Available evidence of antibiotic resistance from extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in paediatric patients in 20 countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Volume 97, Number 7, July 2019, 441-512
https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/97/7/en/

 

SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS
Available evidence of antibiotic resistance from extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in paediatric patients in 20 countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis
— Yanhong Jessika Hu, Anju Ogyu, Benjamin J Cowling, Keiji Fukuda & Herbert H Pang
http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.18.225698

One hundred years after the 1918 pandemic new concepts for preparing for influenza pandemics

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Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases
August 2019 – Volume 32 – Issue 4
https://journals.lww.com/co-infectiousdiseases/pages/currenttoc.aspx

 

NOSOCOMIAL AND HEALTHCARE RELATED INFECTIONS
One hundred years after the 1918 pandemic new concepts for preparing for influenza pandemics
Pavia, Andrew
Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. 32(4):365-371, August 2019.

Words, images and gender : Lessons from a survey on the public perception of synthetic biology and related disciplines

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EMBO Reports
Volume 20 Issue 7 1 July 2019
https://www.embopress.org/toc/14693178/current

 

Science & Society 26 June 2019 Open Access
Words, images and gender : Lessons from a survey on the public perception of synthetic biology and related disciplines
Manuel Porcar, Adriel Latorre‐Pérez, Esther Molina‐Menor, Martí Domínguez
A large survey of visitors at a science museum about the perception of biotechnology shows that names matter and that gender has an influence on people’s attitude towards new technologies.

The development and reform of public health in China from 1949 to 2019

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Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 24 Nov 2018]

 

Research
|   2 July 2019
The development and reform of public health in China from 1949 to 2019
Authors: Li Wang, Zhihao Wang, Qinglian Ma, Guixia Fang and Jinxia Yang
Public health system plays a vital role in the development of health sector in China and protects the health of Chinese people. However, there are few comprehensive reviews and studies focusing on its evolution and reform. It is worthwhile to pay attention to the public health development in China, given that the history and structure of public health system have their own characteristics in China.

Compliance among infants exposed to hepatitis B virus in a post-vaccination serological testing program in four provinces in China

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Infectious Diseases of Poverty
http://www.idpjournal.com/content
[Accessed 6 Jul 2019]

 

Research Article
Compliance among infants exposed to hepatitis B virus in a post-vaccination serological testing program in four provinces in China
Mother to child transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains the most common form of HBV infection in China. Prevention of HBV vertical transmission involves timely administration of the complete hepatitis …
Authors: Hui Zheng, Guo-Min Zhang, Po-Lin Chan, Fu-Zhen Wang, Lance Everett Rodewald, Ning Miao, Xiao-Jin Sun, Zun-Dong Yin, Jeffrey Edwards and Hua-Qing Wang
Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2019 8:57
Published on: 4 July 2019

Outbreaks of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases – Responding to System Failure With National Vaccination Requirements

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JAMA
July 2, 2019, Vol 322, No. 1, Pages 3-90
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

 

Editorial
Outbreaks of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases – Responding to System Failure With National Vaccination Requirements
Matthew M. Davis, MD, MAPP; Seema K. Shah, JD
Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases indicate failures in health care and public health systems. One type of failure occurs when a vaccine offers insufficient protection, for instance during an influenza season when the predominant circulating strain is unrelated to antigens included in the flu vaccine for that year. Another type of failure occurs when a safe and effective vaccine is available in wealthier nations, but is not accessible to eligible patients in less wealthy nations because it is prohibitively expensive. A third type of failure occurs when parents choose not to immunize their eligible children with recommended vaccines. This particular form of system failure puts each unvaccinated child at risk for vaccine-preventable illness, and also undermines herd immunity that otherwise protects children from the same illness. From a system perspective, herd immunity is a system redundancy that helps guard, but does not completely protect, against failure.

Associations of Statewide Legislative and Administrative Interventions With Vaccination Status Among Kindergartners in California

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JAMA
July 2, 2019, Vol 322, No. 1, Pages 3-90
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

 

Original Investigation
Associations of Statewide Legislative and Administrative Interventions With Vaccination Status Among Kindergartners in California
S. Cassandra Pingali, MPH, MS; Paul L. Delamater, PhD; Alison M. Buttenheim, MBA, PhD; et al.
has active quiz has audio
JAMA. 2019;322(1):49-56. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.7924
This observational study uses yearly cross-sectional school-entry data to calculate changes in rates of kindergartners attending California schools who were not up to date on required vaccinations before and after legislative and administrative initiatives in 2014-2017 intended to increase vaccine uptake.

