101
|
Walker BF, Adukwu EC. The 2013-2016 Ebola epidemic: evaluating communication strategies between two affected countries in West Africa. Eur J Public Health 2021; 30:118-124. [PMID: 31177274 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckz104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ebola is a haemorrhagic disease with high fatality rates between 25 and 90%. The 2013-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the largest to date with >28 000 cases and >11 000 fatalities. This outbreak exposed inadequacies in public health agencies and has spurred health officials to re-evaluate the way Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemics are co-ordinated and communicated. METHODS This project compares, using the systematic review method, differences in the communication of EVD in Nigeria and Liberia with data from selected articles analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS The most successful communication strategies were community engagement and targeted health-communication to the most at-risk groups. We also highlight the importance of a multi-modal strategy to effectively communicate prevention and management of EVD to affected communities. Secondary to these findings included the relevance of the media, particularly social media tools in managing such serious outbreak situations. CONCLUSION This study provides the basis for the development of a theory-based framework to effectively communicate EVD and reduce the negative outcomes observed during the 2013-16 EVD outbreak.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brodie F Walker
- Department of Applied Science and Centre for Research in Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
| | - Emmanuel C Adukwu
- Department of Applied Science and Centre for Research in Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
| |
Collapse
|
102
|
Lesmanawati DAS, Veenstra P, Moa A, Adam DC, MacIntyre CR. A rapid risk analysis tool to prioritise response to infectious disease outbreaks. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 5:bmjgh-2020-002327. [PMID: 32513862 PMCID: PMC7282290 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemics are influenced by both disease and societal factors and can grow exponentially over short time periods. Epidemic risk analysis can help in rapidly predicting potentially serious outcomes and flagging the need for rapid response. We developed a multifactorial risk analysis tool 'EpiRisk' to provide rapid insight into the potential severity of emerging epidemics by combining disease-related parameters and country-related risk parameters. An initial set of 18 disease and country-related risk parameters was reduced to 14 following qualitative discussions and the removal of highly correlated parameters by a correlation and clustering analysis. Of the remaining parameters, three risk levels were assigned ranging from low (1) moderate (2) and high (3). The total risk score for an outbreak of a given disease in a particular country is calculated by summing these 14 risk scores, and this sum is subsequently classified into one of four risk categories: low risk (<21), moderate risk (21-29), high risk (30-37) and extreme risk (>37). Total risk scores were calculated for nine retrospective outbreaks demonstrating an association with the actual impact of those outbreaks. We also evaluated to what extent the risk scores correlate with the number of cases and deaths in 61 additional outbreaks between 2002 and 2018, demonstrating positive associations with outbreak severity as measured by the number of deaths. Using EpiRisk, timely intervention can be implemented by predicting the risk of emerging outbreaks in real time, which may help government and public health professionals prevent catastrophic epidemic outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dyah A S Lesmanawati
- Center for Tropical Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakart, Indonesia.,District Health Office, Yogyakarta City, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Aye Moa
- Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dillon C Adam
- Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Chandini Raina MacIntyre
- Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.,Arizona State University College of Health Solutions, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| |
Collapse
|
103
|
Reported health and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable populations and implemented solutions in six West African countries: A media content analysis. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252890. [PMID: 34133438 PMCID: PMC8208543 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus has spread worldwide with over 140 million cases and resulting in more than 3 million deaths between November 2019 to April 2021, threatening the socio-economic and psychosocial stability of many families and communities. There has been limited research to understand the consequences of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations in West Africa, and whether such consequences differ by countries’ previous experience with Ebola. Using a media analysis of leading online news sources, this study identified the populations particularly vulnerable to the threats of the COVID-19 pandemic, described the consequences of COVID-19 experienced by these populations, and reported on the solutions to address them. All articles from the selected news sources published between January 1 and June 30, 2020 on 6 West African countries were imported into Dedoose. A total of 4,388 news articles were coded for excerpts on vulnerable populations, only 285 excerpts of which mentioned the existing effects of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations or implemented solutions. News articles from countries with past experience with Ebola were more likely to mention the pandemic’s effects on vulnerable populations, especially on incarcerated people. Vulnerable groups were reported to have experienced a range of effects including economic disruptions, heightened domestic and sexual abuse, arbitrary arrests, health care inaccessibility, and educational challenges throughout the pandemic. With implications for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for 2030 in West Africa, these countries should consider and focus more strategic efforts on vulnerable populations to overcome their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and to achieve the SDG for 2030.
Collapse
|
104
|
Cornish NE, Anderson NL, Arambula DG, Arduino MJ, Bryan A, Burton NC, Chen B, Dickson BA, Giri JG, Griffith NK, Pentella MA, Salerno RM, Sandhu P, Snyder JW, Tormey CA, Wagar EA, Weirich EG, Campbell S. Clinical Laboratory Biosafety Gaps: Lessons Learned from Past Outbreaks Reveal a Path to a Safer Future. Clin Microbiol Rev 2021; 34:e0012618. [PMID: 34105993 PMCID: PMC8262806 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00126-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Patient care and public health require timely, reliable laboratory testing. However, clinical laboratory professionals rarely know whether patient specimens contain infectious agents, making ensuring biosafety while performing testing procedures challenging. The importance of biosafety in clinical laboratories was highlighted during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, where concerns about biosafety resulted in delayed diagnoses and contributed to patient deaths. This review is a collaboration between subject matter experts from large and small laboratories and the federal government to evaluate the capability of clinical laboratories to manage biosafety risks and safely test patient specimens. We discuss the complexity of clinical laboratories, including anatomic pathology, and describe how applying current biosafety guidance may be difficult as these guidelines, largely based on practices in research laboratories, do not always correspond to the unique clinical laboratory environments and their specialized equipment and processes. We retrospectively describe the biosafety gaps and opportunities for improvement in the areas of risk assessment and management; automated and manual laboratory disciplines; specimen collection, processing, and storage; test utilization; equipment and instrumentation safety; disinfection practices; personal protective equipment; waste management; laboratory personnel training and competency assessment; accreditation processes; and ethical guidance. Also addressed are the unique biosafety challenges successfully handled by a Texas community hospital clinical laboratory that performed testing for patients with Ebola without a formal biocontainment unit. The gaps in knowledge and practices identified in previous and ongoing outbreaks demonstrate the need for collaborative, comprehensive solutions to improve clinical laboratory biosafety and to better combat future emerging infectious disease outbreaks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nancy E. Cornish
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nancy L. Anderson
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Diego G. Arambula
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Matthew J. Arduino
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging & Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Andrew Bryan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Nancy C. Burton
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Bin Chen
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Beverly A. Dickson
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Judith G. Giri
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health (CGH), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | | | - Reynolds M. Salerno
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Paramjit Sandhu
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - James W. Snyder
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Christopher A. Tormey
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Wagar
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Elizabeth G. Weirich
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sheldon Campbell
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
| |
Collapse
|
105
|
Dedkov VG, Magassouba N, Stukolova OA, Savina VA, Camara J, Soropogui B, Safonova MV, Semizhon P, Platonov AE. Differential Laboratory Diagnosis of Acute Fever in Guinea: Preparedness for the Threat of Hemorrhagic Fevers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:6022. [PMID: 34205104 PMCID: PMC8199941 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18116022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Acute febrile illnesses occur frequently in Guinea. Acute fever itself is not a unique, hallmark indication (pathognomonic sign) of any one illness or disease. In the infectious disease context, fever's underlying cause can be a wide range of viral or bacterial pathogens, including the Ebola virus. In this study, molecular and serological methods were used to analyze samples from patients hospitalized with acute febrile illness in various regions of Guinea. This analysis was undertaken with the goal of accomplishing differential diagnosis (determination of causative pathogen) in such cases. As a result, a number of pathogens, both viral and bacterial, were identified in Guinea as causative agents behind acute febrile illness. In approximately 60% of the studied samples, however, a definitive determination could not be made.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir G. Dedkov
- Pasteur Institute, Federal Service on Consumers’ Rights Protection and Human Well-Being Surveillance, 197101 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (V.A.S.); (A.E.P.)
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119435 Moscow, Russia
| | - N’Faly Magassouba
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry, Projet de Recherche sur les Fièvres Hémorragiques en Guinée, 001 B1568 Conakry, Guinea; (N.M.); (J.C.); (B.S.)
| | - Olga A. Stukolova
- Central Research Institute for Epidemiology, Federal Service on Consumers’ Rights Protection and Human Well-Being Surveillance, 111123 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Victoria A. Savina
- Pasteur Institute, Federal Service on Consumers’ Rights Protection and Human Well-Being Surveillance, 197101 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (V.A.S.); (A.E.P.)
| | - Jakob Camara
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry, Projet de Recherche sur les Fièvres Hémorragiques en Guinée, 001 B1568 Conakry, Guinea; (N.M.); (J.C.); (B.S.)
| | - Barrè Soropogui
- Laboratoire de Virologie, Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry, Projet de Recherche sur les Fièvres Hémorragiques en Guinée, 001 B1568 Conakry, Guinea; (N.M.); (J.C.); (B.S.)
| | - Marina V. Safonova
- Anti-Plague Center, Federal Service on Consumers’ Rights Protection and Human Well-Being Surveillance, 119121 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Pavel Semizhon
- The Republican Research and Practical Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, 220114 Minsk, Belarus;
| | - Alexander E. Platonov
- Pasteur Institute, Federal Service on Consumers’ Rights Protection and Human Well-Being Surveillance, 197101 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (V.A.S.); (A.E.P.)
