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Molecular Characterization and Clinical Description of Non-Polio Enteroviruses Detected in Stool Samples from HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Adults in Ghana | Viruses.

[Open Access] [Received: 21 December 2019 / Revised: 31 January 2020 / Accepted: 12 February 2020 / Published: 16 February 2020]

Abstract.

In the post-polio eradication era, increasing attention is given to non-polio enteroviruses. Most of the data about enteroviruses in sub-Saharan Africa are related to acute flaccid paralysis surveillance and target the pediatric population. This study aimed to investigate the presence of enterovirus in PLHIV (people living with HIV) and HIV-negative individuals in Ghana. Stool samples from HIV-positive individuals (n = 250) and healthy blood donors (n = 102) attending the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana, were screened by real-time PCR for enterovirus. Molecular typing of the VP1 region was performed. Enterovirus-positive samples were tested for norovirus, adenovirus, rotavirus, sapovirus, and cosaviruses. Twenty-six out of 250 HIV-positive subjects (10.4%) and 14 out of 102 HIV-negative individuals (13.7%) were detected enterovirus-positive, not showing a significant different infection rate between the two groups. HIV-negative individuals were infected with Enterovirus C strains only. HIV-positive participants were detected positive for species Enterovirus A, Enterovirus B, and Enterovirus C. Co-infections with other viral enteric pathogens were almost exclusively detected among HIV-positive participants. Overall, the present study provides the first data about enteroviruses within HIV-positive and HIV-negative adults living in Ghana.

Efforts to regain polio-free status pay off for Kenya | Daily Nation.

[12th February 2020] Verah Okeyo writes:

Egypt: 2020 polio vaccination campaign launched, to include 16.5 million children | Egypt Today.

[Sun, Feb. 16, 2020]

CAIRO – 16 February 2020: The Egyptian Ministry of Health launched today the national anti-polio campaign with an aim to vaccinate 16.5 million children.

The campaign includes Egyptian and foreign children from the age of one day to five years old.

The Health Ministry has said that 16.5 million children were vaccinated for free in the national polio vaccination campaign last February, which lasted for four days.

Many countries have succeeded in eradicating the disease by vaccinating children under five years old. Egypt joined the list in 2006 with the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF declaring that it was polio-free after the last case was discovered in 2004.

This was due to the extensive vaccination coverage in all the governorates of Egypt through seven doses within the schedule of routine immunizations and the additional doses through periodic national campaigns.

An official source told Egypt Today that children should get the vaccination once, adding that it is safe and important for children to be immunized against the disease and that the vaccination will be provided to children under the supervision of the World Health Organization.

In 2018, Egypt entered the final phase of eradicating the disease completely and to ensure that there are no new cases due to any viruses coming from abroad.

The global strategy in polio eradication recommends introducing an additional dose via injection to the dose of oral vaccination in the fourth month, the remaining six doses to remain oral.

Pakistan: Five more polio cases found in KP, Balochistan | DAWN.

[February 16, 2020] Ikram Junaidi and Saleem Shahid write:

ISLAMABAD/QUETTA: Just two days before the start of the nationwide polio campaign, apart from Karachi where it has been preponed by one week, the National Institute of Health (NIH) has confirmed five more polio cases from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.

Due to inclusion of the latest cases, the tally for current year has reached 17, while 144 cases were reported in 2019, 12 in 2018 and only eight cases in 2017.

As per the current year’s data, 10 cases have been reported from KP, five from Sindh and two from Balochistan.

“Four (latest) cases from KP have been reported from Lakki Marwat district. A 22-month-old boy, resident of Ghundi Hassan Khel Union Council (UC), Bettani tehsil, has been infected with polio. The second victim is an 18-month-old girl, resident of Kotka Arab Khan UC, Bettani tehsil. The third child is a 17-month-old boy, resident of Bakhmal Ahmad Zai UC, Serae Naurang tehsil and the fourth an 11-month-old girl, resident of Abba Khel UC, Lakki Marwat tehsil,” an official of the NIH said.

“The fifth case has been reported from Balochistan where a seven-month-old boy, resident of Thrata UC, Pishin tehsil and district, has been infected with the virus of the crippling disease. It was a case of refusal as the child has not been administered a single dose of vaccine,” the official said.

With latest cases, this year’s tally rises to 17.

