Invitation to complete quick survey to improve Kaplan-Meier plots (KMunicate) ProblemThe standard way to present time-to-event data, such as survival, is with Kaplan-Meier plots. These are formatted by journals and reported in a number of ways, but we find they commonly lack some key information. The key problems are:
- Expressing how many people are contributing data at any point in the graph, including the pattern of censoring
- Expressing that the uncertainty of the estimate increases over time
This is a great video of a talk given at the Oxford Martin School by Professor Kevin Marsh.
Around half of the clinical trials done on medicines we use today are not published; a tragic truth that needs to be changed.
A Point-of-Care Assay to Detect Antimalarial Drugs from Finger Stick Blood Samples
by The Editorial TeamThis video seminar describes research to develop a low-cost, field-based test to detect several slow-clearing ACT drug compounds from unprocessed fingerstick blood samples
The team interview panel members talking about the Novartis Access Initiative's work on NCDs.
This review describes the landscape of schistosomiasis clinical research. The volume of data and the methodological and reporting heterogeneity identified all indicate that there is scope for an individual participant-level database, to allow for standardised analyses.
The European Mobile Laboratory, EMLab, was the first EBOV diagnostics unit deployed to the outbreak epicentre by WHO in March 2014.
Laboratory systems and diagnostic technologies are a critical pillar in the fight against malaria. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends diagnostic testing for all people with suspected malaria before treatment is administered.
Understanding the Zika virus
by Center for Strategic & International StudiesU.S. efforts to combat the Zika virus in the US and abroad
Travel Medicine and Infectious Diseases have evolved rapidly in recent decades as outbreaks such as SARS, Avian Influenza, Ebola, MERS, Chikungunya, and Zika virus have demonstrated how quickly infections can cross international borders.
The Zika virus is another wild card dealt to us by nature. It was first discovered in 1947.
Video seminar by Chelsea McMullen, Operational Support Officer, International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC), presented at the University of Oxford, 21st October 2015
Call for Papers: Special issue on strengthening tuberculosis diagnostic networks in Africa - African Journal of Laboratory Medicine
Deployed in April 2015, we have established proof-of-principle for real-time genomic surveillance by generating over 40 genome sequences in as little as 48 hours from obtaining a patient sample and feeding the information back to the Ebola central coordination team.
From our colleagues at the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) - The Role of Public Health Institutes in Achieving Public Health Goals
Damalie Nakanjako (MBChB, MMED, PhD) is an internist whose work focuses on optimizing HIV treatment outcomes and reducing HIV-associated morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.
East African Leaders Join Together to Develop Country-Specific Plans for Point-of-Care Testing.
Two great articles from the African Society for Laboratory Medicine looking at the increasing risk posed by antimicrobial resistance.
ASLM: Reconstructing Laboratory Systems: How to Rebuild in Ebola-Affected Countries
by The Editorial TeamNew articles from the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM).
Use of rapid diagnostic tests to improve malaria treatment in the community in Uganda
by ACTConsortiumThis study evaluates whether the use of rapid diagnostic tests by community medicine distributors – with the aim to improve diagnosis and treatment of malaria in the community – is feasible, well accepted and cost-effective. This cluster randomized trial compares two approaches.
Healthcare associated infections (HAI) are of important concern in patient care. This talk discusses Visual Analytics techniques which have been developed to help detect, monitor, analyse and understand trends, clusters and outbreaks of HAI.
The SWAT and SWAR programme is identifying issues about the methods of trials and systematic reviews about which there is sufficient uncertainty to justify research to support well-informed decision making about future designs and choices.
Using parasite population genetics to understand transmission dynamics in NTDs
by The Editorial TeamSchistosomiasis, is a chronic, debilitating disease. Uganda began a National Control Programme in 2003 with annual MDA of praziquantel. MDA on this scale provides strong selective pressures on the parasite population with an associated risk of drug resistance developing.
In this video, Professor Theonest Mutabingwa discusses the two key challenges that face developing countries to progress their malaria research.
In this video of a seminar delivered at the University of Oxford in June 2014, Professor Nicholas White talks about the challenge of antimalarial resistance.
