June 05, 2023
Adoption of a resolution to expand access to medical oxygen at the World Health Assembly
Last week, The Lancet Global Health Commission on Medical Oxygen Security released a statement honoring the 194 WHO Member States’ adoption of the first resolution dedicated to increasing access to medical oxygen at the World Health Assembly. The Commission, which includes OHT’s Dr. Ramanan Laxminarayan, also highlighted the launch of a new Global Oxygen Alliance (GO2AL) to continue providing emergency oxygen support to low- and middle-income countries. The new WHO oxygen resolution will help countries bolster their health systems in the face of respiratory pandemics, like that of COVID-19. [Every Breath Counts]
Expanded maternal health care in Brazil improved neonatal and infant health outcomes.
In 2008, primary health care services in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil were expanded through the implementation of a family health strategy (FSH). A new study used live birth data to investigate the relationship between maternal FSH use and infant health outcomes in Rio de Janeiro. Neonates and infants born to mothers who used FSH in the first two trimesters of pregnancy experienced better health outcomes and chances of survival than those born to mothers who did not use FSH. FSH usage appeared to reduce mortality more significantly among neonates and infants born to lower-income or formally unemployed mothers compared to those born to more affluent mothers. Black neonates and infants did not experience the same benefits of maternal FSH usage during pregnancy, likely due to systemic racial and ethnic biases in Brazil. [The Lancet Regional Health – Americas]
Healthcare workers’ capacity to identify malaria in Ghana must be expanded.
Researchers conducted a qualitative assessment of health workers’ perspectives on malaria case identification and management among pregnant women in Savelugu Municipality, Ghana to inform policy changes aimed at controlling and eradicating malaria. They found that malaria training programs were not mandated and that some participating health workers had not received refresher training on malaria identification. Furthermore, many participants reported using signs and symptoms to identify malaria before confirmation with laboratory testing, possibly leading them to miss asymptomatic cases of malaria in pregnant women. Given the endemicity of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, new approaches to enhance the capacity of the malaria workforce are urgently needed. [PLOS Global Public Health]
Reporting veterinary AMR bacteria through a One Health surveillance approach
A recent outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) at a veterinary teaching hospital in Pennsylvania highlighted the need for a One Health surveillance approach to identify and report the presence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria. After analyzing data from two veterinary facilities in the midwestern US, researchers found that between 2018 and 2021, CRE was only sporadically isolated. However, following the import of a dog carrying carbapenem-resistant E. coli in February 2022, several dogs in the same facility tested positive for CRE. [Emerging Infectious Diseases]
Screening for asymptomatic Chagas disease is needed to mitigate its burden.
Also known as American trypanosomiasis, Chagas Disease (CD) is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted to humans by “kissing bugs.” Once infected, humans can experience fever, loss of appetite, fatigue, and/or liver enlargement. CD is endemic to South and Central America and causes approximately six million infections and 12,000 deaths annually. Of the six million individuals living with CD, 70 percent are unaware of their own infection due to the disease’s long chronic and often asymptomatic stage. Intensive screening protocols in CD-endemic areas can help mitigate the significant burden the disease puts on global healthcare systems. [BMC Medicine]
Low-carbon dietary shifts can reduce the hidden costs associated with food production.
Researchers investigated the potential indirect cost savings associated with a reduction in human consumption of animal-sourced foods (ASFs). As of 2018, external, or “hidden,” costs associated with global food production were US$14 trillion, of which $8.3 trillion is linked to human health burden and $5.7 trillion to ecosystem quality decline. ASFs were found to be responsible for 48 percent and 84 percent of external costs in low- and middle-income countries and high-income countries (HICs), respectively. Nine hypothetical dietary shift scenarios that reduced ASF content led to a significant decrease in external costs and greenhouse gas emissions, especially in HICs. [Nature Food]
Wastewater can be a cost-efficient source of irrigation water if treated.
A new review outlines the economic, environmental, and human health pros and cons of using wastewater for irrigation, a growing practice amidst an increasing scarcity of clean irrigation water. While wastewater reuse helps conserve freshwater resources and reduces costs associated with clean irrigation water, untreated wastewater can contaminate surrounding crops and expose humans to pollutants, heavy metals, and pathogens. Wastewater use for irrigation is inevitable and necessary, but wastewater treatment is crucial to protecting human and environmental health. Novel technologies such as biochar are being explored as feasible options for wastewater treatment before irrigation. [Total Environment Research Themes]
Identifying vaccine candidates and drug targets against N. gonorrhoeae
A reverse vaccinology approach was used in a new study to identify potential new drug targets and vaccine candidates against N. gonorrhoeae to help prevent and treat antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea. Out of 10 vaccine candidates that were evaluated, 2 cannot be considered viable candidates given their ability to hinder complement activation, thus removing the immunoprotective effect against N. gonorrhoeae. Four broad-spectrum drug targets, including UMP kinase, GlyQ, HU family DNA-binding protein, and IF-1, were proposed for use against N. gonorrhoeae. The study’s findings suggest that a two-pronged approach involving vaccination and novel antibiotic therapy could be effective against drug-resistant gonorrhea. [Infection, Genetics and Evolution]
Eastern coastal regions of India are at a disproportionate risk of human anthrax outbreaks.
Anthrax, a zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, is endemic to India and causes sporadic outbreaks in humans with a fatality rate between 2–100 percent depending on the mode of exposure. A systematic review from the past two decades revealed that human anthrax outbreaks were concentrated along the eastern coast of India, especially in the state of Odisha, which accounted for 46 percent of all cases of anthrax since 2009. Consumption and handling of infected animal products is the proximal driver of outbreaks. This is facilitated by poverty, lack of awareness, and traditional practices, as well as environmental factors such as deforestation, soil pH, temperature, and rainfall. The institution of rapid surveillance systems, improved local diagnostic capacity, routine livestock vaccination, and adequate veterinary services are suggested to decrease the occurrence of anthrax outbreaks. [One Health]
Heat may drive immigration and negatively impact migrant health.
A scoping review investigating the relationship between rising external, near-surface temperatures and migrant health found the influence of heat on migration to be complex and multidirectional. Other climatic factors, agricultural productivity, economic opportunities, age, and gender are all moderating factors in the heat-migration pathway. Additionally, the vast majority of studies found that heat has a negative impact on migrant health outcomes, which were exacerbated by poor infrastructure and working conditions, as well as lower socioeconomic status and lower educational attainment. [PLOS Climate]
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