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Speed read A project is aiding resource-limited scientists to analyse deadly microbes’ genetic materials Large collections can now be analysed for as little as US$10 per genome Affordable genomic analysis is key to tackling infectious diseases [NAIROBI] A project equipping researchers with cheap and accessible methods for studying genetic materials of large collections of bacteria that cause diseases could be critical in tackling future global health challenges, scientists say. According to researchers, large-scale bacterial genome analyses have been possible in only a few sequencing centres globally until now and the cost had been as much as US$100 per genome. See PDF] “Our project has provided the best understanding of the Salmonella variants responsible for bloodstream infections in African countries including Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia, Mali, Malawi, Kenya, Senegal and Uganda in recent years — information that will be invaluable for evaluating the impact of the [Salmonella] vaccine rollout,” Hinton explained.
ABSTRACT
According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, vaccination prevents two to three million deaths annually worldwide from diseases such as tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), influenza and measles but almost 20 million infants each year lack adequate access to vaccines. See PDF] “Even when comparing children from households with similar socioeconomic characteristics, who live in the same area and have similar access to healthcare facilities, mistrust in local authorities, government, courts or the electoral system matters significantly when it comes to parents vaccinating their children,” says Jean-Francois Maystadt, study co-author and an associate professor in economics at Lancaster University, in northern England. See PDF] Lack of trust in governments, according to Maystadt, may lead to parents questioning the vaccine information they receive from health authorities.