Baobab Index

Twenty years after the introduction of rotavirus vaccines, the 15th International Rotavirus Symposium convened researchers, clinicians, immunization program managers, and policymakers to review advances in rotavirus epidemiology, immunology, vaccine development, and implementation. Rotavirus vaccination has contributed to sustained reductions in severe rotavirus hospitalizations and child mortality, yet population-level benefits remain heterogeneous and are constrained by gaps in coverage, supply-related program disruptions, and context-specific vaccine performance. Presenters highlighted evidence from multi-pathogen surveillance confirming that rotavirus remains a leading cause of pediatric diarrhea requiring hospitalization despite widespread vaccine introduction. Accumulating evidence implicates maternally derived antibodies, environmental enteric dysfunction, and early-life microbiome development as contributors to reduced oral vaccine performance in low- and middle-income communities, while recent studies of next-generation vaccine candidates underscore the need for improved correlates of protection and clinically meaningful efficacy endpoints. Collectively, the symposium emphasized that further reductions in rotavirus morbidity and mortality will require strengthening delivery of existing vaccines-including improving coverage, minimizing supply interruptions, and reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children-while sustaining surveillance and investing in integrated enteric disease prevention and next-generation vaccines to optimize protection in high-burden settings.

Hybrid breeding exploits heterosis from genetically complementary parents to develop desirable products, including in

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bound structures that transport bioactive molecules and are increasingly recognized as key mediators of plant-pathogen interactions. Although EV secretion has been reported in filamentous pathogens, their roles in plant immunity, microbial interactions and cargo-sorting mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize the functional roles and composition of EVs produced by

The Cape Floristic Region (CFR), a global biodiversity hotspot, provides an exceptional setting for studying plant diversification. The South African genus

Alobar holoprosencephaly (HPE) is a severe malformation where the embryonic forebrain fails to divide, characterized by profound midline facial defects and high mortality. We report a case of a term neonate born to a grand multigravida mother from a rural area with no prior antenatal screening. At birth, the neonate presented with severe midline craniofacial anomalies, including arrhinia and anophthalmia. Transcranial ultrasonography demonstrated findings highly suggestive of alobar HPE, including a single monoventricle and absence of key midline structures, while additional findings included a congenital diaphragmatic hernia and an Acyanotic perimembranous ventricular septal defect. Due to the severity of these multisystem malformations, the patient was managed with supportive care and succumbed to multisystem failure on the third day of life. Alobar holoprosencephaly has an extremely poor prognosis, with most affected neonates not surviving long after birth; therefore, management focuses on supportive care, such as respiratory stabilization, feeding, and comfort. This case highlights the crucial role of early prenatal screening, detailed ultrasound, and genetic counseling especially in resource-limited settings to allow for timely diagnosis, informed parental counseling, and better planning for neonatal care.