Implementation Challenges and Opportunities Related to HPV Vaccination Quality Improvement in Primary Care Clinics in a Rural State

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Journal of Community Health
Volume 44, Issue 4, August 2019
https://link.springer.com/journal/10900/44/4

 

Original Paper
Implementation Challenges and Opportunities Related to HPV Vaccination Quality Improvement in Primary Care Clinics in a Rural State
Natoshia M. Askelson, Grace Ryan, Laura Seegmiller

Implementation Challenges and Opportunities Related to HPV Vaccination Quality Improvement in Primary Care Clinics in a Rural State

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Journal of Community Health
Volume 44, Issue 4, August 2019
https://link.springer.com/journal/10900/44/4

 

Original Paper
Implementation Challenges and Opportunities Related to HPV Vaccination Quality Improvement in Primary Care Clinics in a Rural State
Natoshia M. Askelson, Grace Ryan, Laura Seegmiller

Effects of Superblocks on health and health inequities: a proposed evaluation framework

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Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health
July 2019 – Volume 73 – 7
https://jech.bmj.com/content/73/7

 

Essay
Effects of Superblocks on health and health inequities: a proposed evaluation framework (1 April, 2019)
Roshanak Mehdipanah, Ana M Novoa, Brenda Biaani León-Gómez, Maria José López, Laia Palència, Hugo Vasquez, Èlia Díez, Carme Borrell, Katherine Pérez
Abstract
The following essay outlines the intervention and presents a framework that will serve as a guide in the evaluation of the different effects of the Superblocks. Superblocks consist of amalgamations of blocks throughout the city, with the goal of improving the habitability of public spaces, advancing sustainable mobility, increasing urban green, and promoting residents’ participation and coresponsibility, while ultimately influencing residents’ health and health inequities. The evaluation framework considers the following aspects: the interventions implemented in the Superblock strategy, the changes that occur at neighbourhood and individual level and the population turnover as intermediate factors and finally the health outcomes. Inequity dimensions are also considered.

Poliovirus Type 2 Seroprevalence Following Full- or Fractional-Dose Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine in the Period After Sabin Type 2 Withdrawal in Sri Lanka

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Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume 219, Issue 12, 15 June 2019
https://academic.oup.com/jid/issue/219/12

 

MAJOR ARTICLES AND BRIEF REPORTS
Poliovirus Type 2 Seroprevalence Following Full- or Fractional-Dose Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine in the Period After Sabin Type 2 Withdrawal in Sri Lanka
Deepa Gamage; Ondrej Mach; Samitha Ginige; William C Weldon; M Steven Oberste …
The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Volume 219, Issue 12, 15 June 2019, Pages 1887–1892, https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiz026
Sri Lankan immunization program in 2016 replaced intramuscular inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) with intradermal fractional-dose IPV. In our study, we demonstrated that seroprevalence of antipolio antibodies did not significantly differ between recipients of full- and fractional-dose IPV.

Ethical issues raised by cluster randomised trials conducted in low-resource settings: identifying gaps in the Ottawa Statement through an analysis of the PURE Malawi trial

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Journal of Medical Ethics
June 2019 – Volume 45 – 6
http://jme.bmj.com/content/current

 

Ethical issues raised by cluster randomised trials conducted in low-resource settings: identifying gaps in the Ottawa Statement through an analysis of the PURE Malawi trial (12 June, 2019)
Tiwonge K Mtande, Charles Weijer, Mina C Hosseinipour, Monica Taljaard, Mitch Matoga, Cory E Goldstein, Billy Nyambalo, Nora E Rosenberg

BCG Vaccination at Birth and Rate of Hospitalization for Infection Until 15 Months of Age in Danish Children: A Randomized Clinical Multicenter Trial

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Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (JPIDS)
Volume 8, Issue 3, September 2019
https://academic.oup.com/jpids/issue

 

ORIGINAL ARTICLES
BCG Vaccination at Birth and Rate of Hospitalization for Infection Until 15 Months of Age in Danish Children: A Randomized Clinical Multicenter Trial
Lone Graff Stensballe; Henrik Ravn; Nina Marie Birk; Jesper Kjærgaard; Thomas Nørrelykke Nissen …
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Volume 8, Issue 3, September 2019, Pages 213–220, https://doi.org/10.1093/jpids/piy029
In this large-scale randomized controlled trial that included 4262 Danish infants, vaccination against BCG did not affect the rate of hospitalization for infection up to the age of 15 months. In future studies, the role of maternal vaccination against BCG, premature birth, and cesarean delivery in BCG-vaccinated children needs further exploration.

Synthetic evolution

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Nature Biotechnology
Volume 37 Issue 7, July 2019
https://www.nature.com/nbt/volumes/37/issues/7

 

Review Article | 17 June 2019
Synthetic evolution
From unbiased mutagenesis to precision modification, in genes or whole genomes, researchers have a panoply of tools to direct evolution.
Anna J. Simon, Simon d’Oelsnitz & Andrew D. Ellington
Abstract
The combination of modern biotechnologies such as DNA synthesis, λ red recombineering, CRISPR-based editing and next-generation high-throughput sequencing increasingly enables precise manipulation of genes and genomes. Beyond rational design, these technologies also enable the targeted, and potentially continuous, introduction of multiple mutations. While this might seem to be merely a return to natural selection, the ability to target evolution greatly reduces fitness burdens and focuses mutation and selection on those genes and traits that best contribute to a desired phenotype, ultimately throwing evolution into fast forward.

