Syphilis infection prevalence in the Middle East and North Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can be prevented and effectively treated; yet it continues to be a cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There is a limited understanding of the epidemiology of syphilis in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Methods: A systematic review conducted up to April 30, 2024 assessed the prevalence of syphilis and followed PRISMA guidelines, without language and date restrictions.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexually transmitted infection testing and diagnosis in Lebanon: A retrospective chart review.

Background: Social distancing restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic caused disruptions to sexual health services (SHS) worldwide. During the first year of the pandemic, Lebanon implemented multiple lockdowns during which SHS endured repetitive closures. We explore the impact of the pandemic on SHS delivery and the diagnosis rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among attendees of a large sexual health clinic in Beirut, Lebanon.

Intersecting social-ecological vulnerabilities to and lived experiences of sexually transmitted infections among Syrian refugee women in Lebanon: A qualitative study.

Conflict-affected women and girls living in protracted forced displacement settings are vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Yet, little is known about the risk factors for and lived experiences of STIs in complex humanitarian settings, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, where STIs have long been understudied. This qualitative study adapts the social ecological model to characterize the multi-level risks for and lived experiences of STIs among Syrian refugee women resettled in an urban refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon.

Sexually transmitted infections among pregnant Syrian refugee women seeking antenatal care in Lebanon.

The prevalence of , and was determined among 431 pregnant Syrian refugee women seeking antenatal care in Lebanon. Low prevalence at 0.5% for chlamydia, 0.

Status of the HIV epidemic in key populations in the Middle East and north Africa: knowns and unknowns.

The Middle East and north Africa is one of only two world regions where HIV incidence is on the rise, with most infections occurring among key populations: people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, and female sex workers. In this Review, we show a trend of increasing HIV prevalence among the three key populations in the Middle East and north Africa. Although the epidemic continues at a low level in some countries or localities within a country, there is evidence for concentrated epidemics, with sustained transmission at considerable HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men in over half of countries in the region with data, and among female sex workers in several countries.

Analyzing inherent biases in SARS-CoV-2 PCR and serological epidemiologic metrics.

Background: Prospective observational data show that infected persons with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remain polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive for a prolonged duration, and that detectable antibodies develop slowly with time. We aimed to analyze how these effects can bias key epidemiological metrics used to track and monitor SARS-CoV-2 epidemics.

Methods: An age-structured mathematical model was constructed to simulate progression of SARS-CoV-2 epidemics in populations.

Estimates of global SARS-CoV-2 infection exposure, infection morbidity, and infection mortality rates in 2020.

We aimed to estimate, albeit crudely and provisionally, national, regional, and global proportions of respective populations that have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the first year after the introduction of this virus into human circulation, and to assess infection morbidity and mortality rates, factoring both documented and undocumented infections. The estimates were generated by applying mathematical models to 159 countries and territories. The percentage of the world's population that has been infected as of 31 December 2020 was estimated at 12.

SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalization, severity, criticality, and fatality rates in Qatar.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic resulted in considerable morbidity and mortality as well as severe economic and societal disruptions. Despite scientific progress, true infection severity, factoring both diagnosed and undiagnosed infections, remains poorly understood. This study aimed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 age-stratified and overall morbidity and mortality rates based on analysis of extensive epidemiological data for the pervasive epidemic in Qatar, a country where < 9% of the population are ≥ 50 years.

Modeling the Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination in Lebanon: A Call to Speed-Up Vaccine Roll Out.

Four months into the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination campaign, only 10.7% of the Lebanese population have received at least one dose, raising serious concerns over the speed of vaccine roll-out and its impact in the event of a future surge. Using mathematical modeling, we assessed the short-term impact of various vaccine roll-out scenarios on SARS-CoV-2 epidemic course in Lebanon.

Vulnerability of Syrian refugees in Lebanon to COVID-19: quantitative insights.

Lebanon, a middle-income country with ongoing political turmoil, unstable economic situation, and a fragmented and under-resourced health system, hosts about one million Syrian refugees since 2011. While the country is currently experiencing substantial COVID-19 epidemic spread, no outbreaks have been reported yet among Syrian refugees. However, testing of this population remains limited and exposure levels are high given dire living conditions and close interaction with the host community.

Characterizing key attributes of COVID-19 transmission dynamics in China's original outbreak: Model-based estimations.

A novel coronavirus strain, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in China. This study aims to characterize key attributes of SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology as the infection emerged in China. An age-stratified mathematical model was constructed to describe transmission dynamics and estimate age-specific differences in biological susceptibility to infection, age-assortativeness in transmission mixing, and transition in rate of infectious contacts (and reproduction number ) following introduction of mass interventions.

