A group-based approach to stabilisation and symptom management in a phased treatment model for refugees and asylum seekers

BACKGROUND: Traumatised asylum seekers and refugees may present with significant and complex mental health problems as a result of prolonged, extreme, and multiple traumatic events. This is further complicated by ongoing complex social circumstances. CONCEPTS: In our work at the Traumatic Stress Clinic (TSC), the understanding afforded by the concept of complex posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) together with the related notion of a phased treatment model, provides a useful framework for organising our work with this population. CLINICAL APPLICATIONS: An explication of complex PTSD as it applies to our client group is presented, followed by a description of our phased treatment model and an outline of the core principles, which guide our clinical approach. Our symptom management and stabilisation groups have been developed and refined over time and draw on techniques from a variety of cognitive behavioural therapies. These are described in some detail with illustrative clinical case vignettes. CONCLUSION: This paper concludes with some reflections on the challenges inherent to working with this complex client group

Measles outbreak in South Africa: epidemiology of laboratory-confirmed measles cases and assessment of intervention, 2009-2011

BACKGROUND: Since 1995, measles vaccination at nine and 18 months has been routine in South Africa; however, coverage seldom reached .95%. We describe the epidemiology of laboratory-confirmed measles case-patients and assess the impact of the nationwide mass vaccination campaign during the 2009 to 2011 measles outbreak in South Africa. METHODS: Serum specimens collected from patients with suspected-measles were tested for measles-specific IgM antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and genotypes of a subset were determined. To estimate the impact of the nationwide mass vaccination campaign, we compared incidence in the seven months pre- (1 September 2009–11 April 2010) and seven months post-vaccination campaign (24 May 2010–31 December 2010) periods in seven provinces of South Africa. RESULTS: A total of 18,431 laboratory-confirmed measles case-patients were reported from all nine provinces of South Africa (cumulative incidence 37 per 100,000 population). The highest cumulative incidence per 100,000 population was in children aged ,1 year (603), distributed as follows: ,6 months (302/100,000), 6 to 8 months (1083/100,000) and 9 to 11 months (724/100,000). Forty eight percent of case-patients were $5 years (cumulative incidence 54/100,000). Cumulative incidence decreased with increasing age to 2/100,000 in persons$40 years. A single strain of measles virus (genotype B3) circulated throughout the outbreak. Prior to the vaccination campaign, cumulative incidence in the targeted vs. non-targeted age group was 5.9-fold higher, decreasing to 1.7 fold following the campaign (P,0.001) and an estimated 1,380 laboratoryconfirmed measles case-patients were prevented. CONCLUSION: We observed a reduction in measles incidence following the nationwide mass vaccination campaign even though it was conducted approximately one year after the outbreak started. A booster dose at school entry may be of value given the high incidence in persons .5 years.Our acknowledgements go to the Department of Health South Africa, National, provincial and districts, the South African Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (SAFELTP), for ongoing support in surveillance and outbreak activities; Division of Epidemiology (Tsakani Nkuna, Kelebogile Lebogang Motsepe) and Virology (Londiwe Mahlaba, Mduduzi Buthelezi, Nomfundo Radebe, Muzi Hlanzi, Wayne Howard) at the NICD-NHLS for data management and laboratory testing support respectively and Private Laboratories for their support and referring specimens to the NICD.www.plosone.orgam201

Influenza epidemiology and vaccine effectiveness among patients with influenza-like illness, viral watch sentinel sites, South Africa, 2005-2009.

There is limited data on the epidemiology of influenza and few published estimates of influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) from Africa. In April 2009, a new influenza virus strain infecting humans was identified and rapidly spread globally. We compared the characteristics of patients ill with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus to those ill with seasonal influenza and estimated influenza vaccine effectiveness during five influenza seasons (2005-2009) in South Africa.Epidemiological data and throat and/or nasal swabs were collected from patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) at sentinel sites. Samples were tested for seasonal influenza viruses using culture, haemagglutination inhibition tests and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 by real-time PCR. For the vaccine effectiveness (VE) analysis we considered patients testing positive for influenza A and/or B as cases and those testing negative for influenza as controls. Age-adjusted VE was calculated as 1-odds ratio for influenza in vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals.From 2005 through 2009 we identified 3,717 influenza case-patients. The median age was significantly lower among patients infected with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus than those with seasonal influenza, 17 and 27 years respectively (p<0.001). The vaccine coverage during the influenza season ranged from 3.4% in 2009 to 5.1% in 2006 and was higher in the ≥50 years (range 6.9% in 2008 to 13.2% in 2006) than in the <50 years age group (range 2.2% in 2007 to 3.7% in 2006). The age-adjusted VE estimates for seasonal influenza were 48.6% (4.9%, 73.2%); -14.2% (-9.7%, 34.8%); 12.0% (-70.4%, 55.4%); 67.4% (12.4%, 90.3%) and 29.6% (-21.5%, 60.1%) from 2005 to 2009 respectively. For the A(H1N1)pdm09 season, the efficacy of seasonal vaccine was -6.4% (-93.5%, 43.3%).Influenza vaccine demonstrated a significant protective effect in two of the five years evaluated. Low vaccine coverage may have reduced power to estimate vaccine effectiveness

Number of specimens testing positive for influenza and detection rates by year, Viral Watch, South Africa, 2005–2009.

<p>Number of specimens testing positive for influenza and detection rates by year, Viral Watch, South Africa, 2005–2009.</p

Comparison of vaccine composition to circulating viruses, South Africa, 2005–2009.

<p><b>Predominating circulating strains in bold.</b></p><p><b>Predominating B strains indicated.</b></p

Percentage of influenza positives by age group and virus type, Viral Watch, South Africa; 2005–2009.

<p>Percentage of influenza positives by age group and virus type, Viral Watch, South Africa; 2005–2009.</p

Influenza detections and detection rates for seasonal influenza (N = 2490) and influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 (N = 496) by age group, Viral Watch, South Africa: 2005–2009.

<p>Influenza detections and detection rates for seasonal influenza (N = 2490) and influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 (N = 496) by age group, Viral Watch, South Africa: 2005–2009.</p

Vaccination coverage^* and vaccine effectiveness by year, Viral Watch, South Africa: 2005–2009.

<p><b>Statistically significant values in bold.</b></p>*<p>The proportion of individuals who received at least one dose of influenza vaccine in the relevant period.</p><p>Age groups: <50 and ≥50 years.</p

Age-specific incidence of laboratory-confirmed measles cases, South Africa, 2009–2011.

<p>Age-specific incidence of laboratory-confirmed measles cases, South Africa, 2009–2011.</p

Weekly* number of measles IgM positive cases: South Africa, 2009–2011.

<p>* Week calculated from date of specimen collection (n = 17 351), date received (n = 1 067) or date tested (n = 13).</p