Current Issues

Is Malaria Surveillance Keeping Pace with the Threat? Malaria, a potentially fatal illness, stems from blood parasites known as Plasmodium, transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes(also known as malaria vectors). Within the human body, these parasites proliferate initially in the liver before invading red blood cells. Malaria typically manifests with initial symptoms that are

Are Diarrhoeal Diseases on the Rise? Diarrhoeal diseases refer to a group of illnesses that involve the passage of loose or watery stools, often accompanied by an increased frequency of bowel movements. These conditions are commonly caused by various infectious agents, such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Diarrhoeal diseases can range in severity from mild

How Effective is South Africa’s Congenital Syphilis Notification Surveillance System?  Congenital syphilis poses a severe threat to infants, being a debilitating and potentially life-threatening infection. When a pregnant mother carries syphilis, the spirochete Treponema pallidum can be transmitted to the unborn infant through the placenta, a process known as vertical transmission. Up to 80% of

This report summarizes the results of influenza surveillance in South Africa for the period of week 1 through week 32, 2022, and was compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO) National Influenza Centre (NIC) housed at the Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis (CRDM) of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). During 2022, influenza