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Andrea Conroy, PhD

@andrealconroy.bsky.social
218 followers 419 following 69 posts

Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Acute Kidney Injury. Severe Malaria. Blackwater Fever. #TranslationalScience #PublicHealth 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🇺🇬

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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Adam R Houston @healthlawadamh.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Good story on the issue of how Canada's poorly-designed travel restrictions are negatively impacting humanitarian response (and not just for the Ebola response). "Ebola quarantine hinders response amid fastest-growing outbreak, aid workers say" www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
theglobeandmail.com
Ebola quarantine hinders response amid fastest-growing outbreak, aid workers say
Ottawa is reviewing the restrictions and latest evidence and will announce a decision before government’s mandatory 21-day quarantine expires next week
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Adam R Houston @healthlawadamh.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Very disappointing move from Canada to extend its #Ebola travel restrictions essentially unchanged for another 60 days. This was an opportunity to modify measures to better align w/ evidence of actual risks while mitigating negative impacts, & bring them closer to most peer jurisdictions (e.g., EU).
Screenshot of this tweet from Health Canada https://x.com/GovCanHealth/status/2104624737313804728, reading "The Government of Canada is extending its temporary border measures for 60 days, until November 27, 2026, to reduce the risk of Ebola disease entering and spreading in Canada."
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Andrea Conroy, PhD @andrealconroy.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Two months later, Canada has extended their restrictions for another 60 days. This discourages transparency, has severe economic consequences for affected countries, and does not make anyone safer It's time we use evidence to make decisions
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Andrea Conroy, PhD @andrealconroy.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Don't forget the Canadian government that has even more restrictive measures in place. Complete bans. Not even the option of a third party quarantine before entry. Despite outbreak over in Uganda and no cases reported in South Sudan.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
The Journal of Infectious Diseases @jidjournal.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Low birthweight and prematurity, but not malaria chemoprevention, are associated with reduced pneumococcal vaccine immunogenicity in Ugandan infants ✅ Just Accepted 🔗 bit.ly/4e6eCJU
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Andrea Conroy, PhD @andrealconroy.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
This wasn't simply acute mortality. Even among children who survived 2 years after severe malaria, prior AKI remained associated with substantially increased mortality.
Figure showing substantially higher mortality after severe malaria in children with AKI versus without AKI. AKI was associated with more than three times the adjusted hazard of death, and excess mortality persisted even among children who survived two years after the initial illness.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Andrea Conroy, PhD @andrealconroy.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
New work from our lab, led by PhD student Caroline Kazinga. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis criteria overlap with severe malaria features in children academic.oup.com/ofid/article...
academic.oup.com
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis criteria overlap with severe malaria features in children
Clinical and laboratory features used to classify hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis frequently overlap with manifestations of pediatric severe malaria, hi
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Open Forum Infectious Diseases @ofidjournal.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis criteria overlap with severe malaria features in children ✅ Just Accepted 🔗 bit.ly/4yDsN0W
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Andrea Conroy, PhD @andrealconroy.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
New work from our lab, led by PhD student Caroline Kazinga. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis criteria overlap with severe malaria features in children academic.oup.com/ofid/article...