Breeding crops to feed 10 billion

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Nature Biotechnology
Volume 37 Issue 7, July 2019
https://www.nature.com/nbt/volumes/37/issues/7

 

Review Article | 17 June 2019
Breeding crops to feed 10 billion
Development of next-generation crops will be enabled by combining state-of-the-art technologies with speed breeding.
Lee T. Hickey, Amber N. Hafeez[…] & Brande B. H. Wulff
Abstract
Crop improvements can help us to meet the challenge of feeding a population of 10 billion, but can we breed better varieties fast enough? Technologies such as genotyping, marker-assisted selection, high-throughput phenotyping, genome editing, genomic selection and de novo domestication could be galvanized by using speed breeding to enable plant breeders to keep pace with a changing environment and ever-increasing human population.

Versatile genetics

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Nature Genetics
Volume 51 Issue 7, July 2019
https://www.nature.com/ng/volumes/51/issues/7

 

Editorial | 28 June 2019
Versatile genetics
We are constantly amazed by the power of genetics and its ability to solve complex and seemingly intractable problems. The creative application of genetic and genomic analyses to diverse areas has led to advances across basic biology and human disease. We hope to continue to see technologies develop that expand the genetic and genomic toolkit and that bring new discoveries and insights into basic and applied research.

Priority index for human genetics and drug discovery

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Nature Genetics
Volume 51 Issue 7, July 2019
https://www.nature.com/ng/volumes/51/issues/7

 

News & Views | 28 June 2019
Priority index for human genetics and drug discovery
Although human genetics can help identify new drug targets, the best way to prioritize genes as therapeutic targets is uncertain. A new study describes a framework to prioritize potential targets by integrating genome-wide association data with genomic features, disease ontologies and network connectivity.
Robert M. Plenge

A genetics-led approach defines the drug target landscape of 30 immune-related traits

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Nature Genetics
Volume 51 Issue 7, July 2019
https://www.nature.com/ng/volumes/51/issues/7

 

Letter | 28 June 2019
A genetics-led approach defines the drug target landscape of 30 immune-related traits
A genetics-led translational approach integrating functional genomic predictors, knowledge of network connectivity and immune ontologies defines the drug target prioritization landscape for 30 immune traits at the gene and pathway level.
Hai Fang, Georg Beckmann[…] & Julian C. Knight
Abstract
Most candidate drugs currently fail later-stage clinical trials, largely due to poor prediction of efficacy on early target selection1. Drug targets with genetic support are more likely to be therapeutically valid2,3, but the translational use of genome-scale data such as from genome-wide association studies for drug target discovery in complex diseases remains challenging4,5,6. Here, we show that integration of functional genomic and immune-related annotations, together with knowledge of network connectivity, maximizes the informativeness of genetics for target validation, defining the target prioritization landscape for 30 immune traits at the gene and pathway level. We demonstrate how our genetics-led drug target prioritization approach (the priority index) successfully identifies current therapeutics, predicts activity in high-throughput cellular screens (including L1000, CRISPR, mutagenesis and patient-derived cell assays), enables prioritization of under-explored targets and allows for determination of target-level trait relationships. The priority index is an open-access, scalable system accelerating early-stage drug target selection for immune-mediated disease.

Frontiers in Medicine: Genetic Variation, Comparative Genomics, and the Diagnosis of Disease

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New England Journal of Medicine
July 4, 2019 Vol. 381 No. 1
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

 

Review Article
Frontiers in Medicine: Genetic Variation, Comparative Genomics, and the Diagnosis of Disease
Evan E. Eichler, Ph.D.
The genome is not akin to a string of fixed length. Many large segments of DNA may be present or absent — a major contributor to pathogenic genomic variation. New technologies in DNA sequencing are helping to uncover this type of variation, which often cannot be detected by standard DNA sequencing.

Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Effectiveness Over Time

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Pediatrics
July 2019, VOLUME 144 / ISSUE 1
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/1?current-issue=y

 

Articles
Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Effectiveness Over Time
Ousseny Zerbo, Joan Bartlett, Kristin Goddard, Bruce Fireman, Edwin Lewis, Nicola P. Klein
Pediatrics Jul 2019, 144 (1) e20183466; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-3466
Compared with children fully DTaP vaccinated, unvaccinated and undervaccinated children were at a greater risk of pertussis. However, most pertussis cases occurred among age-appropriately vaccinated children.

Implementing Evidence-Based Strategies to Improve HPV Vaccine Delivery

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Pediatrics
July 2019, VOLUME 144 / ISSUE 1
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/1?current-issue=y

 

Implementing Evidence-Based Strategies to Improve HPV Vaccine Delivery
Melissa B. Gilkey, Michael J. Parks, Marjorie A. Margolis, Annie-Laurie McRee, Jason V. Terk
Pediatrics Jul 2019, 144 (1) e20182500; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-2500
The experience of a large, not-for-profit health care system suggests that local adaptation may be effective in engaging physicians in HPV vaccine–related QI efforts.

Spread of Measles in Europe and Implications for US Travelers

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Pediatrics
July 2019, VOLUME 144 / ISSUE 1
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/1?current-issue=y

 

Special Articles
Spread of Measles in Europe and Implications for US Travelers
Kristina M. Angelo, Paul A. Gastañaduy, Allison T. Walker, Manisha Patel, Susan Reef, C. Virginia Lee, Jeffrey Nemhauser
Pediatrics Jul 2019, 144 (1) e20190414; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2019-0414
The record number of measles cases in the WHO European Region puts both international travelers and nontraveling US residents at risk for measles.

