Epidemiology of Neglected Viral and Bacterial Diseases in the Mbeya Region
Purpose
NVBD (Epidemiology of Neglected Viral and Bacterial Diseases in the Mbeya Region) is a substudy of the EMINI project. Within NVBD, 1300 blood samples from selected EMINI participants are examined to establish epidemiological data on six arbovirus infections (Chikungunya, Dengue, Yellow Fever, Rift Valley Fever, O' nyong nyong), as well on bacterial zoonotic diseases which affect human health as well as lifestock breeding success. Among the latter are Plague, Rickettsioses and Brucellosis.
Approach
1300 blood samples have been examined for antibodies against the mentioned diseases. Sera from febrile patients will be selected and further examined by nucleic acid amplification methods and viral culture to detect the pathogens.
Results: High seropositivity rates have been detected for Chikungunya, Flaviviridae and Rift Valley Fever from sites with a proximity to large water bodies.
Sponsors: the study is sponsored by the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). EMINI is sponsored by EU-AIDCO.
Partners: Gerhard Dobler, MD, Bundeswehr (German Federal Armed Forces) Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
MMRC:Co-Principal Investigator: Nyanda Elias, MD
Munich: Principal Investigator: Norbert Heinrich
Collaborators: Nina Weller, Tatjana Dill
Publications
Weller N: Epidemiology of Neglected Arthropod-Borne Viral Diseases in the Mbeya Region,
South Western Tanzania; poster presentation at NIMR conference, Arusha 2010,
Dobler G: Seroprevalence of Antibodies Against Rift Valley Fever Virus in Humans in Southwestern Tanzania, poster presentation at American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene meeting, Atlanta 2010,
Dobler G: Seroprevalence of Antibodies Against Rickettsiae of the Spotted Fever Group and of the Typhus Group in Humans in Southwestern Tanzania, American Society of Rickettsiology Meeting, Stevenson, 2010