- Central Research Institute for Epidemiology, Federal Service on Consumers’ Rights Protection and Human Well-Being Surveillance, 111123 Moscow, Russia;
| |
Collapse
|
106
|
Khaliq A, Yousafzai MT, Haq S, Yaseen R, Qureshi S, Rind F, Padhani ZA, Khan A, Kazi AM, Qamar FN. A review of toolkits and case definitions for detecting enteric fever outbreaks in Asian and African countries from 1965-2019. J Glob Health 2021; 11:04031. [PMID: 34131486 PMCID: PMC8183158 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.11.04031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This review assessed the case definitions, diagnostic criteria, antimicrobial resistance, and methods used for enteric fever outbreaks and utilization of any unified outbreak score or checklist for early identification and response in Asia and Africa from 1965-2019. Methods We searched enteric fever outbreaks using PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane library. Studies describing a single outbreak event of enteric fever in Asia and Africa from 1965-2019 were reviewed. We excluded case reports, letter to editors, studies reporting typhoid in conjunction with other diseases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) trip reports, the World Health Organization (WHO) bulletins report, data from mathematical modeling and simulation studies, reviews and ProMed alert. Also, non-typhoidal salmonella outbreaks were excluded. Results A total of 5063 articles were identified using the key terms and 68 studies were selected for data extraction. Most (48, 71%) outbreaks were from Asian countries, 20 (29%) were reported from Africa. Only 15 studies reported the case definition used for case identification during an outbreak and 8 of those were from Asia. A third (20, 29%) of the studies described antibiotic resistance pattern. 43 (63%) studies contained information regarding the source of the outbreak. Outcomes (hospitalization and deaths) were reported in a quarter of studies. Only 23 (29%) of the studies reported outbreak control strategies while none reported any unified outbreak score or a checklist to identify the outbreak. Conclusion This review highlights the variability in detection and reporting methods for enteric fever outbreaks in Asia and Africa. No standardized case definitions or laboratory methods were reported. Only a few studies reported strategies for outbreak control. There is a need for the development of a unified outbreak score or a checklist to identify and report enteric fever outbreaks globally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Asif Khaliq
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Aga Khan University Karachi, Pakistan.,School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Mohammad Tahir Yousafzai
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Aga Khan University Karachi, Pakistan.,Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Australia
| | - Salman Haq
- Ziauddin Medical College, Ziauddin University Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Rahima Yaseen
- Ziauddin Medical College, Ziauddin University Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sonia Qureshi
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Aga Khan University Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Fahad Rind
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Aga Khan University Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Zahra A Padhani
- Institute of Global Health and Development, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi
| | - Ayub Khan
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Aga Khan University Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Momin Kazi
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Aga Khan University Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Farah Naz Qamar
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Aga Khan University Karachi, Pakistan
| |
Collapse
|
107
|
Aditya V, Goswami R, Mendis A, Roopa R. Scale of the issue: Mapping the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on pangolin trade across India. BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION 2021; 257:109136. [PMID: 34580548 PMCID: PMC8459300 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have linked COVID-19 induced restrictions to an increase in wildlife crime, with severe yet unknown implications for severely threatened taxa like pangolins. We analyze publicly available online seizure reports involving pangolins across India before (2018-2019) and during the pandemic (March-August 2020), using a longitudinal study design to estimate how lockdowns have impacted pangolin trade. Our analysis indicates a significant increase in seizures reported during the lockdown months of March to August 2020, in comparison to the same period in 2018 and 2019. We discuss the drivers behind this spike in pangolin trade and offer potential conservation measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vikram Aditya
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Royal Enclave, Sriramapura, Jakkur post, Bangalore 560064, India
| | - Rajkamal Goswami
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Royal Enclave, Sriramapura, Jakkur post, Bangalore 560064, India
| | - Aristo Mendis
- Wildlife Conservation Society - India (WCS India), 551, 7th Main Road, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, 2nd Phase, Kodigehalli, Bangalore 560097, Karnataka, India
| | - Ramya Roopa
- Wildlife Conservation Society - India (WCS India), 551, 7th Main Road, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, 2nd Phase, Kodigehalli, Bangalore 560097, Karnataka, India
| |
Collapse
|
108
|
Tomori O, Kolawole MO. Ebola virus disease: current vaccine solutions. Curr Opin Immunol 2021; 71:27-33. [PMID: 33873076 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2021.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is an emerging zoonotic disease with intermittent outbreaks in Central and West African countries. The unpredictable high case fatality rate has made it a disease of public health concern. Different vaccine platforms have shown prophylactic protection in human and non-human primates, with the progress towards a licensed vaccine greatly accelerated in response to the devastating outbreak of EVD in West Africa from 2013-2016. Currently, two vaccines: Ervebo (rVSV-ZEBOV) and a two-dose combination of Zabdeno (Ad26.ZEBOV) and Mvabea (MVA-BN-Filo) have been licensed and in use. The licensing of an Ebola vaccine for use is challenging for several reasons, including the sporadic and limited nature of EVD outbreaks and the enormous resources needed to bring a vaccine to licensure. While vaccine solutions remain important in reducing the fatality of EVD, other strategic interventions are necessary for the prevention and control of EVD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew Olatunji Kolawole
- Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health Research Group (IDEHRG), Department of Microbiology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
| |
Collapse
|
109
|
Aborode AT, Tsagkaris C, Jain S, Ahmad S, Essar MY, Fajemisin EA, Adanur I, Uwishema O. Ebola Outbreak amid COVID-19 in the Republic of Guinea: Priorities for Achieving Control. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021; 104:1966-1969. [PMID: 33852428 PMCID: PMC8176515 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In February 2021, a new Ebola outbreak occurred amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the Republic of Guinea. Technical committees and Ebola mitigation mechanisms used during the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemics, have been redeployed by the public health organizations and African health organizations. As the burden on the local healthcare system is rising, fears of socioeconomic disruption are growing as well. Strategies used during the previous epidemic need to be reactivated, and new measures taken during the challenges of COVID-19 are being considered. This perspective discusses the available evidence regarding the epidemic of Ebola in Guinea amid the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights the challenges to be prioritized, and provides evidence-based recommendations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdullahi Tunde Aborode
- 1Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Development, Kigali, Rwanda.,2Healthy African Platform, Research and Development, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | - Shubhika Jain
- 4Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | | | | | - Emmanuel Adebowale Fajemisin
- 8SWIS Africa Platform, Research and Development, Lagos, Nigeria.,8SWIS Africa Platform, Research and Development, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Irem Adanur
- 9Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey
| | - Olivier Uwishema
- 10Department of General Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey.,11Oli Health Magazine Organization, Research and Development, Kigali, Rwanda
| |
Collapse
|
110
|
Ten years of weekly epidemiological teleconference (EpiLag) - an effective and time-efficient tool for infectious disease event information, Germany, 2009-2018. Epidemiol Infect 2021; 149:e115. [PMID: 33843539 PMCID: PMC8161418 DOI: 10.1017/s095026882100073x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2009, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and the 16 German federal state public health authorities (PHAs) established a weekly epidemiological teleconference (EpiLag) to discuss infectious disease (ID) events and foster horizontal and vertical information exchange. We present the procedure, discussed ID topics and evaluation results of EpiLag after 10 years. We analysed attendance, duration of EpiLag and the frequency of reported events. Participants (RKI and state PHA) were surveyed regarding their satisfaction with logistics, contents and usefulness of EpiLag (Likert scales). Between 2009 and 2018, RKI hosted 484 EpiLag conferences with a mean duration of 25 min (range: 4–60) and high participation (range: 9–16; mean: 15 PHAs). Overall, 2975 ID events (39% international, 9% national and 52% subnational) were presented (mean: 6.1 per EpiLag), most frequently on measles (18%), salmonellosis (8%) and influenza (5%). All responding participants (14/16 PHAs and 9/9 at RKI) were satisfied with the EpiLag's organization and minutes and deemed EpiLag useful for an overview and information distribution on ID events relevant to Germany. EpiLag is time efficient, easily applicable and useful for a low-threshold event communication. It supports PHAs in crises and strengthens the network of surveillance stakeholders. We recommend its implementation to other countries or sectors.
Collapse
|
111
|
Wirsiy FS, Boock AU, Akoachere JFTK. Assessing the determinants of Ebola virus disease transmission in Baka Community of the Tropical Rainforest of Cameroon. BMC Infect Dis 2021; 21:324. [PMID: 33827424 PMCID: PMC8028822 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06011-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal illness in humans and nonhuman primates caused by the Ebola virus. The recently approved rVSV-EBOV vaccine is not available in many high-risk countries hence prevention is paramount. The design of effective prevention interventions requires an understanding of the factors that expose communities at risk. It was based on this that we investigated the Baka community of Abong-Mbang Health District in tropical rain forest of Cameroon. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted with participants randomly selected from 13 villages in Abong-Mbang by multi-stage cluster sampling. A questionnaire was administered to them to collect demographic information, data on knowledge of EVD, their feeding and health-seeking behaviour. Data was analyzed using the chi-square test. Knowledge of EVD was assessed using an 8 item Morisky Scale. An adapted Threat Capability Basic Risk Assessment Guide was used to determine their risk of exposure to infection. RESULTS A total of 510 participants, most of whom were hunters (31.4%), farmers (29.8%), and had primary education (62.7%), were included in this study. Although 83.3% participants had heard of EVD, most (71%) did not know its cause. Their source of information was mainly informal discussions in the community (49%). Misconceptions were identified with regards to the cause and mode of transmission. Only 43.1% accepted EVD could be transmitted from human-to-human. Generally, participants' knowledge of EVD was poor. Demographic factors such as level of education, occupation and ethnic group significantly affected knowledge of EVD. The majority of participants were at a very high risk of exposure to infection as they consumed various forms of bush meat and were involved in other risky practices such as scarification and touching of corpses. Although over half of participants seek medical care, most of them preferred traditional medicine. Socio-cultural and service-related factors were deterrent factors to medical care. CONCLUSION Participants generally had poor knowledge of EVD and were at high risk of infection. We recommend rigorous sensitization campaigns in the study area to educate the population on EVD and clarify the misconceptions identified. EVD surveillance is recommended particularly as outbreaks have often been reported in the Congo Basin.
Collapse
|
112
|
Diallo I, Ho J, Laffont B, Laugier J, Benmoussa A, Lambert M, Husseini Z, Soule G, Kozak R, Kobinger GP, Provost P. Altered microRNA Transcriptome in Cultured Human Liver Cells upon Infection with Ebola Virus. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073792. [PMID: 33917562 PMCID: PMC8038836 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ebola virus (EBOV) is a virulent pathogen, notorious for inducing life-threatening hemorrhagic fever, that has been responsible for several outbreaks in Africa and remains a public health threat. Yet, its pathogenesis is still not completely understood. Although there have been numerous studies on host transcriptional response to EBOV, with an emphasis on the clinical features, the impact of EBOV infection on post-transcriptional regulatory elements, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), remains largely unexplored. MiRNAs are involved in inflammation and immunity and are believed to be important modulators of the host response to viral infection. Here, we have used small RNA sequencing (sRNA-Seq), qPCR and functional analyses to obtain the first comparative miRNA transcriptome (miRNome) of a human liver cell line (Huh7) infected with one of the following three EBOV strains: Mayinga (responsible for the first Zaire outbreak in 1976), Makona (responsible for the West Africa outbreak in 2013–2016) and the epizootic Reston (presumably innocuous to humans). Our results highlight specific miRNA-based immunity pathways and substantial differences between the strains beyond their clinical manifestation and pathogenicity. These analyses shed new light into the molecular signature of liver cells upon EBOV infection and reveal new insights into miRNA-based virus attack and host defense strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Idrissa Diallo
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (I.D.); (J.H.); (B.L.); (J.L.); (A.B.); (M.L.); (Z.H.); (G.P.K.)
| | - Jeffrey Ho
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (I.D.); (J.H.); (B.L.); (J.L.); (A.B.); (M.L.); (Z.H.); (G.P.K.)
| | - Benoit Laffont
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (I.D.); (J.H.); (B.L.); (J.L.); (A.B.); (M.L.); (Z.H.); (G.P.K.)
| | - Jonathan Laugier
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (I.D.); (J.H.); (B.L.); (J.L.); (A.B.); (M.L.); (Z.H.); (G.P.K.)
| | - Abderrahim Benmoussa
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (I.D.); (J.H.); (B.L.); (J.L.); (A.B.); (M.L.); (Z.H.); (G.P.K.)
| | - Marine Lambert
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (I.D.); (J.H.); (B.L.); (J.L.); (A.B.); (M.L.); (Z.H.); (G.P.K.)
| | - Zeinab Husseini
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (I.D.); (J.H.); (B.L.); (J.L.); (A.B.); (M.L.); (Z.H.); (G.P.K.)
| | - Geoff Soule
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3B 3M9, Canada; (G.S.); (R.K.)
| | - Robert Kozak
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3B 3M9, Canada; (G.S.); (R.K.)
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Molecular Diagnostics, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Gary P. Kobinger
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (I.D.); (J.H.); (B.L.); (J.L.); (A.B.); (M.L.); (Z.H.); (G.P.K.)
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB R3B 3M9, Canada; (G.S.); (R.K.)
- Département de Microbiologie Médicale, Université du Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Patrick Provost
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; (I.D.); (J.H.); (B.L.); (J.L.); (A.B.); (M.L.); (Z.H.); (G.P.K.)
