Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41960039›Full record

ArticleJournal of public health in Africa2026

Weaknesses and strengths in the emergency response and management of the first mpox case in The Gambia.

Sheikh O Bittaye, Lamin Manneh, Morikebba Danso, Sheriffo Jagne, Amadou W Jallow, Ya Fatou B M Jobe, Mary Bobb, Ebrima K Jallow, Momodou Kalisa, Kebba Jobarteh and 7 more

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of public health in Africa, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. 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

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Sheikh O BittayeDepartment of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of The Gambia, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8162-7363
Lamin MannehMinistry of Health, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9748-0799
Morikebba DansoDepartment of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2108-8351
Sheriffo JagneNational Public Health Laboratories, Kotu, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1199-447X
Amadou W JallowMinistry of Health, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8557-469X
Ya Fatou B M JobeDepartment of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8965-2870
Mary BobbMinistry of Health, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0945-0484
Ebrima K JallowDepartment of Epidemiology and Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5806-8751
Momodou KalisaDepartment of Epidemiology and Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1775-9990
Kebba JobartehDepartment of Epidemiology and Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4433-6718
Modou L SannehNational Public Health Laboratories, Kotu, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0087-0302
Haddijatou AllenDepartment of Epidemiology and Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8429-5325
Ifeanyi L UdenwezeWorld Health Organisation, Kotu, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8380-1035
Pius OnonigweAfrica Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2704-2847
Abdoulie BadjanDepartment of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6481-9664
Mustapha BittayeDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4537-5060
Momodou T NyassiMinistry of Health, Banjul, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8916-3604

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Mpox is a zoonotic virus that can infect humans and animals. The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 14 August 2024, with the greatest burden in Africa. The Gambia registered its first case of mpox on 18 July 2025. This case study, therefore, assesses the weaknesses and strengths in the emergency response and management of the first mpox case in The Gambia. The patient is a 26-year-old female Gambian, who presented with a two-day history of a skin rash which was associated with fever, headache and myalgia. This patient was seen at the health centre, and swab samples were collected for mpox testing before she returned home. The samples were delivered to the National Public Health Laboratories (NPHL) a day later, and the polymerase chain reaction tests were conducted 8 days later, which confirmed the presence of mpox virus infection. The confirmed mpox case initially presented challenges with compliance, as the patient could not be readily located for isolation and treatment. However, through the coordinated efforts of the police, mobile operators, the village health worker (VHW), field investigators, surveillance officers, public health officers, regional health directorate staff, the head of the village or community, and the nurse at the Fajikunda Health Centre (FJKHC), the case was successfully traced. The assessment of the emergency response and management of the first mpox case in The Gambia revealed notable strengths and weaknesses. Surveillance efforts at the primary healthcare level were effective, leading to the detection of the case and a well-coordinated overall response. However, significant challenges emerged in the laboratory analysis of collected samples, including delays in processing as a result of an unreliable electricity supply and gaps in appropriate infection prevention and control measures.

Indexed as

case studyemergency responseGambiampoxstrengthsweaknesses

Identifiers

PMID41960039
PMCPMC13058487

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.