A recent history of disease outbreaks in Kenya, 2007-2022: Findings from routine surveillance data (preprint)

Background Africa reports the highest number of outbreaks in the world, accounting for 39% of all outbreaks in 2022. The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response strategy in Kenya ensures the reporting of outbreaks at the national level. We present a summary of the burden of reported disease outbreaks in Kenya, 2007–2022.Methods We reviewed historical surveillance data, 2007–2022. We summarized the annual caseload and deaths of the reported outbreaks per county. We classified the outbreaks into 3 categories i.e., high, moderate, and low burden. We conducted the Mann-Kendall test to detect trends in the number of outbreaks and counties reporting over time.Results Twenty-three outbreaks were reported. COVID-19, cholera, epidemic malaria, leishmaniasis, and measles were associated with high disease burden. The highest number of outbreaks reported in a single year was 10. Garissa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Wajir, Mandera, and Mombasa, had the majority of the outbreaks and caseload.Conclusion There was an increase in the frequency and magnitude of outbreaks. This highlights the complex public health landscape and the vulnerability of the country to epidemics. The differences in outbreak occurrence among counties necessitate targeted and enhanced preventive, preparedness, and response interventions at the sub-national level to reduce the burden of outbreaks.

Superoxide Dismutase Inhibitors against Malaria, Leishmaniasis, and Chagas Disease: Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: Diseases caused by protozoa are one of the leading causes of death worldwide, especially in tropical regions such as Brazil. Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, and malaria are responsible for around 234 million cases and more than 400,000 deaths worldwide. Despite this scenario, drugs for these diseases have several limitations, which justifies the search for new treatments. Iron superoxide dismutase is a promising target for the drug design to treat patients with these diseases. It is a validated target and protects against oxidative stress. AIM: Thus, this systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on the importance of superoxide dismutase in the drug design to treat patients with this protozoosis. METHODS: A search was performed for in vitro and in vivo studies, without publication and language restrictions, in MEDLINE (PubMed), LILACS (BVS), Science Direct, and EMBASE (Elsevier). Studies that pointed to the relationship between the reduction or increase in superoxide dismutase activity and the diseases were included. 23 studies were selected for the qualitative synthesis. RESULTS: The results showed that the inhibition or reduction of the enzyme activity decreases the degree of infection and reinfection and improves the results in treating these diseases. In contrast, the increase in activity caused a high degree of survival and resistance of the parasites. CONCLUSION: However, the overall quality of evidence is low and more studies with methodological rigor are provided.

Small molecules containing chalcogen elements (S, Se, Te) as new warhead to fight neglected tropical diseases.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) encompass a group of infectious diseases with a protozoan etiology, high incidence, and prevalence in developing countries. As a result, economic factors constitute one of the main obstacles to their management. Endemic countries have high levels of poverty, deprivation and marginalization which affect patients and limit their access to proper medical care. As a matter of fact, statistics remain uncollected in some affected areas due to non-reporting cases. World Health Organization and other organizations proposed a plan for the eradication and control of the vector, although many of these plans were halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite of the available drugs to treat these pathologies, it exists a lack of effectiveness against several parasite strains. Treatment protocols for diseases such as American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease), leishmaniasis, and human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) have not achieved the desired results. Unfortunately, these drugs present limitations such as side effects, toxicity, teratogenicity, renal, and hepatic impairment, as well as high costs that have hindered the control and eradication of these diseases. This review focuses on the analysis of a collection of scientific shreds of evidence with the aim of identifying novel chalcogen-derived molecules with biological activity against Chagas disease, leishmaniasis and HAT. Compounds illustrated in each figure share the distinction of containing at least one chalcogen element. Sulfur (S), selenium (Se), and tellurium (Te) have been grouped and analyzed in accordance with their design strategy, chemical synthesis process and biological activity. After an exhaustive revision of the related literature on S, Se, and Te compounds, 183 compounds presenting excellent biological performance were gathered against the different causative agents of CD, leishmaniasis and HAT.

Digital strategies for health education on leishmaniasis / Estrategias digitales de educación en salud sobre leishmaniasis

La leishmaniasis es una enfermedad desatendida y endémica en localidades remotas de Perú, y existe evidencia de un alto índice de inexperiencia por parte del personal de salud que labora en zonas endémicas; asociada al diagnóstico, tratamiento y desconocimiento de protocolos nacionales e internacionales respecto a la enfermedad; lo que se traduce en un incremento de eventos adversos o una cura incompleta para los pacientes. Por otro lado, la pandemia por COVID-19, ha originado interrupción en los sistemas educativos, estimulando la aplicación de enfoques educativos a distancia. Se elaboró un programa académico de educación superior bajo la modalidad virtual, dirigido a profesionales sanitarios que laboran en áreas de riesgo o endémicas de leishmania, en el marco del eLearning, empleando tecnologías de información y comunicación (TIC) como herramientas para el aprendizaje; y se aplicó la metodología MEDESME en la planificación de herramientas digitales educativas. El producto incluyó la ficha académica del programa "leishmaniasis tegumentaria y visceral", diversos recursos de autoaprendizaje y estrategias de evaluación digitales. La aplicación del programa educativo permitiría capacitar y actualizar conocimientos a los profesionales de la salud y, en consecuencia, optimizar el diagnóstico, tratamiento y seguimiento de los pacientes afectados por las distintas manifestaciones de la leishmaniasis(AU)

