Infectious disease outbreaks highlight gender inequity

Ebola virus disease: A narrative review

Ebola virus disease (EVD), which is also referred to as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a highly contagious and frequently lethal sickness caused by the Ebola virus. In 1976, the disease emerged in two simultaneous outbreaks in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Subsequently, it has caused intermittent outbreaks in several African nations. The virus is primarily spread via direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected individual or animal. EVD is distinguished by symptoms such as fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and hemorrhage. The outbreak of EVD in West Africa in 2014-2016 emphasized the need for effective control and prevention measures. Despite advancements and the identification of new treatments for EVD, the primary approach to treatment continues to be centered around providing supportive care. Early detection and supportive care can enhance the likelihood of survival. This includes intravenous fluids, electrolyte replacement, and treatment of secondary infections. Experimental therapies, for instance, monoclonal antibodies and antiviral drugs, have shown promising results in animal studies and some clinical trials. Some African countries have implemented the use of vaccines developed for EVD, but their effectiveness and long-term safety are still being studied. This article provides an overview of the history, transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, epidemiology, and Ebola coinfection, as well as highlights the ongoing research efforts to develop effective treatments and vaccines to combat this deadly virus.

Association between public health emergencies and sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and early marriage among adolescent girls: a rapid review

BACKGROUND

As COVID-19 continues to impact lives and livelihoods around the world, women and girls are disproportionately affected. Crisis situations and related response measures, such as lockdowns, school closures, and travel restrictions, often exacerbate the adversities and human rights violations faced by adolescent girls. We conducted a rapid review to synthesise evidence on the impact of public health emergencies (PHEs) related to gender-based inequalities among adolescent girls.

METHODS

We systematically searched five major databases. Records were imported into the online screening tool Rayyan, and 10% of the records were triple screened for eligibility. We included qualitative, mixed-methods, and quantitative studies that assessed the relationship between PHEs and any of the following outcomes: (1) gender-based violence, (2) early/forced marriage, and (3) sexual and reproductive health. Due to the heterogeneity of included study designs, no meta-analysis was performed, and studies were summarised narratively.

FINDINGS

Out the initial 6004 articles, 11 studies met our eligibility criteria. Five of these assessed the impact of natural disasters and six were focused on consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven studies focused on the impact of PHEs on gender-based violence, three focused on sexual and reproductive health, and only one study looked at early marriage. The main impacts highlighted by the studies included (1) increases in physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, (2) increase in the occurrence of teenage pregnancy, (3) poor menstruation hygiene management, and (4) occurrence of early marriages. Mechanisms underlying these impacts were PHE-specific response strategies like home confinement, closure of schools, the worsening of families' financial situation such as the inability to pay for school fees or day-to-day living costs, and the disempowerment of and increased workloads for adolescent girls.

CONCLUSION

Although evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, and especially forced or early marriage of adolescent girls is limited, results from studies on other PHEs indicate that during crises, these detrimental outcomes are exacerbated. Findings from our review have important implications for policies and programs providing life skills training, financial literacy training, credit support, and safe spaces for adolescent girls.

Tackling AMR from a multidisciplinary perspective: a primer from education and psychology

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is currently one of the most concerning threats in public health. The efforts to tackle the problem require a global One Health approach, using multidisciplinary approaches and a thorough understanding of the topic both by the general public and the experts. Currently, the lack of a shared mental model of the problem, the absence of a sense of responsibility amongst the different actors and a deficient education on the topic burden the efforts to slow down the emergency and spread of antimicrobial resistant infections. We here propose a multidisciplinary approach to tackle the AMR problem, taking into consideration not only the input from the biological and medical sciences but also the input from the social sciences. Specifically, we suggest strategies from education and psychology to increase awareness about antimicrobial resistance and to implement more effective interventions. Finally, we advocate for a comprehensive and a solidaristic model as the only solution for a problem which knows no borders. As such, political will and international cooperation will be key to achieve the desired change in antibiotic resistance trend.

RNA Viruses, Pregnancy and Vaccination: Emerging Lessons from COVID-19 and Ebola Virus Disease

Pathogenic viruses with an RNA genome represent a challenge for global human health since they have the tremendous potential to develop into devastating pandemics/epidemics. The management of the recent COVID-19 pandemic was possible to a certain extent only because of the strong foundations laid by the research on previous viral outbreaks, especially Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). A clear understanding of the mechanisms of the host immune response generated upon viral infections is a prime requisite for the development of new therapeutic strategies. Hence, we present here a comparative study of alterations in immune response upon SARS-CoV-2 and Ebola virus infections that illustrate many common features. Vaccination and pregnancy are two important aspects that need to be studied from an immunological perspective. So, we summarize the outcomes and immune responses in vaccinated and pregnant individuals in the context of COVID-19 and EVD. Considering the significance of immunomodulatory approaches in combating both these diseases, we have also presented the state of the art of such therapeutics and prophylactics. Currently, several vaccines against these viruses have been approved or are under clinical trials in various parts of the world. Therefore, we also recapitulate the latest developments in these which would inspire researchers to look for possibilities of developing vaccines against many other RNA viruses. We hope that the similar aspects in COVID-19 and EVD open up new avenues for the development of pan-viral therapies.