Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1) in Cote d'Ivoire: health-care providers' knowledge of influenza and attitudes towards vaccination.

INTRODUCTION: During the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic (pH1N1), different methods were promoted to reduce the spread of influenza, including respiratory etiquette and vaccination. To identify knowledge gaps about influenza and to plan the vaccination campaign against the pandemic in Côte d'Ivoire, a survey was conducted among health-care providers (HCPs) to assess their knowledge about influenza and their willingness to be vaccinated. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional survey was performed in the city of Abidjan on 16-18 February 2010, in the three university teaching hospitals, a randomly selected general hospital, and two randomly selected private clinics. In face-to-face interviews, 383 health-care professionals were asked questions about their knowledge of influenza, means of influenza prevention, and their willingness to be vaccinated. Data analysis, both univariate and multivariate, was performed using SPSS. RESULTS: Willingness to be vaccinated against pH1N1 was 80% (n = 284), and 83% of the HCPs would recommend the vaccine to others. The respiratory mode of transmission of influenza was known by 85% (n = 295) of the participants and 50% (n = 174) believed that seasonal influenza virus and pH1N1 virus were different. In a multivariate model, the factors significantly associated with willingness to receive pH1N1vaccine were fear of pH1N1 disease (OR = 2.1; IC = 1.02-4.35), having only a high school education (OR = 8.28; IC = 2.04-33.60), and feeling at risk to contract pH1N1 (OR = 11.43; IC = 4.77-27.38). CONCLUSION: The willingness to be vaccinated against influenza A (H1N1) by health professionals is real.

Sentinel surveillance for influenza and other respiratory viruses in Côte d'Ivoire, 2003-2010.

BACKGROUND: Many countries in Africa have lacked sentinel surveillance systems for influenza and are under-represented in data used for global vaccine strain selection. OBJECTIVES: We describe 8 years of sentinel surveillance data and the contribution of influenza and other viruses to medically attended influenza-like illness (ILI) in Côte d'Ivoire. METHODS: Sentinel surveillance was established in 2003. Nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens and epidemiologic data are collected from persons of all ages presenting with ILI at sentinel sites. Respiratory specimens have been tested for influenza using various viral and molecular diagnostic methods. A subset of 470 specimens collected from children aged 0-5 years were tested for multiple respiratory viruses using RT-PCR. RESULTS: From 2003 to 2010, 5074 NP specimens were collected from patients with ILI. Overall, 969/5074 (19%) of these specimens tested positive for influenza. Seasonal influenza A(H1N1) viruses predominated during 5 years and influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominated during 3 years. Influenza B viruses cocirculated with influenza A viruses during each year from 2004 to 2010. Seasonal peaks in influenza circulation were observed during the months of May, June, and October, with the largest peak corresponding with the primary rainfall season. Of 470 specimens collected from children under aged 5 who were tested for multiple respiratory viruses, a viral respiratory pathogen was detected in 401/470 (85%) of specimens. Commonly detected viruses were RSV (113 of 470 specimens, 24%), rhinoviruses (85/470, 18%), influenza (77/470, 16%), and parainfluenza (75/470, 16%). CONCLUSION: In Côte d'Ivoire, there is a significant annual contribution of influenza and other respiratory viruses to medically attended ILI.