scholarly journals Emerging Infections

2021 ◽  
pp. 40-71
Author(s):  
Dorothy H. Crawford
Keyword(s):  
Lassa Fever ◽  
Single Infection ◽  
Single Individual ◽  
Virus Spread ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Emerging Viruses ◽  
Primary Host ◽  
Main Factors ◽  
Precautionary Measures ◽  
Human Viruses

This chapter examines emerging infections. Emerging human viruses may cause anything from a single infection, to a small outbreak, and on to an epidemic or pandemic. The main factors that determine whether an outbreak progresses to an epidemic and on to a pandemic are the virus’s ability to infect and spread between humans, the availability of non-immune hosts within the virus’s range, and the effectiveness of any precautionary measures taken to inhibit virus spread. This is measured by the R number, or case reproduction number. The chapter then looks at groups of emerging viruses with very differing R values (not forgetting that viruses may move up or down the scale as circumstances change). These include viruses that spread no further than a single individual, such as rabies and hantaviruses; viruses that cause sporadic epidemics after introduction to a human index case from their primary host, such as Ebola, Lassa fever, and the coronaviruses that cause severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV); and viruses that can subsequently circulate continuously among humans causing epidemics, such as yellow fever, Zika, and dengue viruses.

scholarly journals Epilogue: What The Future Holds

2021 ◽  
pp. 204-214
Author(s):  
Dorothy H. Crawford
Keyword(s):  
Lassa Fever ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
International Travel ◽  
Marburg Virus ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Emerging Viruses ◽  
Global Alliance ◽  
Valley Fever ◽  
The Future ◽  
Health Organization

This concluding chapter explores what the future holds for emerging viruses. Clearly, emerging viruses are on the rise, so we urgently need to find out why they are emerging so frequently and how to stop them. We know that they are generally zoonotic, having jumped to us from an animal source. Broadly speaking, the reason for the rise in these spillover events and subsequent spread is twofold: human population growth and increased international travel. The World Health Organization (WHO) regularly publishes a list of potential emerging diseases investigation into which requires urgent research and development. Presently this includes COVID-19, Ebola and related Marburg virus diseases, Lassa fever, MERS, SARS, Nipah and related henipaviral diseases, Rift Valley fever, Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever, Zika, and Disease X (the latter meaning a hitherto unknown disease). But while most would agree that it is sensible to encourage research into these potential epidemic viruses, the most likely candidate to cause the next epidemic or pandemic is Virus X—a ‘new’ virus causing Disease X. The chapter then briefly mentions the founding of the Global Alliance Vaccine Initiative (GAVI) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), both of which aim to prepare vaccines against emerging infections and to enable equitable access to them.

scholarly journals Virological factors that increase the transmissibility of emerging human viruses

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (15) ◽  
pp. 4170-4175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jemma L. Geoghegan ◽  
Alistair M. Senior ◽  
Francesca Di Giallonardo ◽  
Edward C. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Recombination Frequency ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Theoretic Approach ◽  
Genome Length ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Animal Reservoir ◽  
Biological Features ◽  
Biological Variables ◽  
Host Mortality ◽  
Human Viruses

The early detection of pathogens with epidemic potential is of major importance to public health. Most emerging infections result in dead-end “spillover” events in which a pathogen is transmitted from an animal reservoir to a human but is unable to achieve the sustained human-to-human transmission necessary for a full-blown epidemic. It is therefore critical to determine why only some virus infections are efficiently transmitted among humans whereas others are not. We sought to determine which biological features best characterized those viruses that have achieved sustained human transmission. Accordingly, we compiled a database of 203 RNA and DNA human viruses and used an information theoretic approach to assess which of a set of key biological variables were the best predictors of human-to-human transmission. The variables analyzed were as follows: taxonomic classification; genome length, type, and segmentation; the presence or absence of an outer envelope; recombination frequency; duration of infection; host mortality; and whether or not a virus exhibits vector-borne transmission. This comparative analysis revealed multiple strong associations. In particular, we determined that viruses with low host mortality, that establish long-term chronic infections, and that are nonsegmented, nonenveloped, and, most importantly, not transmitted by vectors were more likely to be transmissible among humans. In contrast, variables including genome length, genome type, and recombination frequency had little predictive power. In sum, we have identified multiple biological features that seemingly determine the likelihood of interhuman viral transmissibility, in turn enabling general predictions of whether viruses of a particular type will successfully emerge in human populations.

scholarly journals Novel modulators of p53-signaling encoded by unknown genes of emerging viruses

