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« Back to NewsAsymptomatic individuals shown to transmit SARS-CoV-2 infection in Vietnam
3 July 2020
Dr Le Van Tan in OUCRU, in collaboration with the Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the Department of Health, has shown that it is common for people who are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) to have no symptoms whatsoever. By testing quarantined people in Vietnam, his team was able to detect asymptomatic individuals. The virus disappeared faster from the bodies of the asymptomatic carriers than from that of symptomatic individuals, but it appeared that some of them still managed to pass the infection on to others.
How Vietnam managed to keep its coronavirus death toll at zero
1 June 2020
Despite a long border with China and a population of 97 million people, Vietnam has recorded only just over 300 cases of Covid-19 and not a single death. The country very quickly enacted measures such as travel restrictions, monitoring and eventually closing border with China, closing schools and increasing health checks at borders and other vulnerable places. A vast and labour intensive contact tracing operation got under way. Quarantine on such a vast scale is key as evidence mounts that as many as half of all infected people are asymptomatic.
Sophie Yacoub nominated Emerging Leader in Infectious Diseases
20 December 2019
In recognition of her past contributions to the field of international infectious diseases and in anticipation of her future impact on the discipline, Sophie Yacoub, Dengue Research Group Head at OUCRU, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is recognised as ISID Emerging Leader in International Infectious Diseases.
Typhoid vaccine over 81% effective in tackling disease in Nepal
11 December 2019
A large field study of typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) in Nepal has shown a single dose to be safe and effective in reducing typhoid in children aged 9 months to <16 years in an endemic setting. OUCRU-Nepal Professor Buddha Basnyat took part in this study.
Picturing health: dengue in Vietnam published in The Lancet
6 December 2019
Earlier this year, OUCRU Photographer in Residence Pearl Gan conducted a project focusing on dengue. In that project, she took photos of dengue patients and health care workers at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She also took photos of dengue patients in their homes and at research sites in the city. This project was funded by the Wellcome Trust, and this week selected photos from that project have been published in The Lancet as a photo story.
The practice and ethics of participatory visual methods for community engagement in public health and health science
26 November 2019
Mary Chambers (OUCRU Public Engagement Vietnam) and Gill Black (Sustainable Livelihood Foundation, South Africa) have partnered with The Global Health Network training centre to published this online course and handbook
Pearl Gan, photographer in residence at OUCRU in Vietnam and EOCRU in Indonesia wins FIGO's 2019 photo competition
16 October 2019
A mother and her baby leave a Puskesmas - a government-mandated primary care clinic - in West Java, Indonesia, following a check-up. The woman smiles, as the infant stares out from the safety of a bright sarong wrap. This quiet moment of active participation in their own health and well-being is the realisation of a fundamental human right. WHO’s vision for primary health care in the 21st century is to ensure the highest possible level of health and well-being, with equitable distribution.
Faces of malaria
25 April 2019
Today April 25 is World Malaria Day. We would like to highlight a malaria photography project by photographer Pearl Gan, in collaboration with OUCRU in Vietnam and EOCRU in Indonesia. Pearl's malaria project aims to bring visibility to the people and their malaria burden through her photographs of them and their environment. She hopes to humanise the faces of malaria and the malaria problem in the Asia-Pacific to audiences unfamiliar with it.
OUCRU Photographer in Residence recognised by ISNTD
26 March 2019
OUCRU Photographer in Residence Pearl Gan has been awarded the International Society for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ISNTD) Festival Award for her submission to the ISNTD Festival Showcase. Pearl submission included seven photographs, and was recognised for its impact on tropical diseases and its broader development goals.
Congratulations to Jeremy Farrar, knighted in the New Year's Honours 2019.
8 January 2019
Director of Wellcome since 2013, Jeremy Farrar was previously Director of our OUCRU Vietnam programme for 18 years. He has published almost 600 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and mentored many dozens of students and fellows. These honours recognise the outstanding commitment and contribution Jeremy has made to science and medicine, and to improving health for individuals and communities globally.
Congratulations to Abhilasha Karkey, ASTMH 2018 Alan J. Magill Fellowship Recipient
1 January 2019
Abhilasha Karkey, medical microbiologist at our OUCRU Unit in Kathmandu, Nepal, received the 2018 Magill Fellowship at the ASTMH conference in New Orleans. "Persistent gender inequality in science has severely limited women from achieving their potential to effectively contribute to scientific knowledge. I would like to grow as a leader and thereby encourage and inspire other scientists – especially women in South Asia."
Lancet Highlight 2018: Walking out of the shadows: leprosy care in Bangladesh
22 December 2018
A photo from Pearl Gan, Photographer In Residence for OUCRU, was selected for The Lancet Highlights 2018. The picture shows Senior Nurse Shikh Rema changing the dressing for Jabeda Begom, a 65-year-old woman with leprosy, at the Jalchatra Hospital in Bangladesh. Treatment of leprosy is a lengthy process, but thanks to dedicated staff, patients are given the care and attention they need.
