Better tracking of flu and other respiratory infections in South Africa
Official title: IP24-017 - Collaborative research on influenza and other respiratory pathogens in South Africa
Funded at National Health Laboratory Service · NIH-11179091 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will use digital symptom reporting and expanded lab testing to spot trends and outbreaks of flu and other breathing infections in South Africa and nearby countries so health teams can respond faster.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Health Laboratory Service NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Johannesburg, South Africa) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,500,000 |
| NIH project number | 5U01IP001269-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11179091 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living in South Africa or nearby African countries who have respiratory symptoms, use the digital reporting platform, or attend participating sentinel clinics would be the ideal candidates to contribute data or samples.
✕Less likely to help
People outside the study region, those with non-respiratory conditions, or those who do not use the reporting tools or visit participating sites are unlikely to see direct benefit.
What this research studies
You may be invited to report symptoms through a phone or web app while clinics collect respiratory samples from people who seek care. Labs will use next-generation sequencing at sentinel sites to see which virus strains are circulating and when and where they appear. The team will expand a digital participatory surveillance platform across South Africa and partner countries, train local lab staff, and analyze how sampling timing and location affect surveillance data. Findings will be used to recommend the best number and placement of sentinel sites and to guide vaccine decisions and outbreak detection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help detect outbreaks earlier, improve vaccine strain choice, and increase access to prevention measures, reducing severe illness and deaths from respiratory infections.
How similar studies have gone: Digital symptom reporting has shown promise for tracking community illness and genomic surveillance is a proven method for influenza, though combining and scaling these approaches in this region is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
National Health Laboratory Service
Johannesburg, South Africa Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cohen, Cheryl — National Health Laboratory Service
- Study coordinator: Cohen, Cheryl
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.