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Fieldhouse J, Nakiire L, Kayiwa J, Brindis CD, Mitchell A, Makumbi I, Ario AR, Fair E, Mazet JAK, Lamorde M. How feasible or useful are timeliness metrics as a tool to optimise One Health outbreak responses? BMJ Glob Health 2024; 9:e013615. [PMID: 38991578 PMCID: PMC11268058 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-013615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION As timeliness metrics gain traction to assess and optimise outbreak detection and response performance, implementation and scale-up require insight into the perspectives of stakeholders adopting these tools. This study sought to characterise the feasibility and utility of tracking One Health outbreak milestones across relevant human, animal, plant, and environmental sectors to systematically quantify timeliness metrics in Uganda, a country prone to outbreaks of WHO priority diseases. METHODS A database of outbreak events occurring in Uganda between 2018 and 2022 was compiled. Outbreak reports meeting our inclusion criteria were reviewed to quantify the frequency of milestone reporting. Key informant interviews were conducted with expert stakeholders to explore the feasibility and utility of tracking metrics using a framework analysis. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed concurrently. RESULTS Of the 282 public health emergencies occurring between 2018 and 2022, 129 events met our inclusion criteria, and complete data were available for 82 outbreaks. For our qualitative portion, 10 informants were interviewed from 7 institutions, representing the human, animal and environmental sectors. Informants agreed most One Health milestones are feasible to track, which was supported by the frequency of milestone reporting; however, there was a demonstrated need for increased reporting of after-action reviews, as well as outbreak start and end dates. Predictive alerts signalling potential outbreaks and preventive responses to alerts are seen as challenging to routinely capture, reflecting the lack of public health action for these domains. CONCLUSION Despite consensus among stakeholders that timeliness metrics are a beneficial tool to assess outbreak performance, not all One Health metrics are being tracked consistently, thereby missing opportunities to optimise epidemic intelligence, preparedness and prevention. The feasibility of tracking these metrics depends on the integration of reporting channels, enhanced documentation of milestones and development of guidance for early adopters, recognising country-specific on-the-ground realities and challenges to national scaling efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Fieldhouse
- One Health Institute, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, California, USA
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California San Francisco Graduate Division, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Lydia Nakiire
- Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Joshua Kayiwa
- Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Claire D Brindis
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California San Francisco Graduate Division, San Francisco, California, USA
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Ashley Mitchell
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California San Francisco Graduate Division, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Issa Makumbi
- Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Alex Riolexus Ario
- Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Elizabeth Fair
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California San Francisco Graduate Division, San Francisco, California, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jonna A K Mazet
- One Health Institute, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, California, USA
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California San Francisco Graduate Division, San Francisco, California, USA
- Office of Grand Challenges, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Mohammed Lamorde
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
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Maureen Ayikoru, Cole J, Dodds K, Atcero M, Bada JK, Petrikova I, Worodria W. Addressing vaccine concerns through the spectrum of vaccine acceptance. Soc Sci Med 2023; 333:116146. [PMID: 37579556 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE/OBJECTIVE Several studies have examined attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines, giving prominence to hesitancy and conceptual models that seek to explain its prevalence, mostly in high-income contexts. An alternative conceptual approach that prioritises an understanding of vaccine concerns, the rationality of the questions people have, the political and media ecologies that raise them, will help recommend ways in which such concerns can be addressed. This current study employs the Spectrum of Vaccine Acceptance as a conceptual framework to explain vaccine concerns, in a low-income context. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was designed by drawing on the extant literature on indirect impacts of COVID-19 pandemic. The survey was administered face to face to a stratified random sample of 459 healthcare professionals in Uganda, from 1st to July 31, 2021. Key findings from the survey were explored using focus group interviews. Descriptive analysis was performed to quantify key responses on socio-demographic characteristics, feelings and views about COVID-19 and vaccines. Qualitative themes from the survey and focus groups were explained through the framework of the Spectrum of Vaccine Acceptance. RESULTS Vaccine acceptance was the most dominant attitude among healthcare professionals, with 74.9% of all respondents (N = 224) having been vaccinated. The findings highlight a relationship between vaccine acceptance, vaccine questioning and vaccine hesitancy, in that nearly 60% (N = 127) of those that were already vaccinated had several concerns about the vaccines they had received, suggesting that questions do not necessarily equate to refusal. This led to a partial reframing of the Spectrum of Vaccine Acceptance. CONCLUSION Factors which determine and differentiate vaccine concerns among healthcare professionals in a low-income context show that rational concerns far outweigh non-sensical and conspiratorial views. The findings will act as a useful input into the importance of understanding and addressing vaccine concerns, and the role of managing information voids in pandemic management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen Ayikoru
- Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK.