Allowing Adolescents to Weigh Benefits and Burdens of High-stakes Therapies

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Pediatrics
July 2019, VOLUME 144 / ISSUE 1
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/1?current-issue=y

 

Ethics Rounds
Allowing Adolescents to Weigh Benefits and Burdens of High-stakes Therapies
Kriti Puri, Janet Malek, Caridad Maylin de la Uz, John Lantos, Antonio Gabriel Cabrera, Ernest Frugé
Pediatrics Jul 2019, 144 (1) e20183714; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-3714
In this case study, we discuss the ethical considerations when there is discordance between an adolescent close to attaining age of majority and the parent currently responsible for medical decision-making in a high-risk medical setting.

Extending the Reach of Pediatric Emergency Preparedness: A Virtual Tabletop Exercise Targeting Children’s Needs

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Public Health Reports
Volume 134 Issue 4, July/August 2019
https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/phrg/134/4

 

Public Health Evaluation
Extending the Reach of Pediatric Emergency Preparedness: A Virtual Tabletop Exercise Targeting Children’s Needs
Marvin So, MPH, Eric J. Dziuban, MD, DTM, CPH, Jessica L. Franks, MPH, Karen Cobham-Owens, MPA, David J. Schonfeld, MD, Aaron H. Gardner, MD, MS, Steven E. Krug, MD, Georgina Peacock, MD, MPH, Sarita Chung, MD
First Published May 16, 2019; pp. 344–353

Regulating genetic biohacking

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Science
05 July 2019 Vol 365, Issue 6448
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

 

Policy Forum
Regulating genetic biohacking
By Patricia J. Zettler, Christi J. Guerrini, Jacob S. Sherkow
Science05 Jul 2019 : 34-36 Restricted Access
Emphasize community engagement, not perfect compliance
Summary
Just as the popularization of computers in the late 1970s and early 1980s gave rise to computer hacking, the recent accessibility and affordability of relatively easy (and widely hyped) genome-editing technologies and resources has spurred interest in genetic “biohacking”—molecular genetics experiments performed outside institutional laboratories by individuals who may have little formal scientific training. Regulation of the work of professional scientists and traditional scientific institutions is robust, although it still faces scrutiny in the wake of He Jiankui’s genome-editing experiments on Chinese twins (1). However, regulation of genetic biohacking has received far less attention, even though, like traditional scientific research, it is likely to produce a range of innovations while posing a number of risks to public health. Here, we explore these risks and the consequences of understanding that some instances of regulatory failure for biohacking are inevitable. And, where they are not, we suggest that agencies, policy-makers, and private parties have the opportunity to improve oversight of genetic biohacking using the tools they currently possess.

Design of vaccine efficacy trials during public health emergencies

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Science Translational Medicine
03 July 2019 Vol 11, Issue 499
https://stm.sciencemag.org/

 

Perspective
Design of vaccine efficacy trials during public health emergencies
By Natalie E. Dean, Pierre-Stéphane Gsell, Ron Brookmeyer, Victor De Gruttola, Christl A. Donnelly, M. Elizabeth Halloran, Momodou Jasseh, Martha Nason, Ximena Riveros, Conall H. Watson, Ana Maria Henao-Restrepo, Ira M. Longini
Science Translational Medicine03 Jul 2019 Restricted Access
Abstract
Public health emergencies, such as an Ebola disease outbreak, provide a complex and challenging environment for the evaluation of candidate vaccines. Here, we outline the need for flexible and responsive vaccine trial designs to be used in public health emergencies, and we summarize recommendations for their use in this setting.

Assessing trauma care health systems in low- and middle-income countries, a protocol for a systematic literature review and narrative synthesis

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Systematic Reviews
https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles
[Accessed 6 Jul 2019]

 

Protocol
Assessing trauma care health systems in low- and middle-income countries, a protocol for a systematic literature review and narrative synthesis
Trauma represents a major global health problem projected to increase in importance over the next decade. The majority of deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where survival rates are lower…
Authors: John Whitaker, Max Denning, Nollaig O’Donohoe, Dan Poenaru, Elena Guadagno, Andy Leather and Justine Davies
Citation: Systematic Reviews 2019 8:157
Published on: 2 July 2019

An evolution in thinking to support the post 2020 global vaccine strategy: The application of complexity and implementation science

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Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 31 Pages 4233-4418 (18 July 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/31

 

Discussion No access
An evolution in thinking to support the post 2020 global vaccine strategy: The application of complexity and implementation science
Anthony C. Dowell, Lisa Menning, Noni MacDonald, Nikki Turner
Pages 4236-4240

Bolstering trust in the human papillomavirus vaccine through improved communication in the vaccine information statement

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Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 31 Pages 4233-4418 (18 July 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/31

 

Discussion No access
Bolstering trust in the human papillomavirus vaccine through improved communication in the vaccine information statement
Catherine Constable, Carolyn Riley Chapman
Pages 4241-4242

Missed Opportunities for HPV Vaccination Among Vaccine-Eligible Women with High Grade Cervical Lesions

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Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 31 Pages 4233-4418 (18 July 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/31

 

