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The immunological impact of adenovirus early genes on vaccine-induced responses in mice and nonhuman primates. J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.02253-20. [PMID: 33441339 PMCID: PMC8092689 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02253-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Adenovirus (Ad) is being explored for use in the prevention and treatment of a variety of infectious diseases and cancers. Ad with a deletion in early region 3 (ΔE3) provokes a stronger immune response than Ad with deletions in early regions 1 and E3 (ΔE1/ΔE3). The ΔE1/ΔE3 Ads are more popular because they can carry a larger transgene and because of the deleted E1 (E1A and E1B), are perceived safer for clinical use. Ad with a deletion in E1B55K (ΔE1B55K) has been in phase III clinical trials for use in cancer therapy in the US and has been approved for use in head and neck tumor therapy in China, demonstrating that Ad containing E1A are safe for clinical use. We have shown previously that ΔE1B55K Ad, even while promoting lower levels of an inserted transgene, promoted similar levels of transgene-specific immune responses as a ΔE3 Ad. Products of the Ad early region 4 (E4) limit the ability of cells to mount an innate immune response. Using this knowledge, we deleted the Ad E4 open reading frames 1-4 (E4orf1-4) from the ΔE1B55K Ad. Here, we show that innate cytokine network genes are elevated in the ΔE4 Ad-infected cells beyond that of ΔE3 Ad-infected cells. Further, in immunized mice the IgG2a subclass was favored as was the IgG1 subclass in immunized nonhuman primates. Thus, Ad E4 impacts immune responses in cells, in immunized mice, and immunized nonhuman primates. These Ad may offer advantages that are beneficial for clinical use.Importance: Adenovirus (Ad) is being explored for use in the prevention and treatment of a variety of infectious diseases and cancers. Here we provide evidence in cells, mice, and nonhuman primates supporting the notion that Ad early gene-products limit specific immune responses. Ad constructed with deletions in early genes and expressing HIV envelope protein was shown to induce greater HIV-specific cellular immune responses and higher titer antibodies compared to the parental Ad with the early genes. In addition to eliciting enhanced immunity, the deleted Ad possesses more space for insertion of additional or larger transgenes needed for targeting other infectious agents or cancers.
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Logue J, Crozier I, Jahrling PB, Kuhn JH. Post-exposure prophylactic vaccine candidates for the treatment of human Risk Group 4 pathogen infections. Expert Rev Vaccines 2020; 19:85-103. [PMID: 31937163 PMCID: PMC7011290 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2020.1713756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: The development of therapeutics and vaccines to combat Risk Group 4 pathogens, which are associated with high case-fatality rates, is a high priority. Postexposure prophylactic vaccines have the potential to bridge classical therapeutic and vaccine applications, but little progress has been reported to date.Areas covered: This review provides an overview of postexposure prophylactic vaccine candidates against Risk Group 4 pathogens.Expert opinion: A few candidate postexposure prophylactic vaccines protect experimental animals infected with a few Risk Group 4 pathogens, such as filoviruses or hantaviruses, but the efficacy of candidate vaccines has not been similarly reported for most other high-consequence pathogens. A major drawback for the further development of existing candidates is the lack of understanding of their mechanisms of action, knowledge of which could help to identify focused paths forward in vaccine development and licensure. These drawbacks to further development ultimately slow progress toward postexposure prophylactic vaccine licensure.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Logue
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Ian Crozier
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Peter B Jahrling
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Jens H Kuhn
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
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Mirza MU, Vanmeert M, Ali A, Iman K, Froeyen M, Idrees M. Perspectives towards antiviral drug discovery against Ebola virus. J Med Virol 2019; 91:2029-2048. [PMID: 30431654 PMCID: PMC7166701 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.25357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Ebola virus disease (EVD), caused by Ebola viruses, resulted in more than 11 500 deaths according to a recent 2018 WHO report. With mortality rates up to 90%, it is nowadays one of the most deadly infectious diseases. However, no Food and Drug Administration‐approved Ebola drugs or vaccines are available yet with the mainstay of therapy being supportive care. The high fatality rate and absence of effective treatment or vaccination make Ebola virus a category‐A biothreat pathogen. Fortunately, a series of investigational countermeasures have been developed to control and prevent this global threat. This review summarizes the recent therapeutic advances and ongoing research progress from research and development to clinical trials in the development of small‐molecule antiviral drugs, small‐interference RNA molecules, phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers, full‐length monoclonal antibodies, and vaccines. Moreover, difficulties are highlighted in the search for effective countermeasures against EVD with additional focus on the interplay between available in silico prediction methods and their evidenced potential in antiviral drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Usman Mirza