| | - Jennifer Cole
- Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Klaus Dodds
- Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Milburga Atcero
- Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Plot 21A, Portbell Road, P.O. Box, 1337, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Joseph K Bada
- Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Plot 21A, Portbell Road, P.O. Box, 1337, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ivica Petrikova
- Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
| | - William Worodria
- Makerere Lung Institute, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, New Mulago Complex, P.O. Box 7749, Kampala, Uganda
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Harris JR, Kadobera D, Kwesiga B, Kabwama SN, Bulage L, Kyobe HB, Kagirita AA, Mwebesa HG, Wanyenze RK, Nelson LJ, Boore AL, Ario AR. Improving the effectiveness of Field Epidemiology Training Programs: characteristics that facilitated effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1532. [PMID: 36526999 PMCID: PMC9756722 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08781-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The global need for well-trained field epidemiologists has been underscored in the last decade in multiple pandemics, the most recent being COVID-19. Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETPs) are in-service training programs that improve country capacities to respond to public health emergencies across different levels of the health system. Best practices for FETP implementation have been described previously. The Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program (PHFP), or Advanced-FETP in Uganda, is a two-year fellowship in field epidemiology funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and situated in the Uganda National Institute of Public Health (UNIPH). We describe how specific attributes of the Uganda PHFP that are aligned with best practices enabled substantial contributions to the COVID-19 response in Uganda. METHODS We describe the PHFP in Uganda and review examples of how specific program characteristics facilitate integration with Ministry of Health needs and foster a strong response, using COVID-19 pandemic response activities as examples. We describe PHFP activities and outputs before and during the COVID-19 response and offer expert opinions about the impact of the program set-up on these outputs. RESULTS Unlike nearly all other Advanced FETPs in Africa, PHFP is delinked from an academic degree-granting program and enrolls only post-Master's-degree fellows. This enables full-time, uninterrupted commitment of academically-trained fellows to public health response. Uganda's PHFP has strong partner support in country, sufficient technical support from program staff, Ministry of Health (MoH), CDC, and partners, and full-time dedicated directorship from a well-respected MoH staff member. The PHFP is physically co-located inside the UNIPH with the emergency operations center (EOC), which provides a direct path for health alerts to be investigated by fellows. It has recognized value within the MoH, which integrates graduates into key MoH and partner positions. During February 2020-September 2021, PHFP fellows and graduates completed 67 major COVID-related projects. PHFP activities during the COVID-19 response were specifically requested by the MoH or by partners, or generated de novo by the program, and were supervised by all partners. CONCLUSION Specific attributes of the PHFP enable effective service to the Ministry of Health in Uganda. Among the most important is the enrollment of post-graduate fellows, which leads to a high level of utilization of the program fellows by the Ministry of Health to fulfill real-time needs. Strong leadership and sufficient technical support permitted meaningful program outputs during COVID-19 pandemic response. Ensuring the inclusion of similar characteristics when implementing FETPs elsewhere may allow them to achieve a high level of impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie R Harris
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kampala, Uganda.
