Vaccine

BackgroundTwo RSV immunisations products: a maternal vaccine, Abrysvo, and a long-acting monoclonal antibody, nirsevimab, both designed to prevent RSV illness in infants, have recently become available. Modelling evidence is required to inform how to optimally use these products in immunisation programs to reduce the burden of RSV in young children. MethodsWe extend a dynamic transmission model calibrated to RSV-hospitalisation data of children aged < 5 years in temperate Western Australia (WA)...

BackgroundMaternal immunization (MI) can prevent major infectious diseases in mothers and children by boosting the immunity of pregnant women. Antenatal care (ANC) delivery platforms could be leveraged to effectively provide MI. Adding MIs into ANC could potentially enhance ANC services, positively influencing both maternal and infant health outcomes and yielding broader benefits. We model these potential ANC-mediated health benefits in five low- and middle-income countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Ken...

Vaccination frequently elicits suboptimal immunogenicity in organ transplant recipients, particularly those on long-term immunosuppressive therapy, highlighting the need for improved understanding of immunosuppression mechanisms and optimized vaccination strategies. This study enrolled a cohort of 132 individuals and observed significantly lower antibody levels in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) compared to non-transplant controls (non-KTRs). Antibody levels were inversely associated with bo...

BackgroundZero-dose children, defined as those who have not received a first dose of a diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT)-containing vaccine, represent one of the sharpest manifestations of inequity in immunisation systems. Nigeria remains one of the largest contributors to the global zero-dose burden, with North-East Nigeria facing intersecting crises of conflict, population displacement, governance fragility, and weakened primary health care. Existing research has largely focused on structural...

We introduce PerTexP (Pertussis Time Exploration), an interactive modelling tool designed to investigate pertussis transmission dynamics and to support the evaluation of vaccination strategies and short-term projections. PerTexP allows users to explore and compare maternal, infant, and non-infant booster vaccination scenarios and to assess their potential impact on disease transmission, with a particular focus on the Italian epidemiological context. The tool is based on a discrete-time, stage-st...

Sepsis caused by drug-resistant pathogens remains a major contributor to under-five mortality in low- and middle-income countries, threatening progress toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.2. Blood culture, the gold standard for sepsis diagnosis and antimicrobial stewardship, remains underutilised in routine pediatric care. This study assessed the extent and determinants of blood culture utilisation among hospitalised children under five years with suspected sepsis at four antimicrobial r...

ObjectiveCongenital syphilis remains a preventable cause of fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality, despite the availability of inexpensive diagnostics and effective treatment. We aimed to evaluate the maternal and congenital syphilis burden at the Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Perus national referral center for maternal and perinatal care. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of aggregated, de-identified surveillance data from January 2023 to December 2025. Maternal prevale...

Background Acute malnutrition remains a major public health challenge among children under five in Malawi due to undetected and untreated cases. While several policies and programmes are in place, they face significant resource input and implementation constraints. In this study, we evaluate the potential health impact and cost-effectiveness of three interventions designed to address constraints along the care pathway in childhood acute malnutrition management. These include improving early reco...

BackgroundRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children, often leading to hospitalisation in infants. In low-resource settings where routine RSV diagnostics are unavailable, clinical overlap with bacterial pneumonia frequently results in unnecessary antibiotic use, contributing to antimicrobial resistance. ObjectiveTo evaluate the frequency and clinical determinants of antibiotic use among RSV-positive children under two years at a tertiary...

Students who frequently miss school are at greater risk for academic difficulty. High levels of absenteeism as early as kindergarten have been associated with long-term consequences, such as low reading proficiency in Grade 3 and low academic achievement in Grade 5, both of which have been associated with lower rates of high school graduation and enrollment in post-secondary education. The prevalence of school absenteeism has increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic and there have bee...

BackgroundPostnatal care is crucial for assessing and improving the health of both mothers and newborns, yet its coverage remains low in Ethiopia. Timely, high-quality postnatal care, especially within the first week after birth, is essential to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. Family-led postnatal care is an innovative model for reaching postnatal mothers and newborns during the first week after birth. Leveraging self-care principles, mothers, with the support from family and guided by a...

BackgroundNewborns requiring inpatient care, particularly small and sick newborns (SSNBs), face high risk of mortality. Newborns referred from other facilities may experience worse outcomes than those born and managed within the same hospital (inborn newborns). Understanding factors contributing to this disparity in outcomes could support efforts to scale-up care and accelerate progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals target 3.2. MethodsData on 130,773 newborns admitted to 13 ho...

BackgroundHelmet use is a proven safety measure that reduces the risk of head injury among cyclists and e-scooter riders. Despite legal requirements for pedal bikes and e-bikes in Australia, compliance varies, particularly among users of electric vehicles. The growing popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters in urban areas presents new public health challenges, yet observational data on helmet use, behavioural determinants, and the effectiveness of safety interventions remain limited. AimPhase 3 of...

Background. Although health mediation is widely studied in the U.S. through community health worker programs, evidence on their effectiveness in promoting cancer screening in Europe is limited. Since 2022, the "13 en Sante" program has implemented a multicomponent health mediation intervention -combining educational activities, outreach strategies, and navigation support- in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Marseille, France. This study evaluates the effectiveness of this progra...

BackgroundMycoplasma genitalium (MG) is an emerging sexually transmitted infection (STI) associated with pelvic inflammatory disease and tubal factor infertility. Its relationship with impaired fecundity remains unclear and is rarely examined in the context of co-seropositivity with other STIs. MethodsWe conducted a secondary analysis of the Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction (EAGeR) trial, a prospective preconception cohort of women with proven fecundity and prior pregnancy loss....

BackgroundHelmet use is a proven safety measure that reduces the risk of head injury among cyclists and e-scooter riders. Despite legal requirements for pedal bikes and e-bikes in Australia, compliance varies, particularly among users of electric vehicles. The growing popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters in urban areas presents new public health challenges, yet observational data on helmet use, behavioural determinants, and the effectiveness of safety interventions remain limited. AimPhase 4 of...

BackgroundText messages are a low-cost digital health solution that can provide information directly to mothers. We aimed to evaluate a text message program, called Essential Coaching for Every Mother Tanzania (ECEM-TZ), designed to improve maternal access to essential newborn care education during the immediate 6-week postnatal period. MethodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. ECEM-TZ consists of standardized text messages from birth to 6 weeks postpartum t...

Objective To test the effectiveness of a postpartum behavioural intervention delivered by automated text messaging in reducing weight. Design Two parallel group, multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Setting Recruitment from five areas across the United Kingdom (Belfast, Bradford, Stirling, London and Cardiff) through healthcare and community pathways, including social media. Participants A diverse sample of 892 women between 6 weeks and 24 months postpartum, aged 18 years or more and with a...

The emergence of vaccine covered serotypes causing invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is a serious concern worldwide. We investigated the unexpected rise of serotype 4 causing IPD primarily in non-vaccinated young adults after the COVID-19 pandemic that further spread to adults [&ge;] 65 years in recent years. For this purpose, we conducted a retrospective study of serotype 4 IPD cases (n=827) reported in Spain between 2009 and 2024. Whole-genome sequencing was performed to assess clonal lineag...

BackgroundHelmet use is a proven safety measure that reduces the risk of head injury among cyclists and e-scooter riders. Despite legal requirements for pedal bikes and e-bikes in Australia, compliance varies, particularly among users of electric vehicles. The growing popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters in urban areas presents new public health challenges, yet observational data on helmet use, behavioural determinants, and the effectiveness of safety interventions remain limited. AimPhases 1 a...