One health outlook最新文献

{"title":"Spatial and temporal risk mapping of human and porcine Taenia solium infections in Malawi: a systematic review and geostatistical approach.","authors":"Nicholas Ngwili, Upile Kachepa, Salaviriuse Ahimbisibwe, Max Korir, Mercy Chavula, Catherine Wood, John Chiphwanya, Holystone Kafanikhale, Camille Glazer, Lazarus Juziwelo, Pemphero Munkhondia-Phiri, Janelisa Musaya, Lian Francesca Thomas, Matthew A Dixon","doi":"10.1186/s42522-026-00199-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42522-026-00199-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: Taenia solium, colloquially called the pork tapeworm, is a zoonotic parasite with a human definitive host and a porcine intermediate host. Humans can become an aberrant intermediate host due to accidental ingestion of parasite eggs from the environment or through autoinfection, resulting in human cysticercosis (HCC), or neurocysticercosis (NCC) if the central nervous system is infected. Pigs become infected with the larval stage, porcine cysticercosis (PCC), through the ingestion of parasite eggs shed by humans through defecation. Malawi has been classified as endemic for T. solium by the WHO based on the presence of key risk factors; however, the subnational distribution is not known. To ensure the appropriate resources are mobilized to support targeted future T. solium control measures in Malawi, there is a need to understand the variation in T. solium endemicity status across the country. METHODS: The current study uses a systematic literature review (SLR) using a pre-registered protocol; (PROSPERO CRD42023411044) to collate all available evidence on T. solium in Malawi. A geospatial risk mapping approach was conducted based on data from Malawi Demographic and Health Surveys (MDHS), and pig density data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) database to create geospatial risk maps of endemic subnational areas for 2000, 2004, 2010, and 2016. To create a single composite risk factor map for the four years from the MDHS, each parameter was plotted as a binary variable with the high or low risk categories and overlaid into a single composite risk factor classification. Additional data from hospital records on NCC and meat inspection records across several Agricultural Development Divisions (ADDs) were also collected. RESULTS: A total of 9 studies were identified through the SLR, with 8 studies focused on HCC, including one study studying both HCC and PCC, and one study on PCC. The review of the hospital reports captured 38 reports of NCC, with the cases being from around the location of the two major hospitals. PCC rates in slaughter animals substantially varied among the six ADDs, with the highest rates being in Mzuzu ADD, with 3.7 cases per 100 ps-years-1, and in Salima ADD, with 4.5 cases 100 ps-years-1. Geospatial risk mapping results for the years 2000 to 2016 indicated that PCC risk factors exhibited substantial geographic and temporal variation. Areas at highest risk, with the presence of all three risk factors, were predominantly found in the central and southern districts of Malawi across years. High pig density and poverty in combination were evident across Malawi in 2000; however, these areas declined in northern districts between 2004 and 2016 while remaining consistent in central districts. The combined map from the four data streams did not provide validation for the risk maps but provided more robust evidence about the potential endemicity of the parasite in Malawi. CONCLUSIONS: Most studies identified fr","PeriodicalId":94348,"journal":{"name":"One health outlook","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13003702/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147438983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiology and risk factors in a scrub typhus cluster in Odisha, India, 2023: Investigating with a One Health approach.","authors":"Arushi Ghai, Dhanalaxmi Lolach Balaga, Srividya K Vedachalam, Sushma Choudhary, Kahnu Charan Nayak, Manisha Biswal, Taruna Kaura, Abhishek Mewara, Meenakshi Rana, Tanzin Dikid","doi":"10.1186/s42522-026-00200-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42522-026-00200-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>INTRODUCTION: Scrub Typhus accounts for approximately one-fourth of all acute undifferentiated febrile illness cases in India. In September 2023, Odisha, an eastern Indian state, reported several scrub typhus deaths. We investigated a scrub typhus cluster in Block-A, Odisha, to describe the epidemiology and assess risk factors. METHODOLOGY: We conducted an unmatched (1:1) case-control investigation. Line-list of scrub typhus IgM-ELISA tested individuals was collected from the district laboratory. Cases were defined as scrub typhus IgM-ELISA positive residents of Block-A between July1 and October30, 2023 and controls were test-negative block-A residents. We interviewed cases and controls from list of tested individuals for socio-demographic, clinical and exposure histories. We present adjusted-odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals. We conducted an entomological survey in Block-A, isolated mites to detect pathogen and strain (47kDa Real Time PCR) and report entomological indices. RESULTS: Total 151 cases were reported in 2023 in Block-A, with case-fatality rate of 2.6%, median age 30 years, and inter-quartile range 15–46 years. Among the 61 interviewed cases, 46% were hospitalised, 13% admitted in ICU, 16% visited health-facility in second week of symptom onset and 30% were tested in second week of