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. e1009033
Author(s):  
Dina Alzhanova ◽  
Kathleen Corcoran ◽  
Aubrey G. Bailey ◽  
Kristin Long ◽  
Sharon Taft-Benz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
De Novo ◽  
Kaposi Sarcoma ◽  
Viral Proteins ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Emerging Viruses ◽  
P53 Signaling ◽  
Tumor Viruses ◽  
Micro Rnas ◽  
Human Viruses ◽  
Virus Interactions

The p53 transcription factor plays a key role both in cancer and in the cell-intrinsic response to infections. The ORFEOME project hypothesized that novel p53-virus interactions reside in hitherto uncharacterized, unknown, or hypothetical open reading frames (orfs) of human viruses. Hence, 172 orfs of unknown function from the emerging viruses SARS-Coronavirus, MERS-Coronavirus, influenza, Ebola, Zika (ZIKV), Chikungunya and Kaposi Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) were de novo synthesized, validated and tested in a functional screen of p53 signaling. This screen revealed novel mechanisms of p53 virus interactions and two viral proteins KSHV orf10 and ZIKV NS2A binding to p53. Originally identified as the target of small DNA tumor viruses, these experiments reinforce the notion that all viruses, including RNA viruses, interfere with p53 functions. These results validate this resource for analogous systems biology approaches to identify functional properties of uncharacterized viral proteins, long non-coding RNAs and micro RNAs.

scholarly journals Germination and Longevity of Some Cowpea Cultivars Affected by Single and Mixed Virus Infections in Niger State, Nigeria

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
A. A. Abdullahi ◽  
M. T. Salaudeen ◽  
A. C. Wada ◽  
H. Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Block Design ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Single Infection ◽  
Accelerated Ageing ◽  
Mixed Infections ◽  
Virus Infections ◽  
Emerging Viruses ◽  
Seed Vigour ◽  
Cowpea Cultivars ◽  
Starting Point

Cowpea being a dependable source of protein for human growth and development is widely cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria. In spite of its numerous uses, infection by viruses constitutes serious problems to its productivity and once plants are infected, there is no remedy as is with other pathogens such as bacteria, fungi and nematodes. A field trial was conducted to investigate the reactions of twenty five cowpea cultivars to single and mixed infections with two unrelated viruses: Blackeye cowpea mosaic virus (BlCMV) and Cowpea mottle virus (CPMoV) on seed germination and longevity. The trial was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Mokwa Station and set up in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. For the single virus infection, seedlings of the twenty five cultivars were inoculated at 10 days after sowing (DAS), while for the mixed virus infections, seedlings were inoculated at 10 and 17 DAS. Results showed that all the cultivars were susceptible to single and mixed infections but to seemingly different extents. Germination of seeds was generally high before storage but was short lived indicating that conservation of infected seeds of the cultivars was impaired. Seeds of cultivars IT04K-267-8 and IT07K-222-2 recorded germination percentages of 54.6 and 53.7% respectively, while cultivars IT96D-610 and IT04K-291-2 had germination values of 52% which did not differ from each other. Viability of seeds amongst the 25 test cowpea cultivars from single infection with CPMoV alone and BICMV alone did not differ in some instances. Percent germination in cultivars IT98K-205-M8, IT90K-277-2 and IT07K-222-2 inoculated with BICMV + CPMoV were not much affected. Test of accelerated ageing germination (AAG) percentage for four weeks showed that seed vigour was greatly impaired in cultivars IT07K-292-2-10, IT06K-124 and IT90K-277-2 infected with BICMV + CPMoV compared to the  lowest AAG percentage of 31.6 recorded in seeds of cultivar IT99K-377-1. Constant monitoring of legume fields through regular field sanitation and disease surveys to identify new and emerging viruses as facts obtained from this study are good starting point for legume virus diseases diagnosis.

scholarly journals Composition of Eukaryotic Viruses and Bacteriophages in Individuals with Acute Gastroenteritis

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2365
Author(s):  
Endrya do Socorro Fôro Ramos ◽  
Geovani de Oliveira Ribeiro ◽  
Fabiola Villanova ◽  
Flávio Augusto de Padua Milagres ◽  
Rafael Brustulin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Simultaneous Detection ◽  
Single Individual ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Northern Regions ◽  
Genomic Characterization ◽  
Human Viruses ◽  
Next Generation Sequencing Ngs ◽  
Viral Sequences ◽  
Independent Assay