academic.oup.com
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis criteria overlap with severe malaria features in children
Clinical and laboratory features used to classify hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis frequently overlap with manifestations of pediatric severe malaria, hi
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
drbenweitz.bsky.social @drbenweitz.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
A randomized trial in Uganda found that daily 20 mg zinc supplementation (but not 10 mg zinc) reduced infection rates among young children with sickle cell anemia by 38%. Severe bacterial infections were cut by two-thirds. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com
Daily Zinc Supplementation for Infection Prevention in Children With Sickle Cell Anemia
This randomized clinical trial examines the safety and effectiveness of daily zinc supplementation to prevent all-cause infection in children with sickle cell anemia in Uganda.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Science X / Phys.org @sciencex.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
A daily 20 mg zinc dose reduced all-cause infections by 38% over six months in Ugandan children under 5 with sickle cell anemia. Larger multisite studies are still needed. doi.org/hcgfkj
medicalxpress.com
Daily 20 mg of zinc reduces infections by nearly 40% in children with sickle cell anemia
A daily 20-milligram dose of zinc reduced infections by nearly 40% among Ugandan children younger than 5 with sickle cell anemia, according to new research led by scientists at the Indiana University School of Medicine and their study partners in Uganda.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 22/08/2026
💊 Zinc cut child infections by a third In Uganda, 118 children with sickle cell anaemia under 5 who took daily zinc had 306 infections per 100 person years, against 481 on placebo, a trial found. 🔗 doi.org/10.1001/jama.2026.14190 #health #sicklecell #globalhealth 🧪
doi.org
Daily Zinc Supplementation for Infection Prevention in Children With Sickle Cell Anemia
This randomized clinical trial examines the safety and effectiveness of daily zinc supplementation to prevent all-cause infection in children with sickle cell anemia in Uganda.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Andrea Conroy, PhD @andrealconroy.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
What happens after a child survives severe malaria? Our new @LancetGH study followed 1,077 Ugandan children for up to 15 years. Nearly half of all deaths occurred AFTER hospital discharge. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @jhmrimalaria.bsky.social
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Andrea Conroy, PhD @andrealconroy.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
What happens after a child survives severe malaria? Our new @LancetGH study followed 1,077 Ugandan children for up to 15 years. Nearly half of all deaths occurred AFTER hospital discharge. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @jhmrimalaria.bsky.social
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Dr. Oriba Dan Langoya @droribadan.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
It's a busy night in the ICU St. Mary's Hospital Lacor as this dedicated team performs #peritonealdialysis on a toddler brought unconscious with malaria-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). With unwavering energy and hope, we pray that our efforts will be blessed with a positive outcome.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
IDSA @idsainfo.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
At a time when measles outbreaks are already threatening communities across the country, making vaccination more complicated and burdensome risks leaving more children vulnerable. Our response to the vaccine executive order: www.idsociety.org/news--public...
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute @jhmrimalaria.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
An important story by @stephanienolen.bsky.social in the @nytimes.com this week about an invasive, #malaria- carrying #mosquito that's threatening urban centers across the African continent. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/u...
nytimes.com
An Invasive Mosquito Is Spreading With Alarming Speed, Threatening Africa’s Cities
The malaria-carrying mosquito is resistant to all insecticides. Scientists are scrambling to find ways to blunt the risk.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Eight vaccines linked to a lower risk of dementia www.gavi.org/vaccineswork...
gavi.org
Eight vaccines linked to a lower risk of dementia
A growing body of research is beginning to reveal the impact that regular routine vaccines could be having on the likelihood of conditions like dementia. Here are the jabs with the strongest evidence ...
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Roche developed a PCR test for Ebola for rare Bundibugyo virus. That's fast. www.prnewswire.com/news-release...
prnewswire.com
Roche rapidly develops a PCR test for Ebola within six days as rare Bundibugyo virus drives urgent need for detection
/PRNewswire/ -- Roche (SIX: RO, ROP; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that it developed a Research Use Only (RUO) molecular PCR test, via its subsidiary TIB...
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Krutika Kuppalli, MD FIDSA @krutikakuppalli.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Wonderful news from the #Ebola outbreak in DRC: four health workers have recovered and been discharged. Every Ebola survivor is worth celebrating. Today, we celebrate the survivors and the teams that made their recovery possible. www.afro.who.int/countries/de...
afro.who.int
Four health workers recover from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo—Four nurses who were being treated for Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus have been discharged from a hospital in Bunia, the capital of Ituri, after recov...
