Case 45

2020 ◽  
pp. 307-310
Author(s):  
Andrew Woodhouse
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Early Recognition ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Diverse Group ◽  
Haemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Viral Haemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Consistent Approach

The term viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) describes a syndrome caused by a diverse group of viral infections. The recent Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Arica has heightened awareness of viral haemorrhagic fevers in non-endemic countries. A robust and consistent approach to the early recognition of possible VHF is crucial to appropriate management. The EVD epidemic has led to renewed interest and effort in treatment and vaccine development directed at Ebola virus and other causes of VHF.

scholarly journals The Ebola virus disease outbreak in Tonkolili district, Sierra Leone: a retrospective analysis of the Viral Haemorrhagic Fever surveillance system, July 2014–June 2015

2019 ◽  
Vol 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Miglietta ◽  
Angelo Solimini ◽  
Ghyslaine Bruna Djeunang Dongho ◽  
Carla Montesano ◽  
Giovanni Rezza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Symptom Onset ◽  
Surveillance System ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Haemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Viral Haemorrhagic Fever

AbstractIn Sierra Leone, the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak occurred with substantial differences between districts with someone even not affected. To monitor the epidemic, a community event-based surveillance system was set up, collecting data into the Viral Haemorrhagic Fever (VHF) database. We analysed the VHF database of Tonkolili district to describe the epidemiology of the EVD outbreak during July 2014–June 2015 (data availability). Multivariable analysis was used to identify risk factors for EVD, fatal EVD and barriers to healthcare access, by comparing EVD-positive vs. EVD-negative cases. Key-performance indicators for EVD response were also measured. Overall, 454 EVD-positive cases were reported. At multivariable analysis, the odds of EVD was higher among those reporting contacts with an EVD-positive/suspected case (odds ratio (OR) 2.47; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.44–2.50; P < 0.01) and those attending funeral (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.01–1.04; P < 0.01). EVD cases from Kunike chiefdom had a lower odds of death (OR 0.22; 95% CI 0.08–0.44; P < 0.01) and were also more likely to be hospitalised (OR 2.34; 95% CI 1.23–4.57; P < 0.05). Only 25.1% of alerts were generated within 1 day from symptom onset. EVD preparedness and response plans for Tonkolili should include social-mobilisation activities targeting Ebola/knowledge-attitudes-practice during funeral attendance, to avoid contact with suspected cases and to increase awareness on EVD symptoms, in order to reduce delays between symptom onset to alert generation and consequently improve the outbreak-response promptness.

Glycoprotein GP as a basis for the universal vaccine against Ebola virus disease

2019 ◽  
pp. 78-85
Author(s):  
IV Dolzhikova ◽  
AI Tukhvatulin ◽  
AS Gromova ◽  
DM Grousova ◽  
NM Tukhvatulina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Universal Vaccine ◽  
Protective Properties ◽  
Protective Epitope ◽  
Zaire Ebolavirus ◽  
Immunodominant Epitopes

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is one of the deadliest viral infections affecting humans and nonhuman primates. Of 6 known representatives of the Ebolavirus genus responsible for the disease, 3 can infect humans, causing acute highly contagious fever characterized by up to 90% fatality. These include Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV), Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) and Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV). The majority of the reported EVD cases are caused by ZEBOV. Vaccine development against the virus started in 1976, immediately after the causative agent of the infection was identified. So far, 4 vaccines have been approved. All of them are based on the protective epitope of the ZEBOV glycoprotein GP. Because SUDV and BDBV can also cause outbreaks and epidemics, it is vital to design a vaccine capable of conferring protection against all known ebolaviruses posing a threat to the human population. This article presents systematized data on the structure, immunogenicity and protective properties of ebolavirus glycoprotein GP, looks closely at the immunodominant epitopes of ZEBOV, SUDV and BDBV glycoprotein GP required to elicit a protective immune response, and offers a rational perspective on the development of a universal vaccine against EVD that relies on the use of vectors expressing two variants of GP represented by ZEBOV and SUDV.

Accelerating Vaccine Development During the 2013–2016 West African Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak

2017 ◽  
pp. 229-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth S. Higgs ◽  
Sheri A. Dubey ◽  
Beth A. G. Coller ◽  
Jakub K. Simon ◽  
Laura Bollinger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
West African ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease

scholarly journals Evaluation of viral haemorrhagic fever surveillance system with focus on Ebola virus disease, Bawku municipality- Upper East Region, Ghana, 2011- 2015

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 18-25
Author(s):  
Francis Broni ◽  
Joseph Larbi ◽  
Edwin Afari ◽  
Kofi Nyarko ◽  
Donne Ameme ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surveillance System ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Haemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Case Definitions ◽  
Standard Case ◽  
Viral Haemorrhagic Fever ◽  
East Region ◽  
Upper East Region

