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Top stories in infectious disease: misconceptions about STIs, new platform detects antibodies

Among the top stories in infectious disease are recent survey data that showed that despite low condom usage, most young, sexually active women do not undergo routine screening for sexually transmitted infections. A cheaper, fast and more convenient way to determine risk for infection in low resource settings has been developed in the form of a toaster-sized “lab on a chip” platform. Other stories include global child mortality rate declining by 56%, marking World Malaria Day by discussing the progress of control and elimination of the disease, and an E. coli outbreak among Marine Corps recruits in San Diego last year was associated with undercooked beef prepared by a civilian contractor.

Reports reveal misconceptions about STIs among patients, clinicians

Recent survey data showed that most young, sexually active women do not undergo routine screening for sexually transmitted infections because they do not see themselves at risk, even though less than half reported using a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse. Read More.

‘Lab on a chip’ platform detects disease antibodies in minutes

Researchers developed a toaster-sized “lab on a chip” platform that can detect disease antibodies in a matter of minutes using only a small volume of blood — making it a cheaper, faster and more convenient way to determine a person’s risk for infection in low-resource settings with limited access to laboratories. Read More.

Mass antibiotic dosing reduces child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa

The global child mortality rate has declined 56% since 1990, but 15,000 children aged younger than 5 years still die every day, and young children in Africa are almost eight times likelier to die than those born in Europe, according to WHO. Read More.

Malaria in 2018: A glass half full

April 25 was World Malaria Day. To mark the occasion, Philip J. Rosenthal, MD, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, and Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, discussed the state of progress in malaria control and elimination worldwide. Read More.

E . coli outbreak in Marine recruits associated with undercooked beef

An outbreak of Escherichia coli that sickened hundreds of Marine Corps recruits in San Diego last year was significantly associated with undercooked beef prepared by a civilian contractor, according to the results of an investigation. Read More.