Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease最新文献

{"title":"Trends in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Mortality: A Population-Based Study in a Northern Vietnamese Province, 2005-2008 and 2011-2018.","authors":"Ngoan Tran Le, Ngan Dieu Thi Ta, Quyet Quang Nguyen, Thanh C Bui, Joshua T Mattila, Suresh V Kuchipudi, Toan Ha","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11040099","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11040099","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health burden in Vietnam, yet few studies have examined pulmonary TB mortality trends at sub-national levels, where local epidemiological patterns may differ substantially from national averages and reveal high-risk populations requiring targeted interventions and inform resource allocation. Lang Son, Vietnam, is a mountainous border province with many ethnic minority residents, and extensive cross-border movement creates distinct challenges for TB surveillance and treatment adherence. Although mortality has declined in line with national trends, rates in this border province remain higher than those in Vietnam's major urban centers. This disparity suggests a hidden burden where Lang Son's unique geographic challenges and ethnic diversity create health inequities that are often obscured by favorable national-level averages. To better understand local epidemiological patterns, this study examined temporal trends and gender differences in pulmonary TB mortality in Lang Son Province over a 12-year period (2005-2008 and 2011-2018). Using data from a population-based mortality registration system, we calculated crude and age-standardized mortality rates (ASR) per 100,000 person-years. Temporal trends were assessed using Poisson regression. The overall ASR was 7.7 per 100,000 person-years among men (95% CI: 6.5-9.0) and 1.9 among women (95% CI: 1.3-2.7), yielding a male-to-female ASR ratio of 4.1. The age-standardized pulmonary TB mortality declined by approximately 49.2% (from 6.3 (95% CI: 4.1-9.2) to 3.2 (95% CI: 1.9-4.9) per 100,000 person-years; <i>p</i> = 0.025). Notably, 69.9% of deaths occurred in individuals under age 70. While declines were observed in both sexes, sex-specific temporal trends were not statistically significant (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Despite these improvements, persistently higher mortality among men and older adults highlights ongoing inequities in TB outcomes within the province. These pre-pandemic findings provide an essential epidemiological baseline for assessing COVID-19's impact on TB control and underscore the need for age- and gender-targeted interventions at sub-national levels to accelerate Vietnam's progress toward TB elimination.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119980/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pathogenicity of <i>Brucella</i> sp. ST27 <i>Kogia sima</i> Isolates in Murine and Cell Models.","authors":"Andrea Romero-Magaña, Carlos Chacón-Díaz, Alejandro Alfaro-Alarcón, Marcela Suárez-Esquivel, Esteban Chaves-Olarte, Gabriela Hernández-Mora, Edgardo Moreno, Elías Barquero-Calvo","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11040098","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11040098","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Members of the genus <i>Brucella</i> are bacterial pathogens of global importance, and their increasing detection in marine mammals has raised concerns for wildlife conservation and public health. In this study, we evaluated the biological and pathogenic characteristics of two <i>Brucella</i> sp. sequence type 27 (ST27) isolates obtained from a dwarf sperm whale (<i>Kogia sima</i>). We compared them with terrestrial and marine <i>Brucella</i> reference strains. We assessed resistance to polymyxin B and human serum complement, intracellular infection dynamics in HeLa epithelial cells, persistence in a murine model, and associated hematological and histopathological changes, and analyzed lipopolysaccharide (LPS) profiles. The <i>Kogia</i> isolates exhibited resistance to polymyxin B and serum complement, comparable to that of <i>B. abortus</i> 2308W and marine mammal <i>Brucella</i> strains. In HeLa cells, the isolates displayed distinct, strain-specific intracellular infection dynamics. In the murine model, both isolates persisted in the spleen and induced granulomatous lesions. However, splenic bacterial loads and histopathological scores were generally lower than those observed with <i>B. abortus</i> 2308W, which exhibited the highest virulence among the strains evaluated. Hematological alterations associated with <i>Kogia</i> isolates were also less pronounced than those induced by <i>B. abortus</i> 2308W, indicating an intermediate and strain-dependent virulence phenotype without evidence of enhanced virulence relative to the terrestrial reference