Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in Juba, South Sudan: a population-based study

BackgroundRelatively few COVID-19 cases and deaths have been reported through much of sub-Saharan Africa, including South Sudan, although the extent of SARS-CoV-2 spread remains unclear due to weak surveillance systems and few population-representative serosurveys. MethodsWe conducted a representative household-based cross-sectional serosurvey in Juba, South Sudan. We quantified IgG antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain and estimated seroprevalence using a Bayesian regression model accounting for test performance. ResultsWe recruited 2,214 participants from August 10 to September 11, 2020 and 22.3% had anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG titers above levels in pre-pandemic samples. After accounting for waning antibody levels, age, and sex, we estimated that 38.5% (32.1 - 46.8) of the population had been infected with SARS-CoV-2. For each RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 case, 104 (87-126) infections were unreported. Background antibody reactivity was higher in pre-pandemic samples from Juba compared to Boston, where the serological test was validated. The estimated proportion of the population infected ranged from 30.1% to 60.6% depending on assumptions about test performance and prevalence of clinically severe infections. ConclusionsSARS-CoV-2 has spread extensively within Juba. Validation of serological tests in sub-Saharan African populations is critical to improve our ability to use serosurveillance to understand and mitigate transmission.

Prevalence of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases-Producing Microorganisms in Patients Admitted at KRRH, Southwestern Uganda.

The emergence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase- (ESBL-) producing pathogenic bacteria at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital (KRRH), located in southwestern Uganda, is of great concern: a phenomenon that worries clinicians and other healthcare workers due to the serious threat they pose to patients. This current study aimed at determining the phenotypic detection of ESBL-producing strains of E. coli, Klebsiella sp., and Proteus sp. isolated from clinical specimens and their prevalence in patients admitted at KRRH. We used combined disc diffusion technique to detect and establish the presence of ESBLs-producing bacteria. Of the 100 tested bacterial isolates, 89 (89%) were identified as ESBL-producing bacteria. Klebsiella sp. predominated in the samples (46 (52%)), presenting the highest frequency of ESBLs producing followed by E. coli (39 (44%)) and Proteus mirabilis (4 (4.5%)) from the combined disk diffusion.