- CHUQ Research Center/CHUL Pavilion, 2705 Blvd Laurier, Room T1-65, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-418-525-4444 (ext. 48842)
| |
Collapse
|
113
|
Vanderslott S, Van Ryneveld M, Marchant M, Lees S, Nolna SK, Marsh V. How can community engagement in health research be strengthened for infectious disease outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa? A scoping review of the literature. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:633. [PMID: 33794820 PMCID: PMC8012744 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10348-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Community engagement (CE) is a well-established practical and scholarly field, recognised as core to the science and ethics of health research, for which researchers and practitioners have increasingly asked questions about desired standards and evaluation. In infectious disease outbreak contexts, questions may be more complex. However, it is unclear what body of knowledge has been developed for CE specifically as it applies to emerging infectious diseases. This scoping review seeks to describe (1) How CE has been conceptualised and understood; and (2) What conclusions have research teams reached on the effectiveness of CE in these settings, including challenges and facilitators. METHODS We used a scoping review framework by Arksey and O'Malley (Int J Soc Res Methodol 8:19-32, 2005) to structure our review. We conducted a brainstorming session and initial trial search to inform the protocol, search terms, and strategy. Three researchers discussed, developed and applied agreed screening tools and selection criteria to the final search results. Five researchers used the screening tools to screen abstracts and full text for inclusion by consensus. Additional publications were sought from references of retrieved publications and an expert call for literature. We analysed and reported emerging themes qualitatively. RESULTS We included 59 papers from a total of 722 articles derived from our trial and final literature searches, as well as a process of "citation chasing" and an expert call for grey literature. The core material related exclusively to health research trials during the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak. We synthesized reports on components of effectiveness of CE to identify and propose three themes as essential elements of effective CE. CONCLUSIONS While there is a large volume of literature documenting CE activities in infectious disease research settings generally, there are few accounts of effectiveness dimensions of CE. Our review proposes three themes to facilitate the effectiveness of CE initiatives as essential elements of CE activities in infectious diseases studies: (1) Communication towards building collaborative relationships; (2) Producing contextual knowledge; and (3) Learning lessons over time. As there were relatively few in-depth accounts of CE from our literature review, documentation and accounts of CE used in health research should be prioritised.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Vanderslott
- Oxford Vaccine Group & Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, 34 Broad St, Oxford, OX1 2BD, UK.
| | - Manya Van Ryneveld
- School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville, 7535, Republic of South Africa
| | - Mark Marchant
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Shelley Lees
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Sylvie Kwedi Nolna
- Department of Public Health, University of Yaounde I, Rue Melen, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Vicki Marsh
- KEMRI Wellcome Trust Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, NDM, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
- Kenya Medical Research Institute - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| |
Collapse
|
114
|
Reynard S, Gloaguen E, Baillet N, Madelain V, Guedj J, Raoul H, de Lamballerie X, Mullaert J, Baize S. Early control of viral load by favipiravir promotes survival to Ebola virus challenge and prevents cytokine storm in non-human primates. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009300. [PMID: 33780452 PMCID: PMC8031739 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Ebola virus has been responsible for two major epidemics over the last several years and there has been a strong effort to find potential treatments that can improve the disease outcome. Antiviral favipiravir was thus tested on non-human primates infected with Ebola virus. Half of the treated animals survived the Ebola virus challenge, whereas the infection was fully lethal for the untreated ones. Moreover, the treated animals that did not survive died later than the controls. We evaluated the hematological, virological, biochemical, and immunological parameters of the animals and performed proteomic analysis at various timepoints of the disease. The viral load strongly correlated with dysregulation of the biological functions involved in pathogenesis, notably the inflammatory response, hemostatic functions, and response to stress. Thus, the management of viral replication in Ebola virus disease is of crucial importance in preventing the immunopathogenic disorders and septic-like shock syndrome generally observed in Ebola virus-infected patients. Ebola virus was responsible for several epidemics in the recent years and is now considered as a major public health concern in Central and West African countries. We and others demonstrated that pathogenic events observed during Ebola virus disease are linked to a deleterious immune response. However, the mechanisms implicated are not fully understood. Here, we studied immune responses depending on the viral loads observed in infected cynomolgus monkeys. An antiviral treatment allowed the reduction of viral load in some animals and we observed that these animals did not experience deleterious immune response and the loss of hemostasis. The release of pathogen-associated molecular patterns may thus be limited by the inhibition of viral replication, avoiding the overstimulation of the immune system and consequently the pathogenic events observed in Ebola virus disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Reynard
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | | | - Nicolas Baillet
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | | | | | - Hervé Raoul
- Laboratoire P4 Jean Mérieux–INSERM, INSERM US003, Lyon, France
| | - Xavier de Lamballerie
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE Aix-Marseille Université-IRD 190-Inserm 1207-IHU Méditerranée Infection), Marseille, France
| | | | - Sylvain Baize
- Unité de Biologie des Infections Virales Emergentes, Institut Pasteur, Lyon, France
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Lyon, France
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
115
|
Roy M, Moreau N, Rousseau C, Mercier A, Wilson A, Dozon JP, Atlani-Duault L. Constructing Ebola martyrs, warriors, and saviours: online heroisation in a context of risk and unease. HEALTH, RISK & SOCIETY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/13698575.2021.1902954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Roy
- School of Social Work (University of Ottawa), Ottawa, Canada
- Division of Social and Cultural Psychiatry (Mcgill University), Montreal, Canada
- Département en sciences de l'Information et de la Communication, Information & Communication, Institut Français De Presse (University Paris 2 – Assas), Paris, France
- Collège d'études mondiales, Fondation Maison Des Sciences De l’Homme, Paris, France
- Social Anthropology (École Des Hautes Études En Sciences Sociales), Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Moreau
- School of Social Work (University of Ottawa), Ottawa, Canada
- Division of Social and Cultural Psychiatry (Mcgill University), Montreal, Canada
- Département en sciences de l'Information et de la Communication, Information & Communication, Institut Français De Presse (University Paris 2 – Assas), Paris, France
- Collège d'études mondiales, Fondation Maison Des Sciences De l’Homme, Paris, France
- Social Anthropology (École Des Hautes Études En Sciences Sociales), Paris, France
| | - Cécile Rousseau
- School of Social Work (University of Ottawa), Ottawa, Canada
- Division of Social and Cultural Psychiatry (Mcgill University), Montreal, Canada
- Département en sciences de l'Information et de la Communication, Information & Communication, Institut Français De Presse (University Paris 2 – Assas), Paris, France
- Collège d'études mondiales, Fondation Maison Des Sciences De l’Homme, Paris, France
- Social Anthropology (École Des Hautes Études En Sciences Sociales), Paris, France
| | - Arnaud Mercier
- School of Social Work (University of Ottawa), Ottawa, Canada
- Division of Social and Cultural Psychiatry (Mcgill University), Montreal, Canada
- Département en sciences de l'Information et de la Communication, Information & Communication, Institut Français De Presse (University Paris 2 – Assas), Paris, France
- Collège d'études mondiales, Fondation Maison Des Sciences De l’Homme, Paris, France
- Social Anthropology (École Des Hautes Études En Sciences Sociales), Paris, France
| | - Andrew Wilson
- School of Social Work (University of Ottawa), Ottawa, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Dozon
- School of Social Work (University of Ottawa), Ottawa, Canada
- Division of Social and Cultural Psychiatry (Mcgill University), Montreal, Canada
- Département en sciences de l'Information et de la Communication, Information & Communication, Institut Français De Presse (University Paris 2 – Assas), Paris, France
- Collège d'études mondiales, Fondation Maison Des Sciences De l’Homme, Paris, France
- Social Anthropology (École Des Hautes Études En Sciences Sociales), Paris, France
| | - Laëtitia Atlani-Duault
- School of Social Work (University of Ottawa), Ottawa, Canada
- Division of Social and Cultural Psychiatry (Mcgill University), Montreal, Canada
- Département en sciences de l'Information et de la Communication, Information & Communication, Institut Français De Presse (University Paris 2 – Assas), Paris, France
- Collège d'études mondiales, Fondation Maison Des Sciences De l’Homme, Paris, France
- Social Anthropology (École Des Hautes Études En Sciences Sociales), Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
116
|
Gilbride C, Saunders J, Sharpe H, Maze EA, Limon G, Ludi AB, Lambe T, Belij-Rammerstorfer S. The Integration of Human and Veterinary Studies for Better Understanding and Management of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever. Front Immunol 2021; 12:629636. [PMID: 33815379 PMCID: PMC8012513 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.629636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Outbreaks that occur as a result of zoonotic spillover from an animal reservoir continue to highlight the importance of studying the disease interface between species. One Health approaches recognise the interdependence of human and animal health and the environmental interplay. Improving the understanding and prevention of zoonotic diseases may be achieved through greater consideration of these relationships, potentially leading to better health outcomes across species. In this review, special emphasis is given on the emerging and outbreak pathogen Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever virus (CCHFV) that can cause severe disease in humans. We discuss the efforts undertaken to better understand CCHF and the importance of integrating veterinary and human research for this pathogen. Furthermore, we consider the use of closely related nairoviruses to model human disease caused by CCHFV. We discuss intervention approaches with potential application for managing CCHFV spread, and how this concept may benefit both animal and human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ciaran Gilbride
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jack Saunders
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah Sharpe
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Teresa Lambe
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | |
Collapse
|
117
|
Ouattara S, Århem N. Fighting Ebola in the Shadow of Conspiracy Theories and Sorcery Suspicions. CAHIERS D ETUDES AFRICAINES 2021. [DOI: 10.4000/etudesafricaines.33151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
118
|
IgY antibodies against Ebola virus possess post-exposure protection in a murine pseudovirus challenge model and excellent thermostability. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0008403. [PMID: 33711011 PMCID: PMC7990235 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ebola virus (EBOV) is one of the most virulent pathogens that causes hemorrhagic fever and displays high mortality rates and low prognosis rates in both humans and nonhuman primates. The post-exposure antibody therapies to prevent EBOV infection are considered effective as of yet. However, owing to the poor thermal stability of mammalian antibodies, their application in the tropics has remained limited. Therefore, a thermostable therapeutic antibody against EBOV was developed modelled on the poultry(chicken) immunoglobulin Y (IgY). The IgY antibodies retaining their neutralising activity at 25°C for one year, displayed excellent thermal stability, opposed to conventional polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) or monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Laying hens were immunised with a variety of EBOV vaccine candidates and it was confirmed that VSVΔG/EBOVGP encoding the EBOV glycoprotein could induce high titer neutralising antibodies against EBOV. The therapeutic efficacy of immune IgY antibodies in vivo was evaluated in the newborn Balb/c mice who have been challenged with the VSVΔG/EBOVGP model. Mice that have been challenged with a lethal dose of the pseudovirus were treated 2 or 24 h post-infection with different doses of anti-EBOV IgY. The group receiving a high dose of 106 NAU/kg (neutralising antibody units/kilogram) showed complete protection with no symptoms of a disease, while the low-dose group was only partially protected. Conversely, all mice receiving naive IgY died within 10 days. In conclusion, the anti-EBOV IgY exhibits excellent thermostability and protective efficacy. Anti-EBOV IgY shows a lot of promise in entering the realm of efficient Ebola virus treatment regimens. Despite the amount of efficient Ebola virus therapeutic antibodies reported in recent years, their application in tropical endemic areas has remained limited due to the low thermal stability of mammalian antibodies. A highly thermostable therapeutic polyclonal antibody against EBOV was developed based on chicken immunoglobulin Y (IgY). The EBOV specific IgY antibodies displayed excellent thermal stability, retaining their neutralising activity at 25°C for one year. The newborn mice receiving the passive transfer of IgY achieved complete protection against a lethal dose of virus challenge proving that the anti-EBOV IgY provides a promising recourse to solve some of the current clinical application hindrances of Ebola antibody-based treatments in Africa due to thermal stability.
