Publications

Leveraging artificial intelligence to strengthen public health emergency management in resource-constrained settings: A South African perspective

Current Issues, Policy briefs / By

How can artificial intelligence improve public health emergency management in resource-constrained settings? Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a promising tool for strengthening public health systems and improving Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM). Historically, digital technologies have supported disease surveillance and healthcare delivery. More recently, AI has demonstrated its potential during public health emergencies such […]

Leveraging artificial intelligence to strengthen public health emergency management in resource-constrained settings: A South African perspective Read More »

Differences in epidemiological characteristics and antimalarial drug resistance marker prevalence in imported and locally acquired cases from two South African malaria-endemic districts targeting elimination, 2022–2024

Current Issues, Epidemiological Reports, Malaria, Uncategorised / By

How do imported malaria cases influence transmission and antimalarial drug resistance in South Africa’s elimination districts? Malaria remains a major public health concern globally, despite being both preventable and curable. In 2024, an estimated 282 million malaria cases were reported worldwide, with Africa continuing to carry the overwhelming burden of disease transmission. South Africa, located

Differences in epidemiological characteristics and antimalarial drug resistance marker prevalence in imported and locally acquired cases from two South African malaria-endemic districts targeting elimination, 2022–2024 Read More »

Provincial epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease in South Africa, 2019–2024: Findings from laboratory-based surveillance in the Eastern, Northern, and Western Cape provinces

Current Issues, Epidemiological Reports, Uncategorised / By

How do provincial differences shape the burden and characteristics of invasive pneumococcal disease in South Africa? Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, remains a significant public health concern in South Africa, particularly among infants, older adults, and individuals with underlying conditions. While the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) into the Expanded Programme

Provincial epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease in South Africa, 2019–2024: Findings from laboratory-based surveillance in the Eastern, Northern, and Western Cape provinces Read More »

Epidemiology of cryptococcal disease in the Eastern, Northern, and Western Cape provinces of South Africa (2022–2024)

Current Issues, Epidemiological Reports, Uncategorised / By

Can improved surveillance and treatment access reduce the burden of cryptococcal disease in South Africa? Cryptococcal disease is a serious fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus species, most commonly affecting people with weakened immune systems. In individuals living with HIV, particularly those with advanced disease, the infection can spread to the brain and cause cryptococcal meningitis,

Epidemiology of cryptococcal disease in the Eastern, Northern, and Western Cape provinces of South Africa (2022–2024) Read More »

2024 GERMS-SA: Annual surveillance review – Key findings

Current Issues, Surveillance Reports, Uncategorised / By

What do the latest GERMS-SA surveillance findings reveal about disease trends in South Africa? Infectious diseases caused by bacterial, fungal, and parasitic pathogens remain a major public health concern. Surveillance systems that rely on laboratory-confirmed cases provide critical insights into disease burden and epidemiology, but can be affected by disruptions in diagnostic and reporting capacity.

2024 GERMS-SA: Annual surveillance review – Key findings Read More »

Reflections on the national guidelines for mpox in South Africa (policy brief)

Current Issues, Policy briefs, Uncategorised / By

What can South Africa’s national mpox guidelines teach us about strengthening public health preparedness and response? Mpox, historically a rare zoonosis confined to parts of Central and West Africa, has evolved into a global public health concern since 2022, with more than 175 000 confirmed cases reported across 142 countries by November 2025. South Africa

Reflections on the national guidelines for mpox in South Africa (policy brief) Read More »

Imported Lassa fever in South Africa: clinical and public health insights

Case Studies, Current Issues / By

Can imported cases of Lassa fever highlight diagnostic challenges and strengthen public health preparedness in South Africa? Viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) remain a significant public health concern due to their potential to cause severe disease and high mortality. In non-endemic countries, recognition can be challenging because early symptoms are often non-specific and resemble more common

Imported Lassa fever in South Africa: clinical and public health insights Read More »

The evolution of antenatal care HIV/syphilis sentinel surveillance in South Africa (1990–2022)

Current Issues, HIV, Surveillance Reports, Uncategorised / By

How has antenatal care HIV and syphilis surveillance evolved, and what comes next? Antenatal care (ANC) services provide convenient access to healthy women who are sexually active and can serve as a proxy for the general population with respect to HIV surveillance. Since 1990, South Africa has conducted antenatal care HIV and syphilis sentinel surveillance

The evolution of antenatal care HIV/syphilis sentinel surveillance in South Africa (1990–2022) Read More »

One Health surveillance report for rabies in South Africa (2021–2023)

Current Issues, Surveillance Reports, Uncategorised / By

How can One Health surveillance reveal hidden trends in human and animal cases? Rabies, endemic in South Africa, is a fatal viral infection affecting livestock, wildlife, domestic animals, and humans through direct zoonotic exposure. Although rabies has been reported in numerous mammalian species, most human infections are associated with contact with rabid domestic dogs. Traditional

One Health surveillance report for rabies in South Africa (2021–2023) Read More »

The burden and epidemiology of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis and culture-confirmed cryptococcosis in South Africa, 2018–2023

Current Issues, Surveillance Reports / By

Can surveillance data reveal trends in HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis in South Africa? HIV-associated cryptococcosis continues to contribute substantially to illness and death among people living with HIV in South Africa, despite important progress in expanding access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Cryptococcosis is a serious opportunistic fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans or Cryptococcus gattii. It

The burden and epidemiology of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis and culture-confirmed cryptococcosis in South Africa, 2018–2023 Read More »

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