Viral pneumonia in adults in sub-Saharan Africa – epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and management

Community-acquired pneumonia causes substantial morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated 131 million new cases each year. Viruses – such as influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza virus – are now recognised as important causes of respiratory disease in o...

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Main Author: Antonia Ho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2014-06-01
Series:Pneumonia
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pneumonia.org.au/index.php/pneumonia/article/view/446
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author Antonia Ho
author_facet Antonia Ho
author_sort Antonia Ho
collection DOAJ
description Community-acquired pneumonia causes substantial morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated 131 million new cases each year. Viruses – such as influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza virus – are now recognised as important causes of respiratory disease in older children and adults in the developed world following the emergence of sensitive molecular diagnostic tests, recent severe viral epidemics, and the discovery of novel viruses. Few studies have comprehensively evaluated the viral aetiology of adult pneumonia in Africa, but it is likely to differ from Western settings due to varying seasonality and the high proportion of patients with immunosuppression and co-morbidities. Emerging data suggest a high prevalence of viral pathogens, as well as multiple viral and viral/bacterial infections in African adults with pneumonia. However, the interpretation of positive results from highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction tests can be challenging. Therapeutic and preventative options against viral respiratory infections are currently limited in the African setting. This review summarises the current state of the epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and management of viral pneumonia in sub-Saharan Africa.
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spelling doaj.art-65a5da2967c846db959906ea5d92d5332022-12-21T20:03:03ZengBMCPneumonia2200-61332014-06-0150182910.15172/pneu.2014.5/446374Viral pneumonia in adults in sub-Saharan Africa – epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and managementAntonia Ho0Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, BlantyreCommunity-acquired pneumonia causes substantial morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated 131 million new cases each year. Viruses – such as influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza virus – are now recognised as important causes of respiratory disease in older children and adults in the developed world following the emergence of sensitive molecular diagnostic tests, recent severe viral epidemics, and the discovery of novel viruses. Few studies have comprehensively evaluated the viral aetiology of adult pneumonia in Africa, but it is likely to differ from Western settings due to varying seasonality and the high proportion of patients with immunosuppression and co-morbidities. Emerging data suggest a high prevalence of viral pathogens, as well as multiple viral and viral/bacterial infections in African adults with pneumonia. However, the interpretation of positive results from highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction tests can be challenging. Therapeutic and preventative options against viral respiratory infections are currently limited in the African setting. This review summarises the current state of the epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and management of viral pneumonia in sub-Saharan Africa.https://pneumonia.org.au/index.php/pneumonia/article/view/446Viral pneumoniaviral respiratory tract infectionsadultolder childrenAfrica, sub-Saharan Africa
spellingShingle Antonia Ho
Viral pneumonia in adults in sub-Saharan Africa – epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and management
Pneumonia
Viral pneumonia
viral respiratory tract infections
adult
older children
Africa, sub-Saharan Africa
title Viral pneumonia in adults in sub-Saharan Africa – epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and management
title_full Viral pneumonia in adults in sub-Saharan Africa – epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and management
title_fullStr Viral pneumonia in adults in sub-Saharan Africa – epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and management
title_full_unstemmed Viral pneumonia in adults in sub-Saharan Africa – epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and management
title_short Viral pneumonia in adults in sub-Saharan Africa – epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and management
title_sort viral pneumonia in adults in sub saharan africa epidemiology aetiology diagnosis and management
topic Viral pneumonia
viral respiratory tract infections
adult
older children
Africa, sub-Saharan Africa
url https://pneumonia.org.au/index.php/pneumonia/article/view/446
work_keys_str_mv AT antoniaho viralpneumoniainadultsinsubsaharanafricaepidemiologyaetiologydiagnosisandmanagement