[Editorial] Climate change: the role of the infectious disease community
In October, the World Meteorological Organization reported that atmospheric concentrations of CO2 increased at a record rate in 2016 to reach their highest point in 800 000 years. Such statistics are a stark reminder that human beings continue to damage the planet and that not enough is being done to mitigate the harms. Climate change is one of the severest threats to human health and wellbeing. At the end of a year of policy setbacks as well as causes for optim ism in addressing climate change, now is a good time to reflect on how the infectious diseases community could respond to the challenge. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 23, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: The Lancet Infectious Diseases Tags: Editorial Source Type: research
[Articles] Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13 delivered as one primary and one booster dose (1 + 1) compared with two primary doses and a booster (2 + 1) in UK infants: a multicentre, parallel group randomised controlled trial
Our findings show that for nine of the 13 serotypes in PCV13, post-booster responses in infants primed with a single dose are equivalent or superior to those seen following the standard UK 2 + 1 schedule. Introducing a 1 + 1 schedule in countries with a mature PCV programme and established herd immunity is likely to maintain population control of vaccine-type pneumococcal disease. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 22, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: David Goldblatt, Jo Southern, Nick J Andrews, Polly Burbidge, Jo Partington, Lucy Roalfe, Marta Valente Pinto, Vasilli Thalasselis, Emma Plested, Hayley Richardson, Matthew D Snape, Elizabeth Miller Tags: Articles Source Type: research
[Comment] When less is more: how many doses of PCV are enough?
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is an incredibly important, lifesaving vaccine, first licensed in 2000,1 and recommended for infant routine use in the UK in 2006.2 Since 2007 WHO has recommended it for inclusion in the routine infant immunisation schedule of all countries.3,4 Up to now, it has been rolled out in the national immunisation programmes of 141 countries (figure), has saved hundreds of thousands of lives,5 and is projected to save millions in the decades to come as country introductions continue and coverage increases. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 22, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Katherine L O'Brien Tags: Comment Source Type: research
[Corrections] Corrections
Brower V. Counterfeit and substandard malaria drugs in Africa. Lancet Infect Dis 2017; 17: 1026 –27—Incorrect terminology was used to refer to falsified medicines; this has been corrected throughout. The 2017 paper in Malaria Journal dealt with non-quality assured drugs, not inactive or adulterated drugs. Non-quality-assured medicines constitute 5% of the public sector in Kenya, not the pr ivate sector. Several of the quotes were taken out of context; they have been amended and a reference added. These changes have been made as of Nov 22, 2017. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 22, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Corrections Source Type: research
[Corrections] Corrections
Schwameis M et al. Topical azithromycin for the prevention of Lyme borreliosis: a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 effi cacy trial. Lancet Infect Dis 2017; 17: 322 –29—In the affiliations, L Meinel's qualification should have been PhD. In the Outcomes section of the Methods, the second sentence of the second paragraph should have read “Treatment failure was defined as seroconversion (IgM, IgG, or both), appearance of erythema migrans throughout the study participants seronegative at baseline (IgM, IgG, or both), or both seroconversion and erythema migrans throughout the study. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 21, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Corrections Source Type: research
[Corrections] Corrections
Walker TM, Kohl TA, Omar SV, et al. Whole-genome sequencing for prediction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug susceptibility and resistance: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis 2015; 15: 1193 –202—In the appendix to this article, the genome insertions and deletions (‘indels’) were wrongly annotated. The correct annotations have been added to the online excel appendix as of Nov 21, 2017. Instructions on how to read the new indels are below. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 21, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Corrections Source Type: research
[Articles] Human papillomavirus types from infection to cancer in the anus, according to sex and HIV status: a systematic review and meta-analysis
HPV16 is by far the most carcinogenic HPV type in the anus, with enrichment of HPV16 even from high-grade lesions to anal cancer, both in individuals who are HIV negative and those who are HIV positive. Nevertheless, the fraction of anal cancer attributable to HPV16 is smaller in the HIV-positive population. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 17, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Chunqing Lin, Silvia Franceschi, Gary M Clifford Tags: Articles Source Type: research
[Articles] Effect of HIV-1 low-level viraemia during antiretroviral therapy on treatment outcomes in WHO-guided South African treatment programmes: a multicentre cohort study
In this large cohort, low-level viraemia occurred frequently and increased the risk of virological failure and switch to second-line ART. Strategies for management of low-level viraemia need to be incorporated into WHO guidelines to meet UNAIDS-defined targets aimed at halting the global HIV epidemic. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 17, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Lucas E Hermans, Michelle Moorhouse, Sergio Carmona, Diederick E Grobbee, L Marije Hofstra, Douglas D Richman, Hugo A Tempelman, Willem D F Venter, Annemarie M J Wensing Tags: Articles Source Type: research
