PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases最新文献

{"title":"Development and effectiveness test of an internet-based real-time monitoring device for malaria parasite vector mosquitoes.","authors":"Chenyu Han, Yiquan Cai, Huijuan Yang, Yiji Li, Xuejian Zhang, Xiaoming Wang, Yixuan Duan, Hanren Liu, Lei Zuo, Guiyun Yan, Xiao-Guang Chen","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014778","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014778","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Malaria remains a major global health threat, and effective vector surveillance is essential for timely vector control. However, surveillance systems are challenged by behavioral shifts in Anopheles mosquitoes, labor-intensive procedures, and delays in real-time data transmission. Existing electronic monitoring tools often suffer from low sensitivity and specificity, creating an urgent need for automated, high-precision alternatives.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We developed the \"Black Box,\" a 3D-printed, internet-enabled device integrating multispectral light, thermal simulation, chemical attractants, and photocatalytic materials with automated counting and wireless data transmission. Laboratory trials demonstrated trapping rates of 94.00%-95.00% for Anopheles sinensis, An. stephensi, and An. anthropophagus, with data consistency exceeding 97.00%. Semi-field tests yielded trapping rates of 73.60%-90.80% and consistency above 92.00%. In field deployments, the device captured 5,109 mosquitoes with a 94.17% consistency rate and captured more Anopheles than the light trap during the field observation period. Real-time data revealed distinct bimodal activity peaks at dawn and dusk. Among the 112 field-captured female An. sinensis, 21 (18.75%; exact 95% CI, 12.60%-26.97%) were blood-fed, indicating that blood-fed mosquitoes may occur in outdoor collections.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Black Box provides a highly efficient, automated solution for real-time malaria vector surveillance. By delivering accurate, timely ecological data, it supports dynamic risk assessment and enables targeted interventions, addressing key limitations of current control programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"20 10","pages":"e0014778"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13652150/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149148793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of temperature on patient-derived dengue virus breakthrough infections in wMel-infected Aedes aegypti.","authors":"Daniela da Silva Gonçalves, Vi Tran Thuy, Robson Kriiger Loterio, Nhu Vu Tuyet, Trang Huynh Thi Xuan, Giang Nguyen Thi, Van Huynh Thi Thuy, Huynh LeDuyen, Dui Le Thi, Long Thi Vo, Huynh Le Anh Huy, Nguyen Thi Van Thuy, Phong Thanh Nguyen, Sophie Yacoub, Katherine L Anders, Heather Flores, Cameron P Simmons, Johanna E Fraser","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014255","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0014255","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The wMel strain of the insect endosymbiont Wolbachia reduces the potential for Aedes aegypti to transmit mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue (DENV). Field trials that have introgressed wMel into Ae. aegypti populations have shown this approach significantly reduces dengue incidence. In a laboratory setting some wMel-Ae. aegypti develop infectious saliva following a viremic blood meal. Additionally, studies have demonstrated that exposing wMel-Ae. aegypti to heat treatment, particularly during the larval stage, reduces wMel density in key tissues such as the ovaries, midgut and salivary glands. Here we build on these studies, using viremic blood collected from 13 dengue inpatients at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam), to assess how temperature affects the protection afforded to Ae. aegypti by wMel. We found that, compared to wMel-Ae. aegypti reared at 28 ± 4°C, those reared at 31 ± 4°C developed infectious saliva more frequently, but the risk of this occurring was still reduced compared to WT mosquitoes reared at the same temperature. Heat treatment reduced the density of wMel in all tissues tested, and significantly increased the amount of DENV-1 and DENV-4 replication in wMel-Ae. aegypti. When comparing cohorts of wMel-Ae. aegypti that did or did not develop infectious saliva, DENV levels in the head/thorax were associated with increased odds of mosquitoes developing infectious saliva, but wMel density was not. Overall, these findings show that elevated rearing temperatures increase the risk of patient-derived DENV breakthrough infections in wMel-Ae. aegypti, potentially due to increased DENV replication in these mosquitoes. This limitation suggests it would be prudent to increase surveillance in regions using wMel for dengue control when daily mean temperatures remain above 30°C for multiday periods.