Becky Jones-Phillips’ Post

Rapid diagnostic tests for deadly global viral threats, repurposing antibiotics to tackle neglected tropical diseases and a potential solution to the limitations of cold storage for medical samples in low- and middle- income countries will be developed through a £2.7m partnership between Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LifeArc and iiCON: Infection Innovation Consortium. The Translational Development Fund (TDF) responds to a growing need for new and innovative treatments and diagnostic technologies to help tackle growing threat of infectious diseases across the globe. Dr Becky Jones-Phillips, Director of Enterprise and Innovation at LSTM, said: “It is fantastic to see these projects advance, specifically as they tackle unmet public health needs that have long been neglected in low-resource settings. Our unique multidisciplinary approach of pioneering disruptive innovation whilst developing robust equitable access pathways will ensure these programmes have the best possible chance of success, accelerating them to market, and ultimately improving health outcomes for the most disadvantaged patient populations globally." Julie Brady, Interim Head of Global Health at LifeArc, said: “These research projects have the longer-term potential to transform millions of lives and reduce the staggering economic burden that neglected and tropical diseases place on low-and-middle-income-countries. We will leverage our expertise in translational science to help the researchers overcome common barriers and turn their lab-based discoveries into medical breakthroughs.”

Join us for a Nature Webcast on October 3rd, 2024, discussing the impact of molecular diagnostics on public health. Molecular diagnostics (MDx) is pivotal in advancing public health efforts, crucial for detecting and preventing infectious diseases, including potential pandemics. The Nature Awards, MDx Impact Grants, sponsored by Seegene, aim to support MDx researchers globally in developing diagnostic tests for infectious diseases. During the webcast, Zoltan Fehervari, Senior Editor at Nature, will delve into the current landscape of infectious diseases and future outlooks. Ulrich Eigner, Head of Studies on Infection Diagnostics at Laboratory Limbach in Heidelberg, will share insights on collaborating with Seegene to create a new clinical diagnostic test as part of the MDx Impact Grants initiative. Don't miss this opportunity to explore the forefront of infectious disease diagnostics and the role of molecular diagnostics in shaping the future of public health. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gaTqe6WW #NatureWebcast #MolecularDiagnostics #PublicHealth #InfectiousDiseases #MDxImpactGrants

Strengthening Fungal Infection Diagnosis and Treatment: An In-depth Analysis of Capabilities in Honduras @BryanOrtiz @DianaVarelaBustillo @GustavoAdolfoFontechaSandoval @KarlaTorres Oliver A. Cornely View Gustavo Adolfo Fontecha Sandoval’s profile 👩⚕️🧑🔬 IFI mainly affects people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or organ transplants. Unfortunately, many of these cases go undiagnosed due to lack of tools in low-resource settings. Let’s take a closer look at the situation in Honduras. 📍 Honduras, home to 9M people, faces unique healthcare challenges. 60% of the population relies on public healthcare, but 9 out of 10 people have no health insurance. Access to IFI care in rural areas? Almost non-existent. 🧫 Our recent study surveyed 39 healthcare centers across 14 of Honduras’s 18 departments. Shockingly, many clinics report very low incidence of IFI – but the real issue? Lack of diagnostic tools means IFI are simply not being detected! 🦠 Candida spp. (97%) and Aspergillus spp. (36%) were the most reported fungal pathogens in the study. While labs have access to basic microscopy and culture, advanced methods like PCR and antifungal sensitivity testing are rarely available. 💊 On the treatment side, fluconazole is widely available, but key treatments like amphotericin B and echinocandins are hard to find. Worse, flucytosine, a critical drug for severe infections like cryptococcal meningitis, is completely absent. 📉 The lack of critical diagnostics means IFI are often underreported. Even when suspected, many clinics lack the resources to confirm cases, meaning patients miss out on timely treatment. This adds to the already high mortality rate of these infections. 🏥 The absence of advanced fungal diagnostics like PCR, coupled with limited antifungal availability, creates a deadly gap in IFI management. A national mycology reference lab and training for specialists could dramatically improve outcomes. 🔬 Our study calls for urgent action: better diagnostics, more widespread availability of antifungal treatments, and stronger public-private collaborations to ensure no one is left behind. Fungal infections are treatable if detected in time! https://lnkd.in/d2AUsY-B