The large footprint of the Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health
12 December 2018
This article, written by Professor Nick Day at MORU and published in the November 2018 issue of the Oxford Alumni Newsletter, describes in a nutshell all the good work our Centre is doing to promote Global Oxford.
Asia's invisible malaria, a photograph exhibition by Pearl Gan
12 October 2018
People who live with malaria in the Asia-Pacific are often invisible – a photograph exhibition by Pearl Gan introduces us to these invisible people, giving them flesh, blood, feelings, and lives. 5-30 November 2018 in Jakarta
Bridget Wills awarded Sir Rickard Christophers Medal
21 September 2018
Congratulations Bridget Wills, Professor of Tropical Medicine at our OUCRU unit in vietnam, awarded RSTMH Sir Rickard Christophers Medal. The Sir Rickard Christophers Medal is awarded triennially for work in tropical medicine and hygiene in its broadest sense and in particular for practical and field applications.
Tackling drug resistance on Asian farms with apps and a dictionary
21 August 2018
The Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Ho Chi Minh City is participating in a project to reduce antibiotic resistance on farms in Asia by educating farmers. Juan Carrique-Mas of the Clinical Research Unit said: “We're improving the knowledge base of farmers and vets rather than a ban on antibiotics, which would be unlikely to be complied with.”
New evidence supports radical treatment of widespread form of malaria
20 July 2018
A team of malaria experts from a large international research collaboration has today published results supporting the need for a radical cure strategy to tackle one of the most debilitating forms of malaria caused by the Plasmodium vivax parasite.
Old drug, new role – eLife podcast
1 June 2018
Aspirin helps increase survival from TB meningitis by reducing brain inflammation and preventing the disease from blocking blood vessels in the brain that cause parts of the brain to die, commonly called ‘stroke’.
Genetics sheds light on the spread of TB bacteria
22 May 2018
In a first of its kind study into the population and spread of tuberculosis-causing (TB) bacteria in Ho Chi Minh City, Thuong Thuong Nguyn and collegues at OUCRU Vietnam, Australia, UK and Singapore have found that more than half of cases can be attributed to one particular strain of the bacteria.
Guy Thwaites elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
11 May 2018
Seven Oxford scientists are amongst 48 of the UK's world-leading researchers elected to join the prestigious Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences this year. Fellows are elected for their outstanding contributions to biomedical and health science, leading research discoveries, and translating developments into benefits for patients and the wider society.
To defeat superbugs, everyone will need access to clean water
24 April 2018
While many LMICs still lack appropriate access to antibiotics, a global increase is driven largely by some developing countries which face more drug-resistant infections. To tackle antimicrobial resistance, we need to look at all the factors behind how and when antibiotics are used. A common obstacle is lack of access to clean water, which makes preventing and controlling infections nearly impossible.
Making malaria visible
27 March 2018
Professor Kevin Baird, Head of EOCRU in Jakarta, Indonesia, talks about how more needs to be done to mitigate the threat of malaria in Asia Pacific. This article includes photos from Pearl Gan who travelled through the Asia Pacific region to capture the stories of people and communities impacted by malaria.
Could aspirin be used to treat tuberculous meningitis?
6 March 2018
Science Blog. Professor Guy Thwaites, Director of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Vietnam, explains the discovery of yet another use for one of the most ubiquitous and ancient of drugs – aspirin.
Salmonella and antibiotic residues found in meat in Vietnam
9 February 2018
Over two-thirds of meat samples from Ho Chi Minh City were found to contain Salmonella bacteria, according to a study by the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU). Researchers purchased 117 samples of chicken meat, beef and pork from retail sites in 2016-2017; 68.4% of those samples were found to contain Salmonella bacteria.
OUCRU Nepal: Nepali pilgrims to Gosaikunda
13 December 2017
Every year thousands of pilgrims visit religious sites in the mountains of Nepal, many of them unaware of the dangers of climbing to high altitudes. The Himalayan Rescue Association, OUCRU Public Engagement and Media for Development worked together with the pilgrim community to create a public health film to inform others of the challenges of these journeys.
Science and stories
21 November 2017
Medical research relies on studies on large numbers of people in order to quantify the effects of diseases, and their treatments. However each patient is an individual. How can personal stories add to this ‘hard’ scientific approach? Join our "science and stories" cafe talks on 23rd Nov, 7th Dec and 11th Jan at The Old Compass Cafe and Bar, in Ho Chi Minh City.
Understanding zoonotic antibiotic resistance in E. coli
1 November 2017
OUCRU researchers are proud to be involved in HECTOR – an interdisciplinary, multi-national research consortium which is investigating the genetic factors that contribute to antibiotic resistance.
