scholarly journals Core Minimal Datasets to Advance Clinical Research for Priority Epidemic Diseases

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda M Rojek ◽  
James Moran ◽  
Peter W Horby
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Clinical Research ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Significant Progress ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Vaccine Trials ◽  
Epidemic Diseases

Abstract The Ebola virus disease outbreak in west Africa has prompted significant progress in responding to the clinical needs of patients affected by emerging infectious disease outbreaks. Among the noteworthy successes of vaccine trials, and the commendable efforts to implement clinical treatment trials during Ebola outbreaks, we should also focus on strengthening the collection and curation of epidemiological and observational data that can improve the conception and design of clinical research.

scholarly journals Addressing Disease-Related Stigma During Infectious Disease Outbreaks

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 989-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah S. Fischer ◽  
Gordon Mansergh ◽  
Jonathan Lynch ◽  
Scott Santibanez
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Influenza A H1n1 ◽  
Related Stigma

ABSTRACTOutbreaks of emerging infectious disease are a constant threat. In the last 10 years, there have been outbreaks of 2009 influenza A (H1N1), Ebola virus disease, and Zika virus. Stigma associated with infectious disease can be a barrier to adopting healthy behaviors, leading to more severe health problems, ongoing disease transmission, and difficulty controlling infectious disease outbreaks. Much has been learned about infectious disease and stigma in the context of nearly 4 decades of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome pandemic. In this paper, we define stigma, discuss its relevance to infectious disease outbreaks, including how individuals and communities can be affected. Adapting lessons learned from the rich literature on HIV-related stigma, we propose a strategy for reducing stigma during infectious disease outbreaks such as Ebola virus disease and Zika virus. The implementation of brief, practical strategies such as the ones proposed here might help reduce stigma and facilitate more effective control of emerging infectious diseases.

scholarly journals Ethics of emerging infectious disease outbreak responses: Using Ebola virus disease as a case study of limited resource allocation

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0246320
Author(s):  
Ariadne A. Nichol ◽  
Annick Antierens
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Emerging Infectious Disease ◽  
Ethical Framework ◽  
Experimental Therapeutics ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Outbreak Response ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks

Emerging infectious diseases such as Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), Nipah Virus Encephalitis and Lassa fever pose significant epidemic threats. Responses to emerging infectious disease outbreaks frequently occur in resource-constrained regions and under high pressure to quickly contain the outbreak prior to potential spread. As seen in the 2020 EVD outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the current COVID-19 pandemic, there is a continued need to evaluate and address the ethical challenges that arise in the high stakes environment of an emerging infectious disease outbreak response. The research presented here provides analysis of the ethical challenges with regard to allocation of limited resources, particularly experimental therapeutics, using the 2013–2016 EVD outbreak in West Africa as a case study. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior healthcare personnel (n = 16) from international humanitarian aid organizations intimately engaged in the 2013–2016 EVD outbreak response in West Africa. Interviews were recorded in private setting, transcribed, and iteratively coded using grounded theory methodology. A majority of respondents indicated a clear propensity to adopt an ethical framework of guiding principles for international responses to emerging infectious disease outbreaks. Respondents agreed that prioritization of frontline workers’ access to experimental therapeutics was warranted based on a principle of reciprocity. There was widespread acceptance of adaptive trial designs and greater trial transparency in providing access to experimental therapeutics. Many respondents also emphasized the importance of community engagement in limited resource allocation scheme design and culturally appropriate informed consent procedures. The study results inform a potential ethical framework of guiding principles based on the interview participants’ insights to be adopted by international response organizations and their healthcare workers in the face of allocating limited resources such as experimental therapeutics in future emerging infectious disease outbreaks to ease the moral burden of individual healthcare providers.

scholarly journals Developing an Online Infectious Disease Outbreak Database: Codifying the World Health Organization’s Disease Outbreak News reports

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Katz ◽  
Colin J Carlson ◽  
Munir C Pavez ◽  
Jessica Lin ◽  
Max A Palys ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Priorities ◽  
Current Form ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The World