Collapse
|
119
|
Smith DM, Keller A. DNA Nanostructures in the Fight Against Infectious Diseases. ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH 2021; 1:2000049. [PMID: 33615315 PMCID: PMC7883073 DOI: 10.1002/anbr.202000049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Throughout history, humanity has been threatened by countless epidemic and pandemic outbreaks of infectious diseases, from the Justinianic Plague to the Spanish flu to COVID-19. While numerous antimicrobial and antiviral drugs have been developed over the last 200 years to face these threats, the globalized and highly connected world of the 21st century demands for an ever-increasing efficiency in the detection and treatment of infectious diseases. Consequently, the rapidly evolving field of nanomedicine has taken up the challenge and developed a plethora of strategies to fight infectious diseases with the help of various nanomaterials such as noble metal nanoparticles, liposomes, nanogels, and virus capsids. DNA nanotechnology represents a comparatively recent addition to the nanomedicine arsenal, which, over the past decade, has made great progress in the area of cancer diagnostics and therapy. However, the past few years have seen also an increasing number of DNA nanotechnology-related studies that particularly focus on the detection and inhibition of microbial and viral pathogens. Herein, a brief overview of this rather young research field is provided, successful concepts as well as potential challenges are identified, and promising directions for future research are highlighted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David M. Smith
- DNA Nanodevices UnitDepartment DiagnosticsFraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI04103LeipzigGermany
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter PhysicsFaculty of Physics and Earth SciencesUniversity of Leipzig04103LeipzigGermany
- Institute of Clinical ImmunologyUniversity of Leipzig Medical School04103LeipzigGermany
- Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication TechnologyGandhinagar382 007India
| | - Adrian Keller
- Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryPaderborn UniversityWarburger Str. 10033098PaderbornGermany
| |
Collapse
|
120
|
Medina‐Rivera M, Centeno‐Tablante E, Finkelstein JL, Rayco‐Solon P, Peña‐Rosas JP, Garcia‐Casal MN, Rogers L, Ridwan P, Martinez SS, Andrade J, Layden AJ, Chang J, Zambrano MP, Ghezzi‐Kopel K, Mehta S. Presence of Ebola virus in breast milk and risk of mother-to-child transmission: synthesis of evidence. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2021; 1488:33-43. [PMID: 33113592 PMCID: PMC8048832 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
To help inform global guidelines on infant feeding, this systematic review synthesizes evidence related to the presence of the Ebola virus (EBOV) in breast milk and its potential risk of viral transmission to the infant when breastfeeding. We relied on a comprehensive search strategy to identify studies including women with suspected, probable, or confirmed EBOV infection, intending to breastfeed or give breast milk to an infant. Our search identified 10,454 records, and after deduplication and screening, we assessed 148 full texts. We included eight studies reporting on 10 breastfeeding mothers and their children (one mother with twins), who provided breast milk samples for assessment. EBOV was detected via RT-PCR or viral culture in seven out of ten breast milk samples. Four out of the five-breastfed infants with EBOV-positive breast milk were found positive for EBOV infection, and all of these EBOV-positive infants died. Since previous reports have detected EBOV in tears, saliva, sweat, and contaminated surfaces, with the current evidence, it is not possible to conclude with certainty that breast milk was the main route of EBOV transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Pura Rayco‐Solon
- Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and AgeingWorld Health OrganizationGenevaSwitzerland
| | | | | | - Lisa Rogers
- Department of Nutrition and Food SafetyWorld Health OrganizationGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Pratiwi Ridwan
- Division of Nutritional SciencesCornell UniversityIthacaNew York
| | - Sabrina Sales Martinez
- Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social WorkFlorida International UniversityMiamiFlorida
| | - Joyce Andrade
- Hospital de Niños Roberto Gilbert ElizaldeGuayaquilEcuador
| | | | - Juan Chang
- Hospital de Niños Roberto Gilbert ElizaldeGuayaquilEcuador
| | | | | | - Saurabh Mehta
- Division of Nutritional SciencesCornell UniversityIthacaNew York
| |
Collapse
|
121
|
Zhang Y, Olufadewa II, Adesina MA, Ekpo MD, Akinloye SJ, Iyanda TO, Nwachukwu P, Kodzo LD. Lessons from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic response in China, Italy, and the U.S.: a guide for Africa and low- and middle-income countries. GLOBAL HEALTH JOURNAL 2021; 5:56-61. [PMID: 33585052 PMCID: PMC7871778 DOI: 10.1016/j.glohj.2021.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Africa can be "left behind" after other advanced continents recover from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as reflected by the global pandemic of HIV/AIDS. In this paper, we summarize potentially adaptable, effective and innovative strategies from China, Italy, and the U.S. The purpose is to help African countries with weaker healthcare systems better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. China, being the first to report COVID-19 infection swiftly swung into anti-epidemic actions by the use of innovative risk communication and epidemic containment strategies. Italy and U.S., the next rapidly hit countries after China, however, experienced sustained infections and deaths due to delayed and ineffective response. Many African countries responded poorly to the COVID-19 pandemic as evidenced by the limited capacity for public health surveillance, poor leadership, low education and socioeconomic status, among others. Experience from China, Italy and U.S. suggests that a better response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa needs a strong public health leadership, proactive strategies, innovative risk communication about the pandemic, massive tests and isolation, and scaling-up community engagement. Lastly, African countries must collaborate with other countries to facilitate real-time information and experience exchange with other countries to avoid being left behind.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Isaac Iyinoluwa Olufadewa
- Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State 200212, Nigeria
- Slum and Rural Health Initiative Research Academy, Ibadan, Oyo State 200212, Nigeria
| | - Miracle Ayomikun Adesina
- Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State 200212, Nigeria
- Slum and Rural Health Initiative Research Academy, Ibadan, Oyo State 200212, Nigeria
| | - Marlene Davis Ekpo
- Slum and Rural Health Initiative Research Academy, Ibadan, Oyo State 200212, Nigeria
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Seyi John Akinloye
- Slum and Rural Health Initiative Research Academy, Ibadan, Oyo State 200212, Nigeria
- Department of Oral Pathology, Dental Clinic, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State 200212, Nigeria
| | - Temiloluwa Ololade Iyanda
- Slum and Rural Health Initiative Research Academy, Ibadan, Oyo State 200212, Nigeria
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Pamela Nwachukwu
- Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State 200212, Nigeria
- Slum and Rural Health Initiative Research Academy, Ibadan, Oyo State 200212, Nigeria
| | - Lalit Dzifa Kodzo
- Slum and Rural Health Initiative Research Academy, Ibadan, Oyo State 200212, Nigeria
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| |
Collapse
|
122
|
Longet S, Mellors J, Carroll MW, Tipton T. Ebolavirus: Comparison of Survivor Immunology and Animal Models in the Search for a Correlate of Protection. Front Immunol 2021; 11:599568. [PMID: 33679690 PMCID: PMC7935512 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.599568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Ebola viruses are enveloped, single-stranded RNA viruses belonging to the Filoviridae family and can cause Ebola virus disease (EVD), a serious haemorrhagic illness with up to 90% mortality. The disease was first detected in Zaire (currently the Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1976. Since its discovery, Ebola virus has caused sporadic outbreaks in Africa and was responsible for the largest 2013-2016 EVD epidemic in West Africa, which resulted in more than 28,600 cases and over 11,300 deaths. This epidemic strengthened international scientific efforts to contain the virus and develop therapeutics and vaccines. Immunology studies in animal models and survivors, as well as clinical trials have been crucial to understand Ebola virus pathogenesis and host immune responses, which has supported vaccine development. This review discusses the major findings that have emerged from animal models, studies in survivors and vaccine clinical trials and explains how these investigations have helped in the search for a correlate of protection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Longet
- Public Health England, National Infection Service, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Jack Mellors
- Public Health England, National Infection Service, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Miles W. Carroll
- Public Health England, National Infection Service, Salisbury, United Kingdom
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Tipton
- Public Health England, National Infection Service, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
123
|
Khatoon H, Abdulmalek E. Novel Synthetic Routes to Prepare Biologically Active Quinoxalines and Their Derivatives: A Synthetic Review for the Last Two Decades. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26041055. [PMID: 33670436 PMCID: PMC7923122 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26041055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Quinoxalines, a class of N-heterocyclic compounds, are important biological agents, and a significant amount of research activity has been directed towards this class. They have several prominent pharmacological effects like antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial. Quinoxaline derivatives have diverse therapeutic uses and have become the crucial component in drugs used to treat cancerous cells, AIDS, plant viruses, schizophrenia, certifying them a great future in medicinal chemistry. Due to the current pandemic situation caused by SARS-COVID 19, it has become essential to synthesize drugs to combat deadly pathogens (bacteria, fungi, viruses) for now and near future. Since quinoxalines is an essential moiety to treat infectious diseases, numerous synthetic routes have been developed by researchers, with a prime focus on green chemistry and cost-effective methods. This review paper highlights the various synthetic routes to prepare quinoxaline and its derivatives, covering the literature for the last two decades. A total of 31 schemes have been explained using the green chemistry approach, cost-effective methods, and quinoxaline derivatives' therapeutic uses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hena Khatoon
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (H.K.); (E.A.)
| | - Emilia Abdulmalek
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
- Integrated Chemical BioPhysics Research, Faculty of Science, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (H.K.); (E.A.)
| |
Collapse
|
124
|
Gupta S, Gupta N, Yadav P, Patil D. Ebola virus outbreak preparedness plan for developing Nations: Lessons learnt from affected countries. J Infect Public Health 2021; 14:293-305. [PMID: 33610938 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2020.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ebola virus (EBOV); a public health emergency of international concern,is known to pose threat of global outbreaks. EBOV has spread in African continent and due to unchecked international travel, importation of cases has been reported in different countries. In this alarming scenario, developing countries need to evaluate and upgrade their preparedness plan to contain the spread of EBOV. The present review lays down the updated preparedness plan for developing countries to contain future EBOV outbreaks. METHODS The literature on EBOV outbreaks and preparedness strategies reported were searched on Pubmed and Google Scholar using the MeSH terms such as "Ebola virus disease, Epidemic, Outbreak, Imported case, Preparedness, Public health interventions" combined with Boolean operator (OR) for the period of 2011-2020. Additionally, World Health organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) websites were searched for the guidelines, reports, containment strategies, containment plan of countries, actions taken by countries and international partners, etc. RESULTS: The present review analyzed the EBOV outbreaks between 2011-2020 and containment strategies used by the affected countries. Based on the lessons learned from EBOV outbreaks and personal experience in infectious disease management, we have recommended a preparedness and response plan for EBOV containment in developing countries. CONCLUSION Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to major outbreaks of EBOV due to increased international travel and unchecked transmission. The recommended preparedness plan will help developing counties to contain EBOV outbreaks in future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Swati Gupta
- Division of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Nivedita Gupta
- Division of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India.
| | - Pragya Yadav
- ICMR-National Institute of Virology, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune 411021, India
| | - Deepak Patil
- ICMR-National Institute of Virology, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune 411021, India
| |
Collapse
|
125
|
COVID-19 Vaccines (Revisited) and Oral-Mucosal Vector System as a Potential Vaccine Platform. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9020171. [PMID: 33670630 PMCID: PMC7922043 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9020171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
There are several emerging strategies for the vaccination of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) however, only a few have yet shown promising effects. Thus, choosing the right pathway and the best prophylactic options in preventing COVID-19 is still challenging at best. Approximately, more than two-hundred vaccines are being tested in different countries, and more than fifty clinical trials are currently undergoing. In this review, we have summarized the immune-based strategies for the development of COVID-19 vaccines and the different vaccine candidate platforms that are in clinical stages of evaluation, and up to the recently licensed mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines of Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna's. Lastly, we have briefly included the potentials of using the 'RPS-CTP vector system' for the development of a safe and effective oral mucosal COVID-19 vaccine as another vaccine platform.
