Research Highlights
How should health researchers advance health equity?
Posted 05/11/2025. In this commentary, Phaik Yeong Cheah and Michael Parker outline ways in which health researchers can advance health equity. They focus on often-overlooked areas, including identifying context-specific drivers of inequity, carefully selecting research questions and priorities, engaging stakeholders, including those whose voices are seldom heard, improving diversity and inclusiveness among study participants, and using equity-oriented study designs.
Stakeholder analysis for ‘One Health’ approach to tackle antimicrobial resistance
Posted 04/11/2025. The varied understanding of stakeholder engagement often limits its effective use. In their BMJ Global Health analysis, Bipin Adhikari and colleagues draw lessons from Nepal to show how applying stakeholder analysis through a 'One Health' approach can bridge sectors, clarify roles, and strengthen collective action against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Placental and cord blood DNA methylation in preterm birth: exploring the epigenetic role of maternal dietary protein
Posted 31/10/2025. Fatima Ahmed, Annalisa Terranegra and SMRU colleagues compared DNA methlyation in placental and cord blood samples from preterm birth and full-term pregnancies among Karen and Burmese populations in Myanmar and Thailand. The findings provide novel insights into how protein deficiency may epigenetically predispose to preterm birth and suggests potential biomarkers for early detection and intervention
Identification and pathogen screening of ectoparasites from companion animals in urban Vientiane, Lao PDR
Posted 29/10/2025. Vanheuang Phommadeechack and colleagues examined the prevalence of zoonotic pathogens within ectoparasites found on dogs and cats in Vientiane, Laos. Fleas and ticks carried Rickettsia and Anaplasmataceae, seen as potential human pathogens. This highlights risks of zoonotic infections and the need for vector control strategies with companion animals, supporting public health and awareness.
Antiviral efficacy of oral ensitrelvir versus oral ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir in COVID-19 (PLATCOV): an open-label, phase 2, randomised, controlled, adaptive trial
Posted 27/10/2025. Ensitrelvir shows strong antiviral activity against COVID-19 in first head-to-head comparison with Paxlovid. In the PLATCOV phase 2 trial, ensitrelvir accelerated SARS-CoV-2 clearance by 82% versus no treatment and was only slightly slower than Paxlovid. Both drugs were well tolerated although bad taste was much less frequent with ensitrelvir. The study supports ensitrelvir as an effective, once-daily oral COVID-19 antiviral alternative. By William Schilling.
Optimal gestational weight gain and pregnancy outcomes, by BMI and height, in a marginalised population of women with short stature living along the Thailand-Myanmar border: A retrospective cohort, 2004–2023
Posted 21/10/2025. Pregnancy guidelines are frequently derived from populations in high income countries. International gestational weight gain guidelines are based on taller populations from North America and Western Europe. Mary Gouws, Rose McGready and SMRU colleagues suggest that lower weight gain during pregnancy in women with short stature on the Thailand-Myanmar border is associated with optimal outcomes.
Plasma folate dynamics in Plasmodium falciparum-infected African children treated with artemisinin combination therapy and single low-dose primaquine or placebo
Posted 20/10/2025. In 408 falciparum-infected under-5 African children treated with single low dose primaquine (SLDPQ) or placebo plus dihydroartemisinin piperaquine, plasma folate dynamics followed those of haemoglobin with an initial fall followed by a rise and were unaffected by SLDPQ or G6PD status. This research provides more evidence of the safety of SLDPQ. By Bob Taylor
Newborn technology use in low-resource settings: the role of health professionals’ communication in implementation
Posted 16/10/2025. How does the hospital environment in low-resource settings influence the use of newborn care technologies? Gloria Ngaiza and colleagues examined Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and phototherapy. They highlight how the physical setting, socio-organizational factors, technological features, and the broader context impact how health professionals in Kenya communicate, and, ultimately, make decisions to use or not use technologies.
Sustainable by Design: Digital Health Business Models for Equitable Global Health Impact in Low-Income and Low-Middle-Income Countries
Posted 13/10/2025. Drawing on the business model challenges faced by digital health entrepreneurs in LMICs and lessons from market-shaping approaches that have expanded access to essential medicines in global health, Elvin Irihamye and colleagues provide a framework that shows how business strategy and market-shaping practices can be adapted to align digital health business models with the delivery of tangible global health impact.
Applying a multi-layered, mixed methods approach to evaluate technology and workforce interventions in Kenyan neonatal units
Posted 07/10/2025. How do we design and ethically implement complex health interventions and evaluations in settings that are under resourced without compromising patient care or research data? Michuki Maina and colleagues used layered mixed methodologies and sustained stakeholder engagement to design and conduct implementation research of a complex intervention in Kenyan neonatal hospitals.
