Letter to Editor COVID-19 outbreak and medical waste: Challenge in hand

The ongoing pandemic of  novel coronavirus disease, COVID19, which first reported in Wuhan, China, inDecember 2019, [1] and caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV2) has resulted to more than 6,881,352 confirmed cases in the world, and 399,895 global deaths, as reported in 8:36am CEST, 8 June 2020. [2] It has been reported that the primary spread of COVID-19 via human transmission is during close contact, most often through small droplets spread by coughing, sneezing, and talking. [3] Researchers and health experts have discovered that wearing of appropriate face masks can significantly reduce the transmission up to the 75%

Socializing One Health: an innovative strategy to investigate social and behavioral risks of emerging viral threats

In an effort to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and control infectious diseases in animals and people, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) PREDICT project funded development of regional, national, and local One Health capacities for early disease detection, rapid response, disease control, and risk reduction. From the outset, the EPT approach was inclusive of social science research methods designed to understand the contexts and behaviors of communities living and working at human-animal-environment interfaces considered high-risk for virus emergence. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, PREDICT behavioral research aimed to identify and assess a range of socio-cultural behaviors that could be influential in zoonotic disease emergence, amplification, and transmission. This broad approach to behavioral risk characterization enabled us to identify and characterize human activities that could be linked to the transmission dynamics of new and emerging viruses. This paper provides a discussion of implementation of a social science approach within a zoonotic surveillance framework. We conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews and focus groups to better understand the individual- and community-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices that potentially put participants at risk for zoonotic disease transmission from the animals they live and work with, across 6 interface domains. When we asked highly-exposed individuals (ie. bushmeat hunters, wildlife or guano farmers) about the risk they perceived in their occupational activities, most did not perceive it to be risky, whether because it was normalized by years (or generations) of doing such an activity, or due to lack of information about potential risks. Integrating the social sciences allows investigations of the specific human activities that are hypothesized to drive disease emergence, amplification, and transmission, in order to better substantiate behavioral disease drivers, along with the social dimensions of infection and transmission dynamics. Understanding these dynamics is critical to achieving health security--the protection from threats to health-- which requires investments in both collective and individual health security. Involving behavioral sciences into zoonotic disease surveillance allowed us to push toward fuller community integration and engagement and toward dialogue and implementation of recommendations for disease prevention and improved health security

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Global scientific research output on sickle cell disease: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis of web of science publication

Sickle cell disease (SCD) remains a global public health problem in sub‐Saharan Africa and other countries. Limited information is available on the scientific research productivity on SCD. The study aims to assess the growth of global scientific research output on SCD and provide historical insights for a scientific research community. A bibliometric method was applied using the Web of Science (WoS) database from 1900 to 2020. Keywords terms: Title ‘sickle cell*’ OR ‘sickle cell anemia*’ were used. Fundamental bibliometric indicators were analyzed using HistCite, VOS-viewer, and “Bibliometrix app.” using R-studio cloud and SPSS version. 0.19.Search strategy retrieved 11917 documents, written by 31072 authors and published in 1813 prestigious journals, with an average of 27.34 citations per document, 2.8 collaboration index, and 2.61 authors per document. Blood, American and British Journals of Hematology are the most productive journals, and the most active author is Serjeant GR. The fund comes from the United States Department of Health Human Services, and the USA was the most productive country. ‘Anemia,’ ‘children,’ ‘disease,’ and management were the most credence keywords.‘Hematology’ and ‘General internal medicine’ were top WoS research categories. There is a significant (P<0.001) association between citations and the number of documents in the Journal, Year of publications, countries, authors. The study provides baseline information on research productivity and insights into the historical progressions on SCD globally. However, in Africa, where SCD is still a public health burden, there is a significant dearth of research

Prevalence and risk estimates of Cryptosporidium oocysts infection associated with consumption of raw-eaten vegetables in Maiduguri metropolis LGAs, Northeast Nigeria