Metagenomics based on the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique is a target-independent assay that enables the simultaneous detection and genomic characterization of all viruses present in a sample. There is a limited amount of data about the virome of individuals with gastroenteritis (GI). In this study, the enteric virome of 250 individuals (92% were children under 5 years old) with GI living in the northeastern and northern regions of Brazil was characterized. Fecal samples were subjected to NGS, and the metagenomic analysis of virus-like particles (VLPs) identified 11 viral DNA families and 12 viral RNA families. As expected, the highest percentage of viral sequences detected were those commonly associated with GI, including rotavirus, adenovirus, norovirus (94.8%, 82% and 71.2%, respectively). The most common co-occurrences, in a single individual, were the combinations of rotavirus-adenovirus, rotavirus-norovirus, and norovirus-adenovirus (78%, 69%, and 62%, respectively). In the same way, common fecal-emerging human viruses were also detected, such as parechovirus, bocaporvirus, cosavirus, picobirnavirus, cardiovirus, salivirus, and Aichivirus. In addition, viruses that infect plants, nematodes, fungi, protists, animals, and arthropods could be identified. A large number of unclassified viral contigs were also identified. We show that the metagenomics approach is a powerful and promising tool for the detection and characterization of different viruses in clinical GI samples.

scholarly journals From Ancient to Emerging Infections: The Odyssey of Viruses in the Male Genital Tract

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (3) ◽  
pp. 1349-1414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Le Tortorec ◽  
Giulia Matusali ◽  
Dominique Mahé ◽  
Florence Aubry ◽  
Séverine Mazaud-Guittot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genital Tract ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Peripheral Circulation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Male Genital Tract ◽  
Emerging Viruses ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Male Genital

The male genital tract (MGT) is the target of a number of viral infections that can have deleterious consequences at the individual, offspring, and population levels. These consequences include infertility, cancers of male organs, transmission to the embryo/fetal development abnormalities, and sexual dissemination of major viral pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus. Lately, two emerging viruses, Zika and Ebola, have additionally revealed that the human MGT can constitute a reservoir for viruses cleared from peripheral circulation by the immune system, leading to their sexual transmission by cured men. This represents a concern for future epidemics and further underlines the need for a better understanding of the interplay between viruses and the MGT. We review here how viruses, from ancient viruses that integrated the germline during evolution through old viruses (e.g., papillomaviruses originating from Neanderthals) and more modern sexually transmitted infections (e.g., simian zoonotic HIV) to emerging viruses (e.g., Ebola and Zika) take advantage of genital tract colonization for horizontal dissemination, viral persistence, vertical transmission, and endogenization. The MGT immune responses to viruses and the impact of these infections are discussed. We summarize the latest data regarding the sources of viruses in semen and the complex role of this body fluid in sexual transmission. Finally, we introduce key animal findings that are relevant for our understanding of viral infection and persistence in the human MGT and suggest future research directions.

scholarly journals 1009. Measuring the quality of fluoroquinolone prescribing in hospitals: results from the Emerging Infections Program Hospital Prevalence Survey Antimicrobial Quality Assessment

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S355-S355
Author(s):  
Shelley S Magill ◽  
Erin O’Leary ◽  
Joelle Nadle ◽  
Helen Johnston ◽  
Sarah J Janelle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Infection Type ◽  
Single Infection ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Prevalence Survey ◽  
Inappropriate Use ◽  
Prescribing Quality ◽  
Clinical Scenarios ◽  
Assessment Approach

Abstract Background Improving antimicrobial use is a key component of controlling antimicrobial resistance. Multiple factors influence inpatient provider antimicrobial prescribing decisions, making it challenging to develop standard methods to evaluate prescribing quality in hospitals. In 2015, CDC’s Emerging Infections Program (EIP) conducted a hospital antimicrobial use prevalence survey and collected data to assess prescribing quality in selected scenarios, including fluoroquinolone (FQ) treatment. Methods EIP sites (CA, CO, CT, GA, MD, MN, NM, NY, OR, TN) each recruited up to 25 hospitals for the survey. Each hospital selected a survey date during May–September 2015. Among randomly selected inpatients on the survey date, EIP staff identified those ≥18 years old who received FQ treatment on the survey date or the day prior and reviewed medical records to gather data on underlying conditions, infections, and diagnostic tests. We used these data to update a previously developed prescribing quality assessment pathway that categorized FQ treatment as supported or unsupported based on medical record documentation. Results Among 12,299 patients in 199 hospitals, 1084 (8.7%) received FQ treatment; 756 (70%) were treated for a single infection type during their hospitalization and were ≥18 years old. The pathway categorized FQ treatment as supported for 646 (85.4%) and unsupported for 110 patients (14.6%) (figure). Almost half of unsupported treatment was due to a lack of compatible signs or symptoms of infection in a patient from whom an organism susceptible or likely susceptible to an FQ was identified from a nonsterile site (49/110 patients, 44.5%), suggesting colonization. Conclusion Utilization of a pathway that incorporates detailed clinical data enabled us to apply a standard approach to assess FQ prescribing quality in hospitals. A high percentage of FQ treatment was supported, possibly reflecting efforts in recent years to reduce inappropriate use. Our assessment approach also identified opportunities for further improvements in inpatient FQ stewardship. Incorporation of additional elements in the pathway, such as the availability of other antibiotic choices in clinical scenarios where FQ use is currently supported (e.g., pneumonia) could further enhance the pathway’s performance. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

scholarly journals Trained Immunity-Based Vaccines: A Ready-to-Act Strategy to Tackle Viral Outbreaks

