Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41948637›Full record

ArticleHealth science reports2026

Mystery Disease X Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Narrative Review of Epidemiological Patterns and Response Challenges.

Muhammad Shaheer Bin Faheem, Muhammad Haroon-Ul-Rasheed, Sumaya Samadi

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Article in Health science reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Muhammad Shaheer Bin FaheemDepartment of Medicine and Surgery Karachi Institute of Medical Sciences, KIMS Karachi Sindh Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6878-2031
Muhammad Haroon-Ul-RasheedCMH Multan Institute of Medical Sciences, CIMS Multan Punjab Pakistan.
Sumaya SamadiKabul University of Medical Sciences "Abu Ali Ibn Sina" Kabul Afghanistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1510-1168

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background and Aims: An unknown disease known as Disease X first surfaced in the Panzi Health Zone, Kwango Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), towards the end of 2024. It mainly affected children under the age of five. The clinical characteristics and of the outbreak are examined in this review. Methods: A narrative review was conducted by searching PubMed, WHO reports, and gray literature regarding this outbreak before 2025. Results: The epidemic manifests as flu-like symptoms, fever, and cough. Response to fighting this outbreak has been hindered by socioeconomic problems, limited testing, and poor health facilities. The outbreak reflects similar problems from previous outbreaks, such as Ebola and cholera. Conclusion: The Disease X outbreak highlights problems in the DRC's health system. Strengthening testing facilities, funding, and broad surveillance is essential in controlling this outbreak.

Indexed as

Democratic Republic of Congoepidemicfuture strategiesinfectious diseaseWorld Health Organization

Identifiers

PMID41948637
PMCPMC13052280

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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.