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In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week. In response to a 2004 meningitis B epidemic in New Zealand, health clinics across the country offered free vaccinations over the course of two years for any individual under the age of 20. The vaccine, MeNZB, is used primarily to protect against meningitis B, but according to ecological data in Cuba, New Zealand, and Norway, the vaccine also appears to be associated with reduced rates of gonorrhea. To study this further, researchers took retrospective data from 11 health clinics across New Zealand, and compared rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia, analyzing the relationship between vaccination and infection rates. The researchers found that vaccinated individuals were significantly less likely to contract gonorrhea than their unvaccinated counterparts—but vaccine effectiveness rates fell for those co-infected with chlamydia. While this vaccine was only on the market from 2004–2006, these results suggest further study of the vaccine’s potential is warranted, especially as gonorrhea becomes increasingly resistant to first-line drugs. The path toward the elimination of measles, mumps, and rubella has been stymied by low vaccination rates in certain areas of the world, including in developed countries like Italy, Romania, Germany, and the United States. The surge in incidence and deaths from these diseases in developed areas of the world suggests there are pockets of low-immunized communities that are leaving thousands of neighboring children in danger of contracting these diseases. The debunked belief that vaccines cause autism has also contributed to this decline in immunization rates. The recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) helped the global health community understand the many complex, moving parts to contain an outbreak. While the DRC beat this particular outbreak in a short period of time, the global health community is still worried that this was merely an exception and the international community is still not equipped with the systems needed to deal with a complex, intercontinental pandemic. The outbreak happened in an incredibly remote area of the DRC, which limited the spread of the virus. While the response by the government and the World Health Organization was quick and effective, it is important to consider that outbreaks that occur in or closer to larger towns could pose a much greater threat and complicate the response. Another important factor in managing an outbreak like Ebola is the political health of a nation. Countries like Sierra Leone and Liberia, both heavily impacted by the 2014 outbreak, have been institutionally weakened by recent civil wars, leaving them more susceptible to large-scale and more deadly outbreaks.  

In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week. The University of Southampton studied malaria funding in Sub-Saharan Africa with the intent to map funding amounts in regions where the malaria is endemic. While global deaths due to malaria have fallen by 60 percent over the last 20 years, the parasite still kills over 400,000 individuals every year. Further, the University found that about 25 percent of Sub-Saharan African countries do not receive the funding for malaria research they need to successfully mitigate the impact of the disease. While all countries received funding for non-research purposes—such as for resources like bed nets and anti-malarial drugs—this funding is not sufficient for the regions where mosquitos carrying the parasite are becoming increasingly resistant to current drugs, vector controls, and preventative methods. A number of factors contribute to this gap in funding. Among the most critical is the lack of adequate research infrastructure in many Sub-Saharan African countries. The European Commission, in partnership with the European Union (EU), have devised and launched a new-age action plan to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The foundation of the plan posits that AMR impacts not only human health, but also in environmental and animal health. The goal of these efforts is to make the EU a “best practice” region for combatting AMR; to boost research, development, and innovation; and to shape the global agenda. The new plan was launched to improve upon the efforts of the previous action plan, as AMR-related deaths are estimated to kill 25,000 Europeans every year. The new plan aims to address a wide range of issues related to AMR in the EU, including the varying levels of resistance around the Union, controlling agricultural practices, and controlling antimicrobial use. Quality-assured malaria drugs undergo substantial testing and verification from international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). A recent study published in Malaria Today found that the private sector has made many non-quality-assured medicines available in several malaria-endemic countries. For instance, over 40 percent of private sector organizations in Kenya stock non-quality-assured drugs. These drugs have not been patient tested, have not gone through adequate clinical trials, or may have even been denied approval by regulating bodies such as WHO. Thus, not only is patient health and safety is compromised, but also these drugs have the potential to exacerbate vector- or malaria-resistance, making combating this disease more difficult.