Poliomyelitis Outbreak in Papua New Guinea, 2018

Authors

  • Mark Raphael Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research.
  • Dillon C Adam Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales
  • Abrar A Chughtai School of Population Health, University of New South Wales
  • Angela Kelly-Hanku Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales
  • Danielle Hutchinson Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5816-6738
  • Yi An Lai Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales
  • C.Raina MacIntyre Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31646/gbio.164

Keywords:

Vaccination coverage, Acute Flaccid Paralysis, Papua New Guinea, Poliomyelitis, Disease Outbreaks, Poliovirus Vaccine, Risk factors

Abstract

Objective: Vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) remains a significant barrier to global poliomyelitis eradication. Following 18 years of polio-free status, an epidemic of circulating VDPV type 1 (cVDPV1) occurred in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 2018. We describe the epidemiology of the 2018 cVDPV1 epidemic in PNG, and identify risk factors which may aid future policy and control efforts.

Methods: Data pertaining to the 2018 PNG epidemic were extracted from EPIWATCH and supplemented with data from other sources, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), and published literature. Descriptive analyses were undertaken, and key risk factors identified.

Results: 26 cases of cVDPV1 were confirmed throughout the duration of the epidemic (April to October 2018) in nine provinces. Of the 26 cases, 19 (73%) were males and 7 (27%) were females, and most of the cases (73%) occurred in children under the age of five. Population immunization coverage of three doses of oral polio vaccine (OPV3) was found to fluctuate between 60- 80% between 2000 and 2018. Nonpolio Acute Flaccid Paralysis (NPAFP) surveillance rates were also found to be suboptimal over this period.

Discussion: A combination of low routine immunization coverage, lacking supplementary immunization activities, and ineffective surveillance systems, in the context of a struggling health system, culminated in this epidemic. To prevent future poliomyelitis epidemics in PNG, emphasis must be placed on supporting the health system to maintain high vaccination coverage, in conjunction with robust and effective surveillance systems.

 

Downloads

Published

2022-10-20

How to Cite

Raphael, M., Adam, D. C., Chughtai, A. A., Kelly-Hanku, A., Hutchinson, D., Lai, Y. A., & MacIntyre, C. (2022). Poliomyelitis Outbreak in Papua New Guinea, 2018. Global Biosecurity, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.31646/gbio.164

Issue

Vol. 4 (2022)

Section

Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2022 The Author(s)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Received 2022-07-05
Accepted 2022-09-19
Published 2022-10-20