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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. Scientists at the UK’s John Innes Centre believe that a plant closely related to tobacco may hold promise in accelerating polio eradication by transforming vaccine manufacturing. Scientists have hijacked the plant’s growing mechanisms with genetic code for making the outer surface of poliovirus and taught them to grow virus-like particles, which are then extracted into a vaccine. This resulting vaccine mimics the poliovirus, and thus elicits an immune response, but contains none of the properties that cause a poliovirus infection. Scientists are hopeful this may be an effective way to create safe vaccines in the future that aren't made with live viruses, and hope to mimic the process with other viruses as well. Following the 2014 Ebola outbreak in several African countries, an African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) was formalized and launched to focus on capacity building in Africa to protect against infectious disease threats. Ending malaria is an important target of the Africa CDC, but there is much to be done to achieve this goal. First, efforts to collect real-time data must be strengthened to ensure the Africa CDC makes informed decisions. Second, international aid institutions and African nations must provide adequate resources to support the Africa CDC. Third, the international community must continue to work toward malaria eradication. Scientists believe individuals in the Americas have developed herd immunity that has resulted in a significant drop-off in Zika incidence. Once a person is infected with Zika, it is not possible for them to be infected again, so they can no longer pass on the virus to mosquitoes who pass it on to other individuals. Scientists think because Zika is usually asymptomatic in non-pregnant individuals, many have been infected and are now immune. This suggests that as the number of people resistant to the virus increases, incidence of others contracting the virus will decrease. With that said, however, scientists still urge pregnant women to take caution when traveling to Zika endemic areas of the world.

In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week. A new tool developed by the University of Greenwich uses hot water and human scent to lure and trap mosquitoes. The tool is a simple black bucket attached to a wind tunnel that blows warm air with a human scent. The mosquitoes, initially attracted to the scent, are lured to the bucket, and then use the thermal indicators of the warm water to land. The bucket itself is covered in a sticky plastic that traps the mosquitoes. This tool is inexpensive, easy to build, and has proven to be effective in trapping large amounts of the insect. The developers are testing the prototype in three African nations and believe the tool could be a breakthrough in reducing mosquito-borne diseases. Pew Charitable Trusts has announced it will create a new cloud-based digital platform to allow researchers to share data and collaborate to discover new antibiotics to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). As AMR levels continue to rise across the globe, scientists are moving quickly to discover new antibiotics that can treat resistant strains of viruses and bacteria. The platform will host a “virtual laboratory” for scientists to collaborate and crowdsource information to break through common obstacles and limitations associated with discovering new antibiotics. The system is expected to launch within a year. Antibiotic use in Chinese factory farms is expected to double by 2030, causing concern in the science community. Because more than half of the antibiotics used globally are used in China, scientists are worried that increased use in the poultry industry could accelerate the growth of antimicrobial resistance. Researchers are also concerned the industry practices have made avian flu an increasing global threat. The global livestock industry has been under scrutiny for years following a major dirty meat scandal involving major fast food chains, highlighting continued issues with the worldwide impact of food supply chains. Scientists urge changes to make livestock healthier, reduce greenhouse gases, and track the global movement of meat.