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, REGA Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michiel Vanmeert
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, REGA Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Amjad Ali
- Department of Genetics, Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan.,Molecular Virology Laboratory, Centre for Applied Molecular Biology (CAMB), University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Kanzal Iman
- Biomedical Informatics Research Laboratory (BIRL), Department of Biology, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Matheus Froeyen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, REGA Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Muhammad Idrees
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Centre for Applied Molecular Biology (CAMB), University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.,Hazara University Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan
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Wong G, Mendoza EJ, Plummer FA, Gao GF, Kobinger GP, Qiu X. From bench to almost bedside: the long road to a licensed Ebola virus vaccine. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2018; 18:159-173. [PMID: 29148858 PMCID: PMC5841470 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2018.1404572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Ebola virus (EBOV) disease epidemic during 2014-16 in West Africa has accelerated the clinical development of several vaccine candidates that have demonstrated efficacy in the gold standard nonhuman primate (NHP) model, namely cynomolgus macaques. AREAS COVERED This review discusses the pre-clinical research and if available, clinical evaluation of the currently available EBOV vaccine candidates, while emphasizing the translatability of pre-clinical data generated in the NHP model to clinical data in humans. EXPERT OPINION Despite the existence of many successful EBOV vaccine candidates in the pre-clinical stages, only two platforms became the focus of Phase 2/3 efficacy trials in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea near the peak of the epidemic: the Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-vectored vaccine and the chimpanzee adenovirus type 3 (ChAd3)-vectored vaccine. The results of three distinct clinical trials involving these candidates may soon pave the way for a licensed, safe and efficacious EBOV vaccine to help combat future epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary Wong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Immunity, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Emelissa J. Mendoza
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | | | - George F. Gao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Immunity, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), Beijing, China
| | - Gary P. Kobinger
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Département de microbiologie-infectiologie et d’immunologie, Universite Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Xiangguo Qiu
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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Ebola virus disease: an update on post-exposure prophylaxis. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2017; 18:e183-e192. [PMID: 29153266 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(17)30677-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Revised: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The massive outbreak of Ebola virus disease in west Africa between 2013 and 2016 resulted in intense efforts to evaluate the efficacy of several specific countermeasures developed through years of preclinical work, including the first clinical trials for therapeutics and vaccines. In this Review, we discuss how the experience and data generated from that outbreak have helped to advance the understanding of the use of these countermeasures for post-exposure prophylaxis against Ebola virus infection. In future outbreaks, post-exposure prophylaxis could play an important part in reducing community transmission of Ebola virus by providing more immediate protection than does immunisation as well as providing additional protection for health-care workers who are inadvertently exposed over the course of their work. We propose provisional guidance for use of post-exposure prophylaxis in Ebola virus disease and identify the priorities for future preparedness and further research.
