Charlene Rodrigues
@cmcrodrigues.bsky.social
Infectious disease paediatrician | Assistant Professor microbial genomics | ID and bacterial genomics | Vaccine enthusiast | Public health genomics
https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/aboutus/people/rodrigues.charlene
London, UK
https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/aboutus/people/rodrigues.charlene
London, UK
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
Honoured and quite blown-over to receive this award. I have been, and continue to be, very lucky - first with great mentors, and then really prodigious students, postdocs and collaborators. Working with them has been a joy.
Congratulations to @zaminiqbal.bsky.social from @milnerevolution.bsky.social on being awarded the 2026 Mary Lyon Medal!
November 14, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Honoured and quite blown-over to receive this award. I have been, and continue to be, very lucky - first with great mentors, and then really prodigious students, postdocs and collaborators. Working with them has been a joy.
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
I'm a very pro-vaccine physician.
Last weekend, I went to the biggest gathering of anti-vaxxers.
More of my public health colleagues should've been there.
I explain why for @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/c...
Last weekend, I went to the biggest gathering of anti-vaxxers.
More of my public health colleagues should've been there.
I explain why for @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/c...
I’m a physician who went to the anti-vaccine movement’s biggest gathering. More of my colleagues should too
A pro-vaccine physician went to the anti-vaccine movement’s biggest gathering. He warns that public health must learn what it’s up against.
www.statnews.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:43 PM
I'm a very pro-vaccine physician.
Last weekend, I went to the biggest gathering of anti-vaxxers.
More of my public health colleagues should've been there.
I explain why for @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/c...
Last weekend, I went to the biggest gathering of anti-vaxxers.
More of my public health colleagues should've been there.
I explain why for @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/c...
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
🚨 New paper out on @narjournal.bsky.social.
Many thanks to everyone involved, especially the project leader Professor @katholt.bsky.social and the wonderful #AMRnet team: @msmicrobiocode.bsky.social, Vandana Sharma, Mary Maranga, Ebenezer Foster-Nyarko, Megan Carey
academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
Many thanks to everyone involved, especially the project leader Professor @katholt.bsky.social and the wonderful #AMRnet team: @msmicrobiocode.bsky.social, Vandana Sharma, Mary Maranga, Ebenezer Foster-Nyarko, Megan Carey
academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
AMRnet: a data visualization platform to interactively explore pathogen variants and antimicrobial resistance
Abstract. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a substantial threat to global public health. Whole genome sequencing is increasingly used as a core method
academic.oup.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:33 PM
🚨 New paper out on @narjournal.bsky.social.
Many thanks to everyone involved, especially the project leader Professor @katholt.bsky.social and the wonderful #AMRnet team: @msmicrobiocode.bsky.social, Vandana Sharma, Mary Maranga, Ebenezer Foster-Nyarko, Megan Carey
academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
Many thanks to everyone involved, especially the project leader Professor @katholt.bsky.social and the wonderful #AMRnet team: @msmicrobiocode.bsky.social, Vandana Sharma, Mary Maranga, Ebenezer Foster-Nyarko, Megan Carey
academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
The value of public R&D
www.gov.uk
October 30, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
Meningitis and septicaemia are rare but serious. Protect children with the MenB vaccine and ensure teens get MenACWY at school when offered.
Know the key symptoms and keep a close watch on those who suddenly get sick.
Read the full news story: https://bit.ly/3X606ZQ
Know the key symptoms and keep a close watch on those who suddenly get sick.
Read the full news story: https://bit.ly/3X606ZQ
October 31, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Meningitis and septicaemia are rare but serious. Protect children with the MenB vaccine and ensure teens get MenACWY at school when offered.
Know the key symptoms and keep a close watch on those who suddenly get sick.
Read the full news story: https://bit.ly/3X606ZQ
Know the key symptoms and keep a close watch on those who suddenly get sick.
Read the full news story: https://bit.ly/3X606ZQ
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
#WHO report shows rising #antibiotic resistance in common bacteria
@katholt.bsky.social & @josebengoechea.bsky.social explain resistance worryingly high in #Klebsiella & E.coli as 1 in 6 lab-confirmed #bacterial infections in 2023 shown resistant to antibiotics.
www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/n...
@katholt.bsky.social & @josebengoechea.bsky.social explain resistance worryingly high in #Klebsiella & E.coli as 1 in 6 lab-confirmed #bacterial infections in 2023 shown resistant to antibiotics.
www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/n...
October 20, 2025 at 9:53 AM
#WHO report shows rising #antibiotic resistance in common bacteria
@katholt.bsky.social & @josebengoechea.bsky.social explain resistance worryingly high in #Klebsiella & E.coli as 1 in 6 lab-confirmed #bacterial infections in 2023 shown resistant to antibiotics.
www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/n...
