Tropical Illness Research Articles

Climate change impacts on maternal health and pregnancy outcomes in Africa

ABSTRACT The review examines how climate change adversely affects maternal health and pregnancy outcomes in Africa, a region particularly vulnerable to climate-related disasters. It highlights the increased incidence of tropical and waterborne illnesses due to climate change, disproportionately impacting expectant mothers. The study thoroughly evaluates the effects of extreme weather events like heatwaves and floods on maternal health, both directly and indirectly. It underscores significant gaps in policy and research within African health sectors regarding these issues. Key findings reveal that maternal death rates remain alarmingly high, with risks like preterm birth, stillbirth, and maternal hypertension exacerbated by climate change. The review calls for urgent action, including enhanced research, increased funding for climate adaptation, and the integration of maternal health into broader climate resilience strategies. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for greater awareness and international collaboration to strengthen health systems in Africa, particularly addressing the vulnerabilities of pregnant women. This work aims to enhance understanding among policymakers and researchers about the critical health impacts of climate change on pregnant women in Africa.

Spatial Interaction Between Leptospirosis and Enteric Fever in Kelantan, Malaysia: A 2016-2022 Notification Registry Analysis.

Leptospirosis and enteric fever are prevalent tropical acute bacterial febrile illnesses in Kelantan, Malaysia, that exhibit overlapping features and shared transmission dynamics, yet their spatial relationship remains understudied. This study aimed to analyze their spatial distribution, investigating potential interactions and intersecting patterns. A total of 212 laboratory-confirmed cases of enteric fever and 1106 of leptospirosis between 2016 and 2022, were retrieved from the national e-Notifikasi registry. Point pattern analysis revealed clustering of both diseases in the northern region, but leptospirosis was predominant in the south, exhibiting higher spatial risk. Seven co-infection cases were identified in overlapping hotspot areas. Spatial dependence between the diseases was identified within 4 km distance on average, with varying patterns over time and regions. Recognizing spatial dependence has implications for accurate diagnosis, timely intervention, and tailored public health strategies. The findings underscore the need for multi-disease interventions to address shared risk factors and co-infections in similar geographical contexts.

Frequency and distribution of eschar in patients with scrub typhus in India: systematic review of literature and meta-analysis.

Scrub typhus is a mite-borne tropical febrile illness with high mortality if untreated. The presence of eschar is pathognomonic, but a wide range of frequencies of eschar positivity has been reported in Indian patients. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to ascertain the frequency (overall and geographic region-wise) and anatomical distribution of eschar in scrub typhus in India. We searched articles in two databases using: [(scrub OR typhus OR Orientia) AND (eschar) AND (India)]. The articles were independently screened and critically appraised by two authors. The frequency and distribution of eschar in patients with scrub typhus were pooled using a random-effect model. After the title-abstract and full-text screening, 107 articles (34002 cases of scrub typhus) were finally included. The overall pooled proportion of eschar positivity was 28.5% (95% CI: 24.1 to 32.9%). The pooled eschar positivity varied from ≤12% in Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Meghalaya to ≥46% in Tamil Nadu and Tripura. The pooled proportion of eschar positivity in the 'trunk' (39.3%), 'groin' (23.8%), and 'axilla' (16.5%) was higher than in the 'limbs' (9.9%) and 'head' (11.3%). Eschar is reported in less than a third of the patients with scrub typhus in India. Most eschars were in the groin, axilla, and the trunk. There is a need to create awareness amongst physicians of the need for thorough physical examination.

Clinical profile, complications, outcome and predictors of intensive care for paediatric scrub typhus: a tertiary hospital-based study from Southern Rajasthan, India