Anders Björkman is Professor of Infectious Disease at the Karolinska Institute. In this video, Anders talks about how the efficacy of antimalarials is a major obstacle in the path towards full malaria elimination.
Are you a research scientist working in Global Health? Or an institution looking for partners to run a clinical trial? Site Finder is for you.
In this seminar from January 2014, Dr Jane Crawley talks about clinical standardisation in PERCH (Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health), a large case-control study of the causes of and risk factors for severe pneumonia.
Dr Nat Segaren - Medical Director of the Caris Foundation, presents on 'The Haiti National Early Infant Diagnosis of HIV Program'
In this seminar Professor Kevin Marsh describes how knowledge of immunity to malaria in humans has developed over the past thirty years and what impact this has for future research.
Pioneering New Diagnostics: Addressing Challenges and Implications for Point-of-Care Testing in African Settings
by Laurel OldachAn Interview with Sam Sia: Designing a Smartphone Dongle to Diagnose Infectious Disease
by Chris SandersSam Sia is an Associate Professor at Columbia University and was voted one of MITs top innovators under 35 in 2010 for his work on designing inexpensive microfluidic chips for diagnostics. Sam's most recent work has focused on developing a diagnostic device that can be connected as a dongle to a smartphone and used to diagnose HIV and syphilis.
A Novel Host-Proteome Signature for Distinguishing between Acute Bacterial and Viral Infections
by Kfir Oved, et alHIV/AIDS diagnostics technology landscape
by UnitaidSeeding Labs is an initiative connecting labs in developing countries with labs that have equipment, consumables, manuals or glassware to donate, and provides the infrastructure.
Professor Peter Piot, LSHTM, talks about Ebola and implications for Africa and understanding future epidemics at the Martin School, University of Oxford, 16th October 2014.
Ebola PPE guidelines - urgent need to revise WHO and CDC guidelines. This video shows an excerpt from keynote address 'The fuss about face masks', Professor Raina MacIntyre from the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW Australia.
The Ebola virus epidemic may well spread out of Africa. Dr Greg Martin takes a look at some of the variables that contribute to this risk and discusses some steps that should be taken.
On the 8th of July 2014 The Global Health Network launched the Global Health Research Process Map, the first digital toolkit designed to enable researchers anywhere in the world to conduct rigorous global health research.
Seven principles for strengthening research capacity in low- and middle-income countries: simple ideas in a complex world
by ESSENCE on Health Research InitiativeThis good practice document of the ESSENCE on Health Research initiative is designed to provide broad guidance on how best to strengthen research capacity with the maximum possible benefit.
AuthorAid is a great online tool whose aim is to support developing country researchers in publishing their work.
MICE: An open-access tool for accuracy estimates of diagnostic tests in absence of a gold standard
by Astrid Erber, Cherry Lim, Direk LimmathurotsakulA programme set up by WHO together with major publishers to provide free or very low cost online access to the major journals to local, not-for-profit institutions in developing countries.
Two recent articles in the Lancet Global Health give an interesting overview on diagnosis and treatment of Yaws, an endemic treponematose closely related to syphilis.
Methods for Specifying the Target Difference in a Randomised Controlled Trial: The Difference ELicitation in TriAls (DELTA) Systematic Review
by Jai K DasRandomised controlled trials (RCTs) are widely accepted as the preferred study design for evaluating healthcare interventions. When the sample size is determined, a (target) difference is typically specified that the RCT is designed to detect. This provides reassurance that the study will be informative, i.e., should such a difference exist, it is likely to be detected with the required statistical precision. The aim of this review was to identify potential methods for specifying the target difference in an RCT sample size calculation.
This report, provided by Uniting to Combat NTDs, presents the achievements in 2013 on the control and eradication of Neglected Tropical Diseases and includes data on disease burden, epidemiology, etc... of the individual diseases.
Neglected Diseases, Delinquent Diagnostics
by Mark KesselAn article highlighting the importance of diagnostics for NTDs, and providing a good overview on their development from a policy perspective.
Five keys to improving research costing in low- and middle-income countries
by ESSENCE on Health Research InitiativeESSENCE on Health Research have created a good practice document on research costing. It includes a review of the funding practices related to the definition and funding of direct and indirect costs.
This guide, developed by the WHO and released in December 2013, aims to facilitate implementation research in LMICs.
