Editor’s Note

Research output from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) increased significantly in the post-COVID-19 period. This peak in research output reflected new avenues of scientific exploration brought about by the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic also led to improved scientific collaborations and partnerships across low- and middle-income countries. One of these was the formation of the Global Immunology and Immune Sequencing for Epidemic Response (GIISER) network, established in 2021. Although COVID-19 has subsided, it remains important to sustain the partnerships established in its wake. This is a central theme in the article led by colleagues from the Centre for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections titled “Retaining African Networks is Urgent for African and Global Health.”

The research covered in this issue is broad and diverse, addressing topics such as antimicrobial resistance, rabies, and meningococcal disease, among others. In the article “Protect our future leaders: Advocating for meningococcal vaccination to prevent meningococcal disease among tertiary students, ” Dr Susan Meiring and colleagues from the Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response recommend a targeted vaccination strategy for tertiary first-year students. Lastly, “Perils, pearls, pitfalls, pathogens, pitbulls and public health-an infectious diseases journey,” a mini-review, focuses on emerging and well-established infectious diseases that may pose risks to the public in South Africa.

Immerse yourself in these and many other insightful articles in this issue.