Progress on the implementation of environmental surveillance in the African Region, 2011-2016

Abstract

ObjectiveThis article summarises the progress made since the introduction of environmental surveillance in the African Region.MethodCountry selection was based on the poor AFP performance indicators i.e. Non polio AFP rate and stool adequacy. It was recommended that any country not meeting the required indicators should consider environmental surveillance activity as an additional tool to support AFP surveillance. The sites selection considered proximity to the target population, the size of the population to be sampled and the sensitivity of the sampling site.ResultsOne hundred and fifty three sites have been established in Africa since 2011. In 2011, Nigeria was first country to introduce environmental surveillance and currently with of 59 validated sites, followed by Kenya in 2013 validating and sampling 9 sites and Angola 4 active sites in 2014. In 2014, Cameroon introduced ES and 31 sites followed by Niger with 9 sites and Madagascar with 23 sites. Later in the same year, Chad introduced ES activity and 4 active sites were selected. In 2015 Senegal introduced 3 sites, Guinea and Burkina Faso introduced 4 sites each., and. In 2016, a total of 179 Sabins, 36 Sabin 2s, 196 non polio enteroviruses (NPEV) and 1 vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPV) were reported in Nigeria. Cameroon and Chad isolated 14 and 4 Sabins and 72 and 40 NPEV respectively. In Madagascar a total of 39 Sabins, 11 Sabin 2s and 277 NPEV were isolated. In other countries a majority of NPEV were isolated (data not shown).ConclusionThis report describes the progress and expansion of environmental surveillance that contributed to the identification of polioviruses from the environment and the interruption of wild poliovirus transmission in the African Region.

Contribution of Environmental Surveillance Toward Interruption of Poliovirus Transmission in Nigeria, 2012–2015

“…In conclusion, experience from Nigeria confirms that ES can detect the introduction and silent circulation of WPV and cVDPV [ 3 ]. Between 2012 and 2015, Nigeria made timely use of information from ES to trigger public health interventions that contributed to the progress made toward the interruption of poliovirus transmission.…”

“…Substantive progress has been made toward this goal, but further work is required [ 2 ]. The World Health Organization (WHO) strategy for monitoring wild polioviruses (WPVs) and mutated vaccine polioviruses, also known as “circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses” (cVDPVs), is to identify virus isolates from AFP cases and contacts [ 3 , 4 ]. The absence of paralytic cases of poliomyelitis is an unreliable marker of global polio eradication, and it must be accompanied by biological monitoring, especially in high-risk areas [ 4 ].…”

Overview of Polio Outbreak Response in Kenya, 2013 to 2015

“…The establishment aimed at collecting samples from drainage and sewage systems to compliment surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). Between 2012 and 2015, Nigeria made timely use of information from environmental surveillance to trigger public health interventions that contributed to the progress made toward the interruption of poliovirus transmission 10,11 . Experience from Nigeria confirms that ES can detect the introduction and silent circulation of WPV and cVDPV 12 .…”

Qualitative and quantitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in untreated wastewater in Western Cape Province, South Africa

“…Furthermore, it can be argued that benefits of investment in a WBE system in SA will reach beyond the current COVID-19 wave, as it may forewarn of future resurgences. To date, the screening of wastewater is recognised as an important tool for monitoring wild poliovirus and vaccine-derived polioviruses, [18,19] and there are opportunities to learn from polio wastewater surveillance to overcome potential logistic and operational issues for WBE of SARS-CoV-2. As such, our future planned studies will include regular sampling coupled with SARS-CoV-2 prevalence estimation.…”