Precision global health : a roadmap for augmented action

With increased complexity in various global health challenges comes a need for increased precision and the adoption of more tailored health interventions. Building on precision public health, we propose precision global health (PGH), an approach that leverages life sciences, social sciences, and data sciences, augmented with artificial intelligence (AI), in order to identify transnational problems and deliver targeted and impactful interventions through integrated and participatory approaches. With more than four billion Internet users across the globe and the accelerating power of AI, PGH taps on our current augmented capacity to collect, integrate, analyse and visualise large volumes of data, both non-specific and specific to health. With the support of governments and donors, and together with international and non-governmental organisations, universities and research institutions can generate innovative solutions to improve health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable populations around the world. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals, we propose here a road map for the development and implementation of PGH.https://jphe.amegroups.compm2021Immunolog

Ré-émergents virales pathogènes humains de la République de Djibouti (Afrique) : Rapport sur la pandémie de grippe A/H1N1/2009 et Arbovirus épidémiologie

Objectif de la thèse est de fournir République de Djibouti inventaire de la pandémie de grippe A/H1N1/2009-H1N1p et arbovirus hiver 2010. Elle a confirmé la capacité de surveillance locale pour détecter la grippe SG pic lors de la première vague de la pandémie, dont le profil était compatible avec H1N1p. Dans l'enquête CoPanFlu, une prévalence élevée (30%) de H1N1p a été confirmée par la jeune et District 4 résidents (plus de inégalités sociales) portant le plus lourd fardeau. Par conséquent, le contrôle futur de SG exigerait une approche queue pour atteindre des individus spécifiques et vulnérables. L'absence de données de surveillance robustes dans les pays du Sud pourrait être responsable de la sous-estimation de la charge, même lorsque le profil de la maladie ressemblait à ceux des pays développés. Sur arbovirus, la plupart des facteurs prédictifs de cas étaient statistiquement mieux décrits par de l'espace de logement et les caractéristiques environnementales du quartier, qui en corrélation avec les acteurs écologiques de leurs vecteurs de la survie des individus dans la niche locale. Cela confirme circulations arbovirus autochtones dans la République de Djibouti et a fourni l'inventaire pour la cartographie des risques et les futurs programmes de prévention et de contrôle. Les arbovirus sont les plus répandus dans le centre-ville (quartier 1), mais des cas ont diminué vers la périphérie de la banlieue (District 4). L'inverse est vrai pour les cas de grippe, ce qui démontre que des solutions sur mesure convenant à un des besoins de santé de la région, se garantir un rendement optimal sur les ressources allouées.Thesis purpose was to provide Republic of Djibouti inventory of pandemic Influenza A/H1N1/2009 (H1N1p) and arboviruses events in the winter of 2010. The demonstrated local surveillance was capable of detecting (influenza) ILI peaking during the first pandemic wave, whose profile was consistent with H1N1p. In a Copanflu investigation that occurred during second pandemic wave, a high prevalence (30%) of H1N1p was confirmed and conspicuously, the young and District 4 residents (highest social inequalities) bored the greatest burden. Therefore, concluded that future ILI control would require a tailed approach to reach specific and vulnerable individuals. Lack of robust ILI data from surveillance in southern countries could be responsible for the underestimation of burden, even when the illness profile resembled those of developed countries. On arboviral, most case predictors were statistically best described by individuals' housing space and neighbourhood environmental characteristics, which correlated with the ecological actors of their respective transmission vectors' survival in the local niche. This study confirmed autochthonous arboviral circulations in the republic of Djibouti and provided an epidemiological inventory for risk mapping and future prevention and control programs. The arboviruses were most prevalent in city centre (District 1), but cases declined towards the periphery of the suburb (District 4). The inverse was true for pandemic and ILI cases, demonstrating that a tailored solutions suiting local area health needs, would guarantee an optimal return on allocated resources

Impact of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic in Coastal Kenya

The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most significant pandemic recorded in human history. Worldwide, an estimated half billion persons were infected and 20 to 100 million people died in three waves during 1918 to 1919. Yet the impact of this pandemic has been poorly documented in many countries especially those in Africa. We used colonial-era records to describe the impact of 1918 influenza pandemic in the Coast Province of Kenya. We gathered quantitative data on facility use and all-cause mortality from 1912 to 1925, and pandemic-specific data from active reporting from September 1918 to March 1919. We also extracted quotes from correspondence to complement the quantitative data and describe the societal impact of the pandemic. We found that crude mortality rates and healthcare utilization increased six- and three-fold, respectively, in 1918, and estimated a pandemic mortality rate of 25.3 deaths/1000 people/year. Impact to society and the health care system was dramatic as evidenced by correspondence. In conclusion, the 1918 pandemic profoundly affected Coastal Kenya. Preparation for the next pandemic requires continued improvement in surveillance, education about influenza vaccines, and efforts to prevent, detect and respond to novel influenza outbreaks

