Employing (Home) Organisation: Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
Project title: Capacity development in seromolecular, epidemiological and analytical techniques to identify arboviral aetiologies of pyrexia of unknown origin in Nigeria
I am a Research Fellow at the Centre for Human Virology and Genomics (ISO 15189:2012 accredited), Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR). I hold a Ph.D in Microbiology with specialization in Virology. I have capacity for molecular assays development, sequencing, gene construction, basic bioinformatic analysis: skills I acquired from a training at China CDC, Beijing. My research interest is on Arbovirology and other Viral Haemorrhagic fever viruses of public health importance. A colleague inspired me to apply for AREF.
Summary of Project Destination
Pyrexia of Unknown Origin (PUO) presents a significant diagnostic challenge in Nigeria and Africa at large. It is characterized by fever exceeding 38.3°C for more than three weeks without an identifiable cause after initial investigation. Approximately 73% of emerging and re-emerging pathogenic agents, contributing a burden of 700,000 deaths annually have arboviral origins. Malaria, while a prominent cause, does not account for all cases, necessitating improved diagnostic capabilities to unravel other causes. Hence, this project is aimed at identifying arboviral aetiologies associated with high fever among patients in Nigeria. The outcomes of this project will help us to understand the strains of arboviruses implicated in fever in Nigeria, their transmission patterns and level of immunity among the participants.
Summary of Fellowship Plan
The aim of my application for AREF RDF 2025 is to develop capacity for the identification and characterization of viral pathogens implicated in high fever among patients who tested negative for malaria in health facilities in Nigeria. I will spend nine months at Institute Pasteur, Dakar, Senegal under the supervision of Dr Oumar FAYE with support from his team to learn the various laboratory processes to identify sources of pyrexia of unknown origin.
Quote
“Tracking infectious diseases through consistent surveillance to identify the aetiology and transmission dynamics, is critical to the prevention of outbreaks. This fellowship provides a room to acquire skills for surveillance.”
Dr. Joseph Ojonugwa Shaibu expects to start his fellowship in July 2025