Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Outbreak in Refugee Settlement during COVID-19 Pandemic, Uganda, April 2021

Prevalence and contributors to anaemia among children aged 6 to 59 months in Kyangwali Refugee settlement, Western Uganda: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Anaemia is a major cause of morbidity among children under five years in Uganda. However, its magnitude among refugee populations is marginally documented. In this study, the prevalence and contributors to anaemia among children 6 to 59 months in Kyangwali refugee settlement in Western Uganda was determined.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study that was carried out among 415 mother- child dyads at Kwangwali refugee settlement. Anaemia was determined by measuring haemoglobin concentration using the HaemoCue method, while nutritional status was examined using standard World Health Organisation (WHO) nutritional indices. Data abstraction forms, pretested questionnaires and face to face interviews were used to collect patient data. Associations between the independent variables and anaemia were examined using modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors. In all statistical tests, a P- value of < 0.05 was considered as significant.

RESULTS

The proportion of children with anaemia was 49.2% (95% CI: 44.4-53.9). Anaemia was 1.4 times (95% CI = 1.13-1.82; p = 0.003) more prevalent among wasted children than the normal children. The prevalence of anaemia was also higher among underweight children than those with normal weight (aPR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.11-1.70; p = 0.004). Additionally, the prevalence of anaemia was higher among children of birth order of 6 or above (aPR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.22-3.29; p = 0.006), while anaemia prevalence was lower among children whose mothers' had attained secondary level of education (aPR = 0.19, CI = 0.04-0.98; p = 0.048) and those who fed on fish (aPR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.57-0.99; p = 0.039) and meals prepared with oils and fats (aPR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.51-0.97; p = 0.029). There was no significant relationship between anaemia occurrence and the household dietary diversity score.

CONCLUSIONS

About half of the study children were found to be anaemic. The most significant contributors to anaemia in the study population were malnutrition, maternal education, feeding practices and birth order. The study findings suggest need of screening of children for anaemia at all nutritional clinics, promotion of education, addressing barriers to sustainable food supply and accessibility of nutrient-dense foods, treating anaemia in children alongside other micronutrient deficiencies and addressing the nutritional needs of multiparous mothers in refugee communities.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever cases diagnosed during an outbreak of Sudan virus disease in Uganda, 2022-23

BACKGROUND

In September 2022, Uganda experienced an outbreak of Sudan virus disease (SVD), mainly in central Uganda. As a result of enhanced surveillance activities for Ebola disease, samples from several patients with suspected viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) were sent to the VHF Program at Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Entebbe, Uganda, and identified with infections caused by other viral etiologies. Herein, we report the epidemiologic and laboratory findings of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) cases that were detected during the SVD outbreak response.

METHODOLOGY

Whole blood samples from VHF suspected cases were tested for Sudan virus (SUDV) by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR); and if negative, were tested for CCHF virus (CCHFV) by RT-PCR. CCHFV genomic sequences generated by metagenomic next generation sequencing were analyzed to ascertain strain relationships.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Between September 2022 and January 2023, a total of 2,626 samples were submitted for VHF testing at UVRI. Overall, 13 CCHF cases (including 7 deaths; case fatality rate of 53.8%), aged 4 to 60 years, were identified from 10 districts, including several districts affected by the SVD outbreak. Four cases were identified within the Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) at Mubende Hospital. Most CCHF cases were males engaged in livestock farming or had exposure to wildlife (n = 8; 61.5%). Among confirmed cases, the most common clinical symptoms were hemorrhage (n = 12; 92.3%), fever (n = 11; 84.6%), anorexia (n = 10; 76.9%), fatigue (n = 9; 69.2%), abdominal pain (n = 9; 69.2%) and vomiting (n = 9; 69.2%). Sequencing analysis showed that the majority of identified CCHFV strains belonged to the Africa II clade previously identified in Uganda. Two samples, however, were identified with greater similarity to a CCHFV strain that was last reported in Uganda in 1958, suggesting possible reemergence.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

Identifying CCHFV from individuals initially suspected to be infected with SUDV emphasizes the need for comprehensive VHF testing during filovirus outbreak responses in VHF endemic countries. Without expanded testing, CCHFV-infected patients would have posed a risk to health care workers and others while receiving treatment after a negative filovirus diagnosis, thereby complicating response dynamics. Additionally, CCHFV-infected cases could acquire an Ebola infection while in the ETU, and upon release because of a negative Ebola virus result, have the potential to spread these infections in the community.

Spatial prediction of Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus seroprevalence among livestock in Uganda

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a viral disease that can infect humans via contact with tick vectors or livestock reservoirs and can cause moderate to severe disease. The first human case of CCHF in Uganda was identified in 2013. To determine the geographic distribution of the CCHF virus (CCHFV), serosampling among herds of livestock was conducted in 28 Uganda districts in 2017. A geostatistical model of CCHF seroprevalence among livestock was developed to incorporate environmental and anthropogenic variables associated with elevated CCHF seroprevalence to predict CCHF seroprevalence on a map of Uganda and estimate the probability that CCHF seroprevalence exceeded 30% at each prediction location. Environmental and anthropogenic variables were also analyzed in separate models to determine the spatially varying drivers of prediction and determine which covariate class resulted in best prediction certainty. Covariates used in the full model included distance to the nearest croplands, average annual change in night-time light index, percent sand soil content, land surface temperature, and enhanced vegetation index. Elevated CCHF seroprevalence occurred in patches throughout the country, being highest in northern Uganda. Environmental covariates drove predicted seroprevalence in the full model more than anthropogenic covariates. Combination of environmental and anthropogenic variables resulted in the best prediction certainty. An understanding of the spatial distribution of CCHF across Uganda and the variables that drove predictions can be used to prioritize specific locations and activities to reduce the risk of future CCHF transmission.