A common misconception is that Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) stems solely from poor treatment management in hospitals and weak health systems. AMR is, however, driven by a multitude of factors, including environmental stressors such as contamination from industrial, agricultural, domestic, and healthcare waste, use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine and agriculture, inadequate water, sanitation, and poverty. This paper is a synthesis of stakeholder engagement to advocate for a multi-sectoral One Health approach to address the emerging global threat of AMR. The Africa One Health Network for Disease Prevention (ADAPT) led multi-sectoral stakeholder engagement at the 15th CUGH annual conference in San Francisco, USA. Up to 100 in-person attendees included medical clinicians, microbiologists, anthropologists, veterinarians, agriculturalists, crop scientists, data scientists, mathematical modellers, policy makers, and economists, among others. Stakeholders' views were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed manually according to pre-determined themes of (a) key achievements, (b) challenges, and (c) recommendations for multi-and inter-sectoral approaches towards antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and AMR. Academic research institutions and governments are called to foster multi-sectoral and inter-sectoral collaborative education, research, policy, and community engagement innovations, together with the human and animal health, wildlife, agriculture, trade, tourism, urbanization, and immigration sectors, to prioritize efforts to promote AMS.

Background/Objectives: Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly used by the public to seek health information, yet their accuracy in addressing common vaccine myths remains unclear. Sycophantic LLM behavior, where models align with rather than correct user-stated beliefs, poses specific risks in health contexts. Methods: We conducted an exploratory multi-vendor evaluation of three LLMs (GPT-5, Gemini 2.5 Flash, Claude Sonnet 4) using officially curated vaccination myths from Germany's public health institution and two realistic user framings (curious skeptic, convinced believer). All model responses were independently evaluated by two blinded medical experts for misconception addressal (binary criterion applied to the response text), scientific accuracy, and communication clarity (5-point Likert scales). Additionally, blinded marketing experts ranked models for lay communication clarity. Flesch Reading Ease scores were computed for all outputs. Results: Across all myths, framings, and models (66 response items), both medical raters judged that all responses refuted the targeted misconception; no response affirmed or ignored a myth, including under the adversarial convinced believer framing. Scientific accuracy and clarity ratings were high and tightly clustered (median 4.0-4.5), with no combined score below 3 and substantial inter-rater agreement. Marketing experts independently ranked Gemini 2.5 Flash and GPT-5 highest for lay clarity. Readability analysis revealed generally low accessibility, particularly for the convinced believer framing and for Claude Sonnet 4 outputs. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that general-purpose LLMs can produce scientifically accurate, on-topic rebuttals to widely documented vaccine myths under realistic default conditions, although linguistic complexity and framing-sensitive style may limit accessibility. Whether such outputs change beliefs or behavior in hesitant individuals was not tested. With readability optimization, these outputs could serve as building blocks for myth-debunking tools, given prospective evaluation with behavioral endpoints.

Health talks and community engagement are central to many public health programmes, yet their effectiveness is shaped by complex social, cultural, and informational contexts. Even well-designed interventions can be undermined when communities receive overlapping health messages, leading to confusion, competing interpretations, or message fatigue. Drawing on experiences from a breast health and breast cancer awareness campaign delivered through the Akazi Project in rural Malawi, this commentary reflects on lessons from community engagement and their implications for health communication. Between October and December 2025, breast health education was delivered across eight rural communities through participatory sessions involving more than 300 community leaders, including chiefs, religious leaders, youth volunteers, and women's groups. Discussions consistently revealed a strong demand for basic information on breast health, clarification of common misconceptions, and guidance on how breast cancer messages aligned with advice from HIV, cervical cancer, and vaccination programmes. These experiences highlighted the need for greater coordination across health programmes and for communication approaches that acknowledge how people interpret new information alongside existing public health messages. We argue that integrated messaging, stronger collaboration between programmes, and opportunities for community feedback should be central components of health communication strategies, particularly in rural settings where limited health literacy intersects with exposure to multiple health initiatives.

BackgroundThis study examined the relationship between oral health and oral sexual behaviour among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Ibadan, Nigeria.MethodsThis was cross-sectional analysis of baseline screening data collected as part of the Epigenetics of Oral HPV and Associated Oral/Oropharyngeal Cancer Study in PLWHA. Information on socio-demographics, lifestyle, oral health practices, oral sexual behaviour, and HPV awareness was collected. Oral sexual behaviour (giving or receiving) was the outcome variable. Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests, and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify associated factors.ResultsOverall, the prevalence of oral sexual behaviour was 15.9%, with higher prevalence in males (33.3%) than females (8.7%). Smoking increased the odds of oral sexual behaviour among males and females, while other associated factors differed by the sex of participants.ConclusionOral sexual behaviour is common among PLWHA in Nigeria. Integration of oral health and behavioural risk assessment into HIV care may reduce HPV transmission.

