By Kemo Cham
A series of new scientific studies conducted by a consortium of Sierra Leonean researchers has revealed a troubling rise in viral and infectious diseases across the country, including pathogens previously considered rare or undocumented in Sierra Leone.
The findings, presented during the first dissemination forum of Project 1808 at the Ministry of Health’s Emergency Operations Center, stem from nearly half a dozen studies by scientists from the University of Sierra Leone and the Center for Biomedical and One Health Research (CBOHR) at Koinadugu College, working alongside international partners.
Among the most concerning discoveries is the detection of syphilis in under-five children at the Ola During Children’s Hospital; an abnormal pattern that senior researchers say warrants urgent investigation.
Researchers also reported widespread presence of dengue virus in patients across major hospitals in Freetown and other regions. Despite Sierra Leone not being classified as a high-risk dengue country, samples from Connaught, Cottage, Rokupa and Choithram hospitals tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus.
Prof. Alhaji Umar N’jai, Principal Investigator and Founder of Project 1808, said the emergence of dengue is particularly dangerous because its symptoms can closely resemble Ebola and other haemorrhagic fevers. He warned that inadequate diagnosis increases the likelihood of misidentification.
Another startling discovery was Bacillus anthracis, the bacteria responsible for anthrax, in local samples. Researchers noted that its presence was unexpected, as it emerged during investigations unrelated to anthrax surveillance.
The research focused heavily on Acute Febrile Illness (AFI), a sudden onset fever condition linked to viruses, bacteria and parasites that cause illnesses like Lassa fever, malaria, and typhoid. According to Prof. Alhaji Umar N’jai, Sierra Leone lacks proper AFI diagnostic and mortality surveillance systems, leaving many deaths unreported or misclassified.
“One of the things we miss a lot is mortality surveillance. Some of the Lassa and Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever deaths, we are missing, even though we know the viruses are circulating,” he said.
Several of the studies were funded through international collaborations, including the Abbott Pandemic Defence Coalition (APDC), a global scientific partnership dedicated to detecting and mitigating pandemic threats. APDC funds three of the presented studies, including AFI mortality surveillance at Connaught Hospital and virus discovery work in tertiary hospitals.
Other studies received support from the West African Health Organization (WAHO), which is funding Hepatitis B genome profiling by PhD researcher Wachen Peters; the first such genomic study in Sierra Leone. Her work also includes investigating Hepatitis D, a co-infection that can worsen patient outcomes.
Another researcher, Esther Koroma, is studying the long-term health and quality-of-life impacts on Ebola survivors a decade after the 2014–2016 outbreak, in collaboration with universities in Tokyo and Wisconsin.
Prof. Alhaji Umar N’jai also presented groundbreaking work on wastewater genomic surveillance for Mpox (formerly Monkeypox), aiming to identify possible spillback transmission from humans to the environment and domestic animals a reverse trend to the typical wildlife-to-human spillover.
He also leads a multi-country study on strengthening genomic research capacity on arboviruses such as dengue, zika, chikungunya and Rift Valley fever, with scientists from Mali, Guinea, Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire.
Despite the scientific breakthroughs, researchers highlighted persistent challenges; including limited laboratory capacity, insufficient funding and infrastructure gaps that force local scientists to send samples abroad for next-generation sequencing.
“We have the potential, but we lack essential capacity,” said Prof. Haja Isata Wurie of COMAHS, urging young scientists to continue building strong research collaborations.
Dr. Gebrekrstos Negash Gebru, Head of AFENET Sierra Leone, emphasized the need to translate findings into clinical practice and public health policies.
Prof. Alhaji Umar N’jai stressed that while international partnerships have helped equip laboratories and support Master’s and PhD training, more domestic commitment is needed to retain emerging scientists.
“I think training this young group of scientists is the future,” he said. “We want them to appreciate research, appreciate science and see that they are part of discovering things around them.”
As Sierra Leone battles recurrent infectious disease threats, the latest findings underscore the urgent need for stronger surveillance, investment in laboratory capacity and evidence-driven policy actions to protect public health.
