Category Archives: centre

Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases (CEZPD)

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The CEZPD has a strong track record in providing a comprehensive capacity for the differential diagnosis and research of viral haemorrhagic fevers, arthropod-borne diseases, human rabies, anthrax, plague, leptospirosis and other infectious diseases of public health importance. Furthermore, CEZPD offers specialised parasitological diagnostic tests and is involved in the surveillance of drug-resistant malaria and vector control strategies in South Africa. The CEZPD, in addition, provides training to BSc Hons, MSc and PhD students, and national and international research fellows in laboratory techniques, including training in working in BSL3 and BSL4 biocontainment facilities.

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Centre for Enteric Diseases (CED)

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The Centre for Enteric Diseases (CED) focuses on the surveillance of pathogens associated with diarrhoea and enteric fevers, and actively assists with the investigation and response to enteric disease outbreaks (including food- and water-borne disease outbreaks). The CED also provides specialised reference laboratory testing for enteric bacteria and viruses, including potential causes of food- and water-borne outbreaks.

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Centre for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses (CHARM)

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The Centre for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses (CHARM) was established in April 2017. CHARM hosts two national reference laboratories and is supported by an epidemiology section. The centre was designated as a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for AMR (WHO SOA-43) in June 2017.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are among the commonest complications of hospital admission, are costly for the patient and the overall healthcare system, and may lead to patient deaths. This is an important new focus area for the centre. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is estimated to be associated with over 700 000 deaths every year, a number which could rise as high as 10 million in 2050.

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Centre for HIV and STIs (CHIVSTI)

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Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including those caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) types 1 and 2, remain a major public health problem in Africa. Published estimates of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS show that South Africa has the highest burden of HIV infections with recent estimates of 7.7 million people living with HIV.

The Centre for HIV and STIs (CHIVSTI) has a strong track record in the research disciplines of HIV virology, HIV immunology, HIV/STI epidemiology, HIV/STI diagnostics and HIV-STI interactions.

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Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis (CRDM)

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The Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis (CRDM) is a resource of surveillance, diagnostics, expertise and research in the field of communicable respiratory diseases and meningitis for South Africa and the African continent.

The centre generates data and provides expertise related to respiratory diseases and meningitis of public health importance to the South African National Department of Health, health care providers, regional and international collaborators, to assist with the planning of public health policies and programmes, and response to respiratory disease and meningitis outbreaks. CRDM is also a source of capacity building and formal training within South Africa and the African region.

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Centre for Tuberculosis (CTB)

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The Centre for Tuberculosis (CTB) was established in 2012. It was formerly known as the National TB Reference laboratory which was incorporated into the CTB with broader functions. In line with the mandate of the NICD, the CTB conducts laboratory-based public health surveillance of TB in South Africa. It continues to serve as a National TB reference laboratory (NTBRL) and was endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a supranational reference laboratory in 2016.

Global TB policies and guidelines are initiated through WHO and their formulation has included representation from the CTB which assisted in developing these strategic documents.

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Centre for Vaccines and Immunology (CVI)

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The Centre for Vaccines and Immunology (CVI) was established in 2012, to provide laboratory and epidemiological support to the National Department of Health. The centre serves as the National Surveillance Laboratory and the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Reference Laboratory for acute flaccid paralysis as well as measles and rubella surveillance. This includes receiving and testing samples from all nine provinces in South Africa. In addition to testing samples from the Southern block countries: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Swaziland, the centre also conducts other virological and immunological research projects on tuberculosis, viral hepatitis and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

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