symptom-onset. We enrolled 61 cases and 61 controls, among whom recent farm/forest visit was significantly associated [adjusted OR = 6.1, 95%CI: 2.0-18.4] with illness on multivariate analysis. Chigger-index for block-A was 18.94(322/17); 36%(4/11) of tested mite-pools were positive for Orientia tsutsugamushi and sequences were identified to be Karp-like. CONCLUSIONS: Our investigation confirmed a lab-verified scrub typhus cluster in Block-A, identifying farm/forest visits without protective clothing as the most significant factor for acquiring infection. Detection of infected vector, hosts, and pathogen completed the epidemiological triad of scrub typhus, establishing local transmission in Block-A. We sensitised frontline-healthcare workers on early identification and timely referral, recommended community education on limiting mite exposure and seeking timely medical attention. </p>","PeriodicalId":94348,"journal":{"name":"One health outlook","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12973871/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146260598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and risk factors of neglected zoonoses in Ethiopian small ruminants: a focus on Q fever, brucellosis, chlamydiosis, and toxoplasmosis.","authors":"Gezahegn Alemayehu, Gezahegne Mamo, Biruk Alemu, Hiwot Desta, Biniam Tadesse, Dereje Teshome, Adem Kumbe, Barbara Wieland, Theodore Knight-Jones","doi":"10.1186/s42522-026-00196-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42522-026-00196-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neglected zoonoses, including Q fever, brucellosis, chlamydiosis, and toxoplasmosis, pose significant health risks to both animals and humans, particularly in low-resource settings. This study assessed their seroprevalence and risk factors in small ruminants across five Ethiopian districts. Among the 1,402 animals tested, 16.5% were seropositive for Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), 6.8% were seropositive for Brucella spp., 8.8% were seropositive for Chlamydia abortus, and 11.4% were seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii, with 5.3% showing mixed infections. At the flock level, 76.8% harbored at least one pathogen, and 45.2% tested positive for multiple infections. Mixed-effects logistic regression identified key risk factors. Animals in lowland pastoral systems had a significantly lower risk of C. burnetii exposure (OR: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.08–0.6, p = 0.01). Similarly, households that culled abortive animals presented a reduced infection risk (OR: 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4–0.9, p = 0.05). In contrast, the agropastoral system was linked to a lower likelihood of Brucella exposure (OR: 5.8; 95% CI: 2.1–16.5; p = 0.001). The risk of toxoplasmosis was greater in mixed crop–livestock systems (OR: 10.4; 95% CI: 1.0–109; p = 0.05) and sheep and goat mixed flocks (OR: 7.6; 95% CI: 1.0–61.2; P = 0.05). The high seroprevalence of these zoonoses in Ethiopian small ruminants underscores their significant public health and economic impact. The widespread flock-level burden and frequent coinfections highlight ongoing transmission risks, reproductive losses, and challenges in disease control. Variations in exposure across production systems emphasize the role of management practices in disease dynamics. Given the multipathogen burden, targeted interventions should move beyond single-disease approaches and adopt integrated control strategies within a One Health framework to mitigate risks for both livestock and human populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":94348,"journal":{"name":"One health outlook","volume":"8 1","pages":"14"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12922198/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146230460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"SWOT analysis of Mpox surveillance in high-burden districts in Uganda, February-March 2025.","authors":"Charity Mutesi, Richard Migisha, Benon Kwesiga, Samuel Gidudu, Lilian Bulage, Ivan Lukabwe, Dansan Atim, Alex Riolexus Ario","doi":"10.1186/s42522-025-00163-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42522-025-00163-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: From July 2024–February 2025, three-quarters of the districts in Uganda experienced mpox outbreaks, with sustained transmission in urban cities and towns. Following the rise in cases and severe outcomes, there was an urgent need to assess sub-national surveillance capacities to inform improvements in mpox response. This study aimed to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to mpox surveillance in Uganda’s high-burden districts and document lessons learned for responding to future outbreaks. