Epidemiology
|
Overview
The Epidemiology Unit was formally established at the NICD in 2004, and comprises surveillance and outbreak sections as well as a statistics component.
The surveillance section is responsible for providing the national and provincial departments of health relevant data on public health infectious diseases. The unit is currently responsible for the laboratory based- measles, polio and viral respiratory surveillance programmes. The outbreak unit provides support to the provinces for outbreaks of epidemic- prone infectious diseases. Recent outbreaks that the unit has been involved in include avian influenza in the Eastern Cape, various water- borne outbreaks of diarrheal illness in the N Cape, Mpumlanaga and Limpopo, and measles.
Publications include a monthly communiqué on current infectious outbreaks in the southern African region, a quarterly bulletin with in-depth articles on relevant public health related infectious diseases, and guidelines for the management of a number of infectious diseases.
|
|
|
|
Contact us |
Please direct any queries via the following:
e-mail: |
| back to top |
|
Staff |
EPIDEMIOLOGY DIVISION
Head of division: Dr LH Blumberg
EPIDEMIOLOGY & SURVEILLANCE UNIT
Head of Unit: Dr C Cohen MBBCh DTM&H FCPath (SA) Micro Msc (Epidemiology), Specialist Microbiologist/Epidemiologist, Head of Unit
Dr J Moyes MBBCh MSc (Epidemiology) DTM&H, Medical Officer
Dr S Walaza BSc Hons (Occupational Therapy) MBChB, Medical Officer
Dr C von Mollendorf MBBCh BSc Med Sc Hons
Dr S Ntuli MBChB
V Dermaux-Msimang Bio-IR MSc (VEPH), Epidemiologist/Medical Scientist
G Ntshoe BSc Med Hons Dip Med Tech Higher Dip Med Tech, Epidemiologist
JM McAnerney RN RM Dip Data Dip Method, Nurse Epidemiologist
K Shangase Dip Nursing, Surveillance Officer
W Ngubane Dip Nursing, Surveillance Officer
S Kashe Dip Nursing, Surveillance Officer
A Sambo Dip Nursing, Surveillance Officer
N Malinga, Research Assistant
M Letyane, Research Assistant
J Mapalane, Research Assistant
N S Ndam, Secretary
R Choeu, Data Clerk
B Letlape, Data Clerk
T Mathebula, Data Clerk
OUTBREAK RESPONSE UNIT
Head of Unit: Dr J Thomas MBBCh DTM&H FCPath (Micro), Specialist Microbiologist
Dr A Cengimbo BSc HDE MBChB DTM&H, Medical Officer
Mr B Archer BMed MPH
Dr Nonkululeko Mthembu MBBCh, Public Health Registrar, University of the Witwatersrand (6 monthly rotation January to June 2010)
TRAVEL & INTERNATIONAL HEALTH UNIT
Dr LH Blumberg MBBCh MMed (Micro) DTM&H DCH DOH FFT (Glasgow), Specialist Microbiologist
L Millington, Publications Officer/Administration
SOUTH AFRICAN FIELD EPIDEMIOLOGY & LABORATORY TRAINING PROGRAMME
Programme Director: Dr BN Harris MBChB MMed (Community Health),
Prof M Tshimanga, MD MPH, Epidemiology Resident Advisor
Dr F Ndugulile MD MMed (Microbiology/Immunology) Dip Health System Management, Laboratory Resident Advisor
Dr Khin San Tint MBBS MMed Sc (P&TM) MPH MMed Sc (Bioethics), Epidemiology Track Coordinator
Dr L Kuonza MBChB MPH, AFENET Fellow
M Huma BSc Hons MPH, Epidemiologist
K Nkau, Programme Manager
B Temane, Administrative Support
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH CLINIC<br>
Medical advisor: Dr L Blumberg
Sr L Choeu RN OHP, Snr Occupational Health Nurse Specialist
|
| back to top |
|
Surveillance Programmes
|
RESPIRATORY VIRUS SURVEILLANCE
The active influenza surveillance programme of the NICD, Viral Watch , was started in 1984, when 10 centres were enrolled including primary health care clinics, general practitioners, a mine hospital, and paediatric out patient departments. It was specifically designed to monitor influenza activity in the community, and detect the type of influenza strains prevalent. The number of centres was increased substantially during 2005, bringing the total to 85 mainly general medical practitioners at 65 centres. In 2006 the viral watch has been extended beyond Gauteng Province to include Western Cape Province and Kwazulu Natal Province. Throat swabs are submitted from these centres throughout the year from patients with respiratory tract infections of recent onset i.e. within 48 - 72 hours, and without obvious bacterial cause, and transported to NICD in viral transport medium for isolation of virus. Strains isolated through the viral watch are used to formulate the Southern Hemisphere influenza vaccine for the upcoming influenza season.
AFP SURVEILLANCE
AFP surveillance is a part of the WHO worldwide campaign to eradicate poliomyelitis. All cases of acute flaccid paralysis including Guillain-Barré syndrome, in children less than 15 years of age, or a patient of any age diagnosed as polio by a medical doctor must be regarded as possible polio cases until proven otherwise.
