{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]],"date-time":"2025-11-21T09:09:54Z","timestamp":1763716194386,"version":"3.45.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]],"date-time":"2025-11-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763683200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"CNSS of the Republic of Djibouti"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Viruses"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Viral respiratory infections (VRIs) remain a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. In Djibouti, diagnostic capacity for respiratory viruses is extremely limited, and little is known about the epidemiology of VRIs in the country. To address this gap, we conducted a prospective study aimed at monitoring and describing the epidemiological and virological features of VRIs over a two-year period in Djibouti. The study was carried out between January 2023 and December 2024 in seven healthcare centers. Nasopharyngeal and\/or oropharyngeal swabs were collected from consenting patients presenting with influenza-like illness (ILI) or acute respiratory infections (ARI). VRIs were diagnosed using a multiplex real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assay targeting 16 respiratory viruses. Among the 647 samples tested, at least one respiratory virus was detected in 133 (20.6%). Influenza (6.6%), rhinovirus (5.9%), and SARS-CoV-2 (3.4%) were the most frequently detected pathogens. Adult aged 26\u201350 years (40.8%) were the most affected, followed by those aged 15\u201325 years (30.4%). None of the respiratory viruses displayed a clear seasonal pattern. These findings demonstrate the co-circulation of multiple respiratory viruses among ILI\/ARI patients in Djibouti and provide the first baseline data to inform national surveillance strategies. The results underscore the need to strengthen routine laboratory-based surveillance, enhance diagnostic capacity, and integrate molecular monitoring into national public health policies for better preparedness against emerging respiratory threats.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/v17121525","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]],"date-time":"2025-11-21T08:59:46Z","timestamp":1763715586000},"page":"1525","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Viral Respiratory Infections in Djibouti: Insights from Two Years of Pilot Surveillance"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Hamda Omar","family":"Assoweh","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratoire de Diagnostic, Caisse Nationale de S\u00e9curit\u00e9 Sociale (CNSS), Djibouti 98230, Djibouti"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mohamed Houmed","family":"Aboubaker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratoire de Diagnostic, Caisse Nationale de S\u00e9curit\u00e9 Sociale (CNSS), Djibouti 98230, Djibouti"},{"name":"Laboratoire de Biologie M\u00e9dicale Mer Rouge, Djibouti 41170, Djibouti"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9815-4563","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mamadou Malado","family":"Jallow","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"D\u00e9partement de Virologie, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar BP 5005, Senegal"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sahal Darar","family":"Dirir","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratoire de Diagnostic, Caisse Nationale de S\u00e9curit\u00e9 Sociale (CNSS), Djibouti 98230, Djibouti"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Issa","family":"Gnasse","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"D\u00e9partement de Virologie, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar BP 5005, Senegal"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Filsan Daher","family":"Aouled","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratoire de Diagnostic, Caisse Nationale de S\u00e9curit\u00e9 Sociale (CNSS), Djibouti 98230, Djibouti"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Daouda","family":"Diallo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"D\u00e9partement de Virologie, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar BP 5005, Senegal"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Amina Ahmed","family":"Ibrahim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratoire de Diagnostic, Caisse Nationale de S\u00e9curit\u00e9 Sociale (CNSS), Djibouti 98230, Djibouti"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ndaraw","family":"Diack","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"D\u00e9partement de Virologie, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar BP 5005, Senegal"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mouchtak Nabil","family":"Ahmed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratoire de Diagnostic, Caisse Nationale de S\u00e9curit\u00e9 Sociale (CNSS), Djibouti 98230, Djibouti"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4051-3797","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ndongo","family":"Dia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"D\u00e9partement de Virologie, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar BP 5005, Senegal"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-3554-0864","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Makhtar","family":"Camara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"D\u00e9partement Pharmacie, Facult\u00e9 de M\u00e9decine, Universit\u00e9 Cheikh Anta DIOP de Dakar, Dakar BP 5005, Senegal"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1191","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(18)30310-4","article-title":"Estimates of the global, regional, and national morbidity, mortality, and aetiologies of lower respiratory infections in 195 countries, 1990\u20132016: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016","volume":"18","author":"Troeger","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lancet Infect. 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