Research article Abstract only
Missed Opportunities for HPV Vaccination Among Vaccine-Eligible Women with High Grade Cervical Lesions
Savanah M. Russ, Monica Brackney, James Meek, Linda M. Niccolai
Pages 4262-4267

Opportunities to improve vaccination coverage in a country with a fledgling health system: Findings from an assessment of missed opportunities for vaccination among health center attendees—Timor Leste, 2016

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Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 31 Pages 4233-4418 (18 July 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/31

 

Research article Open access
Opportunities to improve vaccination coverage in a country with a fledgling health system: Findings from an assessment of missed opportunities for vaccination among health center attendees—Timor Leste, 2016
Anyie J. Li, Thelge Sudath Rohana Peiris, Colin Sanderson, Laura Nic Lochlainn, … Ikechukwu Udo Ogbuanu
Pages 4281-4290

Anthropometric, cognitive, and schooling benefits of measles vaccination: Longitudinal cohort analysis in Ethiopia, India, and Vietnam

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Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 31 Pages 4233-4418 (18 July 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/31

 

Research article Open access
Anthropometric, cognitive, and schooling benefits of measles vaccination: Longitudinal cohort analysis in Ethiopia, India, and Vietnam
Arindam Nandi, Anita Shet, Jere R. Behrman, Maureen M. Black, … Ramanan Laxminarayan
Pages 4336-4343

Economic and immunisation safety surveillance characteristics of countries implementing no-fault compensation programmes for vaccine injuries

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Vaccine
Volume 37, Issue 31 Pages 4233-4418 (18 July 2019)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/37/issue/31

 

Research article Abstract only
Economic and immunisation safety surveillance characteristics of countries implementing no-fault compensation programmes for vaccine injuries
Randy G. Mungwira, Christine Guillard Maure, Patrick L.F. Zuber
Pages 4370-4375

Media/Policy Watch

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Media/Policy Watch
This watch section is intended to alert readers to substantive news, analysis and opinion from the general media and selected think tanks and similar organizations on vaccines, immunization, global public health and related themes. Media Watch is not intended to be exhaustive, but indicative of themes and issues CVEP is actively tracking. This section will grow from an initial base of newspapers, magazines and blog sources, and is segregated from Journal Watch above which scans the peer-reviewed journal ecology.
We acknowledge the Western/Northern bias in this initial selection of titles and invite suggestions for expanded coverage. We are conservative in our outlook in adding news sources which largely report on primary content we are already covering above. Many electronic media sources have tiered, fee-based subscription models for access. We will provide full-text where content is published without restriction, but most publications require registration and some subscription level.

 

The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

 

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

 

The Economist
http://www.economist.com/
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
Drop goal
Pakistan is trying new tactics to eliminate polio
A kinder, gentler vaccination drive is intended to win over suspicious parents
Jul 4th 2019 | ISLAMABAD

 

Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/home/uk
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
Opinion Ebola
Ebola outbreak demonstrates science’s need to ‘nudge’
Human behaviour can be as destructive to human health as any deadly pathogen
Anjana Ahuja

 

Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

 

Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

 

The Guardian
http://www.guardiannews.com/
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
Opinion
Vaccines and immunisation
I’ve seen hundreds of cases of measles in one day. It is a luxury to be able to vaccinate your child
No child should die of measles, whether in Australia, the Democratic Republic of Congo or elsewhere
Saschveen Singh
Thu 4 Jul 2019 00.37 EDT Last modified on Thu 4 Jul 2019 01.20 EDT
When I travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a doctor, I was prepared for confronting conditions.

 

New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
[No new, unique, relevant content]

 

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
Asia Pacific
Chinese Official: Pig Fever Outbreak ‘Complicated and Grim’
The death toll from a disease outbreak in China’s pig herds that has pushed up global pork prices has risen to 1.2 million animals, but its spread has “significantly slowed,” a deputy agriculture minister said Thursday.
By The Associated Press
July 4

Africa
Ebola Case Reported Not Far From South Sudan Border
Authorities have confirmed an Ebola case not far from Congo’s border with South Sudan, a country with a weak health care system after years of civil war that is vulnerable to the potential spread of the deadly disease.
By The Associated Press
July 2

U.S.
Kentucky Students Lose Appeal in Chickenpox Vaccination Case
More than two dozen Catholic school students and their parents have lost their initial appeal in challenging a Kentucky health department’s efforts to control a chickenpox outbreak they claim infringed on their religious beliefs.
By The Associated Press
July 1

U.S.
U.S. Recorded 18 New Cases of Measles Last Week
The United States recorded 18 new measles cases last week, taking the total for the year to 1,095 in the worst outbreak since 1992, federal health officials said on Monday.
By Reuters
July 1

 

Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
[No new, unique, relevant content]

Think Tanks et al

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Think Tanks et al

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
Order from Chaos
Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo: It’s more than a public health problem
Michael T. Evans
Monday, July 1, 2019

 

Center for Global Development
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Publication
Tackling the Triple Transition in Global Health Procurement (brief)
7/2/19
There have been impressive gains in global health over the past 20 years, with millions of lives saved through expanded access to essential medicines and other health products. But behind these successes is an unacceptable reality: in many low- and middle-income countries, lifesaving health products are either unavailable or beyond the reach of the people who need them most.

