Pub Date : 2025-12-15DOI: 10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100238
Rita Cordeiro , Fernando da Conceição Batista , Ana Pelerito , Isabel Lopes de Carvalho , Sílvia Lopo , Raquel Neves , Raquel Rocha , Paula Palminha , Maria José Borrego , Maria Sofia Núncio , João Paulo Gomes
As mpox continues to spread globally, proactive monitoring and preparedness are crucial to minimize impact and enhance response strategies. Using a mathematical model combining a negative binomial distribution with Richards' logistic curve, we reconstructed the hidden phase of mpox transmission in Portugal, offering insights into the timing and dynamics of the initial outbreak. The analysis of 950 PCR-positive and 986 negative cases suggested that symptom onset occurred between March 24 and April 2, 2022, with March 27 identified as the most probable date. This study delineates the likely period of silent circulation of MPXV in Portugal, providing a clearer understanding of early outbreak dynamics and surveillance performance. Possible imperfections in early diagnostic testing and limited awareness of mpox may have contributed to delayed recognition of the outbreak. By demonstrating how retrospective mathematical modelling can estimate undetected transmission periods, our findings highlight the value of such approaches in epidemic reconstruction and underscore the importance of strengthening early surveillance systems to detect undiagnosed transmission of mpox in non-endemic countries.
{"title":"Undetected circulation of monkeypox virus in Portugal: Evidence for a 50-day gap before first detection","authors":"Rita Cordeiro , Fernando da Conceição Batista , Ana Pelerito , Isabel Lopes de Carvalho , Sílvia Lopo , Raquel Neves , Raquel Rocha , Paula Palminha , Maria José Borrego , Maria Sofia Núncio , João Paulo Gomes","doi":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100238","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100238","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As mpox continues to spread globally, proactive monitoring and preparedness are crucial to minimize impact and enhance response strategies. Using a mathematical model combining a negative binomial distribution with Richards' logistic curve, we reconstructed the hidden phase of mpox transmission in Portugal, offering insights into the timing and dynamics of the initial outbreak. The analysis of 950 PCR-positive and 986 negative cases suggested that symptom onset occurred between March 24 and April 2, 2022, with March 27 identified as the most probable date. This study delineates the likely period of silent circulation of MPXV in Portugal, providing a clearer understanding of early outbreak dynamics and surveillance performance. Possible imperfections in early diagnostic testing and limited awareness of mpox may have contributed to delayed recognition of the outbreak. By demonstrating how retrospective mathematical modelling can estimate undetected transmission periods, our findings highlight the value of such approaches in epidemic reconstruction and underscore the importance of strengthening early surveillance systems to detect undiagnosed transmission of mpox in non-endemic countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36311,"journal":{"name":"Global Epidemiology","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100238"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Improving reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) services is vital for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for maternal and child survival. This study utilized multilevel latent class analysis (MLCA) on Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data from 29 sub-Saharan African (sSA) countries to identify RMNCH service utilization patterns, examine covariate effects, and assess coverage inequalities. Secondary data from the most recent DHS conducted in 29 sSA countries from 2015 to 2024 were used. MLCA was performed on 12 RMNCH service indicators to account for the hierarchical structure of the data. Summary inequality indicators were used to assess differences in posterior class membership for lower-level classes across wealth quintiles, maternal education, maternal occupation, and place of residence. Women's RMNCH service utilization was divided into two categories: optimal and suboptimal users, and two higher-level categories: high and low coverage. Higher maternal education, household wealth, media access, and early antenatal care were related to a higher likelihood of being in the optimal utilizer class. In contrast, rural location and a longer distance to health services were associated with a lower likelihood. Inequality indices revealed significant differences among optimal utilizers, particularly in terms of mother education and household wealth. Targeted interventions are urgently required to promote RMNCH service utilization in sSA by addressing persistent socioeconomic disparities, particularly among women with no education, lower incomes, and low access to health care.