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Gomi R, Sharma A, Wu W, Sung B, Worgall S. Post-exposure immunization by capsid-modified AdC7 vector expressing Pseudomonas aeruginosa OprF clears P. aeruginosa respiratory infection. Vaccine 2017; 35:7174-7180. [PMID: 29126807 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.10.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Respiratory infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa are major health problems, particularly in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). No vaccine against P. aeruginosa is yet available. A vaccine that controls colonization of the respiratory tract with P. aeruginosa could be useful to prevent chronic infection and exacerbations. Replication-deficient adenoviral (Ad) vectors based on non-human serotypes are attractive vaccine platforms as they can circumvent the problem of pre-existing anti-Ad immunity in humans. The primate-based AdC7 vector AdC7OprF.RGD that expresses the outer membrane protein F (OprF) of P. aeruginosa (AdC7OprF) and that displays an integrin-binding arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) sequence is a potent inducer of lung mucosal and protective immunity. Here, we investigated the efficacy of immunization with AdC7OprF.RGD to clear an already established P. aeruginosa respiratory infection in mice (wild-type and CF) and rats. Intratracheal administration of the clinical P. aeruginosa strain RP73 embedded in agar beads was used to establish persistent infection. Subsequent intranasal immunization with AdC7OprF.RGD induced robust P. aeruginosa-specific systemic and mucosal, humoral and cellular immune responses. Importantly, the AdC7OprF.RGD immunized mice effectively cleared P. aeruginosa from the lungs. Likewise, immunization with AdC7OprF.RGD of CF mice and Sprague Dawley rats with established P. aeruginosa respiratory infection showed enhanced anti-Pseudomonas immune responses and increased clearance of P. aeruginosa from the lungs. These data suggest that AdC7OprF.RGD can be effective as a post-exposure vaccine and may be useful in clinical settings in particular for patients with CF who frequently harbor the bacteria over prolonged periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rika Gomi
- Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Anurag Sharma
- Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Wenzhu Wu
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Biin Sung
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Stefan Worgall
- Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States.
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Dowall SD, Jacquot F, Landon J, Rayner E, Hall G, Carbonnelle C, Raoul H, Pannetier D, Cameron I, Coxon R, Al Abdulla I, Hewson R, Carroll MW. Post-exposure treatment of non-human primates lethally infected with Ebola virus with EBOTAb, a purified ovine IgG product. Sci Rep 2017. [PMID: 28642489 PMCID: PMC5481440 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03910-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite sporadic outbreaks of Ebola virus (EBOV) over the last 4 decades and the recent public health emergency in West Africa, there are still no approved vaccines or therapeutics for the treatment of acute EBOV disease (EVD). In response to the 2014 outbreak, an ovine immunoglobulin therapy was developed, termed EBOTAb. After promising results in the guinea pig model of EBOV infection, EBOTAb was tested in the cynomolgus macaque non-human primate model of lethal EBOV infection. To ensure stringent therapeutic testing conditions to replicate likely clinical usage, EBOTAb was first delivered 1, 2 or 3 days post-challenge with a lethal dose of EBOV. Results showed a protective effect of EBOTAb given post-exposurally, with survival rates decreasing with increasing time after challenge. Viremia results demonstrated that EBOTAb resulted in a decreased circulation of EBOV in the bloodstream. Additionally, assay of liver enzymes and histology analysis of local tissues identified differences between EBOTAb-treated and untreated groups. The results presented demonstrate that EBOTAb conferred protection against EBOV when given post-exposure and should be explored and developed further as a potential intervention strategy for future outbreaks, which are likely to occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart D Dowall
- National Infection Service, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Frédéric Jacquot
- Laboratoire P4, INSERM Jean Merieux, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, Lyon, France
| | - John Landon
- MicroPharm Ltd, Station Road, Newcastle Emlyn, Dyfed, SA38 9BY, UK
| | - Emma Rayner
- National Infection Service, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Graham Hall
- National Infection Service, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | | | - Hervé Raoul
- Laboratoire P4, INSERM Jean Merieux, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, Lyon, France
| | - Delphine Pannetier
- Laboratoire P4, INSERM Jean Merieux, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, Lyon, France
| | - Ian Cameron
- MicroPharm Ltd, Station Road, Newcastle Emlyn, Dyfed, SA38 9BY, UK
| | - Ruth Coxon
- MicroPharm Ltd, Station Road, Newcastle Emlyn, Dyfed, SA38 9BY, UK
| | | | - Roger Hewson
- National Infection Service, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Miles W Carroll
- National Infection Service, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG, UK.
