Comment in 2024

A strategic dialogue on ‘gender justice in the HIV response’ held at the 25th International AIDS Conference highlighted how bias and discrimination against women and girls in all their diversities disadvantages them in the HIV response. Ending AIDS requires increased participation and leadership by diverse women at all levels of the HIV response.

This paper is a call to action. By publishing concurrently across journals like an emergency bulletin, we are not merely making a plea for awareness about climate change. Instead, we are demanding immediate, tangible steps that harness the power of microbiology and the expertise of researchers and policymakers to safeguard the planet for future generations.

Antibacterial drug resistance is a critical global health issue that affects countries across all economic levels, though it disproportionately affects populations in low- and middle-income countries. Infection and resistance rates vary considerably, necessitating tailored interventions to meet the specific demands of each area. This underscores the need for global solidarity and national accountability in effectively addressing antibacterial drug resistance.

Improving access to antibiotics will save lives and reduce the rise and spread of drug-resistant infections. Instead of traditional ‘last mile’ global health solutions, global leaders need to support efforts to develop suitable antibiotics and their rational use, ensuring that countries have the capacity to make them available.

A WHO report suggests the terms ‘airborne transmission/inhalation’, ‘direct deposition’ and ‘infectious respiratory particles’ for describing transmission modes, highlighting the continuum of particle size with greatest exposure near the source. The report did not update infection control guidelines.