Browsing by Author "Icenogle, Joseph P."

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    Descriptive epidemiology of rubella disease and associated virus strains in Uganda
    (Journal of Medical Virology, 2020) Tushabe, Phionah; Bwogi, Josephine; Abernathy, Emily; Birungi, Molly; Eliku, James P.; Seguya, Ronald; Bukenya, Henry; Namuwulya, Prossy; Kakooza, Proscovia; Suppiah, Suganthi; Kabaliisa, Theopista; Tibanagwa, Mayi; Ampaire, Immaculate; Kisakye, Annet; Bakainaga, Andrew; Byabamazima, Charles R.; Icenogle, Joseph P.; Bakamutumaho, Barnabas
    Rubella virus causes a mild disease; however, infection during the first trimester of pregnancy may lead to congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in over 80% of affected pregnancies. Vaccination is recommended and has been shown to effectively reduce CRS incidence. Uganda plans to introduce routine rubella vaccination in 2019. The World Health Organization recommends assessing the disease burden and obtaining the baseline molecular virological data before vaccine introduction. Sera collected during case‐based measles surveillance from January 2005 to July 2018 were tested for rubella immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies. Sera from confirmed rubella outbreaks from January 2012 to August 2017 were screened using real‐time reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR); for positive samples, a region within the E1 glycoprotein coding region was amplified and sequenced. Of the 23 196 suspected measles cases serologically tested in parallel for measles and rubella, 5334 (23%) were rubella IgM‐positive of which 2710 (50.8%) cases were females with 2609 (96.3%) below 15 years of age. Rubella IgM‐positive cases were distributed throughout the country and the highest number was detected in April, August, and November. Eighteen (18%) of the 100 sera screened were real‐time RTPCR‐ positive of which eight (44.4%) were successfully sequenced and genotypes 1G and 2B were identified. This study reports on the seroprevalence and molecular epidemiology of rubella. Increased knowledge of former and current rubella viruses circulating in Uganda will enhance efforts to monitor the impact of vaccination as Uganda moves toward control and elimination of rubella and CRS.
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    Status of Global Virologic Surveillance for Rubella Viruses
    (The Journal of infectious diseases, 2011) Abernathy, Emily S.; Hu¨bschen, Judith M.; Muller, Claude P.; Jin, Li; Brown, David; Komase, Katsuhiro; Mori, Yoshio; Xu, Wenbo; Zhu, Zhen; Siqueira, Marilda M.; Shulga, Sergey; Tikhonova, Nina; Pattamadilok, Sirima; Incomserb, Patcha; Smit, Sheilagh B.; Akoua-Koffi, Chantal; Bwogi, Josephine; Lim, Wilina W. L.; Woo, Gibson K. S.; Triki, Hinda; Jee, Youngmee; Mulders, Mick N.; Maria Bispo de Filippis, Ana; Ahmed, Hinda; Icenogle, Joseph P.; Ramamurty, Nalini; Featherstone, David
    The suspected measles case definition captures rubella cases. Therefore, measles surveillance will be improved in the course of the control and eventual elimination of rubella transmission. One aspect of rubella control, virologic surveillance, is reviewed here. A systematic nomenclature for rubella viruses (RVs) based on 13 genotypes has been established and is updated when warranted by increases in information about RVs. From 2005 through 2010, the genotypes of RVs most frequently reported were 1E, 1G, and 2B, and genotypes 1a, 1B, 1C, 1h, 1j, and 2C were less frequently reported. Virologic surveillance can support rubella control and elimination. Synopses of rubella virologic surveillance in various countries, regions, and globally are given, including characterization of viruses from imported cases in a country that has eliminated rubella and studies of endemic viruses circulating in countries without rubella control objectives. Current challenges are discussed.