Prevalence of malaria and dengue co-infections among febrile patients during dengue transmission season in Kassala, eastern Sudan.

Background: Malaria and dengue are common mosquito-borne diseases around the world that cause high mortality and morbidity. The number of cases of both diseases is currently rising in Sudan and is associated with climate and environmental changes. Limited information is available on malaria and dengue co-infections and the severity of the two diseases among febrile patients in eastern Sudan.

Laboratory capacity assessments in 25 African countries at high risk of yellow fever, August-December 2018.

Introduction: accurate and timely laboratory diagnosis of yellow fever (YF) is critical to the Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) strategy. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance recognized the need to support and build capacity in the national and regional laboratories in the Global YF Laboratory Network (GYFLN) as part of this strategy.

Methods: to better understand current capacity, gaps and needs of the GYFLN laboratories in Africa, assessments were carried out in national and regional reference laboratories in the 25 African countries at high risk for YF outbreaks that were eligible for new financial support from Gavi.

The Emergence of Rift Valley Fever in Gedaref State Urges the Need for a Cross-Border One Health Strategy and Enforcement of the International Health Regulations.

This study investigated the causative agent of a haemorrhagic fever epidemic in Gedaref state, south-east Sudan. Six cases of febrile illness with haemorrhagic manifestations presented at outpatient health-clinics. Blood samples were collected from the patients and shipped to Khartoum where they were tested for dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) using real-time qPCR.

First report of epidemic dengue fever and malaria co-infections among internally displaced persons in humanitarian camps of North Darfur, Sudan.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate an outbreak of a non-malaria, undifferentiated febrile illness, among internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in humanitarian camps in North Darfur, Sudan, in 2019.

Methods: An investigation team was deployed to North Darfur to identify suspected cases and collect blood samples, and clinical and demographical data. Blood samples were examined microscopically for Plasmodium spp and tested for dengue (DENV) and yellow fever viruses by reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

"Kankasha" in Kassala: A prospective observational cohort study of the clinical characteristics, epidemiology, genetic origin, and chronic impact of the 2018 epidemic of Chikungunya virus infection in Kassala, Sudan.

Background: The public health impact of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is often underestimated. Usually considered a mild condition of short duration, recent outbreaks have reported greater incidence of severe illness, fatality, and longer-term disability. In 2018/19, Eastern Sudan experienced the largest epidemic of CHIKV in Africa to date, affecting an estimated 487,600 people.

The first laboratory-confirmed imported infections of SARS-CoV-2 in Sudan.

Background: The rapidly growing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has challenged health systems globally. Here we report the first identified infections of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; aetiology of COVID-19) among recent international arrivals to Sudan and their contacts.

Methods: Suspected cases were identified clinically and/or epidemiologically.

Unique Outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in Sudan, 2019.

We report a unique outbreak of Rift Valley fever in the Eldamar area, Sudan, May-July 2019, that resulted in 1,129 case-patients and 19 (1.7%) deaths. Patients exhibited clinical signs including fever (100%), headache (79%), and bleeding (4%).

Association of genotype III of dengue virus serotype 3 with disease outbreak in Eastern Sudan, 2019.

Background: Dengue fever (DF) is an arthropod-borne disease caused by dengue virus (DENV). DENV is a member of the genus Flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae. Recently, DENV has been reported as an important emerging infectious viral pathogen in Sudan.

Recent transmission of dengue virus and associated risk Facors among residents of Kassala state, eastern Sudan.

Background: Acute arboviral infections are distributed worldwide including Sudan, and dengue fever (DENV) is not an exception. The virus activity has recently been frequently reported in Kassala State, eastern Sudan. However, an appropriate epidemiological study would be necessary to provide accurate and precise estimates of the magnitude of recent DENV transmission in this area of endemicity.

Prevalence of dengue fever virus antibodies and associated risk factors among residents of El-Gadarif state, Sudan.

Background: Dengue fever, caused by dengue virus (DENV), has become one of the most important mosquito-borne viral diseases with a steady rise in global incidence, including the Sudan. Sporadic cases and frequent acute febrile illness outbreaks, compatible with Dengue fever, have been reported in El-Gadarif State, Sudan. However, diagnosis was based almost exclusively on clinical signs without confirmatory laboratory investigations.

Development and evaluation of real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for rapid detection of cystic echinococcosis.

Background: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) or hydatidosis, caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus (EG)-complex, is a neglected parasitic disease of public health importance. The disease is endemic in many African and Mediterranean countries including the Sudan. The objective of the present study was to develop and evaluate a real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for simple and rapid detection of CE in humans and domestic live stock in Sudan.