Abstract Background: The World Health Organization’s Disease Outbreak News (DONs) reports are the world’s primary source of official information on global disease outbreaks. Access to this information is crucial for informing research analyses, global health priorities, and decision making. However, in its current form, the utility of the DONs reports for research and analysis is limited as a result of their reporting format. To this end, we designed a standardized methodology for codifying the data contained in DONs reports and created an online, searchable database. Methods: We coded DONs reports published between the years 1996 and 2019, systematically collecting data from each individual report using a standardized methodology and tabulating data into a single spreadsheet. We created a Year-Pathogen-Country taxonomy to group related disease events and circumvent issues related to reporting inconsistencies in DONs reports.Results: In total, we reviewed 2,806 DONs reports corresponding to 1,105 unique infectious disease outbreaks from 1996-2019. Overall, H5N1 represented the most frequently reported disease, while China was the country with the most reports. We observed the DONs reports to contain numerous issues relating to the standardization, accuracy, and transparency of reporting procedures.Conclusions: Our database represents a new, accessible resource for research that improves the accessibility of the data contained in DONs reports. The World Health Organization should consider standardizing reporting practices, protocols, and procedures as a means of improving the reporting and transparency of infectious disease outbreaks.Trial Registration: N/A

scholarly journals WHO guidance on ethics in outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic: a critical appraisal

2021 ◽  
pp. medethics-2020-106959
Author(s):  
Abha Saxena ◽  
Paul André Bouvier ◽  
Ehsan Shamsi-Gooshki ◽  
Johannes Köhler ◽  
Lisa J Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Guidance Document ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Political Crises ◽  
Starting Point

In 2016, following pandemic influenza threats and the 2014–2016 Ebola virus disease outbreaks, the WHO developed a guidance document for managing ethical issues in infectious disease outbreaks. In this article, we analyse some ethical issues that have had a predominant role in decision making in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic but were absent or not addressed in the same ways in the 2016 guidance document. A pandemic results in a health crisis and social and political crises both nationally and globally. The ethical implications of these global effects should be properly identified so that appropriate actions can be taken globally and not just in national isolation. Our analysis, which is a starting point to test the broader relevance of the 2016 WHO document that remains the only available guidance document applicable globally, concludes that the WHO guidance should be updated to provide reasoned and thoughtful comprehensive ethics advice for the sound management of the current and future pandemics.

scholarly journals Mental health interventions in healthcare workers in infectious disease outbreak-A systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
D Zace ◽  
I Hoxhaj ◽  
A Orfino ◽  
A M Viteritti ◽  
L Silvetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Psychosocial Counselling

Abstract Background Extended evidence has established that healthcare workers face several mental health problems during a disease outbreak, which could have a long-term impact. To address these issues, elaboration and implementation of psychological/psychiatric interventions or strategies is of utmost importance. In this context, this systematic review aimed at identifying strategies to manage mental health issues in healthcare workers during infectious disease outbreaks. Methods PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus and Web of Science were searched to retrieve pertinent articles published in English until May 2020. Articles reporting measures, interventions, strategies, or recommendations to manage mental health problems in healthcare workers during an infectious disease outbreak, of any study design were included. The quality assessment was performed according to the study design of the included articles. Results Our search strategy produced a total of 2358 articles. After the screening process 33 articles met the inclusion criteria, addressing COVID-19 (40%), followed by SARS (21%) and Ebola Virus (15%). The findings emphasized that organisations should follow an evidence-based approach and establish comprehensive programs to assist hospital staff during disease outbreaks. The preliminary results show that the creation of a psychological response team, training, e-learning, courses, psychosocial counselling, screening instruments and telemedicine activities could improve the capacity of response and coping, and reduce mental health issues in healthcare workers. Conclusions To minimize the psychological impact of future infectious disease outbreaks, evidence-based intervention strategies should be implemented to retain mental health among healthcare workers. Our results may provide the necessary insights that could be applied during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key messages During infectious disease outbreaks healthcare workers are faced with mental health issues, that need to be addressed through tailored interventions offering coping strategies and increase resilience. Mental health related interventions or strategies include the implementation of professional training, psychosocial counselling, courses, and the creation of a psychological response team.

