A systematic review of long COVID studies in
Africa has uncovered alarmingly high prevalence in some patient groups, despite
widespread under-reporting of cases.
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While most people recover from COVID-19 within weeks, the
World Health Organization (WHO) says that 10–20% of those with the disease will
develop long COVID and experience symptoms for much longer. The most common
symptoms of long COVID include fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, chest
pain, depression or anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. It can lead to more
severe complications such as lung fibrosis and respiratory failure.
A systematic review published in The Lancet Global Health
analysed 24 articles including 9,712 patients who had COVID-19 in eight African
countries and found varying prevalence rates for long COVID ranging from 2% in
a patient group in Ghana to 86% in a study of 430 patients in Egypt. Half of
the studies had prevalence rates that were over 40%.
The review profiled symptoms of long COVID cited in the
studies and the characteristics of those with symptoms. It showed that long
COVID was positively associated with women, older age, a low level of
education, non-black ethnicity, the severity of acute infection and underlying
comorbidities. HIV and tuberculosis were found to not have an association with
long COVID.
The researchers suggested that long COVID is widely
under-reported in Africa because of a lack of awareness of the condition,
inadequate clinical data and diagnostics, and limited access to health care.
The review used articles published in English, French and
Spanish from December 2019 to November 2022 that focused on patients who
presented with symptoms for four weeks or more after having a severe case of
COVID-19. It included studies from Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, Morocco,
Tunisia, Ethiopia, Uganda and Zambia. Although children make up 40% of the
African population, they were only included in two of the studies.
The review highlighted the lack of research on long COVID in
Africa. Sophie Alice Müller, principal investigator and researcher at the
Center for International Health Protection at the Robert Koch Institut, Berlin,
says there is an urgent need for research evidence from longitudinal studies
involving vulnerable populations, especially children and rural communities
across the continent.
Islam Anan, lecturer in pharmacoeconomics and health policy
at Ain Shams University in Egypt, says the review shows the overwhelming health
burden caused by long COVID in Africa, highlighting the importance of health
strategies to avoid straining health systems and negatively affecting welfare,
especially among people on low incomes. He has called for further investment
from WHO to investigate the implications of the disease.
Müller, S.A. et al. Prevalence and risk factors for long
COVID and post-COVID-19 condition in Africa: a systematic review. Lancet Glob
Health 2023; 11: e1713–24
Source link : https://www.natureasia.com/en/nmiddleeast/article/10.1038/nmiddleeast.2024.25
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Publish date : 2024-01-18 08:00:00
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