In 2019 when 12 cases were reported from Balochistan, most of the victims belonged to Qila Abdullah, a district located at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The Emergency Polio Centre, Balochistan, has also initiated another polio vaccination campaign after recent rise of cases in the province and officials are hoping to control the sudden increase in polio cases in the province.

Officials said that special measures were being taken in sensitive areas including Quetta, Pishin, Nasirabad and Qila Abdullah.

A number of families in Balochistan are still refusing to allow vaccinators to administrator polio drops to their children, which has become a hurdle for the authorities concerned in ending polio virus in the province.

National Manager, Emergency Operation Cell (EOC) for Polio, Dr Rana Safdar, told Dawn, that 2019 was a challenging year as the Peshawar fake news incident during the April campaign forced the authorities concerned to postpone anti-polio drives.

“Hence after Jan 2019, the next effective campaign was carried out in Dec that year. This coupled with poor routine immunisation in many parts of the country created a huge immunity gap during 10 months. Therefore, the authorities decided to plug this gap through three back-to-back nationwide polio campaigns in Dec, Feb and April with two strategic response rounds in high risk districts in Jan and March,” he said.

“Our efforts from Dec till April will push the virus back to 2017-18 levels, setting the stage for further push towards zero polio by focusing on increasing routine immunisation coverage and high quality campaigns, convergence of polio plus interventions in vulnerable communities addressing malnutrition, improving basic health services and safe water supply, sanitation and hygiene and community ownership using respectable influencers from different walks of life,” he said.

Dr Safdar said during the latest polio campaign beginning on Feb 17, 39.6 million children under the age of five would be targeted -- 19.9m in Punjab, 9.26m in Sindh, 6.75m in KP, 2.46m in Balochistan, 0.69m in AJK, 0.24m in Gilgit-Baltistan and 0.356m in Islamabad. The campaign would feature a five-day drive plus two-day catch-up in the areas of core reservoirs and a three-day drive with two-day catch-up elsewhere.

About 265,000 personnel will strive to achieve the targets across Pakistan, including 26,943 area in-charges, 8,388 UC medical officers and 202,767 mobile, 10,371 fixed and 11,974 transit team members. Considering its significance, the National EOC has also deployed 50 experts to facilitate preparedness and ground implementation of campaign activities by the local teams in priority areas.

Acknowledging role of the valiant frontline workers, the EOC has urged all parents to proactively get their children as well as those around them vaccinated to rapidly plug the immunity gap accumulated last year. Vaccination against all vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio, is available free of charge in government health facilities across the country.

Pakistan: National polio drive | Editorial | DAWN.

[February 16, 2020]

AFTER the emergence of 13 polio cases from across the country in less than a couple of months this year, the first five-day national vaccination drive commences tomorrow to immunise around 40m children of the country. Maximum effort is required to make this campaign a success considering that the tally so far this year is already more than the total number of cases reported in 2017. In contrast, there were 12 and eight cases in 2018 and 2017 respectively. Given the managerial blunders and organisational mishaps that occurred last year, polio cases in the country rose to a devastating 144. The alarming increase resulted in a three-month polio-related travel restriction by WHO; it is crucial that the same mistakes are not repeated in the ongoing immunisation efforts. There were allegations of corruption which resulted in the ouster of the prime minister’s focal person on polio; there were also multiple incidents of the accidental use of expired vaccine which is said to have led to the re-emergence of the wild poliovirus type 2 that had been eradicated in 2014. Besides, flawed vaccination drives resulted in a significant number of children not being administered the vaccine. The situation was exacerbated when health officials stooped to playing politics by blaming past administrations for their own incompetence. This was in addition to their failure to share details of the actual coverage of the vaccination drives.

As recently as December, health officials had happily declared polio eradication efforts to be back on track with 100pc immunisation coverage. This claim was made despite the fact that expired vaccine had been administered to scores of children in Rawalpindi and at least 30,000 children had not been immunised in Sindh. The health of the country’s children is not a matter to be taken lightly, as it is by our political and bureaucratic systems. The national polio authorities need to immediately get down to work if they want to even begin controlling the monster they let out.

Pakistan: Anti-polio campaign: Cricketer, anchors join Geo News to eliminate crippling disease | The News International.