Communication among health professionals using newborn technology for care: an exploratory scoping review
Posted 30/09/2025. Effective communication supports the adoption of health interventions. Gloria Ngaiza and colleagues reviewed communication among health professionals using newborn technology for care. The findings showed limited information, centred on a few technologies and disciplines of health professionals. The context of technology use was also crucial in communication, and further research is necessary to explore these areas.
Antimicrobial usage among acutely ill hospitalized children aged 2‒23 months in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia
Posted 29/09/2025. Overuse of antimicrobials strongly drives antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Among 3,101 acutely ill children admitted to 9 hospitals in Africa and South Asia, 91% received antimicrobials, including 11% where antimicrobials were not indicated. Notably, there was limited escalation and de-escalation of antimicrobial treatment, likely due to a lack of guidance. By Jay Berkley
Engagement with migrant communities at the Thai-Myanmar border: Lessons learnt from a community advisory board
Posted 26/09/2025. Supa-at Asarath, Napat Khirikoekkong, Phaik Yeong Cheah, and colleagues reflects on engagement with the Tak Province Community Ethics Advisory Board (T-CAB), established in 2009 on the Thai-Myanmar border, capturing views from members on their involvement in health and research topics, their motivations, benefits, and challenges. Findings show how T-CAB improves research ethics, design, and community trust.
Risk stratification of childhood infection using host markers of immune and endothelial activation in Asia (Spot Sepsis): a multi-country, prospective, cohort study
Posted 24/09/2025. WHO danger signs often misclassify febrile children in resource-limited settings. In the first community-based study across seven Asian sites, Arjun Chandna and colleagues show host-response biomarkers, especially sTREM-1, outperform traditional tools for predicting severe illness. These findings highlight the potential for biomarker-based triage tools to transform childhood infection care.
Making MALDI-TOF MS for entomological parameters accessible: A practical guide for in-house library creation
Posted 23/09/2025. MALDI-TOF MS remains underutilised in entomology due to challenges in reference library construction. Marta Maia and colleagues demystify the process and share a detailed workflow for creating in-house libraries. The versatility of this platform is highlighted as it may be used for analysing multiple parameters including species, age, infection, and blood-meal source.
Delivery of care in high mortality hospital settings: a direct observational study examining 1848 h of neonatal nursing in Kenya
Posted 20/08/2025. In resource-constrained countries, deploying better technologies is expected to improve neonatal care, but little attention has been paid to nurse staffing. Abdulazeez Imam and colleagues demonstrate high levels of missed nursing care and ‘off-loading’ of care to largely unsupervised nursing students and mothers, resulting from severe newborn unit nursing shortages in Kenya.
A clinical practice guideline for tuberculous meningitis
Posted 19/08/2025. Joseph Donovan and colleagues at OUCRU took a leading role in the development of the first international clinical practice guideline for tuberculous meningitis. This collaboration reviewed evidence to guide diagnosis and treatment of the most lethal form of tuberculosis, providing recommendations, identifying knowledge gaps, and setting global research priorities for improved care.
A just war on bugs? Ethical differences between antimalarial resistance and antibacterial resistance
Posted 15/08/2025. IIn this commentary, Phaik Yeong Cheah and colleagues argue that antimalarial resistance and antibacterial resistance raise distinct ethical considerations. Unlike antibacterial resistance, mitigating antimalarial resistance has well-defined goals and does not involve environmental factors or the use in livestock. These differences make it clear that not all microbes should be addressed in the same way, and that interventions must be tailored accordingly.
Use of the International Classification of Diseases to Perinatal Mortality (ICD-PM) with verbal autopsy to determine the causes of stillbirths and neonatal deaths in rural Cambodia: a population-based, prospective, cohort study
Posted 08/08/2025. Perinatal cause-of-death data in low-resource settings are scarce. Applying the WHO's new ICD-PM classification system to verbal autopsy data in rural Cambodia, Kaajal Patel and colleagues identified hypoxia, prematurity, and infection as leading causes. We found that adaptations to ICD-PM were needed to better classify deaths, especially when the timing of death was unknown.
Handheld Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy for rapid non-invasive detection of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol in medicinal syrups
Posted 06/08/2025. Pavel Matousek, Paul Newton and colleagues from the Medicine Quality Research Group developed a portable laser-based method, SORS, to detect toxic contaminants in medicinal syrups without opening bottles. This innovation addresses the urgent need for accessible screening, following deadly contamination incidents in Asia and Africa. The technology enables rapid, non-invasive testing across supply chains to improve medicine safety.
