Hospital-acquired neonatal infections and AMR are a major burden in sub-Saharan Africa, and improved surveillance is required, according to a new review of 151 studies comprising data from 84534 neonates from 26 countries, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Serious bacterial infections in newborn babies – sepsis, meningitis, and pneumonia – are a leading cause […]

Bacterial sepsis is a leading cause of disease and death in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Many of the causative agents can be prevented with vaccines such as Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). The impact of these vaccines on infection needs to be monitored through surveillance. However, microbiological facilities and […]

Globally, more than 2.5 million neonatal deaths occur every year, and a third of these deaths are caused by severe bacterial diseases, which often present as sepsis. In sub-Saharan Africa, neonatal sepsis is caused primarily by Gram-positive bacteria with Staphylococcus aureus often associated with these infections. Oral azithromycin (AZI) prophylaxis has been shown to be […]

The malaria node of The West African Network of Excellence for TB, AIDS and Malaria (WANETAM-2) organized the second entomology training workshop, for 30 participants, in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso from 19th to 31st August 2019. The workshop was hosted in collaboration with the Centre d’Excellence Africain en Innovations Biotechnologiques pour l’Élimination des Maladies à Transmission […]

Breakthrough research has revealed a new drug that may prevent the spread of malaria, and also treat people suffering with the deadly parasitic disease. The findings, which were delivered by an international team of scientists led by the University of Glasgow, including Omar Janha and Dr. Davis Nwakanma from the MRC Unit The Gambia at […]

Whole genome sequence analysis of malaria parasites and other pathogens could pave the way for improved understanding of infections and development of new intervention approaches for elimination. In the first continent-wide genomic study of malaria parasites in Africa, a team of African scientists, in collaboration with the Wellcome Sanger Institute have uncovered distinct regional populations […]

Malaria continues to be one of the most important public health problems in Africa. Children and pregnant women are disproportionately affected. There are recent fears that the disease is resurging, despite the increased deployment of insecticide and antimalarial drugs. The malaria parasites in some regions of the world such as South East Asia have developed […]

Annually, pregnancy hypertension, fetal growth restriction (FGR), and stillbirth unrelated to intrapartum events are associated with 46,000 maternal and 2.5 million fetal, neonatal and infant deaths. Over 99% of these deaths occur in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), and over half in sub-Saharan Africa. The PRECISE consortium was established in 2018 to address this area […]

The establishment of a Genomics Core Facility at our Fajara site represents a bold undertaking for the Unit, and aligns with our agenda to build a strong core genomics capability, and become a stronger partner in the emerging “southern” genomics alliances, particularly in West Africa. The Unit has already secured and will be investing on […]

Dr Modou Jobe, Research Clinician at the Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at LSHTM has been awarded the Wellcome Trust International Training Fellowship, following a competitive process. The three-year Fellowship offers nationals of low- and middle-income countries the opportunity to receive training at postgraduate or postdoctoral level. Through the Fellowship, Dr. Jobe seeks to […]

Results from 7-country PERCH study highlight the need for new vaccines, especially against respiratory syncytial virus Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other viruses now appear to be the main causes of severe childhood pneumonia in low- and middle-income countries, highlighting the need for vaccines against these pathogens, according to a study from a consortium of […]

The MRC Unit The Gambia at the LSHTM hosted the first Maternal Azithromycin Research (MAR) Harmonization meeting with investigators from around the world, from 26th to 28th June 2019. The MAR meeting was organized and chaired by Dr Anna Roca, PregnAnZI-2 Principal Investigator, and included other investigators from the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, […]