strain. Western blot analyses showed that <i>Brucella</i> sp. ST27 isolates were not recognized by anti-<i>B. abortus</i> or anti-O-antigen monoclonal antibodies, while exhibiting a distinct recognition pattern with anti-<i>B. canis</i> serum, indicating differences in surface antigen composition. Comparative whole-genome analysis identified a limited number of isolate-specific variants affecting coding and intergenic regions. Collectively, these findings highlight phenotypic and genetic features of <i>Brucella</i> sp. ST27 from <i>Kogia sima</i>, which distinguishes it from other marine and terrestrial <i>Brucella</i> strains and supports further investigation into its biological behavior and potential public health relevance.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120442/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Post-Pandemic Challenges: Endemic COVID-19, Vaccine Hesitancy, and Viral Resurgence.","authors":"Constantinos Tsioutis, Marcin Piotr Walkowiak","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11040097","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11040097","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Paraphrasing T [...].</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120358/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Polarization of Hepatic Macrophages in Alveolar Echinococcosis and Its Role in Remodeling the Immune Microenvironment.","authors":"Hai Xu, Yanxiong Wang, Lin Mi, Li Ren, Zhixin Wang","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11040096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11040096","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Alveolar echinococcosis (AE), caused by <i>Echinococcus multilocularis</i> larvae, is a severe zoonotic disease mimicking tumors, primarily affecting the liver with high mortality if untreated. Host immunity plays a pivotal role, shifting from Th1/Th17-mediated clearance to Th2/Treg-driven tolerance, enabling parasite survival. Liver macrophages, including Kupffer cells, polarize towards M2 phenotype under parasite antigens (e.g., phytic acid, exosomes), promoting immunosuppression, fibrosis, and T cell exhaustion via IL-10/TGF-β. This reshapes the tumor-like immune microenvironment with M2 macrophages recruiting Tregs, suppressing NK/DC functions, and fostering angiogenesis/fibrosis. Current treatment remains centered on surgery and benzimidazole therapy, both of which have notable limitations. Experimental immunomodulatory strategies, drug repurposing approaches, and targeted delivery systems may offer future therapeutic opportunities, but these concepts remain largely preclinical, unproven in AE, and require careful evaluation for safety and efficacy.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119565/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Series 3: From Infection to Disease: A Global Scoping Review of Medical and Behavioural Determinants of Progression from TB Infection to TB Disease.","authors":"Sonia Menon, Anthony D Harries, Riitta A Dlodlo, Gisèle Badoum, Mohammed F Dogo, Olivia B Mbitikon, Pranay Sinha, Yan Lin, Jyoti Jaju, Aung Naing Soe, Anisha Singh, Bharati Kalottee, Kobto G Koura","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11040094","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11040094","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health threat, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, with TB infection (TBI) serving as the primary source of TB disease. While HIV infection has long been recognised as a major risk factor for TB progression, the rise of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), which may exert immunosuppressive effects, further compounded by their treatment, contributes to increased TB susceptibility. This scoping review synthesises evidence from systematic reviews on medical and behavioural risk factors for TBI progression to TB disease, for both asymptomatic and symptomatic disease.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A preliminary literature search was conducted on 11 January 2025, in PUBMED using the keywords \"tuberculosis,\" \"asymptomatic or subclinical tuberculosis\" \"risk factors,\" and \"systematic review\" followed by targeted reviews on the identified medical and behavioural risk factors for TB infection progression to TB disease.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 25 systematic reviews were included. Medical risk factors for progression from TB infection to TB disease included diabetes mellitus (DM), chronic kidney disease (CKD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), undernutrition (including iron and vitamin D deficiency), cancer-particularly haematological malignancies-and immunosuppressive therapies (TNF-α inhibitors and glucocorticoids). Iron and vitamin D deficiency, particularly severe deficiency, is linked to increased TB risk, especially among people living with HIV. Behavioural risk factors, including tobacco, drug, and alcohol use, were also highlighted. Geographic variations in TB prevalence, diagnostic practices, and healthcare systems contributed to differences in risk estimates across reviews. No systematic reviews were identified that examined risk factors for asymptomatic TB.