Centre for Tropical Health and Emerging Diseases

11/08/2026

Want to support the life-changing research we do at the Centre?

Well, then we have not one, but 3️⃣ ways you can do that:

1️⃣ You can buy our shirts, and
2️⃣ Donate directly, and
3️⃣ Start a fundraiser campaign individually or with friends!

Head over to the link in bio or stories/highlights for more.

07/08/2026

This is what (some of the ideals) we stand for.

07/08/2026

New research on !

A new clinical study has demonstrated the promising antimalarial activity of MMV367, a fast-acting drug candidate being developed to combat Plasmodium falciparum—the parasite responsible for the most severe form of malaria.

Using a controlled human malaria infection model, researchers found that a single oral dose of MMV367 was well tolerated and rapidly cleared blood-stage malaria parasites, supporting its potential as a next-generation treatment.

With resistance to current antimalarial drugs continuing to emerge, the development of new therapies is essential to maintaining progress towards malaria control and elimination.

Congratulations to our researchers and collaborators on this important contribution to malaria research. And, of course, to the volunteers who donated their time to this great cause!

DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aec1863

06/08/2026

If you’re into:

✅ parasites
✅ viruses
✅ bacteria
✅ tropical health research
✅ emerging diseases
✅ updates
✅ expert talks

Then you’ll love following us!!

We are CTHED, Centre for Tropical Health and Emerging Diseases.

We operate from Australia to tackle challenges nationally and in the Indo-Pacific region.

Follow us to keep up-to-date with the latest research and happenings in tropical health!

05/08/2026

Research Alert: What Happens After Deworming Stops

Routine mass deworming ended in low-prevalence districts in Sri Lanka back in 2019. But did the parasites actually clear out? A landmark new study in Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease investigated post-Mass Drug Administration transmission dynamics using advanced molecular tools.

Researchers screened 967 primary school children (ages 5–11) across 19 state schools in Sri Lanka.
- Dual-Diagnostic Approach: Stool samples were evaluated using conventional microscopy techniques (Kato-Katz, FECT, APC, Scotch tape) alongside high-sensitivity real-time qPCR.
- Key finding: Standard microscopy misses low-endemicity infections

As countries transition towards low endemicity, surveillance must adapt to avoid premature policy decisions based on insensitive diagnostics.

For the open-access full-text search for https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/11/6/147

04/08/2026

30/07/2026

We continue to strengthen our international partnerships through strategic engagement with leading institutions across the Asia-Pacific region.

Earlier this month, we welcomed a delegation from the Hunan Institute for Schistosomiasis, China, to explore opportunities for future collaboration in tropical infectious disease research.

The institute brings extensive expertise in surveillance, prevention and control, diagnostics, and elimination strategies, contributing to China’s long-standing efforts to reduce the burden of this neglected tropical disease.

The discussions focused on opportunities to strengthen collaboration in areas of shared interest, including disease epidemiology, parasite research, public health interventions, researcher exchange, and capacity building. This engagement represents an important step towards establishing a formal partnership and future Memorandum of Understanding between our institutions.

Through these collaborations, CTHED continues to expand regional connections, enabling knowledge exchange and joint research initiatives that address infectious disease challenges and improve health outcomes across tropical communities.

28/07/2026

Interested in ?

Then check out this new narrative mini-review on how pork tapeworms cause brain seizures!

A new narrative mini-review explores the biological mechanisms linking Taenia solium infection to neurocysticercosis (NCC), one of the leading causes of acquired epilepsy in many parts of the world.

Rather than viewing seizures as simply a consequence of inflammation, the review presents a more complete picture. It describes how parasite biology, the immune system, and the brain interact over time to reshape neural networks and increase seizure risk.

The paper, led by Prof Malcolm Jones, also discuss why epilepsy can persist long after the parasite has died, highlighting opportunities for new biomarkers, targeted therapies, and One Health strategies to reduce the global burden of this neglected disease.

Swipe through to learn how this tiny parasite can have such profound effects on the brain!
Reference: Sikakulya, F.K., Lekuya, H.M., Kamabu, L.K. et al. Taenia solium development and host interactions in neurocysticercosis: a narrative mini review on mechanistic pathways to epileptogenesis. Acta Epileptologica 8, 23 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42494-026-00261-7

22/07/2026

Interested in soil-transmitted helminths and interventions? Then learn about these brand new - still in press - results from our cluster-randomized controlled trial in Nature Communications:

The BALatrine intervention—an integrated program combining Mass Drug Administration (MDA), low-cost local latrine construction, and community hygiene education in Wonosobo, Central Java, Indonesia.

The trial involved 2,155 participants across 8 village clusters.

The integrated intervention outperformed standard MDA alone and showed one of the greatest reductions in STH infections at the 12-month follow-up mark.

Our members Prof Darren Gray, Mary Lorraine Mationg, Fasil Wagnew, Callum Lowe, and many other collaborators were involved.

15/07/2026

The primary strategy for controlling soil-transmitted helminths (STH) is mass drug administration of albendazole to at-risk populations. However, its efficacy varies greatly among different STH species, especially in the treatment of the whipworm T. trichiura.

Research performed by our Director, Professor Darren Gray, and collaborators looked at the efficacy of 2 doses of albendazole, instead of the standard 1 dose, in a population of schoolchildren in Yunnan Province, China.

The findings have implications for improving public health policy.

QIMR Berghofer
The University of Queensland
The Australian National University
Griffith University



Reference: Gray, D. J., Du, Z., Mationg, M. L., Li, Y., Yang, H., Wang, D., Aung, E., Bieri, F. A., O'Connor, S., Yan, X., Wu, F., Steinmann, P., Halton, K., Stewart, D. E., Clements, A. C., McManus, D. P., & Williams, G. M. (2026). Efficacy of two rounds of albendazole treatment on soil-transmitted helminths in schoolchildren, Yunnan Province, China. Nature Communications, 17(1), 292. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64883-0