Increase in Vector-Borne Disease reporting affecting humans and animals in Syria and neighboring countries before and after the onset of conflict: A ProMED analysis 2003-2018
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Tarnas, Maia C
Desai, Angel N
Lassmann, Britta
Abbara, Aula
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The protracted and violent conflict in Syria has resulted in large-scale displacement of people and destruction of health and sanitation infrastructure. The aim of this study was to examine epidemiological trends in vector-borne disease (VBD) outbreaks before and following the onset of the Syrian conflict (2011). METHODS: ProMED, a digital disease surveillance tool, was queried for VBD outbreak reports affecting humans and animals in Syria and select bordering countries between 2003-2018. Data were normalized by dividing the number of unique VBD events by the total number of unique outbreak events reported by ProMED for each year. Suspected and confirmed case counts and deaths were manually extracted. RESULTS: Reports on VBDs increased from a mean of 2.9/year pre-2011 to 12.8/year post-2011, a 343.5% (p < 0.05) increase. After normalization, reports increased by 485.5% (p < 0.05) over the time periods. Post-2011, the most commonly reported VBDs were leishmaniasis, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and lumpy skin disease. Reported numbers of suspected and confirmed cases and deaths increased during the conflict period. CONCLUSIONS: VBD outbreak events in ProMED increased in Syria and select bordering countries after the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011. Enhanced disease surveillance is critical to detect and manage outbreaks in conflict settings.
Date Issued
2021-01
Date Acceptance
2020-09-22
Citation
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2021, 102, pp.103-109
ISSN
1201-9712
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
103
End Page
109
Journal / Book Title
International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume
102
Copyright Statement
© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases. This version is available under a CC-BY-NC-ND Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33002614
PII: S1201-9712(20)32169-X
Subjects
One Health
Syria
conflict
leishmaniasis
vector-borne diseases
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
Canada
Date Publish Online
2020-09-28