Highlights from the ASTMH 2025 Annual Meeting

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) held its 2025 Annual Meeting in Toronto from November 9–13th, which brought together more than 3,000 experts from 105 countries for one of the largest global conferences focused on neglected tropical diseases. Scientists, clinicians, policymakers, and trainees convened to share new research spanning malaria control, vector-borne diseases and climate-related health challenges.

Among the speakers was Dr. Jennifer Downs, Associate Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, who presented research on female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) and infertility. FGS caused by the parasitic worm Schistosoma haematobium affects an estimated 40 million girls and women across sub-Saharan Africa, and even after treatment with praziquantel, chronic genital tract damage and symptoms persist in roughly 70 percent of cases. Despite its prevalence, its impact on fertility remains understudied in endemic settings. Dr. Downs, who received an NIH R01 in 2022 to advance FGS research in northwestern Tanzania, where she has worked for more than a decade. At the ASTMH conference, Dr. Downs shared research findings that explain how FGS can lead to infertility: the infection damages genital tissue, interferes with hormonal pathways—such as through worm metabolites that mimic estrogen—and alters immune responses in ways that impair egg health.

Alexandra Cordeiro, a Research Associate, also delivered an oral presentation, sharing results from a Gates-funded study she has been leading in Mwanza, Tanzania examining how gastrointestinal infections shape the immune response to the oral polio vaccine in children. Ongoing analyses aims to better understand the factors associated with poorer response to oral polio vaccine, information that could help polio vaccination strategies for children globally.

Throughout the meeting, members of ASTMH reaffirmed their commitment to addressing inequitable disease burdens through rigorous research and public health action. As global public health faces unprecedented challenges, the work presented in Toronto reflected a shared conviction that science—anchored in resilience, continued collaboration, and innovation—remains powerful for improving health globally.

Article by: Alexandra Cordeiro