Leishmaniasis is a neglected and endemic disease in remote locations in Peru, and there is evidence of a high rate of inexperience on the part of health personnel working in endemic areas; associated with the diagnosis, treatment and ignorance of national and international protocols regarding the disease; which translates into an increase in adverse events or an incomplete cure for patients. On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption in educational systems, stimulating the application of distance educational approaches. An academic program of higher education was developed under the virtual modality, aimed at health professionals who work in risky or endemic areas of leishmania, within the framework of eLearning, using information and communication technologies (ICT) as tools for learning; and the MEDESME methodology was applied in the planning of educational digital tools. The product included the academic record of the program "integumentary and visceral leishmaniasis", various self-study resources and digital assessment strategies. The application of the educational program would allow health professionals to be trained and updated and, consequently, to optimize the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients affected by the different manifestations of leishmaniasis(AU)

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal [2021; Vol.27, Issue 9] / [المجلة الصحية لشرق المتوسط [2021; المجلد 27 , العدد 9

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal is the official health journal published by the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of the World Health Organization. It is a forum for the presentation and promotion of new policies and initiatives in health services; and for the exchange of ideas concepts epidemiological data research findings and other information with special reference to the Eastern Mediterranean Region. It addresses all members of the health profession medical and other health educational institutes interested NGOs WHO Collaborating Centres and individuals within and outside the Region

المجلة الصحية لشرق المتوسط هى المجلة الرسمية التى تصدرعن المكتب الاقليمى لشرق المتوسط بمنظمة الصحة العالمية. وهى منبر لتقديم السياسات والمبادرات الجديدة فى الصحة العامة والخدمات الصحية والترويج لها، و لتبادل الاراء و المفاهيم والمعطيات الوبائية ونتائج الابحاث وغير ذلك من المعلومات، و خاصة ما يتعلق منها باقليم شرق المتوسط. وهى موجهة الى كل اعضاء المهن الصحية، والكليات الطبية وسائر المعاهد التعليمية، و كذا المنظمات غير الحكومية المعنية، والمراكز المتعاونة مع منظمة الصحة العالمية والافراد المهتمين بالصحة فى الاقليم و خارجه

La Revue de Santé de la Méditerranée Orientale est une revue de santé officielle publiée par le Bureau régional de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé pour la Méditerranée orientale. Elle offre une tribune pour la présentation et la promotion de nouvelles politiques et initiatives dans le domaine de la santé publique et des services de santé ainsi qu’à l’échange d’idées de concepts de données épidémiologiques de résultats de recherches et d’autres informations se rapportant plus particulièrement à la Région de la Méditerranée orientale. Elle s’adresse à tous les professionnels de la santé aux membres des instituts médicaux et autres instituts de formation médico-sanitaire aux ONG Centres collaborateurs de l’OMS et personnes concernés au sein et hors de la Région

Kinetoplastid cell biology and genetics, from the 2020 British Society for Parasitology Trypanosomiasis and Leishmaniasis symposium, Granada, Spain.

The British Society for Parasitology (BSP) holds a biannual symposium devoted to the kinetoplastids, and seeks to cover the full gamut of research into these important organisms, and alternates with the Woods Hole Kinetoplastid Molecular Cell Biology meeting that serves a similar community. While normally embedded within the main BSP Spring meeting, on several occasions the symposium has enjoyed the opportunity of being hosted on mainland Europe. In 2020, the BSP was fortunate to spend some time in Granada in Spain, where a superb meeting with excellent science in a spectacular setting was overshadowed by news of an emerging novel coronavirus. In this editorial, we hope to have captured some of that excellent science and to highlight aspects of the many great papers and reviews in this special issue, as well as provide a few images from the meeting, which we hope for this who attended will bring back some fond memories.

Surveillance data for human leishmaniasis indicate the need for a sustainable action plan for its management and control, Greece, 2004 to 2018.

BackgroundThe World Health Organization (WHO) lists human leishmaniasis as a neglected tropical disease; it is not under surveillance at European level.AimWe present surveillance data for visceral (VL) and cutaneous (CL) leishmaniasis for the period 2004 to 2018 in Greece to assess their public health importance.MethodsWe extracted data from the mandatory notification system to analyse separately imported and domestic cases of VL and CL. A case was defined by clinical manifestations compatible with VL or CL and laboratory confirmation.ResultsBetween 2004 and 2018, 881 VL (862 domestic, 19 imported) and 58 CL cases (24 domestic, 34 imported) were recorded. The mean annual notification rate of domestic VL was 0.5 per 100,000 (range: 0.12-1.43/100,000) with a statistically significant increasing trend (p = 0.013). Cases were reported by all regions. The highest notification rate occurred in the age group 0-4 years (1.3/100,000). Overall 24% (164/680) of the cases were immunocompromised and their proportion increased after 2010 (p < 0.001). The mean annual notification rate of domestic CL was 0.05 per 100,000 (range: 0.01-0.19/100,000) with the highest rate in the age group 5-14 years (0.03/100,000). Cases were recorded in six of the 13 regions. Among 34 imported CL cases, 29 were foreign nationals.ConclusionVL is endemic in Greece, with an increasing trend and a considerable burden of severe disease and young children being most affected. CL is rarely reported. A sustainable action plan is needed to reduce the burden of VL and prevent local transmission of CL.