High Burden of Shigellosis Among Hospitalized Children under five in Ndola, Zambia: Evidence from molecular-based surveillance

LAMP-based surveillance in hospitalized children under five in Ndola, Zambia found ipaH-positive shigellosis in 19.5% of admissions (329 weighted cases).

• Why it matters: Culture methods can miss Shigella in high-burden sub-Saharan settings, leaving uncertain estimates for severe diarrhea and diarrheal mortality risk in young children.
• What they did: From May 2020 to November 2021 at Arthur Davison Childrens Hospital, enrolled CU5 with acute diarrhea provided stool samples where possible; ipaH was detected by LAMP and weighted to all admissions.
• The result: The study estimated a hospitalization incidence of 2.4 per 1,000 person-years, with burden peaking at 12–23 months and being linked to bloody diarrhea, higher stool frequency, and fever.

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