Summary What is already known about this topic?Public health laboratories(PHLs)are critical for effectively identifying,detecting,preventing,and responding to emerging and reemerging infectious diseases.Following the ...Summary What is already known about this topic?Public health laboratories(PHLs)are critical for effectively identifying,detecting,preventing,and responding to emerging and reemerging infectious diseases.Following the 2014 Ebola outbreak,Sierra Leone implemented a national laboratory strategic plan(2015–2020)aimed at creating,strengthening,and maintaining laboratory capacities for detecting,assessing,notifying,and reporting incidents,with a requirement to review PHL capabilities every five years.展开更多
Background Anthrax,a zoonotic disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis,remains a major global public health concern,especially in countries with limited resources.Sierra Leone,a West African co...Background Anthrax,a zoonotic disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis,remains a major global public health concern,especially in countries with limited resources.Sierra Leone,a West African country historically plagued by anthrax,has almost been out of report on this disease in recent decades.In this study,we described a large-scale anthrax outbreak affecting both animals and humans and attempted to characterize the path-ogenusingmoleculartechniques.Methods The causative agent of the animal outbreak in Port Loko District,Sierra Leone,between March and May 2022 was identified using the nanopore sequencing technique.A nationwide active surveillance was implemented from May 2022 to June 2023 to monitor the occurrence of anthrax-specific symptoms in humans.Suspected cases were subsequently verified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Full-genome sequencing was accomplished by combining long-read and short-read sequencing methods.Subsequent phylogenetic analysis was performed based on the full-chromosome single nucleotide polymorphisms.Results The outbreak in Port Loko District,Sierra Leone,led to the death of 233 animals between March 26th and May 16th,2022.We ruled out the initial suspicion of Anaplasma species and successfully identified B.anthracis as the causative agent of the outbreak.As a result of the government's prompt response,out of the 49 suspected human cases identifed during the one-year active surveillance,only 6 human cases tested positive,all within the frst month after the official declaration of the outbreak.The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the BaSL2022 isolate responsible for the outbreak was positioned in the A.Br.153 clade within the TransEuroAsian group of B.anthracis.Conclusions We successfully identifed a large-scale anthrax outbreak in Sierra Leone.The causative isolate of B.anthracis,BaSL2022,phylogenetically bridged other lineages in A.Br.153 clade and neighboring genetic groups,A.Br.144 and A.Br.148,eventually confirming the spillover of anthrax from West Africa.Given the wide dissemination of B.anthracis spores,it is highly advisable to effectively monitor the potential reoccurrence of anthrax outbreaks and to launch campaigns to improve public awareness regarding anthrax in Sierra Leone.展开更多
The onset of the Ebola outbreak in 2014 originated in Guinea and proceeded to swiftly reach Sierra Leone and Liberia(1).Unfortunately,these nations were critically deficient in their capacity for pathogenic testing an...The onset of the Ebola outbreak in 2014 originated in Guinea and proceeded to swiftly reach Sierra Leone and Liberia(1).Unfortunately,these nations were critically deficient in their capacity for pathogenic testing and diagnostics,the availability of healthcare workers,and their supply of epidemic prevention materials,thereby impeding their ability to address the outbreak efficiently(2).This grave scenario underscored the need for support from the worldwide community.展开更多
What is already known about this topic?Antibiotic resistance(AR)is a serious public health threat worldwide.However,the AR and antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs)data from West Africa,especially from Sierra Leone,are li...What is already known about this topic?Antibiotic resistance(AR)is a serious public health threat worldwide.However,the AR and antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs)data from West Africa,especially from Sierra Leone,are limited.What is added by this report?The study revealed ARGs’common dissemination,and multiplex antibiotic resistance genes in one sample.Genes blaNDM and blaOXA-48-like were first discovered in Sierra Leone.What are the implications for public health practice?Basic information is provided for AR research and surveillance and highlights that effective AR surveillance among diarrhea patients is necessary for Sierra Leone and West Africa.展开更多
基金Supported by the pilot project on building capacity of malaria molecular lab epidemiology network in Sierra Leone(INV-003421)and Peking University School of Public Health.The funders had no role in data collection or reporting.
文摘Summary What is already known about this topic?Public health laboratories(PHLs)are critical for effectively identifying,detecting,preventing,and responding to emerging and reemerging infectious diseases.Following the 2014 Ebola outbreak,Sierra Leone implemented a national laboratory strategic plan(2015–2020)aimed at creating,strengthening,and maintaining laboratory capacities for detecting,assessing,notifying,and reporting incidents,with a requirement to review PHL capabilities every five years.
文摘Background Anthrax,a zoonotic disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis,remains a major global public health concern,especially in countries with limited resources.Sierra Leone,a West African country historically plagued by anthrax,has almost been out of report on this disease in recent decades.In this study,we described a large-scale anthrax outbreak affecting both animals and humans and attempted to characterize the path-ogenusingmoleculartechniques.Methods The causative agent of the animal outbreak in Port Loko District,Sierra Leone,between March and May 2022 was identified using the nanopore sequencing technique.A nationwide active surveillance was implemented from May 2022 to June 2023 to monitor the occurrence of anthrax-specific symptoms in humans.Suspected cases were subsequently verified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Full-genome sequencing was accomplished by combining long-read and short-read sequencing methods.Subsequent phylogenetic analysis was performed based on the full-chromosome single nucleotide polymorphisms.Results The outbreak in Port Loko District,Sierra Leone,led to the death of 233 animals between March 26th and May 16th,2022.We ruled out the initial suspicion of Anaplasma species and successfully identified B.anthracis as the causative agent of the outbreak.As a result of the government's prompt response,out of the 49 suspected human cases identifed during the one-year active surveillance,only 6 human cases tested positive,all within the frst month after the official declaration of the outbreak.The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the BaSL2022 isolate responsible for the outbreak was positioned in the A.Br.153 clade within the TransEuroAsian group of B.anthracis.Conclusions We successfully identifed a large-scale anthrax outbreak in Sierra Leone.The causative isolate of B.anthracis,BaSL2022,phylogenetically bridged other lineages in A.Br.153 clade and neighboring genetic groups,A.Br.144 and A.Br.148,eventually confirming the spillover of anthrax from West Africa.Given the wide dissemination of B.anthracis spores,it is highly advisable to effectively monitor the potential reoccurrence of anthrax outbreaks and to launch campaigns to improve public awareness regarding anthrax in Sierra Leone.
文摘The onset of the Ebola outbreak in 2014 originated in Guinea and proceeded to swiftly reach Sierra Leone and Liberia(1).Unfortunately,these nations were critically deficient in their capacity for pathogenic testing and diagnostics,the availability of healthcare workers,and their supply of epidemic prevention materials,thereby impeding their ability to address the outbreak efficiently(2).This grave scenario underscored the need for support from the worldwide community.
基金Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2020YFE 0205700,2022YFC2303900)the major projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22193064).
文摘What is already known about this topic?Antibiotic resistance(AR)is a serious public health threat worldwide.However,the AR and antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs)data from West Africa,especially from Sierra Leone,are limited.What is added by this report?The study revealed ARGs’common dissemination,and multiplex antibiotic resistance genes in one sample.Genes blaNDM and blaOXA-48-like were first discovered in Sierra Leone.What are the implications for public health practice?Basic information is provided for AR research and surveillance and highlights that effective AR surveillance among diarrhea patients is necessary for Sierra Leone and West Africa.
