Influenza A, influenza B and RSV detection rates were below 5% throughout September. SARS-CoV-2 percentage positivity ranged from 13.6-15.6% nationally in the reporting period, having increased from 10.9% in the last week of August (week 35). Testing rates were...
In the past, our knowledge of the epidemiology of infective diarrhoea in routine clinical practice, was incomplete because the traditional methods of microscopy and culture are insensitive and detect only a limited range of pathogens. The introduction of a more...
Pertussis is a highly infectious respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis. It remains endemic in all countries, despite high vaccine coverage. Epidemic cycles are reported every 3 to 5 years. It affects people of all ages; however, young, unimmunised or...
Hereditary cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia disorders are genetically heterogeneous meaning that within each category there are multiple disease genes, and many different pathogenic (disease-causing) variants with overlapping phenotypes. Determining the gene and pattern...
Influenza A and B detection rates remained below 2% during August, with the influenza season officially having ended in July (NICD Weekly Respiratory Pathogens Surveillance Report, week 34 of 2023). Surveillance is ongoing to determine whether a second influenza peak...
Two SARS-COV-2 variants are currently getting coverage in the press, namely BA.2.86 and EG.5. Both are subvariants or lineages of Omicron, however, renewed interest has stemmed from the large number of mutations detected in these viruses. For example, BA.2.86 has more...
Anaemia is defined as a reduced haemoglobin level in the peripheral blood. When blood does not contain enough haemoglobin, cells do not receive enough oxygen and symptoms may arise. A diagnostic approach to anaemia is often based on the initial MCV findings. The MCV...
Influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2 - Influenza A detection rates continued to decline during July, dropping below 2% in week 30 (week ending 30 July). - Influenza B percentage positivity has remained below 1% throughout 2023 thus far. - RSV...
Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia) is an intravascular parasitic infection caused by flukes (trematodes) of the genus Schistosoma. Both S. haematobium and S. mansoni are endemic in South Africa in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, northern and eastern parts of Gauteng provinces and the...
Influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2 Influenza A detection rates peaked in week 21 (week ending 28 May) and then decreased each week throughout June, with the percentage positivity dropping to 12% in the last week of June. Influenza A/H3 continued to...