Alex Keeley
@alexjkeeley.bsky.social
Wellcome Clinical PhD in Global Health @ MRC Gambia/LSHTM. ID SpR @Sheffield. Strep A Immuno-Epi and RHD. Climate, Social and Healthcare Justice. He/him
Pinned
Alex Keeley
@alexjkeeley.bsky.social
· Aug 8
www.nature.com
🧵 Our paper out today in @naturemedicine.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon
1/
#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon
1/
#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.
so just reading the title - I would say there is a lot more to this than amnesia
Good title this:
"Tuberculosis and the perils of historical amnesia"
Good reminder about "...the enduring role of poverty, overcrowding, and substandard housing in sustaining tuberculosis in the present era.."
#TBSky #IDSky @lancetmicrobe.bsky.social
"Tuberculosis and the perils of historical amnesia"
Good reminder about "...the enduring role of poverty, overcrowding, and substandard housing in sustaining tuberculosis in the present era.."
#TBSky #IDSky @lancetmicrobe.bsky.social
Tuberculosis and the perils of historical amnesia
In a recent Comment published in The Lancet, Hans Henri P Kluge emphasised the urgency of addressing drug-resistant tuberculosis in the WHO European region.1 Although the health security framing…
www.thelancet.com
September 30, 2025 at 10:01 AM
so just reading the title - I would say there is a lot more to this than amnesia
Reposted by Alex Keeley
A new study by @thushan-desilva.bsky.social @alexjkeeley.bsky.social & colleagues provides a framework for future Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) vaccine development by examining the natural acquisition of humoral immunity!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#Microbiology #Pathogen #VaccineDevelopment
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#Microbiology #Pathogen #VaccineDevelopment
September 8, 2025 at 6:33 PM
A new study by @thushan-desilva.bsky.social @alexjkeeley.bsky.social & colleagues provides a framework for future Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) vaccine development by examining the natural acquisition of humoral immunity!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#Microbiology #Pathogen #VaccineDevelopment
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#Microbiology #Pathogen #VaccineDevelopment
Reposted by Alex Keeley
Antibodies to conserved Streptococcus pyogenes antigens correlate with functional activity and protect Gambian children from culture‑confirmed infections, especially under age 2.
by Keeley AJ, Camara FE (...) de Silva TI et 33 al. in Nat Med #MedSky
👉 get more here
📖 read the article:
by Keeley AJ, Camara FE (...) de Silva TI et 33 al. in Nat Med #MedSky
👉 get more here
📖 read the article:
Early-life serological profiles and the development of natural protective humoral immunity to Streptococcus pyogenes in a high-burden setting - Nature Medicine
Serological profiles from two observational cohort studies in The Gambia characterize surrogates of protection against Streptococcus pyogenes and reveal an antibody response against antigens that are currently in vaccine development.
www.nature.com
August 17, 2025 at 6:41 PM
🧵 Our paper out today in @naturemedicine.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon
1/
#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon
1/
#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.
www.nature.com
August 8, 2025 at 9:09 AM
🧵 Our paper out today in @naturemedicine.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon
1/
#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon
1/
#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.
Reposted by Alex Keeley
Beatriz Grinszetjn
Opens #ias2025!
While she can't provide a recipe for success in current climate, there are key factors
1. EVIDENCE
2. SOLIDARITY
3. TRUTH
Let us make the most of our time together at the conference to "reaffirm, refocus & rebuild!"
@iasociety.bsky.social
Opens #ias2025!
While she can't provide a recipe for success in current climate, there are key factors
1. EVIDENCE
2. SOLIDARITY
3. TRUTH
Let us make the most of our time together at the conference to "reaffirm, refocus & rebuild!"
@iasociety.bsky.social
July 14, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Beatriz Grinszetjn
Opens #ias2025!
While she can't provide a recipe for success in current climate, there are key factors
1. EVIDENCE
2. SOLIDARITY
3. TRUTH
Let us make the most of our time together at the conference to "reaffirm, refocus & rebuild!"
@iasociety.bsky.social
Opens #ias2025!
While she can't provide a recipe for success in current climate, there are key factors
1. EVIDENCE
2. SOLIDARITY
3. TRUTH
Let us make the most of our time together at the conference to "reaffirm, refocus & rebuild!"
@iasociety.bsky.social
Reposted by Alex Keeley
Prof de Silva & Dr Keeley speak on Strep A epi & immunity in the Gambia.