{"title":"Unveiling hidden heterogeneity and inequalities in the continuum of care for reproductive, maternal, and child health services in sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel latent class analysis approach","authors":"Abebew Aklog Asmare , Awoke Seyoum Tegegne , Denekew Bitew Belay","doi":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100237","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100237","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Improving reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) services is vital for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for maternal and child survival. This study utilized multilevel latent class analysis (MLCA) on Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data from 29 sub-Saharan African (sSA) countries to identify RMNCH service utilization patterns, examine covariate effects, and assess coverage inequalities. Secondary data from the most recent DHS conducted in 29 sSA countries from 2015 to 2024 were used. MLCA was performed on 12 RMNCH service indicators to account for the hierarchical structure of the data. Summary inequality indicators were used to assess differences in posterior class membership for lower-level classes across wealth quintiles, maternal education, maternal occupation, and place of residence. Women's RMNCH service utilization was divided into two categories: optimal and suboptimal users, and two higher-level categories: high and low coverage. Higher maternal education, household wealth, media access, and early antenatal care were related to a higher likelihood of being in the optimal utilizer class. In contrast, rural location and a longer distance to health services were associated with a lower likelihood. Inequality indices revealed significant differences among optimal utilizers, particularly in terms of mother education and household wealth. Targeted interventions are urgently required to promote RMNCH service utilization in sSA by addressing persistent socioeconomic disparities, particularly among women with no education, lower incomes, and low access to health care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36311,"journal":{"name":"Global Epidemiology","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100237"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791465","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative neurological disease that progresses over time, making early detection crucial for effective intervention and better patient prognosis. Traditional diagnostic methods such as cognitive assessments, neuroimaging, and biomarker analysis can be time-consuming, costly, and inconsistent. We introduce AlzStack, a soft voting ensemble model to classify AD from a richly detailed dataset containing 2149 patients across demographic, medical, lifestyle, and cognitive variables. To resolve class imbalance, we implemented a pipeline 5-fold cross-validation, randomized search for hyper parameter tuning and advanced resampling methods such as SMOTE (Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique), ADASYN, BorderlineSMOTE, and SVMSMOTE. Soft Vote Classifier surpassed both stacking ensembles and hard voting with an AUC value of 94.27 %, accuracy of 93.26 %, precision of 89.17 %, a recall of 92.11 %, and F1-score value of 90.61 %.A secondary experiment with only resampling methods applied to data to all base models served as a baseline for comparison confirming the superior performance of cross-validation AlzStack configuration. To improve interpretability, we utilized a wide range of Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI methods) and these approaches yielded global and local explanations about model behavior, emphasizing key features like MMSE scores, functional measures, and behavioral markers. Combining robust predictive performance with explainable decision-making makes AlzStack is a healthcare decision-support algorithm for the early detection of AD.
{"title":"AlzStack: Forecasting early-onset Alzheimer's with an explainable AI system using multiple data balancing techniques","authors":"Venkata Aditi Modali , Manohar Pavanya , R. Vijaya Arjunan , D. Cenitta , Niranjana Sampathila , Radhika Kamath , Krishnaraj Chadaga","doi":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100235","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100235","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative neurological disease that progresses over time, making early detection crucial for effective intervention and better patient prognosis. Traditional diagnostic methods such as cognitive assessments, neuroimaging, and biomarker analysis can be time-consuming, costly, and inconsistent. We introduce AlzStack, a soft voting ensemble model to classify AD from a richly detailed dataset containing 2149 patients across demographic, medical, lifestyle, and cognitive variables. To resolve class imbalance, we implemented a pipeline 5-fold cross-validation, randomized search for hyper parameter tuning and advanced resampling methods such as SMOTE (Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique), ADASYN, BorderlineSMOTE, and SVMSMOTE. Soft Vote Classifier surpassed both stacking ensembles and hard voting with an AUC value of 94.27 %, accuracy of 93.26 %, precision of 89.17 %, a recall of 92.11 %, and F1-score value of 90.61 %.A secondary experiment with only resampling methods applied to data to all base models served as a baseline for comparison confirming the superior performance of cross-validation AlzStack configuration. To improve interpretability, we utilized a wide range of Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI methods) and these approaches yielded global and local explanations about model behavior, emphasizing key features like MMSE scores, functional measures, and behavioral markers. Combining robust predictive performance with explainable decision-making makes AlzStack is a healthcare decision-support algorithm for the early detection of AD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36311,"journal":{"name":"Global Epidemiology","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100235"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145705697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100236
Nadège Emégam Kouémou, Ven-Laura Atem Yega, Franklin Mbeboh Savo, Ndzweng Linda Tamanji
Background
Alcohol consumption worldwide is associated with a range of health and societal problems. Epidemiology data are valuable tools for predicting the outcome of a given behaviour on the general population's health. This study aimed to evaluate the patterns of alcohol consumption among Buea inhabitants.
Material and methods
This cross-sectional study involves 422 participants (244 men and 178 women) aged 15 years and above who have been residents of the Buea municipality for more than a year. This study was conducted from March to May 2019 using a semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included socio-demographic information and the 10 items of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT).