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"20 10","pages":"e0014255"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149149401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of praziquantel treatment and early reinfection patterns in a mixed Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium infection focus in the Democratic Republic of Congo.","authors":"Joule Ntwan Madinga, Clementine Roucher, Sylvie Linsuke, Sylvain Baloji, Marie Hermy, Pascal Lutumba, Katja Polman","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014764","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014764","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate the impact of single versus mixed Schistosoma infections on the efficacy of PZQ treatment as well as on the dynamics of reinfection after treatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We followed 388 randomly selected residents of a village co‑endemic for Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni, screening them for Schistosoma infection every three weeks across a nine‑week period. Kato-Katz stool examination was used to detect eggs of S. mansoni and urine filtration to detect eggs of S. haematobium. At every visit, those who were positive for schistosomiasis were treated with 40mg/kg praziquantel. Treatment outcomes (cure rate (CR), egg reduction rate (ERR), cumulative cure rate (CCR) and cumulative egg reduction rate (CERR)) and reinfection rates were compared between age groups, sex and pre-treatment co-infection status using McNemar and Wilcoxon tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Baseline infection prevalence was similar for S. mansoni (60.8%) and S. haematobium (60.3%), with 36.6% of mixed S. haematobium-S. mansoni infection. Infection intensity was higher in mixed compared to single infection (200.7 versus 70 epg for S. mansoni, p < 0.001; 29 versus 9.6 ep10mL for S. haematobium, p < 0.001). After one praziquantel treatment, CR of 62.7% and 94.6%, with ERR of 97.5% and 96.5%, were found for S. haematobium and S. mansoni, respectively. After 3 rounds of praziquantel treatment, CCR of 75% and 93.7%, with CERR of 95.6% and 97.5%, were recorded for S. haematobium and S. mansoni, respectively. In addition, treatment efficacy was significantly higher in single than in mixed infections (CR = 76.7% versus 58%, p = 0.01; ERR = 90.2% versus 96.5%, p < 0.001; CCR = 76.7% versus 58%, p = 0.01; CERR = 90.2% versus 96.5%, p < 0.001), and in older than in younger (<16 years) age groups. No significant associations were found between (co-)infection status and reinfection rate.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results show that pre-treatment co-infection status can affect schistosomiasis treatment outcomes for S. haematobium but does not affect the post-treatment reinfection. These results could help in tailoring control activities in co-endemic areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"20 10","pages":"e0014764"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13671649/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149149432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiology of helminth infections in adults in rural rainforest communities of the Nkam-Wouri River Basin, Littoral Region of Cameroon: Implications for NTDs elimination using preventive chemotherapies.","authors":"Anita Bate Obi Ebob, Narcisse Victor Tchamatchoua Gandjui, Benjamin Lenz, Emmanuel Ouam, Juluis Visnel Foyet, Amuam Andrew Beng, Fanny Fri Fombad, Franck Noel Nietcho, Manuel Ritter, Indulekha Karunakaran, Ndialle Nordine Mponge, Lucy Cho Nchang, Cheng Wang, Fonyuy Brandon Tahnteng, Jerome Fru Cho, Mathias Eyong Esum, Tatiana Djikeussi Katcho, Achim Hoerauf, Marc P Hübner, Samuel Wanji","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014780","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0014780","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chronic helminth infections cause serious health problems; however, limited data on prevalence and distribution hinder effective control interventions. This study assessed the prevalence, distribution, and risk factors of helminth infections in adults across four health districts (HD) in the Littoral Region of Cameroon, while hypothesizing that helminth infection prevalences are significantly higher in densely forested and wetland forest plantation districts compared to degraded and mosaic plantation forest districts despite over more than two decades of preventive chemotherapy.</p><p><strong>Methodology/principal findings: </strong>Adults aged 18 - 65 years residing in the community for ≥ 5 years were recruited across four HDs. Skin snips, thick blood films, and stool samples were examined using the Kato Katz method (stool) and microscopy. Demographic data were analyzed in R. Participants were mainly farmers (79.9%), male (52.9%) and aged 18-49 years (50.7%). Yabassi HD, a densely forested area, recorded the highest prevalence of Loa. loa and Mansonella. perstans, while Loum HD, a wetland forest plantation area, showed higher prevalence for other helminth groups. Overall infection prevalence was 41.9%, dominated by filariasis (33.3%), with Onchocerca volvulus (23.9%) most common, followed by M. perstans (11.9%) and L. loa (8.9%). Intestinal nematode prevalence was 9.9%, led by Capillaria spp. (4.6%), Ascaris lumbricoides (2.9%) and Trichuris trichiura (2.7%). Trematode infections included Dicrocoelium dendriticum (6.9%) and Paragonimus spp. (3.5%), while Taenia spp. (3.1%) was the most common cestode. Infections were more frequent in males and individuals over 40 years. Strong associations were observed among parasites with similar life cycles, Filariasis risk increased with age ≥ 50 years and longer residence, whereas recent deworming and higher education reduced the odds.