Background: Scrub typhus is an endemic acute febrile zoonotic disease and one of the most neglected tropical illnesses. In 2019, its outbreak was reported from Mewar region of Rajasthan, India. It is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi which is intra cellular gram-negative coccobacilli. Methods: It is retrospective descriptive study conducted on children diagnosed positive for scrub typhus by IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) admitted in ward and paediatric intensive care unit at tertiary care centre during 1 year of study period from April 2023 to March 2024. Clinical profile, laboratory parameters, course of illness and outcome data were collected in predesigned case records proforma for analysis. Results: Mean age of presentation was 10.5±3.2 years with female preponderance (F:M 1.21:1). 78.5% belong to rural areas. Environmental exposure was living close to forests, bushes in 38%, crop fields in 26% and cattle shed with pets in 30%. All cases had fever (100%, n=42) followed by vomiting (62%), cough-cold (42.8%), myalgia (40.4%), altered sensorium (35.7%), breathlessness (31%), oliguria (16.6%), conjunctival redness (11.9%). Most common signs were temperature >101’F (90.4%), hepatomegaly (62%), hypotension (21.4%), edema (23.8%), meningeal signs (14.2%). Tachypnoea (n=14) (p value <0.0001), CRT>3 seconds (n=13) (p value <0.0003), altered sensorium (n=15) (p value=0.0003) and SpO2 <90% (n=7) (p value=0.004) were found significant predictors of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission. Eschar and rash seen in 3 cases (7.1%). 16 (38%) children requiring intensive care unit admission had statistically significant anaemia (85.7%) (p=0.013), thrombocytopenia (78.5%) (p=0.042) and raised C-reactive protein (CRP) (50%) (p<0.0001). Conclusions: Scrub typhus is common in Rajasthan and should be suspected in any child with acute febrile encephalopathy, signs of shock, breathlessness, hepatomegaly, anaemia and thrombocytopenia in the monsoon season with the history of exposure. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment with doxycycline can prevent mortality.

The synergistic effect of Ficus carica nanoparticles and Praziquantel on mice infected by Schistosoma mansoni cercariae

Bilharzia is a parasitic flatworm that causes schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical illness worldwide. Praziquantel (PZQ) is a commercial single treatment of schistosomiasis so alternative drugs are needed to get rid of its side effects on the liver. The current study aimed to estimate the effective role of Ficus carica nanoparticles (Fc-NPCs), silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPCs) and Ficus carica nanoparticles loaded on silver nanoparticles (Fc-Ag NPCs) on C57BL/6 black female mice infected by Schistosoma mansoni and treated with PZQ treatment. It was proved that schistosomiasis causes liver damage in addition to the PZQ is ineffective as an anti-schistosomiasis; it is recorded in the infected mice group and PZQ treated group as in liver function tests, oxidative stress markers & anti-oxidants, pro-inflammatory markers, pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic markers also in liver cells’ DNA damage. The amelioration in all tested parameters has been clarified in nanoparticle-protected mice groups. The Fc-Ag NPCs + PZQ group recorded the best preemptive effects as anti-schistosomiasis. Fc-NPCs, Ag-NPCs and Fc-Ag NPCs could antagonize PZQ effects that were observed in amelioration of all tested parameters. The study showed the phytochemicals’ nanoparticles groups have an ameliorated effect on the health of infected mice.

Leptospirosis in central India: A retrospective study to explore burden of tropical illness

Leptospirosis, an underdiagnosed zoonotic disease in India, was studied retrospectively in Madhya Pradesh, Central India. Between 2018 and 2019, 2617 samples from patients with hepatitis-related symptoms were collected. Of these, 518 tested negative for hepatitis and other tropical viral diseases under the VRDL project were analyzed for leptospira IgM using ELISA. 68 (13.12%) were positive for leptospirosis. Common symptoms included fever (97.45%) and jaundice (42.27%), with renal involvement in 30.88% of cases. Higher incidence was observed in the 31–60 age group, especially during monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. The study highlights the need for increased clinician awareness and inclusion of leptospirosis in screening panels to differentiate tropical illnesses in India.

Unexpected arboviruses found in an epidemiological surveillance of acute tropical febrile syndrome in the department of Meta, Eastern Colombia

BackgroundNonspecific acute tropical febrile illnesses (NEATFI) are common in the Latin American tropics. Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, Mayaro, and Usutu, among others, can coexist in the American tropics. This study aimed to surveil the arboviruses that cause| acute febrile syndrome in patients in the Meta department, Colombia. MethodsBetween June 2021 and February 2023, an epidemiological surveillance study was conducted in the Llanos of the Meta department in Eastern Colombia. ResultsOne hundred patients in the acute phase with typical prodromal symptoms of NEATFI infection who attended the emergency department of the Villavicencio Departmental Hospital were included. ELISA tests were performed for Dengue, Usutu, Chikungunya, and Mayaro. RT-qPCR was performed to detect the arboviruses Usutu, Dengue, Zika, Mayaro, and Oropouche. The seroprevalence for the Chikungunya, Mayaro, and Usutu viruses was 41 % (28/68), 40 % (27/67), and 62 % (47/75), respectively. Seroconversion for Chikungunya was observed in one patient; two seroconverted to Mayaro and one to Usutu. The NS5 gene fragment of the Usutu virus was detected in nine febrile patients. RT-qPCR of the remaining arboviruses was negative. The clinical symptoms of the nine Usutu-positive patients were very similar to those of Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, and Mayaro infections. ConclusionsThe pervasive detection of unexpected viruses such as Usutu and Mayaro demonstrated the importance of searching for other viruses different from Dengue. Because Usutu infection and Mayaro fever have clinical features like Dengue, a new algorithm should be proposed to improve the accuracy of acute tropical fevers.