Results
The results obtained showed that many of the alcohol misusers were men. 34.6 % of the participants indicated drinking above the recommended levels. 93.8 % of the respondents admitted to consuming alcohol in the company of others, mostly in bars. Beer was the leading alcoholic beverage consumed in Buea. Alcohol intake for pleasure and to relieve stress were among the leading causes of alcohol drinking in the study population. The vast majority of participants reported misbehavior after alcohol intake. The number of women with AUDIT C score greater than 5 was also significant. Aggressivity, memory loss, and falls after drinking were also recorded in the study population.
Conclusion
The alcohol consumption patterns in Buea are associated with many behavioral misconducts. Therefore, there is a need for community education to curve the incidence of neurological diseases and alcohol addiction behaviour in the Buea municipality.
{"title":"Epidemiology of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders among the population of Buea, south west region, Cameroon: A survey study","authors":"Nadège Emégam Kouémou, Ven-Laura Atem Yega, Franklin Mbeboh Savo, Ndzweng Linda Tamanji","doi":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100236","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100236","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Alcohol consumption worldwide is associated with a range of health and societal problems. Epidemiology data are valuable tools for predicting the outcome of a given behaviour on the general population's health. This study aimed to evaluate the patterns of alcohol consumption among Buea inhabitants.</div></div><div><h3>Material and methods</h3><div>This cross-sectional study involves 422 participants (244 men and 178 women) aged 15 years and above who have been residents of the Buea municipality for more than a year. This study was conducted from March to May 2019 using a semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included socio-demographic information and the 10 items of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results obtained showed that many of the alcohol misusers were men. 34.6 % of the participants indicated drinking above the recommended levels. 93.8 % of the respondents admitted to consuming alcohol in the company of others, mostly in bars. Beer was the leading alcoholic beverage consumed in Buea. Alcohol intake for pleasure and to relieve stress were among the leading causes of alcohol drinking in the study population. The vast majority of participants reported misbehavior after alcohol intake. The number of women with AUDIT C score greater than 5 was also significant. Aggressivity, memory loss, and falls after drinking were also recorded in the study population.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The alcohol consumption patterns in Buea are associated with many behavioral misconducts. Therefore, there is a need for community education to curve the incidence of neurological diseases and alcohol addiction behaviour in the Buea municipality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36311,"journal":{"name":"Global Epidemiology","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100236"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145705587","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Corrigendum to ‘Mathematical modelling and time series clustering of Mpox outbreak: A comparative study of the top 10 affected countries and implications for future outbreak management’ [Global Epidemiology 10 (2025) 100214]","authors":"Mark-Daniels Tamakloe , Ametus Kuuwill , Ibrahim Osumanu , Helina Siripi","doi":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100216","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100216","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36311,"journal":{"name":"Global Epidemiology","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100216"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145736671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cervical cancer remains a major global health issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Although human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and screening are proven preventive strategies, LMICs, including India, face significant implementation challenges.
Methods
This observational, descriptive epidemiological study analyzes cervical cancer burden across WHO regions sourcing data from GLOBOCAN 2022, GBD, and GHO. India-specific state-level analysis was conducted using GBD data. Joinpoint regression assessed death trends, and a comparative analysis examined the impact of India's 2016 national cervical cancer screening and management policies.
Findings
The Southeast Asia Region (SEARO) accounts for the second-highest cervical cancer incident (new cases) and death rate among WHO regions, with India contributing over 65 % of the burden. National screening coverage remains alarmingly low, with only 1.9 % of women aged 30–49 undergoing screening, far below developed nations. Despite the adoption of Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) as primary screening method in 2016, India's cervical cancer death rates have continued to rise, increasing from 6.06 to 6.78 per 100,000 women (2012–2016) to 6.82–6.91 (2016–2019). However, death annual percentage change declined from 3.84 % (2012–2015) to 0.46 % (2016–2019), indicates slowdown in death acceleration but not a reversal.
Conclusion
India's burden remains high due to low screening coverage, reliance on subjective screening test, and limited HPV vaccination. While many countries like Australia and Bhutan have successfully reduced incidence and death through HPV-based screening and vaccination, India's slow progress underscores the urgent need for policy shifts towards HPV-DNA testing with self-sampling option and national HPV-vaccination programs implementation to curb cervical cancer burden effectively.
