Response of Healthcare Service Providers, to the Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo's North Kivu and Ituri Provinces.

Healthcare service providers are crucial for effective responses to disease outbreaks. However, their performance is dependent on the level of system inputs, people's perception of the system, and their willingness to use health services. This study investigated the functionality of health services and healthcare providers in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the tenth Ebola virus disease outbreak.

Survivors and the Response to the Ebola Virus Disease in the Provinces of North Kivu and Ituri in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

We explored issues around the integration of survivors in communities and the implications for the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) response in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We conducted a survey with 800 randomly selected respondents using a structured questionnaire. Respondents were persons aged 18 years and above.

Perceptions, Disease Representations, and Response Obstacles Regarding the Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic in the North Kivu and Ituri Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

We explored the perceptions and representations of diseases in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo to identify perceived obstacles regarding responses to the country 's Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak using a mix-methods approach. We surveyed a representative sample including 800 adults aged 18 years and older, held in-depth interviews with 17 community leaders, and conducted 10 focus group discussions with community members (using same-sex interviewers/discussion leaders). The results revealed the existence of several health conditions among members of the two communities.

Perceptions and Rumors About the Ebola Virus Disease Vaccine in the Ituri and Kivu Provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Perceptions and rumors about vaccinations can contribute to vaccine hesitancy. This study aimed to examine perceptions and rumors about the Ebola vaccine during the 10th Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the Ituri and North Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Eight hundred randomly selected respondents were surveyed with a uniform structured questionnaire.

Traditional therapists in Ebola virus disease outbreak response: Lessons learned from the fight against the Ebola virus disease epidemic in North Kivu and Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Traditional healers co-exist with orthodox medicine, especially in cases with perceived supernatural causes and during outbreaks of infectious diseases like the Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In this study, we examined the role and potential of involving traditional healers in the national response to the Ebola virus disease outbreak in the DRC. Seventeen community leaders and 20 traditional healers were interviewed.

The Impact of the Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic among Women in the Provinces of North Kivu and Ituri in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Although an outbreak of the Ebola virus disease affects an entire population, women are more susceptible to the virus than men. Throughout the outbreaks of the Ebola virus disease in Central and West Africa, women have been impacted more significantly. Generally, over half of those who become ill are women.

Two Obstacles in Response Efforts to the Ebola Epidemic in the Provinces of North Kivu and Ituri in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Denial of and Rumors about the Disease.

Denial and rumors are two major obstacles impairing the implementation of activities in response to the Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic. This study investigated the roles of denial and rumors, among other challenges, in complicating the response to the EVD outbreak in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A total of 800 randomly selected respondents were surveyed using a structured questionnaire.

Epidemic Response amidst Insecurity: Addressing the Ebola Virus Epidemic in the Provinces of North Kivu and Ituri.

This paper examines the impact of insecurity on the management of the Ebola virus disease epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo provinces of North Kivu and Ituri. In these provinces, insecurity has been one of the biggest obstacles in the response to the Ebola outbreak. When the epidemic began, these provinces were already insecure-creating unfavorable circumstances for implementing epidemic response activities.

Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant, Benin, May-July 2021.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Delta variant epidemiology in Africa is unknown. We found Delta variant was introduced in Benin during April-May 2021 and became predominant within 2 months, after which a steep increase in reported coronavirus disease incidence occurred. Benin might require increased nonpharmaceutical interventions and vaccination coverage.

Mutations Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern, Benin, Early 2021.

Intense transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Africa might promote emergence of variants. We describe 10 SARS-CoV-2 lineages in Benin during early 2021 that harbored mutations associated with variants of concern. Benin-derived SARS-CoV-2 strains were more efficiently neutralized by antibodies derived from vaccinees than patients, warranting accelerated vaccination in Africa.

A large epidemic of a necrotic skin infection in the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Principe: an epidemiological study.

Introduction: In 2016-18, the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe suffered a necrotic skin infection epidemic.

Methods: A surveillance system was established after increased hospitalisations for this infection. Microbiology results were available for samples analysed in December 2016 and March 2017 using whole genome sequencing and metagenomics.

Design thinking during a health emergency: building a national data collection and reporting system.

Background: Design thinking allows challenging problems to be redefined in order to identify alternative user-center strategies and solutions. To address the many challenges associated with collecting and reporting data during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, we used a design thinking approach to build the Global Ebola Laboratory Data collection and reporting system.

Main Text: We used the five-stage Design Thinking model proposed by Hasso-Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Limited Specificity of Serologic Tests for SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Detection, Benin.

