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Found 93 matches for

Oxford Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health

Analysis of SMRU samples could lead to vaccine for multiple childhood infections

The first large-scale genomic exploration of H. influenzae, a bacteria that causes 200m infections per year in children worldwide, has revealed extensive antibiotic resistance and uncovered genetic clues that could help in future vaccine development, say researchers from Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Universities of Oxford and Oslo, and MORU’s Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) and Cambodia-Oxford Medical Research Unit (COMRU).

Rose McGready honoured for her work to improve healthcare for Thai-Myanmar border communities

On 17 Nov at a ceremony in Canberra, Prof Rose McGready, Deputy Director of the Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU), was honoured with the 2026 ACT Australian of the Year Award for her extraordinary dedication over 30 years to improving healthcare for displaced and marginalised communities along the Thai-Myanmar border which, coupled with clinical and research work that has changed the treatment of malaria around the world, particularly for pregnant and breastfeeding women, has saved the lives of countless mothers and their babies.

Faulty malaria rapid test raises global concerns, say MORU researchers

A new study published in Malaria Journal warns that a widely used malaria rapid diagnostic test by Abbott Diagnostics may be delivering false-negative results, risking delayed treatment and fuelling malaria transmission. Researchers from SMRU have called for the test’s withdrawal, citing evidence from Southeast Asia.

FD-TACT malaria treatment trial launches patient recruitment in Rwanda

A Phase 3 pivotal trial, led by MORU and funded by Japan’s Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT), has begun to evaluate a novel fixed-dose triple artemisinin-based combination treatment (FD-TACT) for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

A migrant mother’s 4-hr walk for antenatal care

On the Thai-Myanmar border, life is often a daily struggle, especially for expectant mothers like migrant day labourer Daw Mu (name changed for privacy), who lives in a village near Jaydi Koh in Tak Province’s Phop Phra District. Now three months pregnant with her second child, Daw Mu must walk 4 hours to the Jaydi Koh SMRU/BHF outreach clinic for antenatal care, often with her four-year-old son by her side.

SMRU honored at One Health Conference

On 13 August 2025, SMRU received the “One Health Champion” First Prize for its response to a cholera outbreak along the Thai–Myanmar border. Awarded at a national One Health conference, the recognition highlights SMRU’s excellence in cross-border disease surveillance and public health response through collaborative, sustainable policy efforts.

Oxford and Thai Health Officials Sign Agreement on Infectious Disease Control

On 13 May 2025, representatives from the University of Oxford and the Tak Provincial Public Health Office signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen collaboration on infectious disease prevention and control along the Thai–Myanmar border. The agreement focuses on joint research into key diseases affecting the border population.

Myanmar-Thailand: Healthcare access without barriers

In Myanmar, the United Nations reports that 3 million people have been displaced due to the ongoing civil war. The 2021 coup intensified conflicts and worsened the humanitarian crisis, forcing at least a hundred thousand to seek refuge and medical care in Thailand. The Tak province, a key crossing point between the two countries, sees a rising number of new migrants (with 40% of women) crossing the border every day. In response to this health emergency caused by these large-scale forced displacements, the SMRU and M-FUND projects have concentrated their efforts along the border area.

Study finds methaemoglobin levels could predict malaria recurrence

A new study has found methaemoglobin levels during treatment for vivax malaria could be used to predict whether a patient would have recurrent malaria.

Dialogue drama on adolescent pregnancy in a marginalised migrant population on the Thailand-Myanmar border

A participatory-action approach involving community members and adolescents resulted in a dialogue-drama on adolescent pregnancy, contraception, and choice in the event of an unplanned pregnancy. The dialogue-drama augmented discussion of traditionally taboo issues and this ethnographic method is potentially useful for similar global health settings.

Children with acute malnutrition and malaria: the double burden that increases risk of treatment failure

An analysis of over 11,000 falciparum malaria individual patient data sets has found that acutely malnourished children have a higher risk of reinfections and treatment failures, even when treated with recommended doses of artemisinin-based combination therapies, currently the best malaria treatment available. The malaria parasite clearance was also likely to be longer in these children.

New evidence supports higher dose antimalarial to combat relapsing malaria

Analysis of data from more than 6,800 patients located across 16 countries has supported the need to increase the dose of the antimalarial drug, primaquine, in Plasmodium vivax malaria endemic countries.

Identifying factors for maternal and foetal mortality from malaria

A study coordinated by NDM researchers published in BMC Medicine explores the factors predicting higher mortality in pregnant women with severe malaria and describes how severe falciparum malaria in pregnancy affects foetal health and mortality.

Are we getting tafenoquine dosing right?

Researchers analysing clinical trial data for the new antimalarial drug tafenoquine find that higher doses are needed to cure reliably vivax malaria infection.

New SMRU building opened in Thailand to provide health care to marginalized populations

The inauguration of a new joint Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) and Borderland Health Foundation (BHF) Building took place in Mae Ramat, Thailand, this week.

Meta-analysis informed the updated WHO guidelines for treatment of uncomplicated malaria in the first trimester of pregnancy

A new WWARN meta-analysis, commissioned by the World Health Organization and which informed a change to its treatment guidelines, has been published in The Lancet. The study provides compelling evidence that artemether-lumefantrine should now replace quinine as the treatment of choice in the first trimester.

Study shows clear link between antibiotic treatment and acquisition of AMR bacteria in children

A study of the genetic diversity of Streptococcus pneumoniae, the bacterium responsible for hundreds of thousands of infant deaths each year, found that deep sequencing whole pneumococcal populations gave unsurpassed sensitivity for detecting multiple colonisations and was twice as effective at detecting invasive virulent strains of the bacteria as current best methods, say researchers in a study published in Nature Microbiology.

INTERBIO-21st study findings could help predict infants at risk of obesity

Fetal abdomen growth and the mother’s blood fat metabolites very early in pregnancy influence a child’s weight, body fat, vision and neurodevelopment at 2 years of age

MORU hepatitis work focusses on preventing mother-to-child transmission, high-at-risk populations, and remote communities

MORU Tropical Health Network researchers in Southeast Asia study various aspects of hepatitis B and C, infections that can lead to chronic liver diseases, and complications like liver cancer or cirrhosis. Researchers at MOCRU work on treatment for hepatitis C, a frequent opportunistic infection in HIV patients. MORU’s Clinical Pharmacology conducts two trials on possible treatments of hepatitis C. Hepatitis B is frequently transmitted from mother to child at birth, and SMRU researchers study mothers’ knowledge and behaviour, as well as prevention.

Field evaluation of EasyScan GO: a digital malaria microscopy device

Microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood films is key to quantifying and detecting malaria parasites but there can be difficulties in ensuring both a high-quality manual reading and inter-reader reliability. The EasyScan GO was developed as a potential solution to this, a microscopy device using machine-learning-based image analysis for automated parasite detection and quantification.

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