🗝️ Hyperendemicity of Strep A
🗝️ Index infections not explained by household contacts
🗝️ Early life immunity develops <2 y/o
🗝️ Ab response to carriage & infection
🗝️ ?protective immunity from SLO, SpyAD, SpyCEP
#LISSSD25 #IDsky
🗝️ Hyperendemicity of Strep A
🗝️ Index infections not explained by household contacts
🗝️ Early life immunity develops <2 y/o
🗝️ Ab response to carriage & infection
🗝️ ?protective immunity from SLO, SpyAD, SpyCEP
#LISSSD25 #IDsky
June 2, 2025 at 3:50 AM
This post just hits the nail on the head for me right now:
There’s a real rearranging of the deck chairs on the Titanic vibe going on in academia right now.
a man in a tuxedo is playing a violin in front of a crowd
Alt: a man in a tuxedo is playing a violin in front of a crowd of people trying to evacuate the ship
media.tenor.com
May 16, 2025 at 11:39 PM
This post just hits the nail on the head for me right now:
#ESCMIDGlobal2025 threads:
Buckets of cool research and breaded meats....
Not seen a single post on #PEPFAR / #USAID cuts. How do we stand together as a community to strongly condemn this tragedy, and work on solutions?
If it's not our problem #ESCMID "global" NOW, then who? and when?
Buckets of cool research and breaded meats....
Not seen a single post on #PEPFAR / #USAID cuts. How do we stand together as a community to strongly condemn this tragedy, and work on solutions?
If it's not our problem #ESCMID "global" NOW, then who? and when?
April 14, 2025 at 9:11 AM
#ESCMIDGlobal2025 threads:
Buckets of cool research and breaded meats....
Not seen a single post on #PEPFAR / #USAID cuts. How do we stand together as a community to strongly condemn this tragedy, and work on solutions?
If it's not our problem #ESCMID "global" NOW, then who? and when?
Buckets of cool research and breaded meats....
Not seen a single post on #PEPFAR / #USAID cuts. How do we stand together as a community to strongly condemn this tragedy, and work on solutions?
If it's not our problem #ESCMID "global" NOW, then who? and when?
Great thread and paper:
Where #StrepA burden greatest frequent lineage replacement seen.
Interesting points:
"vaccines without broad cross-lineage protection may also lead to S. pyogenes lineage replacement."
"need to do better surveillance from carriage and non-invasive disease"
Where #StrepA burden greatest frequent lineage replacement seen.
Interesting points:
"vaccines without broad cross-lineage protection may also lead to S. pyogenes lineage replacement."
"need to do better surveillance from carriage and non-invasive disease"
Exploring epidemiology and lineage dynamics of invasive S. pyogenes across diverse regions of Australia. doi.org/10.1016/j.la....
Exciting new research published in @lancetmicrobe.bsky.social
Posting on behalf of Ouli Xie (not on bsky) and our lab with Mark Davies. @thedohertyinst.bsky.social
Exciting new research published in @lancetmicrobe.bsky.social
Posting on behalf of Ouli Xie (not on bsky) and our lab with Mark Davies. @thedohertyinst.bsky.social
Redirecting
doi.org
April 7, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Great thread and paper:
Where #StrepA burden greatest frequent lineage replacement seen.
Interesting points:
"vaccines without broad cross-lineage protection may also lead to S. pyogenes lineage replacement."
"need to do better surveillance from carriage and non-invasive disease"
Where #StrepA burden greatest frequent lineage replacement seen.
Interesting points:
"vaccines without broad cross-lineage protection may also lead to S. pyogenes lineage replacement."
"need to do better surveillance from carriage and non-invasive disease"
Reposted by Alex Keeley
★ NEW #Communicable out now! Today is Int'l Women's Day & to honour that we give you the first of a 2-part special on gender dynamics in medicine 🎙️
share.transistor.fm/s/21a9df96
#IDSky #clinmicro #IWD2025 @angelahuttner.bsky.social @erinmccreary.bsky.social @anniejoseph.bsky.social & more
share.transistor.fm/s/21a9df96
#IDSky #clinmicro #IWD2025 @angelahuttner.bsky.social @erinmccreary.bsky.social @anniejoseph.bsky.social & more
Communicable E22: Women & men in medicine: An honest discussion, part 1 | Communicable | Episode 22
In honour of International Women's Day, Communicable releases the first of a two-part special on gender dynamics within the fields of infectious diseases and clinical microbiology. Moderated by Angela...
