Gut Health and Child Survival
November 29, 2021
Researchers present findings related to diarrhea and bacterial illness treatments at ASTMH 2021
Categories: Conferences, Gut Health and Child Survival, Research
This year, the 2021 American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene conference was held virtually from November 17th-21st. The annual meeting is the premier international forum for the exchange of scientific advances in tropical medicine, hygiene, and global health. Researchers from Global WACh’s Gut Health and Child Survival scientific priority group presented on data from studies focusing on diarrhea and bacterial illness treatments. (more…)
November 17, 2021
Collaborative research consortium aims to measure incidence of Shigella diarrhea and consequences to support future vaccine trial
Categories: Gut Health and Child Survival, Research
In low- and middle-income countries, nearly one third of children experience at least one episode of Shigella-attributable diarrhea during their first 2 years of life. In addition to Shigella being a leading cause of diarrhea, this enteric bacterium is also associated with linear growth faltering, a precursor to stunting. Stunting is a marker of vulnerability to childhood infection, decreased vaccine efficacy and lifelong morbidity. Currently, several promising Shigella vaccines are in development. Eventual Phase 2b/3 Shigella vaccine trials will require a consortium of potential vaccine trial sites in settings with a high incidence of Shigella-attributed medically-attended diarrhea, high participant retention, and the laboratory capacity to confirm Shigella infection.
With this goal in mind, a research consortium funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting a new surveillance study titled, “Enterics for Global Health,” also known as “EFGH.” Over a two-year period, the EFGH study will enroll 9,800 children (1,400 per country site) between 6-35 months to establish the incidence and consequences of moderate-to-severe diarrhea caused by Shigella within seven country sites in Africa (The Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali), Asia (Bangladesh, Pakistan), and Latin America (Peru). The EFGH-Consortium is being co-led by EFGH Country Site Principal Investigators (PIs) and Dr. Patricia Pavlinac, Global WACh’s Gut Health & Child Survival Co-Director. and The EFGH Country Site PIs and their research teams bring years of experience leading and collaborating on epidemiological studies and clinical trials focused on disease control and elimination, vaccination, and maternal and child health.
Visit the newly launched website to learn more about the EFGH project and see a full list of EFGH team members here. Continue reading for highlights of the breadth of experience, expertise, and attributes gained from each site.
May 21, 2021
New Community of Practice supports Neglected Tropical Diseases Program Managers in Africa
Categories: Gut Health and Child Survival, Research
Kikundi, meaning “group” in Kiswahili, is a new online platform for NTD African Program Managers to work towards eliminating neglected tropical diseases. The logo is a West African Adinkra symbol signifying togetherness.
The Global WACh Gut Health and Child Survival team, in partnership with the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda recently launched Kikundi, a Community of Practice (CoP) for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Program Managers in Africa. Kikundi is the Kiswahili word for “group,” which fittingly describes this CoP that aims to foster connection among Program Managers, and ultimately help them in achieving national and global NTD elimination benchmarks.
(more…)
February 25, 2021
DeWorm3 Study to interrupt transmission of parasitic worms moves to UW Global WACh
Categories: Gut Health and Child Survival
Global WACh is pleased to announce we are now hosting the DeWorm3 Study, an ongoing community cluster randomized controlled trial. The study uses a community-wide drug administration approach to determine whether deworming both children and adults can disrupt the transmission of soil-transmitted helminth (STH), or parasitic intestinal worms across multiple geographies including India, Malawi, and Benin. The study is led by Principal Investigator Dr. Judd Walson (Global WACh’s Co-Director and Professor of Global Health, Medicine, Pediatrics, and Epidemiology), in collaboration with teams in India, Malawi, Benin, and London. (more…)
November 30, 2020
Global WACh welcomes new staff members
Categories: globalwach, Gut Health and Child Survival, HIV and Co-Infections
Despite working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, our researchers continue to lead innovative studies with local and international partners to improve woman, adolescent, and child health, and to our delight, even receive funding to launch new studies! We are pleased to introduce the newest members to join the Global WACh team. Meet them below and click on their names to read their full profiles! (more…)
November 24, 2020
Gut Health and Child Survival researchers present findings at virtual infectious diseases conferences
Categories: Conferences, Gut Health and Child Survival, Research
This month, researchers and collaborators from Global WACh’s Gut Health and Child Survival scientific priority area participated in two annual conferences virtually to share their latest research activities and discoveries related to pediatric infectious diseases and neglected tropical diseases.
August 3, 2020
Newly launched COVID MITS study aims to improve understanding of COVID-19 immunopathogenesis in Malawi
Categories: COVID-19, Gut Health and Child Survival
Dr. Donna Denno, Professor
Sarah Lawrence, Research Coordinator
Dr. Donna Denno, Professor of Pediatrics and Global Health and the Associate Director of Pediatrics for Global WACh, is a co-investigator of a new study funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launching in August 2020. The study titled “MITS for lung pathology and immune response in fatal COVID-19 in Malawi (MITS COVID)” is a one-year project conducted in collaboration with the University of Glasgow, University of Malawi College of Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Blantyre Malaria Project, and University of Manchester. Global WACh Research Coordinator, Sarah Lawrence, will also support this investigatory effort. Building upon the platform established in the Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS) in Malawi study (Co-PI: Denno), the team will address knowledge gaps on immune responses against COVID-19 that drive severe diseases in vital organs, particularly in the lung. (more…)
July 29, 2020
Dr. Patty Pavlinac receives NIH R01 grant to explore the roles of enteric pathogens and antimicrobial resistance to improve child health outcomes in SSA
Categories: Children, Gut Health and Child Survival, Research
Children hospitalized with severe illness in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are at high risk of morbidity and mortality following discharge from hospital, but mechanisms driving this vulnerability are poorly understood and there are no recommended interventions specifically targeting the post-discharge period. Dr. Patty Pavlinac, Assistant Professor in the Department of Global Health and Co-Director of Global WACh’s Gut Health and Child Survival Priority Area, is the Principal Investigator of a newly awarded National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grant to explore the mechanisms underlying this risk, including how azithromycin—an antibiotic commonly used to treat pediatric infections—affects children’s health and nutritional outcomes in SSA. The findings will inform the development of interventions to reduce the risk of death, re-hospitalization, and growth faltering following hospitalizations among this vulnerable group of children.
July 16, 2020
Dr. Arianna Means awarded NIH grant to develop strategies to improve pediatric treatment guideline adherence at healthcare facilities
Categories: Awards, Gut Health and Child Survival, Research
Primary causes of death for children under five include pneumonia and diarrhea, and nearly half of deaths are attributable to undernutrition. It is estimated that over half of these deaths are preventable with simple, existing, appropriately applied evidence-based interventions, synthesized within pediatric clinical treatment guidelines. Although health workers in low-and-middle-income countries are trained on pediatric treatment guidelines, adherence to guidelines is often low and there is a need to identify strategies to improve quality of care in settings with the highest burden of preventable child deaths.
May 18, 2020
View recorded Global WACh research talks at UW
Categories: Gut Health and Child Survival, HIV and Co-Infections, Research, Talks and Events
Over the spring academic quarter at UW, Global WACh investigators and student research assistants shared their work across various presentation platforms across campus. Research span from assessing environmental enteric dysfunction on child health and survival to evaluating risks of depression among HIV-infected adolescent girls, to improved treatment of TB and HIV co-infections.
Click on the presentation titles below to access the recordings to view and learn more about our research. A list of upcoming virtual presentations can be found below.
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