WHO convened the fifth stakeholders meeting on the elimination of HAT due to infection with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (g-HAT) and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (r-HAT) in Geneva, Switzerland, on 7–9 June 2023. The meeting was held again in person after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandem...ic and jointly for both forms of the disease. The previous meetings on g-HAT held in 2014, 2016 and 2018, as well as on r-HAT in 2015, 2017 and 2019, and jointly for g-HAT and r-HAT in 2021 (8) reinforced the partnership and commitment for HAT elimination and structured the mechanisms of collaboration within the WHO network for HAT elimination. The network includes NSSCPs, groups developing new tools, international and nongovernmental organizations involved in disease control, and donors.
Fewer than 1000 cases of HAT annually have been reported over the past 5 years, which is a historic achievement. The area at risk has been substantially reduced. The elimination of HAT as a public health problem at the global level has been achieved.
The new road map for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) 2021−2030 (“the road map”) with the target to interrupt the transmission of g-HAT requires the strengthened and sustained efforts of all stakeholders, national authorities and partners, under WHO coordination. It will take disproportionally high efforts and innovative strategies to find the last cases of g-HAT and neutralize its transmission. Given the limited resources and other competing public health priorities, this is a challenge that requires our joint commitment.
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The tab is the result of a preliminary landscape of vaccines licensed or under development for Mpox
The tab is the result of a preliminary landscape of therapeutics licensed or under development for Mpox
Outbeak of Clade I MPXV in Subsaharan Africa
L’orthopoxvirus simien ou virus de la variole du singe (MPXV), est un virus à ADN double brin qui appartient au genre Orthopoxvirus de la famille
des Poxviridés. Les poxvirus causent des maladies chez l’espèce humaine et beaucoup d’autres animaux ; l’infection se manifeste généralement... par la formation de lésions, de nodules cutanés ou d’une éruption cutanée disséminée. Les autres espèces d’orthopoxvirus (OPXV) pathogènes pour l’être humain comprennent le virus de la variole bovine et le virus variolique (responsable de la variole, qui a été éradiquée). Le virus de la vaccine est également un OPXV qui a été utilisé pour la vaccination humaine, et a été un outil essentiel pour l’éradication de la variole, obtenue en 1980. Le MPXV doit son nom au fait qu’il a été identifié pour la première fois chez le singe. Le MPXV se retrouve principalement chez les rongeurs, mais son réservoir reste indéterminé. Il existe deux clades connus du MPXV, l’un endémique en Afrique de l’Ouest, et l’autre dans la région du bassin du Congo.
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Une flambée de maladie connue sous le nom de « variole du singe » sévit actuellement dans de nombreux pays où il n’y a généralement pas de cas. Cette situation peut être préoccupante, notamment pour les personnes dont les proches ou la communauté sont touchés. Certains cas ont été obs...ervés dans des centres de santé sexuelle parmi les homosexuels, les bisexuels et les autres hommes qui ont des rapports sexuels avec des hommes.
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WHO has updated the mpox Case reporting form (CRF) and data collection tool, mainly by reducing the number of variables. A detailed list of changes is presented in the file. The content of the Case investigation form (CIF) has not been changed.
Kerala state is moving towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDG), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 25th September 2015.
Goal 3 of the SDG addresses “Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for
all at all ages”. The sub-goal 3.4 of the SDG has the targe...t “By 2030, reduce by one
third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and wellbeing”.
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The prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis is high in western countries, and has been rising throughout the late 20th century. However, relatively little is known about the prevalence of allergic disorders in children in North Africa and the Middle East, and even less is known about t...he relative importance of socioeconomic factors in its aetiology in these countries, when compared to Europe, the USA and Australia.
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On 13 August 2024, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the ongoing Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS). This was followed the next day by the World Health Organization (WHO), which extended the alert internationally as a public ...health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). After these declarations, many countries have made efforts to mobilize resources to introduce or expand laboratory testing, surveillance, and response activities. In particular, as the number of suspected cases surges in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, and the Central African Republic, and an increasing number of new countries report cases, there is an urgent need to implement testing to strengthen the Mpox response. However, access to appropriate quality assured diagnostics is a challenge. There is limited information on important characteristics, such as available test kits’ performance and ability to detect relevant clades.
To address the challenge of mpox access in the continent, the Africa CDC Diagnostic Advisory Committee (DAC) met in Kigali from 19-23 August 2024 to review the available evidence on molecular tests for Mpox and to shortlist tests that may be useful for Mpox testing in countries. The shortlist aims to provide guidance to Africa CDC, countries and partners on appropriate high-quality molecular tests to procure and use for the mpox response.
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