{"title":"Cervical cancer burden in India: A descriptive epidemiological study and policy insights","authors":"Khushwant Singh , Ashoo Grover , Kavitha Dhanasekaran","doi":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100233","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100233","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Cervical cancer remains a major global health issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Although human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and screening are proven preventive strategies, LMICs, including India, face significant implementation challenges.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This observational, descriptive epidemiological study analyzes cervical cancer burden across WHO regions sourcing data from GLOBOCAN 2022, GBD, and GHO. India-specific state-level analysis was conducted using GBD data. Joinpoint regression assessed death trends, and a comparative analysis examined the impact of India's 2016 national cervical cancer screening and management policies.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>The Southeast Asia Region (SEARO) accounts for the second-highest cervical cancer incident (new cases) and death rate among WHO regions, with India contributing over 65 % of the burden. National screening coverage remains alarmingly low, with only 1.9 % of women aged 30–49 undergoing screening, far below developed nations. Despite the adoption of Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) as primary screening method in 2016, India's cervical cancer death rates have continued to rise, increasing from 6.06 to 6.78 per 100,000 women (2012–2016) to 6.82–6.91 (2016–2019). However, death annual percentage change declined from 3.84 % (2012–2015) to 0.46 % (2016–2019), indicates slowdown in death acceleration but not a reversal.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>India's burden remains high due to low screening coverage, reliance on subjective screening test, and limited HPV vaccination. While many countries like Australia and Bhutan have successfully reduced incidence and death through HPV-based screening and vaccination, India's slow progress underscores the urgent need for policy shifts towards HPV-DNA testing with self-sampling option and national HPV-vaccination programs implementation to curb cervical cancer burden effectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36311,"journal":{"name":"Global Epidemiology","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100233"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145622927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-12DOI: 10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100232
Victor M. Oguoma , Mark Daniel , Ralf-D Schroers , Mohamed Abu-Farha , Faisal H. Al-Refaei , Fahd Al-Mulla , Neil T. Coffee , Saad Alsharrah
Background
Insufficient physical activity (PA) is the fourth leading risk factor for cardiometabolic disease. This study assessed in Kuwait adults the spatial clustering of PA; relationships between PA, climatic factors and built environmental (BE) indicators; and ethnic group differences in PA.
Methods
A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 2011 to 2014 targeting adults in Kuwait ≥18 years old, using the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) to assess five domains of physical activity. 2530 participants were classified as physically active or not physically active based on accruing at least 600 MET (min/week). Objectively measured residential-area BE indicators were extracted using the street address location of study participants. Climatic variables expressed as monthly aggregates were acquired from Kuwait's climate stations. Random effects logit analysis was used to assess the relationships between PA, climatic and BE variables.
Results
The proportion of physically active respondents was 51.9 % (95 % CI: 49.9, 53.8 %). Insufficient PA was greater in women than men. Suburb-level PA ranged from 21.4 % to 81.9 %. Covariate-adjusted analyses of PA revealed a weak positive association between average temperature aOR = 1.03 (95 %CI: 1.00, 1.06), open space sports ground with synthetic grass (300 m) aOR = 1.28 (95 %CI: 0.88, 1.86), and weighted area road density (100 m) aOR = 1.06 (95 %CI: 0.96, 1.17). A lower odds of PA was apparent for respondents who were currently married (vs never married) aOR = 0.68 (95 %CI: 0.46, 0.99), and for women (vs men) aOR = 0.57 (95 %CI: 0.46, 0.72). A greater odds of PA was apparent for the South/Southeast Asian relative to Arab ethnic group aOR = 1.32 (95 %CI: 1.04, 1.67).
Conclusion
This study indicates that half the population in Kuwait did not meet the WHO recommended minimum PA level of at least 600 MET (min/week). Efforts to promote PA in Kuwait should consider addressing gender and ethnic disparities, local environmental factors, and demographic influences such as marital status.