Determinants of individuals' risks to 2009 pandemic influenza virus infection at household level amongst Djibouti city residents--a CoPanFlu cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Following the 2009 swine flu pandemic, a cohort for pandemic influenza (CoPanFlu) study was established in Djibouti, the Horn of Africa, to investigate its case prevalence and risk predictors’ at household level. METHODS: From the four city administrative districts, 1,045 subjects from 324 households were included during a face-to-face encounter between 11th November 2010 and 15th February 2011. Socio-demographic details were collected and blood samples were analysed in haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays. Risk assessments were performed in a generalised estimating equation model. RESULTS: In this study, the indicator of positive infection status was set at an HI titre of ≥ 80, which was a relevant surrogate to the seroconversion criterion. All positive cases were considered to be either recent infections or past contact with an antigenically closely related virus in humans older than 65 years. An overall sero-prevalence of 29.1% and a geometrical mean titre (GMT) of 39.5% among the residents was observed. Youths, ≤ 25 years and the elderly, ≥65 years had the highest titres, with values of 35.9% and 29.5%, respectively. Significantly, risk was high amongst youths ≤ 25 years, (OR 1.5-2.2), residents of District 4(OR 2.9), students (OR 1.4) and individuals living near to river banks (OR 2.5). Belonging to a large household (OR 0.6), being employed (OR 0.5) and working in open space-outdoor (OR 0.4) were significantly protective. Only 1.4% of the cohort had vaccination against the pandemic virus and none were immunised against seasonal influenza. CONCLUSION: Despite the limited number of incident cases detected by the surveillance system, A(H1N1)pdm09 virus circulated broadly in Djibouti in 2010 and 2011. Age-group distribution of cases was similar to what has been reported elsewhere, with youths at the greatest risk of infection. Future respiratory infection control should therefore be tailored to reach specific and vulnerable individuals such as students and those working in groups indoors. It is concluded that the lack of robust data provided by surveillance systems in southern countries could be responsible for the underestimation of the epidemiological burden, although the main characteristics are essentially similar to what has been observed in developed countries

A Sero-epidemiological Study of Arboviral Fevers in Djibouti, Horn of Africa

International audienceArboviral infections have repeatedly been reported in the republic of Djibouti, consistent with the fact that essential vectors for arboviral diseases are endemic in the region. However, there is a limited recent information regarding arbovirus circulation, and the associated risk predictors to human exposure are largely unknown. We performed, from November 2010 to February 2011 in the Djibouti city general population, a cross-sectional ELISA and sero-neutralisation-based sero-epidemiological analysis nested in a household cohort, which investigated the arboviral infection prevalence and risk factors, stratified by their vectors of transmission. Antibodies to dengue virus (21.8%) were the most frequent. Determinants of infection identified by multivariate analysis pointed to sociological and environmental exposure to the bite of Aedes mosquitoes. The population was broadly naıve against Chikungunya (2.6%) with risk factors mostly shared with dengue. The detection of limited virus circulation was followed by a significant Chikungunya outbreak a few months after our study. Antibodies to West Nile virus were infrequent (0.6%), but the distribution of cases faithfully followed previous mapping of infected Culex mosquitoes. The seroprevalence of Rift valley fever virus was 2.2%, and non-arboviral transmission was suggested. Finally, the study indicated the circulation of Toscana-related viruses (3.7%), and a limited number of cases suggested infection by tick-borne encephalitis or Alkhumra related viruses, which deserve further investigations to identify the viruses and vectors implicated. Overall, most of the arboviral cases' predictors were statistically best described by the individuals' housing space and neighborhood environmental characteristics, which correlated with the ecological actors of their respective transmission vectors' survival in the local niche. This study has demonstrated autochthonous arboviral circulations in the republic of Djibouti, and provides an epidemiological inventory, with useful findings for risk mapping and future prevention and control programs

A matrix of various arboviruses sero-positivity profile for residents of Djibouti city in the winter of 2010.

<p>A matrix of various arboviruses sero-positivity profile for residents of Djibouti city in the winter of 2010.</p

A map of the study area, Djibouti city, horn of Africa, showing the spatial distribution of households by Quartier(location) in the four administrative districts.

<p>A map of the study area, Djibouti city, horn of Africa, showing the spatial distribution of households by Quartier(location) in the four administrative districts.</p

Prevalence of anti-arboviral IgG antibodies by administrative district of Djibouti city, age group and gender in the winter of 2010 (N = 1,045).

<p>Prevalence of anti-arboviral IgG antibodies by administrative district of Djibouti city, age group and gender in the winter of 2010 (N = 1,045).</p

Prevalence of neutralizing anti-arbovirus antibodies among Djibouti population in the 2010 winter period.

<p>*Elisa positive samples,</p><p>**Insufficient samples for VNT assay,</p><p>***TBEV Elisa positivesamples.</p><p>Prevalence of neutralizing anti-arbovirus antibodies among Djibouti population in the 2010 winter period.</p