EOCRU: new laboratory opens in Jakarta
27 September 2017
The Universitas Indonesia Faculty of Medicine (FMUI) and the University of Oxford's Eijkman Oxford Clinical Research Unit (EOCRU, embedded with the Eijkman Institute of Molecular Biology, EIMB, and part of the Vietnam/Asia Wellcome research programme) have completed a facility dedicated to the support of the many collaborative clinical research activities between the two universities.
Congratulations to new Tropical Medicine Professors
26 September 2017
Awards & Appointments KWTRP OUCRU
The Medical Sciences Divisional Panel has conferred the title of Professor to two members of CTMGH's academic staff. Jeremy Day, Professor of Infectious Diseases heads the CNS and HIV Infections Research Group at OUCRU; Eduard Sanders, Professor of global health practice leads the HIV care and research programme at KWTRP.
Congratulations to Tropical Medicine researchers
13 September 2017
Awards & Appointments MORU OUCRU
The University of Oxford has conferred the title of Associate Professor to Yoel Lubell, Head of Economics and Translational Research at MORU, to Olivo Miotto from the Centre for Genomics and Global Health at MORU, and to Ronald Geskus from OUCRU. Louise Thwaites, Clinical Research Fellow at OUCRU, was appointed University Research Lecturer.
Antibodies may reveal timing of previous influenza infection
1 August 2017
The amount of influenza-specific antibodies present in an individual’s blood can indicate not only if they experienced the flu, but potentially when - a finding that could improve disease monitoring in the tropics, where flu season is unending. In the largest study of its kind, an international team, led by researchers from the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Penn State University, identified antibody concentrations that correspond to recent and past exposure to the flu strain H1N1 - the strain involved in the 2009 flu pandemic.
Best drug for treating talaromycosis in HIV patients identified
14 July 2017
Researchers from Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam have shown that amphotericin B is more effective than itraconazole for the initial treatment of talaromycosis in HIV patients.
OUCRU collaborates with BBC World Service Evidence Series
20 April 2017
OUCRU researchers and Public Engagement department coordinated the BBC World Service radio recording of ‘Preventing Pandemics’ for The Evidence series on ‘Humans and Animals’.
Picturing health: making malaria visible in Asia-Pacific
5 April 2017
OUCRU Public Engagement Research
Photos from a project conducted in collaboration with photographer Pearl Gan at EOCRU in Jakarta, Indonesia were published last week in the Lancet. The See Malaria in Asia Project aims to raise public awareness of malaria as a serious health problem for the region by telling the human story of Asia’s invisible malaria burden.
Monitoring the emergence of infectious diseases
5 April 2017
In a guest blog, Professor Stephen Baker explains the importance of monitoring the emergence of infectious diseases in Asia. Zoonotic diseases that pass from animal to human are an international public health problem regardless of location, but in lower-income countries the opportunities for such pathogens to enter the food chain are amplified.
Professor Stephen Baker wins Fleming Prize
4 April 2017
Professor Stephen Baker has been awarded the Fleming Prize for his work on the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance, and he combines genomics and epidemiology to provide a better understanding of disease outbreaks.
OUCRU leads first Science Café at Hue Medical University
13 December 2016
Oxford University Clinical Research Unit at HCMC led the first ever Science Café at Hue Medical University on 29th October 2016. The speaker was Dr Pham Ngoc Thanh, and she presented the topic: Communication – Art or Skill?
OUCRU researchers demonstrate Vietnam’s progress towards achieving SDGs
3 October 2016
A study by the international Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) collaboration (which includes researchers from OUCRU), published in The Lancet, analyzed each country’s progress toward achieving the United Nation’s health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets by creating an overall SDG Index score. Countries were then ranked by their scores to show which nations are closest to achieving the targets, and Vietnam stands out as having achieved significant progress.
Rapid test for bacterial infection reduces antibiotic use
3 October 2016
Researchers from the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam have shown that using a rapid (5-minute) test can reduce antibiotic misuse for respiratory infections. Cutting the number of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions is a key way to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections.
Vietnamese honour for two Oxford professors
30 March 2016
The efforts of two Oxford University tropical diseases experts have been recognised by the Vietnamese government. Professors Peter Horby and Heiman Wertheim were awarded the Vietnam Ministry of Health's Medal for the People's Health at a ceremony in Hanoi celebrating 10 years of collaboration between the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases and the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit.
The definition of success
2 March 2016
Oxford University scientists carry out clinical trials for a range of medical conditions every year. The hope with each one is that it could lead to a viable treatment to cure or alleviate that condition. It is easy, therefore, to think that a successful trial is one that produces such a treatment, while any other result is a failure. Not so, as a recent study from Oxford's researchers in South East Asia shows.
Chemotherapy for Tuberculous Meningitis
25 January 2016
Researchers from the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam have completed what is probably the largest ever controlled trial of tuberculous meningitis. The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.