{"title":"Physical activity patterns and environmental influences: Findings from the Kuwait diabetes epidemiology program","authors":"Victor M. Oguoma , Mark Daniel , Ralf-D Schroers , Mohamed Abu-Farha , Faisal H. Al-Refaei , Fahd Al-Mulla , Neil T. Coffee , Saad Alsharrah","doi":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100232","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100232","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Insufficient physical activity (PA) is the fourth leading risk factor for cardiometabolic disease. This study assessed in Kuwait adults the spatial clustering of PA; relationships between PA, climatic factors and built environmental (BE) indicators; and ethnic group differences in PA.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 2011 to 2014 targeting adults in Kuwait ≥18 years old, using the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) to assess five domains of physical activity. 2530 participants were classified as physically active or not physically active based on accruing at least 600 MET (min/week). Objectively measured residential-area BE indicators were extracted using the street address location of study participants. Climatic variables expressed as monthly aggregates were acquired from Kuwait's climate stations. Random effects logit analysis was used to assess the relationships between PA, climatic and BE variables.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The proportion of physically active respondents was 51.9 % (95 % CI: 49.9, 53.8 %). Insufficient PA was greater in women than men. Suburb-level PA ranged from 21.4 % to 81.9 %. Covariate-adjusted analyses of PA revealed a weak positive association between average temperature aOR = 1.03 (95 %CI: 1.00, 1.06), open space sports ground with synthetic grass (300 m) aOR = 1.28 (95 %CI: 0.88, 1.86), and weighted area road density (100 m) aOR = 1.06 (95 %CI: 0.96, 1.17). A lower odds of PA was apparent for respondents who were currently married (vs never married) aOR = 0.68 (95 %CI: 0.46, 0.99), and for women (vs men) aOR = 0.57 (95 %CI: 0.46, 0.72). A greater odds of PA was apparent for the South/Southeast Asian relative to Arab ethnic group aOR = 1.32 (95 %CI: 1.04, 1.67).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study indicates that half the population in Kuwait did not meet the WHO recommended minimum PA level of at least 600 MET (min/week). Efforts to promote PA in Kuwait should consider addressing gender and ethnic disparities, local environmental factors, and demographic influences such as marital status.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36311,"journal":{"name":"Global Epidemiology","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100232"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145576005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-11DOI: 10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100229
Okuhle Mayoyo , Luyanda Msolo , Kingsley E. Ebomah , Nolonwabo Nontongana , Anthony I. Okoh
Background
The global health catastrophe of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) resulted from the emergence and proliferation of a Betacoronavirus, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the unprecedented pandemic, over 6 million fatalities associated with COVID-19 have been observed on a global scale, and the world economy has taken a toll. The virus is discharged into the wastewater milieu, posing significant environmental and public health concerns. Hence, this investigation sought to explicate the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the municipal wastewater of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM).
Methods
Raw wastewater samples were obtained from inlets of various municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in BCMM for a 46-week surveillance period. Commercial kits were utilized to extract viral Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) from 486 wastewater samples following the standard operating protocol. Subsequently, the Quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) was employed to profile the pervasiveness of SARS-CoV-2 RNA over the surveillance period.
Results and conclusion
351 (72 %) possessed the nucleocapsid protein gene, signifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the municipal wastewater. A time series analysis revealed relatively higher SARS-CoV-2 RNA counts in autumn (2022). A moderate correlation (r = 0.43) was observed between the SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the estimated number of infected individuals. Nonetheless, the pervasiveness of SARS-CoV-2 in this environment is of critical public health significance, offering a valuable indicator of community-level viral spread. The present study's findings substantiate our understanding that wastewater possesses pathogens of interest, emphasize the importance of monitoring wastewater.
{"title":"Incidence and temporal distribution of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in the municipal wastewaters of the Buffalo City region, Eastern Cape, South Africa","authors":"Okuhle Mayoyo , Luyanda Msolo , Kingsley E. Ebomah , Nolonwabo Nontongana , Anthony I. Okoh","doi":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloepi.2025.100229","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The global health catastrophe of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) resulted from the emergence and proliferation of a <em>Betacoronavirus</em>, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the unprecedented pandemic, over 6 million fatalities associated with COVID-19 have been observed on a global scale, and the world economy has taken a toll. The virus is discharged into the wastewater milieu, posing significant environmental and public health concerns. Hence, this investigation sought to explicate the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the municipal wastewater of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Raw wastewater samples were obtained from inlets of various municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in BCMM for a 46-week surveillance period. Commercial kits were utilized to extract viral Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) from 486 wastewater samples following the standard operating protocol. Subsequently, the Quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) was employed to profile the pervasiveness of SARS-CoV-2 RNA over the surveillance period.</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusion</h3><div>351 (72 %) possessed the nucleocapsid protein gene, signifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the municipal wastewater. A time series analysis revealed relatively higher SARS-CoV-2 RNA counts in autumn (2022). A moderate correlation (<em>r</em> = 0.43) was observed between the SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the estimated number of infected individuals. Nonetheless, the pervasiveness of SARS-CoV-2 in this environment is of critical public health significance, offering a valuable indicator of community-level viral spread. The present study's findings substantiate our understanding that wastewater possesses pathogens of interest, emphasize the importance of monitoring wastewater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36311,"journal":{"name":"Global Epidemiology","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100229"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145519444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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