Investigation of influenza A of pandemic potential and MERS-Coronavirus in humans in Cameroon

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: According to the World Health Organization, surveillance for respiratory viruses with pandemic potential should be included in routine surveillance to be on alert for zoonotic transmission. This study reports on data from the surveillance of influenza A/H5, influenza A/H7 and MERS-Coronavirus in Cameroon. RESULTS: A total of 855 participants were enrolled. Of these, 11.7% were positive for influenza A and none were positive for influenza A/H5, A/H7 and MERS-Coronavirus. Most participants (77.1%) were enrolled within 5 days of illness onset and the younger population under 2 years of age (31.4%) was the most represented. In terms of clinical manifestations, the majority had flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, rhinorrhoea, asthenia, shortness of breath, noisy breathing and headache. These results are important to fill the knowledge gap on the epidemiology of influenza A/H5, A/H7 and MERS-Coronavirus in humans, for which information is lacking in several countries.