The Role of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases in China

In the Memorandum of Understanding on Health Technology Cooperation issued in Beijing in 1978,the Ministry of Health(MOH)of China and the World Health Organization(WHO)agreed to create a series of WHO Collaborating Centres(WHOCC).The Institute of Parasitic Diseases at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences(the predecessor of the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases[NIPD]at China CDC)was officially designated as a“WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria,Schistosomiasis,and Filariasis”in 1980 based in Shanghai(1).Since then,the WHOCC for Malaria,Schistosomiasis,and Filariasis has played an important role in promoting the development of medical science in China.

Study roadmap for high-throughput development of easy to use and affordable biomarkers as diagnostics for tropical diseases:a focus on malaria and schistosomiasis

Background:Interventions are currently being used against‘infectious diseases of poverty’,which remain highly debilitating and deadly in most endemic countries,especially malaria,schistosomiasis,echinococcosis and African sleeping sickness.However,major limitations of current‘traditional’methods for diagnosis are neither simple nor convenient for population surveillance,and showed low sensitivity and specificity.Access to novel technologies for the development of adequate and reliable tools are expressly needed.A collaborative project between African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation and partner institutions in Africa and China aims to screen suitable serological biomarkers for diagnostic pipelines against these‘diseases of the poor’.Methods:Parasite-specific exposed versus unexposed individuals were screened and sera or urine/stools were collected through case-control studies in China and African countries.Target genes/open reading frames were selected,then will be cloned and cell-free expressed,quantified and immuno-detected.Target antigens/epitopes will be probed and screened with sera from exposed or unexposed individuals using a high-throughput antigen screening platform as the study progresses.The specificity and sensitivity of highly immunoreactive biomarkers will be evaluated as well,using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays or dipsticks.Discussion:This roadmap explicitly unfolds the integrated operating procedures with focus on malaria and schistosomiasis,for the identification of suitable biomarkers that will aid the prioritization of diagnostics for population use.However,there is need to further validate any new diagnostic through comparison with standard methods in field deployable tests for each region.Our expectations for the future are to seek regulatory approval and promote the use of diagnostics in endemic areas.

Nobel prize for the artemisinin and ivermectin discoveries: a great boost towards elimination of the global infectious diseases of poverty

The Millennium Development Goals(MDGs)made a marked transformation for neglected and vulnerable communities in the developing countries from the start,but infectious diseases of poverty(IDoPs)continue to inflict a disproportionate global public health burden with associated consequences,thereby contributing to the vicious cycle of poverty and inequity.However,the effectiveness and large-scale coverage of artemisinin combination therapy(ACT)have revolutionized malaria treatment just as the control of lymphatic filariasis(LF)and onchocerciasis have benefitted from harnessing the broad-spectrum effect of avermectin-based derivatives.The paradigm shift in therapeutic approach,effected by these two drugs and their impact on community-based interventions of parasitic diseases plaguing the endemic low-and middle-income countries(LIMCs),led to the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015.However,the story would not be complete without mentioning praziquantel.The huge contribution of this drug in modernizing the control of schistosomiasis and also some intestinal helminth infections had already shifted the focus from control to potential elimination of this disease.Together,these new drugs have provided humankind with powerful new tools for the alleviation of infectious diseases that humans have lived with since time immemorial.These drugs all have broad-spectrum effects,yet they are very safe and can even be packaged together in various combinations.The strong effect on so many of the great infectious scourges in the developing countries has not only had a remarkable influence on many endemic diseases,but also contributed to improving the cost structure of healthcare.Significant benefits include improved quality of preventive and curative medicine,promotion of community-based interventions,universal health coverage and the fostering of global partnerships.The laudable progress and benefits achieved are indispensable in championing,strengthening and moving forward elimination of the IDoPs.However,there is an urgent need for further innovative,contextual and integrated approaches along with the advent of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),replacing the MDGs in ensuring global health security,well-being and economic prosperity for all.

The WHO new guideline to control and eliminate human schistosomiasis: implications for the verification of transmission interruption and surveillance of Schistosoma japonicum in China

Schistosomiasis is one of the 20 neglected tropical diseases(NTDs)prioritized by World Health Organization(WHO).It is predominately distributed in subtropical and tropical areas of 78 countries and territories with approximate 800 million people at risk of infection and 241.3 million people requiring preventive chemotherapy(PC)[1].

