Abstract
BackgroundSurveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI) in Central Africa began only recently, and few data are therefore available on the circulation of influenza virus and other respiratory viruses. In Gabon, a Central African country, we established a surveillance network in four major towns in order to analyze cases of ILI among patients who visited health centers between March 2010 and June 2011, and to determine the viral etiology.MethodsNasal swabs were sent for analysis to the Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, where they were screened for 17 respiratory viruses in a multiplex real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for all pathogens according the following pairs: adenovirus/parainfluenza virus 4, respiratory syncytial virus/human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus 1/parainfluenza virus 2, pandemic influenza virus A/seasonal influenza virus A (H1N1, H3N2)/seasonal influenza virus B, human coronaviruses 229E/OC43, human coronaviruses NL63/HKU1, rhinovirus/human parechovirus, and enterovirus/parainfluenza virus 3.ResultsWe analyzed a total of 1041 specimens, of which 639 (61%) were positive for at least one virus. Three-quarters of the patients were children under five years old. We therefore focused on this age group, in which 68.1% of patients were positive for at least one virus. The most common viruses were adenoviruses (17.5%), followed by parainfluenza viruses (PIVs) 1–4 (16.8%), enteroviruses (EV) (14.7%), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (13.5%), and influenza virus (11.9%). The prevalence of some viruses was subject to geographic and seasonal variations. One-third of positive samples contained more than one virus.ConclusionsLike most studies in the world, the virus PIVs, EV, RSV, Influenza virus, HRV were predominant among children under five years old in Gabon. An exception is made for adenoviruses which have a high prevalence in our study. However adenoviruses can be detected in asymptomatic persons. These finding gave a better knowledge of the circulation and the seasonality of the viruses involved in ILI in Gabon.
Highlights
Surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI) in Central Africa began only recently, and few data are available on the circulation of influenza virus and other respiratory viruses
In Gabon, a tropical Central African country, we have previously reported the circulation of influenza virus A (H1N1)pdm09 [24]
This study provides unique data on the circulation of viruses associated with upper respiratory tract infections in Gabon
Summary
Surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI) in Central Africa began only recently, and few data are available on the circulation of influenza virus and other respiratory viruses. Acute respiratory tract infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide [1]. Most such infections are due to viruses [2], which can provoke epidemics and, in some cases, pandemics. In November 2002 a novel coronavirus emerged in southern China, spread rapidly throughout world in 2003, affecting 25 countries across the five continents. This coronavirus, SARS-CoV (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus), affected 8000 people, of whom almost 800 died [3]. In August 2010, 214 countries and territories throughout the world reported 18 449 deaths from A(H1N1)pdm infection [8]
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