Prioritizing Congenital Syphilis Control in South China: A Decision Analytic Model to Inform Policy Implementation
by Nicholas X. Tan, Chara Rydzak, Li-Gang Yang, Peter Vickerman, Bin Yang, Rosanna W. Peeling, Sarah Hawkes, Xiang-Sheng Chen, Joseph D. TuckerPostmarket Surveillance of Medical Devices: A Comparison of Strategies in the US, EU, Japan, and China
by Daniel B. Kramer, Yongtian T. Tan, Chiaki Sato, Aaron S. KesselheimValidation of Two Rapid Diagnostic Tests for Visceral Leishmaniasis in Kenya
by Jane Mbui, Monique Wasunna, Manica Balasegaram, Adrian Laussemayer, Rashid Juma, Simon Njoroge Njenga, George Kirigi, Mark Riongoita, Roberto de la Tour, Joke van Peteghem, Raymond Omollo, Francois ChappuiElimination of Schistosomiasis Transmission in Zanzibar: Baseline Findings before the Onset of a Randomized Intervention Trial
by Stefanie Knopp, Bobbie Person, Shaali M. Ame, Khalfan A. Mohammed, Said M. Ali, I. Simba Khamis, Muriel Rabone, Fiona Allan, Anouk Gouvras, Lynsey Blair, Alain Fenwick, Jurg Utzinger, David RollinsonHow to Improve the early Diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection: Relationship between Validated Conventional Diagnosis and Quantitative DNA Amplification in Congenitally Infected Children
by Jacqueline Bua, Bibiana J. Volta, Alina E. Perrone, Karenina Scollo, Elsa B. Velazquez, Andres M. Ruiz, Ana M. De Rissio, Rita L. CardoniIdentification of Seroreactive Proteins of Leptospira interrogans Serovar Copenhageni Using a High-Density Protein Microarray Approach
by Carolina Lessa-Aquino, Camila Borges Rodrigues, Jozelyn Pablo, Rie Sasaki, Algis Jasinskas, Li Liang, Elsio A. Wunder Jr, Guilherme S. Ribeiro, Adam Vigil, Ricardo Galler, Douglas Molina, Xiaowu Liang, Mitermayer G. Reis, Albert I. Ko, Marco Alberto Medeiros, Philip L. FelgnerAdvancing Sino-Indian Cooperation to Combat Tropical Diseases
by Peter Hotez, Sunit K. Singh, Xiao-Nong ZhouDiagnostic Accuracy of Loopamp Trypanosoma brucei Detection Kit for Diagnosis of Human African Trypanosomiasis in Clinical Samples
by Patrick Mitashi, Epco Hasker, Dieudonne Mumba Ngoyi, Pati Patient Pyana, Veerle Lejon, Wim Van der Veken, Pascal Lutumba, Philippe Buscher, Marleen Boelaert, Stijn Deborggraeve
Analytical and Clinical Performance of the CDC Real Time RT-PCR Assay for Detection and Typing of Dengue Virus
by Gilberto A Santiago, Edgardo Vergne, Yashira Quiles, Joan Cosme, Jesus Vazquez, Juan F. Medina, Freddy Medina, Candimar Colon, Harold Margolis, Jorge L. Munoz-JordanEvaluation of a Typhoid/Paratyphoid Diagnostic Assay (TPTest) Detecting Anti-Salmonella IgA in Secretions of Peripheral Blood in Lymphocytes in Patients in Dhaka, Bangladesh
by Farhana Khanam, Alaullah Sheikh, Abu Sayeed, Saraur Bhuiyan, Feroza Kaneez Choudhury, Umme Salma, Shahnaz Pervin, Tania Sultana, Dilruba Ahmed, Doli Goswami, Lokman Hossain, KZ Mamun, Richell C Charles, W. Abdullah Brooks, Stephen B. Calderwood, Alejandro Cravioto, Edward T Ryan, Firdausi QadriProspective Evaluation of Three Rapid Diagnostic Tests for Diagnosis of Human Leptospirosis