Cryptosporidium is one of the most important protozoan parasitic pathogens, and it is a common cause of diarrhoea in humans, domestic animals, and wild vertebrates and has serious public health threats. A cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in raw-eaten vegetables in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) and Jere Local Government Areas (LGAs). A total of 400 samples were collected from four (4) different locations, namely Tashan Bama, Gomboru, and Monday Markets (n = 100), while fifty (n = 50) each from 202-Vegetable-Vendors and Unimaid Commercials. A total of 16 visits were conducted in all the sampling areas (twenty-five samples per visit). The Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected using the Modified Ziehl–Neelsen Staining Technique. The locations, sources, and types of raw-eaten vegetables were also assessed. The oocysts were confirmed (100×) as bright pink spherules. Data generated were analyzed using IBM-SPSS V23.0, and p ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Out of the total samples (n = 400) analyzed, cabbage appeared to have the highest number of 10 (12.5%) of Cryptosporidium oocysts detected, while Tomato and garden egg had 9 (11.3%) and 1 (1.2%), respectively. There was a statistically significant association (χ2 = 12.5, P = 0.014) between the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in raw-eaten vegetables and vegetable types. Among the sources of the vegetables sampled, Alau had the highest number of Cryptosporidium oocysts, 15 (12.5%), followed by Kilari-Abdullahi and Zabarmari sources with 4 (10.0%) and 4 (5.0%), respectively. However, Jetete appeared to have the least number 2 (2.5%) of oocysts, and there was a statistically significant association (χ2= 10.4, P = 0.034) between the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and the sources of vegetables and fruits. The study concludes that the raw-eaten vegetables sampled from Maiduguri Metropolis were contaminated with Cryptosporidium oocysts. The study recommends that all raw-eaten vegetables should be from cleaned sources and washed before consumption. Consumers should be enlightened on the hygienic measures in the food chain in line with the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles

Prevalence and risk estimates of Cryptosporidium oocysts infection associated with consumption of raw-eaten vegetables in Maiduguri metropolis LGAs, Northeast Nigeria

Abstract Cryptosporidium is one of the most important protozoan parasitic pathogens, and it is a common cause of diarrhoea in humans, domestic animals, and wild vertebrates and has serious public health threats. A cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in raw-eaten vegetables in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) and Jere Local Government Areas (LGAs). A total of 400 samples were collected from four (4) different locations, namely Tashan Bama, Gomboru, and Monday Markets (n = 100), while fifty (n = 50) each from 202-Vegetable-Vendors and Unimaid Commercials. A total of 16 visits were conducted in all the sampling areas (twenty-five samples per visit). The Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected using the Modified Ziehl–Neelsen Staining Technique. The locations, sources, and types of raw-eaten vegetables were also assessed. The oocysts were confirmed (100×) as bright pink spherules. Data generated were analyzed using IBM-SPSS V23.0, and p ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Out of the total samples (n = 400) analyzed, cabbage appeared to have the highest number of 10 (12.5%) of Cryptosporidium oocysts detected, while Tomato and garden egg had 9 (11.3%) and 1 (1.2%), respectively. There was a statistically significant association (χ2 = 12.5, P = 0.014) between the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in raw-eaten vegetables and vegetable types. Among the sources of the vegetables sampled, Alau had the highest number of Cryptosporidium oocysts, 15 (12.5%), followed by Kilari-Abdullahi and Zabarmari sources with 4 (10.0%) and 4 (5.0%), respectively. However, Jetete appeared to have the least number 2 (2.5%) of oocysts, and there was a statistically significant association (χ2= 10.4, P = 0.034) between the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and the sources of vegetables and fruits. The study concludes that the raw-eaten vegetables sampled from Maiduguri Metropolis were contaminated with Cryptosporidium oocysts. The study recommends that all raw-eaten vegetables should be from cleaned sources and washed before consumption. Consumers should be enlightened on the hygienic measures in the food chain in line with the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles