Characterising co-infections with <em>Plasmodium </em>spp., <em>Mansonella perstans</em> or <em>Loa loa </em>in asymptomatic children, adults and... (Publications)
Equatorial Guinea are lacking. We aimed to demonstrate that blood retained on malaria rapid diagnostic tests, commonly deployed for malaria surveys, could be used as a source of nucleic acids for molecular based [...] with malaria in an asymptomatic population. METHODOLOGY: M. perstans, L. loa and Plasmodium spp. parasites were monitored by qPCR in a cross-sectional study using DNA extracted from a subset malaria rapid [...] rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) collected during the annual malaria...
Revisiting the effect of pharmaceuticals on transmission stage formation in the malaria parasite <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> (Publications)
Malaria parasites rely on specialized stages, called gametocytes, to ensure human-to-human transmission. The formation of these sexual precursor cells is initiated by commitment of blood stage parasites [...] vivo. These observations suggest that therapeutic interventions may promote gametocytogenesis and malaria transmission. Here, we engineered a P. falciparum reporter line to quantify sexual commitment rates [...] rates after exposure to antimalarials and other pharmaceuticals commonly...
Estimating intervention effectiveness in trials of malaria interventions with contamination (Publications)
Background In cluster randomized trials (CRTs) or stepped wedge cluster randomized trials (SWCRTs) of malaria interventions, mosquito movement leads to contamination between trial arms unless buffer zones separate [...] s are provided as a function of intervention coverage. The methods are applied to two SWCRTs of malaria interventions, the SolarMal trial on the impact of mass trapping of mosquitoes with odor-baited traps [...] effectiveness as a function of coverage. Conclusions The...
Unlocking the human factor to increase effectiveness and sustainability of malaria vector control (Publications)
decade in the fight against malaria there is a critical opportunity to elevate the role of social and behaviour change to increase the impact and sustainability of malaria control and elimination efforts [...] BACKGROUND: Progress in the fight against malaria has stalled in recent years, highlighting the importance of new interventions and tailored approaches. A critical factor that must be considered across [...] research with entomological and epidemiological evaluations will provide a more...
Early life adversity, biological adaptation, and human capital: evidence from an interrupted malaria control program in Zambia (Publications)
adaptation - immunity formation - for human capital accumulation. Using variation in early life malaria risk generated by an interrupted disease control program in Zambia, we show that exposure to infectious [...] infectious diseases during the first two years of life can reduce the harmful effects of malaria exposure on cognitive development during the preschool years. These findings suggest a non-linear and traj
Nonrandom selection and multiple blood feeding of human hosts by <em>Anopheles </em>vectors: implications for malaria transmission in Papua New Guinea (Publications)
feeding of human hosts by Anopheles mosquitoes may exacerbate malaria transmission. Both patterns of blood feeding and their relationship to malaria epidemiology were investigated in Anopheles vectors in Papua [...] mosquito was determined by matching the blood-meal genetic profile to the villagers' genetic profiles. Malaria infection in humans was determined by PCR test of blood samples. The results show nonrandom distribution [...] infection was higher in this age group, suggesting males in...
Analysis of nucleic acids extracted from rapid diagnostic tests reveals a significant proportion of false positive test results associated with recent... (Publications)
Surveillance programmes often use malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to determine the proportion of the population carrying parasites in their peripheral blood to assess the malaria transmission intensity. Despite [...] quality control activities for RDTs deployed in malaria surveillance programmes. Methods: The diagnostic performance of field-deployed RDTs used for malaria surveys was assessed by retrospective molecular [...] P. falciparum histidine rich protein 2 (PfHRP2) antigen...
Transcriptional correlates of malaria in RTS,S/AS01-vaccinated African children: a matched case-control study (Publications)
ted BTM correlations with malaria risk appeared to generalize to healthy, malaria-naive adults. CONCLUSIONS: A prevaccination transcriptomic signature associates with malaria in RTS,S/AS01-vaccinated African [...] we assessed the generalizability of our findings across three controlled human malaria infection studies of healthy, malaria-naive adult RTS,S/AS01 recipients. RESULTS: RTS,S/AS01 vaccination was associated [...] month 3 levels correlated with malaria risk. In contrast, baseline levels...