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Today the first recovered patient was released from an Ebola treatment unit in the DRC after two negative tests. Because so much of the Ebola news is so dark and filled with despair I want to make sure I am intentional about sharing the wins. www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/20...
thenationalnews.com
First patient recovers from Ebola but WHO warns of 'huge' death rate | The National
Nine cases confirmed in Uganda after virus spread in central Africa
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Kai Kupferschmidt @kakape.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
"Nearly 7 years after her first attempt to test Ebola prevention drugs, Jaspard is stunned by the sudden interest in the trial. “I've kept this project for all these years, despite the fact that a lot of people were saying it's not useful, you don't need to do this, go away,” she says." 🧪
science.org
‘That could be a game changer’: an antiviral pill gets first test for Ebola prevention
Researchers are preparing to launch an unprecedented trial to protect people exposed to Ebola in the DRC and Uganda
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
“Canada should know better by now. We have a long history of using discriminatory travel and immigration rules for political theatre rather than public health” @roojinhabibi.org & colleagues www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: Suspending immigration over Ebola is misguided and goes against international law
Travel restrictions are not only ineffective at containing diseases, they create stigma and discourage future outbreak reporting
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
With Ebola impacting parts of Africa, and all the travel bans, I can already see stigmatizing language in the media Journalists must do better and this essay offers some tips (with Annalisa Merelli) 10 best practices for equitable global health journalism qz.com/10-best-prac...
qz.com
10 best practices for equitable global health journalism
If journalists want to help make global health more inclusive, they can start with these guidelines
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
💯 “$8 million funding announcement today from the Canadian government is a drop in the bucket – and it follows an outrageous $2.7 billion cut to Canada’s international assistance”
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Yup, the "fortification" of North America is underway, with Canada joining the US with travel bans and other restrictions
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Every single outbreak, we see the same pattern of response - Rich nations tell themselves that everything will be fine if they just ban travel and close their borders - Politicians make knee-jerk reactions to appease their base, ignoring everything scientists tell them
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Krutika Kuppalli, MD FIDSA @krutikakuppalli.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Diagnostics are critical to controlling #Ebola. But major challenges remain: • Unreliable electricity and power supply • Limited lab capacity and trained personnel • Insecurity making sample transport and access difficult Diagnostics require infrastructure, logistics, and sustained investment.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Amidst hantavirus & Ebola outbreaks, the world has not paid much attention to this devastating (and totally preventable) outbreak of measles in Bangladesh Since mid-March, the country has seen more than 60,000 suspected cases and 528 suspected measles-related deaths!! www.npr.org/2026/05/24/g...
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
As Ebola resurfaces in eastern DRC and Uganda, familiar patterns are returning too. Fear, travel bans, stigma, and selective compassion. I wrote about what this outbreak about preparedness, whose lives we value and what we owe each other. bktitanji.substack.com/p/what-we-ow...
bktitanji.substack.com
What We Owe Each Other: Ebola, Borders, and the Politics of Shared Humanity
As Ebola resurfaces, familiar patterns of fear, exclusion, and selective compassion return with it
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Andrea Conroy, PhD @andrealconroy.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Hi all, I have an African mentee working on brucellosis transmission dynamics through a one health/AMR lens. Anyone working in the US on H5N1 in the US who might be willing to talk to him or consider collaborating? @madhupai.bsky.social @angierasmussen.bsky.social @altcdc.altgov.info
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Krutika Kuppalli, MD FIDSA @krutikakuppalli.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
The misinformation and disinformation spread about #Ebola is disrespectful to those affected by this virus. It undermines the health workers working tirelessly to contain this outbreak under difficult conditions. Outbreaks demand facts, science and solidarity, not fearmongering and falsehoods.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Infectious Diseases @infectiousdz.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
The DRC has controlled more Ebola outbreaks than any other country. While Zaire (orange) ebolavirus is most common, Sudan (blue) and Bundibugyo (yellow) ebolavirus also occur in the region. Most outbreaks are usually caught and stopped early, but the current one is the largest seen since 2018.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
CCPA — Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives @policyalternatives.ca · 14/05/2026
Chronic underfunding, not financial mismanagement, is the problem in Ontario schools. Year after year they are asked to do more with less. By @ricardotranjan.bsky.social #onpoli www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...
