Health ... Malaria
ASTMH (American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene)

PATH malaria work on the agenda at ASTMH ... MACEPA ... Phildelphia October 2015

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

PATH malaria work on the agenda at ASTMH

Join us at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) annual meeting this week in Philadelphia, where PATH experts will be sharing exciting new research from our Malaria Center of Excellence—PATH’s robust portfolio of malaria projects ranging from diagnostics, vaccines, drug development, and groundbreaking new strategies. Presentations will highlight the research and development of new tools and products to diagnose and treat malaria, the optimization of existing tools and strategies to further drive down transmission, and targeted strategies to stop the disease’s spread. The following PATH projects will be presenting research:

The Malaria Control and Elimination Partnership in Africa (MACEPA) is investigating new ways to use diagnostics and treatment to clear parasites from populations, and will share results from studies assessing the efficacy and feasibility of implementing mass treatment with artemisnin-based combination therapies to reduce malaria transmission to near-zero levels, as well as studies evaluating the costs of implementing tools and surveillance systems to support malaria elimination.

PATH’s Diagnostics team will present research on G6PD testing to ensure safe treatment of Plasmodium vivax malaria. The development of an effective G6PD test will also be critical to informing decision-making around the development of a radical cure—a single-dose treatment for malaria. The team will also share new information on the development of more sensitive point-of-care diagnostic for P. falciparum malaria, which will more effectively diagnose malaria infections among people with low density and asymptomatic infections.

Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) researchers will participate in a symposium addressing how to assess vaccines for elimination and eradication, as well as presentations on modeling data and genomic methods that help explain the protective effects of RTS,S—the world’s most advanced malaria vaccine candidate.

MalariaCare staff will share research on strengthening high-quality diagnosis and treatment services for malaria, including improving fever case management through providing support to medicine vendors.

Those unable to make it to Philly can still pose questions to the many malaria experts in attendance at ASTMH by participating in the conference’s Fireside Malaria Chat on Tuesday, October 27, from noon to 2 p.m. To participate, use the hashtag #TropMedChat.

Here is a full list of PATH malaria presentations at ASTMH:

Monday, October 26

Poster session A (noon–1:45 p.m., Convention Center, Ballroom AB):

• Quantitative G6PD testing for safe treatment of P. vivax malaria with 8-aminoquinolines: A point-of-care electrochemical device

• Recombinant human G6PD for quality control and quality assurance: Resource for robust G6PD testing in Plasmodium vivax

• The biophysical characterization of HRP2 reveals insights toward improved diagnostics for Plasmodium falciparum malaria elimination

Tuesday, October 27

Poster session B (noon–1:45 p.m., Convention Center, Ballroom AB):

• Mass weekly fever screening, testing and treatment for malaria in low transmission areas in Matam and Louga regions, Senegal

• Evaluation of a mobile phone-based malaria routine surveillance system in Amhara Region, Ethiopia

• Evaluating the costs of implementing a package of interventions and surveillance systems to support malaria elimination in Southern Province, Zambia: A micro-costing analysis

• EpiSample: An Android app for population-based epidemiological surveys

• Building a system of quality assured malaria diagnostics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Greater impact at a lower cost: Prioritizing support to patent and proprietary medicine vendors for increased quality fever case management in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

• Lessons learned improving malaria case management competences in Malawi

Wednesday, October 28

Oral presentation:

Infrastructure and interpretation of mosquitoes fed directly on human vaccines (11:15 a.m.–noon, Marriott Grand Ballroom Salon E). Part of the Assays to measure malaria transmission: How will we assess vaccines for elimination and eradication? symposium, 10:15 a.m.–noon.

Poster session C (noon–1:45 p.m., Convention Center, Ballroom AB):

• Assessing readiness to accelerate toward malaria elimination: A comparative analysis of the decision-making environment in Kenya, Ethiopia, Senegal and Zambia

• Mass testing and treatment for malaria in moderate transmission areas in Amhara Region, Ethiopia

• Case investigation with reactive focal testing and treatment for malaria in a low-transmission area in Amhara Region, Ethiopia

• Mass testing and treatment for malaria followed by weekly visits to screen for fever cases in low transmission areas in Matam and Louga regions, Senegal: A pilot study

• Multi-country Routine Data Quality Assessment (RDQA) for malaria information

• Review of data strengthening process for malaria surveillance system, Zambia

• Qualitative assessment of the acceptability of testing and treatment and patient adherence during mass drug administration in Zambia

• The mass distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets in Southern Province, Zambia: How much does it cost?

• Structural characterization of Plasmodium falciparum HRP2: Analytical challenges in Plasmodium falciparum HRP2-based IDT development

• Assessing the market landscape for an infection detection test aimed at malaria elimination

• EpiSample: An android-based ODK tool to support field data collection and management for a malaria mass drug administration trial in Zambia

Thursday, October 29

Oral presentations:

Malaria elimination program questions needing genetic approaches (10:15–10:30 a.m., Marriott Grand Ballroom Salon G). Part of the Molecular epidemiology for malaria control and elimination: Ready for prime time or a last mile tool? symposium, 10:15 a.m.–noon. Clustering of imported malaria cases in a setting of very-low malaria incidence in northern Senegal (10:45–11: 00 a.m., Marriott Grand Ballroom Salon F). Part of the Malaria: Public Health Challenges and Control Strategies scientific session, 10:15 a.m.–noon. Symposiums organized: New tools for detection of individuals with low levels of malaria infection (10:15–noon, Marriott Grand Ballroom Salon E).