| | - Daniel Kadobera
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Benon Kwesiga
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Steven N Kabwama
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Lilian Bulage
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Henry B Kyobe
- University of Oxford, Kellogg College, Oxford, UK
- Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | - Rhoda K Wanyenze
- College of Health Sciences, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Lisa J Nelson
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Amy L Boore
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Alex Riolexus Ario
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
- Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
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Kayiwa J, Homsy J, Nelson LJ, Ocom F, Kasule JN, Wetaka MM, Kyazze S, Mwanje W, Kisakye A, Nabunya D, Nyirabakunzi M, Aliddeki DM, Ojwang J, Boore A, Kasozi S, Borchert J, Shoemaker T, Nabatanzi S, Dahlke M, Brown V, Downing R, Makumbi I. Establishing a Public Health Emergency Operations Center in an Outbreak-Prone Country: Lessons Learned in Uganda, January 2014 to December 2021. Health Secur 2022; 20:394-407. [PMID: 35984936 PMCID: PMC10985018 DOI: 10.1089/hs.2022.0048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Uganda is highly vulnerable to public health emergencies (PHEs) due to its geographic location next to the Congo Basin epidemic hot spot, placement within multiple epidemic belts, high population growth rates, and refugee influx. In view of this, Uganda's Ministry of Health established the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) in September 2013, as a central coordination unit for all PHEs in the country. Uganda followed the World Health Organization's framework to establish the PHEOC, including establishing a steering committee, acquiring legal authority, developing emergency response plans, and developing a concept of operations. The same framework governs the PHEOC's daily activities. Between January 2014 and December 2021, Uganda's PHEOC coordinated response to 271 PHEs, hosted 207 emergency coordination meetings, trained all core staff in public health emergency management principles, participated in 21 simulation exercises, coordinated Uganda's Global Health Security Agenda activities, established 6 subnational PHEOCs, and strengthened the capacity of 7 countries in public health emergency management. In this article, we discuss the following lessons learned: PHEOCs are key in PHE coordination and thus mitigate the associated adverse impacts; although the functions of a PHEOC may be legalized by the existence of a National Institute of Public Health, their establishment may precede formally securing the legal framework; staff may learn public health emergency management principles on the job; involvement of leaders and health partners is crucial to the success of a public health emergency management program; subnational PHEOCs are resourceful in mounting regional responses to PHEs; and service on the PHE Strategic Committee may be voluntary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Kayiwa
- Joshua Kayiwa, MSc, is a Plans Chief and Information Analyst, Public Health Emergency Operations Center, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Jaco Homsy
- Jaco Homsy, MD, MPH, is an Associate Clinical Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA
| | - Lisa J Nelson
- Lisa J. Nelson, MD, MPH, MSc, is a Medical Officer and Uganda Country Director, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Country Office, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Felix Ocom
- Felix Ocom, MD, is Deputy Director, Public Health Emergency Operations Center, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Juliet N Kasule
- Juliet N. Kasule, MSc, is an Early Warning Specialist, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Country Office, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Milton M Wetaka
- Milton M. Wetaka is a Logistics Chief and Laboratory Specialist, Public Health Emergency Operations Center, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Simon Kyazze
- Simon Kyazze, MSc, is an Operations Chief, Public Health Emergency Operations Center, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Wilbrod Mwanje
- Wilbrod Mwanje, MPH, is an Epidemiologist, Public Health Emergency Operations Center, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Anita Kisakye
- Anita Kisakye, MSc, is a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Public Health Emergency Operations Center, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Dorothy Nabunya
- Dorothy Nabunya is an Administrative Specialist, Public Health Emergency Operations Center, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Margaret Nyirabakunzi
- Margaret Nyirabakunzi is an Administrative Assistant, Public Health Emergency Operations Center, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Dativa Maria Aliddeki
- Dativa Maria Aliddeki, MSc, is an Epidemiologist, Public Health Emergency Operations Center, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Joseph Ojwang
- Joseph Ojwang, MPH, is an Epidemiologist, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Country Office, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Amy Boore
- Amy Boore, PhD, is Director, Division of Global Health Protection, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Country Office, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Sam Kasozi
