Short communication—Lessons learnt during the implementation of Unity‐aligned SARS‐CoV‐2 seroprevalence studies in Africa-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Short communication—Lessons learnt during the implementation of Unity‐aligned SARS‐CoV‐2 seroprevalence studies in Africa

Published:2023-08 Issue:8 Volume:17 Page:
ISSN:1750-2640
Container-title:Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses
language:en
Short-container-title:Influenza Resp Viruses

Author:

Farley Elise¹^ORCID,Okeibunor Joseph¹,Balde Thierno¹,Donkor Irene Owusu²^ORCID,Kleynhans Jackie³⁴^ORCID,Wamala Joseph Francis⁵,Kaboré Nongodo Firmin⁶,Balam Saidou⁷^ORCID,Chamla Dick¹,Braka Fiona¹,Subissi Lorenzo⁸^ORCID,Herring Belinda¹^ORCID,Whelan Mairead G.⁹^ORCID,Bergeri Isabel⁸^ORCID,Lewis Hannah C.⁸^ORCID

Affiliation:

1. World Health Organization, Africa Regional Office Brazzaville Republic of the Congo

2. Epidemiology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research University of Ghana Accra Ghana

3. Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service Johannesburg South Africa

4. School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa

5. World Health Organization Juba South Sudan

6. Centre MURAZ, Institut National de Santé Publique Bobo‐Dioulasso Burkina Faso

7. University Clinical Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Odonto‐Stomatology University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako Bamako Mali

8. World Health Organization, Head Quarters Geneva Switzerland

9. SeroTracker, Centre for Health Informatics, Cumming School of Medicine University of Calgary Calgary Canada

Abstract

AbstractThe WHO Unity Studies initiative engaged low‐ and middle‐income countries in the implementation of standardised SARS‐CoV‐2 sero‐epidemiological investigation protocols and timely sharing of comparable results for evidence‐based action. To gain a deeper understanding of the methodological challenges faced when conducting seroprevalence studies in the African region, we conducted unstructured interviews with key study teams in five countries. We discuss the challenges identified: participant recruitment and retention, sampling, sample and data management, data analysis and presentation. Potential solutions to aid future implementation include preparedness actions such as the development of new tools, robust planning and practice.

Publisher

Wiley

Subject

Infectious Diseases,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health,Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine,Epidemiology

Link

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/irv.13170

Reference14 articles.

1. Early epidemiological investigations: World Health Organization UNITY protocols provide a standardized and timely international investigation framework during the COVID‐19 pandemic

2. World Health Organization.Pandemic influenza special investigations and studies (IPSS). (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttps://www.who.int/influenza/surveillance_monitoring/influenza_pandemic_special_investigations/en/

3. World Health Organization (WHO).Strategic preparedness and response plan (SPRP) reporting Q4 Oct‐Dec FINAL.2021.

4. HennesseyK Pezzoli L Mantel C.A framework for seroepidemiologic investigations in future pandemics: insights from an evaluation of WHO's Unity Studies initiative 2023 PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square. doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs‐1789741/v1