We used commercially available ELISAs to test 68 samples from coronavirus disease cases and prepandemic controls from Benin. We noted <25% false-positive results among controls, likely due to unspecific immune responses elicited by acute malaria. Serologic tests must be carefully evaluated to assess coronavirus disease spread and immunity in tropical regions.

Public Health Program for Decreasing Risk for Ebola Virus Disease Resurgence from Survivors of the 2013-2016 Outbreak, Guinea.

At the end of the 2013-2016 Ebola virus disease outbreak in Guinea, we implemented an alert system for early detection of Ebola resurgence among survivors. Survivors were asked to report health alerts in their household and provide body fluid specimens for laboratory testing. During April-September 2016, a total of 1,075 (88%) of 1,215 survivors participated in the system; follow up occurred at a median of 16 months after discharge (interquartile range 14-18 months).

Assessment of a health facility based active case finding system for Ebola virus disease in Mbandaka, Democratic Republic of the Congo, June-July 2018.

Background: The ninth outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo occurred in Équateur Province from 8 May-24 July 2018. A system of health facility (HF)-based active case finding (ACF) was implemented in Mbandaka, a regional capital with four confirmed EVD cases, following completion of contact tracing. The goal of this HF-based ACF system was to look for undetected EVD cases among patients that visited HFs beginning one week prior to the system's implementation.

Status of the Rollout of the Meningococcal Serogroup A Conjugate Vaccine in African Meningitis Belt Countries in 2018.

Background: A novel meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine (MACV [MenAfriVac]) was developed as part of efforts to prevent frequent meningitis outbreaks in the African meningitis belt. The MACV was first used widely and with great success, beginning in December 2010, during initial deployment in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Since then, MACV rollout has continued in other countries in the meningitis belt through mass preventive campaigns and, more recently, introduction into routine childhood immunization programs associated with extended catch-up vaccinations.

Subsequent mortality in survivors of Ebola virus disease in Guinea: a nationwide retrospective cohort study.

Background: A record number of people survived Ebola virus infection in the 2013-16 outbreak in west Africa, and the number of survivors has increased after subsequent outbreaks. A range of post-Ebola sequelae have been reported in survivors, but little is known about subsequent mortality. We aimed to investigate subsequent mortality among people discharged from Ebola treatment units.

Strengthening immunization service delivery post Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Liberia 2015-2017.

Introduction: The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Liberia from 2014-2015 setback the already fragile health system which was recovering from the effects of civil unrest. This led to significant decline in immunization coverage and key polio free certification indicators. The Liberia investment plan was developed to restore immunization service delivery and overall health system.

Investigation of a cross-border case of Lassa fever in West Africa.

Background: Infectious disease prevention and control strategies require a coordinated, transnational approach. To establish core capacities of the International Health Regulations (IHR), the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the Integrated Diseases Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy. Epidemic-prone Lassa fever, caused by Lassa virus, is an endemic disease in the West African countries of Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Benin, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo and Nigeria.

Meningococcus serogroup C clonal complex ST-10217 outbreak in Zamfara State, Northern Nigeria.

After the successful roll out of MenAfriVac, Nigeria has experienced sequential meningitis outbreaks attributed to meningococcus serogroup C (NmC). Zamfara State in North-western Nigeria recently was at the epicentre of the largest NmC outbreak in the 21 Century with 7,140 suspected meningitis cases and 553 deaths reported between December 2016 and May 2017. The overall attack rate was 155 per 100,000 population and children 5-14 years accounted for 47% (3,369/7,140) of suspected cases.

Ebola Virus Transmission Caused by Persistently Infected Survivors of the 2014-2016 Outbreak in West Africa.

The 2014-2016 Ebola virus (EBOV) disease outbreak affected over 29000 people and left behind the biggest cohort (over 17000 individuals) of Ebola survivors in history. Although the persistence of EBOV in body fluids of survivors was reported before the recent outbreak, new evidence revealed that the virus can be detected up to 18 months in the semen, which represents the biggest risk of Ebola resurgence in affected communities. In this study, we review the knowledge on the Ebola flare-ups that occurred after the peak of the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

Emergence of Monkeypox - West and Central Africa, 1970-2017.

The recent apparent increase in human monkeypox cases across a wide geographic area, the potential for further spread, and the lack of reliable surveillance have raised the level of concern for this emerging zoonosis. In November 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with CDC, hosted an informal consultation on monkeypox with researchers, global health partners, ministries of health, and orthopoxvirus experts to review and discuss human monkeypox in African countries where cases have been recently detected and also identify components of surveillance and response that need improvement. Endemic human monkeypox has been reported from more countries in the past decade than during the previous 40 years.