New WHO report says the cause of mystery illness in Congo is likely common respiratory viruses … [+]
The mysterious disease affecting people in the Democratic Republic of Congo is most likely caused by a respiratory virus exacerbated by malaria and malnutrition, a report said. This is evident from a report released by the WHO on Friday. This assessment contrasts with previous reports that the disease previously called ‘disease X’ was the result of severe malaria. However, the current report is consistent with the Africa CDC’s hypothesis that the disease could be caused by a viral infection against a background of malaria and malnutrition.
Laboratory tests showed that 64 of 89 samples (72%) obtained from patients were positive for common respiratory viruses. Most often, these samples were positive for the influenza A virus, rhinoviruses or the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the pathogen that causes Covid-19. More than 60% of the samples analyzed were positive for malaria. Malaria, usually caused by Plasmodium falciparumis quite common in the DRC, with approximately 12% of all cases and deaths worldwide occurring in this country. The burden of malaria is especially high among children.
The WHO report also provides an update on the current disease situation. There have been 891 cases and 48 deaths reported. The burden of disease remains highest among children: roughly half of all reported cases and deaths occur in children under the age of five. In adults, 66% of cases occurred in women. WHO officials speculate that this gender difference may be due to different transmission dynamics within households that reflect a greater role of mothers caring for sick children. The cases are limited to Kwango province.
The severity of the disease in children is almost certainly exacerbated by malnutrition. The WHO report states that “the affected area has experienced a deterioration in food security in recent months, with increasing levels of acute malnutrition.” The report also states that approximately 4.5 million children under the age of five in the DRC “are or are expected to be affected by acute malnutrition.” In addition, more than three and a half million pregnant or lactating women may suffer from severe malnutrition. This level of food insecurity will lead to worsening outcomes for a wide range of infectious diseases.
The WHO report concludes that the risk to the local community is high. In contrast, national, regional and global risks are low.
While the report provides strong evidence that the mysterious illness may be linked to common respiratory viruses, more work needs to be done. Samples from only a limited number of patients were analyzed. There needs to be more surveillance in the area and more testing. Furthermore, the report highlights the numerous factors that can influence the severity of infectious diseases. Currently available information suggests that this disease is not caused by a new pathogen. Rather, the evidence shows us the greater burden that known pathogens can have among vulnerable populations.