@katholt.bsky.social & @josebengoechea.bsky.social explain resistance worryingly high in #Klebsiella & E.coli as 1 in 6 lab-confirmed #bacterial infections in 2023 shown resistant to antibiotics.
www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/n...
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
🌍🧼 Today on #CleanHospitalDay we shine a spotlight on what’s often unseen: hospital cleanliness and the unsung heroes who keep it safe.
👉Surfaces matter.
💁♂️Cleaners matter.
🤝Patient safety matters.
Let’s make the invisible visible👍
Read more 👉 bit.ly/3L3ILhn
👉Surfaces matter.
💁♂️Cleaners matter.
🤝Patient safety matters.
Let’s make the invisible visible👍
Read more 👉 bit.ly/3L3ILhn
October 20, 2025 at 8:20 AM
🌍🧼 Today on #CleanHospitalDay we shine a spotlight on what’s often unseen: hospital cleanliness and the unsung heroes who keep it safe.
👉Surfaces matter.
💁♂️Cleaners matter.
🤝Patient safety matters.
Let’s make the invisible visible👍
Read more 👉 bit.ly/3L3ILhn
👉Surfaces matter.
💁♂️Cleaners matter.
🤝Patient safety matters.
Let’s make the invisible visible👍
Read more 👉 bit.ly/3L3ILhn
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
Asked lots about this piece on Chronic Lyme disease, and disappointed in the @guardian (a publication I both subscribe and contribute to) for running it. Short thread explaining the multitude of problems with it, and why I consider it irresponsible to run as is..🧵
October 6, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Asked lots about this piece on Chronic Lyme disease, and disappointed in the @guardian (a publication I both subscribe and contribute to) for running it. Short thread explaining the multitude of problems with it, and why I consider it irresponsible to run as is..🧵
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
Across Southeast Asia most newborn infections are now caused #AMR bugs, making standard treatments for neonatal sepsis ineffective. Without updated, locally informed treatment guidelines and new antibiotic development, infant mortality rates will rise.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Pathogen distribution and antimicrobial resistance among neonatal bloodstream infections in Southeast Asia: results from NeoSEAP, a multicentre retrospective study
Neonatal sepsis in tertiary hospitals in Southeast Asia is predominantly caused by
gram-negative bacteria, with high rates of non-susceptibility to commonly prescribed
antibiotics.
www.thelancet.com
October 12, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Across Southeast Asia most newborn infections are now caused #AMR bugs, making standard treatments for neonatal sepsis ineffective. Without updated, locally informed treatment guidelines and new antibiotic development, infant mortality rates will rise.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
🤗 Out now @naturemedicine.bsky.social results of our genomic NBS study BabyScreen+ 👶🧬
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
1,000 babies
WGS using existing cards
600+ conditions
13 day TAT
16 diagnoses (vs 1 in std NBS)
High clinical impact
High parental acceptability
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
1,000 babies
WGS using existing cards
600+ conditions
13 day TAT
16 diagnoses (vs 1 in std NBS)
High clinical impact
High parental acceptability
October 9, 2025 at 8:03 PM
🤗 Out now @naturemedicine.bsky.social results of our genomic NBS study BabyScreen+ 👶🧬
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
1,000 babies
WGS using existing cards
600+ conditions
13 day TAT
16 diagnoses (vs 1 in std NBS)
High clinical impact
High parental acceptability
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
1,000 babies
WGS using existing cards
600+ conditions
13 day TAT
16 diagnoses (vs 1 in std NBS)
High clinical impact
High parental acceptability
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
CDC has been a global leader in public health & played a key role in smallpox eradication. Health depts in red states & blue states rely on CDC expertise & support. The CDC EIS program trains the next generation of public health leaders & disease detectives.
They are burning it to the ground.
They are burning it to the ground.
October 11, 2025 at 2:38 PM
CDC has been a global leader in public health & played a key role in smallpox eradication. Health depts in red states & blue states rely on CDC expertise & support. The CDC EIS program trains the next generation of public health leaders & disease detectives.
They are burning it to the ground.
They are burning it to the ground.
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
RIFs at CDC.
Destroying the Epidemic Intelligence Service, NCIRD, NCIPC & a dozen other areas/divisions/branches will cause enormous harm and suffering to America, and indeed to the whole world.
Call your Reps about it.
Then call them again.
Destroying the Epidemic Intelligence Service, NCIRD, NCIPC & a dozen other areas/divisions/branches will cause enormous harm and suffering to America, and indeed to the whole world.
Call your Reps about it.
Then call them again.
October 11, 2025 at 4:09 PM
RIFs at CDC.
