Global health briefs

January/February 2026 | Volume 25 Number 1

Understanding the early, difficult-to-detect spread of two pandemic viruses

New respiratory viruses have sparked global pandemics in recent decades: the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak and the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. So far, their initial, hard-to-detect spread across the U.S. has been poorly understood, though this knowledge is crucial for future preparedness. In this study, researchers developed a new method to reconstruct how both viruses moved between U.S. metropolitan areas in their earliest stages. By combining health data with information on air travel, commuting patterns, and the tendency of some individuals to infect a disproportionately large number of others, the study found that both pandemics spread to most major U.S. regions within just a few weeks. Long-distance air travel played a larger role than daily commuting in early spread for both outbreaks. Yet, even with detailed mobility data, the findings describe early pandemic spread as fast and unpredictable. Simulations indicate that expanding wastewater surveillance beyond major hubs could help detect early introductions and slow initial spread. Fogarty’s Cécile Viboud, PhD, contributed to this study published in PNAS.

High-dose rifampin does not reduce deaths from TB meningitis

Worldwide, 11 million people annually become ill with tuberculosis (TB), with about 2% of them developing meningitis, which occurs when TB bacteria reach the brain. Even when treated with a cocktail of antibiotics, roughly half of patients who develop this complication either die or endure permanent damage, such as deafness or paralysis. A new, randomized controlled clinical trial, led by researchers at Makerere University, Uganda, included 499 adults with confirmed TB meningitis in Indonesia, Uganda, and South Africa. Patients received either the standard treatment of four antibiotics (including rifampin) or the same regimen with a higher dose of rifampin. (Until now, no one has investigated whether increasing the dose of rifampin, which doesn’t penetrate the blood-brain barrier as efficiently as the other regimen antibiotics, might improve outcomes.) After six months, patients treated with higher-dose rifampin mix did not experience improved survival rates. In fact, mortality was greater in the higher-dose group (44.6%) than in the standard-dose group (40.7%). Grants from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases contributed to this study, which is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Daily drinking linked to 50% heightened mouth cancer risk in India

In India, cancer of the mouth is the second most common malignancy. An estimated 143,759 new cases of mouth cancer and 79,979 deaths occur every year. An international team of researchers compared 1,803 people with confirmed buccal mucosa cancer (occurring in the lining of the cheeks and lips) and 1,903 people free of the disease between 2010 and 2021. Participants provided information on the duration, frequency, and type of alcohol they drank. Compared with those who didn’t drink, the risk of mouth cancer was 68% higher for those who did, rising as high as 72% among those favoring internationally recognized alcohols (such as beer and wine), and as high as 87% among those opting for local brews. Concurrent alcohol and tobacco use raised risk levels all around. Ethanol might alter the fat content of the inner lining of the mouth, increasing its permeability and so, too, its susceptibility to carcinogens in chewing tobacco products, according to the researchers. Anil Chaturvedi, PhD, a senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute contributed to this study published in BMJ Global Health.

American company partners with Butantan Institute to develop rabies vaccine

California-based Replicate Bioscience and the Butantan Institute, a research organization linked to the São Paulo State Health Department, have signed an agreement to develop and commercialize a self-replicating messenger RNA vaccine for pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis against rabies. The self-replicating RNA (srRNA) platform is a new mRNA vaccine technology, different from those currently on the market. Replicate is one of the few companies worldwide that fully owns this technology, which has been tested in humans and shows a good safety profile with promising results. The agreement allows Butantan to incorporate the technology into its portfolio of products under development and expands opportunities for new vaccines. Butantan will conduct clinical trials, and, if successful, will market the rabies vaccine in Brazil and Latin America; Replicate will be responsible for markets outside of Latin America. They believe their collaboration will accelerate improvements in cold chain storage (storing and transporting at continuous, controlled temperatures to preserve the life cycle) and thermostability (the capacity to resist irreversible changes in structure or function) of the vaccine, which could boost adoption of srRNA technology and provide a cost advantage over conventional vaccine production.

A community awareness campaign led to increase in early cancer detection

In Nigeria, most people with colorectal cancer are diagnosed too late for curative treatment. Investigators affiliated with the African Research Group for Oncology (ARGO, a consortium that includes 26 institutions across Nigeria) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, conducted a six-month community awareness campaign offering information, education, and communication materials about symptoms and risk factors. Among 497 participants, 322 completed surveys before and after the campaign. Before the campaign, just under 17% demonstrated awareness of colorectal cancer compared to nearly 97% after the campaign. Individuals with indicators of colorectal cancer based on survey results were referred to an early diagnosis clinic. Among the 329 clinic-goers, 168 (51.1%) were identified as having colorectal cancer risk factors while 116 (73.0%) completed a colonoscopy. Precancerous polyps—an abnormal growth in the lining of the colon that can become cancerous if not removed—were identified in 11% of the colonoscopy patients, while colorectal cancer was diagnosed in four (3.4%). The National Cancer Institute contributed to the funding for this study published in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

NIAID announces a new strategic vision

Dr. Jeffrey Taubenberger, Acting Director of The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), outlines a new strategic vision aimed at restoring public trust and better addressing today’s most pressing health challenges in a commentary published in Nature Medicine. In the past, NIAID research focused on three areas: HIV, pandemic preparedness/biodefense, and all other infectious and immune-related diseases. Reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and growing public skepticism, NIAID leaders acknowledge a loss of trust and emphasize a renewed commitment to rigorous, evidence-based science. The new plan replaces the three priorities with two core pillars. First, NIAID will focus on infectious diseases that currently have the greatest impact on Americans, including ending the HIV epidemic, improving outcomes from common infections like influenza, addressing antimicrobial resistance based on patient outcomes, and supporting safer research practices by adhering to strict limits on high-risk gain-of-function studies. Second, NIAID will expand research into immunology, allergies, and autoimmune diseases, with greater emphasis on prevention, chronic inflammatory conditions, the role of the microbiome, and immune contributions to chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. NIAID aims to align its research more closely with real-world health needs in the United States.

Updated February 17, 2026

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