Nigeria research institute warns of recurring infectious diseases

The Nigerian Institute of Medical Analysis (NIMR) has raised considerations over the rising prevalence of rising and re-emerging infectious ailments in Nigeria, notably Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs).

Throughout a media briefing on Tuesday, the institute emphasised the pressing want for enhanced illness surveillance, improved diagnostics, and elevated public consciousness to curb the unfold of those infections.

Talking on the briefing, NIMR’s Director of Analysis, Rosemary Audu, highlighted the rising burden of VHFs equivalent to Lassa fever, yellow fever, Zika virus, dengue, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Nigeria.

Mrs Audu, a professor of Medical Virology at Lead Metropolis College, Ibadan, famous that NIMR’s analysis has uncovered ongoing transmission of those ailments in a number of states, signalling the necessity for pressing intervention.

“Rising and re-emerging infectious ailments have gotten extra frequent and may trigger widespread sickness and demise. Analysis is essential to understanding how these ailments unfold, change, and have an effect on human well being,” she stated.

“It helps develop higher instruments for analysis, vaccines, and coverings, permitting quicker responses to outbreaks.”Burden of VHFs in Nigeria

VHFs are zoonotic infections with signs equivalent to fever, headache, vomiting, mucosal and gastrointestinal bleeding, and hypotension, which might result in shock and excessive mortality charges.

Widespread VHFs embrace Lassa fever, Ebola, yellow fever, dengue, Marburg fever, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

In Nigeria, Lassa fever stays a big public well being concern. As at February, the Nigeria Centre for Illness Management and Prevention (NCDC) reported 413 circumstances and 80 deaths throughout 11 states and 63 native authorities areas in 2025.

Mrs Audu highlighted the rising prevalence of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral an infection, urging elevated consideration and reporting.

Her research (2022-2024) confirmed circumstances of dengue virus amongst febrile sufferers in Oyo and Delta States and found a excessive presence of mosquitoes in these areas.

Mrs Audu additionally famous that Tuberculosis (TB) is a persistent public well being menace in Nigeria, emphasising the necessity for improved diagnostics and therapy methods to curb its unfold.

NIMR’s position in illness surveillance

In his opening tackle, NIMR’s Director-Normal, John Obafunwa, highlighted the institute’s position in illness surveillance, analysis, and innovation to stop future outbreaks.

Mr Obafunwa, a Professor of Forensic Pathology, burdened the significance of early and correct illness analysis, citing challenges equivalent to insufficient diagnostic instruments, excessive prices of medical reagents, and energy provide points that hinder laboratory operations.

He known as for elevated authorities and personal sector help to strengthen the institute’s analysis capability and guarantee sustainable funding.

Analysis achievements

Mrs Audu detailed NIMR’s analysis milestones in VHFs, vector-borne ailments, and rising infections like Mpox and COVID-19.

“In Ondo State, we confirmed the endemicity of Lassa fever, but 80 per cent of suspected circumstances examined damaging, elevating considerations about undiagnosed infections,” she stated.

“In Delta State, yellow fever virus was detected in mosquito swimming pools even after fumigation, questioning the efficacy of management measures.”

Her research on Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Kwara State supplied insights into its prevalence amongst herdsmen and febrile sufferers. She additionally led the sequencing of Nigeria’s first SARS-CoV-2 case in 2020 and performed seroprevalence research throughout a number of states, offering crucial information on COVID-19’s unfold.

Between 2021 and 2024, she detected dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya viruses in febrile sufferers throughout Oyo and Delta states.

Public well being implications

Mrs Audu noticed that the detection of a number of viral infections in Nigerian communities signifies energetic transmission, necessitating fast public well being interventions.

She warned that the rising presence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes might exacerbate the unfold of arboviral ailments if left unchecked.

“Our analysis confirms the necessity for intensified efforts to manage each rodent and mosquito populations,” she stated.

“We additionally want to boost diagnostic capabilities for VHFs and lift consciousness amongst healthcare suppliers to enhance case detection.”

Challenges, manner ahead

Regardless of its breakthroughs, Mrs Audu famous that NIMR faces a number of challenges, together with restricted funding, irregular sampling, and the excessive price of serology kits.

She defined that the institute is exploring extra grant alternatives and rising fieldwork engagement amongst postgraduate researchers to handle these points.

Wanting forward, she stated NIMR goals to increase VHF surveillance to extra states, develop improved diagnostics and vaccines, and consider the effectiveness of obtainable Mpox vaccines for Nigerian strains.

Mrs Audu burdened the significance of public engagement in illness prevention, noting that many febrile diseases in Nigeria are mistakenly attributed solely to malaria and typhoid.

“Understanding the range of infectious brokers will enhance illness management and information higher public well being selections,” she stated.

“Our findings have been shared at nationwide and worldwide scientific conferences, and we stay dedicated to collaborating with policymakers to implement efficient well being methods.”