While SARS-CoV-2 and influenza continue to place a significant burden on population health, within-household differences in decisions towards vaccination and seeking care across these two pathogens, and across sociodemographic groups, remain largely unexplored. By conducting a household-level survey in Illinois, we found that many individuals made inconsistent decisions about vaccination: among all adults, 29% were vaccinated for only one of COVID-19 or influenza, and among those with children in the home, 39% lived with a child whose influenza or COVID-19 vaccination status differed from their own. A higher proportion of adults were vaccinated against COVID-19 compared to influenza, while the opposite was true for those younger than 18 years old. These differences hold even when accounting for disparities in coverage by age, race/ethnicity, political affiliation, and socioeconomic status. While vaccinated individuals consistently reported wanting to protect themselves or others, those who declined vaccination reported highly heterogeneous reasons ranging from resource constraints to distrust or misconceptions about vaccination. These differences are even more pronounced for COVID-19, with larger partisan gaps and higher refusal driven by safety concerns, lack of trust, or religious reasons than those who decide not to get the influenza vaccine. In contrast to vaccination, the decision to seek medical care when sick showed opposite sociodemographic trends, that are likely attributable to illness severity. Our findings highlight that closing gaps in COVID-19 and influenza vaccination coverage will require an integrative strategy that accounts for diverse motivations, fears, and barriers to access, while addressing social inequalities common to both diseases.

There are many misconceptions about the immune system in children, its impact on infectious disease susceptibility and its role in the rapidly increasing rates of immune mediated diseases in industrialized societies. In this mini review, I will discuss common believes and the data supporting or countering such believes, with a focus on clinically relevant topics of relevance to trainees and practicing paediatricians. I will emphasize data from studies performed in humans rather than reductionist mouse models. I discuss open questions requiring further investigation and end with a discussion on clinical observations of particular concern which paediatricians should consider when caring for children in their practices. Immune development is increasingly recognized as an important determinant of health, not just early in life, but also long term and all of us caring for children should know more about it.

BackgroundCervical cancer remains a significant global public health burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination emerging as a critical preventive strategy. University students represent a key demographic for vaccination interventions given their reproductive health significance and potential role as future healthcare advocates.ObjectivesTo comprehensively synthesize global evidence on cervical cancer and HPV vaccination knowledge, attitudes, and barriers among university students.MethodsA scoping review following PRISMA-ScR guidelines was conducted using literature from databases like PubMed and Scopus (2021-2025). Eighteen cross-sectional observational studies from multiple countries were included, focusing on university students exclusively. Data were extracted using a standardized Population-Concept-Context framework and synthesized narratively.ResultsAcross 18 studies (N = 11,500 students), cervical cancer awareness ranged from 59% to 90%, whereas HPV awareness was lower and more variable (18-91%). Adequate HPV knowledge ranged from 20.7% to 72.7%, and vaccine related knowledge from 18.9% to 59.8%. Positive attitudes toward HPV vaccination ranged from 36% to 75%, while vaccine uptake remained low (0-35%). Common barriers included safety concerns (50-63%), misconceptions (42-43%), insufficient information (18-33%), and low perceived susceptibility (4-40%).ConclusionsSubstantial evidence practice gaps exist among university students regarding cervical cancer prevention. Targeted educational interventions addressing misconceptions, enhancing safety communications, and leveraging university students' academic backgrounds as future healthcare leaders are essential to increase HPV vaccination uptake and reduce cervical cancer burden globally.

The extraordinary success of vaccines saving lives and improving human health is predicated on immune memory. Within the armamentarium of adaptive immunity, a holistic view of the different components contributing to immune protection is important for understanding the myriad benefits of vaccines. This review presents the current understanding of vaccine-generated memory, integrating layers of immunity including B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, and antibody responses, with emphasis on human vaccine data. Functions and durability of distinct memory types are considered, including those of tissue-resident and circulating cells as well as hybrid immunity, and within this context, common misconceptions and important next questions are discussed. Understanding the multifaceted layers that underlie protective immunity can guide future vaccines and broader immune-focused interventions. A video lecture accompanies this review (https://youtu.be/8DeZJ6V7nuI). VIDEO ABSTRACT.

West Nile virus (WNV) circulates endemically in Romania, yet prevention of WNV infection in horses largely depends on owner-driven decisions that require accurate risk perception and veterinary guidance. A cross-sectional online survey was carried out between May and November 2025 to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices (KAP) regarding WNV among 227 horse owners from various Romanian regions. In total, 67.4% of respondents had previously heard of WNV. The main transmission route was correctly identified as mosquito bites by 49.8% of participants, while 32.2% answered "don't know" or presented misconceptions: horse-to-horse contact (9.3%), tick bites (10.6%) and blood transfusion (0.4%). Recognition of clinical signs was limited, with fever (31.3% of respondents) and gait abnormalities or ataxia (24.7% of respondents) being most frequently mentioned, followed by inappetence (19.4% of respondents), seizures (18.1% of respondents), coughing (8.8% of respondents), and abortions (10.6% of respondents); 47.6% of respondents were unable to identify any specific signs. Awareness of the existence of an equine WNV vaccine was reported by 23.8% of respondents, while only 4.0% indicated that their horses had been vaccinated. The most common preventive measures included the use of insecticides in stables (61.2%) and topical repellents on horses (55.5%), whereas environmental control actions such as removing standing water (14.1%) or avoiding swampy areas (11.9%) were less frequent; 19.4% reported taking no preventive measures. Veterinary communication was limited, with only 17.2% of respondents having received information about WNV from a veterinarian, and 21.6% perceiving a real risk of infection in Romania. Overall, the data show a marked disconnect between awareness and actionable prevention (particularly vaccination and environmental mosquito control), indicating that targeted owner education must be paired with structured veterinary communication to translate knowledge into preventive uptake in endemic settings.