policyalternatives.ca
Ontario school funding shortfall continues to grow, reaching $6.4 billion since 2018 | CCPA
Chronic underfunding, not financial mismanagement, is the problem in Ontario schools. Year after year they are asked to do more with less.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @helenbranswell.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
#Ebola: New outbreak in NE DRC, in Ituri province, where the large 2018-2020 outbreak took place. Security issues there make responses challenging. DRC has announced this one is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola. Only 2 previous Bundibugyo outbreaks (2007, 2012). No licensed vaccine for it.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Kai Kupferschmidt @kakape.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
While everyone is watching hantavirus I'm actually much more eager to learn more about the Ebola outbreak in DRC's Ituri Province that Africa CDC has confirmed. Early information makes it sound very large for an outbreak that has just been reported: "about 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths"
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
#Ebola #Alert About 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been reported, mainly in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones. Four deaths have been reported among laboratory-confirmed cases. Suspected cases have also been reported in Bunia, pending confirmation. africacdc.org/news-item/af...
africacdc.org
Africa CDC Calls Urgent Regional Coordination Meeting Following Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in Ituri Province, DRC – Africa CDC
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia / Kinshasa, DRC, 15 May 2026 — The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is closely monitoring the confirmed Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is working with national authorities and partners to support a rapid, coordinated response. Following consultations with the […]
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Anton Hur @antonhur.com · 11/05/2026
WE DON'T NEED PETROLEUM-BASED PLASTICS ANYMORE! "The [bamboo plastic] outperforms most commercial plastics and bioplastics in mechanical and thermo-mechanical metrics while maintaining full biodegradability in soil within 50 days and closed-loop recyclability with 90% retained strength."
nature.com
High-strength, multi-mode processable bamboo molecular bioplastic enabled by solvent-shaping regulation - Nature Communications
Bioplastics derived from biomass show promise as sustainable alternatives to petrochemical plastics, but their adoption is hindered by their inferior mechanical properties and processability. Here, th...
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Clinical Infectious Diseases @cidjournal.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
Impact of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine, and their combination on infant outcomes: A randomized controlled trial ✅ Just Accepted 🔗 bit.ly/4uxCAUk
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
"Medicare has historically been a touchstone of our national identity in Canada, now more than ever as we chart a path away from our southern neighbours" @danyaalraza.com www.hilltimes.com/2026/05/06/m...
hilltimes.com
Mark Carney has abandoned health care. Does his caucus care? - The Hill Times
The Liberal caucus includes seven physicians. It’s difficult to imagine they are blind to efforts that appear to embrace building the nation while somehow ignoring building a healthy Canada.
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
WHO @who.int · 05/05/2026
Update on #Hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel: Based on the current information, including how hantavirus spreads, WHO assesses the risk to the global population from this event as low. More information bit.ly/42Tc4J7
Update Hantavirus on a navy blue background with the World Health Organization logo in white on the right top
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Andrea Conroy, PhD @andrealconroy.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
For folks interested in #malaria and the #kidneys, check out the @theisn.org TwitterSpace on Malaria and the Kidney injury honour of World Malaria Day. @hswapnil.medsky.social @lshtm-malaria.bsky.social @pathmalaria.bsky.social @msf.ca x.com/i/status/204...
x.com
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Timothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
8 vaccines linked to a lower risk of dementia www.gavi.org/vaccineswork... "Multiple large observational studies have found that routine adult vaccines are associated with a reduced risk of dementia, with some showing risk reductions of 25% to 40%." #VaccinesWork!
gavi.org
Eight vaccines linked to a lower risk of dementia
A growing body of research is beginning to reveal the impact that regular routine vaccines could be having on the likelihood of conditions like dementia. Here are the jabs with the strongest evidence ...
