Have you heard of Rift Valley fever? Findings from a multi-country study in East and Central Africa.

Introduction: Rift Valley Fever (RVF) has caused outbreaks in Africa, impacting human health and animal trade. Recently, sporadic detections among humans and animals in East Africa have replaced large-scale outbreaks. We assessed RVF knowledge levels in East and Central Africa across countries with different epidemiological profiles.

Learning from over ten years of implementing the One Health approach in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A qualitative study.

Background: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has faced emerging infectious diseases such as Ebola, Mpox and Yellow fever, and antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern. To address these issues, in 2011 the country embarked on implementing the One Health (OH) approach at the national and provincial levels. This study investigates OH institutionalization and implementation in the DRC, describes the process of OH decentralization, and identifies the opportunities and challenges of sustaining these efforts.

Factors associated with the rabies vaccination status of dogs in households in Beni City, D.R. Congo.

Human rabies transmitted by dogs still kills thousands of people each year worldwide. Dog bites are common in the city of Beni (Democratic Republic of Congo), which shows low rabies vaccination coverage. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with the rabies vaccination status of dogs.

Seroprevalence of Bas-Congo virus in Mangala, Democratic Republic of the Congo: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Bas-Congo virus (BASV), an emerging tibrovirus, was associated with an outbreak of acute haemorrhagic fever in Mangala, Democratic Republic of the Congo, in 2009. In 2012, neutralising antibodies to BASV were detected in the lone survivor and one of his close contacts. However, subsequent serological and molecular surveys were unsuccessful as neither BASV antibodies nor its RNA were detected.

The prevalence of Taenia spp. in pigs slaughtered in Kinshasa.

Taenia hydatigena is a non-zoonotic worm that has dogs and wild canids as definitive hosts. Its presence induces cross reactions in certain diagnostic tests for porcine cysticercosis caused by T. solium, the occurrence of which has a considerable public health and economic impact.

Trypanosome spliced leader RNA for diagnosis of acoziborole treatment outcome in gambiense human African trypanosomiasis: A longitudinal follow-up study.

Background: Detection of spliced leader (SL)-RNA allows sensitive diagnosis of gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). We investigated its diagnostic performance for treatment outcome assessment.

Methods: Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a consecutive series of 97 HAT patients, originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, were prospectively collected before treatment with acoziborole, and during 18 months of longitudinal follow-up after treatment.

Mapping of Antibody Epitopes on the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Nucleoprotein.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), a nairovirus, is a tick-borne zoonotic virus that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans. The CCHFV nucleoprotein (NP) is the antigen most used for serological screening of CCHFV infection in animals and humans. To gain insights into antibody epitopes on the NP molecule, we produced recombinant chimeric NPs between CCHFV and Nairobi sheep disease virus (NSDV), which is another nairovirus, and tested rabbit and mouse antisera/immune ascites, anti-NP monoclonal antibodies, and CCHFV-infected animal/human sera for their reactivities to the NP antigens.

Trypanosome SL-RNA detection in blood and cerebrospinal fluid to demonstrate active gambiense human African trypanosomiasis infection.

Background: Spliced Leader (SL) trypanosome RNA is detectable only in the presence of live trypanosomes, is abundant and the Trypanozoon subgenus has a unique sequence. As previously shown in blood from Guinean human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) patients, SL-RNA is an accurate target for diagnosis. Detection of SL-RNA in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has never been attempted.

Purification of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus nucleoprotein and its utility for serological diagnosis.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) causes a zoonotic disease, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) endemic in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Southeastern Europe. However, the prevalence of CCHF is not monitored in most of the endemic countries due to limited availability of diagnostic assays and biosafety regulations required for handling infectious CCHFV. In this study, we established a protocol to purify the recombinant CCHFV nucleoprotein (NP), which is antigenically highly conserved among multiple lineages/clades of CCHFVs and investigated its utility in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect CCHFV-specific antibodies.

A New Variant Among Newcastle Disease Viruses Isolated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2018 and 2019.

Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly transmissible and devastating disease that affects poultry and wild birds worldwide. Comprehensive knowledge regarding the characteristics and epidemiological factors of the ND virus (NDV) is critical for the control and prevention of ND. Effective vaccinations can prevent and control the spread of the NDV in poultry populations.

Molecular characterization of rabies viruses from two western provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2008-2017).

Although rabies is enzootic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there is very little molecular epidemiological information about the viruses circulating in animals. In this study, a fragment of the rabies virus (RABV) nucleoprotein gene was amplified and sequenced from 21 animal brain samples collected in two western provinces of the country between 2008 and 2017. The samples tested were from cat (n = 1), dog (n = 17), goat (n = 2), and sheep (n = 1).