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional qualitative study during February–March 2025 in 30 purposively selected districts across five high-burden regions of Uganda. Participants were drawn from regional, district, facility, and community levels, including surveillance officers, clinicians, laboratory personnel, and community health leaders. Data were collected through focus group discussions using semi-structured interview guides. Notes were manually coded by two researchers and analyzed thematically using a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) framework. Sub-themes were developed inductively, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants. RESULTS: A total of twenty focus group discussions were conducted across five high-burden regions. Participants identified key strengths in mpox surveillance, including functional regional emergency coordination centers, onsite capacity building in digital tools like Go.Data, dedicated surveillance personnel, prior outbreak response experience, and the presence of trusted community health structures. However, notable weaknesses included inaccurate contact information, delayed laboratory test results, workforce shortages, misdiagnosis at lower health facilities, limited digital capacity, inadequate isolation facilities, and stockouts of essential supplies, food, and personal protective equipment. Key opportunities included scaling capacity-building efforts and enhancing surveillance infrastructure, such as call centers and toll-free lines, while surveillance threats included community fear of isolation and strain of concurrent outbreaks such as Ebola. CONCLUSION: Uganda’s mpox surveillance revealed key strengths, including functional regional coordination hubs, trusted community health structures, and dedicated surveillance personnel that supported early detection. However, gaps such as limited human resources, delayed laboratory results, stockouts, and fear of isolation hindered effective response. Addressing these challenges through investments in decentralized coordination, digital tools, surge staffing, and supply chain systems could enhance future surveillance efforts. </p>","PeriodicalId":94348,"journal":{"name":"One health outlook","volume":"8 1","pages":"13"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12922301/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146230440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revisiting the applicability of minisatellite marker CH1T1M13779 to investigate the genetic diversity of P. vivax in Nuh district, Haryana, India.","authors":"Ram Das, Kapil Vashisht, Deepali Savargaonkar, Yash Gupta, Jatin Kumar, Renuka Harit, Suresh Chandra, Aditya Arya, Vimlesh Kumar Tiwari, Kailash C Pandey","doi":"10.1186/s42522-026-00201-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42522-026-00201-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The focal rise of P. vivax cases, while not uncommon, remains a significant challenge in India’s malaria elimination efforts. In 2015, a dramatic surge in P. vivax cases occurred in Primary Health Centre (PHC)- Punhana, Nuh district, Haryana, India. This focal rise was attributed to the development of an irrigation system near Hathangaon village leading to a higher malaria incidence, breeding habitats and vector densities. Using our previously validated minisatellite marker CH1T1M13779, we investigated the genetic diversity of 41 P. vivax infected samples and observed 10 alleles in two villages- Hathangaon and Raipuri, Nuh district, Haryana, India. Following are the key takeaways-a) The minisatellite marker CH1T1M13779 proved effective for genotyping; b) P. vivax preferential infection of children and adolescents making them a vulnerable age group. Despite limitations in sample size and geographic scope, this study underscores the value of using minisatellite markers for cost-effective, large-scale genotyping surveillance to help prevent future outbreaks.</p>","PeriodicalId":94348,"journal":{"name":"One health outlook","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13019713/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146230445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The interlinked crisis: pharmaceutical pollution as a driver of antimicrobial resistance in East Africa: an urgent call for ecopharmacovigilance and one health approach.","authors":"Yesuneh Tefera Mekasha, Gemmechu Hasen, Asnakew Mulaw Berihun, Melaku Getahun Feleke, Rajasekhar Komarla Kumarachari, Million Girma, Addisu Afrassa Tegegne, Abibo Wondie Mekonnen, Mebrie Zemene Kinde, Bemrew Admassu Mengistu, Kassahun Berrie, Bereket Dessalegn, Sachiko Ozawa, Neelaveni Padayachee, Sileshi Belew, Sultan Suleman","doi":"10.1186/s42522-026-00202-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42522-026-00202-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pharmaceutical pollution is a growing environmental and public health issue in East Africa. It is fueled by rapid population growth, increased pharmaceutical consumption, insufficient wastewater treatment, and pharmaceutical uses. Leftover pharmaceuticals enter into water and land ecosystems through human and animal waste, hospital and industry discharges, and inadequate waste management practices. These pollutants present ecological dangers and significantly contribute to the rise and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), posing a threat to both the environment and public health. This narrative review takes a One Health approach to explore pharmaceutical pollution, AMR, and regulatory responses in East Africa. The literature search was conducted between January 04, 2025, and July 25, 2025, using PubMed, Google Scholar, and grey literature. Evidence shows widespread contamination of water bodies, sediments, wastewater, and food products with antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracyclines, often surpassing safety thresholds. Risk Quotient (RQ) analysis revealed significant environmental risks in Ethiopia (ciprofloxacin RQ = 8.58), Kenya (ciprofloxacin RQ = 3.5–40.6; sulfamethoxazole RQ = 0.1–3.53), and Uganda (RQ > 1). However, no RQ data is available in Tanzania, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Rwanda, and Burundi. Furthermore, environmental samples through the regions consistently show the presence of AMR resistance genes, strongly linked through pharmaceutical