Cervical cancer is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in women in Zimbabwe. This is mainly due to the high prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes in the population. So far, few studies have been done that showed the presence of high-risk genital HPV genotypes such as 16, 18, 31, 33, 52, 58 and 70 in Zimbabwean women with cervical cancer. The prevalence of HPV DNA in women with cervical cancer has been shown to range from 63% to 98%. The high-risk HPV 16, 18, 31, 33 and 58 were the most common genotypes in all the studies. The introduction of the new HPV vaccines, HPV2 and HPV4, which protect against HPV genotypes 16 and 18 into Zimbabwe is likely to go a long way in reducing deaths due to cervical cancer. However, there are few challenges to the introduction of the vaccines. The target population for HPV vaccination is at the moment not well-defined. The other challenge is that the current HPV vaccines confer only type-specific (HPV 16 and 18) immunity leaving a small proportion of Zimbabwean women unprotected against other high-risk HPV genotypes such as 31, 33 and 58. Future HPV vaccines such as the nanovalent vaccine will be more useful to Zimbabwe as they will protect women against more genotypes.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, the causative agent of typhoid, is endemic in most parts of the world especially in Africa. Reliable and rapid diagnosis of the bacterium is therefore critical for confirmation of all suspected typhoid cases. In many parts of Zimbabwe, laboratory capacity to isolate the microorganism by culture method as a way of diagnosis has limitations. In this study, two rapid serological kits, TUBEX-TF and OnSite Typhoid IgG/IgM Combo, were evaluated for possible expeditious diagnosis of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi infection during a typhoid outbreak in Zimbabwe. Blood was collected from patients with clinical signs and symptoms of typhoid in Harare, Zimbabwe during an outbreak. The standard culture method was used to diagnose the disease. Two rapid kits, the TUBEX-TF and OnSite Typhoid IgG/IgM Combo, were also used in parallel to diagnose typhoid according to manufacturers’ instructions. The diagnostic accuracy of the two kits was evaluated using the culture method as the gold standard. From all the cases diagnosed by the blood culture (n = 136), we enrolled 131 patients for the TUBEX-TF and 136 for the OnSite Typhoid IgG/IgM Combo tests. With the culture method as a reference standard, we found that TUBEX-TF test was 100% sensitive and 94.12% specific, with 63.16% positive and 100% negative predictive values (NPVs) and the OnSite Typhoid IgG/IgM Combo test was 100% sensitive and 94.35% specific, with 63.16% positive and 100% NPVs. Our results indicated that TUBEX-TF and OnSite Typhoid IgG/IgM Combo rapid tests were useful tools for the rapid diagnosis of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi infection during typhoid outbreaks in Zimbabwe. The tests performed very well in laboratory evaluations of blood culture-confirmed typhoid cases in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Aims: To evaluate a tuberculosis surveillance system (TBSS) in Harare. Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Harare City Health Department, Zimbabwe, between January 2013 to September 2013. Methodology: Standard CDC surveillance evaluation guidelines were employed to assess the performance of TBSS in the Harare City. Health care officers involved in TB surveillance were recruited. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analysed. Results: Respondents were knowledgeable about the TBSS, with 93% being aware of the TB screening test and 18% knowledgeable of all the five standard questions used in TB screening, while 53% knew about 4 of them. Only 22% could state all the seven clinical case definitions of TB. However 60% were not aware of the objectives of the TBSS. About 64% indicated that they had analysed TB data and 69 % indicated that the TBSS was useful. On simplicity, the majority (95%) of the respondents indicated that it was easy to use the case definitions used in TB classification of patients. The TBSS was acceptable to 100% of the respondents. On flexibility, 76% of the respondents showed that the TB notification form could accommodate additional diseases and 75% indicated that other health conditions be included. Conclusion: The study concluded that the TBSS within the Harare City Health department was simple, flexible, stable, representative and acceptable to the health care workers and data completeness was commendable. The surveillance system addressed the TB control priorities and effectively monitored the disease in the City.