Peste des petits ruminants viruses of lineages II and III identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Understanding the molecular epidemiology and evolution of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), the causative agent of Peste des petits ruminants, can assist in the control of the transboundary spread of this economically important disease. To date, despite having been reported in the majority of northern and central African countries, no molecular epidemiological data on PPRVs are available for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This study reports the collection and analysis of 11 samples collected from three provinces of the DRC in 2016 and 2018.

Molecular, antigenic, and pathogenic characterization of H5N8 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses isolated in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2017.

In May 2017, high mortality of chickens and Muscovy ducks due to the H5N8 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) was reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). In this study, we assessed the molecular, antigenic, and pathogenic features in poultry of the H5N8 HPAIV from the 2017 Congolese outbreaks. Phylogenetic analysis of the eight viral gene segments revealed that all 12 DR Congo isolates clustered in clade 2.

Participatory assessment of paid vaccination campaigns for village chickens against Newcastle disease in Kongo Central province.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where state-driven animal vaccination campaigns are organized only in response to epidemics, the organization of a permanent animal vaccination service is urgently needed. A non-governmental organization has set up an experimental paid vaccination service for village chickens against Newcastle Disease (ND) in the Kongo Central province. This mixed-method study presents a participatory assessment of this experiment, identifying socio-economic factors that influence the decision of chicken keepers to adopt vaccination.

Clinical Evaluation of QuickNavi-Ebola in the 2018 Outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The recent large outbreaks of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have highlighted the need for rapid diagnostic tests to control this disease. In this study, we clinically evaluated a previously developed immunochromatography-based kit, QuickNavi-Ebola. During the 2018 outbreaks in DRC, 928 blood samples from EVD-suspected cases were tested with QuickNavi-Ebola and the WHO-approved GeneXpert.

Seroprevalence of Rift Valley fever virus in cattle in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This study aimed at assessing the serological and virological status of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) in cattle from four climatically diverse zones of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A total of 1675 sera samples collected between 2014 and 2015 from cattle without clinical manifestation of RVF infection were tested using competitive and capture enzyme ELISA to detect both IgG and IgM. RT-PCR was used for the detection of nucleic acid of RVFV.

Molecular identification of Plasmodium species in symptomatic children of Democratic Republic of Congo.

Background: Worldwide, the highest malaria mortality is due to Plasmodium falciparum infection. However, other species of Plasmodium (Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium malariae, and Plasmodium knowlesi) can also cause malaria. Therefore, accurate identification of malaria species is crucial for patient management and epidemiological surveillance.

Seroprevalence and Virus Activity of Rift Valley Fever in Cattle in Eastern Region of Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic disease that is characterized by periodic and severe outbreaks in humans and animals. Published information on the occurrence of RVF in domestic animals is very scarce in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). To assess possible circulation of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) in cattle in the eastern province of DRC, 450 sera collected from cattle in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces were analyzed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), for the detection of viral Immunoglobulin (Ig) G and M, and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), for detection of viral RVF RNA.

Do Cryptic Reservoirs Threaten Gambiense-Sleeping Sickness Elimination?

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense causes human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). Between 1990 and 2015, almost 440000 cases were reported. Large-scale screening of populations at risk, drug donations, and efforts by national and international stakeholders have brought the epidemic under control with <2200 cases in 2016.

Determinants of dog owner-charged rabies vaccination in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Rabies is a preventable fatal disease that causes about 61,000 human deaths annually around the world, mostly in developing countries. In Africa, several studies have shown that vaccination of pets is effective in controlling the disease. An annual vaccination coverage of 70% is recommended by the World Health Organization as a control threshold.

Acute flaccid paralysis surveillance indicators in the Democratic Republic of Congo during 2008-2014.

Introduction: The last wild poliovirus (WPV) case in Africa was reported in July 2014, thus underscoring the tremendous progress towards polio eradication worldwide. This study aimed to analyze the results of a seven-year surveillance of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to identify potential gaps that need to be addressed.

Methods: Epidemiological and virological data obtained from AFP surveillance among AFP cases less than 15 years from January 2008 to December 2014 in DRC were retrospectively considered and analyzed in this study.

Development of an Immunochromatography Assay (QuickNavi-Ebola) to Detect Multiple Species of Ebolaviruses.

The latest outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa has highlighted the urgent need for the development of rapid and reliable diagnostic assays. We used monoclonal antibodies specific to the ebolavirus nucleoprotein to develop an immunochromatography (IC) assay (QuickNavi-Ebola) for rapid diagnosis of EVD. The IC assay was first evaluated with tissue culture supernatants of infected Vero E6 cells and found to be capable of detecting 10-10 focus-forming units/mL of ebolaviruses.

Virulence of Trypanosoma congolense strains isolated from cattle and African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma vivax are major species that infect cattle in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. Of the two genetically distinct types of T. congolense, Savannah and Kilifi sub-groups, isolated from cattle and tsetse flies in KZN, the former is more prevalent and thought to be responsible for African animal trypanosomosis outbreaks in cattle.