</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>Adult helminth infections pose a public health risk and may serve as transmission reservoirs in child-centred programs. Monitoring and including adults in preventive chemotherapy programs, promoting regular deworming and awareness and using a multi-parasite, multi-pathway strategy will strengthen control and elimination efforts in persistently endemic areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"20 10","pages":"e0014780"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149149250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A multiregional serosurvey of RNA virus-reactive antibodies in bats and rodents reveals the enzootic presence of flavi- and paramyxoviruses in African Pteropodidae.","authors":"Jackson Emanuel, Jan Papies, Leonie Meiners, Talitha Veith, Victor M Corman, Tabea Binger, Erik Lattwein, Beate M Kümmerer, Susanne Zweerink, Kai Fechner, Florian Gloza-Rausch, Veronika Cottontail, Gaël D Maganga, Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit, Peter Vallo, Samuel K Oppong, Marco Tschapka, Chantal B E M Reusken, Rainer G Ulrich, Eric M Leroy, Jan Felix Drexler, Terry C Jones, Christian Drosten, Marcel A Müller","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013689","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013689","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bats and rodents have been identified as reservoir hosts of diverse RNA viruses that pose potential risks to humans. However, overall virus prevalence in wildlife and underlying factors determining the zoonotic potential of reservoir-borne viruses remain poorly characterized. Virus detection often relies on the identification of viral nucleotide sequences and may therefore be limited by variable virus concentration, tissue tropism, sample quality, and duration of infection. In this study, we applied a multiplex immunofluorescence assay to examine bat and rodent seroprevalence against 14 different human pathogenic RNA viruses spanning seven virus families (Coronaviridae, Flaviviridae, Hantaviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Phenuiviridae, Pneumoviridae, Togaviridae). We retrospectively analyzed 1,135 bat (16 species) and 454 rodent (14 species) blood or transudate specimens collected at 63 sites in seven countries. The tropical bats in our dataset exhibited notably high rates of seropositivity against certain virus families (Flaviviridae: 42.7%; Paramyxoviridae: 67.7%; Togaviridae: 7.5%). Although confounding factors and sparse data continue to pose challenges to identifying correlates of RNA virus infection in wildlife, multivariable logistic regression models were created to provisionally evaluate the association of tropical bat characteristics with seropositivity. Preliminary findings indicate that large colony size, found among species such as Eidolon helvum and Rousettus aegyptiacus, is a predictor within this dataset of orthoflavi- and orthorubulavirus seroprevalence, consistent with the communal spread of bat-adapted viruses.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"20 10","pages":"e0013689"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13674865/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149149147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From islands to landscapes: Integrating genomic and advanced eco-geographic tools in area-wide tsetse control.","authors":"Norah Saarman, Chantel Janet De Beer, Philippe Solano, Antoine Barreaux, Geoffrey Gimonneau, Sophie Ravel, Robert Opiro, Giuseppe Amatulli, Giuliano Cecchi, Serap Aksoy, Brian Weiss, Kostas Bourtzis, Adly M M Abd-Alla","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014752","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014752","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tsetse (Diptera: Glossinidae) are the exclusive cyclical vector of human and animal African trypanosomoses and continue to threaten health and agricultural productivity across sub-Saharan Africa. Area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) strategies provide a coordinated framework for combining tools such as the sterile insect technique (SIT), insecticide-treated targets and cattle, and others. This review examines the success and challenges of AW-IPM in tsetse control and advances in population genetics, species distribution modeling, and landscape genetics that improve identification of candidate populations for optimized AW-IPM design. We introduce the Coordinated Research Project (CRP) \"Tsetse Population Genetics,\" supported by the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre, which aims to develop standardized tools and data to guide SIT within integrated control strategies. We identify key gaps in evidence for population isolation and reinvasion risk and propose an integrated, decision-ready framework. The framework combines updated species distribution models with scalable genomic tools to generate connectivity maps and, where feasible, source-sink dynamics, to prioritize intervention sites and distinguish post-control reinvasion from true elimination.