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The convergence of TB with NCDs, compounded by immunosuppressive therapies, poses a public health challenge in high TB burden settings. Effective TB prevention requires targeted screening, along with enhanced management of these NCDs. Nutritional support, particularly screening and treatment of anaemia and vitamin D deficiency, may benefit individuals with TBI, comorbid NCDs, and HIV. A multidisciplinary approach, integrating behavioural interventions and tailored prevention strategies, is essential to achieving WHO's End TB targets. Addressing the evidence gap on risk factors for asymptomatic TB is also critical to improve early detection and interrupt transmission.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120038/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of Human T-Lymphotropic Viruses 1 and 2 in Individuals Infected with Hepatitis C Virus in Belém do Pará, Brazil.","authors":"Renata Santos de Sousa, Lorena de Carvalho Corrêa, Fabiola Santos da Silva Matos, Samia Meneses Dos Santos, Marcos Daniel Mendes Padilha, Carolina Cabral Angelim, Álesson Adam Fonseca Andrade, Amanda Roberta Vieira Sacramento, Aline Cecy Rocha de Lima, João Lukas Nunes Almeida, Mauro Sérgio Moura de Araújo, Vitória Sahena Martins Souza Barbosa, Jacqueline Cortinhas Monteiro, Greice de Lemos Cardoso Costa, Andréa Nazaré Monteiro Rangel da Silva, Simone Regina Souza da Silva Conde, Luiz Fernando Almeida Machado, Izaura Maria Vieira Cayres Vallinoto, Antonio Carlos Rosário Vallinoto, Rosimar Neris Martins Feitosa","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11040095","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11040095","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Coinfection between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human T-lymphotropic virus 1/2 (HTLV-1/2) remains poorly investigated in the Northern Region of Brazil despite its clinically important condition. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and describe the epidemiological and behavioral risk factors for HCV/HTLV-1/2 coinfection in Belém, Pará. This observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study analyzed 192 samples from patients previously diagnosed with HCV: 127 participants recruited between May 2023 and June 2025 and 65 samples previously stored in the Virology Laboratory of UFPA. Data were collected through a structured survey. Serological screening for HTLV-1/2 was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by INNO-LIA and molecular biology (qPCR). HCV/HTLV-1/2 coinfection was observed in 4 individuals (2.1%), of whom 1.6% had HCV/HTLV-1 coinfection and 0.5% HCV/HTLV-2. There was no statistically significant association when comparing the sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, or risk factors of HCV monoinfected and HCV/HTLV-1/2 coinfected individuals. Although the results show a low prevalence of HTLV-1/2 and HCV coinfection in Belém do Pará, they still reinforce the importance of including HTLV in testing protocols for patients with hepatitis C in the North region of Brazil.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120376/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic Classification of a Novel Genotype of the Genus <i>Acanthamoeba</i> Isolated from Tap Water in Mexico.","authors":"Paloma Camacho-Aguilar, Leobardo Daniel Gonzalez-Zuñiga, Jose Reyes Gonzalez-Galaviz, Fernando Lares-Villa, Luis Fernando Lares-Jiménez, Luis Fernando Lozano Aguirre Beltrán, Alejandro Otero-Ruiz, Libia Zulema Rodriguez-Anaya","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11040093","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11040093","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Acanthamoeba</i> is a free-living amoeba (FLA) that causes the majority of human infections. It is found predominantly in aquatic environments and is classified according to morphology or genotype (T1-T23). Research on this FLA aims to monitor its distribution, identify existing genotypes, assess its infectious potential, and identify factors that contribute to its recurrence. This study performed a molecular characterisation of <i>Acanthamoeba</i> strains isolated from tap water in Cajeme, Sonora, Mexico, to classify their genotypes. This was complemented by whole-genome sequencing and mapping of the 18S rRNA region in a divergent strain, LUDO1, to obtain higher-resolution data for more reliable assessment of its divergence from known genotypes. Genotypes T4, T5, T11, and T15 were identified in the <i>Acanthamoeba</i>-specific amplimer S1 (ASA.S1) region using the maximum-likelihood method. The inclusion of the 18S rRNA region from strain LUDO1 enabled its classification as a new genotype (T24), with a dissimilarity exceeding 5% compared with the 23 known genotypes. Additionally, culture analysis revealed notable variation in trophozoite size among strains that correlated with phylogenetic sub-branching. This analysis contributed to the epidemiological understanding of <i>Acanthamoeba</i>'s high resistance to treatments and infection systems and demonstrated a broadening of the phylogenetic distribution within the genus.