ATLANTA—Efficacy of the RTS,S malaria vaccine for children — vaccinated between six and 12 weeks age — checked-in at around 30 per cent in preliminary findings from Africa released at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene conference by Dr John Lusingu of Tanzania’s National Institute of Medical Research. He told Sarah Maxwell that although this figure is lower than was hoped the data mean that a third of all cases of malaria are prevented among vaccinated children. Professor Sir Brian Greenwood of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine added his comment.

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Audio News - LSHTM Podcast

Malaria vaccine prevents one third of malaria cases at 12 months

ATLANTA—Results from the first large study of a vaccine for dengue fever — in 4000 Thai children — show that it is safe to use and effective — raising immunity to three out of the four "serotypes" of this mosquito-borne virus. Although these findings — announced at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene annual meeting — show that complete protection — against all four virus types — is still not possible, Professor Jeremy Farrar of Oxford University's Unit in Ho Chi Minh city told Peter Goodwin that expectations about the vaccine were perhaps too high, and that the results just announced are encouraging, because the risk of dengue is continually rising as more people travel around the world spreading the infection.

Dengue vaccine is safe and effective — but not against all virus serotypes

ATLANTA—Schistosomiasis — also known as bilharzia — could be eliminated from Africa and elsewhere by using two actions together: making simple improvements in water-supply sanitation and hygiene and treating infected children with free praziquantel — recently made available by the manufacturers. At the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene annual conference Alan Fenwick, Professor of Tropical Parasitology at Imperial College in London, chaired a symposium reviewing the latest evidence about practical ways of achieving success against this parasitic disease. He discussed the conclusions with Peter Goodwin.

Schistosomiasis: water, sanitation and hygiene together with donated praziquantel make elimination possible

LONDON—A man with no legs and only one arm and a boy crippled by polio have been instrumental in steering a Red Cross team’s work in Afghanistan. The ICRC’s head of Orthopaedics in Kabul, Alberto Cairo, was invited by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to talk about his experience of 22 years’ work with disabled and war-wounded people. Together with Carl Blanchet of the London School’s International Centre for Evidence on Disability he explained to Peter Goodwin why we should see disabled people as a resource, not a liability.

Beyond Legs and Arms For Afghanistan: Disability A Resource Not A Liability

LONDON—A case report in The Lancet has highlighted the threat of fake drugs for malaria — the subject of intensive research at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Dr Harparkash Kaur told Peter Goodwin what her laboratory is doing about the global threat of counterfeit drugs, and what happened in the recent case of the patient with malaria in Spain who had been taking anti-malarial drugs purchased in Equatorial Guinea.

Laboratory gets tough with fake malaria medicines

LONDON—The health impact of diet and physical activity may play a part in the marked ethnic differences in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the UK according to research reported at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. In the Pemberton Lecture at the 2012 Meeting of the Society for Social Medicine Professor Peter Whincup of St George’s London University also said that social class has a big effect on health — but not in the same way in all ethnic groups. He explained to Peter Goodwin why the study of ethnicity and health is needed to help reduce inequalities such as a six-fold difference in the incidence of diabetes between communities in the same city.

Ethnic lifestyle and diet differences have a big impact on health

LONDON—People are now routinely using the internet to find out about health conditions and to share their own experiences with others with similar diagnoses. This is a radical change in how people experience illness. Health professionals and policy makers have much to learn from patients experience websites such as www.healthtalkonline.org about what is important to patients. This was the clear message in the Cochrane Lecture given at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine by Dr Sue Ziebland who specialises in Qualitative Health Research at Oxford University, in the UK. She gave the talk as part of the 2012 meeting of the Society for Social Medicine, after which she told Peter Goodwin about her research findings and the implications these have for health systems everywhere.

Patient power improves health systems and saves cost

RIO DE JANEIRO and LONDON—A call for action on global health has been made in an article published by The Lancet medical journal about the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio de Janeiro. Issues which degrade the planet also degrade human health, according to Professor Sir Andy Haines, OBE, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. He talks with Peter Goodwin about the positive actions to be made to help both the planet and public health.

Rio Conference on Sustainable Development: “Health Should Be Top Priority”

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and media podcasting company Audio Medica are proud to present the launch of Audio News, a new series of podcasts focusing on key areas of global health policy.

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