China's Belt and Road Initiative: Incorporating public health measures toward global economic growth and shared prosperity

The unprecedented globalization of trade,travel,climate change,protectionism,and geopolitical populism,as well as pandemic health threats are no longer issues for a single nation.In the field of public health,China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) offers immense opportunities for partnership and collective actions involving multiple countries to combat globalization-linked infectious and/or chronic diseases,emerging pandemics,and outbreaks of potential threats to both laboratory information management systems and health information management.The national and global health challenges have increasingly proved that economic prosperity cannot be achieved when huge knowledge and capacity gaps exist in health systems.There is thus a need for public health initiatives aimed at strengthening the health systems beyond sovereign borders to influence global geo-economics.We highlight situational insights that offer approaches and strategies for increasing public health investment and capacity development in the countries along the Belt and Road,enhancing public and global health cooperation alongside participation in disease control and elimination,promoting public health governance and data sharing for pandemic threats,and building shared values and benefits in public health through Sino-African cooperation and the BRI.Our approach also examines the values of the China's BRI in relation to public health,projections and initiatives for increasing new investment and development capacity in public health systems,and enhanced public and global health cooperation and participation toward the BRI's framework and scope.

Assessment on the Diagnostic Capacity for Parasitic Diseases of Health Facilities—China,2019

What is already known about this topic?Morbidity and prevalence of several major parasitic diseases have been declining in China.To reduce the disease burden of parasitic diseases and protect public health security,conducting accurate diagnoses following timely treatment is important.What is added by this report?In the national competition held in 2019.

Preparedness for Chagas disease spreading worldwide

Chagas disease remains a serious problem for public health due to the high disease burden together with its global spreading patterns.However,current treatment and vector control are highly challenged by drug and insecticide resistance.Chemotherapy and vector control have been proved to be effective attempts to minimize the disease burden.Continued efforts are necessary to keep adapting the surveillance-response systems to the dynamic health systems.More attention and investments are needed to improve appropriate strategy and technology in different settings.This may be accomplished by creating effective risk early warning,addressing vulnerability and building resilience systems,implementing a vector surveillance system,as well as innovating research and technology.

Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Public Drinking Water in China

We aimed to assess the risks of Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections associated with drinking water for local residents,based on a quantitative microbial risk assessment,in three densely populated regions of China.In total,45 source water samples and 45 treated water samples were collected from June to December 2014.

Surveillance Progress for Crucial Vector-Borne Parasitic Diseases in China

China has achieved significant progress in controlling parasitic diseases through extensive campaigns over the last seven decades.In 2015,the criteria for schistosomiasis transmission control were met nationwide(1),and no indigenous malaria cases have been reported in China since 2017(2).Moreover,the number of areas with endemic visceral leishmaniasis has been markedly reduced from 16 to 7 provincial-level administrative divisions(PLADs)(3).

Development and Impacts of the Sierra Leone-China Laboratory for Parasitic Diseases Testing and Surveillance

BACKGROUND The Republic of Sierra Leone is located on the west coast of Africa,bordering Guinea and Liberia,with a population of 7.8 million in 2019(1).It has a tropical monsoon climate,with high temperatures and plentiful precipitation.As one of the least developed countries in the world(2),Sierra Leone has long struggled with poor health outcomes with a life expectancy at birth of 59 for male and 61 for female,and high maternal and neonatal mortality,threatened by infectious diseases such as malaria,tuberculosis,typhoid fever,cholera,and Lassa fever(3).

T-S Fuzzy Remote Sensing Monitoring Model of Snail Distribution by Landsat 8 and Sentinel 2 Data

Approximately half of the world’s population is at the risk of at least one vector-borne parasitic disease.The survival of intermediate hosts of vector-borne parasitic diseases is governed by various environmental factors,and remote sensing can be used to characterize and monitor environmental factors related to intermediate host breeding and reproduction,and become a powerful means to monitor the vector-borne parasitic diseases.Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that menaces human health.Oncomelaniahupensis(snail)is the unique intermediate host of Schistosoma,so monitoring and controlling the number of snail is key to reduce the risk of schistosomiasis transmission.In this paper,Landsat 8 OLI and Sentinel 2 MSI data had been used to obtain the environmental factors(vegetation,soil,temperature,terrain et al.),which are related to the multiplying and transmission of intermediate host.Then this study used T-S(Takagi-Sugeno)Fuzzy RS model to establish a new suitable index membership function due to the different RS data,and a long time series monitoring of snail distribution in Dongting Lake from 2014 to 2018 was achieved.A comparative analysis was performed to validate the predicted results against the field survey data.The results demonstrated the accuracy of the developed model in predicting the distribution of snails.