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Conejero ◽  
Paula Saz-Leal ◽  
José Luis Subiza
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Innate Immunity ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Innate Immune Cells ◽  
Virus Spread ◽  
Emerging Viruses ◽  
Trained Immunity ◽  
Alternative Approaches ◽  
Special Mention

Viral outbreaks have become significant threats to global human public health. New emerging viruses, pathogen mutations, and even the progressive loss of efficacy in some existing vaccines are behind this problem, which is amplified by the rapid virus spread given the ease of current mobility. Taking into account that these outbreaks arise in the absence of conventional effective vaccines, alternative approaches based on trained (innate) immunity are being considered. This immunity is dependent on a functional reprogramming of innate immune cells, leading to an enhanced nonspecific response towards different pathogens, including viruses. Trained immunity-based vaccines (TIbVs), defined as vaccine formulations containing trained immunity inducers, could be used during viral outbreaks to confer non-specific protection but also to enhance adaptive specific immune responses. In this chapter, we aim to illustrate how TIbVs could tackle the above-mentioned situations derived from viral outbreaks, reviewing the potential of available TIbVs in such urgent situations with a special mention to COVID-19.

scholarly journals Nursing Professionals And Occupational Accidents

10.3823/2321 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camila De Fátima da Silva Aquino ◽  
Laura Cristhiane Mendonça Rezende Chaves ◽  
Maurício Caxias de Souza ◽  
Leila De Cássia Tavares da Fonsêca ◽  
Ericka Silva Holmes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Work Conditions ◽  
Occupational Accidents ◽  
Virtual Library ◽  
Main Work ◽  
Professional Category ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Work Accidents ◽  
Main Factors ◽  
Precautionary Measures ◽  
Nursing Professionals

The current study has the objective to identify main work accidents that occurs with nursing workers. This is an integrative literature review that enabled to include scientific articles indexed in the databases of Virtual Library in Health (BVS). Searches were made from october to november 2016, using the descriptors: “work accidents”, “nursing professionals”, separated between themselves by the boolean operator AND. The following criteria were adopted: fully available articles, in portuguese language, published in the last five years. Articles that presented some duplicity and didn’t meet the proposed study objectives were excluded. After searches, ten scientific productions about the subject were selected. Results indicate the occurrence of accidents between nursing professionals and the main factors were related with sharp object handling, non-utilization of IPEs, excessive workload and needle resurfacing. It is concluded that strategies are required to minimize these occurrences, as the adoption of standard precautionary measures, the adequacy of staff numbers and better work conditions to this professional category. Besides that, the need of new researches about this subject are emphasized.

scholarly journals A review of Lassa fever cases in Nigeria for the year 2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 2572
Author(s):  
Iveren Winifred Nyinoh ◽  
Laura Nguoron Utume ◽  
Ooja Bob-Echikwonye
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Disease Control ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Lassa Fever ◽  
Prevention Of Infection ◽  
Urban Households ◽  
Ondo State ◽  
Precautionary Measures ◽  
The Government ◽  
Reported Data

Lassa fever (LF) is a zoonotic disease endemic in west Africa and the knowledge of its epidemiology is important in the prevention of infection. In Nigeria, LF occurs majorly in the dry months and individuals in rural communities are mostly infected, however, there have been reports of a shift to urban households. Clinical symptoms vary and may be non-specific thus making diagnosis challenging. In this paper, we reported data routinely collected in 2020 from all individuals diagnosed with LF in Nigeria. Data were obtained from the Nigerian centre for disease control (NCDC) website online. Out of 6791 suspected cases from 30 December 2019 to 3 January 2020 there were 1189 laboratory-confirmed cases and 244 deaths. By comparison to the same period in 2019 where there were 833 cases and 74 deaths, this represents an increase of 42.74% confirmed cases from 2019. Data indicates that there was a minimum of 1 confirmed case of LF in 131 local government areas across 27 of the 36 states. Ondo state Nigeria had the highest number of confirmed cases with 75%, which was followed by Edo (32%) and Ebonyi (7%). By age, the 21-30 year old were mostly affected. Collated data showed the numbers of LF cases are significantly increasing yearly. The results obtained will assist the government in mapping the disease and taking precautionary measures to prevent the spread of LF amongst individuals in Nigeria.

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