Safety and tolerability of metformin in overweight and obese patients with dengue: An open-label clinical trial (MeDO)
Posted 05/08/2025. Nguyet Nguyen Minh and colleagues at OUCRU-Vietnam investigated the safety and tolerability of metformin as an adjunctive therapy in patients with dengue and obesity. Metformin was associated with more adverse events, mainly severe gastrointestinal symptoms and did not improve clinical, laboratory or virological parameters. The data does not support progression to a larger randomised controlled trial.
Risk factors and mitigation strategies of laboratory-acquired infections in research and clinical laboratories worldwide: a systematic review
Posted 01/08/2025. Causes of laboratory‑acquired infections and pathogen escapes are often under‑reported. A review from 2000–2024 identified 712 cases and 17 deaths. Common incidents included needlestick injuries and PPE failures. Research laboratories reported more decontamination issues, while clinical laboratories faced sample‑handling risks. These findings support targeted improvements in laboratory risk management practices. By Sandhya Dhawan
Optimization of heat inactivation protocols for Orientia and Rickettsia species
Posted 30/07/2025. Stuart Blacksell and colleagues evaluated heat inactivation of Orientia tsutsugamushi, Rickettsia typhi, R. conorii, and R. honei at 56 °C, 80 °C, and 90 °C for varying times. All were inactivated at 56 °C for 5 minutes. O. tsutsugamushi showed greater reduction, with time–temperature effects differing by species, highlighting important pathogen‑specific heat‑treatment requirements for biosafety purposes.
Over the counter use of topical corticosteroid for skin conditions among patients before attending skin specialist clinic in Nepal: A qualitative study
Posted 29/07/2025. Why do many patients arrive at skin clinics only after their conditions worsen, despite early treatment? This study from Nepal reveals how over-the-counter steroid use, informal networks, convenience, and customary practices shape care-seeking for skin conditions. These factors also mirror patterns seen in over-the-counter antimicrobial use. By Bipin Adhikari.
Evaluation of the Wondfo G6PD/Hb Test for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency: preliminary performance, matrix equivalence, and usability
Posted 25/07/2025. Increased availability of validated G6PD tests can enhance diagnostic capacity in LMIC for vivax radical cure and neonatal health. This preliminary evaluation of a new point-of-care G6PD quantitative test showed excellent performance in frozen and fresh samples collected in Thailand (SMRU) and USA. A WHO pre-qualification study is now ongoing in Brazil and Thailand. By Germana Bancone
R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine drives diverse immune responses in pre-exposed adults: insights from a phase IIb controlled human malaria infection trial
Posted 23/07/2025. Elizabeth Kibwana and colleagues show the R21/Matrix-M vaccine induces broad, durable and functional antibody responses (IgG1/3, IgA, IgM) with complement fixing ability, and produces memory B cells, along with increased T follicular helper cells in Kenyan adults. These findings support its potential effectiveness in malaria-endemic populations, advancing vaccine strategies for individuals with prior exposure
Changing the narrative: visual methods can reinforce or reduce disease-related stigma
Posted 22/07/2025. Visual methods, like photography and video, play a powerful role in shaping perceptions of skin diseases in global health. They can overcome language barriers, amplify lived experiences, and challenge stigma. Yet, if poorly designed, they risk reinforcing harmful stereotypes and further marginalizing affected communities. Ethical, inclusive approaches are essential for meaningful impact. By Marlous Grijsen
Comparative virulence analysis of seven diverse strains of Orientia tsutsugamushi reveals a multifaceted and complex interplay of virulence factors responsible for disease
Posted 17/07/2025. Scrub typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, varies in severity depending on the bacterial strain. Jeanne Salje and colleagues compared seven strains in mice and found no single predictor of virulence. Instead, disease severity results from multiple bacterial genes influencing immune responses. These findings could inform future vaccine development and diagnostics.
Single low dose primaquine to block the transmission of Plasmodium falciparum—proposed stand-alone and ACT-adapted regimens
Posted 16/07/2025. At long last and almost 13 years since the WHO recommendation, we now have evidenced-based regimens of single low dose primaquine to block the transmission of Plasmodium falciparum and help eliminate artemisinin and partner drug resistant malaria which is currently spreading rapidly across eastern Africa and beyond. By Bob Taylor
Why should we be concerned by internalised racism in global health?
Posted 15/07/2025. Internalised racism is an overlooked concept that can shape how professionals from historically marginalised backgrounds see themselves within global health. This essay by Bipin Adhikari and colleagues offers a space for reflection on how deep-rooted racial hierarchies may quietly influence identity, behaviour, and institutional culture. Advancing equity in global health also means understanding how these patterns take hold within us.
