Last data update: May 06, 2024. (Total: 46732 publications since 2009)
Records 1-4 (of 4 Records) |
Query Trace: Boulanger L[original query] |
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Epidemiology of influenza in Ethiopia: findings from influenza sentinel surveillance and respiratory infection outbreak investigations, 2009-2015
Woyessa AB , Mengesha M , Belay D , Tayachew A , Ayele W , Beyene B , Kassa W , Zemelak E , Demissie G , Amare B , Boulanger L , Granados C , Williams T , Tareke I , Rajatonirina S , Jima D . BMC Infect Dis 2018 18 (1) 449 BACKGROUND: Influenza is an acute viral disease of the respiratory tract which is characterized by fever, headache, myalgia, prostration, coryza, sore throat and cough. Globally, an estimated 3 to 5 million cases of severe influenza illness and 291 243-645 832 seasonal influenza-associated respiratory deaths occur annually. Although recent efforts from some African countries to describe burden of influenza disease and seasonality, these data are missing for the vast majority, including Ethiopia. Ethiopia established influenza sentinel surveillance in 2008 aiming to determine influenza strains circulating in the country and know characteristics, trend and burden of influenza viruses. METHODS: We used influenza data from sentinel surveillance sites and respiratory disease outbreak investigations from 2009 to 2015 for this analysis. We obtained the data by monitoring patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) at three health-centers, severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) at five hospitals and investigating patients during different respiratory infection outbreaks. Throat-swab specimens in viral transport media were transported to the national reference laboratory within 72 h of collection using a cold-chain system. We extracted viral RNA from throat-swabs and subjected to real-time PCR amplification. We further subtyped and characterized Influenza A-positive specimens using CDC real-time reverse transcription PCR protocol. RESULTS: A total of 4962 throat-swab samples were collected and 4799 (96.7%) of them were tested. Among them 988 (20.6%) were influenza-positive and of which 349 (35.3%) were seasonal influenza A(H3N2), 321 (32.5%) influenza A(H1N1)pdm2009 and 318 (32.0%) influenza B. Positivity rate was 29.5% in persons 5-14 years followed by 26.4% in 15-44 years, 21.2% in > 44 years and 6.4% in under five children. The highest positivity rate observed in November (37.5%) followed by March (27.6%), December (26.4%), October (24.4%) and January (24.3%) while the lowest positivity rate was in August (7.7%). CONCLUSION: In Ethiopia, seasonal Influenza A(H3N2), Influenza A(H1N1)pdm2009 and Influenza B viruses were circulating during 2009-2015. Positivity rate and number of cases peaked in November and December. Influenza is one of public health problems in Ethiopia and the need to introduce influenza vaccine and antivirus is important to prevent and treat the disease in future. |
Frameworks for preventing, detecting, and controlling zoonotic diseases
Shiferaw ML , Doty JB , Maghlakelidze G , Morgan J , Khmaladze E , Parkadze O , Donduashvili M , Wemakoy EO , Muyembe JJ , Mulumba L , Malekani J , Kabamba J , Kanter T , Boulanger LL , Haile A , Bekele A , Bekele M , Tafese K , McCollum AA , Reynolds MG . Emerg Infect Dis 2017 23 (13) S71-6 Preventing zoonotic diseases requires coordinated actions by government authorities responsible for human and animal health. Constructing the frameworks needed to foster intersectoral collaboration can be approached in many ways. We highlight 3 examples of approaches to implement zoonotic disease prevention and control programs. The first, rabies control in Ethiopia, was implemented using an umbrella approach: a comprehensive program designed for accelerated impact. The second, a monkeypox program in Democratic Republic of the Congo, was implemented in a stepwise manner, whereby incremental improvements and activities were incorporated into the program. The third approach, a pathogen discovery program, applied in the country of Georgia, was designed to characterize and understand the ecology, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of a new zoonotic pathogen. No one approach is superior, but various factors should be taken into account during design, planning, and implementation. |
Field assessment of dried Plasmodium falciparum samples for malaria rapid diagnostic test quality control and proficiency testing in Ethiopia
Tamiru A , Boulanger L , Chang MA , Malone JL , Aidoo M . Malar J 2015 14 (1) 11 BACKGROUND: Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are now widely used for laboratory confirmation of suspected malaria cases to comply with the World Health Organization recommendation for universal testing before treatment. However, many malaria programmes lack quality control (QC) processes to assess RDT use under field conditions. Prior research showed the feasibility of using the dried tube specimen (DTS) method for preserving Plasmodium falciparum parasites for use as QC samples for RDTs. This study focused on the use of DTS for RDT QC and proficiency testing under field conditions. METHODS: DTS were prepared using cultured P. falciparum at densities of 500 and 1,000 parasites/ inverted question markL; 50 inverted question markL aliquots of these along with parasite negative human blood controls (0 parasites/ inverted question markL) were air-dried in specimen tubes and reactivity verified after rehydration. The DTS were used in a field study in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Replicate DTS samples containing 0, 500 and 1,000 parasites/ inverted question markL were stored at 4 degrees C at a reference laboratory and at ambient temperatures at two nearby health facilities. At weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24, the DTS were rehydrated and tested on RDTs stored under manufacturer-recommended temperatures at the RL and on RDTs stored under site-specific conditions at the two health facilities. Reactivity of DTS stored at 4 degrees C at the reference laboratory on RDTs stored at the reference laboratory was considered the gold standard for assessing DTS stability. A proficiency-testing panel consisting of one negative and three positive samples, monitored with a checklist was administered at weeks 12 and 24. RESULTS: At all the seven time points, DTS stored at both the reference laboratory and health facility were reactive on RDTs stored under the recommended temperature and under field conditions, and the DTS without malaria parasites were negative. At the reference laboratory and one health facility, a 500 parasites/ inverted question markL DTS from the proficiency panel was falsely reported as negative at week 24 due to errors in interpreting faint test lines. CONCLUSIONS: The DTS method can be used under field conditions to supplement other RDT QC methods and health worker proficiency in Ethiopia and possibly other malaria-endemic countries. |
Ebola epidemic - Liberia, March-October 2014
Nyenswah T , Fahnbulleh M , Massaquoi M , Nagbe T , Bawo L , Falla JD , Kohar H , Gasasira A , Nabeth P , Yett S , Gergonne B , Casey S , Espinosa B , McCoy A , Feldman H , Hensley L , Baily M , Fields B , Lo T , Lindblade K , Mott J , Boulanger L , Christie A , Wang S , Montgomery J , Mahoney F . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2014 63 (46) 1082-6 On March 21, 2014, the Guinea Ministry of Health reported the outbreak of an illness characterized by fever, severe diarrhea, vomiting and a high fatality rate (59%), leading to the first known epidemic of Ebola virus disease (Ebola) in West Africa and the largest and longest Ebola epidemic in history. As of November 2, Liberia had reported the largest number of cases (6,525) and deaths (2,697) among the three affected countries of West Africa with ongoing transmission (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone). The response strategy in Liberia has included management of the epidemic through an incident management system (IMS) in which the activities of all partners are coordinated. Within the IMS, key strategies for epidemic control include surveillance, case investigation, laboratory confirmation, contact tracing, safe transportation of persons with suspected Ebola, isolation, infection control within the health care system, community engagement, and safe burial. This report provides a brief overview of the progression of the epidemic in Liberia and summarizes the interventions implemented. |
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