[February 16, 2020] Muhammad Nasir writes:

KARACHI: The Geo News along with anchorpersons and celebrities, including several top cricketers and actors, appealed to the people of Pakistan to get their children inoculated against poliovirus to save the future generation from the life-crippling disease. The Geo News was joined by former cricketer Moin Khan, anchorpersons Saleem Safi, Shehzad Iqbal, and Absa Komal in the anti-polio campaign to appeal to the people to get their children under five years of age vaccinated against polio. Highlighting the role of the Geo News in spreading awareness about polio, in their messages, they underlined the importance of the vaccine to save the future generation from life long disability, warning there is a very high frequency of the disease in the country.

Senior anchorperson Saleem Safi speaking in Pashto, appealed that Pakistanis have fought against every threat and crisis with bravery and the anti-polio campaign demands only 10 minutes of their attention. Safi said they can uproot this disease forever only if they show commitment to defend the nation against the dreadful disease. We must ensure our children get the polio vaccination. The news anchor said for the nation that won independence from the imperialist forces with bare hands and defeated the blood-curdling terrorism, how can it let its future generation be crippled by polio. It is just a matter of two drops of vaccine to safeguard our children. He said countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, Ethiopia, Haiti, Bhutan, Rwanda and Ghana, and even Afghanistan have overcome polio.

The other anchors and the cricketer said Pakistan will have another chance to safeguard its children from life long disability by actively taking part in the anti-polio vaccine campaign starting from February 17 to 20. They requested all the parents to ensure no child under five years of age is left unvaccinated. They said the polio drops do not cause any threat, but not doing so will turn the lives of the children for worse, adding that we could not be defeated by polio and we cannot allow that to happen to our future generation. They said the strong Pakistan nation has overcome every hurdle and dared every challenge and crisis, will surely be dealt a strong blow to defeat polio by allowing all children under five years of age to get two drops of polio and also get the children revaccinated in the booster campaigns.

They appealed the people to support Geo News in the anti-polio campaign by sending their video messages to the Geo News. The Geo News will broadcast their messages.

USA: Apple Valley Rotary raises $22,230 to help end polio | SunThisweek.

[Source article may not be viewable in EU except via a suitable VPN]

[14th February 2020]

Organizers of the Polio Plus Spaghetti Dinner were (from left) Tim Mulcrone, District 5950 Polio chairman; Bill Tschohl and Karen Kirkman, two of the three chairs of the event; Greg Higgins, Apple Valley Rotary president, and club member Tasha Wells.

Photo submitted

Apple Valley Rotary raised $22,230 during the third annual Help End Polio Now Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction on Sunday, Jan. 26, at the Apple Valley American Legion Post 1776, as 140 people attended and 220 tickets were sold.

Rotary District 5950 Polio Chairman Tim Mulcrone said during the event that the goal of Polio Plus is to immunize every child under 5 throughout the world. All District 5950 Rotary clubs were encouraged this year to donate $1,500 to Polio Plus which is one of the signature projects for Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation.

In 1985 Rotary International launched Polio Plus when there were 387,000 cases in 125 countries. Today Polio is endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In 2018 there were 38 cases of polio. In 2019 the number increased to 156 cases, as Pakistan started allowing immunization, which has resulted in discovering missed polio cases. Until Polio is eliminated there is the possibility of the disease returning. Most have forgotten what polio is and the paralyzing effect on one’s life. Today, many who suffered from polio are experiencing post-polio syndrome’s weakness of the limbs.

Several months ago, planning and marketing for the Apple Valley event started, as Rotary members sold tickets and visited area businesses seeking donations for the silent auction.

Chairpersons of the planning committee were Rotary members Karen Kirkman and Ed Corbett, along with William Tschohl who retired from the Rotary a few years ago.

Kirkman collected many of the silent auction items along with Corbett. Tschohl, who is a polio survivor, sold 75 tickets. He said that many understood the need to eliminate polio and were eager to support the cause. Rotary member Tasha Wells and Lance Miller, immediate past president, offered significant help on the day of the event.

Apple Valley City Council members Tom Goodwin and Clint Hooppaw helped with marketing and finances, respectively. Ed Kearney, president of the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce, also promoted the dinner to chamber members.

The Gambling Committee of the Apple Valley American Legion Post 1776 donated $2,000 to Polio Plus, which the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will match 2-to-1.