contamination to the emergence of resistance. The review underlines the importance of ecopharmacovigilance (EVP), a developing field that focuses on monitoring and mitigating the environmental impacts of pharmaceuticals. Despite the development of national action plans on AMR and environmental protection policies in East African countries, implementation remains weak due to enforcement limitations, fragmented surveillance systems, inadequate wastewater treatment infrastructure, and low public awareness. This review emphasizes the immediate necessity of executing EVP within a One Health framework via augmented environmental surveillance, stringent regulatory enforcement, enhancements in wastewater treatment, green pharmacy initiatives, and geospatial monitoring. Furthermore, establishing a regionally harmonized EVP system supported by evidence is critical for addressing pharmaceutical pollution, combating AMR, safeguarding ecosystems, and promoting public health in East Africa.</p>","PeriodicalId":94348,"journal":{"name":"One health outlook","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12983500/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146222722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prioritization of zoonotic diseases in Bhutan through a One Health framework.","authors":"Kinley Penjor, Narapati Dahal, Ugyen Tshering, Chendu Dorji, Lungten Lungten, Jit Badhur, Deki Yangzom, Sithar Dorjee, Kinzang Dukpa, Kinley Wangdi, Yin Myo Aye, Tenzin Tenzin","doi":"10.1186/s42522-026-00198-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42522-026-00198-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: Zoonotic diseases pose an increasing threat to human, animal and environmental health, and identifying the zoonoses of greatest public health concern is key to address them effectively. Despite high ongoing risks from zoonotic diseases, Bhutan has never conducted a zoonotic disease prioritization exercise. Therefore, the present study aimed to prioritize the top 10 zoonotic diseases in Bhutan and develop action plans to support targeted resource allocation, coordinated surveillance, and strategic planning through the One Health framework. METHODS: The current study used a literature review of peer-reviewed publications and grey literature, expert knowledge, followed by a workshop to prioritize zoonoses in Bhutan. The workshop was convened in April 2024, and 42 participants from 20 different organizations from human, animal, wildlife, environmental, and food safety sectors participated in the workshop. Zoonotic disease prioritization was conducted using a mixed-method approach that combined an expert consensus approach with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization (OHZDP) tool. RESULTS: The initial literature review listed 55 zoonotic diseases for prioritization in the country. The workshop prioritized the top 10 zoonotic diseases viz., Rabies; Influenza A H5N1; Leptospirosis; Brucellosis; Escherichia coli infections; Dengue; Scrub Typhus; Bovine tuberculosis; Anthrax; and Salmonellosis. Joint action areas for the top five zoonotic diseases were developed to effectively address each disease through the One Health approach in the country. CONCLUSION: The prioritized zoonoses in Bhutan should be used for strengthening One Health coordination. Key recommendations from the OHZDP workshop emphasized strengthening disease surveillance, building laboratory diagnostic capacity, enhancing intersectoral collaboration, and developing a harmonized, interoperable system for information sharing and reporting. These measures aim to improve real-time data exchange, facilitate joint outbreak investigations, and support evidence-based decision-making for the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases. </p>","PeriodicalId":94348,"journal":{"name":"One health outlook","volume":" ","pages":"15"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12922208/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A human case of Q fever associated with cat in China: a neglected risk factor of Q fever.","authors":"Miao Lu, Dongsheng Zhou, Jinyong Qin, Yun Lin, Bao Lu, Huoying Chen, Hui Huang, Haijian Zhou, Lina Gong, Guorong Tang, Wenping Guo, Siyan Xie, Yi Quan, Hai Jiang, Kun Li","doi":"10.1186/s42522-025-00189-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42522-025-00189-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Q fever is a globally distributed zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, which is mainly harbored by farm ruminants. Although some studies have reported the presence of C. burnetii in cats, cat-associated Q fever is very rare. In this study, we report the case of a 30-year-old man who was diagnosed with Q fever in May 2024. The diagnosis was based on the results of next-generation sequencing and confirmed by nested PCR. Epidemiological investigations suggest that he had not come into contact with any infection sources other than two cats, one of which was a parturient cat. The blood samples of the cats were collected and tested by nested PCR and immunofluorescence assay. The results showed that the serum of the parturient cat was positive for both phase I and phase II Q fever antigens, suggesting that it had been infected with C. burnetii. This is a rare human case of Q fever transmitted by a domestic cat in China. Importantly, it shows that the pet cat may be a neglected risk factor of Q fever in China.