 

CSIS
https://www.csis.org/
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
[No new relevant content]

 

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
[No new relevant content]

 

Kaiser Family Foundation
https://www.kff.org/search/?post_type=press-release
Accessed 6 Jul 2019
[No new relevant content]

Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review :: 29 June 2019

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Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review is a weekly digest  summarizing news, events, announcements, peer-reviewed articles and research in the global vaccine ethics and policy space. Content is aggregated from key governmental, NGO, international organization and industry sources, key peer-reviewed journals, and other media channels. This summary proceeds from the broad base of themes and issues monitored by the Center for Vaccine Ethics & Policy in its work: it is not intended to be exhaustive in its coverage. You are viewing the blog version of our weekly digest, typically comprised of between 30 and 40 posts below all dated with the current issue date

.– Request an Email Summary: Vaccines and Global Health : The Week in Review is published as a single email summary, scheduled for release each Saturday evening before midnight (EDT in the U.S.). If you would like to receive the email version, please send your request to david.r.curry@centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.org.

– pdf version:  A pdf of the current issue is available here: Vaccines and Global Health_The Week in Review_29 Jun 2019

– blog edition: comprised of the approx. 35+ entries posted below.

– Twitter:  Readers can also follow developments on twitter: @vaxethicspolicy.
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David R. Curry, MS
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Center for Vaccine Ethics and Policy

New 2021-2025 high level strategy to leave no-one behind with immunisation approved by Gavi Board

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Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

 

New 2021-2025 high level strategy to leave no-one behind with immunisation approved by Gavi Board
Equitable and sustainable use of vaccines, support for health systems and healthier markets to drive Gavi’s work
Geneva, 27 June 2019 – The Gavi Board today approved a new strategy to guide the Vaccine Alliance’s work over the 2021-2025 period, prioritising reaching communities with immunisation that are currently missed, such as those in urban slums, remote areas and conflict settings.

“Gavi has achieved an incredible amount since it was founded in 2000,” said Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chair of the Gavi Board. “Over those two decades hundreds of millions of children have been protected against some of the world’s deadliest diseases, vaccine prices have dropped and new vaccines for diseases like pneumonia and cervical cancer have reached countries they otherwise wouldn’t have, all thanks to support from the Vaccine Alliance. For the next five-year period equity will be the Alliance’s key guiding principle. This will mean focussing on those left behind, whether they be girls and women, refugees or remote communities, to ensure nobody goes without lifesaving vaccines.”

The new strategy, which is the culmination of 18 months of consultations with stakeholders, analysis and discussion, will be anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals, echoing its driving mission to leave no one behind. To do this it will target four goals to save lives and protect people’s health by increasing the equitable and sustainable use of vaccines:

 

1. To introduce and scale-up vaccines
Since 2000, Gavi has supported countries to conduct more than 400 introductions of new and under-used vaccines. In Gavi’s first phase the Alliance began by supporting vaccines that protect against six infectious diseases. By 2025 this will have increased to at least 18, including the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) and new vaccines like rabies, hepatitis B birth dose and multivalent meningococcal. Gavi will also support vaccines, like those for Ebola, cholera and typhoid, that tackle outbreaks, fight antimicrobial resistance and boost global health security. Given the increasing number of Gavi-supported vaccines, the Alliance will help countries to prioritise vaccines based on local epidemiology, national capacity and sustainability considerations.

 

2. Strengthen health systems to increase equity in immunisation
Gavi-supported countries reached a record 64 million children with a full course of basic vaccines in 2017, up from 41 million in 2000. Yet still as many as one in ten children in Gavi-supported countries receive no routine vaccines. To reach these missing millions Gavi will bring a much stronger focus on reaching those most marginalised, by strengthening primary healthcare systems, building and sustaining community demand, and using innovation to ensure that immunisation services reach these children. It will also bring a greater focus and enhanced approach to tackle gender-related barriers that stand in the way of reaching every child.

 

3. Improve sustainability of immunisation programmes
Gavi actively works with supported countries so they co-finance and gradually take over the financing of their vaccines as they get wealthier. In this regard, countries transition out of Gavi support over time, with the Alliance supporting them so their immunisation programmes remain strong. From 2011 to 2018, countries have increased the amount they themselves spend on Gavi-supported vaccines from US$ 36 million to US$ 475 million, and 19 countries are expected to have transitioned out of Gavi support completely by 2020. Gavi will continue its work building political support and increasing domestic public resources for immunisation and primary health care, as well as supporting countries as they move away from Gavi funding to self-finance their vaccine programmes.

 

4. Ensure healthy markets for vaccines and related products
Since Gavi was founded in 2000, its market shaping work has helped increase the number of vaccine manufacturers supplying Gavi-eligible countries has expanded from 5 to 17 and prices have reduced dramatically. In recent years the Alliance has widened the focus of its market shaping work towards building healthy markets for each of its vaccines, as well as related products like cold-chain equipment. Gavi will continue to work on balancing all the elements necessary to ensure healthy market dynamics for vaccines and immunisation-related products, focusing on reliable, consistent and affordable supply as an overarching objective. It will also bring a more purposeful approach to driving innovation for immunisation-related products and services.

