Publications by authors named "Jocelyn Kiconco"
Background: In September 2022, Uganda experienced an outbreak of Sudan virus disease (SVD), mainly in central Uganda. As a result of enhanced surveillance activities for Ebola disease, samples from several patients with suspected viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) were sent to the VHF Program at Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Entebbe, Uganda, and identified with infections caused by other viral etiologies. Herein, we report the epidemiologic and laboratory findings of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) cases that were detected during the SVD outbreak response.
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- The study investigates the unique immunopathology of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Uganda, revealing critical biological signatures associated with severe COVID-19, including immune cell activation and protein synthesis impairments.
- Findings indicate that immune responses, particularly involving IL-7, IL-15, and lymphotoxin-α, play significant roles in COVID-19 severity, especially in patients with HIV.
- The research emphasizes the importance of understanding local viral and host factors in developing targeted therapies for severe COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa, suggesting avenues for broader immunotherapy strategies.
Background: Significant milestones have been made in the development of COVID19 diagnostics Technologies. Government of the republic of Uganda and the line Ministry of Health mandated Uganda Virus Research Institute to ensure quality of COVID19 diagnostics. Re-testing was one of the methods initiated by the UVRI to implement External Quality assessment of COVID19 molecular diagnostics.
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- Respiratory pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2 and influenza, pose serious global health risks, especially during pandemics.
- The Uganda Virus Research Institute and National Influenza Center adapted their influenza surveillance program to include SARS-CoV-2 testing and genomic sequencing due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- This integrated surveillance approach allows for effective monitoring of both viruses at the national level, aiding in COVID-19 mitigation efforts and understanding the ongoing risks of influenza.
Ebola disease (EBOD) is a public health threat with a high case fatality rate. Most EBOD outbreaks have occurred in remote locations, but the 2013-2016 Western Africa outbreak demonstrated how devastating EBOD can be when it reaches an urban population. Here, the 2022 Sudan virus disease (SVD) outbreak in Mubende District, Uganda, is summarized, and the genetic relatedness of the new variant is evaluated.
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- A lot of money has been spent on studying the COVID-19 virus in Africa, leading to over 100,000 virus samples being analyzed to understand the spread of the disease.
- *More countries in Africa are now able to do these studies themselves, which helps them get results faster and keep a close watch on the virus.
- *To keep fighting COVID and other diseases, more funding and support for testing and research in Africa is really important for the future.
Genomic surveillance in Uganda showed rapid replacement of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 over time by variants, dominated by Delta. However, detection of the more transmissible Omicron variant among travelers and increasing community transmission highlight the need for near-real-time genomic surveillance and adherence to infection control measures to prevent future pandemic waves.
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- The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Africa has varied significantly across countries, and its overall impact remains unclear.
- An analysis of 8,746 genomes from 33 African countries indicated that most outbreaks originated from Europe before international travel restrictions took effect.
- As the pandemic continued, increased movement and local transmission led to the emergence of several variants within Africa, emphasizing the need for a strong pandemic response on the continent to prevent becoming a source of new variants.
Introduction: Serological testing is needed to better understand the epidemiology of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have been developed to detect specific antibodies, IgM and IgG, to the virus. The performance of 25 of these RDTs was evaluated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: There is a high demand for SARS-CoV-2 testing to identify COVID-19 cases. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) is the recommended diagnostic test but a number of constraints prevent its widespread implementation, including cost. The aim of this study was to evaluate a low cost and easy to use rapid antigen test for diagnosing COVID-19 at the point of care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Influenza surveillance was conducted in Uganda from October 2008 to December 2014 to identify and understand the epidemiology of circulating influenza strains in out-patient clinic attendees with influenza-like illness and inform control strategies.
Methodology: Surveillance was conducted at five hospital-based sentinel sites. Nasopharyngeal and/or oropharyngeal samples, epidemiological and clinical data were collected from enrolled patients.
Whole-genome analysis of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses isolated in Uganda from 2009 to 2011.
Influenza Other Respir Viruses
November 2016
We report a whole-genome analysis of 19 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 isolates from four Ugandan hospitals between 2009 and 2011. The isolates differed from the vaccine strain A/California/07/2009 by three amino acid substitutions P100S, S220T, and I338V in the hemagglutinin and by two amino acid substitutions V106I and N248D in the neuraminidase proteins with consistent mutations in all gene segments distinguishing isolates from the 2009/2010 to 2010/2011 seasons. Phylogenetic analysis showed low genetic evolution, with genetic distances of 0%-1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Avian influenza viruses may cause severe disease in a variety of domestic animal species worldwide, with high mortality in chickens and turkeys. To reduce the information gap about prevalence of these viruses in animals in Uganda, this study was undertaken.
Results: Influenza A virus prevalence by RT-PCR was 1.