Publications by authors named "Sonia Dhaouadi"
Background: While vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza infection and adverse outcomes, and despite WHO recommendations to vaccinate pregnant persons, access to seasonal influenza vaccines remains low. We explored knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pregnant persons about seasonal influenza vaccines to inform actions to improve vaccine uptake among this priority population.
Methods: We pooled individual-level data from cross-sectional surveys assessing pregnant persons' attitudes toward seasonal influenza vaccines in eight low- and middle-income countries during 2018-2019.
Background: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple vaccines to protect against COVID-19 disease have been developed rapidly. Precise estimates of vaccine effectiveness (VE) vary according to studies design, outcomes measured and circulating variants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-covid-19 vaccine effectiveness in Tunisia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe extent of the SARS-CoV-2 circulation and the COVID-19 epidemic in Tunisia three months after virus circulation was unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection among household contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases living in Hot spot areas of Great Tunis, Tunisia by estimating the seroprevalence of antibodies anti SARS-CoV-2 and to identify factors associated to seroprevalence at the first stage of the pandemic in order to guide decision making and to constitute a baseline for further longitudinal analysis of protective immunity to SARS-CoV-2. The National Observatory of New and Emerging Diseases (ONMNE), Ministry of Health Tunisia (MoH), with the support of the Office of the World Health Organization Representative in Tunisia and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO)), conducted a household cross-sectional survey on April 2020 in Great Tunis (Tunis, Ariana, Manouba and Ben Arous).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: the purpose of this study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological features of COVID-19-related deaths in Tunisia notified at the ONMNE (National Observatory of New and emerging Diseases) between 2 March 2020 and 28 February 2021 and to compare COVID-19-related deaths recorded in Tunisia with the international data.
Methods: we conducted a national prospective longitudinal descriptive study of data collected from the National Surveillance System of SARS-CoV-2 infection of the ONMNE, Ministry of Health. All COVID-19-related deaths that occurred in Tunisia between March 2020 and February 2021 were included in this study.
Background: The uptake and acceptance of the influenza vaccine (IV) among pregnant women remain unknown in Tunisia despite the increased influenza-related complications and death. The present study aimed to assess the IV uptake and acceptability and to describe related knowledge and attitudes among pregnant women in Tunisia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 84 Tunisian healthcare facilities over a period of three months (from March to May 2019).
Background: The aim of this study was to characterize the transmission chains and clusters of COVID-19 infection in Tunisia.
Methods: All cases were confirmed by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction of a nasopharyngeal specimen. Contact tracing is undertaken for all confirmed cases in order to identify close contacts that will be systematically screened and quarantined.
Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to constitute an international public health concern. Few data are available on the duration and prognostic factors of the disease. We aimed to study the recovery time among a Tunisian cohort of COVID-19 confirmed patients and identify the prognostic factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: To describe the burden of breast and gynecological cancers in Tunisia in 2017, to analyze the trend between 1990 and 2017 and to performit's prediction by 2030.
Methods: This was a study using data estimated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) for years of life by breast cancer and gynecological cancers: ovary, cervix and uterus (endometrium and other unspecified parts of the uterus) in Tunisia in 2017.The trend analysis of age standardized DALYrate between 1990 and 2017 was analyzed by using Join Point software.
Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a worldwide major public health problem. In Tunisia, few studies have focused on MetS in general population and in military setting in particular.
Aim: To determine the prevalence of the MetS in a military population at Bizerte garrison (Tunisia) and to identify its associated factors.
Background: Describing transmission dynamics of the outbreak and impact of intervention measures are critical to planning responses to future outbreaks and providing timely information to guide policy makers decision. We estimate serial interval (SI) and temporal reproduction number (R) of SARS-CoV-2 in Tunisia.
Methods: We collected data of investigations and contact tracing between March 1, 2020 and May 5, 2020 as well as illness onset data during the period February 29-May 5, 2020 from National Observatory of New and Emerging Diseases of Tunisia.
Background: A wide range of neurological manifestations has been described in COVID-19.
Methods: In this nationwide retrospective observational study, patients in Tunisia diagnosed with COVID-19 between the 2nd of March and the 16th of May 2020 were contacted by telephone. We collected demographic and clinical data and specified characteristics and evolution of main neurological symptoms.