To prevent infections, our multidisciplinary team monitors where diseases are spreading, and investigate to understand how and why. Our work covers a range of topics, all aiming to promote and implement better healthcare in Bangladesh and worldwide.
Our disease detectives are hard at work every day to understand microorganisms which cause deadly diseases.
To set up a mid-throughout sequencing facility (NextSeq2000) in Bangladesh for whole genome sequencing of bacterial and viral pathogens, and metagenomic sequencing of biological samples.
To enhance COVID diagnostic in Bangladesh for pediatric and adult population, generate strong epidemiological data, determine rates of infections in health care providers, establish a genome sequencing platform for SARS-CoV-2, and establish a cohort of COVID-19 cases for long-term longitudinal follow-up.
To generate evidence about both direct and indirect effect of high burden diseases like RSV-infections and guide informed policy decisions based on impact of diseases on the overall health system. Generated data can also be used for comprehensive analysis of impact of PCV10 on all pneumonia cases, whether admitted in the hospital, or refused hospitalization.
To reduce the impact of and the number of deaths caused by respiratory diseases in South Asia (RESPIRE)
Multi country project, overall PI: Prof. Aziz Sheikh (PI)
This prospective study will generate comprehensive data on burden of typhoid and para-‐typhoid fever in Bangladesh, using the established network of sentinel and population-based sites. The project also has a follow-‐up component to measure the deaths and disabilities from this disease.
Multi country project, overall PI: Denise Garratt
Data management of Multi of Surveillance for Enteric-‐Fever in Asia Project (SEAP), Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. This project will support in managing the data generated by SEAP projects in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.
Real-time Tracking of Neglected Bacterial Diseases and Resistance Patterns in Asia (TunDRA)
CHRF is the key partner on laboratory-related activities that pertain to the SEPSIS Study primary endpoint, severe infection. Specifically, CHRF is engaged in blood specimen collection, laboratory analyses, the interpretation and reporting of lab-based findings, collaboration with the Lead Site in the dissemination of Study findings
Efficacy and safety of chlorhexidine cleansing in reducing bacterial skin colonization of hospitalized low birthweight neonates: A pilot trial (NeoCHG)
Develop Immunochromatographic based rapid diagnostic test for the both Typhoid fever and Paratyphoid fever
Campylobacter emergence and transmission in rural Bangladesh
This study has been ongoing since 2009 at 4 sentinel sites and one population-‐based site with the objective to collect data on vaccine preventable invasive bacterial diseases. This is being used to measure the impact of Hib and Pneumococcus vaccine.
Burden of rotaviral diarrhea in hospitalized children ≤5 years of age and incidence of rotaviral diarrhea in urban Bangladesh, diagnosis and outcome of cases refused hospitalization due to unavailability of beds
This study will work will explore the with the aetiology among the cerebrospinal fluids where no aetiology could not be detected using the available technologies (culture, serology, PCR , rtPCR).
The study is enrolling otitis media cases to elucidate the effectiveness and impact of PCV-‐10 using the before (pre-‐ vaccine) after (post-‐vaccine) design. This outpatient based project will give additional attention on the impact of PCV-‐10 on 19A and NTHi
To see the impact of PCV-‐10 on meningitis, pneumonia and sepsis by using “before-‐after” and case-‐control study using “indirect cohort”. This study will be done in a rural population-‐based site (Mirzapur), using the baseline data of 2005 to 2008.
Microbiology & QA support for NP carriage studies in India at KEM Hospital, Pune and KGMU, Lucknow.
To see the impact of PCV-‐10 on meningitis, pneumonia and sepsis by using “before-‐after” and case-‐control study using “indirect cohort”. This study will be done in a network of 4 sentinel sites, using the baseline data of 2007 to 2014.
The study will generate comprehensive carriage data among newborns and children through longitudinal cohort analysis.
Aimed to see the impact of PCV-‐10 on IPD cases in a rural population-‐based site, Sylhet.
This study aims to rigorously assess the benefits of an enhanced approach to community case management for pneumonia, contributing to the evidence base for revision of WHO/UNICEF integrated community case management (iCCM) tool and its harmonization with the integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) tool.
This study aimed to find etiology of neonatal infections at 6 population-‐based sites in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan (Total Population 2,000,000; Eligible women 400,000 and 68,000 newborns). Blood and respiratory specimens were collected from possible serious bacterial infection cases and tested for multiple bacterial and viral etiologies.
Aimed to collect paired organisms from blood of babies with sepsis and rectal swabs of mothers. These paired strains will be analyzed for non-susceptibility to antibiotics. These isolates will also be subjected to whole genome sequencing to understand the mechanism of resistance and the genetic relationship between the paired isolates.
Multi country project, overall PI: Timothy Walsh
Group B Streptococcus colonization in mother-‐newborn dyads and association with anti-‐capsular serotype-‐specific antibodies in low and middle income South Asian and African countries This study aims to find GBS carriage among pregnant women, and transmission from mothers to babies.
Multi country project, overall PI: Shabir Madhi
This study will be done in a rural population (Mirzapur) of Bangladesh. Impact of PCV will be measured in different age groups to understand the direct and indirect effects.
The study has been designed to analyze the microbiome of respiratory specimens collected from <2 population and understand the impact of PCV introduction.
Multi country project, overall PI: George Weinstock
This project aimed to validate a Real-‐Time PCR assay for the detection of S. Typhi, S. paratyphi A and S. spp, developed by Fondation Mérieux, in collaboration with Institut Pasteur, Child Health Research Foundation of Bangladesh and Fast Track Diagnostics. Multi country project, overall PI: Hubert Endtz
Aimed to elucidate the etiology of genitourinary infections in women of rural Bangladesh.
Three simplified antibiotic regimes were tested for the treatment of neonatal sepsis, without danger signs. The regimes were compared with the standard group, 14 injections of penicillin and gentamicin in 7 days. Baqui et al 2015, Lancet Global Health.