Collapse
|
126
|
Ellwanger JH, Veiga ABGD, Kaminski VDL, Valverde-Villegas JM, Freitas AWQD, Chies JAB. Control and prevention of infectious diseases from a One Health perspective. Genet Mol Biol 2021; 44:e20200256. [PMID: 33533395 PMCID: PMC7856630 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2020-0256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caught the attention of the global community and rekindled the debate about our ability to prevent and manage outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics. Many alternatives are suggested to address these urgent issues. Some of them are quite interesting, but with little practical application in the short or medium term. To realistically control infectious diseases, human, animal, and environmental factors need to be considered together, based on the One Health perspective. In this article, we highlight the most effective initiatives for the control and prevention of infectious diseases: vaccination; environmental sanitation; vector control; social programs that encourage a reduction in the population growth; control of urbanization; safe sex stimulation; testing; treatment of sexually and vertically transmitted infections; promotion of personal hygiene practices; food safety and proper nutrition; reduction of the human contact with wildlife and livestock; reduction of social inequalities; infectious disease surveillance; and biodiversity preservation. Subsequently, this article highlights the impacts of human genetics on susceptibility to infections and disease progression, using the SARS-CoV-2 infection as a study model. Finally, actions focused on mitigation of outbreaks and epidemics and the importance of conservation of ecosystems and translational ecology as public health strategies are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joel Henrique Ellwanger
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Departamento de Genética, Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Imunogenética, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Departamento de Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular - PPGBM, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Valéria de Lima Kaminski
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP, Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia - ICT, Laboratório de Imunologia Aplicada, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Jacqueline María Valverde-Villegas
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Departamento de Genética, Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Imunogenética, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier (IGMM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire coopératif IGMM/ABIVAX, UMR 5535, Montpellier, France
| | - Abner Willian Quintino de Freitas
- Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre - UFCSPA, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Tecnologias da Informação e Gestão em Saúde, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - José Artur Bogo Chies
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Departamento de Genética, Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Imunogenética, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Departamento de Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular - PPGBM, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
127
|
Hand hygiene: virucidal efficacy of a liquid hand wash product against Ebola virus. Infect Prev Pract 2021; 3:100122. [PMID: 34368739 PMCID: PMC8336303 DOI: 10.1016/j.infpip.2021.100122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hand washing is an important targeted hygiene intervention for limiting the spread of infectious agents, including the Ebola virus, which continues to re-emerge. We have assessed the virucidal efficacy of a commercially available liquid hand wash product (LHW) for inactivating Ebola virus. Methods The ASTM E1052-11 Standard was used to evaluate the efficacy of an LHW containing the microbicidal active salicylic acid for inactivating Ebola virus - Makona variant suspended in an organic load. Three concentrations (12.5%, 25%, 50%) of three lots of LHW prepared in 440 ppm hard water were evaluated at room temperature for 20, 30, and 60 s contact time. Results A 25% solution of the LHW caused 4.5 log10 and 4.8 log10 reduction in Ebola virus titer within 20 and 30 s, respectively. The efficacy of a 12.5% LHW solution was lower (1.9 and 2.0 log10 reduction in titer within 20 and 30 s, respectively). The efficacy of the 50% LHW solution could not be measured, due to inability to sufficiently neutralize the LHW at the end of exposure. Conclusion These results suggest the potential utility of an appropriately formulated liquid hand wash agent during Ebola virus disease outbreaks for use within healthcare, community, and home settings. Such an LHW should also be effective against other enveloped viruses, such as the pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
Collapse
|
128
|
Furuse Y. [Epidemiology of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever in Africa]. Uirusu 2021; 71:11-18. [PMID: 35526990 DOI: 10.2222/jsv.71.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A variety of viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola virus disease exist in Africa and impose a great threat in public health due to their high fatality. It is considered to be difficult to eradicate the etiological agents of viral hemorrhagic fever because they have non-human natural hosts. Therefore, the importance of public health measures remains high in addition to the urgent need for the development of medicines for treatment and prevention. Furthermore, public health measures directly lead to the accumulation of epidemiological knowledge about the diseases. As an infectious disease consultant for the World Health Organization, I have been involved with public health activities including the development of clinical guidelines, the establishment of laboratory diagnostic systems, the training for infection, prevention and control, the planning of budget for outbreak response, and the analysis of epidemiological data. On the last point, I reported the situation of Ebola virus disease outbreak in Liberia, 2014-2015 and Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria, 2018-2019 describing the risk factors, morbidity, and mortality of the diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Furuse
- Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University
- Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University
| |
Collapse
|
129
|
Tian M, Li H, Yan T, Dai Y, Dong L, Wei H, Song X, Dong J, Cheng F, Li W. Clinical features of patients undergoing hemodialysis with COVID-19. Semin Dial 2021; 34:57-65. [PMID: 33118200 PMCID: PMC7894471 DOI: 10.1111/sdi.12928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hemodialysis patients are susceptible to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical characteristics, and mortality-related risk factors for those who undergoing hemodialysis with COVID-19. We conducted a retrospective study. A total of 49 hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 (Group 1) and 74 uninfected patients (Group 2) were included. For patients in Group 1, we found the median age was 62 years (36-89 years), 59.3% were male, and the median dialysis vintage was 26 months. Twenty-eight patients (57%) had three or more comorbidities and two patients (4%) died. The most common symptoms were fever (32.7%) and dry cough (46.9%), while nine patients (18.4%) were asymptomatic. Blood routine tests indicated lymphocytopenia, the proportion of lymphocyte subsets was generally reduced, and chest CT scans showed ground-glass opacity (45.8%) and patchy shadowing (35.4%). However, these findings were not specific to hemodialysis patients with COVID-19, and similar manifestations could be found in patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection. In conclusion, for hemodialysis patients with COVID-19, lymphocytopenia and ground-glass opacities or patchy opacities were common but not specific to them, early active treatment and interventions against nosocomial infection can significantly reduce the mortality and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming Tian
- Department of NephrologyWuhan Fourth HospitalPuai HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanP.R. China
| | - Hua Li
- Department of NephrologyWuhan Fourth HospitalPuai HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanP.R. China
| | - Ting Yan
- Department of NephrologyThe First People's Hospital of Jiangxia DistrictWuhanP.R. China
| | - Yujie Dai
- Department of NephrologyWuhan Fourth HospitalPuai HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanP.R. China
| | - Liping Dong
- Department of NephrologyWuhan Fourth HospitalPuai HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanP.R. China
| | - Honglan Wei
- Department of NephrologyWuhan Fourth HospitalPuai HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanP.R. China
| | - Xiaohong Song
- Department of NephrologyWuhan Fourth HospitalPuai HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanP.R. China
| | - Junwu Dong
- Department of NephrologyWuhan Fourth HospitalPuai HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanP.R. China
| | - Fangxiong Cheng
- Department of Clinical LaboratoryWuhan Fourth HospitalPuai HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanP.R. China
| | - Wenzhou Li
- Department of UrologyWuhan Fourth HospitalPuai HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanP.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
130
|
Kuo FY, Wen TH. Regionalization for infection control: An algorithm for delineating containment zones considering the regularity of human mobility. APPLIED GEOGRAPHY (SEVENOAKS, ENGLAND) 2021; 126:102375. [PMID: 33318717 PMCID: PMC7724310 DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2020.102375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Restricting human movement to decrease contact probability and frequency helps mitigate large-scale epidemics. Movement-based zoning can be implemented to delineate the boundaries for movement restrictions. Previous studies used network community detection methods, which capture cohesive within-region movements, to delineate containment zones. However, most people usually travel and spend most of their time in several fixed locations, which implies that an infected person could transmit the pathogens to only a specific group of people with whom s/he usually has a contact in frequently-visited locations. Existing network community detection methods cannot reflect the regularity of the flow of people; thus, this study aims to use land-use patterns to reflect trip purposes to measure the regularity of human mobility. We propose a novel network community detection method, the Human Mobility Regularity-based Zoning (HuMoRZ) algorithm, to delineate containment zones incorporating mobility regularity. The Taipei metropolitan area in Taiwan is used to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed algorithm. The spatial diffusion of an emerging respiratory disease, novel influenza A/H1N1, is simulated for comparing three different quarantine zoning systems: (1) a minimum zoning unit, (2) optimal zoning without considering mobility regularity, and (3) optimal zoning considering mobility regularity. Two epidemiological performance indicators are used to compare simulation results: namely, the accumulated infected number (AN) on the 30th day, reflecting the severity of an epidemic, and the critical time (CT), the moment at which half of the population becomes infected, measuring the diffusion speed of an epidemic. To measure the variety of different facility types within a containment zone, we further use Shannon's entropy scores, representing a self-contained zone, and the boxplot of all zones' entropy scores, reflecting geospatial homogeneity of life functions across zones. Our results suggest that containment zones that incorporate mobility regularity could significantly delay the epidemic peak and critical time and decrease the severity of an epidemic. The zoning patterns proposed in our algorithm could also allow for more life functions in a zone and more evenly distributed life resources across zones than those of zones generated by other methods. These findings could provide insightful implications for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Ying Kuo
- Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
| | - Tzai-Hung Wen
- Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
131
|
Walsh MG, Sawleshwarkar S, Hossain S, Mor SM. Whence the next pandemic? The intersecting global geography of the animal-human interface, poor health systems and air transit centrality reveals conduits for high-impact spillover. One Health 2020; 11:100177. [PMID: 33052311 PMCID: PMC7543735 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The health and economic impacts of infectious disease pandemics are catastrophic as most recently manifested by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The emerging infections that lead to substantive epidemics or pandemics are typically zoonoses that cross species boundaries at vulnerable points of animal-human interface. The sharing of space between wildlife and humans, and their domesticated animals, has dramatically increased in recent decades and is a key driver of pathogen spillover. Increasing animal-human interface has also occurred in concert with both increasing globalisation and failing health systems, resulting in a trifecta with dire implications for human and animal health. Nevertheless, to date we lack a geographical description of this trifecta that can be applied strategically to pandemic prevention. This investigation provides the first geographical quantification of the intersection of animal-human interfaces, poor human health system performance and global connectivity via the network of air travel. In so doing, this work provides a systematic, data-driven approach to classifying spillover hazard based on the distribution of animal-human interfaces while simultaneously identifying globally connected cities that are adjacent to these interfaces and which may facilitate global pathogen dissemination. We present this geography of high-impact spillover as a tool for developing targeted surveillance systems and improved health infrastructure in vulnerable areas that may present conduits for future pandemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael G. Walsh
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Shailendra Sawleshwarkar
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Shah Hossain
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Siobhan M. Mor
- University of Liverpool, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Institute of Infection and Global Health Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom
- International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Veterinary Science, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
132
|
Voo TC, Lederman Z, Kaur S. Patient Isolation during Infectious Disease Outbreaks: Arguments for Physical Family Presence. Public Health Ethics 2020; 13:133-142. [PMID: 33294029 PMCID: PMC7700794 DOI: 10.1093/phe/phaa024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
This article argues that outbreak preparedness and response should implement a ‘family presence’ policy for infected patients in isolation that includes the option of physical visits and care within the isolation facility under some conditions. While such a ‘physical family presence’ (PFP) policy could increase infections during an outbreak and may raise moral dilemmas, we argue that it is ethically justified based on the least infringement principle and the need to minimize the harms and burdens of isolation as a restrictive measure. Categorical prohibition of PFP during the course of an outbreak or epidemic is likely to result in unnecessary harms to patients and families, and violate values such as the moral commitments of families to care for each other. Supporting the option of PFP under particular circumstances, on the other hand, will least infringe these moral considerations. An additional reason for a family presence policy is that it may facilitate voluntary cooperation with isolation and other restrictive measures. We provide an analysis of these considerations for supporting modes of family presence during an outbreak emergency, before defending the riskier option of PFP in the isolation facility from plausible objections and concerns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Teck Chuan Voo
- Centre for Biomedical Ethics, National University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
133
|
Rghei AD, van Lieshout LP, Santry LA, Guilleman MM, Thomas SP, Susta L, Karimi K, Bridle BW, Wootton SK. AAV Vectored Immunoprophylaxis for Filovirus Infections. Trop Med Infect Dis 2020; 5:tropicalmed5040169. [PMID: 33182447 PMCID: PMC7709665 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed5040169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Filoviruses are among the deadliest infectious agents known to man, causing severe hemorrhagic fever, with up to 90% fatality rates. The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa resulted in over 28,000 infections, demonstrating the large-scale human health and economic impact generated by filoviruses. Zaire ebolavirus is responsible for the greatest number of deaths to date and consequently there is now an approved vaccine, Ervebo, while other filovirus species have similar epidemic potential and remain without effective vaccines. Recent clinical success of REGN-EB3 and mAb-114 monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based therapies supports further investigation of this treatment approach for other filoviruses. While efficacious, protection from passive mAb therapies is short-lived, requiring repeat dosing to maintain therapeutic concentrations. An alternative strategy is vectored immunoprophylaxis (VIP), which utilizes an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector to generate sustained expression of selected mAbs directly in vivo. This approach takes advantage of validated mAb development and enables vectorization of the top candidates to provide long-term immunity. In this review, we summarize the history of filovirus outbreaks, mAb-based therapeutics, and highlight promising AAV vectorized approaches to providing immunity against filoviruses where vaccines are not yet available.