share.transistor.fm
March 8, 2025 at 6:30 AM
★ NEW #Communicable out now! Today is Int'l Women's Day & to honour that we give you the first of a 2-part special on gender dynamics in medicine 🎙️
share.transistor.fm/s/21a9df96
#IDSky #clinmicro #IWD2025 @angelahuttner.bsky.social @erinmccreary.bsky.social @anniejoseph.bsky.social & more
share.transistor.fm/s/21a9df96
#IDSky #clinmicro #IWD2025 @angelahuttner.bsky.social @erinmccreary.bsky.social @anniejoseph.bsky.social & more
Reposted by Alex Keeley
If pubmed is inaccessible at the moment, try @europepmc.org
March 1, 2025 at 5:31 PM
If pubmed is inaccessible at the moment, try @europepmc.org
Can any other funders step in to take this on? These platforms are invaluable and so much research and health security would be lost "with immediate effect"
Hard (and almost feels inappropriate/pointless) to focus on thesis writing right now
#globalhealth #IDSky
Hard (and almost feels inappropriate/pointless) to focus on thesis writing right now
#globalhealth #IDSky
The sheer stupidity of this Trump administration is breathtaking
DHS “terminated for the convenience of the U.S. Government”
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/h...
DHS “terminated for the convenience of the U.S. Government”
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/h...
Trump Administration Ends Global Health Research Program
The Demographic and Health Surveys were the only sources of reliable information in many countries on metrics such as mortality, nutrition and education.
www.nytimes.com
February 27, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Can any other funders step in to take this on? These platforms are invaluable and so much research and health security would be lost "with immediate effect"
Hard (and almost feels inappropriate/pointless) to focus on thesis writing right now
#globalhealth #IDSky
Hard (and almost feels inappropriate/pointless) to focus on thesis writing right now
#globalhealth #IDSky
Reposted by Alex Keeley
10 years ago, when I began teaching global health, my courses were mostly the 'blue pill' version
Slowly but surely, it has become reddish
Every year brings more improvement & reflection
@shashikalb.bsky.social & @ananyatb.bsky.social have been great co-teachers
journals.plos.org/globalpublic...
Slowly but surely, it has become reddish
Every year brings more improvement & reflection
@shashikalb.bsky.social & @ananyatb.bsky.social have been great co-teachers
journals.plos.org/globalpublic...
February 26, 2025 at 11:56 AM
10 years ago, when I began teaching global health, my courses were mostly the 'blue pill' version
Slowly but surely, it has become reddish
Every year brings more improvement & reflection
@shashikalb.bsky.social & @ananyatb.bsky.social have been great co-teachers
journals.plos.org/globalpublic...
Slowly but surely, it has become reddish
Every year brings more improvement & reflection
@shashikalb.bsky.social & @ananyatb.bsky.social have been great co-teachers
journals.plos.org/globalpublic...
Reposted by Alex Keeley
Early life serological profiles and the development of natural protective humoral immunity to Streptococcus pyogenes in a high burden setting https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.11.25322090v1
February 14, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Early life serological profiles and the development of natural protective humoral immunity to Streptococcus pyogenes in a high burden setting https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.11.25322090v1
📢 Preprint - not peer-reviewed🤞:
Development of #immunity to #StrepA in The Gambia. We assessed IgG to conserved and M protein antigens across the life course, exploring association with protection against infection:
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
#IDSky #Immunosky
Development of #immunity to #StrepA in The Gambia. We assessed IgG to conserved and M protein antigens across the life course, exploring association with protection against infection:
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
#IDSky #Immunosky
Early life serological profiles and the development of natural protective humoral immunity to Streptococcus pyogenes in a high burden setting
Streptococcus pyogenes leads to 500,000 deaths annually; many due to rheumatic heart disease in low-income settings. Limited understanding of natural protective immunity to S. pyogenes hinders vaccine...
www.medrxiv.org
February 15, 2025 at 10:41 AM
📢 Preprint - not peer-reviewed🤞:
Development of #immunity to #StrepA in The Gambia. We assessed IgG to conserved and M protein antigens across the life course, exploring association with protection against infection:
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
#IDSky #Immunosky
Development of #immunity to #StrepA in The Gambia. We assessed IgG to conserved and M protein antigens across the life course, exploring association with protection against infection:
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
#IDSky #Immunosky
Reposted by Alex Keeley
Excited to say that in collaboration with colleagues in Australia @latrobeuni.bsky.social we got NHMRC funding to use SpyCATS cohort to build state of the art #StrepA transmission models. Hope to ultimately better understand household transmission & help target interventions in high burden settings.
