Combating infectious diseases in the Pacific Islands: sentinel surveillance, environmental health, and geospatial tools

Lau, Colleen L.

doi:10.1515/reveh-2014-0028

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 20 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The Oceania region includes Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands Countries and Territories (PICTs), these latter all falling within the tropics. Poverty, remoteness and tropical climate all contribute to vulnerability to, and significant burden of, infectious diseases in the PICTs [ 17 ]. Global emergence of leptospirosis has been associated with environmental factors including rainfall, flooding, poverty, and urbanization [ 18 – 20 ], all of which are important drivers of transmission in the Pacific Islands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review of human and animal leptospirosis in the Pacific Islands reveals pathogen and reservoir diversity

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundThe Pacific Islands have environmental conditions highly favourable for transmission of leptospirosis, a neglected zoonosis with highest incidence in the tropics, and Oceania in particular. Recent reports confirm the emergence and outbreaks of leptospirosis in the Pacific Islands, but the epidemiology and drivers of transmission of human and animal leptospirosis are poorly documented, especially in the more isolated and less developed islands.Methodology/Principal findingsWe conducted a systematic review of human and animal leptospirosis within 25 Pacific Islands (PIs) in Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, as well as Easter Island and Hawaii. We performed a literature search using four international databases for articles published between January 1947 and June 2017. We further included grey literature available on the internet. We identified 148 studies describing leptospirosis epidemiology, but the number of studies varied significantly between PIs. No data were available from four PIs. Human leptospirosis has been reported from 13 PIs, with 63% of all studies conducted in Hawaii, French Polynesia and New Caledonia. Animal leptospirosis has been investigated in 19 PIs and from 14 host species, mainly pigs (18% of studies), cattle (16%) and dogs (11%). Only 13 studies provided information on both human and animal leptospirosis from the same location. Serology results were highly diverse in the region, both in humans and animals.Conclusions/SignificanceOur study suggests that, as in other tropical regions, leptospirosis is widespread in the PIs while showing some epidemiological heterogeneity. Data are scarce or absent from many PIs. Rodents, cattle, pigs and dogs are all likely to be important carriers, but the relative importance of each animal species in human infection needs to be clarified. Epidemiological surveys with appropriate sampling design, pathogen typing and data analysis are needed to improve our understanding of transmission patterns and to develop effective intervention strategies.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review of human and animal leptospirosis in the Pacific Islands reveals pathogen and reservoir diversity

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Infectious diseases are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in the Pacific Islands, including the Samoan Islands 10 – 13 . Travel between the islands is likely to be a major driver of the spread of IDTEs in the region, but there are currently few empirical data available on travel and migration patterns, or assessment of use of such data to inform models of the spread of infectious diseases in the region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The extensive networks of frequent population mobility in the Samoan Islands and their implications for infectious disease transmission

Lau

Zhou

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Population mobility has been demonstrated to contribute to the persistent transmission and global diffusion of epidemics. In the Pacific Islands, population mobility is particularly important for emerging infectious diseases, disease elimination programs, and diseases spread by close contact. The extent of population mobility between American Samoa villages, Samoa districts and other countries was investigated based on travel data collected during community surveys in American Samoa in 2010 and 2014. Within American Samoa, workers commuted daily across the whole of the main island of Tutuila, with work hubs drawing from villages across the island. Of the 670 adult workers surveyed, 37% had traveled overseas in the past year, with 68% of trips to Samoa. Of children aged 8–13 years (n = 337), 57% had traveled overseas, with 55% of trips to Samoa. An extensive network of connections between American Samoa villages and Samoa districts was demonstrated, with most trips lasting one week to one month. Our study showed that populations in the Samoan islands are highly mobile, and quantified the extent and destinations of their travels. Our findings offer insight into the impact of population mobility on the transmission of infectious diseases and data to refine existing models of disease transmission in the Pacific islands.

show abstract

“…Leptospirosis is responsible for 2.9 million disability-adjusted life-years per annum, with a preponderant occurrence among low- and middle-income tropical countries and male subjects [2]. The burden of leptospirosis is underestimated because of the high proportion of subclinical and asymptomatic infections, lack of notification systems and poor access to accurate laboratory diagnosis in low- and middle-income countries [1], [14], [15], [16]. In 2009 the World Health Organization created the Leptospirosis Burden Epidemiology Reference Group, with the goal of conducting research and developing policies targeted towards decreasing the burden of leptospirosis [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pacific islands have highly favourable environmental conditions for the transmission of leptospirosis: hot and humid tropical and subtropical climate with high rainfall, recurrent flooding, poverty, urbanization, local lifestyle (barefoot walking, swimming) and occupational activities [15]. Knowledge of the global burden of leptospirosis in the Pacific region remains incomplete, principally because of the lack of laboratory capacity to confirm cases.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leptospirosis in French Polynesia: 11 years of surveillance data, 2007–2017

Bouscaren

Coignac²,

Lastère

et al. 2019

New Microbes and New Infections

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis with higher incidence in tropical areas and is a neglected disease in the Pacific region. French Polynesia (FP) is a French overseas territory located in the South Pacific. Data on the epidemiology in FP are scarce. In this study, we describe our understanding of leptospirosis epidemiology in FP and discuss the prospects concerning this disease and its surveillance to better address preventive actions. We report 11 years of surveillance data between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2017. Over the study period, 1356 confirmed and probable leptospirosis cases were reported. The mean annual incidence rate was 46.0 (95% confidence interval, 43.6–48.5) cases per 100 000 inhabitants. We registered 864 (63.7%) hospitalizations; of these, at least 270 (19.9%) were in the intensive care unit, and 24 patients (1.8%) died. Even if the incidence of leptospirosis is lower in FP compared to most of other Pacific countries and territories, our data confirm that the disease is highly endemic in FP. Despite all the preventive measures taken, leptospirosis remains a major public health concern in FP, thus highlighting the need to maintain intensive leptospirosis surveillance, medical staff training and provision of information to the general population.

show abstract

Combating infectious diseases in the Pacific Islands: sentinel surveillance, environmental health, and geospatial tools

Cited by 7 publications

References 20 publications

A systematic review of human and animal leptospirosis in the Pacific Islands reveals pathogen and reservoir diversity

A systematic review of human and animal leptospirosis in the Pacific Islands reveals pathogen and reservoir diversity

The extensive networks of frequent population mobility in the Samoan Islands and their implications for infectious disease transmission

Leptospirosis in French Polynesia: 11 years of surveillance data, 2007–2017

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About