Collapse
|
134
|
DeMers HL, He S, Pandit SG, Hannah EE, Zhang Z, Yan F, Green HR, Reyes DF, Hau D, McLarty ME, Altamura L, Taylor-Howell C, Gates-Hollingsworth MA, Qiu X, AuCoin DP. Development of an antigen detection assay for early point-of-care diagnosis of Zaire ebolavirus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008817. [PMID: 33141837 PMCID: PMC7608863 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The 2013–2016 Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak in West Africa and the ongoing cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have spurred development of a number of medical countermeasures, including rapid Ebola diagnostic tests. The likelihood of transmission increases as the disease progresses due to increasing viral load and potential for contact with others. Early diagnosis of EBOV is essential for halting spread of the disease. Polymerase chain reaction assays are the gold standard for diagnosing Ebola virus disease (EVD), however, they rely on infrastructure and trained personnel that are not available in most resource-limited settings. Rapid diagnostic tests that are capable of detecting virus with reliable sensitivity need to be made available for use in austere environments where laboratory testing is not feasible. The goal of this study was to produce candidate lateral flow immunoassay (LFI) prototypes specific to the EBOV glycoprotein and viral matrix protein, both targets known to be present during EVD. The LFI platform utilizes antibody-based technology to capture and detect targets and is well suited to the needs of EVD diagnosis as it can be performed at the point-of-care, requires no cold chain, provides results in less than twenty minutes and is low cost. Monoclonal antibodies were isolated, characterized and evaluated in the LFI platform. Top performing LFI prototypes were selected, further optimized and confirmed for sensitivity with cultured live EBOV and clinical samples from infected non-human primates. Comparison with a commercially available EBOV rapid diagnostic test that received emergency use approval demonstrates that the glycoprotein-specific LFI developed as a part of this study has improved sensitivity. The outcome of this work presents a diagnostic prototype with the potential to enable earlier diagnosis of EVD in clinical settings and provide healthcare workers with a vital tool for reducing the spread of disease during an outbreak. Ebola virus (EBOV) causes a severe hemorrhagic fever and has an extremely high fatality rate that ranges from 60%-90%. There is no approved treatment or vaccine for this infectious disease and halting spread of the virus relies on identifying and isolating infected patients quickly. The current gold standard, polymerase chain reaction assay, requires patient samples be transported to regional reference laboratories where it often takes days to get results. A handful of Ebola rapid diagnostic tests have been developed, but lack the sensitivity required to detect the virus in earlier stages of the disease. There is great need for more sensitive rapid diagnostic tests that can identify the EBOV infected patients when they first become symptomatic. This study focused on production of high affinity mAbs to two target EBOV proteins for development of a more sensitivity rapid diagnostic test. Efforts have resulted in production of prototype detecting the EBOV glycoprotein that shows a notable improvement in sensitivity and offers the potential for earlier diagnosis of infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haley L. DeMers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Reno, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Shihua He
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Sujata G. Pandit
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Reno, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Emily E. Hannah
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Reno, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Zirui Zhang
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Feihu Yan
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Heather R. Green
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Reno, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Denise F. Reyes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Reno, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Derrick Hau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Reno, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Megan E. McLarty
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Reno, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Louis Altamura
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Cheryl Taylor-Howell
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Xiangguo Qiu
- Special Pathogens Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- * E-mail: (XQ); (DPA)
| | - David P. AuCoin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Reno, Nevada, United States of America
- * E-mail: (XQ); (DPA)
| |
Collapse
|
135
|
Elston JWT, Danis K, Gray N, West K, Lokuge K, Black B, Stringer B, Jimmisa AS, Biankoe A, Sanko MO, Kazungu DS, Sang S, Loof A, Stephan C, Caleo G. Maternal health after Ebola: unmet needs and barriers to healthcare in rural Sierra Leone. Health Policy Plan 2020; 35:78-90. [PMID: 31697378 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czz102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sierra Leone has the world's highest estimated maternal mortality. Following the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak, we described health outcomes and health-seeking behaviour amongst pregnant women to inform health policy. In October 2016-January 2017, we conducted a sequential mixed-methods study in urban and rural areas of Tonkolili District comprising: household survey targeting women who had given birth since onset of the Ebola outbreak; structured interviews at rural sites investigating maternal deaths and reporting; and in-depth interviews (IDIs) targeting mothers, community leaders and health workers. We selected 30 clusters in each area: by random GPS points (urban) and by random village selection stratified by population size (rural). We collected data on health-seeking behaviours, barriers to healthcare, childbirth and outcomes using structured questionnaires. IDIs exploring topics identified through the survey were conducted with a purposive sample and analysed thematically. We surveyed 608 women and conducted 29 structured and 72 IDIs. Barriers, including costs of healthcare and physical inaccessibility of healthcare facilities, delayed or prevented 90% [95% confidence interval (CI): 80-95] (rural) vs 59% (95% CI: 48-68) (urban) pregnant women from receiving healthcare. Despite a general preference for biomedical care, 48% of rural and 31% of urban women gave birth outside of a health facility; of those, just 4% and 34%, respectively received skilled assistance. Women expressed mistrust of healthcare workers (HCWs) primarily due to payment demanded for 'free' healthcare. HCWs described lack of pay and poor conditions precluding provision of quality care. Twenty percent of women reported labour complications. Twenty-eight percent of villages had materials to record maternal deaths. Pregnant women faced important barriers to care, particularly in rural areas, leading to high preventable mortality and morbidity. Women wanted to access healthcare, but services available were often costly, unreachable and poor quality. We recommend urgent interventions, including health promotion, free healthcare access and strengthening rural services to address barriers to maternal healthcare.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James W T Elston
- UK Field Epidemiology Training Programme, Public Health England, Blenheim House, West One, Duncombe Street Leeds, LS1 4PL, UK
| | - Kostas Danis
- Santé Publique France, the French national public health agency (SP France), 12 rue du Val d'Osne 94415 Saint-Maurice Cedex, France.,European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), European Programme for Interventional Epidemiology Training (EPIET), Tomtebodavägen 11A, 171 65 Solna, Sweden
| | - Nell Gray
- Manson Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Lower Ground Floor, Chancery Exchange, 10 Furnival Street, London EC4A 1AB, UK
| | - Kim West
- Manson Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Lower Ground Floor, Chancery Exchange, 10 Furnival Street, London EC4A 1AB, UK
| | - Kamalini Lokuge
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Building 62, Mills Road, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Benjamin Black
- The Whittington Hospital, Magdala Ave, London, N19 5NF, UK
| | - Beverley Stringer
- Manson Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Lower Ground Floor, Chancery Exchange, 10 Furnival Street, London EC4A 1AB, UK
| | - Augustine S Jimmisa
- District Health Management Team, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Magburaka, Tonkolili, Sierra Leone
| | - Aiah Biankoe
- District Health Management Team, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Magburaka, Tonkolili, Sierra Leone
| | - Mohammed O Sanko
- District Health Management Team, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Magburaka, Tonkolili, Sierra Leone
| | - Donald S Kazungu
- Médecins Sans Frontières - Operational Centre Amsterdam, Naritaweg 10, 1043 BX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sibylle Sang
- Médecins Sans Frontières - Operational Centre Amsterdam, Naritaweg 10, 1043 BX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie Loof
- Médecins Sans Frontières - Operational Centre Amsterdam, Naritaweg 10, 1043 BX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Claudia Stephan
- Médecins Sans Frontières - Operational Centre Amsterdam, Naritaweg 10, 1043 BX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Grazia Caleo
- Manson Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Lower Ground Floor, Chancery Exchange, 10 Furnival Street, London EC4A 1AB, UK
| |
Collapse
|
136
|
Jain S, Khaiboullina SF, Baranwal M. Immunological Perspective for Ebola Virus Infection and Various Treatment Measures Taken to Fight the Disease. Pathogens 2020; 9:E850. [PMID: 33080902 PMCID: PMC7603231 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9100850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ebolaviruses, discovered in 1976, belongs to the Filoviridae family, which also includes Marburg and Lloviu viruses. They are negative-stranded RNA viruses with six known species identified to date. Ebola virus (EBOV) is a member of Zaire ebolavirus species and can cause the Ebola virus disease (EVD), an emerging zoonotic disease that results in homeostatic imbalance and multi-organ failure. There are three EBOV outbreaks documented in the last six years resulting in significant morbidity (> 32,000 cases) and mortality (> 13,500 deaths). The potential factors contributing to the high infectivity of this virus include multiple entry mechanisms, susceptibility of the host cells, employment of multiple immune evasion mechanisms and rapid person-to-person transmission. EBOV infection leads to cytokine storm, disseminated intravascular coagulation, host T cell apoptosis as well as cell mediated and humoral immune response. In this review, a concise recap of cell types targeted by EBOV and EVD symptoms followed by detailed run-through of host innate and adaptive immune responses, virus-driven regulation and their combined effects contributing to the disease pathogenesis has been presented. At last, the vaccine and drug development initiatives as well as challenges related to the management of infection have been discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sahil Jain
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala 147004, Punjab, India;
| | - Svetlana F. Khaiboullina
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia
| | - Manoj Baranwal
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala 147004, Punjab, India;
| |
Collapse
|
137
|
Abo SM, Smith? R. Modelling the daily risk of Ebola in the presence and absence of a potential vaccine. Infect Dis Model 2020; 5:905-917. [PMID: 33078134 PMCID: PMC7557810 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2020.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ebola virus - one of the deadliest viral diseases, with a mortality rate around 90% - damages the immune system and organs, with symptoms including episodic fever, chills, malaise and myalgia. The Recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-based candidate vaccine (rVSV-ZEBOV) has demonstrated clinical efficacy against Ebola in ring-vaccination clinical trials. In order to evaluate the potential effect of this candidate vaccine, we developed risk equations for the daily risk of Ebola infection both currently and after vaccination. The risk equations account for the basic transmission probability of Ebola and the lowered risk due to various protection protocols: vaccination, hazmat suits, reduced contact with the infected living and dead bodies. Parameter space was sampled using Latin Hypercube Sampling, a statistical method for generating a near-random sample of parameter values. We found that at a high transmission rate of Ebola (i.e., if the transmission rate is greater than 90%), a large fraction of the population must be vaccinated (>80%) to achieve a 50% decrease in the daily risk of infection. If a vaccine is introduced, it must have at least 50% efficacy, and almost everyone in the affected areas must receive it to effectively control outbreaks of Ebola. These results indicate that a low-efficacy Ebola vaccine runs the risk of having vaccinated people be overconfident in a weak vaccine and hence the possibility that the vaccine could make the situation worse, unless the population can be sufficiently educated about the necessity for high vaccine uptake.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie M.C. Abo
- Department of Applied Mathematics, The University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Robert Smith?