Streptococcus pyogenes carriage and infection within households in The Gambia: a longitudinal cohort study
S pyogenes carriage and infection are common in The Gambia, particularly in children. Most events are non-household acquisitions, but skin carriage and pyoderma have an important role in S pyogenes household transmission and bidirectional transmission between skin and pharynx occurs.
www.thelancet.com
December 17, 2024 at 6:54 AM
Excited to say that in collaboration with colleagues in Australia @latrobeuni.bsky.social we got NHMRC funding to use SpyCATS cohort to build state of the art #StrepA transmission models. Hope to ultimately better understand household transmission & help target interventions in high burden settings.
Reposted by Alex Keeley
Healthcare - you get what you pay for
£3600 the average Tax/person/year goes to #NHS
£165 to General Practice
Discussion yesterday with a US expat - £7600 basic US insurance cover for a fit & healthy 26yr old (still pay for use)
Without the NHS what could you afford?
Private GP appt £79
#Medsky
£3600 the average Tax/person/year goes to #NHS
£165 to General Practice
Discussion yesterday with a US expat - £7600 basic US insurance cover for a fit & healthy 26yr old (still pay for use)
Without the NHS what could you afford?
Private GP appt £79
#Medsky
December 13, 2024 at 9:30 AM
Great thread 👇 & 📜:
A beautifully told story from complex serological data around
@joshosowicki.bsky.social #StrepA human challenge.
Amazing how much you can learn from controlled experimental challenge with 25 humans, setting standards for future CHIM / vaccine trials / seroepi ...
#IDSky
A beautifully told story from complex serological data around
@joshosowicki.bsky.social #StrepA human challenge.
Amazing how much you can learn from controlled experimental challenge with 25 humans, setting standards for future CHIM / vaccine trials / seroepi ...
#IDSky
🎉 I'm a #newPI , and I'm so excited to share our new paper out in Nature Comms today! 🧵
rdcu.be/d2gBV
Quick intro for the new followers:
I'm from Monash Uni in Melbourne, and we study T and B cell responses to viruses, bacteria & parasites with the goal of improving vaccines. #ImmunoSky #MicroSky
rdcu.be/d2gBV
Quick intro for the new followers:
I'm from Monash Uni in Melbourne, and we study T and B cell responses to viruses, bacteria & parasites with the goal of improving vaccines. #ImmunoSky #MicroSky
December 3, 2024 at 10:08 PM
Great thread 👇 & 📜:
A beautifully told story from complex serological data around
@joshosowicki.bsky.social #StrepA human challenge.
Amazing how much you can learn from controlled experimental challenge with 25 humans, setting standards for future CHIM / vaccine trials / seroepi ...
#IDSky
A beautifully told story from complex serological data around
@joshosowicki.bsky.social #StrepA human challenge.
Amazing how much you can learn from controlled experimental challenge with 25 humans, setting standards for future CHIM / vaccine trials / seroepi ...
#IDSky
Wow - what mischief makers indeed!
The never before seen Borrelia burgdorferi caught in the act of making trouble in our mouse model of borrelia infection-associated chronic illness. I feel so grateful to get to collaborate with Kunzan Liu (who took these sunning images), and Sixian You who makes the invisible visible.
November 28, 2024 at 8:32 AM
Wow - what mischief makers indeed!
Here's something I missed on #IDTwitter last year:
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Phase 3 trial of NmCV-5 (ACWYX) meningitis vaccine in 2-29yo. Randomized, double-blind, noninferiority study vs. quadrivalent MenACWY-D for immunogenicity/safety over 28 days.
#IDSky - recreating the space we lost
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Phase 3 trial of NmCV-5 (ACWYX) meningitis vaccine in 2-29yo. Randomized, double-blind, noninferiority study vs. quadrivalent MenACWY-D for immunogenicity/safety over 28 days.
#IDSky - recreating the space we lost
Meningococcal ACWYX Conjugate Vaccine in 2-to-29-Year-Olds in Mali and Gambia | NEJM
An effective, affordable, multivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine is needed to
prevent epidemic meningitis in the African meningitis belt. Data on the safety and
immunogenicity of NmCV-5, a pen...
www.nejm.org
November 12, 2024 at 10:40 AM
Here's something I missed on #IDTwitter last year:
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Phase 3 trial of NmCV-5 (ACWYX) meningitis vaccine in 2-29yo. Randomized, double-blind, noninferiority study vs. quadrivalent MenACWY-D for immunogenicity/safety over 28 days.
