Dr Jo Middleton FRGS MRSB

Scabies is surging across the UK and Europe. Here’s what we know Scabies is a skin infestation with tiny mites called Sarcoptes scabiei

Article by me @the-independent.com: 'Scabies is surging across the UK & Europe. Here’s what we know'. Based on my ongoing @nihrarcs.bsky.social #PublicHealth action research
@bsmspcph.bsky.social y.social.

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/...

Very helpful & clearly written piece about #scabies in UK & Europe by @drjmiddleton.bsky.social

theconversation.com/scabies-outb...

We look forward to Dr Middleton teaching on our postgraduate Health Protection module in February! bsms.ac.uk/postgraduate...

New by me @uk.theconversation.com, written for a public audience amidst rising cases & harmful myths.

Based on my @nihrarcs.bsky.social supported #PublicHealth action research @bsmspcph.bsky.social @bsmsmedschool.bsky.social (collab @sussex.ac.uk @uniofbrighton.bsky.social @uhsussex.bsky.social).

I highly recommend attending @rgsibg.bsky.social Monday Evening lectures: rgs.org/events/upcom.... Last nights was particularly inspiring, with Dr Rosa Vasquez Espinoza outlining how combining indigenous knowledge, biodiversity science, & the #RightsofNature is helping conserve rainforest in Peru.

Scabies management in institutions, by Jo Middleton, Jackie A Cassell, Stephen L Walker. Scabies is a particular problem in semi-closed institutions such as residential settings for elderly people, children, and those with learning disabilities; refugee camps and other settings for displaced persons; prisons; schools; hospitals; hostels. What many of these diverse places have in common is a range of transmission drivers which enable scabies to reach very high prevalence including: high densities of potential hosts, social behaviours involving prolonged contact, bed and clothes sharing, manual handling, reduced access to laundry facilities, and immunocompromise. We describe the epidemiology of institutional scabies outbreaks across settings, and based primarily on recent and longstanding evidence from adult health-care we draw out general strategic priorities for case management and outbreak control. The tools and information necessary to carry out an epidemiological assessment of an institutional scabies outbreak are provided, along with guidance on control measures. A summary checklist of the key steps to take in responding to an institutional outbreak concludes the chapter.

'Middleton, Cassell, Walker. 'Scabies Management in Institutions' book chapter now free to read: sussex.figshare.com/articles/cha... .

Very pleased its Open Access after 2-year embargo. For published version (paywall): link.springer.com/chapter/10.1.... Full book: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

"The forest of New Guinea will stand or fall in one human generation. And what will mainly determine the outcome is going to be the tenacity and the resistance of forest peoples and the work of indigenous researchers and conservationists."

#ClimateSky
#GreenSky

Jo Middleton: Action on Health and Rainforest Conservation YouTube video by University of Sussex

New @sussex.ac.uk film on allying with indigenous peoples to provide medical services & protect rainforest. Features our chair @drjmiddleton.bsky.social & photos by @drjastockdale.bsky.social. #PlanetaryHealth

Buy medicines for the conservation clinic: wildhealth.org.uk/wanang

youtu.be/qWlO9lR0oHo

Jo Middleton: Action on Health and Rainforest Conservation YouTube video by University of Sussex

New @sussex.ac.uk film on my @bsmsmedschool.bsky.social @sussexsrp.bsky.social work with indigenous peoples providing health services & protecting rainforest (inc. beautiful photos by @drjastockdale.bsky.social).

Buy meds for the conservation clinic: wildhealth.org.uk/wanang

youtu.be/qWlO9lR0oHo

Man swims in cold water. Credit: Oleg Dubyna from Poltava, Ukraine. From Wikimedia, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license, see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Man_swims_in_cold_water_(34807325734).jpg

Folk have been making overblown medical claims for cold water for a long-time. Turns out one of the first proposals for a controlled trial (on #scabies fwiw) was a C19th Irish Dr trolling a cold-water proponent. Our new #OpenAccess @bsmsmedschool.bsky.social paper: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Man swims in cold water. Credit: Oleg Dubyna from Poltava, Ukraine. From Wikimedia, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license, see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Man_swims_in_cold_water_(34807325734).jpg

Folk have been making overblown medical claims for cold water for a long-time. Turns out one of the first proposals for a controlled trial (on #scabies fwiw) was a C19th Irish Dr trolling a cold-water proponent. Our new #OpenAccess @bsmsmedschool.bsky.social paper: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Last day today of the Lewes exhibition showing of SURFACES. Learn how opening a clinic for forest peoples improved community health & enabling #conservation of 150 km² of biodiverse #rainforest (storing 1.5M tonnes of carbon). Photos @drjastockdale.bsky.social, story @drjmiddleton.bsky.social.

Article by our Chair + friends @uniofbrighton.bsky.social evaluating tick hazard across #SouthDownsNationalPark, with action suggestions for land managers: wildhealth.org.uk/britains-nat...

Funders: British Deer Society @britishecologicalsociety.org @royalsocbio.bsky.social

#LymeDisease #Ticks

⚠️ A health crisis is overwhelming the Yanomami people in Venezuela ⚠️
“We have a very, very serious pandemic that is attacking children. Diarrhoea, parasites, high fever. Children are bleeding from their noses.” - a Yanomami health agent from Mavaca.