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of schistosomiasis in China's Mainland:Evidence from a multi-stage continuous downscaling sentinel monitoring

Objective:To determine the spatiotemporal distribution of Schistosoma(S.)japonicum infections in humans,livestock,and Oncomelania(O.)hupensis across the endemic foci of China.Methods:Based on multi-stage continuous downscaling of sentinel monitoring,county-based schistosomiasis surveillance data were captured from the national schistosomiasis surveillance sites of China from 2005 to 2019.The data included S.japonicum infections in humans,livestock,and O.hupensis.The spatiotemporal trends for schistosomiasis were detected using a Joinpoint regression model,with a standard deviational ellipse(SDE)tool,which determined the central tendency and dispersion in the spatial distribution of schistosomiasis.Further,more spatiotemporal clusters of S.japonicum infections in humans,livestock,and O.hupensis were evaluated by the Poisson model.Results:The prevalence of S.japonicum human infections decreased from 2.06%to zero based on data of the national schistosomiasis surveillance sites of China from 2005 to 2019,with a reduction from 9.42%to zero for the prevalence of S.japonicum infections in livestock,and from 0.26%to zero for the prevalence of S.japonicum infections in O.hupensis.Analysis using an SDE tool showed that schistosomiasis-affected regions were reduced yearly from 2005 to 2014 in the endemic provinces of Hunan,Hubei,Jiangxi,and Anhui,as well as in the Poyang and Dongting Lake regions.Poisson model revealed 11 clusters of S.japonicum human infections,six clusters of S.japonicum infections in livestock,and nine clusters of S.japonicum infections in O.hupensis.The clusters of human infection were highly consistent with clusters of S.japonicum infections in livestock and O.hupensis.They were in the 5 provinces of Hunan,Hubei,Jiangxi,Anhui,and Jiangsu,as well as along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.Humans,livestock,and O.hupensis infections with S.japonicum were mainly concentrated in the north of the Hunan Province,south of the Hubei Province,north of the Jiangxi Province,and southwestern portion of Anhui Province.In the 2 mountainous provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan,human,livestock,and O.hupensis infections with S.japonicum were mainly concentrated in the northwestern portion of the Yunnan Province,the Daliangshan area in the south of Sichuan Province,and the hilly regions in the middle of Sichuan Province.Conclusions:A remarkable decline in the disease prevalence of S.japonicum infection was observed in endemic schistosomiasis in China between 2005 and 2019.However,there remains a long-term risk of transmission in local areas,with the highest-risk areas primarily in Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake regions,requiring to focus on vigilance against the rebound of the epidemic.Development of high-sensitivity detection methods and integrating the transmission links such as human and livestock infection,wild animal infection,and O.hupensis into the surveillance-response system will ensure the elimination of schistosomiasis in China by 2030.

Infectious Diseases of Poverty: progress achieved during the decade gone and perspectives for the future

The journal Infectious Diseases of Poverty(IDP)was launched on October 25,2012.The"One Health-One World"concept remains in focus w让h the least developed countries at the epicentre of the publication activities.

Seventy years’ achievements of international cooperation by the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Background: With the promotion of national control programs on parasitic and tropical diseases in China,the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases(NIPD),Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has gained significant experience in the global health arena through international cooperation over the last seven decades allowing a multilateral impact in the elimination of major endemic diseases.Methods:: The achievements of NIPD since 1950 has been analyzed with emphasis on the various stages that started with research and control of the endemic parasitic and other tropical diseases at the national level and progressed via international cooperation into a global presence.Results: The major achievements contributed by NIPD consist of(i)improving technical capability;(ii)promoting control and elimination of parasitic and tropical diseases;(iii)participating in global health governance and cooperation;and(iv)developing a cooperation model for technical assistance and global public health development.It is expected that NIPD’s experience of international cooperation will be essential for the dissemination of China's successful experience in global health governance,emergency response and development,with focus on malaria and neglected tropical diseases such as schistosomiasis,soil-borne and food-borne helminthiases and echinococcosis.Conclusions: NIPD’s new tasks will not only continue to promote national control of endemic parasitic infections and disease elimination programs in China,but also play a leading role in global health and disease elimination programs in the future.

