BACKGROUND: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) experienced atypical outbreaks of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) infection during 2010-2011 in that they affected persons aged ≥15 years in 4 (Bandundu, Bas Congo, Kasaï Occidental, and Kinshasa provinces) of the 6 provinces with outbreaks. METHODS: Analyses of cases of WPV1 infection with onset during 2010-2011 by province, age, polio vaccination status, and sex were conducted. The prevalence of antibodies to poliovirus (PV) types 1, 2, and 3 was assessed in sera collected before the outbreaks from women attending antenatal clinics in 3 of the 4 above-mentioned provinces. RESULTS: Of 193 cases of WPV1 infection during 2010-2011, 32 (17%) occurred in individuals aged ≥15 years. Of these 32 cases, 31 (97%) occurred in individuals aged 16-29 years; 9 (28%) were notified in Bandundu, 17 (53%) were notified in Kinshasa, and 22 (69%) had an unknown polio vaccination status. In the seroprevalence assessment, PV type 1 and 3 seroprevalence was lower among women aged 15-29 years in Bandundu and Kinshasa, compared with those in Kasaï Occidental. Seropositivity to PVs was associated with increasing age, more pregnancies, and a younger age at first pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: This spatiotemporal analysis strongly suggests that the 2010-2011 outbreaks of WPV1 infection affecting young adults were caused by a PV type 1 immunity gap in Kinshasa and Bandundu due to insufficient exposure to PV type 1 through natural infection or vaccination. Poliovirus immunity gaps in this age group likely persist in DRC. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.
BACKGROUND: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) experienced atypical outbreaks of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) infection during 2010-2011 in that they affected persons aged ≥15 years in 4 (Bandundu, Bas Congo, Kasaï Occidental, and Kinshasa provinces) of the 6 provinces with outbreaks. METHODS: Analyses of cases of WPV1 infection with onset during 2010-2011 by province, age, polio vaccination status, and sex were conducted. The prevalence of antibodies to poliovirus (PV) types 1, 2, and 3 was assessed in sera collected before the outbreaks from women attending antenatal clinics in 3 of the 4 above-mentioned provinces. RESULTS: Of 193 cases of WPV1 infection during 2010-2011, 32 (17%) occurred in individuals aged ≥15 years. Of these 32 cases, 31 (97%) occurred in individuals aged 16-29 years; 9 (28%) were notified in Bandundu, 17 (53%) were notified in Kinshasa, and 22 (69%) had an unknown polio vaccination status. In the seroprevalence assessment, PV type 1 and 3 seroprevalence was lower among women aged 15-29 years in Bandundu and Kinshasa, compared with those in Kasaï Occidental. Seropositivity to PVs was associated with increasing age, more pregnancies, and a younger age at first pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: This spatiotemporal analysis strongly suggests that the 2010-2011 outbreaks of WPV1 infection affecting young adults were caused by a PV type 1 immunity gap in Kinshasa and Bandundu due to insufficient exposure to PV type 1 through natural infection or vaccination. Poliovirus immunity gaps in this age group likely persist in DRC. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.
Entities:
Keywords:
Africa; Democratic Republic of the Congo; neutralizing antibodies; polio eradication; polio in adults; polio seroprevalence; wild poliovirus outbreaks
Authors: Nicksy Gumede; Jaume Jorba; Jagadish Deshpande; Mark Pallansch; Riziki Yogolelo; Jean Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum; Olen Kew; Marietjie Venter; Cara C Burns Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2014-11-01 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: B Mao; K Chheng; K Wannemuehler; E Vynnycky; S Buth; S C Soeung; S Reef; W Weldon; L Quick; C J Gregory Journal: Epidemiol Infect Date: 2014-11-06 Impact factor: 4.434
Authors: Vivian H Alfonso; Arie Voorman; Nicole A Hoff; William C Weldon; Sue Gerber; Adva Gadoth; Megan Halbrook; Amelia Goldsmith; Patrick Mukadi; Reena H Doshi; Guillaume Ngoie-Mwamba; Trevon L Fuller; Emile Okitolonda-Wemakoy; Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum; Anne W Rimoin Journal: BMC Infect Dis Date: 2022-01-05 Impact factor: 3.090
Authors: Arend Voorman; Nicole A Hoff; Reena H Doshi; Vivian Alfonso; Patrick Mukadi; Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum; Emile Okitolonda Wemakoy; Ado Bwaka; William Weldon; Sue Gerber; Anne W Rimoin Journal: Vaccine Date: 2017-09-04 Impact factor: 3.641