How has setting up a health clinic in Papua New Guinea protected 150 km² of rainforest from being destroyed by logging companies? 🏥 🌲

Find out in 'SURFACES', a multimedia exhibition which is part of the Climate Action! Festival at the Lewes Depot, from July 5: www.sussex.ac.uk/research/cen...

Three indigenous biodiversity scientists on training on how to manage fieldwork injuries (pictured splinting fractures) in Papua New Guinea's threatened rainforest.

#WildernessFirstAid training to empower indigenous #biodiversity scientists to manage fieldwork injuries in New Guinea's threatened #rainforest.

Explore project videos & articles: wildhealth.org.uk/papua-new-gu...

Donate meds for Wanang #Conservation Area's clinic: wildhealth.org.uk/wanang

Exhibition poster: SURFACES: Integrating medicine, conservation, and climate action in Papua New Guinea’s threatened rainforests — a joint exhibition with photographs Dr Jessica Stockdale and story by Dr Jo Middleton. 5 – 17 July 2025, Depot, Lewes, East Sussex. The verdant tropical rainforest of New Guinea is the third largest remaining on the planet. It is home to myriad unique species, and diverse human cultures speaking 800+ languages. However, these forests are being stripped away by multinational logging companies, and their populations face significant daily health challenges. SURFACES is a free exhibition using photography, narrative, and video to tell the story of successful action in response to these crises. As part of an indigenous-led conservation alliance researchers have established medical services for forest peoples, funded by the UK Darwin Initiative and Sussex Sustainability Research Programme. This has improved community health, and enabled protection of 150 km² of biodiverse rainforest, storing 1.5 million tonnes of carbon. This showing of SURFACES is being hosted by Depot, a charity-run cinema, restaurant, and bar in Lewes (East Sussex, UK), as part of its annual Climate Action Festival. If your not from the area, why not make a day of it and see the many historic sights of Lewes, recently ranked by The Telegraph as Britain’s prettiest town. Depot is next to Lewes train station (1 hr 2 mins direct train from London Victoria, travel directions). Everyone is welcome, and please spread the word! Exhibition details: https://wildhealth.org.uk/f/lewes-exhibition-about-conservation-health-in-papua-new-guinea#2ff73be2-315e-43f1-81c9-2bfea5f3652b

Exhibition tour begins on how we (@sussexsrp.bsky.social @bsmsmedschool.bsky.social + friends) opened a clinic for forest peoples, improving community health & enabling #conservation of 150 km² of biodiverse #rainforest (storing 1.5M tonnes of carbon). Photos @drjastockdale.bsky.social, story by me.

Exhibition poster: SURFACES: Integrating medicine, conservation, and climate action in Papua New Guinea’s threatened rainforests — a joint exhibition with photographs Dr Jessica Stockdale and story by Dr Jo Middleton. 5 – 17 July 2025, Depot, Lewes, East Sussex. The verdant tropical rainforest of New Guinea is the third largest remaining on the planet. It is home to myriad unique species, and diverse human cultures speaking 800+ languages. However, these forests are being stripped away by multinational logging companies, and their populations face significant daily health challenges. SURFACES is a free exhibition using photography, narrative, and video to tell the story of successful action in response to these crises. As part of an indigenous-led conservation alliance researchers have established medical services for forest peoples, funded by the UK Darwin Initiative and Sussex Sustainability Research Programme. This has improved community health, and enabled protection of 150 km² of biodiverse rainforest, storing 1.5 million tonnes of carbon. This showing of SURFACES is being hosted by Depot, a charity-run cinema, restaurant, and bar in Lewes (East Sussex, UK), as part of its annual Climate Action Festival. If your not from the area, why not make a day of it and see the many historic sights of Lewes, recently ranked by The Telegraph as Britain’s prettiest town. Depot is next to Lewes train station (1 hr 2 mins direct train from London Victoria, travel directions). Everyone is welcome, and please spread the word! Exhibition details: https://wildhealth.org.uk/f/lewes-exhibition-about-conservation-health-in-papua-new-guinea#2ff73be2-315e-43f1-81c9-2bfea5f3652b

Exhibition tour begins on how we (@sussexsrp.bsky.social @bsmsmedschool.bsky.social + friends) opened a clinic for forest peoples, improving community health & enabling #conservation of 150 km² of biodiverse #rainforest (storing 1.5M tonnes of carbon). Photos @drjastockdale.bsky.social, story by me.

We published this paper 1yr ago today on #Tick hazard in the #SouthDownsNationalPark + how to control without reducing ecosystem health. Free-to-read in @peerj.bsky.social: peerj.com/articles/17483.

Funding & support: @rsb.org.uk @southdownsnp.bsky.social @britishecologicalsociety.org + others

We published this paper 1yr ago today on #Tick hazard in the #SouthDownsNationalPark + how to control without reducing ecosystem health. Free-to-read in @peerj.bsky.social: peerj.com/articles/17483.

Funding & support: @rsb.org.uk @southdownsnp.bsky.social @britishecologicalsociety.org + others

Interview with myself by @sussexsrp.bsky.social about our @bsmsmedschool.bsky.social & @sussex.ac.uk #PlanetaryHealth project in #PapuaNewGuinea. Outlines how and why we are providing medical services to forest peoples to support their expansion of conservation areas. #ConservationBiology #OneHealth