. 2021 Jul;15(4):495-505.

doi: 10.1111/irv.12818. Epub 2020 Nov 4.

Influenza surveillance capacity improvements in Africa during 2011-2017

Ledor S Igboh^{1

2}, Meredith McMorrow^{1

3}, Stefano Tempia^{1

4

5

6}, Gideon O Emukule⁷, Ndahwouh Talla Nzussouo^{1

5

8}, Margaret McCarron¹, Thelma Williams¹, Vashonia Weatherspoon¹, Ann Moen¹, Derrar Fawzi⁹, Richard Njouom¹⁰, Emmanuel Nakoune¹¹, Coulibaly Dauoda¹², Hugo Kavunga-Membo¹³, Mary Okeyo¹⁴, Jean-Michel Heraud¹⁵, Ivan Kiggundu Mambule¹⁶, Samba Ousmane Sow¹⁷, Almiro Tivane¹⁸, Adamou Lagare¹⁹, Adedeji Adebayo²⁰, Ndongo Dia²¹, Vida Mmbaga²², Issaka Maman²³, Julius Lutwama²⁴, Paul Simusika²⁵, Sibongile Walaza^{4

6

26}, Punam Mangtani², Patrick Nguipdop-Djomo², Cheryl Cohen^{4

6

26}, Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner¹; ANISE Network Working Group

Affiliations

¹ Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
² London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
³ Influenza Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pretoria, South Africa.
⁴ School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁵ MassGenics, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁶ National Influenza Center, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁷ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁸ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Accra, Ghana.
⁹ Institut Pasteur of Algeria, Algiers, Algeria.
¹⁰ Center Pasteur du Cameroon, Yaounde, Cameroon.
¹¹ Institut Pasteur d'Bangui, Bangui, Central African Republic.
¹² National Institute Public Hygiene/Ministry of Health, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
¹³ Institut National de Recherche Bio-medicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
¹⁴ National Public Health Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
¹⁵ Virology Unit, National Influenza Centre, Institute Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
¹⁶ Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi.
¹⁷ Central National Influenza Laboratory/Ministry of Health, Bamako, Mali.
¹⁸ Instituto Nacional de Saude, Moputo, Mozambique.
¹⁹ Center de Recherche Medicale et Sanitaire, Niamey, Niger.
²⁰ Nigeria Centers for Disease Control, Abuja, Nigeria.
²¹ Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal.
²² National Reference Laboratory, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
²³ National Influenza Reference Laboratory, Lome, Togo.
²⁴ Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda.
²⁵ National Influenza Center, University of Zambia Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.
²⁶ Centre for Respiratory Disease and Meningitis, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa.

PMID: 33150650
PMCID: PMC8189239
DOI: 10.1111/irv.12818

Influenza surveillance capacity improvements in Africa during 2011-2017

Ledor S Igboh et al. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2021 Jul.

. 2021 Jul;15(4):495-505.

doi: 10.1111/irv.12818. Epub 2020 Nov 4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
² London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
³ Influenza Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pretoria, South Africa.
⁴ School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁵ MassGenics, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁶ National Influenza Center, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁷ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁸ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Accra, Ghana.
⁹ Institut Pasteur of Algeria, Algiers, Algeria.
¹⁰ Center Pasteur du Cameroon, Yaounde, Cameroon.
¹¹ Institut Pasteur d'Bangui, Bangui, Central African Republic.
¹² National Institute Public Hygiene/Ministry of Health, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
¹³ Institut National de Recherche Bio-medicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
¹⁴ National Public Health Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
¹⁵ Virology Unit, National Influenza Centre, Institute Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
¹⁶ Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi.
¹⁷ Central National Influenza Laboratory/Ministry of Health, Bamako, Mali.
¹⁸ Instituto Nacional de Saude, Moputo, Mozambique.
¹⁹ Center de Recherche Medicale et Sanitaire, Niamey, Niger.
²⁰ Nigeria Centers for Disease Control, Abuja, Nigeria.
²¹ Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal.
²² National Reference Laboratory, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
²³ National Influenza Reference Laboratory, Lome, Togo.
²⁴ Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda.
²⁵ National Influenza Center, University of Zambia Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.
²⁶ Centre for Respiratory Disease and Meningitis, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa.

PMID: 33150650
PMCID: PMC8189239
DOI: 10.1111/irv.12818

Abstract

Background: Influenza surveillance helps time prevention and control interventions especially where complex seasonal patterns exist. We assessed influenza surveillance sustainability in Africa where influenza activity varies and external funds for surveillance have decreased.

Methods: We surveyed African Network for Influenza Surveillance and Epidemiology (ANISE) countries about 2011-2017 surveillance system characteristics. Data were summarized with descriptive statistics and analyzed with univariate and multivariable analyses to quantify sustained or expanded influenza surveillance capacity in Africa.

Results: Eighteen (75%) of 24 ANISE members participated in the survey; their cumulative population of 710 751 471 represent 56% of Africa's total population. All 18 countries scored a mean 95% on WHO laboratory quality assurance panels. The number of samples collected from severe acute respiratory infection case-patients remained consistent between 2011 and 2017 (13 823 vs 13 674 respectively) but decreased by 12% for influenza-like illness case-patients (16 210 vs 14 477). Nine (50%) gained capacity to lineage-type influenza B. The number of countries reporting each week to WHO FluNet increased from 15 (83%) in 2011 to 17 (94%) in 2017.

Conclusions: Despite declines in external surveillance funding, ANISE countries gained additional laboratory testing capacity and continued influenza testing and reporting to WHO. These gains represent important achievements toward sustainable surveillance and epidemic/pandemic preparedness.

Keywords: ANISE; Africa; capacity; influenza; surveillance.

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Figures

**FIGURE 1**
Countries participating in the influenza surveillance in Africa analysis

**FIGURE 2**
Funding sources for influenza surveillance in Africa member countries, 2011–2017

**FIGURE 3**
Funding trend in surveillance allocation from 2011 to 2017

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Influenza surveillance capacity improvements in Africa during 2011-2017

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Influenza surveillance capacity improvements in Africa during 2011-2017

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