Development and evaluation of an antigen targeting lateral flow test for Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever.

Background: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a viral haemorrhagic fever with a case fatality rate of 5-25% that has been prioritised for research and development by the World Health Organisation. There are no CCHF rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) commercially available. We describe the development and evaluation of an antigen-targeting lateral flow immunoassay RDT for CCHF.

Determining the bacterial and viral meningitis trend in Iraq from 2007 till 2023 using joinpoint regression.

Background: Acute meningitis is a disease with case fatality and disability rate that is dependent on the causative agent.

Objective: Determine the meningitis trend in Iraq from 2007 to 2023 using a joinpoint regression at national and sub-national levels and describe the epidemiology.

Methods: Joinpoint regression model was used on surveillance data from Jan 2007 until May 2023, to calculate annual and average annual percent changes to determine the trend.

Intensification of integrated immunization services to recover routine vaccination coverage and bring COVID-19 vaccine to the population of Iraq in 2022.

Introduction: COVID-19 seriously impacted routine immunization (RI) in Iraq. Coverage declined to a 6-year low in 2021, and COVID-19 vaccination uptake was slow. In response, government implemented intensification of integrated immunization services (3IS), a nationwide approach comprising regular outreach sessions of COVID-19 vaccination and RI for children who had either missed doses or never commenced scheduled vaccination (zero-dose children).

Identify future epidemic threshold and intensity for influenza-like illness in Iraq by using the moving epidemic method.

Objectives: Influenza-like illness (ILI) entered the Iraq surveillance system in 2021. The alert threshold was determined using the cumulative sum 2 method, which did not provide other characteristics. This study uses the moving epidemic method (MEM) to describe duration and estimate alert thresholds for ILI in Iraq for 2023-2024.

Large outbreak of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in Iraq, 2022.

Background: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is reported sporadically in Iraq. The lack of preventive veterinary activities during 2 years of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (2020 and 2021) led to the largest CCHF outbreak in Iraq since 1979.

Objective: To describe the epidemiological characteristics of CCHF cases that occurred during the first half of 2022 in Iraq in terms of age, sex, residence, history of contact with another case, and history of contact with animals.

Impact of COVID-19 on Affected Individuals in Iraq Focusing on Deceased Cancer Patients.

Purpose: Mortality because of COVID-19 infections is continuously increasing among the high-risk groups, namely, elderly patients and those with underlying comorbidities including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory problems, and cancer. The study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on affected individuals in Iraq, focusing on the characteristics of COVID-19 deceased cases, with special emphasis on cancer as the associated comorbidity.

Patients And Methods: This is a retrospective review of the data collected from 15,852 case investigation records of deceased patients with COVID-19, from all over Iraq, between March 20, 2020, and December 20, 2021.

Iraq experience in handling the COVID-19 pandemic: implications of public health challenges and lessons learned for future epidemic preparedness planning.

Background: Iraq has been exceptionally challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic due to the already exhausted healthcare system.

Objectives: To describe the epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in Iraq, the government's response to the pandemic, and provide recommendations for further action.

Methods: A desk review of secondary data using the available reports on the epidemiological situation in Iraq as well as official governmental sources was conducted.