Epidemiological Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: Mathematical Modeling Analyses.

This study aims to inform SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development/licensure/decision-making/implementation, using mathematical modeling, by determining key preferred vaccine product characteristics and associated population-level impacts of a vaccine eliciting long-term protection. A prophylactic vaccine with efficacy against acquisition () ≥70% can eliminate the infection. A vaccine with <70% may still control the infection if it reduces infectiousness or infection duration among those vaccinated who acquire the infection, if it is supplemented with <20% reduction in contact rate, or if it is complemented with herd-immunity.

Age could be driving variable SARS-CoV-2 epidemic trajectories worldwide.

Current geographic spread of documented severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections shows heterogeneity. This study explores the role of age in potentially driving differentials in infection spread, epidemic potential, and rates of disease severity and mortality across countries. An age-stratified deterministic mathematical model that describes SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics was applied to 159 countries and territories with a population ≥1 million.

The status of hepatitis C virus infection among people who inject drugs in the Middle East and North Africa.

Background And Aims: People who inject drugs (PWID) are a key population at high risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The aim of this study was to delineate the epidemiology of HCV in PWID in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Methods: Syntheses of data were conducted on the standardized and systematically assembled databases of the MENA HCV Epidemiology Synthesis Project, 1989-2018.

Characterising HIV/AIDS knowledge and attitudes in the Middle East and North Africa: Systematic review and data synthesis.

This article reviews HIV/AIDS knowledge and attitudes in various population groups in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and highlights their relevance to HIV epidemiology and the design and implementation of preventions and treatment efforts. PubMed and the MENA HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Synthesis Project database of grey/unpublished literature were searched. Levels of knowledge were categorised based on presence of basic knowledge, comprehensive knowledge, and misconceptions and misinformation.

Global population-level association between herpes simplex virus 2 prevalence and HIV prevalence.

Background: Our objective was to assess the population-level association between herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) and HIV prevalence.

Methods: Reports of HSV-2 and HIV prevalence were systematically reviewed and synthesized following PRISMA guidelines. Spearman rank correlation ((Equation is included in full-text article.

HIV incidence among people who inject drugs in the Middle East and North Africa: mathematical modelling analysis.

Introduction: Emerging HIV epidemics have been documented among people who inject drugs (PWID) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This study estimates the HIV incidence among PWID due to sharing needles/syringes in MENA. It also delineates injecting drug use role as a driver of the epidemic in the population, and estimates impact of interventions.

HCV prevalence can predict HIV epidemic potential among people who inject drugs: mathematical modeling analysis.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV are both transmitted through percutaneous exposures among people who inject drugs (PWID). Ecological analyses on global epidemiological data have identified a positive association between HCV and HIV prevalence among PWID. Our objective was to demonstrate how HCV prevalence can be used to predict HIV epidemic potential among PWID.

Status of HIV and hepatitis C virus infections among prisoners in the Middle East and North Africa: review and synthesis.

Introduction: The status of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among incarcerated populations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and the links between prisons and the HIV epidemic are poorly understood. This review synthesized available HIV and HCV data in prisons in MENA and highlighted opportunities for action.

Methods: The review was based on data generated through the systematic searches of the MENA HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Synthesis Project (2003 to December 15, 2015) and the MENA HCV Epidemiology Synthesis Project (2011 to December 15, 2015).

Using hepatitis C prevalence to estimate HIV epidemic potential among people who inject drugs in the Middle East and North Africa.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to understand the association between HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among people who inject drugs (PWIDs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and to estimate HIV epidemic potential among PWIDs using HCV prevalence.

Design/methods: Using data from a systematic review of HIV and HCV among PWID in MENA, we conducted two analyses, stratified by HIV epidemic state: a meta-analysis of the risk ratio of HCV to HIV prevalence (RRHCV/HIV) using DerSimonian-Laird random-effects models, and multivariable linear regression predicting log HIV prevalence. The HCV-HIV association from both analyses was used to estimate HIV prevalence at endemic equilibrium.

The epidemiology of hepatitis C virus in the Maghreb region: systematic review and meta-analyses.

Objective: To systematically review and synthesize available epidemiological data on hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence and incidence in the Maghreb region and to estimate the country-specific population-level HCV prevalence.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of HCV antibody prevalence and incidence in the Maghreb countries as outlined by the PRISMA guidelines. Meta-analyses were conducted using DerSimonian-Laird random-effect models with inverse variance weighting to pool HCV prevalence estimates among general population groups.