“For Gavi, the 2021-25 period will mean new vaccines, new technologies and new approaches to help build healthier, wealthier communities across the developing world,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “With this new strategy we will make the millions of children around the world who are missing out on vaccines our absolute priority. By bringing immunisation to these missed communities the Alliance will also be extending primary health care systems, building a foundation for Universal Health Coverage. We will be bringing all the economic benefits that come with a healthier population, and we will provide a first line of defence against deadly outbreaks, boosting global health security. That’s why this strategy will help ensure that immunisation makes a powerful contribution to the success of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

To support the global effort to eradicate polio and mitigate the risk of the disease re-emerging, the Board also agreed a cost-sharing approach for the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). Gavi will fully-finance the vaccine for the very poorest countries, however other countries which receive Gavi support for IPV will need to use the amount they currently spend on bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) – roughly US$ 0.60 per child – for IPV once bOPV is withdrawn after eradication is certified. Gavi will provide the remaining finance.

In addition, the Board requested that the Gavi Secretariat explore approaches to engaging with self-financing lower middle-income countries in recognition of major challenges in those countries.

As part of the Gavi Board meeting, which took place in Geneva on 26-27 June, the Board also exceptionally approved an extension of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) accelerated transition phase until the end of 2025. The country had been due to transition out of Gavi support at the end of 2020. But it remains extremely fragile, with a very weak health system, the lowest vaccine coverage in the region, high child mortality and recent outbreaks of polio and measles despite considerable economic growth driven by the extractive industries. The Board therefore agreed that this exceptional situation warranted an extension to the country’s transition, subject to the government setting out and committing to reforms to the health sector.

The plans set out in the strategy, including funding for all vaccines, are dependent on a successful replenishment for the 2021-25 period, which will culminate in a pledging event next summer in London. The replenishment process will begin at a high-level event hosted by the Japanese government on the occasion of TICAD 7 in Yokohama in August 2019, where Gavi will launch its investment opportunity for the next period. Richard Clarke, Director General for Policy, Research and Humanitarian at the UK Department for International Development (DFID), and Masashi Nakagome, Minister at the Permanent Mission of Japan in Geneva, both addressed the Board meeting to discuss these events and the road to replenishment.

Gavi’s unique public-private partnership model means it needs predictable financing to allow manufacturers and implementing countries to forecast demand over a five-year period. This helps to drive value for money and maximise the impact of every dollar invested in the Vaccine Alliance. The upcoming 2021-25 strategic period will be Gavi’s fifth.

DRC – Ebola/Measles/Cholera/Polio

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Milestones :: Perspectives :: Research

 

DRC – Ebola/Measles/Cholera/Polio

Disease Outbreak News (DONs}
Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo
27 June 2019
The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces continues at a stable pace this week. Although response operations were temporarily interrupted in Beni following two days of insecurity in the surrounding areas, operations have largely resumed. However, in the town of Musienene, violent threats persist against healthcare workers (HCW) and local security forces providing assistance to the response efforts. Furthermore, response activities in Kambau health area, Manguredjipa health zone were also suspended following security incidents.
Of growing concern this week, are the current hotspots of Mabalako, particularly the Aloya health area, and Mandima (Figure 1), which were the first health zones to report EVD cases in August/September 2018. Sporadic reintroduction events in areas such as Vuhovi, which had not reported any new cases in the past 24 days, further compound the evolving situation. Other areas experiencing a similar resurgence in EVD cases after a period of prolonged absence include Komanda and Masereka…

47: Situation report on the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu
25 June 2019
…Implementation of ring vaccination protocol
:: As of 22 June 2019, 140 794 people at risk have consented to and received the rVSV-ZEBOV-GP Ebola vaccine. Of those, 37 373 are contacts and 67 756 contacts-of-contacts. The total number of vaccines includes 31 016 HCWs/FLWs and 34 522 children 1-17 years of age.

:: Five new rings were opened around nine confirmed cases on 18 June 2019, another four new rings were opened around seven new cases on 17 June 2019 and an additional ring around two cases reported on 22 June 2019.

:: Despite the challenges in the field and considering the cases reported between 30 April 2019 and 20 May 2019, only 31/337 (9.2%) of the cases do not have a ring defined and their contacts and contacts-of-contacts vaccinated. For 113/337 (33.5%) of the cases the ring vaccination was completed and for 193/337 (57.2%) ring vaccination was ongoing at the time of writing this report. This important progress is the result of the use of innovative delivery strategies (i.e. pop-up vaccination and targeted geographic vaccination) and strong community negotiations and engagement.

Risk communication, social mobilization and community engagement
:: Mass communication on the Ebola outbreak situation and the response activities are being aired on over 100 radio stations, particularly in outbreak hotspots to update the public on the situation in their localities and to urge their collaboration in stopping the outbreak. Discussions on Ebola are also regularly organized to address community concerns and clarify misinformation that may be spreading through various social media or other platforms.

:: Community Ebola committees have been actively engaged in the Ebola response in 20 localities in Butembo, Katwa and Vuhovi. These areas were previously difficult to reach due to security and other challenges.

:: To expand community ownership of the Ebola response to other Ebola-affected and non-affected areas in and around North Kivu and Ituri, a Community Animation Committee (CAC), which is a community participation platform for health, is being established in 1600 areas over the next weeks.