[Comment] The importance of HPV16 in anal cancer prevention
Like cervical cancer, anal cancer and its direct precursor lesion, high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN), are caused by persistent infections with human papillomaviruses (HPV).1 The natural history of HPV in cervical cancer has been comprehensively investigated. In the more than 40 HPV types infecting the anogenital tract, high-risk HPV-types and possible or probable high-risk types for the development of cervical cancer have been defined.2 Cervical cancer is preventable by regular screening. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 17, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Ulrike Wieland, Alexander Kreuter Tags: Comment Source Type: research
[Comment] Stepping up HIV-1 low-level viraemia surveillance in South Africa
In The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Lucas Hermans and colleagues1 report the results of a large, multicentre cohort study investigating the incidence of low-level viraemia and its association with virological failure. Low-level viraemia was defined as HIV RNA viral load of 51 –999 copies per mL. The investigators studied 70 930 HIV-infected adults from rural-urban areas of South Africa, 68% of whom were women, who were treated with first-line or second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens and monitored according to WHO guidelines. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 17, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Antonella Castagna, Laura Galli Tags: Comment Source Type: research
[Articles] Efficacy and safety of tribendimidine versus praziquantel against Opisthorchis viverrini in Laos: an open-label, randomised, non-inferiority, phase 2 trial
Tribendimidine has a slightly lower cure rate than praziquantel and non-inferiority was not shown. However, tribendimidine has a similar egg reduction rate to praziquantel and leads to fewer adverse events and thus might complement praziquantel in O viverrini control programmes, particularly in settings co-endemic for hookworm. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 16, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Somphou Sayasone, Jennifer Keiser, Isabel Meister, Youthanavanh Vonghachack, Syda Xayavong, Kanpaseuth Senggnam, Khampheng Phongluxa, Jan Hattendorf, Peter Odermatt Tags: Articles Source Type: research
[Comment] Tribendimidine: an alternative to praziquantel to treat human liver fluke infection?
Opisthorchis viverrini is a major foodborne trematode infection endemic to Greater Mekong subregion (GMS) countries, particularly Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, with more than 10 million people in those countries infected.1 The parasite induces several hepatobiliary diseases, including cholangiocarcinoma.2 To date, the only drug of choice for the treatment of liver fluke infections has been praziquantel. Therefore, identification of new drugs to avoid development of mutations conferring resistance to praziquantel in the future is crucial. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 16, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Banchob Sripa Tags: Comment Source Type: research
[Articles] Hepatitis C virus treatment as prevention in an extended network of people who inject drugs in the USA: a modelling study
Successful HCV treatment as prevention should incorporate the baseline HCV prevalence and will achieve the greatest benefit when coverage is sufficiently expanded. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 15, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Alexei Zelenev, Jianghong Li, Alyona Mazhnaya, Sanjay Basu, Frederick L Altice Tags: Articles Source Type: research
[Comment] How to eliminate HCV in people who inject drugs in the USA
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease and mortality worldwide. The World Health Assembly and WHO have recognised the need to prevent and control HCV infection, and WHO proposed that elimination was feasible by 2030 by reducing new chronic infections by 90% and HCV-related mortality by 65%. In the USA, as many as 3 million people are chronically infected with HCV, with more than 30 000 new infections occurring every year.1 Elimination strategies are urgently needed that focus on the estimated 1·3 million people who inject drugs in the USA, the group at highest risk for acquiring and transmi...
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 15, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Harel Dahari, Basmattee Boodram Tags: Comment Source Type: research
[Review] Zika virus in French Polynesia 2013 –14: anatomy of a completed outbreak
The Zika virus crisis exemplified the risk associated with emerging pathogens and was a reminder that preparedness for the worst-case scenario, although challenging, is needed. Herein, we review all data reported during the unexpected emergence of Zika virus in French Polynesia in late 2013. We focus on the new findings reported during this outbreak, especially the first description of severe neurological complications in adults and the retrospective description of CNS malformations in neonates, the isolation of Zika virus in semen, the potential for blood-transfusion transmission, mother-to-child transmission, and the dev...
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - November 14, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Didier Musso, Herv é Bossin, Henri Pierre Mallet, Marianne Besnard, Julien Broult, Laure Baudouin, José Eduardo Levi, Ester C Sabino, Frederic Ghawche, Marion C Lanteri, David Baud Tags: Review Source Type: research
