OMS se associaram para aplicar a ferramenta C5 (Colaboração Nacional para Controle do Câncer Infantil), com o propósito de definir e implementar ações prioritárias regionalmente, fortalecendo programas ministeriais para o câncer na infância, durante a implementação da Iniciativa Global para o Câncer Infantil desde 2018. Com auxílio da C5, uma ferramenta desenvolvida pelo SJCRH, a OPAS/OMS e o SJCRH organizaram conjuntamente oficinas regionais/nacionais com a participação de autoridades, profissionais de saúde e outras partes interessadas em 10 países, com a finalidade de mapear as necessidades dos sistemas de saúde e priorizar atividades estratégicas (abrangendo América Central, República Dominicana, Haiti, Brasil e Uruguai). O SJCRH forneceu versões/modelos da C5 em inglês, espanhol e português para exercícios de análise/priorização e colaborou com a OPAS/OMS e as equipes dos países para implementar a C5, analisar resultados e desenvolver produtos. Em uma oficina regional com oito países, foram definidas as prioridades das iniciativas nacionais/regionais e classificados seu valor e vontade política, incorporando levantamentos nacionais e diálogos entre as partes interessadas. Cada país priorizou uma atividade estratégica para 2022-2023, trocou conhecimentos por meio da narração de histórias e disseminou e aplicou os resultados para informar planos de ação nacionais e regionais. As análises das oficinas nacionais foram incorporadas às atividades de planejamento para controle do câncer e ao trabalho conjunto no âmbito regional. Entre os fatores de êxito da implementação estão o engajamento de agentes de fora do segmento da saúde, a oferta de flexibilidade e a ênfase no planejamento conjunto com as partes interessadas. A implementação conjunta da C5 catalisou a priorização e acelerou atividades estratégicas para aprimorar as políticas, a capacidade e a qualidade da atenção às crianças nas Américas, apoiando os ministérios na integração das intervenções contra o câncer infantil como parte do fortalecimento dos sistemas.

Evidence of hidden leprosy in a supposedly low endemic area of Brazil

OBJECTIVES Show that hidden endemic leprosy exists in a municipality of inner São Paulo state (Brazil) with active surveillance actions based on clinical and immunological evaluations. METHODS The study sample was composed by people randomly selected by a dermatologist during medical care in the public emergency department and by active surveillance carried out during two days at a mobile clinic. All subjects received a dermato-neurological examination and blood sampling to determine anti-PGL-I antibody titers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS From July to December 2015, 24 new cases of leprosy were diagnosed; all were classified as multibacillary (MB) leprosy, one with severe Lucio's phenomenon. Seventeen (75%) were found with grade-1 or 2 disability at the moment of diagnosis. Anti-PGL-I titer was positive in 31/133 (23.3%) individuals, only 6/24 (25%) were positive in newly diagnosed leprosy cases. CONCLUSIONS During the last ten years before this study, the average new case detection rate (NCDR) in this town was 2.62/100,000 population. After our work, the NCDR was raised to 42.8/100,000. These results indicate a very high number of hidden leprosy cases in this supposedly low endemic area of Brazil.

Identification of serological biomarkers of infection, disease progression and treatment efficacy for leprosy

Although leprosy is curable with drug treatment, the identification of biomarkers of infection, disease progression and treatment efficacy would greatly help to reduce the overall prevalence of the disease. Reliable biomarkers would also reduce the incidence of grade-2 disability by ensuring that those who are most at risk are diagnosed and treated early or offered repeated treatments in the case of relapse. In this study, we examined the reactivity of sera from lepromatous and tuberculoid leprosy patients (LPs) against a panel of 12 recombinant Mycobacterium leprae proteins and found that six proteins were strongly recognised by multibacillary (MB) patients, while only three were consistently recognised by paucibacillary patients. To better understand the dynamics of patient antibody responses during and after drug therapy, we measured antibody titres to four recombinant proteins, phenolic glycolipid-I and lipoarabinomannan at baseline and up to two years after diagnosis to investigate the temporal changes in the antibody titres. Reactivity patterns to individual antigens and decreases in antibody titres were patient-specific. Antibody titres to proteins declined more rapidly vs. those to carbohydrate and glycolipid antigens. Compared to baseline values, increases in antibody titres were observed during reactional episodes in one individual. Additionally, antibody responses against a subset of antigens that provided a good prognostic indicator of disease progression were analysed in 51 household contacts of MB index cases for up to two years. Although the majority of these contacts showed no change or exhibited decreases in antibody titres, seven individuals developed higher titres towards one or more of these antigens and one individual with progressively higher titres was diagnosed with borderline lepromatous leprosy 19 months after enrolment. The results of this study indicate that antibody titres to specific M. leprae antigens can be used to monitor treatment efficacy in LPs and assess disease progression in those most at risk for developing this disease.