A group of women sit on benches in a waiting area, each holding a young child. The background features several posted notices on the wall. A healthcare worker bends over a table on the right side of the image.
Illustration showing purple bacteria labeled "Shigella" with text stating it's a severe, increasingly drug-resistant cause of diarrhea. The background is dark with abstract curvy shapes, and "DefeatDD" is visible at the bottom left.
Sep 24, 2024

Drug resistant diarrheal disease: a journey

Drug resistance is a major global health challenge, and it continues to worsen. A problem with many causes, rising drug resistance has placed an increasing burden on global health and children are among those shouldering the consequences. How th...
Sep 18, 2024

Drug resistance: what is it and what can we do

School pupils Ashley and Liz stop on their way from school to drink and wash their faces with water from an aquifer that serves the domestic water needs for several homesteads at a rural village in Kenya. Sources for clean drinking water are essentia...
Flowchart titled "Diarrhea and Malnutrition: A Relentless Loop." It shows a cycle: Chronic Diarrheal Disease leads to Gut Damage, then to Malnutrition, then to Impaired Immune Response, circling back to Chronic Diarrheal Disease. Causes include unsafe water, poor hygiene, and pathogens.
Sep 04, 2024

What does nutrition have to do with diarrhea?

We all know that the food we eat impacts our health: good, nutritious foods mean a strong and healthy body. But there is more to it – nutrition plays a vital role in child health and impacts the risk of diarrheal disease. Diarrhea is one ...
Illustration of an oral cholera vaccine on a shield, symbolizing protection. Surrounding are sketches of informal settlements, displacement camps, and natural disaster recovery. Text: "Oral Cholera Vaccine = immediate protection against outbreaks.
Aug 27, 2024

Preventing the cycle of monsoon floods and cholera through vaccines and safe water

The summer monsoon season in Asia, known for heavy rainfall that often leads to flooding, has reached new heights in countries like India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. These floods contribute to the outbreak of diarrheal diseases. ...
In a rural setting, a woman weighs a baby on a hanging scale, using a bright red cloth. Several women and children dressed in traditional, colorful clothing observe the process. Lush green plants and simple structures are visible in the background.
Aug 07, 2024

Unintended consequences: When hygiene programs burden women

Primary care in a Kaqchikel Maya community in rural Guatemala, checking monthly growth of infants.   
A group of five adults stands in front of a colorful balloon arch at a festive event. The arch features balloons in various shapes and colors, including flowers, stars, and swirls. All are smiling and holding props, and one person is wearing a backpack.
Jul 24, 2024

Five and Thrive!

The DefeatDD team celebrated a global health success story – more children than ever are reaching their fifth birthday!
A purple image features a periodic table element box for Zinc, symbolized as Zn with the atomic number 30. The word "DEFEATDD" is displayed in white and yellow capital letters on the right side of the image.
Jul 10, 2024

Zinc: a simple, underutilized treatment for diarrhea

The combination of ORS and zinc is the gold standard for diarrhea treatment. But why is ORS recommended to be combined with zinc?  
A woman with curly hair, glasses, and a black jacket is standing next to a black water pump on a hexagonal stone base with a plaque. She is smiling and holds the pump with one hand. The background shows a street, brick buildings, another person, and a parked van.
Jun 26, 2024

Plumbing the depths of diarrhea etymology

The DefeatDD team is comprised of word lovers. Yet you might be surprised how the worlds of language and science are intertwined. Diarrhea, for example, can be traced to the Greek diárrhoia, meaning to flow through...
A blue background with the text "DEFEATDD" in white and orange on the left side. The right side features a pattern of syringes angled diagonally, filled with an orange liquid.
Jun 18, 2024

Diarrheal disease vaccines: what do we know?

Despite great progress to improve global child health, diarrhea remains the second leading killer of children under age five. Fortunately, vaccines are available or on the way for some of the top causes of diarrhea:
A person wearing a mask is feeding a child in a room with medical supplies. In the foreground, there is a booklet titled "DIARRHOEA!" on a table, depicting a village scene. The room has educational posters on the wall and medical equipment scattered around.
Jun 05, 2024

Collaboration and dissemination essential to cholera control strategy development

In recent months, the world has seen a rise in global cholera outbreaks. When outbreaks emerged in Kenya and Uganda, national governments looked to PATH for support in mitigating risk to communities.