- Department of Mathematics and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Ottawa, 150 Louis-Pasteur Pvt, Ottawa, ON, K1N6N5, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
138
|
Development of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay to Determine the Expression Dynamics of Ebola Virus Soluble Glycoprotein during Infection. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8101535. [PMID: 33036194 PMCID: PMC7600751 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8101535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Ebola virus (EBOV) is a highly pathogenic virus with human case fatality rates of up to 90%. EBOV uses transcriptional editing to express three different glycoproteins (GPs) from its GP gene: soluble GP (sGP), GP, and small sGP (ssGP). The molecular ratio of unedited to edited mRNA is about 70% (sGP): 25% (GP): 5% (ssGP), indicating that sGP is produced more abundantly than GP. While the presence of sGP has been confirmed in the blood during human EBOV infection, there is no report about its expression dynamics. In this study, we developed an EBOV-sGP-specific sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using two different available antibodies and tested several animal serum samples to determine the concentration of sGP. EBOV-sGP was detected in nonhuman primate serum samples as early as 4 days after EBOV infection, correlating with RT-qPCR positivity. This ELISA might be further developed into a diagnostic tool for detection of EBOV in patients. Furthermore, this study provides insights into the expression dynamics of sGP during infection, which are important to decipher the function that sGP plays during infection.
Collapse
|
139
|
Yimer G, Gebreyes W, Havelaar A, Yousuf J, McKune S, Mohammed A, O'Mathúna D. Community engagement and building trust to resolve ethical challenges during humanitarian crises: experience from the CAGED study. Confl Health 2020; 14:68. [PMID: 33042218 PMCID: PMC7539377 DOI: 10.1186/s13031-020-00313-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre report on global human displacement, Ethiopia has the highest number of newly displaced people forced to flee their homes. Displaced people have arrived in other regions, sometimes leading to conflict. Several regions in Ethiopia experience on-going ethnic tensions and violence between tribes, which leaves smallholder farmers suspicious of any outside activities in their locale, assuming other ethnic groups may harm them. Changes in the central Ethiopian government have also led to suspicion of non-local agencies. The Campylobacter Genomics and Enteric Dysfunction (CAGED) research project's objective is to improve the incomes, livelihoods and nutrition of smallholder farmers and was conducted during this period of increasing violence. The project aims to assess the impact of reducing exposure to chicken excreta on young children's gut health and growth. This paper does not report empirical findings from CAGED, but is part of a series that aims to identify challenges in humanitarian research and reports on mitigation strategies during this research. Discussion This research is important to determine whether Campylobacter infection in chicken's contributes to illness and stunting in children. However, violence against other researchers in different parts of Ethiopia led to mistrust and lack of engagement by the community with the researchers. Some reactions were so hostile that the team was fearful about returning to some households. As a result, the team designed strategies to respond, including establishing two types of community advisory boards. One used pre-existing village elder structures and another was composed of village youth. Data collection team members received training in principles of ethics, consent, and crisis management, and were provided on-going support from local and international principal investigators and the study's ethics advisor. Conclusion The hostility and mistrust led to fear among the data collectors. These and the resulting strategies to address them resulted in delays for the research. However, the interventions taken resulted in successful completion of the field activities. Moreover, the lessons learned from this project are already being implemented with other projects being conducted in various parts of Ethiopia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Getnet Yimer
- Global One Health initiative, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA
| | | | - Arie Havelaar
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Jemal Yousuf
- Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Sarah McKune
- College of public health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Abdulmuen Mohammed
- Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Dónal O'Mathúna
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA
| |
Collapse
|
140
|
Hedayatipour A, Mcfarlane N. Wearables for the Next Pandemic. IEEE ACCESS : PRACTICAL INNOVATIONS, OPEN SOLUTIONS 2020; 8:184457-184474. [PMID: 34786293 PMCID: PMC8545280 DOI: 10.1109/access.2020.3029130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
This paper reviews the current state of the art in wearable sensors, including current challenges, that can alleviate the loads on hospitals and medical centers. During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020, healthcare systems were overwhelmed by people with mild to severe symptoms needing care. A careful study of pandemics and their symptoms in the past 100 years reveals common traits that should be monitored for managing the health and economic costs. Cheap, low power, and portable multi-modal-sensors that detect the common symptoms can be stockpiled and ready for the next pandemic. These sensors include temperature sensors for fever monitoring, pulse oximetry sensors for blood oxygen levels, impedance sensors for thoracic impedance, and other state sensors that can be integrated into a single system and connected to a smartphone or data center. Both research and commercial medically approved devices are reviewed with an emphasis on the electronics required to realize the sensing. The performance characteristics, such as accuracy, power, resolution, and size of each sensor modality are critically examined. A discussion of the characteristics, research challenges, and features of an ideal integrated wearable system is also presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ava Hedayatipour
- Department of Electrical EngineeringCalifornia State UniversityLong BeachCA90840USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceThe University of TennesseeKnoxvilleTN37996USA
| | - Nicole Mcfarlane
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceThe University of TennesseeKnoxvilleTN37996USA
| |
Collapse
|
141
|
Martín-Rodríguez F, Sanz-García A, López-Izquierdo R, Delgado Benito JF, Martín-Conty JL, Castro Villamor MA, Ortega GJ. Predicting Health Care Workers' Tolerance of Personal Protective Equipment: An Observational Simulation Study. Clin Simul Nurs 2020; 47:65-72. [PMID: 32895609 PMCID: PMC7467653 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecns.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND More recently, due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, health care workers have to deal with clinical situations wearing personal protective equipment (PPE); however, there is a question of whether everybody will tolerate PPE equally. The main objective of this study was to develop a risk model to predict whether health care workers will tolerate wearing PPE, C category, 4B/5B/6B type, during a 30-minute simulation. METHODS A nonexperimental simulation study was conducted at the Advanced Simulation Center, Faculty of Medicine, Valladolid University (Spain) from April 3rd to 28th, 2017. Health care students and professionals were equipped with PPE and performed a 30-minute simulation. Anthropometric, physiological, and analytical variables and anxiety levels were measured before and after simulation. A scoring model was constructed. RESULTS Ninety-six volunteers participated in the study. Half the sample presented metabolic fatigue in the 20 minutes after finishing the simulation. The predictive model included female sex, height, muscle and bone mass, and moderate level of physical activity. The validity of the main model using all the variables presented an area under the curve of 0.86 (95% confidence interval: 0.786-0.935), and the validity of the model had an area under the curve of 0.725 (95% confidence interval: 0.559-0.89). CONCLUSIONS Decision-making in biohazard incidents is a challenge for emergency team leaders. Knowledge of health care workers' physiological tolerance of PPE could improve their performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Martín-Rodríguez
- Advanced Clinical Simulation Center, Faculty of Medicine, Valladolid University, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Ancor Sanz-García
- Data Analysis Unit, Health Research Institute, Hospital de la Princesa, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Raúl López-Izquierdo
- Emergency Department, Hospital Universitario Rio Hortega, 47012 Valladolid, Spain
| | | | - José L Martín-Conty
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Castilla la Mancha, 45600 Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Spain
| | - Miguel A Castro Villamor
- Advanced Clinical Simulation Center, Faculty of Medicine, Valladolid University, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Guillermo J Ortega
- Data Analysis Unit, Health Research Institute, Hospital de la Princesa, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
142
|
The Spatial Dimension of COVID-19: The Potential of Earth Observation Data in Support of Slum Communities with Evidence from Brazil. ISPRS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GEO-INFORMATION 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/ijgi9090557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 health emergency is impacting all of our lives, but the living conditions and urban morphologies found in poor communities make inhabitants more vulnerable to the COVID-19 outbreak as compared to the formal city, where inhabitants have the resources to follow WHO guidelines. In general, municipal spatial datasets are not well equipped to support spatial responses to health emergencies, particularly in poor communities. In such critical situations, Earth observation (EO) data can play a vital role in timely decision making and can save many people’s lives. This work provides an overview of the potential of EO-based global and local datasets, as well as local data gathering procedures (e.g., drones), in support of COVID-19 responses by referring to two slum areas in Salvador, Brazil as a case study. We discuss the role of datasets as well as data gaps that hinder COVID-19 responses. In Salvador and other low- and middle-income countries’ (LMICs) cities, local data are available; however, they are not up to date. For example, depending on the source, the population of the study areas in 2020 varies by more than 20%. Thus, EO data integration can help in updating local datasets and in the acquisition of physical parameters of poor urban communities, which are often not systematically collected in local surveys.