:: Social scientists are working with local communities in Mangina and other areas to better understand the local practices that can influence a community’s health./..

Polio this week as of 26 June 2019 – GPEI
:: Two new cVDPV2 emergences are reported this week in DR Congo; one from Sankuru province and one from Kasai province. Sankuru province is in the centre of the country and had previously not participated in mOPV2 outbreak response campaigns.  However, it is neighboring known infected provinces, where mOPV2 response continues to be implemented.  Kasai had already been participating in mOPV2 outbreak campaigns, as it had already been affected by a separate cVDPV2.  Currently, total six, genetically-distinct cVDPV2 outbreaks affecting the country.

Emergencies

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Emergencies

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio this week as of 26 June 2019
:: Two new cVDPV2 emergences are reported this week in DR Congo; one from Sankuru province and one from Kasai province. Sankuru province is in the centre of the country and had previously not participated in mOPV2 outbreak response campaigns.  However, it is neighboring known infected provinces, where mOPV2 response continues to be implemented.  Kasai had already been participating in mOPV2 outbreak campaigns, as it had already been affected by a separate cVDPV2.  Currently, total six, genetically-distinct cVDPV2 outbreaks affecting the country.
:: One of the major factors that determines whether a child will receive vaccinations is the primary caregiver’s receptiveness to immunization.  The decision to vaccinate is a complex interplay of various socio-cultural, religious, and political factors. Read how everyday people in Pakistan are advocating for vaccinations.
:: Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, is a riverine state with precarious transportation and rivers crisscrossing the land. Thanks to healthcare workers, community engagement and innovations in immunization practices, Bayelsa State jumped from one of the most poor-performing states in terms of routine immunization to be the second best in the country. Read more here.
Summary of new viruses this week:

Summary of new viruses this week:
:: Afghanistan — two wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases;
:: Pakistan — three WPV1 cases;
:: Nigeria — one circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) case;
:: DRC— four cVDPV2 cases;
:: Ethiopia— three cVDPV2 isolated from healthy community contacts.

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Editor’s Note:
WHO has posted a refreshed emergencies page which presents an updated listing of Grade 3,2,1 emergencies as below.

WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 29 Jun 2019]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: Winning the hearts of communities fearful of Ebola 24 June 2019
:: 47: Situation report on the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu 25 June 2019
:: Disease Outbreak News (DONs} Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo
27 June 2019
[See DRC Ebola above for detail]

Mozambique floods
:: 200 000 people lack access to health services in Mozambique 21 June 2019

Nigeria
:: States in Nigeria’s South West zone conclude second round of outbreak response
26 June 2019 All six States in the South West Zone have completed the ‘2nd Outbreak Response’ (OBR2) to the circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus (cVDPV2) with varying degrees of success. The exercise, implemented on 15 – 24 June, was in response to confirmed reports by the Lagos State Government of environmental strains of Polio Virus in Makoko, Itire and Maracana canals, as well as in Imeko Afon LGA of Ogun State.
Initial large-scale zonal supplementary immunization activities were coordinated across all States (Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti), during the OBR1 conducted on 18 -21 May, 2019. Polio eradication teams on the ground covered 89,841 settlements. The teams maximized the impact of available resources and ensured that oral polio vaccine be administered to 9,927,112 under-five year old children in all the States…

Somalia
:: WHO and UNICEF Somalia and partners call on all Somalis to vaccinate children against polio
25 June 2019

Myanmar – No new digest announcements identified
South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

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WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 29 Jun 2019]

Bangladesh – Rakhine conflict
:: Bi‐weekly Situation Report 12 – 20 June 2019

Libya
:: Mental health support in a time of war 25 June 2019
:: Mental illness: training Libya’s health workers 24 June 2019

Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified
Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified
Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Cyclone Idai – No new digest announcements identified
Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified
Iran floods 2019 – No new digest announcements identified
Iraq – No new digest announcements identified
Malawi floods – No new digest announcements identified
MERS-CoV – No new digest announcements identified
Niger – No new digest announcements identified
occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified

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WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 29 Jun 2019]

Angola – No new digest announcements identified
Chad – No new digest announcements identified
Djibouti – No new digest announcements identified
Indonesia – Sulawesi earthquake 2018 – No new digest announcements identified
Kenya – No new digest announcements identified
Mali – No new digest announcements identified
Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified
Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified

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UN OCHA – L3 Emergencies
The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three ‘L3’ emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system’s classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises. 
Syrian Arab Republic
:: Syrian Arab Republic: Recent Developments in Northwestern Syria Situation Report No. 6 – as of 28 June 2019

Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

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UN OCHA – Corporate Emergencies
When the USG/ERC declares a Corporate Emergency Response, all OCHA offices, branches and sections provide their full support to response activities both at HQ and in the field.
Editor’s Note:
Ebola in the DRC has bene added as a OCHA “Corporate Emergency” this week:
CYCLONE IDAI and Kenneth
:: Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ursula Mueller – Opening remarks at ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment Side Event “Cyclone Idai: The Ongoing Needs,” 26 June 2019

EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE DRC – No new digest announcements identified

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