Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39910399›Full record

ArticleTropical medicine and health2025

Revealing viral hepatitis epidemiology in the Democratic Republic of Congo: insights from yellow fever surveillance reanalysis.

Patrick Mukadi-Kakoni, Yannick Munyeku-Bazitama, Gracia Kashitu-Mujinga, Marguerite Manwana-Pemba, Niclette Zenga-Bibi, Patient Okitale-Talunda, Christelle Mbelu-Kabongo, Fleurette Domai-Mbuyakala, Elisabeth Pukuta-Simbu, Pierre Mutantu-Nsele and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Tropical medicine and health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

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0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Patrick Mukadi-KakoniDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan. patrickmukadi@gmail.com.
Yannick Munyeku-BazitamaInstitut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Gracia Kashitu-MujingaInstitut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Marguerite Manwana-PembaInstitut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Niclette Zenga-BibiInstitut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Patient Okitale-TalundaInstitut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Christelle Mbelu-KabongoInstitut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Fleurette Domai-MbuyakalaDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
Elisabeth Pukuta-SimbuInstitut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Pierre Mutantu-NseleInstitut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Yoshinao KuboDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
Sheila Makiala-MandandaInstitut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Steve Ahuka-MundekeInstitut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Koya AriyoshiDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan. kari@nagasaki-u.ac.jp.
Jean-Jacques Muyembe-TamfumInstitut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundYellow fever surveillance systems are designed to identify cases of acute febrile jaundice, a clinical syndrome used to monitor the emergence of yellow fever outbreaks. However, this syndrome has diverse etiologies, particularly viral hepatitis. This study investigates the seroepidemiology of viral hepatitis A (HAV), B (HBV), C (HCV), and E (HEV) among cases initially suspected to be yellow fever, aiming to elucidate the epidemiology of viral hepatitis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and provide insights for improving public health interventions.

methodsA retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using serum samples collected between 2017 and 2018 through national yellow fever surveillance in the DRC. Samples from individuals testing negative for yellow fever were tested for IgM antibodies against HAV, HBc, HCV, and HEV and HBs antigen using validated ELISA kits. Acute HBV infection was defined by both HBc IgM and HBs antigen positivity. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association of demographic, geographic, and environmental factors with each hepatitis type.

resultsAmong 1239 participants (58.8% male; median age: 16 years), seroprevalence was 16.1, 11.2, 5.0, and 3.1% for HAV, HBV, HCV and HEV, respectively. HAV prevalence was highest in the youngest age group and rural residents. In contrast, the youngest group was most protected from HBV. HCV prevalence was highest in the oldest age groups. HEV exhibited higher prevalence during the dry season and in a humid subtropical climate. Several provinces were identified as hotspots of HAV, HCV and HEV.

conclusionsViral hepatitis is a major cause of acute febrile jaundice in the DRC with notable geographic and seasonal trends. National yellow fever surveillance is a valuable resource for understanding hepatitis epidemiology, though careful interpretation is necessary. Tailored interventions are required for mitigating the burden of viral hepatitis in each province.

Indexed as

Acute febrile jaundiceDemocratic Republic of CongoHepatitisPublic healthSeroepidemiologyViral hepatitisYellow fever surveillance

Identifiers

PMID39910399
PMCPMC11800490

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.