Join PATH at the 67th American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Annual Meeting

October 22, 2018 by PATH

Infectious diseases Vaccines

Media contact: Ken Anderson | media@path.org

PATH staff will travel to New Orleans, Louisiana, October 28–November 1, to learn from and share research with top infectious disease experts from around the globe at the 67th annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH).

With more than 30 presentations, posters, and panels, PATH staff will share key findings on topics including malaria control and elimination efforts; developments in diagnostics and vaccines; and public health insights from the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Mozambique, the Philippines, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia, among others.

ASTMH is the largest international scientific conference devoted to tropical medicine, attracting approximately 4,600 attendees from across a range of disciplines.

PATH presentations will include:

Neglected no longer: partnerships pave way for Japanese encephalitis vaccination

PATH is celebrating a 15-year effort with multi-sector partners that turned a little-known vaccine from China into an internationally approved immunization tool to prevent and control Japanese encephalitis. The vaccine has now reached an estimated 300 million children—a turning point in the battle to protect people from the deadly disease.

PATH will host a symposium, “Japanese Encephalitis, No Longer Neglected: A Model for Other New Vaccines” on Thursday, November 1, from 8:00 to 9:45 a.m.

Tackling typhoid resistance

Typhoid is still a threat to millions of people living in low- and middle-income countries. It disproportionately impacts children and marginalized populations, resulting in nearly 12 million cases globally per year, and current drug resistance trends may increase its burden.

The Take on Typhoid partnership will host a side event and reception, “Racing Against Resistance: Milestones in the Fight to Take on Typhoid” on Tuesday, October 30, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The reception will bring together typhoid researchers from around the world to discuss typhoid vaccines and the fight against drug-resistant typhoid in Asia and Africa.

An integrated approach to malaria elimination

Despite progress, the most recent World Malaria Report has shown an increase in malaria incidence in many areas around the globe. With innovations in prevention, case management, and surveillance, PATH is working to reduce the burden and eliminate the disease.

Through dozens of poster and presentation sessions, PATH will share exciting advancements from our robust portfolio of malaria projects under the umbrella of PATH's Center for Malaria Control and Elimination (CMCE)—including projects across diagnostics, vaccines, drugs, system and service innovations, and groundbreaking strategies for accelerating burden reduction and elimination.

Larry Slutsker, director of Malaria and NTDs, and Molly Robertson, project director of the NgenIRS project, will co-chair a session “IRS and Drug-Based Malaria Control: Interaction, Timing, and Next Steps” on Wednesday, October 31, from 1:45 to 3:00 p.m. Dan Bridges, a scientist with the Malaria Control and Elimination Partnership in Africa (MACEPA), will present on results from the Community-led Reponses for Elimination trial in Zambia on Monday, October 29, from 2:15 to 2:30 p.m. Gonzalo Domingo, scientific director for PATH Diagnostics, will co-chair a symposium titled “Next Generation Rapid Diagnostic Tests for Malaria: Prospects and Consideration” on Tuesday, October 30 from 10:15-12:00 p.m. Other presentations will highlight parasite genetics and community health workers.

PATH will also be hosting a booth during the conference, featuring work from PATH’s Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access.

A full schedule of PATH's participation at ASTMH can be found here. For additional details and full conference schedule, visit the ASTMH online program planner. PATH experts available for interviews upon request. Contact: media@path.org

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About PATH:

PATH is a global organization that works to accelerate health equity by bringing together public institutions, businesses, social enterprises, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing health challenges. With expertise in science, health, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales solutions—including vaccines, drugs, devices, diagnostics, and innovative approaches to strengthening health systems worldwide. For more information, visit: http://www.path.org.

Published: October 22, 2018