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120473/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Yellow Fever in Pregnancy: A Comprehensive Review of the Clinical Implications and Vaccination in the Context of the 2024-2026 Americas Outbreak.","authors":"Alfonso J Rodríguez-Morales, Katherine Acevedo-Jimenez, María Eugenia Guevara, Alicia Chang-Cojulun, José Brea-Del Castillo, Melissa Palmieri, Maria L Avila-Agüero, Francisco Javier Membrillo de Novales, Carlos Torres-Martínez, Sandra X Olaya, Sergio David Angulo, Jaime A Cardona-Ospina, Roberto Debbag, Carlos Espinal, Maritza Cabrera, Jaime David Acosta-España, Darío S López-Delgado, Marco A Solarte-Portilla, Oscar Fraile, Tatiana Drummond, Rodrigo Nogueira Angerami, Flor M Muñoz, Irene Benítez, Kleber Luz, María Alejandra López-Zambrano, Cristina Hernán-García, Daniel Leonardo Sánchez-Carmona, Lisette Cortes, Hernán Vargas, Lysien Zambrano, Danna Lucía Calderón-Medina, Diana Alejandra Hernández-Ramírez, Abraham Katime, Álvaro A Faccini-Martínez, Leidy J Medina-Lozano, Beatriz Elena Porras-Pedroza, Cristian Biscayart, Ana Carvajal, Lily M Soto-Ávila, Marbelys Hernández, Rolando Ulloa-Gutierrez, Laura Naranjo-Lara, José Alejandro Mojica, Matthew H Collins, Herberth Maldonado, Marco A P Safadi, Enrique Chacon-Cruz, José A Suárez","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11040092","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11040092","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Yellow fever remains a major public health threat in endemic and re-emerging regions of Africa and South America, with recent outbreaks highlighting persistent gaps in prevention and surveillance. Pregnant women represent a particularly vulnerable population, yet the epidemiology, clinical impact, and preventive strategies for yellow fever in pregnancy are insufficiently characterized. Physiological and immunological changes during gestation may influence host responses to infection; however, current evidence does not demonstrate increased susceptibility to or severity of yellow fever during pregnancy. Adverse materno-fetal outcomes, including miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, and, in rare cases, perinatal transmission, have been reported but remain poorly characterized. Diagnostic challenges, overlapping clinical presentations with other arboviral and hepatic diseases, and limited access to specialized care further complicate clinical management in many endemic settings. This perspective provides a comprehensive overview of yellow fever in pregnancy during the 2024-2026 outbreak in the Americas, including a risk-stratification framework for prevention. We summarize current evidence on epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and supportive care, and examine prevention strategies with particular emphasis on vaccination. Accumulated observational evidence and substantial real-world experience have not demonstrated an increased risk of serious adverse events and generally support the effectiveness of yellow fever vaccination during pregnancy when administered with appropriate clinical judgment. In high-risk settings, the benefits of maternal immunization clearly outweigh theoretical concerns, supporting a flexible, risk-based approach, despite relatively limited evidence. We also discuss national and international policies, post-pregnancy booster recommendations, and the importance of integrating vaccination assessment into antenatal care. Finally, we highlight critical knowledge gaps and research priorities, including the need for prospective registries and strengthened pharmacovigilance. Coordinated clinical and public health strategies are essential to protect maternal and neonatal health and to reduce the burden of yellow fever in endemic and re-emerging settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13120255/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Schistosomiasis in Western Lake Turkana, Kenya: An Exploratory Serosurvey and Validation of Dried Blood Spots for Field Studies.","authors":"Andrea Miján, Oihane Martín, Esther Ciancas, Carmen Llorente Martín, Gilechrist Lokoel, Sarah Lokaala, Daniel Lokiriama, Sagrario de la Fuente Hernanz, María Llorente de Santiago, Ana Camila Bertomeu, Jose A Perez-Molina","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11040091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11040091","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Schistosomiasis remains a significant neglected tropical disease in Kenya, but its presence in the western/northern Lake Turkana region is poorly characterised. We conducted an exploratory serosurvey to assess evidence of <i>Schistosoma</i> spp. exposure and a diagnostic accuracy study to evaluate dried blood spots (DBSs) for field serology.