by Marga GA Goris, Mariska MG Leeflang, Martin Loden, Jiri FP Wagenaar, Paul Klatser, Rudy A Hartseerl, Kimberly R BoerRandomised Clinical Trial Investigating the Specificity of Novel Skin Test (C-Tb) for Diagnosis of M. tuberculosis Infection
by Henrik Aggerbeck, Rafaela Giemza, Paulatsya Joshi, Pernille N. Tingskov, Soren T. Hoff, Julia Boyle, Peter Andersen, David J. M. LewisDiagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Bihar India: Comparison of the rK39 Rapid Diagnostic Test on Whole Blood Versus Serum
by Greg Matlashewski, Vidya Nand Ravi Das, Krishna Pandey, Dharmendra Singh, Sushmita Das, Ayan Kumar Ghosh, Ravindra Nath Pandey, Pradeep DasDevelopment and Validation of a Novel Diagnostic Test for Human Brucellosis Using a Glyco-engineered Antigen Coupled to Magnetic Beads
by Andrés E. Ciocchini, Diego A. Rey Serantes, Luciano J. Melli, Jeremy A. Iwashkiw, Bettina Deodata, Jorge Wallach, Mario F. FEldman, Juan E. Ugalde, Diego J. ComerciThese guidelines help address the urgent need to develop tests that can work in children, ideally using non-sputum based samples. It is vital that these reference standards are endorsed and implemented by the major donors, researchers and diagnostic developers.
Diagnosis of Brugian Filariasis by Loop- Mediated Isothermal Amplification
by Catherine B. Poole, Nathan A. Tanner, Yinhua Zhang, Thomas C. Evans Jr., Clotilde K. S. CarlowRepository on maternal child health: Health portal to improve access to information on maternal child health in India
by Jai K DasThis article describes a health portal developed in India aimed at providing one-stop access to efficiently search, organize and share maternal child health information relevant from public health perspective in the country.
Population Health Impact and Cost-effectiveness of Tuberculosis Diagnosis with Xpert MTB/RIF
by NA Menzies, T Cohen, H-H Lin, M Murray, JA SalomonPoint of Care Testing for Infectious Diseases: Diversity, Complexity and Barriers in Low- and Middle Income Countries
by Nitika Pant Pai, MD MPH PhD, Caroline Vadnais, Claudia Denkinger, Nora Engel, Madhu PaiThe Future of Diagnostic Microbiology – whole genome sequencing?
by Susanna DunachieThis article is an introduction to cluster randomised trials.
Visceral leishmaniasis: what are the needs for diagnosis, treatment and control?
by François Chappuis, Shyam Sundar, Asrat Hailu, Hashim Ghalib, Suman Rijal, Rosanna W. PeelingDiagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis
by Pankaj Srivastava, Anand Dayama, Sanjana Mehrotra, Shyam SundarEnteric fever diagnostics reviews
by Paula Bianca BlomquistMicrofluid technologies
by Paula Bianca BlomquistMobile Phone Based Clinical Microscopy for Global Health Applications
by David N. Breslauer, Robi N. Maamari, Neil A. Switz, Wilbur A. Lam, Daniel A. FletcherCould u txt me ur blood sample?
by Colin BarrasWeb-Based Virtual Microscopy for Parasitology: A Novel Tool for Education and Quality Assurance
by Ewert Linder, Mikael Lundin, Cecilia Thors, Marianne Lebbad, Jadwiga Winiecka-Krusnell, Heikki Helin, Byron Leiva, Jorma Isola, Johan LundinAlternative methods of diagnosing drug resistance - What can they do for me?