- Sam Kasozi is a Systems Developer, Health Information Systems Program Uganda, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Jeff Borchert
- Jeff Borchert, MSc, is a Public Health Advisor, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), US CDC, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Trevor Shoemaker
- Trevor Shoemaker, PhD, is an Epidemiologist, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, NCEZIDUS CDC, Atlanta, GA
| | - Sandra Nabatanzi
- Sandra Nabatanzi, MSc, is an Epidemiologist, Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Support Program, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Melissa Dahlke
- Melissa Dahlke, MSc, is an Epidemiologist, Global Immunization Division, Center for Global Health, US CDC, Atlanta, GA
| | - Vance Brown
- Vance Brown, MA, is a Public Health Advisor, Division of Global Health Protection, NCEZID, US CDC, Atlanta, GA
| | - Robert Downing
- Robert Downing, PhD, is a Laboratory Specialist, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Ministry of Health, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Issa Makumbi
- Issa Makumbi, MSc, is Director, Public Health Emergency Operations Center, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
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Theron E, Bills CB, Calvello Hynes EJ, Stassen W, Rublee C. Climate change and emergency care in Africa: A scoping review. Afr J Emerg Med 2022; 12:121-128. [PMID: 35371912 PMCID: PMC8958270 DOI: 10.1016/j.afjem.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Climate change is a global public health emergency with implications for access to care and emergency care service disruptions. The African continent is particularly vulnerable to climate-related extreme weather events due to an already overburdened health system, lack of early warning signs, poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and variable adaptive capacity. Emergency care services are not only utilized during these events but also threatened by these hazards. Considering that the effects of climate change are expected to increase in intensity and prevalence, it is increasingly important for emergency care to prepare to respond to the changes in presentation and demand. The aim of this study was to perform a scoping review of the available literature on the relationship between climate change and emergency care on the African continent. Methods A scoping review was completed using five databases: Pubmed, Web of Science, GreenFILE, Africa Wide Information, and Google Scholar. A 'grey' literature search was done to identify key reports and references from included articles. Two independent reviewers screened articles and a third reviewer decided conflicts. A total of 1,382 individual articles were initially screened with 17 meeting full text review. A total of six articles were included in the final analysis. Data from four countries were represented including Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, and Nigeria. Results Analysis of the six articles yielded three key themes that were identified: climate-related health impacts that contribute to surges in demand and resource utilization, opportunities for health sector engagement, and solutions to improve emergency preparedness. Authors used the outcomes of the review to propose 10 recommendations for decision-makers and leaders. DXDiscussion Incorporating these key recommendations at the local and national level could help improve preparedness and adaptation measures in highly vulnerable, populated areas on the African continent.
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Bulage L, Ario AR, Kabwama SN, Kwesiga B, Kadobera D, Kihembo C, Antara S, Wanyenze RK. Documentation and dissemination of scientific evidence by the Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program: experiences and lessons learnt, 2015-2020. HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH 2021; 19:128. [PMID: 34674709 PMCID: PMC8529363 DOI: 10.1186/s12960-021-00665-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During participation in Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETP) residents/fellows generate scientific evidence from the various public health projects they are engaged in. However, this evidence is not sufficiently disseminated to influence policy and practice. We describe the processes through which evidence is disseminated, and share achievements and lessons learnt during the first 5 years of the Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program (PHFP). METHODS The PHFP is a 2-year, full-time, non-degree fellowship, and the first post-masters FETP in Africa for mid-career public health professionals. Fellows gain competencies in seven main domains, which are demonstrated by deliverables while learning through service delivery, 80% of the time within Ministry of Health and related agencies. Generated public health evidence is disseminated immediately through sharing of daily situation reports with the National Task Force for Epidemic Preparedness and Response, as well as regional and district levels. Information is also disseminated on an intermediate to long-term basis through newspaper articles, epidemiological bulletins, abstracts and conference presentations, and publications in scientific journals. RESULTS During 2015-2020, PHFP enrolled 80 fellows in seven cohorts, including five of whom who had graduated. Overall, 355 field projects had been implemented. Additionally, PHFP made 287 conference presentations including 108 international and 178 national conferences. Altogether, the Uganda PHFP has received 7 awards, 4 of these for excellent