Effectiveness of the Antiparasitic Combination of Albendazole and Praziquantel As Compared With Albendazole Monotherapy in the Treatment of Neurocysticercosis in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Neurocysticercosis, caused by the tapewormTaenia solium, is a neglected tropical illness that affects millions of people worldwide. The disease leads to seizures and epilepsy as the larvae invade the nervous system. Treatment with albendazole and praziquantel is common, but the comparative effectiveness of combination therapyversusmonotherapy is unclear. This study evaluated the effectiveness of albendazole and praziquantel combination therapy versus albendazole monotherapy for lesion resolution in pediatric neurocysticercosis. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the antiparasitic combination of albendazole and praziquantel as compared with albendazole monotherapy in the treatment of neurocysticercosis in children. This study is based on a systematic review and meta-analysis following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. Randomized controlled trials on pediatric patients receiving the mentioned therapies were included.The risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials assessed the study quality once data extraction and analysis were completed. This study included randomized research in neurocysticercosispediatric patients diagnosed with neuroimaging outcomes, using albendazole and praziquantel combination therapy or albendazole monotherapy. We searched articles between September 30 and December 1, 2023. All terms followed the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) browser, and 13 articles were found. The data was quantitatively analyzed using RevMan 5.4.1 (The Nordic Cochrane Center, The Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark). We applied the relative risk (RR) for the intervention and control groups before and after treatment, obtained from prior studies on lesion result resolution. The statistical method was Mantel-Haenszel. The model analysis we used was a fixed effect model (FEM) for heterogeneity (I2) < 50% and a random effect model (REM) for I2 ≥ 50%. The impact was measured using the risk difference (RD) by study and the overall 95% confidence interval (CI). The meta-analysis indicated that combination therapy was more effective in achieving complete lesion resolution after both three months (pooled RD = 0.18, 95%CI = 0.03-0.33, p= 0.02, I2 =0%) and six months (pooled RD = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.09-0.40, p = 0.002, I2 =0%) of therapy. However, calcification outcomes were also more significant in the combination therapy group. The study demonstrates that the albendazole and praziquantel combination therapy is superior in lesion resolution in pediatric neurocysticercosis.Clinical caution is advised to prevent calcification during treatment.

Common Tropical Illness Due to Uncommon Species

Common Tropical Illness Due to Uncommon Species

Transcranial Doppler Sonography in Acute Viral Encephalitis with Special Reference to Dengue Encephalitis

Abstract Introduction: Acute viral encephalitis syndrome including dengue encephalitis (DE) is an important tropical illness with a guarded prognosis. The cerebral blood flow may be affected in acute viral encephalitis. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) sonography can quantitatively determine intracranial vascular flow dynamics in acute viral encephalitis. Aim: We aimed to investigate the intracranial blood flow characteristics in patients with DE and compare with nondengue acute viral encephalitis patients. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, all the cases of acute viral encephalitis including dengue were enrolled over 18 months and followed up at 3 months. TCD was performed to determine the mean velocity pulsatility index (PI) and resistive index (RI) across the middle cerebral artery, anterior cerebral artery, posterior cerebral artery (PCA), vertebral artery, and basilar artery and compared it among dengue versus nondengue group as well as outcome at 3 months. Results: Out of 39 patients, 19 were diagnosed with DE, whereas 20 patients suffered from the nondengue group. The elevated PI and RI in the left PCA were found to statistically significant (P = 0.001 and 0.008, respectively) in the DE group. There was no significant difference in any other TCD indices in any other vessel among both the groups. In addition, an initial low Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and higher brain imaging abnormality were significantly associated with poor GOS of &lt;5 in both the groups. Conclusion: An elevated PI and RI of PCA could be an important initial TCD parameter in DE. TCD parameters did not affect the outcome of acute viral encephalitis.

