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. 2020 Apr 20;9(4):301.
doi: 10.3390/pathogens9040301.

Systematic Review of Important Viral Diseases in Africa in Light of the 'One Health' Concept

Ravendra P Chauhan  1 , Zelalem G Dessie  2   3 , Ayman Noreddin  4   5 , Mohamed E El Zowalaty  4   6   7
Affiliations

Systematic Review of Important Viral Diseases in Africa in Light of the 'One Health' Concept

Ravendra P Chauhan et al. Pathogens. .

Abstract

Emerging and re-emerging viral diseases are of great public health concern. The recent emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) related coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in December 2019 in China, which causes COVID-19 disease in humans, and its current spread to several countries, leading to the first pandemic in history to be caused by a coronavirus, highlights the significance of zoonotic viral diseases. Rift Valley fever, rabies, West Nile, chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Ebola, and influenza viruses among many other viruses have been reported from different African countries. The paucity of information, lack of knowledge, limited resources, and climate change, coupled with cultural traditions make the African continent a hotspot for vector-borne and zoonotic viral diseases, which may spread globally. Currently, there is no information available on the status of virus diseases in Africa. This systematic review highlights the available information about viral diseases, including zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, reported in Africa. The findings will help us understand the trend of emerging and re-emerging virus diseases within the African continent. The findings recommend active surveillance of viral diseases and strict implementation of One Health measures in Africa to improve human public health and reduce the possibility of potential pandemics due to zoonotic viruses.

Keywords: Africa; COVID-19; Ebola; Rift Valley fever virus; SARS-CoV-2; West Nile virus; avian influenza; coronaviruses; dengue; emerging; epidemiology; hemorrhagic fever; infectious diseases; influenza A virus; monkeypox; one health; pandemic; rabies; re-emerging; simian immunodeficiency; vector-borne; virus; zoonosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

M.E.E.Z. is a team member of Duke One Health, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA. M.E.E.Z. was awarded a subcontract research grant funded by NIAID and St. Jude CEIRS (contract no. HHSN272201400008C) to conduct influenza research. M.E.E.Z. was awarded a CEIRS Program at St. Jude CEIRS in St. Jude Children Research Hospital under same contract. The other co-authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) flowchart illustrates the search strategy and selection process of the articles published until 25 September 2019 that were used in the present study. Based on the search criteria, a total of 8625 articles were identified, which were further refined as described in the PRISMA flowchart. Therefore, finally, 233 English language full-text articles were used for this systematic review.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The overall frequency distribution of viral diseases in Africa in selected publications until September 2019.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Map of Africa showing vector-borne and zoonotic virus diseases in selected scientific literature from Africa until September 2019.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The overall frequency distribution of viral diseases in East Africa in selected publications until September 2019.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Frequency distribution of viral diseases in Kenya in selected publications.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Frequency distribution of viral diseases in Uganda in selected publications.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Frequency distribution of viral diseases in Zambia in selected publications.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Frequency distribution of viral diseases in Zimbabwe in selected publications.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Frequency distribution of viral diseases in Cote d’Ivoire in selected publications.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Frequency distribution of viral diseases in Nigeria in selected publications.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Distribution of virus diseases in West Africa in selected publications.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Distribution of virus diseases in Cameroon in selected publications.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Distribution of virus diseases in central Africa in selected publications.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Distribution of virus diseases in Egypt in selected publications.
Figure 15
Figure 15
Distribution of virus diseases in North Africa in selected publications.
Figure 16
Figure 16
Distribution of virus diseases in South Africa in selected publications.
Figure 17
Figure 17
Distribution of virus diseases in Southern African countries in selected publications.
Figure 18
Figure 18
Distribution of virus diseases in African countries in bat species in selected publications.
Figure 19
Figure 19
Distribution of virus diseases in African countries in cattle in selected publications.
Figure 20
Figure 20
Distribution of virus diseases in African countries in equine in selected publications.
Figure 21
Figure 21
Distribution of virus diseases in African countries in pigs in selected publications.
Figure 22
Figure 22
Distribution of virus diseases in African countries in sheep in selected publications.
Figure 23
Figure 23
Distribution of reported virus diseases in humans in African countries in selected publications.
Figure 24
Figure 24
Distribution of the reported virus diseases in African countries before the year 2000 in selected publications.
Figure 25
Figure 25
Distribution of the reported virus diseases in African countries between 2000 and 2010 in selected publications.
Figure 26
Figure 26
Distribution of the reported virus diseases in African countries after the year 2010 in selected publications.
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