scientific presentations during conferences. By end of 2020, PHFP had written 147 manuscripts at different stages of peer review, including 53 publications; and published 153 epidemiological bulletins. Dissemination performance was limited by delays due to challenges like non-adherence to product clearance guidelines, limited persons to conduct product review, and limited expertise on certain scientific areas, authorship related issues, and competing priorities among fellows, staff, and alumni. CONCLUSIONS The PHFP has disseminated public health evidences through various means to a wider range of audiences within Uganda and globally. Manuscript publication and monitoring of actions taken as a result of evidence dissemination is still limited. We recommend putting in place mechanisms to facilitate publication of all scientific evidence and deliberate efforts to ensure and monitor scientific evidence utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Bulage
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Kampala, Uganda
- African Field Epidemiology Network, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Alex Riolexus Ario
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Kampala, Uganda
- Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Benon Kwesiga
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | - Simon Antara
- African Field Epidemiology Network, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Rhoda K. Wanyenze
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Kampala, Uganda
- Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
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Iramiot JS, Rwego IB, Kansiime C, Asiimwe BB. Epidemiology and antibiotic susceptibility of Vibrio cholerae associated with the 2017 outbreak in Kasese district, Uganda. BMC Public Health 2019; 19:1405. [PMID: 31664972 PMCID: PMC6819361 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-7798-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Uganda is among the 51 countries where cholera outbreaks are common with epidemics occurring predominantly along the western border with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kampala city slums, Busia district which is a border town with Western Kenya, Mbale district and the Karamoja Sub-region. This report summarizes findings from the epidemiologic investigation, which aimed at identifying the mode of transmission and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the Vibrio cholerae isolated in Kasese district, Uganda. METHODS A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out between 2017 and 2018 to describe the epidemiology of the cholera epidemic in Kasese district, Uganda. Rectal swabs were collected from 69 suspected case-persons and cultured on Thiosulphate-Citrate-Bile-Salts Sucrose (TCBS™; SEIKEN Japan) agar and incubated at 37 °C for 18-24 h. The isolates were serotyped with polyvalent 01 antiserum and monovalent serotype Inaba and Ogawa antisera (Denka Seiken, Tokyo, Japan) to determine which serotype was responsible for the outbreak. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method on Mueller-Hinton agar. A list of discharged patients was obtained from the isolation units of Bwera hospital and Kagando hospital and the individuals were followed to the community where they live. Questionnaires were administered to a total of 75 participants who were either the cases or relatives to the case. GPS points of the homes of the cases and pictures of potential source infection were also taken and cases were mapped. RESULTS A total of 222 cases were recorded in the Kasese District outbreak between the month of September 2017 and January 2018 with the case fatality rate (CFR) of 1.4%. Children below the age of 14 years contributed the biggest proportion of the cases (70%) and out of these, 33% were aged below 5 years. Culture isolated 69 V. cholerae 01 serotype Inaba from the total of 71 samples. Salmonella typhi was Isolated from the other two samples which were negative for V. cholerae. Antibiotic susceptibility using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method was done on isolates from 69 participants and showed 100% resistance to Ampicillin and over 50% were resistant to trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole whereas gentamicin showed 100% susceptibility. Environmental assessment revealed rampant cases of open defecation. CONCLUSION Though we did not culture water to confirm contamination with Vibrio cholerae, we hypothesize that the cholera epidemic in Kasese 2017 was sparked off by consumption of contaminated water following the heavy floods that washed away latrines into water sources in Bwera, Isango and Nakiyumbu sub-counties. V. cholerae was also highly resistant to the commonly used antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Stanley Iramiot
- Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. .,Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda.
| | - Innocent B Rwego
- One Health Central and Eastern Africa (OHCEA) network, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,Department of Biosecurity, Ecosystems and Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,One Health Division, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Catherine Kansiime
- One Health Central and Eastern Africa (OHCEA) network, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Benon B Asiimwe
- Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,One Health Central and Eastern Africa (OHCEA) network, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
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