Infections associated with haemophagocytic syndrome: A case report of a rare coexistence with common infections

Infection-associated haemophagocytic syndrome (IAHS) is exceptional in typhoid and tuberculosis co-infections. We encountered a 50-year-old man with a history of pacemaker implantation who was previously treated for typhoid fever and currently presented with a chronic fever and shortness of breath. Initial laboratory tests revealed pancytopenia. A bone marrow aspiration was performed. However, due to cardiac problems, a bone marrow biopsy could not be performed. A bone marrow aspirate was submitted for cell block preparation. The cytology of the bone marrow aspirate revealed hemophagocytosis, which was initially presumed to be secondary to typhoid. Subsequently, cell block preparation of the bone marrow aspirate exhibited numerous granulomas with necrosis suggestive of tuberculosis. The patient was successfully treated with anti-tuberculosis drugs, steroids, and antibiotics. This case highlighted an association between IAHS and a common tropical illness. The usefulness of an aspirate cell block in the absence of biopsy and the potential existence of tuberculosis, especially in tuberculosis-endemic countries is to be noted.

Ophthalmic Zika virus disease: ocular findings in two Costa Rican newborns with microcephaly render a new insight of the illness

Zika virus infection is a vectorial tropical illness which has only recently been reported in Costa Rica. Inoculation by this flavivirus can cause a mild fever and rash in the general population. However, when contracted by pregnant women it may result in severe brain abnormalities and cognitive impairment of the newborn. We present the first two reported cases of combined microcephaly with retinopathy presumably due to this congenital viral infection. The ocular findings in both infants consisted in extensive chorioretinal atrophy and pigmented mottling throughout the macula. Despite both newborn turning in a positive result for Zika virus, only one of the mothers reported flu-like symptoms during pregnancy. We must consider the great threat this disease may pose on our health system since it generates a profound disability in the infant and will be therefore associated with long-term healthcare costs.

Detection of pathogenic Leptospira with rapid extraction followed by recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay-A comprehensive study from Sri Lanka.

Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonosis in the world. The disease is more prevalent in tropical regions where the majority of developing countries are located. Leptospirosis is considered a protean manifestation zoonosis with severity of the disease ranging from a mild febrile illness to a severe and life-threatening illness. Clinical symptoms of leptospirosis overlap with other tropical febrile illnesses. Early, rapid, and definitive diagnosis is important for effective patient management. Since Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based assays are not readily available in most clinical settings, there is a need for an affordable, simple, and rapid diagnostic test. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) and Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) were implemented at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, and a prospective study to evaluate RPA for diagnosis of acute phase of leptospirosis was conducted. Results indicate that RPA and qPCR were positive in 81% (98/121) of the total positive and acute clinical samples. Of the 81 positive MAT confirmed patients 60 (74%) and 53 (65%) were positive with qPCR and RPA respectively. Retrospective evaluation revealed a high diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity-70% and specificity-87%) of RPA compared to MAT as the reference gold standard. Results further suggest that there is no significant difference between the two assays, qPCR and RPA-SwiftX (P = 0.40). Laboratory procedures for the extraction and detection by qPCR in the laboratory have been optimized to obtain results within 6 hours. However, the RPA-SwiftX method under field conditions took 35 minutes. The RPA-SwiftX method could replace the qPCR which shows similar sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, RPA established under the current study presents a powerful tool for the early and rapid diagnosis of leptospirosis at point-of-care.

Phenolic compounds of Theobroma cacao L. show potential against dengue RdRp protease enzyme inhibition by In-silico docking, DFT study, MD simulation and MMGBSA calculation.