Phenotypic and genotypic insecticide resistance profiles of main malaria vectors in Kwale county, coastal Kenya
Posted 17/06/2025. Marta Maia and colleagues characterised phenotypic and genotypic insecticide resistance of malaria vectors in Coastal Kenya. Multiple mutations associated with resistance mechanisms were detected, including target site (L1014S and L1014F) and metabolic resistance (CYP6P9a, CYP6P9b, 6.5kb S.V, GSTe2-L119F). Resistance has increased since 2017. Evidence supports regular monitoring and the use of PBO-combination nets.
Pneumococcal density and respiratory co-detection in severe pediatric pneumonia in Laos
Posted 03/06/2025. Worldwide, acute respiratory infection is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The first study in Laos on respiratory pathogen co-detection was conducted at Mahosot Hospital and confirmed an association between pneumococcal density and influenza but not between respiratory syncytial virus and severe pneumonia in children less than 5 years old. By Audrey Dubot-Peres and Sue Lee.
Hide and seek with falsified medicines: Current challenges and physico-chemical and biological approaches for tracing the origin of trafficked products
Posted 28/05/2025. The trade in falsified medical products is a major public health threat and also a huge, profitable business. Despite detection methods, tracing their origin remains difficult. Cathrin Hauk and colleagues explore analytical techniques adapted from other fields such as food, drug, and wildlife investigation to help identify their sources and empower enforcement efforts.
Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum populations following treatment policy revisions in the Greater Mekong Subregion
Posted 27/05/2025. The GenRe-Mekong project analysed 5,982 Plasmodium falciparum samples in the Greater Mekong Subregion (2017–2022), using genetic surveillance to inform malaria control. A sharp decline in piperaquine-resistant strains followed drug policy changes, highlighting how real-time genetic data can support timely, evidence-based responses to shifting malaria threats. By Varanya Wasakul
Operational evaluation of the deployment of Malaria/CRP Duo and Dengue Duo rapid diagnostic tests for the management of febrile illness by village malaria workers in rural Cambodia
Posted 23/05/2025. Village malaria workers in rural Cambodia provide essential early diagnosis and treatment; however, their importance is diminishing following a significant decline in malaria. James Callery and colleagues explore the potential expansion of their roles to ensure that febrile patients continue to utilise their services until local malaria elimination is achieved and the risk of reimportation subsides.
A comparison of national seasonal influenza treatment guidelines across the Asia Pacific region
Posted 21/05/2025. Seasonal influenza remains a major health burden in Asia. Our new comparative analysis reviews national influenza treatment guidelines across Asia Pacific countries, finding significant variation in availability, rigour, and recommendations. Our findings reveal key opportunities to strengthen evidence-informed, systematic guideline development as part of national and regional influenza preparedness and response. By Ellen Beer.
The impact of mass screening and treatment interventions on malaria incidence and prevalence: a retrospective analysis of a malaria elimination programme in eastern Myanmar, and systematic review and meta-analysis
Posted 20/05/2025. Targeted interventions are often necessary to eliminate malaria, but some are more effective than others. Jade Rae and colleagues investigated the impact of village-level mass screening and treatment interventions, highlighting key factors that influence the effectiveness of targeted malaria interventions, including baseline endemicity, population demographics, and the timing and uptake of the intervention.
Age structure and parity status determination of Afrotropical malaria vectors using MALDI-TOF MS
Posted 15/05/2025. Understanding the age structure of a mosquito populations is the best way to evaluate how well vector control interventions are working. However, age-grading is hard and usually done through complex dissections. Here Marta Maia and colleagues present a method using MALDI-TOF MS exploiting protein changes associated with senescence for age-grading of malaria vectors.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Afghanistan
Posted 13/05/2025. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a very neglected tropical disease. Afghanistan has an exceptionally high CL burden fueled by war and poverty. This review focuses on the clinical and epidemiological aspects of CL and highlights the need to grow the research culture so evidence can inform policy. By Bob Taylor
How do study participants want to be informed about study results: Findings from a malaria trial in Cambodia, Ethiopia, Pakistan, and Indonesia
Posted 13/05/2025. Patient interest in receiving clinical trial results varies widely across countries, underscoring that one-size-fits-all strategies fall short. This study, embedded in an antimalarial trial, explores locally tailored dissemination approaches shaped by patient preferences and stakeholder input offering essential guidance for ethical result sharing in diverse global health settings. By Bipin Adhikari
Placental and cord blood DNA methylation changes associated with gestational diabetes mellitus in a marginalized population: the untold role of saturated fats
Posted 09/05/2025. First report on DNA-methylation changes associated with saturated fat consumption in the context of gestational diabetes in a disadvantaged population. Rose McGready and colleagues suggest that population-specific nutritional interventions to reduce saturated fats, while promoting healthier oil (sunflower or soyabean) intake in pregnancy could mitigate negative consequences of DNA hypomethylation, improving transgenerational health impacts.