Background: We evaluated the Viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) surveillance system from 2011 to 2015 in the Bawku Municipality, Upper East region, Ghana to determine whether the goals of the surveillance system are being met and to assess the performance of the system attributes.Design: Descriptive secondary data analysis.Setting: Bawku MunicipalityData Source: Review VHF surveillance records, interviewed community-based surveillance volunteers (CBSVs) and reviewed vital events registers. We also assessed the system attributes by reviewing records and interviewing key stakeholders involved in VHF surveillance system with focus on Ebola using checklist and semi structured questionnaire developed based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.Main outcome measure: System attributes of the VHF surveillance systemResults: Population under surveillance was 105,849. The system required detail information about suspected cases. However, it had a simple and clear standard case definitions, and was well integrated with the IDSR. There is a regular and timely flow of information. The system captured 155 suspected cases nationwide from 2011 to 2015 and all tested negative. Of these, Upper East Region reported 10 suspected cases including 4 suspected cases from Bawku Municipality.Conclusion: The VHF surveillance system achieved its objectives. However, poor data quality, inadequately trained surveillance officers, and inadequate financial support are threats to the effectiveness of the system.Keywords: Viral haemorrhagic fever, surveillance system evaluation, attributes, Bawku Municipality, GhanaFunding: This work was supported by Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (GFELTP), University of Ghana

scholarly journals Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of ebola at the present stage

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-57
Author(s):  
V. V Nikiforov ◽  
M. Z Shakhmardanov
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Haemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Viral Haemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Internal Bleeding ◽  
Therapeutic Measures ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Epidemiological Characteristics

The disease being caused by the Ebola virus (Ebola virus disease - EVD, Ebola haemorrhagic fever) referred to the genus Ebolaviruses - is a viral haemorrhagic fever in human and other primates subjects. There is a reason to consider frugivorous bats - the inhabitants of the tropics as the natural reservoir of the virus. The transmission from person to person by airborne droplets has not been proved. Signs and symptoms of the disease usually begin during the period from two days to three weeks after infection with fever virus, from sore throat, muscle pains and headaches. Then there are affiliated vomiting, diarrhea, rash, disorder of the function of liver and kidneys. In many patients there are adhered the external and internal bleeding. The mortality rate in this disease varies between 25 and 90 percent, in average about 50 percent. The cause of the lethal outcome in most cases is toxic shock and/or hypovolemic dehydration shock, which occurs usually after six to sixteen days from the onset of the disease. Therapy is limited to a complex ofpathogenetic therapeutic measures, as there is no specific treatment. EVD vaccines are at the final stages of the delivery.

scholarly journals A metapopulation model for the 2018 Ebola virus disease outbreak in Equateur province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie R. Meakin ◽  
Mike J. Tildesley ◽  
Emma Davis ◽  
Matt J. Keeling
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Natural Extension ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Metapopulation Model ◽  
Viral Haemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Approximate Bayesian

AbstractEbola virus disease (EVD) is a viral haemorrhagic fever with high mortality that has caused a number of severe outbreaks in Central and West Africa. Although the majority previous outbreaks have been relatively small, the result of managing outbreaks places huge strains on already limited resources. Mathematical models matched to early case reporting data can be used to identify outbreaks that are at high risk of spreading. Here we consider the EVD outbreak in Equateur Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was declared on 8 May 2018. We use a simple stochastic metapopulation model to capture the dynamics in the three affected health zones: Bikoro, Iboko and Wangata. We are able to rapidly simulate a large number of realisations and use approximate Bayesian computation, a likelihood-free method, to determine parameters by matching between reported and simulated cases. This method has a number of advantages over more traditional likelihood-based methods as it is less sensitive to errors in the data and is a natural extension to the prediction framework. Using data from 8 to 25 May 2018 we are able to capture the exponential increases in the number of cases in three locations (Bikoro, Iboko and Wangata), although our estimated basic reproductive ratio is higher than for previous outbreaks. Using additional data until 08 July 2018 we are able to detect a decrease in transmission such that the reproductive ratio falls below one. We also estimate the probability of transmission to Kinshasa. We believe this method of fitting models to data offers a generic approach that can deliver rapid results in real time during a range of future outbreaks.

Emergence of the Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa

2017 ◽  
pp. 163-177
Author(s):  
Samir Dervisevic
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
World Health ◽  
Viral Haemorrhagic Fever ◽  
The World ◽  
Viral Illness ◽  
Health Organization

This chapter gives an overview on the recent outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa which has lasted for over seventeen months. The Ebola virus has been implicated as a causative agent of viral haemorrhagic fever occurring in Central Africa over the last thirty-nine years. However, the Ebola virus has not previously been recognised as an endemic virus causing outbreaks of viral illness in West Africa. The start of what was to become the largest Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in known history was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on the 23rd of March 2014 and since then it has transformed into an unprecedented and severe epidemic affecting the three countries of West Africa (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone). The emergence of this lethal virus in a setting of profound poverty, a dysfunctional public-health and a weak government infrastructure alarmed the wider world and caused dread from an uncontrollable spread.

Treatment of ebola and other infectious diseases: melatonin “goes viral”

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russel J Reiter ◽  
Qiang Ma ◽  
Ramaswamy Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Hemorrhagic Shock ◽  
Safety Profile ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Attractive Potential ◽  
Potential Treatment

This review summarizes published reports on the utility of melatonin as a treatment for virus-mediated diseases. Of special note are the data related to the role of melatonin in influencing Ebola virus disease. This infection and deadly condition has no effective treatment and the published works documenting the ability of melatonin to attenuate the severity of viral infections generally and Ebola infection specifically are considered. The capacity of melatonin to prevent one of the major complications of an Ebola infection, i.e., the hemorrhagic shock syndrome, which often contributes to the high mortality rate, is noteworthy. Considering the high safety profile of melatonin, the fact that it is easily produced, inexpensive and can be self-administered makes it an attractive potential treatment for Ebola virus pathology.  

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