Collapse
|
143
|
Adde HA, van Duinen AJ, Oghogho MD, Dunbar NK, Tehmeh LG, Hampaye TC, Salvesen Ø, Weiser TG, Bolkan HA. Impact of surgical infrastructure and personnel on volume and availability of essential surgical procedures in Liberia. BJS Open 2020; 4:1246-1255. [PMID: 32949120 PMCID: PMC7709357 DOI: 10.1002/bjs5.50349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Essential surgical procedures rank among the most cost-effective of all healthcare interventions. The aim of this study was to enumerate surgical volumes in Liberia, quantify surgical infrastructure, personnel and availability of essential surgical procedures, describe surgical facilities, and assess the influence of human resources and infrastructure on surgical volumes. METHODS An observational countrywide survey was done in Liberia between 20 September and 8 November 2018. All healthcare facilities performing surgical procedures requiring general, regional or local anaesthesia in an operating theatre between September 2017 and August 2018 were eligible for inclusion. Information on facility infrastructure and human resources was collected by interviewing key personnel. Data on surgical volumes were extracted from operating theatre log books. RESULTS Of 70 healthcare facilities initially identified as possible surgical facilities, 52 confirmed operative capacity and were eligible for inclusion; all but one shared surgical data. A national surgical volume of 462 operations per 100 000 population was estimated. The median hospital offered nine of 26 essential surgical procedures. Unequal distributions of surgical infrastructure, personnel, and essential surgical procedures were identified between facilities. In multivariable regression analysis, surgical human resources (β = 0·60, 95 per cent c.i. 0·34 to 0·87; P < 0·001) and infrastructure (β = 0·03, 0·02 to 0·04; P < 0·001) were found to be strongly associated with operative volumes. CONCLUSION The availability of essential surgical procedures in Liberia is extremely low. Descriptive tools can quantify inequalities, guide resource allocation, and highlight rational investment areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H. A. Adde
- Department of Clinical and Molecular MedicineFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU — Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
- Department of Surgery, St Olav's HospitalTrondheim University HospitalTrondheimNorway
| | - A. J. van Duinen
- Department of Clinical and Molecular MedicineFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU — Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
- Department of Surgery, St Olav's HospitalTrondheim University HospitalTrondheimNorway
| | - M. D. Oghogho
- Department of Clinical and Molecular MedicineFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU — Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
| | | | - L. G. Tehmeh
- Quality Management Unit, Ministry of HealthMonroviaLiberia
| | | | - Ø. Salvesen
- Department of Public Health and NursingFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU — Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
| | - T. G. Weiser
- Department of SurgeryStanford University Medical CenterCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Clinical SurgeryUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - H. A. Bolkan
- Department of Clinical and Molecular MedicineFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU — Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
- Department of Surgery, St Olav's HospitalTrondheim University HospitalTrondheimNorway
| |
Collapse
|
144
|
Jombart T, Jarvis CI, Mesfin S, Tabal N, Mossoko M, Mpia LM, Abedi AA, Chene S, Forbin EE, Belizaire MRD, de Radiguès X, Ngombo R, Tutu Y, Finger F, Crowe M, Edmunds WJ, Nsio J, Yam A, Diallo B, Gueye AS, Ahuka-Mundeke S, Yao M, Fall IS. The cost of insecurity: from flare-up to control of a major Ebola virus disease hotspot during the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2019. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 25. [PMID: 31964460 PMCID: PMC6976886 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2020.25.2.1900735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing unprecedented levels of insecurity and violence. We evaluate the likely impact in terms of added transmissibility and cases of major security incidents in the Butembo coordination hub. We also show that despite this additional burden, an adapted response strategy involving enlarged ring vaccination around clusters of cases and enhanced community engagement managed to bring this main hotspot under control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thibaut Jombart
- Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, Geneva, Switzerland.,MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,UK Public Health Rapid Support Team, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher I Jarvis
- Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, Geneva, Switzerland.,UK Public Health Rapid Support Team, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Nabil Tabal
- World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mathias Mossoko
- Ministère de la Santé Publique, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | - Aaron Aruna Abedi
- Ministère de la Santé Publique, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Sonia Chene
- World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Yannick Tutu
- Ministère de la Santé Publique, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Flavio Finger
- Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - W John Edmunds
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Justus Nsio
- Ministère de la Santé Publique, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | | | | | - Steve Ahuka-Mundeke
- Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Michel Yao
- World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | |
Collapse
|
145
|
Trovato M, Sartorius R, D’Apice L, Manco R, De Berardinis P. Viral Emerging Diseases: Challenges in Developing Vaccination Strategies. Front Immunol 2020; 11:2130. [PMID: 33013898 PMCID: PMC7494754 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.02130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decades, a number of infectious viruses have emerged from wildlife or re-emerged, generating serious threats to the global health and to the economy worldwide. Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fevers, Lassa fever, Dengue fever, Yellow fever, West Nile fever, Zika, and Chikungunya vector-borne diseases, Swine flu, Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and the recent Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are examples of zoonoses that have spread throughout the globe with such a significant impact on public health that the scientific community has been called for a rapid intervention in preventing and treating emerging infections. Vaccination is probably the most effective tool in helping the immune system to activate protective responses against pathogens, reducing morbidity and mortality, as proven by historical records. Under health emergency conditions, new and alternative approaches in vaccine design and development are imperative for a rapid and massive vaccination coverage, to manage a disease outbreak and curtail the epidemic spread. This review gives an update on the current vaccination strategies for some of the emerging/re-emerging viruses, and discusses challenges and hurdles to overcome for developing efficacious vaccines against future pathogens.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibody-Dependent Enhancement/immunology
- Betacoronavirus/immunology
- COVID-19
- COVID-19 Vaccines
- Communicable Diseases, Emerging/prevention & control
- Communicable Diseases, Emerging/virology
- Coronavirus Infections/immunology
- Coronavirus Infections/prevention & control
- Coronavirus Infections/therapy
- Coronavirus Infections/virology
- Cross Reactions/immunology
- Humans
- Immunization, Passive
- Pandemics/prevention & control
- Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control
- Pneumonia, Viral/therapy
- Pneumonia, Viral/virology
- SARS-CoV-2
- Vaccination
- Vaccines, Attenuated/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Vaccines, Inactivated/immunology
- Vaccines, Subunit/immunology
- Viral Vaccines/immunology
- COVID-19 Serotherapy
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Trovato
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
146
|
Muhammad W, Zhai Z, Gao C. Antiviral Activity of Nanomaterials against Coronaviruses. Macromol Biosci 2020; 20:e2000196. [PMID: 32783352 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202000196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
One of the challenges facing by world nowadays is the generation of new pathogens that cause public health issues. Coronavirus (CoV) is one of the severe pathogens that possess the RNA (ribonucleic acid) envelop, and extensively infect humans, birds, and other mammals. The novel strain "SARS-CoV-2" (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2) causes deadly infection all over the world and presents a pandemic situation nowadays. The SARS-CoV-2 has 40 different strains that create a worrying situation for health authorities. The virus develops serious pneumonia in infected persons and causes severe damage to the lungs. There is no vaccine available for this virus up to present. To cure this type of infections by making vaccines and antiviral drugs is still a major challenge for researchers. Nanotechnology covering a multidisciplinary field may find the solution to this lethal infection. The interaction of nanomaterials and microorganisms is considered as a potential treatment method because the nanomaterials owe unique physicochemical properties. The aim of this review is to present an overview of previous and recent studies of nanomaterials against coronaviruses and to provide possible new strategies for upcoming research using the nanotechnology platform.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wali Muhammad
- W. Muhammad, Z. Zhai, Prof. C. Gao, MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Zihe Zhai
- W. Muhammad, Z. Zhai, Prof. C. Gao, MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Changyou Gao
- W. Muhammad, Z. Zhai, Prof. C. Gao, MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| |
Collapse
|
147
|
Integrated pipeline for the accelerated discovery of antiviral antibody therapeutics. Nat Biomed Eng 2020; 4:1030-1043. [PMID: 32747832 PMCID: PMC7655621 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-020-0594-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The emergence and re-emergence of highly virulent viral pathogens with pandemic potential creates an urgent need for the accelerated discovery of antiviral therapeutics. Antiviral human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are promising candidates to prevent or treat severe viral diseases, but their long development timeframes limit their rapid deployment and use. Here, we report the development of an integrated sequence of technologies, including single-cell mRNA sequence analysis, bioinformatics, synthetic biology and high-throughput functional analysis, that enabled the rapid discovery of highly potent antiviral human mAbs, whose activity we validated in vivo. In a 78-day study modelling the deployment of a rapid response to an outbreak, we isolated more than 100 human mAbs specific for the Zika virus, assessed their function, identified 29 of those as having broadly neutralizing activity, and verified the therapeutic potency of the lead candidates in mice and non-human primate models of infection via the delivery of an antibody-encoding mRNA formulation and of the respective IgG antibody. The pipeline provides a roadmap for rapid antibody-discovery programs against viral pathogens of global concern.
Collapse
|
148
|
Cho NJ, Glenn JS. Materials science approaches in the development of broad-spectrum antiviral therapies. NATURE MATERIALS 2020; 19:813-816. [PMID: 32427958 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-020-0698-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nam Joon Cho
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Jeffrey S Glenn
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
149
|
Miyake T, Farley CM, Neubauer BE, Beddow TP, Hoenen T, Engel DA. Ebola Virus Inclusion Body Formation and RNA Synthesis Are Controlled by a Novel Domain of Nucleoprotein Interacting with VP35. J Virol 2020; 94:e02100-19. [PMID: 32493824 PMCID: PMC7394894 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02100-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ebola virus (EBOV) inclusion bodies (IBs) are cytoplasmic sites of nucleocapsid formation and RNA replication, housing key steps in the virus life cycle that warrant further investigation. During infection, IBs display dynamic properties regarding their size and location. The contents of IBs also must transition prior to further viral maturation, assembly, and release, implying additional steps in IB function. Interestingly, the expression of the viral nucleoprotein (NP) alone is sufficient for the generation of IBs, indicating that it plays an important role in IB formation during infection. In addition to NP, other components of the nucleocapsid localize to IBs, including VP35, VP24, VP30, and the RNA polymerase L. We previously defined and solved the crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of NP (NP-Ct), but its role in virus replication remained unclear. Here, we show that NP-Ct is necessary for IB formation when NP is expressed alone. Interestingly, we find that NP-Ct is also required for the production of infectious virus-like particles (VLPs), and that defective VLPs with NP-Ct deletions are significantly reduced in viral RNA content. Furthermore, coexpression of the nucleocapsid component VP35 overcomes deletion of NP-Ct in triggering IB formation, demonstrating a functional interaction between the two proteins. Of all the EBOV proteins, only VP35 is able to overcome the defect in IB formation caused by the deletion of NP-Ct. This effect is mediated by a novel protein-protein interaction between VP35 and NP that controls both regulation of IB formation and RNA replication itself and that is mediated by a newly identified functional domain of NP, the central domain.IMPORTANCE Inclusion bodies (IBs) are cytoplasmic sites of RNA synthesis for a variety of negative-sense RNA viruses, including Ebola virus. In addition to housing important steps in the viral life cycle, IBs protect new viral RNA from innate immune attack and contain specific host proteins whose function is under study. A key viral factor in Ebola virus IB formation is the nucleoprotein, NP, which also is important in RNA encapsidation and synthesis. In this study, we have identified two domains of NP that control inclusion body formation. One of these, the central domain (CD), interacts with viral protein VP35 to control both inclusion body formation and RNA synthesis. The other is the NP C-terminal domain (NP-Ct), whose function has not previously been reported. These findings contribute to a model in which NP and its interactions with VP35 link the establishment of IBs to the synthesis of viral RNA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Miyake
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Charlotte M Farley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Benjamin E Neubauer
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Thomas P Beddow
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Thomas Hoenen
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Daniel A Engel
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
150
|
Filoviruses Use the HOPS Complex and UVRAG To Traffic to Niemann-Pick C1 Compartments during Viral Entry. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.01002-20. [PMID: 32493822 PMCID: PMC7394885 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01002-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ebola viruses (EBOV) and other filoviruses cause sporadic and unpredictable outbreaks of highly lethal diseases. The lack of FDA-approved therapeutics, particularly ones with panfiloviral specificity, highlights the need for continued research efforts to understand aspects of the viral life cycle that are common to all filoviruses. As such, viral entry is of particular interest, as all filoviruses must reach cellular compartments containing the viral receptor Niemann-Pick C1 to enter cells. Here, we present an inducible CRISPR/Cas9 method to rapidly and efficiently generate knockout cells in order to interrogate the roles of a broad range of host factors in viral entry. Using this approach, we showed that EBOV entry depends on both the homotypic fusion and protein sorting (HOPS) tethering complex in coordination with UV radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG). Importantly, we demonstrate that the HOPS complex and UVRAG are required by all pathogenic filoviruses, representing potential targets for panfiloviral therapeutics. Ebola virus (EBOV) entry requires internalization into host cells and extensive trafficking through the endolysosomal network in order to reach late endosomal/lysosomal compartments that contain triggering factors for viral membrane fusion. These triggering factors include low-pH-activated cellular cathepsin proteases, which cleave the EBOV glycoprotein (GP), exposing a domain which binds to the filoviral receptor, the cholesterol transporter Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1). Here, we report that trafficking of EBOV to NPC1 requires expression of the homotypic fusion and protein sorting (HOPS) tethering complex as well as its regulator, UV radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG). Using an inducible clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system, we demonstrated that depletion of HOPS subunits as well as UVRAG impairs entry by all pathogenic filoviruses. UVRAG depletion resulted in reduced delivery of EBOV virions to NPC1+ cellular compartments. Furthermore, we show that deletion of a domain on UVRAG known to be required for interaction with the HOPS complex results in impaired EBOV entry. Taken together, our studies demonstrate that EBOV requires both expression of and coordination between the HOPS complex and UVRAG in order to mediate efficient viral entry. IMPORTANCE Ebola viruses (EBOV) and other filoviruses cause sporadic and unpredictable outbreaks of highly lethal diseases. The lack of FDA-approved therapeutics, particularly ones with panfiloviral specificity, highlights the need for continued research efforts to understand aspects of the viral life cycle that are common to all filoviruses. As such, viral entry is of particular interest, as all filoviruses must reach cellular compartments containing the viral receptor Niemann-Pick C1 to enter cells. Here, we present an inducible CRISPR/Cas9 method to rapidly and efficiently generate knockout cells in order to interrogate the roles of a broad range of host factors in viral entry. Using this approach, we showed that EBOV entry depends on both the homotypic fusion and protein sorting (HOPS) tethering complex in coordination with UV radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG). Importantly, we demonstrate that the HOPS complex and UVRAG are required by all pathogenic filoviruses, representing potential targets for panfiloviral therapeutics.
Collapse
|