Currently, there is no antiviral medication for dengue, a potentially fatal tropical infectious illness spread by two mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The RdRp protease of dengue virus is a potential therapeutic target. This study focused on the in silico drug discovery of RdRp protease inhibitors. To assess the potential inhibitory activity of 29 phenolic acids from Theobroma cacao L. against DENV3-NS5 RdRp, a range of computational methods were employed. These included docking, drug-likeness analysis, ADMET prediction, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The aim of these studies was to confirm the stability of the ligand-protein complex and the binding pose identified during the docking experiment. Twenty-one compounds were found to have possible inhibitory activities against DENV according to the docking data, and they had a binding affinity of ≥-37.417 kcal/mol for DENV3- enzyme as compared to the reference compound panduratin A. Additionally, the drug-likeness investigation produced four hit compounds that were subjected to ADMET screening to obtain the lead compound, catechin. Based on ELUMO, EHOMO, and band energy gap, the DFT calculations showed strong electronegetivity, favouravle global softness and chemical reactivity with considerable intra-molecular charge transfer between electron-donor to electron-acceptor groups for catechin. The MD simulation result also demonstrated favourable RMSD, RMSF, SASA and H-bonds in at the binding pocket of DENV3-NS5 RdRp for catechin as compared to panduratin A. According to the present findings, catechin showed high binding affinity and sufficient drug-like properties with the appropriate ADMET profiles. Moreover, DFT and MD studies further supported the drug-like action of catechin as a potential therapeutic candidate. Therefore, further in vitro and in vivo research on cocoa and its phytochemical catechin should be taken into consideration to develop as a potential DENV inhibitor.

Clinical profile and outcome of acute kidney injury in children admitted to paediatric intensive care unit: A prospective observational study

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a commonly encountered problem in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). There are limited reports on paediatric AKI from the Indian subcontinent. Objective: To determine the incidence, aetiology and outcome in paediatric AKI using Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria. Method: This prospective observational study was conducted in the PICU of a teaching hospital in Western Maharashtra, India, from July 2016 to June 2017 on patients aged 1 month to 17 years. Results: The incidence of AKI was 18.8% (80/426). The mean age was 70 ± 60 months. Most (66.3%) cases had stage I AKI and 54% developed AKI within 72 hours. Sepsis (35%), pneumonia (25%) and tropical febrile illnesses (18.7%) were the common aetiologies. Complete recovery (CR) was seen in 79% and partial recovery (PR) in 21%. CR was highest in stage I (91%) as compared to stages II and III (p=0.005). Mortality was 22% (18/80). Mortality significantly increased with the stage of AKI (p=0.003). Mechanical ventilation, inotrope support, shock and the stage of AKI had a significant association with mortality on bivariate analysis. Mechanical ventilation was found to be a significant independent predictor of mortality (p= 0.011). Renal replacement therapy was needed in 6 (8%) cases. Conclusions: About one-fifth of children admitted to ICU developed AKI and most experienced mild transient AKI. Moderate to severe AKI carried high mortality suggesting a dose-response effect. Infections remain the commonest cause and mechanical ventilation was an independent predictor of mortality.

Computational studies demonstrating dithymoquinone of Nigella sativa as a potential anti-dengue agent: Short review

Dengue is acute tropical infectious illness, which is spread by mosquitoes, has presented a significant threat to public health worldwide. Unfortunately, there are no drugs that have been clinically proven to be effective at treating or preventing dengue. The development of some drugs is significantly hampered by our incomplete understanding of dengue pathogenesis. This short review provides a brief description of potential action against DENV of dithymoquinone to develop an anti-DENV inhibitor. In-vitro, in-vivo and clinical trials are required to establish the effectiveness and safety of dithymoquinone as an anti-dengue therapy, even though computational studies have demonstrated antiviral activity against DENV.

Mapping the Silent Threat: A Comprehensive Analysis of Chagas Disease Occurrence in Riverside Communities in the Western Amazon.

Chagas disease (CD) is a typical tropical illness caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of Chagas disease in communities in two states of the Brazilian Amazon. Data collection occurred in July in the Alto Juruá region of Acre and in December in the communities of Humaitá, Amazonas, in 2019. A total of 477 participants were included in the study. In the communities of Alto Juruá, triatomine collections and analyses of T. cruzi infection were also carried out. All confirmed cases were found in the state of Acre, resulting in a total prevalence of 1.67. Of these eight cases, seven underwent ECG, all of which were concluded as normal by the physician team's cardiologists. Seventeen triatomine bugs, all belonging to the Rhodnius genus, were captured. The natural infection rate by T. cruzi was 25% in the Nova Cintra community and 66.67% in the Boca do Moa community (Alto Juruá). This research found that more than 1% of the studied population exhibited positive serological results for Chagas disease in the riverine communities during the study period, representing a small portion of cases among those who have not yet been diagnosed.

Exploring glutathione transferase and Cathepsin L-like proteinase for designing of epitopes-based vaccine against Fasciola hepatica by immunoinformatics and biophysics studies.