Destroying the Epidemic Intelligence Service, NCIRD, NCIPC & a dozen other areas/divisions/branches will cause enormous harm and suffering to America, and indeed to the whole world.
Call your Reps about it.
Then call them again.
Destroying the Epidemic Intelligence Service, NCIRD, NCIPC & a dozen other areas/divisions/branches will cause enormous harm and suffering to America, and indeed to the whole world.
Call your Reps about it.
Then call them again.
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
For more information about the Friday night massacre at CDC, I wrote up an analysis of who got terminated and what that means for public health.
Grateful to @saveamericamvmt.bsky.social for supporting and amplifying. We are in really terrible trouble.
rasmussenretorts.substack.com/p/the-death-...
Grateful to @saveamericamvmt.bsky.social for supporting and amplifying. We are in really terrible trouble.
rasmussenretorts.substack.com/p/the-death-...
October 11, 2025 at 4:42 PM
For more information about the Friday night massacre at CDC, I wrote up an analysis of who got terminated and what that means for public health.
Grateful to @saveamericamvmt.bsky.social for supporting and amplifying. We are in really terrible trouble.
rasmussenretorts.substack.com/p/the-death-...
Grateful to @saveamericamvmt.bsky.social for supporting and amplifying. We are in really terrible trouble.
rasmussenretorts.substack.com/p/the-death-...
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
Don’t become numb to these events
A baby in Mississippi has died of whooping cough for the first time since 2012.
The infant was less than two months old and was not old enough to receive the pertussis vaccine.
buff.ly/8epl2QS
The infant was less than two months old and was not old enough to receive the pertussis vaccine.
buff.ly/8epl2QS
Mississippi Baby Dies of Whooping Cough Amid Rising Cases
A baby in Mississippi has died of whooping cough for the first time since 2012. The baby was less than two months old—too young for vaccination.
www.mississippifreepress.org
September 30, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Don’t become numb to these events
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
Come for the Klebs resistance data, stay for the DataViz! Massive congratulations to @karatsang.bsky.social on juggling such a huge meta-analysis; Ciprofloxacin resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae: phenotype, genotype, global resistance patterns #MicroSky 💻🧬 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Ciprofloxacin resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae: phenotype prediction from genotype and global distribution of resistance determinants
BACKGROUND Ciprofloxacin resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is common or emerging in many geographies, and knowledge of local resistance rates is important for empirical therapy. Whilst there are known K...
www.biorxiv.org
September 26, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Come for the Klebs resistance data, stay for the DataViz! Massive congratulations to @karatsang.bsky.social on juggling such a huge meta-analysis; Ciprofloxacin resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae: phenotype, genotype, global resistance patterns #MicroSky 💻🧬 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
MMR vaccines do not cause autism (see my 🧵 of studies)
At the same time, one potential cause of autism is rubella, which is *prevented* by MMR vaccines.
Which means...vaccines may actually help prevent autism.
🧵
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21592401/
At the same time, one potential cause of autism is rubella, which is *prevented* by MMR vaccines.
Which means...vaccines may actually help prevent autism.
🧵
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21592401/
Congenital rubella syndrome and autism spectrum disorder prevented by rubella vaccination--United States, 2001-2010 - PubMed
We estimate that rubella vaccination prevented substantial numbers of CRS and ASD cases in the United States from 2001 through 2010. These findings provide additional incentive to maintain high measle...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
September 18, 2025 at 3:51 PM
MMR vaccines do not cause autism (see my 🧵 of studies)
At the same time, one potential cause of autism is rubella, which is *prevented* by MMR vaccines.
Which means...vaccines may actually help prevent autism.
🧵
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21592401/
At the same time, one potential cause of autism is rubella, which is *prevented* by MMR vaccines.
Which means...vaccines may actually help prevent autism.
🧵
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21592401/
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
The CDC presents the benefits/risks of administering the hepatitis B vaccine and the risk/dangers of revoking the recommendation. Serious side effects like life-threatening allergic reactions occur only one in 1 million doses.
#ACIP
#ACIP
September 18, 2025 at 5:44 PM
The CDC presents the benefits/risks of administering the hepatitis B vaccine and the risk/dangers of revoking the recommendation. Serious side effects like life-threatening allergic reactions occur only one in 1 million doses.
#ACIP
#ACIP
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
I just saw a patient with liver cancer from hepatitis B that was acquired at birth. Vaccination would’ve prevented it.
There’s been a 99% reduction in annual childhood hep B infections since 1991 thanks to universal birth dose vaccination. We can’t afford to roll back that progress.
There’s been a 99% reduction in annual childhood hep B infections since 1991 thanks to universal birth dose vaccination. We can’t afford to roll back that progress.