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Wajahat Ali @wajali.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
Not good. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/03/w...
nytimes.com
3 Dead of Suspected Hantavirus Infections on Cruise Ship, W.H.O. Says
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Krutika Kuppalli, MD FIDSA @krutikakuppalli.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
Interesting to see this outbreak on a cruise ship. I recently gave a talk about infectious diseases in the context of #WorldCup2026 and discussed Hantavirus as a potential threat. See below for information. As to how the diagnosis was made - unclear thus far, am sure more information will come out
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Mar Hicks @histoftech.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
Chinese researchers have created a bamboo-based plastic as strong as petroleum-based plastics, which can fully biodegrade in soil in just 2 months phys.org/news/2025-10...
phys.org
Bamboo-based plastic can be made to biodegrade quickly, but still holds up in tough conditions
A new method to produce strong, biodegradable plastic from bamboo is reported in Nature Communications this week. The bioplastic resembles oil-based plastics in strength, shapability, and thermal stab...
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Trends in Parasitology @cp-trendsparasitol.bsky.social · 25/05/2025
Drs Ian Drobish & Hans Ackerman highlight Chandy John & colleagues’ @natmed.nature.com‬ article on elevating #UricAcid as an #antimalarial target. #Hyperuricemia #Malaria #Plasmodium #Xanthine #Oxidase @niaidnews.bsky.social‬ ‪@childrensnational.bsky.social authors.elsevier.com/a/1l82h5Eb1x...
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
S. W. Lawrence, MD @swlawrence.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
AAAS: “Severe malaria may affect children’s cognitive abilities more than a decade later.” Malaria, one of the world’s great scourges, may cause long-term brain damage, according to a study that followed nearly 1000 children in Uganda for up to 15 years after their infection.
Photo from Guinea, story from Uganda. “The research… published in JAMA, found that children who survived cerebral malaria or severe anemia caused by malaria scored lower on cognitive tests and math achievement many years after the infection.”

“Malaria, caused by parasites that are transmitted by mosquitoes, infects more than 250 million people each year and kills an estimated 600,000, most of them young children in Africa.” Effective malaria drugs have saved millions of lives, and for many years, “there was definitely a dogma that recovery from severe malaria was miraculous and kids walked out the door and they were fine.” The new work is the latest in a series of studies led by infectious disease experts Paul Bangirana at the Makerere University Hospital and Chandy John at Indiana University. Cerebral malaria is diagnosed with blood tests + a spinal tap to exclude other encephalopathies. The criteria include unarousable coma + confirmation of Plasmodium falciparum infection. “Surprisingly, the study found that children who had severe anemia caused by malaria showed similar deficits, even though they didn’t have obvious neurological symptoms.”

“Hoping to see whether the deficits may have resolved as time went on, the team in 2020 set out to reconnect with the 1438 children in their two earlier cohorts…” one beginning in 2008 + the other in 2014. They were tested in reading, math, attention, and overall cognition. “Scores in overall cognition and math achievement were significantly lower in children who had either cerebral malaria or severe malarial anemia than in those who did not have malaria during the study period.” Fortunately, reading scores and attention were not significantly different between the groups.

“The findings mean mosquito-fighting bed nets and two recently introduced malaria vaccines are likely even more valuable than people had realized.”
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Audrey John MD PhD @odomjohnlab.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Important work from Chandy John and colleagues, just out in JAMA: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com
Long-Term Cognitive Ability and Academic Achievement After Childhood Severe Malaria
This descriptive analysis uses a subset of data from the Malarial Impact on Neurobehavioral Development (MIND) cohort study to assess whether severe malaria in Ugandan children is associated with long...
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Reposted by Andrea Conroy, PhD
Andrea Conroy, PhD @andrealconroy.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Our latest published in JAMA. We identify acute kidney injury and hyperuricemia as risk factors for worse long-term cognition and academic achievement. Work led by Prof. Chandy John and Dr. Paul Bangirana. medicine.iu.edu/news/2026/04...
medicine.iu.edu
Severe childhood malaria linked to cognitive impairment later in life
<span class="NormalTextRun SCXW223017308 BCX8" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Children who survived cerebral malaria and severe malarial anemia experienced co...
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