Real-time investigation of a Burkholderia cenocepacia bacteraemia outbreak in a Vietnamese Intensive Care Unit
Posted 07/05/2025. Duy Pham and colleagues at OUCRU investigated a Burkholderia cenocepacia bacteraemia outbreak in Vietnam. Their rapid response was made possible by strong collaboration between scientists and hospital staff. Nosocomial infections caused by this and other overlooked pathogens require global efforts to improve diagnostics, treatment guidelines, and infection control strategies.
Incorporating acute HIV infection screening, same-day diagnosis and antiretroviral treatment into routine services for key populations at sexual health clinics in Indonesia: a baseline analysis of the INTERACT prospective study
Posted 02/05/2025. In the INTERACT study, Raph Hamers and collaborators successfully implemented “test-and-immediately-treat” services for persons with acute HIV infection (AHI) at sexual health clinics in Jakarta and Bali. AHI screening at scale offers the potential for enhanced interventions to achieve the full population benefits of “treat-all” strategies and curb the escalated HIV epidemic among key populations in Indonesia.
Defining the noma research agenda
Posted 30/04/2025. The results from a September 2024 symposium on Defining the Noma Research Agenda at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute has identified research needs and the way forward. The symposium included noma survivors as well as clinical and epidemiological researchers, and follows the WHO’s official recognition of noma as a neglected tropical disease. By Philippe Guerin.
Creating different global health futures: mapping the health research ecosystem and taking decolonial action
Posted 29/04/2025. Decolonisation in global health emphasises the need to challenge and change entrenched power asymmetries and unfair health research practices. Nadia Tagoe, Sassy Molyneux, Caesar Atuire and colleagues have proposed practical decolonial action using a four-step framework and a reflexive tool that can help transform key domains of the global health knowledge ecosystem.
Effect of a novel house design (star home) on indoor malaria mosquito abundance in rural Tanzania: secondary outcomes of an open-label, household, randomised controlled trial
Posted 23/04/2025. A novel screened house design with bedrooms on the second storey reduced indoor mosquito abundance (51% less Anopheles gambiae; 61% less Culex species) and were 0·5°C cooler compared with traditional houses in Mtwara, Tanzania. By Lorenz Von Seidlein
Putting health facilities on the map: a renewed call to create geolocated, comprehensive, updated, openly licensed dataset of health facilities in sub-Saharan African countries
Posted 15/04/2025. Healthcare service provision and planning depend on the availability of a comprehensive health facility database (HFDB) to adequately meet the healthcare needs of a population. However, the availability of HFDBs has remained a big challenge in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Peter Macharia and colleagues elaborate historical developments and the current status of HFDBS while describing the steps required and challenges to overcome for harmonized SSA-wide HFDBs.
Call for a fairer approach to authorship in publishing biomedical research
Posted 11/04/2025. Phaik Yeong Cheah and Michael Parker advocate for fairer authorship in collaborative biomedical research to enhance equity and inclusiveness. They highlight how current practices overlook contributors and discuss challenges in authorship decisions, including project size, multidisciplinary complexity, and the varied roles of researchers at different stages.
Longitudinal tracking of healthcare professionals: a methodological scoping review
Posted 09/04/2025. How do health workers move through their careers - and how do we know? A new scoping review led by Yingxi Zhao and colleagues examined 263 studies tracking healthcare professionals over time, exploring how career choices, working conditions and wellbeing are measured. The review highlights the need for stronger, standardised tracking methods to inform workforce planning and better support health worker wellbeing across contexts.
Situational analysis of antibiotic prescriptions in Kenyan neonatal units for antimicrobial stewardship: a retrospective longitudinal study
Posted 08/04/2025. High antibiotic use in Kenyan neonatal units may contribute to antimicrobial resistance. A study of 88,000 neonatal admissions in 22 hospitals found 62.6% received antibiotics at admission, mostly first-line drugs. However, non-first-line use was higher in outborn neonates. Monitoring antibiotic patterns at scale feasible and crucial for assessing antimicrobial stewardship and reducing resistance. With Jalemba Aluvaala and Mike English