Breakthroughs Blog: Child health

In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past we. A quick and inexpensive test may make it easier to diagnose and distinguish betweenZika and dengue. Both viruses produce the same NS1 protein, making it is impossible for current NS1 protein-based diagnostic tests to discern between the two. To overcome this problem, scientists developed a set of antibodies produced from immune cells that can distinguish between an NS1 protein produced by the Zika virus and an NS1 protein produced by the dengue virus. In a study, the diagnostic test was able to discern between the two viruses, even when there was a lowNS1 protein count in the body. While further studies are required, this tool could become an essential diagnostic tool in areas of the world where both Zika and dengue are endemic. A series of papers exploring the impact of group B streptococcus (GBS) was published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. GBS is an infection a mother can pass to her fetus that can cause septicemia, meningitis, and even death. The papers argue that there are 410,000 cases of GBS every year with 147,000 associated stillbirths and infant deaths. There is also a major disparity of GBS cases between developed and developing countries: Many at-risk women in developed countries receive prophylactic antibiotics during labor, but those resources are often not available to women in developing countries. Scientists believe the solution to this problem is a GBS-specific vaccine, which could save over 100,000 infant lives.This vaccine may be critically important as scientists believe “immunizing expecting mothers is a potentially groundbreaking approach that could dramatically reduce the number of maternal and child deaths.”There is currently no GBS vaccine available, but there are candidates in development. The US Environmental Protection Agency approved the release of lab-reared “killer mosquitoes” to help reduce the population of disease-carrying mosquitoes in certain American states. A biotechnology start-up based in Kentucky—MosquitoMate—will rear these mosquitoes with a lethal bacterium that impedes reproduction and release the infected males into the wild. When the infected males mate with wild females, the offspring will not be viable due to malformed chromosomes. Over time, disease-carrying mosquito populations will dwindle. Other countries, including Brazil, have tried this method and found it successful, suggesting this could be a solution for countries severely affected by mosquito-borne illnesses. This method is also a “non-chemical way of dealing with mosquitoes,” so offers an alternative to pesticide-based vector control.

In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week. GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance has partnered with the wearable tech company Kushi Baby to bridge the immunization gap for infants in low-income communities. About 1.5 million children die every year from vaccine-preventable illnesses, and one in three do not receive the immunizations they need simply because health professionals "do not know they exist." This partnership will provide children with a wearable necklace technology that remotely tracks and updates their immunization history. The technology allows health professionals to more accurately provide the supplies needed when traveling to rural communities and reach children in need of immunization. This year 1,500 infants in Northern India received the necklaces. The partnership has a goal of increasing distribution to 5,000 necklaces by the end of the year. A new vaccine under development may lower pneumonia incidence and mortality rates by targeting additional strains of the bacteria, according to a new study published in Science Advances. Current pneumonia vaccines only target the most common strains of the illness, but this vaccine candidate targets dozens of additional strains. The candidate may also help maintain the body’s microbiome—a collection of healthy bacteria often killed during the immunization process—by “attack[ing] [bacteria] only if it breaks away from the colony to cause an illness.” The World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) has recommended a new typhoid fever vaccine that has demonstrated up to 87 percent effectiveness during a clinical study. This typhoid vaccine is the first of its kind licensed for use in children under two years of age. SAGE recommended the vaccine be given to children 6 months old and that catch-up campaigns be administered to immunize children between the ages of 6 months and 15 years of age. With drug-resistant typhoid growing in typhoid-endemic communities, the vaccine will also be a valuable tool in combatting antimicrobial resistance.  

In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week. A new study suggests the Nanopatch vaccine delivery system is more efficacious in protecting against poliovirus than typical syringes or needles. Nanopatch, defined as “a microscopic vaccine delivery platform,” targets immune cells in the outer layers of the skin, as opposed to typical syringes and needles, requiring injection into the muscle. The change from muscle to immune cells results in easier administration of the vaccine as well as a reduction in the required dosage. While initial data on Nanopatch is promising, more research is needed. The World Health Organization has warned that an increase in antibiotic use in livestock will result in increased antibiotic resistance humans, potentially causing one of the biggest threats to human health. The agricultural sectors in both Europe and North America are advancing efforts to curb antibiotic use, but many countries are still lagging behind in efforts to scale back use of antibiotics. While new policies and reform around livestock antibiotic use are needed, experts note there is still a need to treat health complications in livestock, through antibiotic alternatives like animal vaccines, as well as a need for improved diagnostics. The World Health Organization, numerous aid agencies, and relevant stakeholders have announced the first global pledge to end cholera by 2030, following one of the worst outbreaks of cholera in modern history. Cholera is considered a “disease of the poor,” affecting individuals living in areas with poor sanitary and water conditions. The recent outbreak is associated with and exacerbated by weak health systems, poor infrastructure, and a lack of necessary supplies to prevent, diagnose, or treat cholera. The pledge will focus on a multifaceted approach involving improving water and sanitation as a long-term solution and use of an oral, three-year cholera vaccine to provide immediate protection.

In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week. Sanofi Pasteur’s announcement that it will cease work on its Zika vaccine candidate has raised concerns about the future of Zika vaccine development. While the World Health Organization has reported 40 Zika vaccine candidates in development, with six candidates in phase 1 clinical trials, Sanofi was the only major pharmaceutical company working on a vaccine against the virus. Its exit from this space raises questions about who will fund clinical development if these candidates show further promise. Additionally, many unanswered questions remain about the virus’s epidemiology and the target population for a vaccine. While the number of Zika cases is now falling, Zika epidemics will likely reoccur in the future. Because of this risk, developing an effective and low-cost Zika vaccine must remain a priority. Johnson & Johnson and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) have formed a partnership to develop vaccines and drugs to protect against pandemic influenza. Among its projects, the partnership is seeking to develop a “universal” flu vaccine that protects against all or most influenza strains. This collaborative effort highlights a larger trend in partnerships between the private sector, the US government, and nonprofits to develop vaccines and technologies against emerging health threats for which there is currently limited commercial market. Pakistan has launched its first nationwide vaccination drive for polio, aiming to immunize over 37 million children. Pakistan is one of just three countries where polio cases remain, so this nationwide drive is an important step toward eradication. While polio still remains endemic in Pakistan, the number of cases has reduced dramatically in recent years from 306 cases in 2014 to just 4 today. Pakistan has experienced obstacles in its attempts to eradicate the virus, which include efforts by extremists to target immunization campaigns.