</p>","PeriodicalId":94348,"journal":{"name":"One health outlook","volume":"8 1","pages":"9"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12879331/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146128426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Strengthening health systems in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa through the WHO Hub for emergency preparedness and outbreak response.","authors":"Stanley Chinedu Eneh, Levi Tuwleh, Francisca Ogochukwu Onukansi, Goodness Chiburoma Anyike, Ikenna Ogini, Joseph Oladipupo, Dominic Miller, Abubakar Nazir, Ogechi Vinaprisca Ikhuoria, Collins Chibueze Anokwuru, Chidera Gabriel Obi, Temitope Olumuyiwa Ojo, Yok-Fong Paat","doi":"10.1186/s42522-026-00197-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42522-026-00197-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases continue to pose significant threats to lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in Africa, where health systems are often resource-constrained and prone to disruptions. Drivers such as climate change, antimicrobial resistance, urbanization, civil war, poverty, globalization of travel, and high population mobility exacerbate outbreak risk and severity. This paper outlines how LMICs can strengthen health system resilience and respond more effectively to such threats by adopting practical tools and frameworks offered by the WHO Hub for Emergency Preparedness and Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. Key initiatives, including Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS), the International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN), and Public Health Intelligence (PHI) capacity-building, support early detection, genomic surveillance, and data-driven decision-making. We highlight practical strategies for LMICs, including integration of Hub outputs into national policy, sustainable financing, workforce development, institutional strengthening, regional collaboration, and monitoring and evaluation. While challenges such as infrastructure gaps, data governance, and reliance on external funding remain, the WHO Hub provides a structured pathway for LMICs to enhance outbreak preparedness, reduce response times, and mitigate the impact of future epidemics.</p>","PeriodicalId":94348,"journal":{"name":"One health outlook","volume":" ","pages":"12"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12903208/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146120856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond counting the numbers - focused outbreaks response strategies are needed to control the mpox outbreak in Africa.","authors":"Olushayo Oluseun Olu, Robert Lubajo, Misaki Wayengera, Wilber Sabiiti, Esther Namukose Muwanguzi, Sylvester Maleghemi, Henry Kyobe Bosa","doi":"10.1186/s42522-026-00195-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42522-026-00195-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Despite ongoing prevention and control efforts, the mpox outbreak in Africa has persisted. Between 1 January 2024 and 7 December 2025, a total of 60,997 confirmed cases and 244 deaths have been reported across 34 African countries. Notably, 70% of these cases (n = 43,052) occurred in the 2025, indicating a marked escalation in outbreak intensity. The epicentre of transmission has shifted from Central Africa, where clade I (a and b) of the mpox virus predominates to West Africa, where clade II (a and b) is now more prevalent highlighting a widening and more diffuse spread of the outbreak. In this article, we examine the key drivers sustaining transmission using a narrative synthesis approach and propose practical, evidence-based recommendations to halt further spread.</p><p><strong>Main text: </strong>While several structural and systemic factors are responsible for the persistent transmission of mpox, we argue that the immediate challenge lies in the suboptimal strategic implementation of existing outbreak response interventions. Our analysis identifies seven key drivers of the ongoing spread namely inadequate surveillance and laboratory investigation strategies, weak data management systems and underreporting and insufficient follow-up of contacts. Other drivers are the widespread use of home-based care for confirmed cases, often in settings with poor infection prevention and control, limited community engagement, participation and ownership of outbreak response efforts and poorly targeted vaccination interventions, largely due to weak or incomplete data and the chronic conflicts in some of the affected countries. To address these issues, we recommend a shift toward more evidence-informed and context-specific implementation of traditional prevention and control measures. Specifically, we call for alignment of surveillance strategies with local mpox epidemiology and transmission dynamics, strengthening laboratory capacity, including genomic sequencing and revision of case definitions based on current clinical and epidemiological data. Additionally, we recommend enhancement of outbreak data management systems with digital and innovative technologies, adoption of evidence-based and context-specific risk communication and community engagement and case management models and deployment of data-driven vaccination strategies.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Considering the foregoing, there is an urgent need to rethink and refocus current mpox outbreak response strategies in Africa.</p>","PeriodicalId":94348,"journal":{"name":"One health outlook","volume":"8 1","pages":"6"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12857144/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146088709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}