On Oct. 8, 2019, Apple Valley Rotary raised $410 for Polio Plus during a wine tasting at Grand Stay Hotel and Conference Center in Apple Valley.

Apple Valley Rotary also supports 360 communities, the Dictionary Project, book drive, Feed My Starving Children, Clean Water, Teacher of the Year Recognition and much more. For more information, go to its website at AppleValleyRotary.org. The club meets Wednesdays at 7 a.m. at Grand Stay Hotel and LaGrand Conference Center, 7083 153rd St.

Rotary is still looking for area residents who would like to support Polio Plus. Contact Kirkman, branch manager at MidCountry Bank, 14994 Glazier Ave., Apple Valley, 952-997-5606 or email Karen.Kirkman@MidCountryBank.com.

Malaysia: Over 5,000 children in Putatan receive polio vaccines, says Sabah asst minister | Malay Mail.

[Saturday, 15 Feb 2020 08:26 PM MYT]

KOTA KINABALU, Feb 15 — More than 5,000 children aged five years and below received free polio vaccines in Putatan, near here today.

Petagas assemblyman, Datuk Uda Sulai said the Sabah Health Ministry campaign was targeting at least 8,700 children around Petagas and Putatan to get the polio vaccine doses.

“We are very grateful for the implementation of this programme and it shows that the government is committed to prevent the spread of polio in Sabah,” he said.

He said this after reviewing the implementation of the Sabah Polio Immunisation Campaign in Kampung Ulu, Putatan, near here today.

Meanwhile, Uda, who is also Sabah Law and Native Affairs Assistant Minister, urged the people in Putatan to practice good hygiene at home to prevent the spread of the disease.

He said it was the joint responsibility of the local community and the government to maintain cleanliness by supporting every community programme. — Bernama

India: Friendship Goals: Since Nursery, Polio-Affected Kid Carried To School by Classmates | The Better India.

[FEBRUARY 15, 2020]

"For six years, I have observed them first-hand, and I am happy that many others will now read their story and be inspired."

Vidya Raja writes:

If you Googled the word ‘friendship’, you would be inundated with clichéd, almost over-the-top quotes on the topic.

In Lakshmish’s case, they would all be true.

Here’s why.

16-year-old Lakshmish Naik was affected by polio a year after his birth. Although he has never been able to walk, he has led a perfectly normal life otherwise. A large part of this is because of his friends at school.

A group of students from East-West Public School in Bengaluru have been carrying Lakshmish around the school for almost a decade. They have done it religiously, every day, for the past decade, helping their classmate attend classes, play with them at recess, attend assemblies and school fairs, ensuring his experience of school to be as normal as possible.

Their teacher, Grace SithaRaman, shared this story with us. Grace speaks of her students with immense joy and pride. She tells me about how she has seen these boys grow up into such fine young men.

She adds, “For six years, I have observed them first-hand, and I am happy that many others will now read their story and be inspired.”

In her view, “Marks can be achieved at any stage in the life of a student but what we provide to them as soul tonic is the foundation on which they will manoeuvre through life with ease and confidence.”

Lakshmish being helped down the stairs at school.

I ask the boys if carrying Lakshmish was difficult, and even before I can complete my question, his friends answer in unison, “Not at all, Ma’am. There are so many of us, and all we have to do is come together to help him out.”

They also help him navigate his wheelchair around the premises.

How does Lakshmish feel? Speaking to The Better India, he says, “I am not sure I would have come this far if not for their support. I have always known that no matter what, my friends will always be there to help me. Whether it has been for a school event or everyday tasks, my friends have been there to take me along.”

With pride, he names all his friends and requests that I mention them all in the article.

Siddharth S, who happens to be one of Lakshmish’s closest friends, says, “I have known him since class 5 and never once have I felt that his inability to walk was a handicap. He has always been a part of everything we do. Whether in school or outside.”

I hope their friendship remains unaffected, given that the class 10 students will complete their final examinations and go their different ways.

Siddharth says, “It will be difficult once we all go our separate ways. I wish to pursue a diploma while Lakhsmish wants to study commerce, so I know there is no way we can be at the same institute after we complete this year.”

With Lakshmish every step of the way.

Mayur G, another friend, says, “I will miss him terribly as he has become a part of my family. In fact, more than me helping Lakshmish, he has been helping me in my academics. There have been so many instances when he has cleared my doubts and helped me understand concepts.”

