Arbovirus and its potential to lead the next global pandemic from sub-Saharan Africa: What lessons have we learned from COVID-19?

Risk and predisposing factors for viral zoonoses abound in the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region with significant public health implications. For several decades, there have been several reports on the emergence and re-emergence of arbovirus infections. The lifetime burden of arboviral diseases in developing countries is still poorly understood. Studies indicate significant healthcare disruptions and economic losses attributed to the viruses in resource-poor communities marked by impairment in the performance of daily activities. Arboviruses have reportedly evolved survival strategies to aid their proliferation in favorable niches, further magnifying their public health relevance. However, there is poor knowledge about the viruses in the region. Thus, this review presents a survey of zoonotic arboviruses in SSA, the burden associated with their diseases, management of diseases as well as their prevention and control, mobility and determinants of infections, their vectors, and co-infection with various microorganisms. Lessons learned from the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic coupled with routine surveillance of zoonotic hosts for these viruses will improve our understanding of their evolution, their potential to cause a pandemic, control and prevention measures, and vaccine development.Copyright © GERMS 2022.

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on Antiretroviral Access at a Large Treatment Centre in Lagos, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has ravaged the world with significant implications on the socio-economic and health status of individuals. Several measures were put in place to curtail the pandemic especially movement restrictions. The effect of this pandemic and the restriction measures could further compound the health needs of PLWHA. This study thus described the trend in access to HIV/AIDS care services before and during the COVID-19 induced lockdown and the possible consequences on their treatment outcome. METHODS: A secondary analysis of client data was carried out at the HIV clinic of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research. The sociodemographic and clinical data [type of ART, duration on ART, clinical services 3-months before and during the COVID-19 induced Lockdown] were extracted from the electronic medical records. Data obtained was analyzed using the SPSS version 22.0. RESULTS: The median age of PLWHA was 45 years (IQR: 39-51), with the predominant age group being 25-49 years (65.4%). The majority were females (68.7%), married (59.5%), had at least secondary education (82.8%), and employed (81.5%). The median duration on ART was 102 months (IQR: 67-138) with the majority on non-Protease Inhibitor based regimen (77.7%). In the 3 months before the lockdown, there was an increase in drug pick-up of approximately 25% over the booked appointment compared to a decline of 40% when the lockdown was enacted. CONCLUSION: The significant decline in drug pick-up during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic raises the need for measures to ensure continued access to drugs and care among PLWHA.

INTRODUCTION: La pandémie de SRAS-CoV-2 a ravagé le monde avec des implications significatives sur l'état socio- économique et sanitaire. Plusieurs mesures ont été mises en place pour freiner la pandémie, en particulier la restriction des déplacements. L'effet de cette pandémie et les mesures de restriction pourraient encore aggraver les besoins de santé des PVVIH. Cette étude décrit ainsi la tendance des services de soins du VIH / SIDA avant et pendant le verrouillage induit par le COVID-19 et les conséquences possibles sur l'issue de leur traitement. MÉTHODES: Une étude transversale parmi les PVVIH fréquentant la clinique VIH de l'Institut nigérian de recherche médicale. Les données sociodémographiques et cliniques [type de TAR, durée de la TAR, services cliniques 3 mois avant et pendant le verrouillage induit par COVID-19] ont été extraites des dossiers médicaux électroniques. Les données obtenues ont été analysées à l'aide de la version 22.0 de SPSS. RÉSULTATS: L'âge médian des PVVIH était de 45 ans (IQR (39-51), le groupe d'âge prédominant étant 25-49 ans (65,4%). La majorité étaient des femmes (68,7%), mariées (59,5%), avaient au moins secondaire (82,8%) et employé (81,5%). La durée médiane des TAR était de 102 mois (IQR: 67-138), la majorité sous traitement sans inhibiteur de protéase (77,7%). Au cours des 3 mois précédant le verrouillage , il y a eu une augmentation de la cueillette de médicaments d'environ 25% par rapport au rendez-vous réservé, comparativement à une baisse de 40% lorsque le verrouillage a été décrété. CONCLUSION: La baisse significative de la collecte de médicaments pendant la pandémie de SRAS-CoV-2 fait ressortir la nécessité de prendre des mesures pour assurer un accès continu aux médicaments et aux soins parmi les PVVIH. Mots Clés: SRAS-CoV-2, antirétroviral, COVID-19, ramassage de médicaments, VIH, verrouillage.

Comparative Analysis of the Implication of Periods Before and During Vaccination of COVID-19 Infection in Some Regional Leading African Countries

There has been a high expectation about the efficacy of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. This research investigates and compares the efficiency of COVID-19 vaccines in five (5) African countries and evaluates the risk or preventive factors inherent in COVID-19 spread. Five different COVID-19 leading African countries in their respective regions (Nigeria, Ethiopia, South Africa, Morocco, and Cameroon) were considered in this study. Population sampling proportional to size concept was used to draw data for two periods (before and during COVID-19 vaccination). A sequential analysis approach was adopted, focusing on the estimates of some epidemiological metrics for the two distinct periods. Nigeria (a wet region) has the lowest risk of COVID-19 incidence during vaccination. The risk of being reported COVID-19 positive in South Africa (a high semi-arid region) is approximately 137 times the number in Nigeria. This study suggests that while vaccination has successfully reduced the case fatality rate in most countries considered except Ethiopia, infection and incidence rates increase during vaccination in all countries except Nigeria. Methods other than vaccination like wearing a face mask, washing hands, and avoiding large gatherings should be intensified to curtail incidence and infection rates. © 2022 Journal of the Nigerian Society of Physical Sciences. All rights reserved.

Climatic vagary and COVID-19 pandemic: influence on livestock production and household performance in South Western Nigeria. (Special Issue: Covid-19 and climate change.)

This research was aimed at investigating the recent climatic vagary on livestock production and household performance with the subsequent effect of COVID -19 pandemic in the South- Western Nigeria. Online survey was employed using a structured questionnaire as the test instrument. A total of 100 respondents was examined on how the recent climate change affect household performance, food consumption, farming (livestock production) with associated effects of COVID -19 pandemic. Data generated were subjected to descriptive statistics. Results depicted that 95.1% of respondents had tertiary education, 68.2% and 50.0% were male and self-employed, respectively. Majority (98.8%) of the respondents were aware of the recent effect of climate change on livestock and 77.9% had been victims of it. About 56.5% kept livestock under intensive system. It was observed that 90.7% confirmed severe effect of climate change on availability of feed and the price. About 43.5% and 32.1% indicated that recent climate change had severe effects on level of production and mortality respectively. Report on household performance showed that 61.6% engaged in farming, in which livestock was 33.3% and mixed farming was 38.6%. Severity of the effect of climate change was confirmed by 80% of the respondents with subsequent effect on price of food commodity (94%), with family level of production (78.8%) and cost of production (90.5%). Pandemic decreased effect on the purchasing power of respondents (54.7%) which equally affected the family food intake as confirmed by 73.6% and consequently affected the family protein consumption. It was observed that salary alone will not be enough to cope with future effect of pandemic but farming and side businesses are of vital values. These findings necessitate the adoption of agricultural production in every household to limit the effect of climatic change and financial crises posed by the pandemic. Conclusively, to curb the negative effect of climate change cum COVID-19 pandemic, agricultural practices should be encouraged among the youths and females to abate the impending food insecurity. Also, the rural agriculture should be encouraged through various agricultural aids to spur farmers' interest and boost their production potentials.