Journal of Infection, Sep 2024 Olink Proteomics powered study presents the most comprehensive analysis of the plasma #proteomics and #genetics of infection mortality. #Olink measurement of 2,923 unique proteins in a subset of 53,029 UKB participants reveals plasma #proteins associated with long-term #infection #mortality. The protein MERTK was found to be causally associated with #death from infections and represents a promising approach to developing targeted #therapies to reduce fatal infection in high-risk populations. Title: "Plasma MERTK is causally associated with infection mortality" This study aimed to identify blood proteins linked to the risk of death from #infections, which remains a major health issue despite current treatments and #vaccines. Researchers analyzed #Olink data from UK-PPP study to find proteins associated with infection-related mortality and used genetic methods to determine if these proteins might directly contribute to the risk. UKB-PPP is a collaboration between #UKB and thirteen #biopharmaceutical companies using the #antibody based Olink Explore 3072 Proximity Extension Assay technology, and is one of the world’s largest #proteomic studies to date. • The current study identified 1,142 proteins associated with an increased risk of death from infections. • Of these, 259 were linked to a significantly higher risk of infection mortality compared to other causes of death. • Notably, the protein MERTK was found to be genetically linked to an increased risk of dying from infections. Statistical analysis suggested that higher MERTK levels in the blood may directly contribute to this risk. MERTK appears to be causally associated with death from infections and could be a potential target for new treatments. #immunology #pathology #biomarkers #diagnosis #prognosis #infection #genomics #omics

On the occasion of World Hepatitis Day, we are sharing this excellent e-module developed by the ISAC Viral Infections Working Group and produced by our colleagues at Page Medical. Hepatitis C Virus: Tackling this infection with Direct Acting Antivirals The course is aimed at early career healthcare professionals interested in learning more about HCV, including hepatologists and other prescribing clinicians, medical microbiologists, virologists, nurses and lab technicians. Course Aims The course is aimed at early career healthcare professionals interested in learning more about HCV, including hepatologists and other prescribing clinicians, medical microbiologists, virologists, nurses and lab technicians. You will start by learning about HCV including the structure of the virus, the epidemiology and clinical presentation. You will then explore HCV coinfection before moving on to learn about treatment methods and reasons why treatment may fail, such as antimicrobial resistance. Lastly, you will learn about occult HCV and the risks this type of infection poses to patients. You will also have the opportunity to follow and discuss two case studies as the course progresses. By the end of this course you will be able to... * Identify Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) structure * Explain HCV coinfection * Classify Direct Acting Antivirals (DAAs) for HCV * Explain causes of HCV treatment failure * Discuss mechanisms of HCV resistance to DAAs * Define occult HCV * Discuss pathophysiology of occult HCV * Explain diagnosis and importance of occult HCV Sign up for free ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eSBhXgid #WorldHepatitisDay #Hepatitis #viralinfections #HepC #virology #infection #infectiousdisease #antivirals #globalhealth #publichealth #healthcare #heptology #microbiology Page Medical Hannah Stewart The World Hepatitis Alliance World Hepatitis Alliance

Exciting News! 📚 My latest research collaboration with Peter Schreiber and the #SwissTransplantCohortStudy has just been published! 📖 Title: "Do Infectious Diseases After Kidney Retransplantation Differ From Those After First Kidney Transplantation?" https://lnkd.in/gvujsYiZ In this study, we analyzed infectious diseases post-kidney transplantation, comparing the patterns and risks between first kidney transplantation and kidney re-transplantation. Using in-depth longitudinal data from the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study, we investigated infection rates, causative pathogens, and infection sites. Intriguingly, our study revealed that infections are less frequent after re-transplantation, as well as differences in pathogen types and infection sites. This emphasizes the importance of understanding the complex interplay of infections and nuanced differences in the immune status after re-transplantation. 👥 Tagging collaborators: #SwissTransplantCohortStudy #Research #Transplantation #InfectiousDiseases #MedicalResearch #Collaboration #Science #KidneyTransplantation #Healthcare

