Background: The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases developed a massive open online course (MOOC) on implementation research with a focus on infectious diseases of poverty to reinforce the explanation of implementation research concepts through real case studies. Following a pilot in 2017, two cohorts undertook the nalised version of the implementation research MOOC in 2018. Methods: This study evaluates the 2018 MOOC learners' knowledge in implementation research after completing the MOOC. Learners were invited to complete an anonymous exit survey on completion of the MOOC, regardless of whether or not they had received a certi cate of completion. Results: Of the almost 4,000 enrolled in the two sessions of the MOOC, about 30% completed all ve modules and the assessments and were and awarded a certi cate. The majority of the participants were early to mid-career professionals, under the age of 40, and from low-and middle-income countries. They were slightly more likely to be men (56%) with a Bachelor or a Master's degree. Participants were public health researchers (45%), public health o cers (11%) or students (11%). On completion of the course, an exit survey revealed that 80.9% of respondents indicated signi cant improvement to strong and very strong implementation research knowledge. Conclusions: This evaluation clearly shows the usefulness of the MOOC on implementation research for reaching out to eld researchers and public health practitioners who are facing problems in the implementation of control programmes in low-and middle-income countries. Contributions To The Literature Implementation research can make a critical difference to health outcomes, particularly in low-and middle-income countries and in connection with infectious diseases of poverty. There is under-utilisation of implementation research in low-and middle-income countries due to limited knowledge and training. Free online training, such as that offered in a MOOC, provides a way to increase knowledge of implementation research to eld researchers and public health practitioners facing problems in the implementation of control programmes in low-and middle-income countries.

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Introduction: Intestinal parasites have an insidious impact on human health. In response to high parasite frequencies in Northwest Ethiopia, mass drug administration (MDA) is provided for school children using albendazole/mebendazole (since 2007) and praziquantel (since 2015). The study objective was to assess trends and seasonal patterns of intestinal parasite infections in a context of MDA. Methodology: This was a descriptive study collecting routine data from laboratory registers in two health centres in Denbia district, Amhara region. Stool test results (wet-mount direct microscopy) from patients attending these centres between 2013 and 2018 were included. Frequencies of different parasite species were evaluated within and across the years and stratified by age and gender. Results: From a total of 8002 stool test results, the overall parasite frequency was 53.3%; this proportion remained constant. The most frequently diagnosed soil-transmitted helminths (STH) were Ascaris lumbricoides (16.9%) and hookworm (3.9%). STH frequency varied over the years, but was similar at the beginning (20.0%) and the end (22.0%) of the six-year period. STH infections were more frequent in winter (December-February; 20.4%) than in other seasons (16.0%). The most frequently diagnosed protozoa were Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (18.5%) and Giardia lamblia (12.2%). The frequency of Giardia steadily increased from 9.6% in 2013 to 15.3% in 2018. E. histolytica/dispar peaked in summer and G. lamblia in autumn. Conclusions: Trends in routine laboratories may be a proxy for a status quo in the community. These findings suggest that higher MDA coverages and/or interventions beyond MDA are needed to reduce intestinal parasite-related morbidity.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) are major global public health challenges in our time. This study provides a broader and updated overview of AMR trends in surgical wards of Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH) between 2014 and 2018. Laboratory data on the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of bacterial isolates from 428 patient samples were available. The most common samples were as follows: tracheal aspirates (36.5%), pus swabs (28.0%), and blood (20.6%). Klebsiella (21.7%), Acinetobacter (17.5%), and Staphylococcus species (12.4%) were the most common isolates. The resistance patterns for different antimicrobials were: penicillins (40–100%), cephalosporins (30–100%), β-lactamase inhibitor combinations (70–100%), carbapenems (10–100%), polymyxin E (0–7%), aminoglycosides (50–100%), sulphonamides (80–100%), fluoroquinolones (40–70%), macrolides (40–100%), lincosamides (10–45%), phenicols (40–70%), nitrofurans (0–25%), and glycopeptide (0–20%). This study demonstrated a sustained increase in resistance among the most commonly used antibiotics in Uganda over the five-year study period. It implies ongoing hospital-based monitoring and surveillance of AMR patterns are needed to inform antibiotic prescribing, and to contribute to national and global AMR profiles. It also suggests continued emphasis on infection prevention and control practices (IPC), including antibiotic stewardship. Ultimately, laboratory capacity for timely bacteriological culture and sensitivity testing will provide a rational choice of antibiotics for HAI.