We have 2 vaccines that prevent cancer, the HBV vaccine that prevents hepatitis B related liver cancer and the HPV vaccine that prevents cervical cancer and other HPV associated cancers.
On Thursday, RFK.JR's ACIP will attack one of these vaccines (HBV) and restrict access to it.
Let that sink in!
On Thursday, RFK.JR's ACIP will attack one of these vaccines (HBV) and restrict access to it.
Let that sink in!
September 16, 2025 at 11:52 PM
I just saw a patient with liver cancer from hepatitis B that was acquired at birth. Vaccination would’ve prevented it.
There’s been a 99% reduction in annual childhood hep B infections since 1991 thanks to universal birth dose vaccination. We can’t afford to roll back that progress.
There’s been a 99% reduction in annual childhood hep B infections since 1991 thanks to universal birth dose vaccination. We can’t afford to roll back that progress.
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
Thrilled to share this preprint on Klebsiella pneumoniae plasmids in a One Health setting 🦠 Fantastic work by @twinkler.bsky.social! 🎉 @irenlohr.bsky.social @margaretlam.bsky.social
A One Health study of Klebsiella pneumoniae species complex plasmids shows a highly diverse and ecologically adaptable plasmidome https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.14.676155v1
September 16, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Thrilled to share this preprint on Klebsiella pneumoniae plasmids in a One Health setting 🦠 Fantastic work by @twinkler.bsky.social! 🎉 @irenlohr.bsky.social @margaretlam.bsky.social
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
“Non-imported cases of Chagas disease have been identified in at least eight U.S. states so far: California, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and Arkansas.” www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
‘Kissing bug’ disease is now endemic in the U.S., CDC says. What is it?
The U.S. is seeing a rise in Chagas disease, a life-threatening illness transmitted through “kissing bugs” known to bite human faces. Pets can be carriers.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 9, 2025 at 5:16 PM
“Non-imported cases of Chagas disease have been identified in at least eight U.S. states so far: California, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and Arkansas.” www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
Vaccinating babies at birth has reduced hepatitis B infections by 99 percent. Is RFK’s new CDC committee about to stop recommending it?
share.google/9e3BTpcrGKSY...
share.google/9e3BTpcrGKSY...
Newborn hepatitis B vaccine under fire as RFK Jr. and GOP Senators question immunization
The CDC's vaccine advisory panel is set to discuss and possibly vote on the vaccine at a meeting next week.
share.google
September 9, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Vaccinating babies at birth has reduced hepatitis B infections by 99 percent. Is RFK’s new CDC committee about to stop recommending it?
share.google/9e3BTpcrGKSY...
share.google/9e3BTpcrGKSY...
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
Do NOT allow them to rewrite history with disinformation. #COVID vaccines worked remarkably well and allowed us to come out of a global pandemic. A picture is worth a thousand words.
August 28, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Do NOT allow them to rewrite history with disinformation. #COVID vaccines worked remarkably well and allowed us to come out of a global pandemic. A picture is worth a thousand words.
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
Really incredible effort by the indefatigable @nurseteria.bsky.social to raise awareness of what we are going to bring back by stripping access to vaccination 👇🏻
"The group brings together hundreds of grandparents nationwide who lived through diseases such as polio, tuberculosis and measles — illnesses once thought eliminated in the United States..."
www.kgw.com/article/news...
www.kgw.com/article/news...
Grandparents for Vaccines launches to share stories of life before immunizations
New volunteer group aims to educate parents about vaccine importance by sharing personal experiences with preventable diseases.
www.kgw.com
September 9, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Really incredible effort by the indefatigable @nurseteria.bsky.social to raise awareness of what we are going to bring back by stripping access to vaccination 👇🏻
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
“The decision to close the Fleming Fund was not accompanied by an official statement or press release.”
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
UK Government dismantles the Fleming Fund
On July 15, 2025, the UK Government confirmed that it planned to dismantle the country’s
flagship international programme for tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The
Fleming Fund is overseen by t...
www.thelancet.com
September 5, 2025 at 9:18 PM
“The decision to close the Fleming Fund was not accompanied by an official statement or press release.”
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Reposted by Charlene Rodrigues
The rabies virus invades the central nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms start. Early symptoms, which can begin about a week or up to a year after exposure, may resemble the flu with symptoms progressing quickly followed by death within weeks.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
'They would never have known:' New warnings about rabies outbreaks as cases rise in the U.S.
The CDC's rabies team says it's tracking 15 different likely outbreaks from New York to Oregon.
www.nbcnews.com
September 1, 2025 at 3:08 AM
The rabies virus invades the central nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms start. Early symptoms, which can begin about a week or up to a year after exposure, may resemble the flu with symptoms progressing quickly followed by death within weeks.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...