| Autor: |
Hungwe FTT; School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.; Department of Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden., Laycock KM; The Ryan White Center for Pediatric Infectious Disease and Global Health, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA., Ntereke TD; Botswana-University of Pennsylvania Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana., Mabaka R; School of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana., Paganotti GM; Botswana-University of Pennsylvania Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana.; Division of Infectious Diseases, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. |
| Abstrakt: |
Arboviruses are an existing and expanding threat globally, with the potential for causing devastating health and socioeconomic impacts. Mitigating this threat necessitates a One Health approach that integrates vector surveillance, rapid disease detection, and innovative prevention and control measures. In Southern Africa, limited data on the epidemiology of arboviruses, their vectors, and their hosts prevent an effective response. We reviewed the current knowledge on arboviruses in Southern Africa and identified opportunities for further research. A literature search was conducted to identify studies published on arboviruses in 10 tropical and temperate countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) from 1900 onward. We identified 280 studies, half (51.1%) originating from South Africa, that described 31 arboviral species, their vectors, and their clinical effects on hosts reported in the region. Arboviral research flourished in the SADC in the mid-20 th century but then declined, before reemerging in the last two decades. Recent research consists largely of case reports describing outbreaks. Historical vector surveillance and serosurveys from the mid-20 th century suggest that arboviruses are plentiful across Southern Africa, but large gaps remain in the current understanding of arboviral distribution, transmission dynamics, and public health impact. |