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"20 10","pages":"e0014752"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13652154/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149149120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating periportal fibrosis in schistosomiasis mansoni using the ELF [Enhanced Liver Fibrosis] score: A pilot study.","authors":"Rebecca Dantas Thorp, Andrea Dória Batista, Carolline A Mariz, Lilian Rose Maia Gomes de Araújo, George Tadeu Nunes Diniz, Ana Virgínia Matos Sá Barreto, Clarice Neueschwander Lins de Morais, Paula Carolina Valença Silva, Ana Lúcia Coutinho Domingues, Edmundo Pessoa Lopes","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014775","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014775","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Measuring the periportal fibrosis pattern (PPF) in schistosomiasis mansoni (SM) is essential for diagnosing portal hypertension. The Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) test can be used to quantify liver fibrosis, however, few studies have been done in SM. This study evaluated serum ELF value according to the PPF pattern established by the Niamey ultrasound classification (US) and history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in patients with SM.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>A cross-sectional, bidirectional analytical study was carried out with patients from an endemic area and from a reference outpatient clinic for SM. A structured questionnaire was applied to collect sociodemographic and clinical data, and blood samples were collected for ELF determination. US was performed by the same examiner.</p><p><strong>Principal findings: </strong>Among the 196 patients evaluated (58% women; mean age of 45.04 years ± 15.30 years) 18 (%) presented with Niamey US pattern A + B; 64 (%) pattern C; 56 (%) pattern D; 49 (%) pattern E and 9 (%) pattern F. The median ELF values were higher the greater the PPF intensity: 8.36 in A + B; 8.40 in C; 8.64 in D; 8.99 in E and 9.75 in F Niamey pattern (p = 0.0021). There was no difference in the mean ELF serum value between patients with and without history of UGIB. The ELF was able to differentiate patients without PPF, with mild, moderate and advanced PPF: A + B vs C vs D vs E + F (p = 0.0024), as well as patients with advanced PPF from those without fibrosis or with moderate fibrosis: A + B vs E + F (p = 0.0464) and C + D vs E + F (P = 0.0007).</p><p><strong>Conclusion/ /significance: </strong>The ELF test demonstrated potential as a tool for assessing PPF in SM patients, as it could differentiate those with minimal fibrosis from those with moderate or advanced fibrosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"20 10","pages":"e0014775"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13671643/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149148657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deep learning applications in parasite microscopy: A scoping review.","authors":"Rose Mary Maniraj, Emelia Osman, Siti Norul Huda Sheikh Abdullah, Aishah Hani Azil, Mohd Amierul Fikri Mahmud","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014774","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014774","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Parasitic diseases remain a significant contributor to the global burden of disease and conventional microscopy remains the gold standard for parasite detection. However, it is labour-intensive and dependent on skilled personnel, leading to variability in diagnostic accuracy. Recent advances in deep learning have enabled automated analysis of microscopy images, offering potential improvements in diagnostic efficiency and consistency.</p><p><strong>Methodology/principal findings: </strong>This scoping review aimed to map current evidence on deep learning applications in parasite microscopy for human clinical diagnosis. A systematic search of seven electronic databases was conducted for studies published between January 2015 and July 2025. Eligible studies included primary research that applied deep learning models to parasite microscopy images and reported performance metrics. A total of 118 studies were included. Image classification was the most commonly reported task, followed by object detection, while image segmentation was less frequently investigated. A wide range of architectures was used, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs), YOLO-based detection models and hybrid approaches. Most studies reported high performance across tasks, however, direct comparison was limited due to heterogeneity in datasets, evaluation metrics and experimental designs. In addition, most studies relied on internal validation using subsets of the same dataset, with limited external validation. Among the studies included in this review, several proposed implementation strategies. However, relatively few reported implementation or evaluation in real-world clinical or diagnostic laboratory settings.</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>Deep learning demonstrates substantial potential for automated parasite detection in microscopy. Among the studies included in this review, most deep learning models were evaluated under experimental conditions, with relatively few reporting implementation or evaluation in clinical or diagnostic laboratory settings. Key challenges include dataset heterogeneity, lack of standardised evaluation and limited real-world validation. Future research should prioritise external validation and implementation-focused studies to support integration into clinical and laboratory workflows.