Fasciolosis is a zoonotic infection and is considered a developing deserted tropical illness threatening ruminant productivity and causing financial losses. Herein, we applied immunoinformatics and biophysics studies to develop an epitopes vaccine against Fasciola hepatica using glutathione transferase and Cathepsin L-like proteinase as possible vaccine candidates. Using the selected proteins, B- and T-cell epitopes were predicted. After epitopes prediction, the epitopes were clarified over immunoinformatics screening, and only five epitopes, EFGRWQQEKCTIDLD, RRNIWEKNVKHIQEH, FKAKYLTEMSRASDI, TDMTFEEFKAKYLTE, and YTAVEGQCR were selected for vaccine construction; selected epitopes were linked with the help of a GPGPG linker and attached with an adjuvant through another linker, EAAAK linker. Cholera toxin B subunit was used as an adjuvant. The ExPASy ProtParam tool server predicted 234 amino acids, 25.86257 kDa molecular weight, 8.54 theoretical pI, 36.86 instability index, and -0.424 grand average of hydropathicity. Molecular docking analysis predicted that the vaccine could activate the immune system against F. hepatica. We calculated negative binding energy values. A biophysics study, likely molecular docking molecular dynamic simulation, further validated the docking results. In molecular dynamic simulation analysis, the top hit docked compounds with the lowest binding energy values were subjected to MD simulation; the simulation analysis showed that the vaccine and immune cell receptors are stable and can activate the immune system. MMGBSA of -146.27 net energy (kcal/mol) was calculated for the vaccine-TLR2 complex, while vaccine-TLR4 of -148.11 net energy (kcal/mol) was estimated. Furthermore, the C-ImmSim bioinformatics tool predicted that the vaccine construct can activate the immune system against F. hepatica, eradicate the infection caused by F. hepatica, and reduce financial losses that need to be spent while protecting against infections of F. hepatica. The computational immune simulation unveils that the vaccine model can activate the immune system against F. hepatica; hence, the experimental scientist can validate the finding accomplished through computational approaches.

Anti-Hcp1 Monoclonal Antibody Is Protective against Burkholderia pseudomallei Infection via Recognizing Amino Acids at Asp95-Leu114.

Melioidosis, a severe tropical illness caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, poses significant treatment challenges due to limited therapeutic options and the absence of effective vaccines. The pathogen's intrinsic resistance to numerous antibiotics and propensity to induce sepsis during acute infections further complicate management strategies. Thus, exploring alternative methods for prevention and treatment is crucial. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have emerged as a promising strategy for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. This study focused on generating three mAbs (13F1, 14G11, and 15D9) targeting hemolysin-coregulated protein 1 (Hcp1), a protein involved in the type VI secretion system cluster 1 (T6SS1) of B. pseudomallei. Notably, pretreatment with 13F1 mAb significantly reduced the intracellular survival of B. pseudomallei and inhibited the formation of macrophage-derived multinucleated giant cells (MNGCs). This protective effect was also observed in vivo. We identified a sequence of amino acids (Asp95-Leu114) within Hcp1 as the likely binding site for 13F1 mAb. In summary, our findings reveal that 13F1 mAb counteracts infection by targeting Hcp1, offering potential new targets and insights for melioidosis prevention.

Identification of infectious disease spatial clusters based on local Moran’s I statistic: A case study of dengue hemorrhagic fever

Background: One of the most prevalent tropical illnesses that impact people is dengue. Dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DF/DHF) have become much more common within the past few decades. The purpose of this study is to use the local Moran's I statistic to identify any spatial clustering of dengue hemorrhagic fever in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, during the months of June through July of 2023. Methods: The data distribution was first examined using descriptive statistics. The spatial clustering of dengue hemorrhagic fever over these four months was then examined using the global Moran's I statistic, Moran's I scatterplot, and local Moran's I statistic. More precisely, using the local Moran's I statistic, dengue hemorrhagic fever clusters (high-high and low-low) and geographical outliers (low-high and high-low) were found in Ho Chi Minh City. Results: It was discovered that DHF infection rates in Ho Chi Minh City likely to rise gradually between June and July of 2023. High-high spatial clustering of DHF infection rates was primarily found in urban areas and the city centre, despite the fact that this pattern has rapidly changed. Conclusions: The results of this investigation showed that Ho Chi Minh City has statistically significant spatial clusters of DHF. The findings of this investigation further show that local Moran's I statistic is validated in the context of studying the spatial clustering of infectious diseases in general and DHF in particular. The research findings offer valuable insights into the knowledge of the dissemination of DHF.