National certification of polio free status depends on the following performance indicators:
- Completeness and timeliness of reporting i.e. at least 80% of reports received in time.
- Sensitivity of the surveillance system i.e. at least one case of non-polio AFP detected per 100 000 children under the age of 15 years. During 2002 this translated into156 cases.
- Completeness of investigation i.e. all AFP cases should have full clinical and virological investigation. At least 80% of the AFP cases should have adequate stool specimens (two specimens taken within 14 days of onset of paralysis, at least 24 hours apart, reaching the laboratory in good condition).
- All virological investigations to be conducted in laboratories accredited by the Global Polio Laboratory Network. In South Africa the only accredited laboratory is the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. The NICD also serves as national isolation laboratory for six other Southern African countries i.e. Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Swaziland.
Numbers of cases from whom at least one specimen has been received for the exclusion of polio are published in the quarterly Communicable Diseases Surveillance Bulletin.
CASE BASED MEASLES SURVEILLANCE
As part of the EPI measles elimination programme, case-based measles surveillance in South Africa was started in 1998. Because of the demonstrated lack of specificity of a clinical diagnosis of measles, based on the WHO clinical surveillance criteria (rash + pyrexia + one of the three C’s - coryza, cough or conjunctivitis), laboratory confirmation by ELISA IgM serology is a crucial component of the measles elimination programme. NICD provides laboratory testing for the vast majority of the suspected measles cases notified in South Africa. The complete measles database is submitted to WHO on a monthly basis. Numbers of laboratory-confirmed measles and rubella cases by province are reported in the quarterly Communicable Diseases Surveillance Bulletin.
|
| back to top |
|
Important Information
|
Important information and guidelines regarding rabies:
Dowload the Rabies Guidelines. Use right-click "save as..." for IE and right-click "Save link as..." for Mozilla Firefox.
|
| back to top |
|
Publications |
The unit produced and distributed a monthly electronic Communique to a wide audience of individuals and institutions dealing with communicable diseases in the public and private sectors. This publication provided an update and commentary on important communicable diseases and outbreaks of the month.
The bi-monthly publication of the Communicable Diseases Surveillance Bulletin is published electronically as well as in print and was distributed to a similar group of persons and institutions. It contained more detailed and formal articles on relevant and topical infectious diseases topics as well as current and cumulative laboratory-based surveillance data relating to selected infectious diseases.
|
Recent publications by members of staff
Blumberg L, Frean J. Dermatological manifestations of tropical diseases. South African Dermatology Review 2004; 4: 5-14.
Gerston KF, Blumberg L, Tshabalala VA, Murray J. Viability of mycobacteria in formalin-fixed lungs. Human Pathol 2004; 35: 571-575.
Johnson CL, Moonasar D, Maloba B, Blumberg L. Malaria control in South Africa. Modern Medicine 2004; 46-48.
Wright CA, van Zyl Y, Burgess SM, Blumberg L, Leiman G. Mycobacterial autofluorescence in Papanicolaou-stained lymph node aspirates: A glimmer in the dark? Diagn Cytopathol 2004; 30: 257-260.
Chapters In Books:
Blumberg L. Severe malaria. In: Tropical and parasitic infections in the intensive care unit. Feldman C, Sarosi GA eds, Springer. 2005: 1-16. Perspectives on critical care infectious diseases.
|
| back to top |
|
Links |
| Resource |
Description |
| World Health Organisation |
- |
| Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC - USA) |
- |
| Health Canada |
Health Canada is the Federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances. |
| Health Protection Agency (United Kingdom) |
- |
| Afro Integrated Disease Surveillance Bulletins |
- |
| Tropical Disease Research Programme |
The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) is an independent global programme of scientific collaboration. It aims to help coordinate, support and influence global efforts to combat a portfolio of major diseases of the poor and disadvantaged. |
| STATSA population data |
Statistics South Africa's has a vision to be "the preferred supplier of quality statistics". Our mission is to provide a relevant and accurate body of statistics to inform users on the dynamics in the economy and society through the application of internationally acclaimed practices. |
| DOH notifications |
List of Notifiable medical conditions notified to the South African National Department of Health |
| HSRC |
The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) is South Africa's statutory research agency dedicated to the applied social sciences. The HSRC is concerned with all aspects of development and poverty alleviation in South Africa, the region and in Africa. |
| Malaria.org.za |
This is an entry page to websites with Malaria content relevant to the Southern African Context |
| Health indicators from various sources |
Since 1992, the Health Systems Trust (HST) has been contributing to the development of a comprehensive, equitable and effective national health system in South Africa. More recently HST has begun to work more widely within the SADC region. Our core activities are health systems research, health systems development, advocacy, capacity development and information dissemination. These activities are implemented through core programmes of Research, the Initiative for Sub-District Support (ISDS), Community Development and HealthLink. |
|
| back to top |
|
|