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Updated: Jul 7, 2026
A High-throughput Platform for the Screening of Salmonella spp./Shigella spp.
Published on: November 7, 2018
The Enterics for Global Health (EFGH) Shigella Surveillance Study in Pakistan
Naveed Ahmed1, Mohammad Tahir Yousafzai1, Farah Naz Qamar1
1Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Background:
The Enterics for Global Health (EFGH) Shigella surveillance study is a longitudinal multicountry study that aims to estimate incidence rates and document consequences of Shigella diarrhea within 7 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In addition to a high incidence of childhood diarrhea, Pakistan is facing a problem of antimicrobial resistance in urban and peri-urban areas of Karachi.
Methods:
In Pakistan, EFGH will be conducted in Karachi, which is one of the metropolitan cities bordering the Arabian Sea and has a diverse population of 1.6 million according to the 2017 population census. The study aims to enroll 1400 children aged 6-35 months over 2 years (2022-2024) from 6 health care facilities (Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Khidmat-e-Alam Medical Centre, Sindh Government Hospital Korangi 5, Sindh Government Hospital Ibrahim Hyderi, Ali Akbar Shah VPT Center, and Bhains Colony VPT Center) situated in Nazimabad and Bin-Qasim town. Moreover, population enumeration and health care utilization surveys from a defined catchment area of health facilities will be conducted to estimate the Shigella diarrhea incidence rates.
Conclusions:
The study will provide critical data to policy-makers about the burden of Shigella and antimicrobial resistance, which is essential for planning Shigella vaccine trials.