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Post-exposure treatment with whole inactivated H5N1 avian influenza virus protects against lethal homologous virus infection in mice. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29433. [PMID: 27405487 PMCID: PMC4942574 DOI: 10.1038/srep29433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Concerns with H5N1 influenza viruses include their prevalence in wild and domestic poultry, high mortality rate (~60%) in humans with some strains, lack of pre-existing immunity in humans, and the possibility that these viruses acquire mutations that enable efficient transmission between humans. H5 subtype viruses of Eurasian origin have recently appeared in wild and domestic bird populations in North America, and have led to the generation of new virus strains that are highly pathogenic in poultry. These new H5 HA containing viruses with their ability to evolve rapidly represent an unknown threat to humans in contact with infected poultry, and vaccination with an off-the-shelf vaccine may be impractical to provide protection to at-risk individuals. Instead, we have evaluated the efficacy of a formalin-inactivated vaccine, which could be derived directly from a circulating virus, to provide post-exposure protection. This strategy was evaluated using a prototypic highly pathogenic avian H5N1 strain, A/Vietnam/1203/2004, and demonstrated rapid induction of adaptive immune responses providing protection in a mammalian model of lethal infection. Additionally, this post-exposure vaccine was highly efficacious when administered 24 hours after exposure. This study offers a platform for developing effective post-exposure vaccines for treatment of highly virulent influenza infections.
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Zhang C, Zhou D. Adenoviral vector-based strategies against infectious disease and cancer. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2016; 12:2064-2074. [PMID: 27105067 PMCID: PMC4994731 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2016.1165908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Adenoviral vectors are widely employed against infectious diseases or cancers, as they can elicit specific antibody responses and T cell responses when they are armed with foreign genes as vaccine carriers, and induce apoptosis of the cancer cells when they are genetically modified for cancer therapy. In this review, we summarize the biological characteristics of adenovirus (Ad) and the latest development of Ad vector-based strategies for the prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases or cancers. Strategies to circumvent the pre-existing neutralizing antibodies which dampen the immunogenicity of Ad-based vaccines are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zhang
- a Vaccine Research Center, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai , China
| | - Dongming Zhou
- a Vaccine Research Center, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai , China
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Prognostic Analysis of Patients with Ebola Virus Disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0004113. [PMID: 26398207 PMCID: PMC4580459 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Ebola virus causes an acute, serious illness which is often fatal if untreated. However, factors affecting the survival of the disease remain unclear. Here, we investigated the prognostic factors of Ebola virus disease (EVD) through various statistical models. Methodology/Principal Findings Sixty three laboratory-confirmed EVD patients with relatively complete clinical profiles were included in the study. All the patients were recruited at Jui Government Hospital, Sierra Leone between October 1st, 2014 and January 18th, 2015. We first investigated whether a single clinical presentation would be correlated with the survival of EVD. Log-rank test demonstrated that patients with viral load higher than 106 copies/ml presented significantly shorter survival time than those whose viral load were lower than 106 copies/ml (P = 0.005). Also, using Pearson chi-square test, we identified that chest pain, coma, and viral load (>106 copies/ml) were significantly associated with poor survival of EVD patients. Furthermore, we evaluated the effect of multiple variables on the survival of EVD by Cox proportional hazards model. Interestingly, results revealed that patient’s age, symptom of confusion, and viral load were the significantly associated with the survival of EVD cases (P = 0.017, P = 0.002, and P = 0.027, respectively). Conclusions/Significance These results suggest that age, chest pain, coma, confusion and viral load are associated with the prognosis of EVD, in which viral load could be one of the most important factors for the survival of the disease. The current outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the virus was first discovered in 1976. Factors affecting the survival of the disease remain unclear. Here, we investigated the prognostic factors of EBV from 63 cases with relatively complete clinical profiles in Sierra Leone. Using different statistical models, we found that age, chest pain, coma, confusion and viral load were associated with the prognosis of EVD, in which viral load could be one of the most important factors for the survival of the disease.
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Backs against the wall: novel and existing strategies used during the 2014-2015 Ebola virus outbreak. Clin Microbiol Rev 2015; 28:593-601. [PMID: 25972518 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00014-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The 2014-2015 outbreak of Ebola virus (EBOV), originating from Guinea, is now responsible for the infection of >20,000 people in 9 countries. Whereas past filovirus outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa have been rapidly brought under control with comparably few cases, this outbreak has been particularly resistant to containment efforts. Both the general population and primary health care workers have been affected by this outbreak, with hundreds of doctors and nurses being infected in the line of duty. In the absence of approved therapeutics, several caregivers have turned to investigational new drugs as well as experimental therapies in an effort to save lives. This review aims to summarize the candidates currently under consideration for postexposure use in infected patients during the largest EBOV outbreak in history.
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