These students have left us all with friendship goals for sure.

Nigeria: Polio immunisation: ‘We recorded success in January’ | Blueprint Newspapers.

[February 14, 2020] Bashir Mohammed writes:

The Kano state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa, has said the state had recorded huge success in the fight against polio by sustaining routine immunisation campaigns as portrayed in January, this year.

Tsanyawa, who disclosed this while speaking on the February 2020 National Immunisation Plus Days (NPDs) Vaccination campaign in Kano Friday, said the campaign “has been scheduled to be carried out across the 484 political wards of the 44 local government areas of the state, which commences on February 15 to 18, 2020.

He said the conduct of the polio campaign in the state was not coincidental, but rather an achievement of the present administration following concerted efforts by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the support of the federal government, development partners and traditional institutions.

According to him, it is on record that a lot of resources have been committed into supplemental immunisation activities, routine immunisation, health camps, medical outreaches and lots more with a view to meeting all eligible children for immunisation.

Tsanyawa, however, said the state government was fully committed to providing quality, affordable, accessible and robust health care services to the people.

Pakistan: Punjab set to inoculate over 19.9 million children against polio | The News International.

[February 15, 2020]

LAHORE: The five-day national polio immunisation drive is set to begin on Monday, February 17, in Punjab as well as all over the country, Punjab Polio Programme Incharge Ms Sundas Irshad said in a statement on Friday.

The government aims to ensure that polio virus circulation is interrupted during the first national immunisation drive of the current year and the virus is eliminated,” said Ms Sundas.

The Provincial Emergency Operations Centre for polio eradication has constituted over 48,000 teams that would go door-to-door and would be deployed at major crossings and points to vaccinate over 19.93 million children under the age of five years all over the province, she said.

The polio programme incharge said in order to facilitate parents and receive complaints a 24-hour helpline 1166 has been established. People can also lodge complaints at government’s social media accounts using hashtags #PakFightsPolio and @polioeradicationinitiative, if polio teams do not turn up in their areas.

Ms Sundas also assured parents that polio vaccine was safe, efficacious, and approved by the government’s drug regulatory authorities.

Pakistan: CS opens five-day anti-polio drive in KP | The News International.

[February 15, 2020] [Bureau Report]

PESHAWAR: Chief Secretary Kazim Niaz has said that complete eradication of the poliovirus is the priority of both the government.

He was talking to reporters after inaugurating a 5-day anti-polio drive at the Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) here on Friday.

Acting Medical Director KTH Prof Dr Irshad Ahmed, Acting Hospital Director Dr Muhammad Zafar Afridi, Nursing Director Rehmatullah, and faculty staff welcomed the chief secretary.

Terming polio eradication as a national cause and a collective responsibility, the chief secretary urged all segments of the society, donor agencies and government institutions to make coordinated efforts to save the future generations from life-long disabilities.

The 5-day anti-polio campaign would formally start from the 17th February to immunize over 6.7 million children under the age of five years across the province.

As many as 28049 teams of the trained Lady Health Workers have been deputed for the campaign, which includes 24900 mobile, 1849 fixed and 1300 transit ones to ensure reach every child of the age group.

In his media talk, the chief secretary said public awareness was of vital importance for the success of the polio campaigns, adding media was the most effective tool for creating awareness at the mass level. He urged the media persons to play an effective role in educating the general public and dispelling the misconceptions about the polio vaccines.

Replying to a question, the chief secretary said though the last year was not so encouraging with regard to high number of polio cases, the provincial government is fully committed to eradicating the poliovirus from the province.

“The provincial government has revisited and revamped the entire polio campaign and now it is being launched with a totally new and a different approach so that cent percent result of the campaign is achieved,” he added.

Kazim Niaz said he personally monitors the polio campaign at the provincial level whereas at the district level the deputy commissioners have been assigned special tasks and their Annual Performance Reports linked with their performance of polio campaigns.

Dean Prof Dr Noorul Iman and the college faculty received the official and informed him about various events organized during the spirit week.

The students and faculty enjoyed some of the events including Pashto Day, Urdu Day and English Day as poets and scholars of relevant languages were invited. Some students tried to oppose music session when the students were entrained with Rubab and Pashto music at the jammed-packed convocation hall of the college.

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