Clinical research during the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Guinea: Lessons learned and ways forward

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdoul Habib Beavogui ◽  
Alexandre Delamou ◽  
Mohamed Lamine Yansane ◽  
Mandy Kader Konde ◽  
Alpha Ahmadou Diallo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Research ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease

scholarly journals Avoidable errors in the modelling of outbreaks of emerging pathogens, with special reference to Ebola

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1806) ◽  
pp. 20150347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron A. King ◽  
Matthieu Domenech de Cellès ◽  
Felicia M. G. Magpantay ◽  
Pejman Rohani
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Parameter Estimates ◽  
Emerging Pathogens ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Deterministic Models ◽  
Transmission Potential ◽  
Incidence Data

As an emergent infectious disease outbreak unfolds, public health response is reliant on information on key epidemiological quantities, such as transmission potential and serial interval. Increasingly, transmission models fit to incidence data are used to estimate these parameters and guide policy. Some widely used modelling practices lead to potentially large errors in parameter estimates and, consequently, errors in model-based forecasts. Even more worryingly, in such situations, confidence in parameter estimates and forecasts can itself be far overestimated, leading to the potential for large errors that mask their own presence. Fortunately, straightforward and computationally inexpensive alternatives exist that avoid these problems. Here, we first use a simulation study to demonstrate potential pitfalls of the standard practice of fitting deterministic models to cumulative incidence data. Next, we demonstrate an alternative based on stochastic models fit to raw data from an early phase of 2014 West Africa Ebola virus disease outbreak. We show not only that bias is thereby reduced, but that uncertainty in estimates and forecasts is better quantified and that, critically, lack of model fit is more readily diagnosed. We conclude with a short list of principles to guide the modelling response to future infectious disease outbreaks.

Institutional policies and readiness in management of critical illness among patients with viral hemorrhagic fever

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Madeline A. DiLorenzo ◽  
Christoph A. Baker ◽  
Jocelyn J. Herstein ◽  
Laura Evans ◽  
John J. Lowe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Care ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Hemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Viral Hemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Alternative Technologies ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Care Policies ◽  
Us Government

Abstract Objective: In response to the 2013–2016 Ebola virus disease outbreak, the US government designated certain healthcare institutions as Ebola treatment centers (ETCs) to better prepare for future emerging infectious disease outbreaks. This study investigated ETC experiences and critical care policies for patients with viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF). Design: A 58-item questionnaire elicited information on policies for 9 critical care interventions, factors that limited care provision, and innovations developed to deliver care. Setting and participants: The questionnaire was sent to 82 ETCs. Methods: We analyzed ordinal and categorical data pertaining to the ETC characteristics and descriptive data about their policies and perceived challenges. Statistical analyses assessed whether ETCs with experience caring for VHF patients were more likely to have critical care policies than those that did not. Results: Of the 27 ETCs who responded, 17 (63%) were included. Among them, 8 (47%) reported experience caring for persons under investigation or confirmed cases of VHF. Most felt ready to provide intubation, chest compressions, and renal replacement therapy to these patients. The factors most cited for limiting care were staff safety and clinical futility. Innovations developed to better provide care included increased simulation training and alternative technologies for procedures and communication. Conclusions: There were broad similarities in critical care policies and limitations among institutions. There were several interventions, namely ECMO and cricothyrotomy, which few institutions felt ready to provide. Future studies could identify obstacles to providing these interventions and explore policy changes after increased experience with novel infectious diseases, such as COVID-19.

scholarly journals Traits and risk factors of post-disaster infectious disease outbreaks: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gina E. C. Charnley ◽  
Ilan Kelman ◽  
Katy A. M. Gaythorpe ◽  
Kris A. Murray
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Infectious Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Post Disaster ◽  
Water Borne

AbstractInfectious disease outbreaks are increasingly recognised as events that exacerbate impacts or prolong recovery following disasters. Yet, our understanding of the frequency, geography, characteristics and risk factors of post-disaster disease outbreaks globally is lacking. This limits the extent to which disease outbreak risks can be prepared for, monitored and responded to following disasters. Here, we conducted a global systematic review of post-disaster outbreaks and found that outbreaks linked to conflicts and hydrological events were most frequently reported, and most often caused by bacterial and water-borne agents. Lack of adequate WASH facilities and poor housing were commonly reported risk factors. Displacement, through infrastructure damage, can lead to risk cascades for disease outbreaks; however, displacement can also be an opportunity to remove people from danger and ultimately protect health. The results shed new light on post-disaster disease outbreaks and their risks. Understanding these risk factors and cascades, could help improve future region-specific disaster risk reduction.

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