Time to Integrate Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases Control and Elimination

Traditionally,malaria has always been considered one of the tropical diseases.This only has changed in the late 1990s,with the World Health Organization(WHO)profiling HIV,tuberculosis(TB),and malaria as priority“poverty-related”killing diseases(1).This has led to the creation of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,Tuberculosis,and Malaria(2),that has mobilized substantial resources to advance the control of all three diseases,even if mostly in a siloed manner.

Ending the“Neglect”to End Neglected Tropical Diseases

January 30,2022 will mark the third World Neglected Tropical Diseases(NTD)Day.The slogan for this year World NTD Day is“A New Day in the fight against NTDs”(https://worldntdday.org/).While human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS),tuberculosis,and malaria were regarded as the three major infectious diseases and have received greater treatment and research funding,NTDs have almost disappeared in the global health policy agenda to gain recognition in 2015 with the Sustainable Development Goals(SDG target 3.3).

The “Paired Learning by Doing” Approach for Capacity Building Derived from the China-UK-Tanzania Pilot Project on Malaria Control During 2015–2018

China’s growing prosperity has led to an increased role in international affairs,particularly in global health cooperation.Alongside sending medical teams abroad,China’s health authority is gradually expanding its South-South cooperation in public health.However,due to a late start in global health initiatives and limited experience in organizing,coordinating,and implementing intervention projects overseas,China still faces significant challenges in global health,particularly in the local context.Recognizing the longstanding partnership between the Chinese and British governments,they have identified global health as a new area of strategic cooperation.In 2012,the former UK Department for International Development(DFID)initiated a new type of health development cooperation project named the China-UK Global Health Support Programme(GHSP).

Investigation on the Management for Patients with Echinococcosis Treated with Albendazole-Three PLADs,China,2019

Summary What is already known about this topic?In China,patients with echinococcosis receive complimentary healthcare services,such as medical treatment,diagnostic examinations,and follow-up care.Despite this,no studies have been conducted to assess the quality of patient management to date.What is added by this report?This study reviewed the medical records of 899 patients who underwent albendazole treatment across 10 endemic counties.Out of 634 evaluable patient files,the proportion of patients with a ratio of actual followup and reexamination times to theoretical follow-up and reexamination times≥0.8 were both low(21.92%and 23.19%,respectively).What are the implications for public health practices?This study identified weaknesses and specific issues in patient management and proposed feasible recommendations to enhance patient file documentation,follow-up,and reexamination.

Synergistic Effects of Rotavirus and Co-Infecting Viral Enteric Pathogens on Diarrheal Disease-Guangzhou City,Guangdong Province,China,2019

What is already known about this topic?Diarrhea represents a substantial public health issue,contributing globally to a high number of pediatric medical consultations,hospital admissions,and mortality rates.What is added by this report?An increase in diarrheal frequency serves as a critical benchmark for evaluating severity.The predominant pathogens associated with pediatric diarrhea are rotavirus and norovirus,with co-infections exerting a notable compounding effect that leads to more severe diarrhea.What are the implications for public health practice?Implementing sensitive diagnostic techniques and comprehensive monitoring is paramount in identifying co-infections.Such strategies can provide physicians with critical insights into disease progression,thus considerably reducing the burden of diarrhea.

Tackling global health security by building an academic community for One Health action

Background One Health approach is crucial to tackling complex global public health threats at the interface of humans, animals, and the environment. As outlined in the One Health Joint Plan of Action, the international One Health community includes stakeholders from different sectors. Supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, an academic community for One Health action has been proposed with the aim of promoting the understanding and real-world implementation of One Health approach and contribution towards the Sustainable Development Goals for a healthy planet.Main text The proposed academic community would contribute to generating high-quality scientific evidence, distilling local experiences as well as fostering an interconnected One Health culture and mindset, among various stakeholders on different levels and in all sectors. The major scope of the community covers One Health governance, zoonotic diseases, food security, antimicrobial resistance, and climate change along with the research agenda to be developed. The academic community will be supported by two committees, including a strategic consultancy committee and a scientific steering committee, composed of influential scientists selected from the One Health information database. A workplan containing activities under six objectives is proposed to provide research support, strengthen local capacity, and enhance global participation.Conclusions The proposed academic community for One Health action is a crucial step towards enhancing communication, coordination, collaboration, and capacity building for the implementation of One Health. By bringing eminent global experts together, the academic community possesses the potential to generate scientific evidence and provide advice to local governments and international organizations, enabling the pursuit of common goals, collaborative policies, and solutions to misaligned interests.