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"20 10","pages":"e0014774"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13645086/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149129015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing diagnostic accuracy of onchocerciasis rapid diagnostic tests using Bayesian latent class models.","authors":"Jayla Norman, N'Deye-Marie Bassabi-Alladjie, Pelagie M Boko-Collins, Dziedzom K de Souza, Katherine Gass, Louise Hamill, Jerónimo Langa, Carson Moore, Nelvina Mucato, Rassul Nala, Sarah Sullivan, Emanuele Giorgi","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013954","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013954","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Onchocerciasis elimination programs increasingly rely on rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) that detect antibodies to the Ov16 antigen, yet the performance of currently available rapid tests remains uncertain. The commercially available SD BIOLINE Ov16 RDT has shown inconsistent sensitivity when used on whole blood and does not consistently meet international performance thresholds for mapping or decisions to stop mass drug administration (MDA). Two novel onchocerciasis RDTs have been developed, DDTD RDT and GADx RDT, but their diagnostic accuracy has not been fully evaluated using methods that account for the absence of a true reference standard.</p><p><strong>Methodology/principal findings: </strong>We pooled participant-level data from three field studies conducted in Mozambique, Ghana, and Benin in 2023 to evaluate two novel onchocerciasis RDTs and the commercially available SD BIOLINE Ov16 RDT. A Bayesian latent class model was used to estimate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity without assuming any test was a perfect reference standard. Across all model specifications, the GADx rapid test showed the highest sensitivity, with posterior median estimates (92.0%-92.8%) consistently above the 89% threshold recommended for decisions to stop mass drug administration (MDA). Posterior median sensitivity for the SD BIOLINE test was above this threshold in most models but below it under the field-based prior (83.2%). The DDTD RDT demonstrated lower sensitivity overall (86.6%-88.4%). Specificity estimates were consistently high for all tests but remained below the recommended threshold of 99.8% (highest median: 98.8%). Alternative definitions of a positive result for the multi-antigen DDTD RDT did not meaningfully alter its estimated performance.</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>In the study communities sampled, the two novel onchocerciasis RDTs generally yielded higher sensitivity estimates than the commercially available SD BIOLINE Ov16 RDT, with the GADx assay having the highest estimated sensitivity. However, posterior estimates for none of the evaluated tests reached the specificity threshold recommended to support decisions to stop MDA on their own. These findings highlight the need for improved diagnostic tools or complementary testing strategies to support elimination decision-making.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"20 10","pages":"e0013954"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13660989/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149129032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Paediatric mpox during Sierra Leone's 2024 to 2025 clade IIb outbreak: A national surveillance and outbreak-investigation study of 415 children.","authors":"Eric Nzirakaindi Ikoona, Lucy Namulemo, Mary Magdalene Sinnah, Mohamed Alex Vandi, Foday Sahr","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014785","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0014785","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Evidence on paediatric mpox during contemporary African clade IIb outbreaks remains limited. We described paediatric cases in Sierra Leone's 2024-2025 clade IIb G.1 outbreak by person, time, and place and examined clinical care, outcomes, vaccination records, and documented exposures.</p><p><strong>Methodology/principal findings: </strong>We conducted a retrospective descriptive study using the national District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) mpox database, supplemented by patient charts and outbreak-investigation forms. Among 5,466 cases with recorded age, 415 (7.6%) were children younger than 15 years; 188 (45.3%) were aged 0-4 years, 121 (29.2%) were aged 5-9 years, and 106 (25.5%) were aged 10-14 years. Of 415 paediatric cases, 411 (99.0%) were laboratory-confirmed. Outcome was recorded for 261 children (62.9%); three died (1.1%, exact 95% CI 0.2 to 3.3). Care location was recorded for 285 children; 216 (75.8%) received hospital care for isolation, clinical management, or both. Three sporadic paediatric cases of mpox-like illness were reported from 2017 through 2024; notifications then rose rapidly from April 2025 and peaked in May. Western Area Urban accounted for 195/413 cases with known district (47.2%); crude notified paediatric rates were highest in Western Area Urban, Koinadugu, and Falaba. Household or caregiving contact was the most common documented exposure among 246 classifiable investigation forms (141, 57.3%). Mpox vaccination status was recorded for 27/54 cases aged 12-14 years; six were vaccinated.</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>Children were not spared during Sierra Leone's clade IIb outbreak. Response plans should include children in case finding, contact follow-up, clinical care, and vaccination assessment. DHIS2 should capture epidemiological links, clinical outcomes, vaccine eligibility and status, and potential exposure settings through standardised fields.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"20 10","pages":"e0014785"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13674859/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149128951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}