The Enterics for Global Health (EFGH) Shigella Surveillance Study in Mali

In 2002, the Centre pour le Développement des Vaccins du Mali (CVD-Mali) was established as a partnership between the Mali Ministry of Health and the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Since its creation, CVD-Mali has been dedicated to describing the epidemiology of infectious diseases, supporting the development of vaccines, and training a team of local researchers. CVD-Mali participated in the Global Enteric Multicenter Study from 2007 to 2010 and the Vaccine Impact on Diarrhea in Africa study from 2015 to 2018, where the importance of Shigella as an enteric pathogen was established. In the Enterics for Global Health (EFGH) Shigella surveillance study, CVD-Mali will conduct Shigella surveillance at 4 health centers serving the population currently participating in a demographic surveillance system and will measure the local incidence of Shigella diarrhea and related outcomes in 6- to 35-month-old children. Antibiotic sensitivity patterns and the costs related to these cases will also be measured. We anticipate reporting the number of diarrhea episodes that are positive by stool culture, the antibiotic susceptibility of these isolates, and the management and outcomes of these cases. In Mali, the EFGH study will contribute valuable information to understanding the burden of Shigella in this population. These data will inform the evaluation of vaccine candidates.