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a cross-sectional survey in adults (≥18 years) from six communities in the western/northern and shoreline area of Turkana Lake, excluding individuals with >6 months of residence in other Kenyan endemic areas. Capillary blood was collected on DBSs and tested centrally using ELISA for <i>Schistosoma</i> spp. IgG. In parallel, DBS cards performance was compared with paired routine serum ELISA in 23 patients assessed for suspected schistosomiasis at our centre.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We enrolled 155 participants (60% men; median age 30 years), with nearly universal reported freshwater contact (154/155, 99.4%). In the validation study, DBS values were lower than serum values (mean bias 0.27), with moderate correlation (<i>r</i> = 0.54) and modest discrimination (AUC 0.65; sensitivity 80% and specificity 50% at OD index >0.8). The median DBS ELISA OD index for the 155 participants was 0.55 (IQR, 0.34-0.79). Six samples exceeded 0.8, but these values were low, and all had negative IHA (<1/80), yielding no confirmed seropositive cases.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings suggest low or absent sustained transmission in the sampled communities during the study period and indicate that DBS-based serology is operationally feasible but requires careful calibration and confirmatory testing for robust field inference.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119579/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"TB Data Improvement in Nkembo Health Treatment Center in Libreville, Gabon.","authors":"Casimir Manzengo, Farai Mavhunga, Nlandu Roger Ngatu, Fleur Lignenguet, Stredice Manguinga, Ghislaine Asseko Nkone","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11040090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11040090","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although the estimated tuberculosis (TB) incidence in Gabon is declining, there have been challenges with treatment coverage, HIV status and treatment outcome documentation. Thus, the National TB Program (NTP) conducted an innovative data review at the Nkembo Health Treatment Center in Libreville, which manages more than 70% of Gabonese TB patients. Since our hypothesis was that the Nkembo treatment center was struggling with data mismanagement due to the workload, the objective was to perform a TB data quality review and triangulation exercise at the Nkembo health facility in Libreville, from January to August 2023, and propose recommendations for data improvement.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study used the data reconciliation method. This is a process that involves comparing and aligning data from multiple sources to ensure consistency, accuracy, and integrity. The primary purpose of data reconciliation is to identify and resolve discrepancies or differences between datasets and make them consistent. Using the \"TB onion model\", analysis identified data mismanagement as a key contributor to underreporting. A data review compared TB records to TB registry data and patient folders from January to August 2023 for notification and to the 2022 cohort for treatment results. The study focused on notified TB cases, HIV status and TB treatment outcome documentation. Discrepancies were reconciled, and treatment outcomes re-evaluated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After review, statistically significant increases were observed: +22% for total TB cases (<i>p</i> = 0.0003), +141% for the number of TB cases with known HIV status (<i>p</i> = 0.0017) and +104% for the number of TB cases successfully treated (<i>p</i> = 0.0001), as compared with the previous data.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This data reconciliation showed the usefulness of triangulation across data sources to improve the completeness of data. Also, current reported data underestimate the number of reported cases, documentation of HIV status, and treatment success.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study shows that data reconciliation can improve TB programmatic data completeness to better reflect program performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13119969/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}