by David AJ Moore, N Sarita ShahIdentification of Mimotopes with Diagnostic Potential for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense Varient Surfance Glycoproteins Using Human Antibody Fractions
by Liesbeth Van Nieuwenhove, Philippe Buscher, Fatima Balharbi, Michael Humbert, Tessa Dieltjens, Yves Guisez, Veerle LejonFirst International External Quality Assessment of Molecular Detection of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus
by Camille Escadafal, Stephan Olschlager, Tatjana Avsic Zupanc, Anna Papa, Jessica Vanhomwegen, Roman Wolfel, Ali Mirazimi, Annette Teichmann, Oliver Donoso Mantke, Matthias NiedriqThe Human African Trypanosomiasis Specimen Biobank: A Necessary Tool to Support Research of New Diagnostics
by Jose R Franco, Pere P Simarro, Abdoulaye Diarra, Jose A. Ruiz-Postigo, Jean G. JanninPoint-of-Care Tests to Strengthen Health Systems and Save Newborn Lives: The Case of Syphilis
by David Mabey, Kimberly Sollis, Helen Kelly, Adele Schwartz Benzaken, Edward Bitarakwate, John Changalucha, Xiang-Sheng Chen, Yue-Pin Ying, Patricia Garcia, Susan Strasser, Namwinga Chintu, Tikki Pang, Fern Terris-Prestholt, Sedona Sweeney, Rosanna PeelingA Research Agenda for Helminth Diseases of Humans: Diagnostics for Control and Elimination Programmes
by James S. McCarthy, Sara Lustigman, Guo-Jing Yang, Rashida M. Barakat, Héctor H. García, Banchob Sripa, Arve Lee Willingham, Roger K. Prichard, María-Gloria BasáñezDiagnostic Accuracy of Molecular Amplification Tests for Human African Trypanosomiasis—Systematic Review
by Claire M. Mugasa, Emily R. Adams, Kimberly R. Boer, Heleen C. Dyserinck, Philippe BüscherTowards Point-of-Care Diagnostic and Staging Tools for Human African Trypanosomiaisis
by Enock Matovu, Anne Juliet Kazibwe, Claire Mack Mugasa, Joseph Mathu Ndungu, Zablon Kithingi“Piggy-Backing” on Diagnostic Platforms Brings Hope to Neglected Diseases: The Case of Sleeping Sickness
by Joseph M Ndung'u, Sylvain Bieler, Giorgio RoscignoFree treatment, rapid malaria diagnostic tests and malaria village workers can hasten progress toward achieving the malaria related millennium development goals
by Katie Tayler-Smith, Alice Kociejowski ,1,3 ,3 Mit, Nadine de Lamotte, Seco Gerard, Frederique Ponsar, Mit Philips, Rony ZachariahToward fast malaria detection by secondary speckle sensing microscopy
by Dan Cojoc, Sara Finaurini, Pavel Livshits, Eran Gur, Alon Shapira, Vicente Mico, Zeev ZalevskyNucleic acid amplification testing for Neisseria gonorrhoeae: an ongoing challenge
by David M Whiley, John W Tapsall, Theo P SlootsEarly infant diagnosis of HIV infection in Zambia through mobile phone texting of blood test results
by Phil Seidenberg, Stephen Nicholson, Merrick Schaefer, Katherine Semrau, Maximillian Bweupe, Noel Masese, Rachael Bonawitz, Lastone Chitembo, Caitlin Goggin, Donald M TheaOptimal monitoring strategies for guiding when to switch first-line antiretroviral therapy regimens for treatment failure in adults and adolescents
by LW Chang, J Harris, E HumphreysMonitoring HIV Antiretroviral Therapy in Resource-Limited Settings: Time to Avoid Costly Outcomes
by Motasim Badri, Stephen D Lawn, Robin WoodWhy do we need a point-of-care CD4 test for low-income countries?
by R. Zachariah, S. Reid, P. Chaillet, M. Massaquoi, E. Schouten, A. HarriesEffect of point-of-care CD4 cell count tests on retention of patients and rates of antiretroviral therapy initiation in primary health clinics: an observational cohort study
by Ilesh Jani, Nádia Sitoe, Eunice Alfai, Patrina Chongo, Jorge Quevedo, Beatriz Rocha, Jonathan LeheHead-to-head comparison of accuracy of a rapid point-of care HIV test with oral versus whole-blood specimens
by Nitika Pant Pai, MD MPH PhD, B. Balram, S. Shivkumar, J.L Martinex-Cajas, C. Claessens, G. Lambert, Rosanna Peeling, L. JosephThe evolving threat of antimicrobial resistance- Options for Action
by World Health OrganizationRapid Tests for Sexually Transmitted Infections
by Rosanna Peeling, K. Holmes, David Mabey, A RonaldThis review, written by Ruth McNerney and Peter Daley, provides an overview of the state of research into point-of-care diagnostics for active tuberculosis and highlights the barriers to the development of these tests.