#IDSky - recreating the space we lost
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Phase 3 trial of NmCV-5 (ACWYX) meningitis vaccine in 2-29yo. Randomized, double-blind, noninferiority study vs. quadrivalent MenACWY-D for immunogenicity/safety over 28 days.
#IDSky - recreating the space we lost
Reposted by Alex Keeley
New research article in The Lancet Microbe
#Streptococcus pyogenes carriage and infection within households in The Gambia: a longitudinal cohort study
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
#StrepA #MicroSky #IDSky #OpenAccess #OA
#Streptococcus pyogenes carriage and infection within households in The Gambia: a longitudinal cohort study
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
#StrepA #MicroSky #IDSky #OpenAccess #OA
May 9, 2024 at 11:41 AM
New research article in The Lancet Microbe
#Streptococcus pyogenes carriage and infection within households in The Gambia: a longitudinal cohort study
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
#StrepA #MicroSky #IDSky #OpenAccess #OA
#Streptococcus pyogenes carriage and infection within households in The Gambia: a longitudinal cohort study
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
#StrepA #MicroSky #IDSky #OpenAccess #OA
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
@madhupai.bsky.social @shashikalb.bsky.social @CKyobutungic
A must read: summary on barriers (politics/funders/institutions/culture) to redressing global health power imbalances.
But..
“power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”
@madhupai.bsky.social @shashikalb.bsky.social @CKyobutungic
A must read: summary on barriers (politics/funders/institutions/culture) to redressing global health power imbalances.
But..
“power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”
Shifting power in global health will require leadership by the Global South and allyship by the Global North
Global health continues to be a field where Global North actors see themselves as leaders.1,2 Although the decolonising global health movement has exposed the deep inequities inherent within the architecture of global health,1 this movement, prone to elite capture, faces several institutional barriers that prevent meaningful shifts in power.3
www.thelancet.com
November 4, 2024 at 11:55 AM
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
@madhupai.bsky.social @shashikalb.bsky.social @CKyobutungic
A must read: summary on barriers (politics/funders/institutions/culture) to redressing global health power imbalances.
But..
“power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”
@madhupai.bsky.social @shashikalb.bsky.social @CKyobutungic
A must read: summary on barriers (politics/funders/institutions/culture) to redressing global health power imbalances.
But..
“power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”
World feels pretty overwhelming right now... So please consider supporting:
DEC donation.dec.org.uk/middle-east-...
MSF msf.org.uk/secure/donate
..and this initiative by @madhupai.bsky.social:
crowdfunding.mcgill.ca/ui/main/p/pa...
to recognise those striving for equity in health.
DEC donation.dec.org.uk/middle-east-...
MSF msf.org.uk/secure/donate
..and this initiative by @madhupai.bsky.social:
crowdfunding.mcgill.ca/ui/main/p/pa...
to recognise those striving for equity in health.
crowdfunding.mcgill.ca
October 21, 2024 at 3:16 PM
World feels pretty overwhelming right now... So please consider supporting:
DEC donation.dec.org.uk/middle-east-...
MSF msf.org.uk/secure/donate
..and this initiative by @madhupai.bsky.social:
crowdfunding.mcgill.ca/ui/main/p/pa...
to recognise those striving for equity in health.
DEC donation.dec.org.uk/middle-east-...
MSF msf.org.uk/secure/donate
..and this initiative by @madhupai.bsky.social:
crowdfunding.mcgill.ca/ui/main/p/pa...
to recognise those striving for equity in health.
Reposted by Alex Keeley
Starkly putting out tensions between conferences & carbon footprints
Worked example for @escmid.bsky.social confernce but it's generalisable
Benefits of in-person meetings are at environmental cost not easily squared
#IDSky 🩺 #AcademicSky
www.clinicalmicrobiologyandinfection.com/article/S119...
Worked example for @escmid.bsky.social confernce but it's generalisable
Benefits of in-person meetings are at environmental cost not easily squared
#IDSky 🩺 #AcademicSky
www.clinicalmicrobiologyandinfection.com/article/S119...
October 16, 2024 at 6:16 AM
Starkly putting out tensions between conferences & carbon footprints
Worked example for @escmid.bsky.social confernce but it's generalisable
Benefits of in-person meetings are at environmental cost not easily squared
#IDSky 🩺 #AcademicSky
www.clinicalmicrobiologyandinfection.com/article/S119...
Worked example for @escmid.bsky.social confernce but it's generalisable
Benefits of in-person meetings are at environmental cost not easily squared
#IDSky 🩺 #AcademicSky
www.clinicalmicrobiologyandinfection.com/article/S119...