tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
PLOS Glob Public Health
. 2023 Feb 9;3(2):e0000906.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000906. eCollection 2023.
Etiologies of influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infections in Tanzania, 2017-2019
Maria Ezekiely Kelly[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Radhika Gharpure[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sabrina Shivji[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Miriam Matonya[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Solomon Moshi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ambele Mwafulango[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Vumilia Mwalongo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Janneth Mghamba[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Azma Simba[SUP] 1 [/SUP], S Arunmozhi Balajee[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Wangeci Gatei[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Marcelina Mponela[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Grace Saguti[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Toni Whistler[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nyambura Moremi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Vida Mmbaga[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
In 2016, Tanzania expanded sentinel surveillance for influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) to include testing for non-influenza respiratory viruses (NIRVs) and additional respiratory pathogens at 9 sentinel sites. During 2017-2019, respiratory specimens from 2730 cases underwent expanded testing: 2475 specimens (90.7%) were tested using a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-developed assay covering 7 NIRVs (respiratory syncytial virus [RSV], rhinovirus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus 1, 2, and 3) and influenza A and B viruses. Additionally, 255 specimens (9.3%) were tested using the Fast-Track Diagnostics Respiratory Pathogens 33 (FTD-33) kit which covered the mentioned viruses and additional viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens. Influenza viruses were identified in 7.5% of all specimens; however, use of the CDC assay and FTD-33 kit increased the number of specimens with a pathogen identified to 61.8% and 91.5%, respectively. Among the 9 common viruses between the CDC assay and FTD-33 kit, the most identified pathogens were RSV (22.9%), rhinovirus (21.8%), and adenovirus (14.0%); multi-pathogen co-detections were common. Odds of hospitalization (SARI vs. ILI) varied by sex, age, geographic zone, year of diagnosis, and pathogen identified; hospitalized illnesses were most common among children under the age of 5 years. The greatest number of specimens were submitted for testing during December-April, coinciding with rainy seasons in Tanzania, and several viral pathogens demonstrated seasonal variation (RSV, human metapneumovirus, influenza A and B, and parainfluenza viruses). This study demonstrates that expanding an existing influenza platform to include additional respiratory pathogens can provide valuable insight into the etiology, incidence, severity, and geographic/temporal patterns of respiratory illness. Continued respiratory surveillance in Tanzania, and globally, can provide valuable data, particularly in the context of emerging respiratory pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, and guide public health interventions to reduce the burden of respiratory illnesses.
. 2023 Feb 9;3(2):e0000906.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000906. eCollection 2023.
Etiologies of influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infections in Tanzania, 2017-2019
Maria Ezekiely Kelly[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Radhika Gharpure[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sabrina Shivji[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Miriam Matonya[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Solomon Moshi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ambele Mwafulango[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Vumilia Mwalongo[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Janneth Mghamba[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Azma Simba[SUP] 1 [/SUP], S Arunmozhi Balajee[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Wangeci Gatei[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Marcelina Mponela[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Grace Saguti[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Toni Whistler[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nyambura Moremi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Vida Mmbaga[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 36962965
- PMCID: PMC10021583
- DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000906
Abstract
In 2016, Tanzania expanded sentinel surveillance for influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) to include testing for non-influenza respiratory viruses (NIRVs) and additional respiratory pathogens at 9 sentinel sites. During 2017-2019, respiratory specimens from 2730 cases underwent expanded testing: 2475 specimens (90.7%) were tested using a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-developed assay covering 7 NIRVs (respiratory syncytial virus [RSV], rhinovirus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus 1, 2, and 3) and influenza A and B viruses. Additionally, 255 specimens (9.3%) were tested using the Fast-Track Diagnostics Respiratory Pathogens 33 (FTD-33) kit which covered the mentioned viruses and additional viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens. Influenza viruses were identified in 7.5% of all specimens; however, use of the CDC assay and FTD-33 kit increased the number of specimens with a pathogen identified to 61.8% and 91.5%, respectively. Among the 9 common viruses between the CDC assay and FTD-33 kit, the most identified pathogens were RSV (22.9%), rhinovirus (21.8%), and adenovirus (14.0%); multi-pathogen co-detections were common. Odds of hospitalization (SARI vs. ILI) varied by sex, age, geographic zone, year of diagnosis, and pathogen identified; hospitalized illnesses were most common among children under the age of 5 years. The greatest number of specimens were submitted for testing during December-April, coinciding with rainy seasons in Tanzania, and several viral pathogens demonstrated seasonal variation (RSV, human metapneumovirus, influenza A and B, and parainfluenza viruses). This study demonstrates that expanding an existing influenza platform to include additional respiratory pathogens can provide valuable insight into the etiology, incidence, severity, and geographic/temporal patterns of respiratory illness. Continued respiratory surveillance in Tanzania, and globally, can provide valuable data, particularly in the context of emerging respiratory pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, and guide public health interventions to reduce the burden of respiratory illnesses.