📃Scientific paper: Clinical and molecular epidemiological features of critically ill patients with invasive group A Streptococcus infections: a Belgian multicenter case-series Abstract: Background Recent alerts have highlighted an increase in group A streptococcal (GAS) infections since 2022 in Europe and the United States. Streptococcus pyogenes can cause limited skin or mucosal disease, but can also present as severe invasive disease necessitating critical care. We performed a multicenter retrospective study of patients with GAS infections recently admitted to Belgian intensive care units (ICUs) since January 2022. We describe patient characteristics and investigate the molecular epidemiology of the S. pyogenes strains involved. Results Between January 2022 and May 2023, a total of 86 cases (56 adults, 30 children) with GAS disease were admitted to critical care in the university hospitals of Leuven, Antwerp and Liège. We noted a strikingly high incidence of severe community-acquired pneumonia (sCAP) (45% of adults, 77% of children) complicated with empyema in 45% and 83% of adult and pediatric cases, respectively. Two-thirds of patients with S. pyogenes pneumonia had viral co-infection, with influenza (13 adults, 5 children) predominating. Other disease presentations included necrotizing fasciitis (23% of adults), other severe skin/soft tissue infections (16% of adults, 13% of children) and ear/nose/throat infections (13% of adults, 13% of children). Cardiogenic shock was frequent (36% of adults, 20% of children). Fifty-six patients (65%) had toxic shock syndrome. Organ support requirements were high and included invasive mechanical ventilatio... Continued on ES/IODE ➡️ https://etcse.fr/IG3 ------- If you find this interesting, feel free to follow, comment and share. We need your help to enhance our visibility, so that our platform continues to serve you.

Heart disease in fish? Yes, it’s a health challenge… Atlantic salmon are susceptible to #cardiomyopathy syndrome, typically caused by piscine myocarditis virus. This type of severe cardiac disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Norwegian #aquaculture industry. New work from the NMBU - Norwegian University of Life Sciences has identified a mechanism of cardiomyopathy, indicating that severe inflammatory disease develops due to persistent host-induced immune #pathology. The team proposes the use of two possible biomarkers to elucidate the severity of viral infection that could help with early detection and implementation of prevention strategies. To better understand the regulation of immune genes of interest throughout the infection, a high-throughput #qPCR analysis of 96 target genes was conducted in 96 samples simultaneously using the Biomark™ HD System. Sun et al. 2024: https://lnkd.in/gaDVyTVY

Have you ever wondered how a simple tick or mosquito bite can lead to a serious illness? Mark Loeb, infectious disease specialist and professor in McMaster University's Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, says diseases that are transmitted by arthropods, like mosquitos and ticks, are called vector-borne diseases. At McMaster, researchers are working to better understand this type of transmission and the pathogens that spread this way. Soon, through Global Nexus, the university will be home to a new state-of-the-art insectary, which will allow for on-campus containment and study of disease vectors, like the ones discussed here by Loeb. The new facility will enable and inform a range of studies into vaccines, therapeutics and other protective measures. https://lnkd.in/gF_uCTzs

📢 Call for Reading 👉 Title: Host and #HBV Interactions and Their Potential Impact on Clinical Outcomes 🔗 Link: https://lnkd.in/epu2t83J 🎯 Article Views: 3148; Citations: 7 This comprehensive review explores the interactions between HBV and the host, examining their impact on clinical outcomes. HBV infection encompasses a spectrum of severity, ranging from acute hepatitis B to chronic hepatitis B, which can potentially progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI), characterized by low HBV DNA levels in hepatitis B surface antigen-negative individuals, can reactivate and cause acute hepatitis B. HBV genotyping has revealed unique geographical patterns and relationships with clinical outcomes. Moreover, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the human host genome have been linked to several clinical outcomes, including cirrhosis, HCC, OBI, hepatitis B reactivation, and spontaneous clearance. The immune response plays a key role in controlling HBV infection by eliminating infected cells and neutralizing HBV in the bloodstream. Furthermore, HBV can modulate host metabolic pathways involved in glucose and lipid metabolism and bile acid absorption, influencing disease progression. HBV clinical outcomes correlate with three levels of viral adaptation. In conclusion, the clinical outcomes of HBV infection could result from complex immune and metabolic interactions between the host and HBV. These outcomes can vary among populations and are influenced by HBV genotypes, host genetics, environmental factors, and lifestyle. Understanding the degrees of HBV adaptation is essential for developing region-specific control and prevention measures. #hepatitis #immunity