Rift Valley fever among febrile patients at New Halfa hospital, eastern Sudan

BACKGROUND: Since the first isolation of the Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV) in 1930s, there have been several epizootics outbreaks in the tropic mainly in Africa including Sudan. Recognition of cases and diagnosis of RVF are critical for management and control of the disease. AIMS: To investigate the seroprevalence and risk factors for seropostive to RVFV IgG among febrile patients. METHODS: All febrile patients presented to New Halfa hospital in eastern Sudan during September through November 2007 were investigated to identify the cause of their fever including malaria and RFV. RESULTS: Out of 290 feverish patients presented to the hospital, malaria was diagnosis in 94 individuals. Fevers of unknown origin were diagnosed in 149 patients. Seropostive to RVFV IgG was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 122 (81.8%) of the sera from these 149 patients with fever of unknown origin. While socio-demographic characteristics (age, Job, education and residency) were not associated with seropostive to RVFV IgG, male (OR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.0-7.6; P = 0.04) were at three times higher risk for seropostive to RVFV IgG. CONCLUSION: There was a high seropostive to RVFV IgG in this setting, more research is needed perhaps using other methods like PCR and IGM

Detection of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever cases in a severe undifferentiated febrile illness outbreak in the Federal Republic of Sudan: A retrospective epidemiological and diagnostic cohort study

BACKGROUND: Undifferentiated febrile illness (UFI) is one of the most common reasons for people seeking healthcare in low-income countries. While illness and death due to specific infections such as malaria are often well-quantified, others are frequently uncounted and their impact underappreciated. A number of high consequence infectious diseases, including Ebola virus, are endemic or epidemic in the Federal Republic of Sudan which has experienced at least 12 UFI outbreaks, frequently associated with haemorrhage and high case fatality rates (CFR), since 2012. One of these occurred in Darfur in 2015/2016 with 594 cases and 108 deaths (CFR 18.2%). The aetiology of these outbreaks remains unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We report a retrospective cohort study of the 2015/2016 Darfur outbreak, using a subset of 65 of 263 outbreak samples received by the National Public Health Laboratory which met selection criteria of sufficient sample volume and epidemiological data. Clinical features included fever (95.8%), bleeding (95.7%), headache (51.6%) and arthralgia (42.2%). No epidemiological patterns indicative of person-to-person transmission or health-worker cases were reported. Samples were tested at the Public Health England Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory using a bespoke panel of likely pathogens including haemorrhagic fever viruses, arboviruses and Rickettsia, Leptospira and Borrelia spp. Seven (11%) were positive for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) by real-time reverse transcription PCR. The remaining samples tested negative on all assays. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: CCHFV is an important cause of fever and haemorrhage in Darfur, but not the sole major source of UFI outbreaks in Sudan. Prospective studies are needed to explore other aetiologies, including novel pathogens. The presence of CCHFV has critical infection, prevention and control as well as clinical implications for future response. Our study reinforces the need to boost surveillance, lab and investigative capacity to underpin effective response, and for local and international health security

Multiple Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Strains Are Associated with Disease Outbreaks in Sudan, 2008–2009

The tick-borne virus which causes the disease Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is known to be widely distributed throughout much of Africa, Southern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Southern Russia. Humans contract the virus from contact with infected people, infected animals (which do not show symptoms), and from the bite of infected ticks. CCHF was recently recognized in the Sudan when several hospital staff and patients died from the disease in a rural hospital. The genetic analysis of viruses associated with the 2008 and 2009 outbreaks shows that several CCHF viral strains currently circulate and cause human outbreaks in the Sudan, highlighting CCHF virus as an emerging pathogen. The Sudanese strains are similar to others circulating in Africa, indicating movement of virus over large distances with introduction and disease outbreaks in rural areas possible. Understanding the epidemiology of zoonotic diseases such as CCHF is especially important in the Sudan given the large numbers of livestock in the country, and their importance to the economy and rural communities. It is imperative that hospital staff consider CCHF as a possible disease agent, since they are at a high risk of contracting the disease, especially in hospitals with limited medical supplies

Data for: "Kankasha in Kassala: a prospective observational cohort study of the clinical characteristics, epidemiology, genetic origin, and chronic impact of the 2018 epidemic of Chikungunya virus infection in Kassala, Sudan"

This collection contains research outputs associated with “Kankasha” in Kassala, a prospective observational cohort study of the clinical characteristics, epidemiology, genetic origin, and chronic impact of the 2018 epidemic of Chikungunya virus infection in Kassala, Sudan. The collection contains a quantitative dataset, survey questionnaires, protocols and consent forms associated with the study. Anonymised data may be requested for use in ethically approved research only