scholarly journals Religious and Traditional Belief Systems Coexist and Compete with Science for Cultural Authority in West Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-22
Author(s):  
Bankole Falade
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Religious Belief ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Social Representations ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
Religious Leaders ◽  
Vaccination Campaigns

This study examines the coexistence of science with Christian, Islamic and African religious beliefs and its implications for science communication. Using Moscovici's social representations theory and focusing on his accommodation hypothesis, the paper draws from experiences in mental health care, vaccination controversies and viral epidemics using case studies from West Africa. It also draws similarities from historical vaccination controversies around the world and the Zika virus epidemic in Brazil. The paper shows that Moscovici's accommodation hypothesis of cognitive polyphasia better explains the coexistence of science and religious belief, which can, however, be double-edged. It also shows that coexistence can lead to a positive cross-referral system, as in the case of mental health in Ghana; can have initial negative outcomes, as in vaccination campaigns in Nigeria and Cameroon; or can aid the spread and eventual containment of disease, as experienced during the Ebola virus disease epidemic in West Africa. Thus, while science remains a reference beacon in all controversies, its coexistence with religious belief can lead to an initial plunge in authority from which it eventually recovers. The choice of authority is also complicated by the dual role of some scientists as religious leaders and by previous untoward experiences with science, conspiracy theories and rumours about Western interventions in Africa.

scholarly journals Characterisation of the T-cell response to Ebola virus glycoprotein amongst survivors of the 2013–16 West Africa epidemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. W. Tipton ◽  
Y. Hall ◽  
J. A. Bore ◽  
A. White ◽  
L. S. Sibley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Cell Response ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
T Cell Response ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Cell Phenotype ◽  
T Cell Epitopes

AbstractZaireebolavirus (EBOV) is a highly pathogenic filovirus which can result in Ebola virus disease (EVD); a serious medical condition that presents as flu like symptoms but then often leads to more serious or fatal outcomes. The 2013–16 West Africa epidemic saw an unparalleled number of cases. Here we show characterisation and identification of T cell epitopes in surviving patients from Guinea to the EBOV glycoprotein. We perform interferon gamma (IFNγ) ELISpot using a glycoprotein peptide library to identify T cell epitopes and determine the CD4+ or CD8+ T cell component response. Additionally, we generate data on the T cell phenotype and measure polyfunctional cytokine secretion by these antigen specific cells. We show candidate peptides able to elicit a T cell response in EBOV survivors and provide inferred human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allele restriction. This data informs on the long-term T cell response to Ebola virus disease and highlights potentially important immunodominant peptides.

scholarly journals COVID-19 in West Africa: regional resource mobilisation and allocation in the first year of the pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. e004762
Author(s):  
Césaire Ahanhanzo ◽  
Ermel Ameswue Kpogbe Johnson ◽  
Ejemai Amaize Eboreime ◽  
Sombié Issiaka ◽  
Ben Idrissa Traoré ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
First Year ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
African Health ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Resource Mobilisation

The world continues to battle the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Whereas many countries are currently experiencing the second wave of the outbreak; Africa, despite being the last continent to be affected by the virus, has not experienced as much devastation as other continents. For example, West Africa, with a population of 367 million people, had confirmed 412 178 cases of COVID-19 with 5363 deaths as of 14 March 2021; compared with the USA which had recorded almost 30 million cases and 530 000 deaths, despite having a slightly smaller population (328 million). Several postulations have been made in an attempt to explain this phenomenon. One hypothesis is that African countries have leveraged on experiences from past epidemics to build resilience and response strategies which may be contributing to protecting the continent’s health systems from being overwhelmed. This practice paper from the West African Health Organization presents experience and data from the field on how countries in the region mobilised support to address the pandemic in the first year, leveraging on systems, infrastructure, capacities developed and experiences from the 2014 Ebola virus disease outbreak.

scholarly journals Comparative phylogeography of African fruit bats (Chiroptera, Pteropodidae) provide new insights into the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa, 2014–2016

2016 ◽  
Vol 339 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 517-528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Hassanin ◽  
Nicolas Nesi ◽  
Julie Marin ◽  
Blaise Kadjo ◽  
Xavier Pourrut ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Fruit Bats ◽  
Comparative Phylogeography

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of Ebola virus infection in Bombali District, Sierra Leone

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadege Goumkwa Mafopa ◽  
Gianluca Russo ◽  
Raoul Emeric Guetiya Wadoum ◽  
Emmanuel Iwerima ◽  
Vincent Batwala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Virus Infection ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Asymptomatic Infection ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Efficient Immune Response ◽  
Ebola Virus Infection

A serosurvey of anti-Ebola Zaire virus nucleoprotein IgG prevalence was carried out among Ebola virus disease survivors and their Community Contacts in Bombali District, Sierra Leone. Our data suggest that the specie of Ebola virus (Zaire) responsible of the 2013-2016 epidemic in West Africa may cause mild or asymptomatic infection in a proportion of cases, possibly due to an efficient immune response.

scholarly journals Virus-Vectored Ebola Vaccines

Acta Naturae ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. V. Dolzhikova ◽  
E. A. Tokarskaya ◽  
A. S. Dzharullaeva ◽  
A. I. Tukhvatulin ◽  
D. V. Shcheblyakov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Protective Immunity ◽  
Viral Vectors ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Preclinical Trials

The Ebola virus disease (EVD) is one of the most dangerous infections affecting humans and animals. The first EVD outbreaks occurred in 1976 in Sudan and Zaire. Since then, more than 20 outbreaks have occurred; the largest of which (2014-2016) evolved into an epidemic in West Africa and claimed the lives of more than 11,000 people. Although vaccination is the most effective way to prevent epidemics, there was no licensed vaccine for EVD at the beginning of the latest outbreak. The development of the first vaccines for EVD started in 1980 and has come a long technological way, from inactivated to genetically engineered vaccines based on recombinant viral vectors. This review focuses on virus-vectored Ebola vaccines that have demonstrated the greatest efficacy in preclinical trials and are currently under different phases of clinical trial. Particular attention is paid to the mechanisms of immune response development, which are important for protection from EVD, and the key vaccine parameters necessary for inducing long-term protective immunity against EVD.

scholarly journals The Threat of Ebola Virus Disease: a Call to Integrate all Sectors in Surveillance Activities in Ghana

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis O. Laryea ◽  
Yaw Amoako ◽  
Dan V. Armooh ◽  
Emmanuel P. Abbeyquaye ◽  
Bernice N. Amartey
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Service ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Health System ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Ghana Health ◽  
Ghana Health Service

Surveillance for communicable diseases of public health importance is critical in preventing and controlling outbreaks. In Ghana, this responsibility lies with the Disease Surveillance Department of the Ghana Health Service (GHS). However, the structure of Ghana's health system means surveillance activities by the department are concentrated in GHS facilities. Active surveillance in non-GHS facilities usually occur during outbreaks. In light of the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa, there is the need to integrate the surveillance activities to include all health facilities to ensure the prompt identification of cases.

scholarly journals Ebola virus disease: the ‘Black Swan’ in West Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Brown ◽  
Paul Arkell ◽  
Sakib Rokadiya
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Black Swan

scholarly journals Unintended consequences of the ‘bushmeat ban’ in West Africa during the 2013–2016 Ebola virus disease epidemic

2018 ◽  
Vol 200 ◽  
pp. 166-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Bonwitt ◽  
Michael Dawson ◽  
Martin Kandeh ◽  
Rashid Ansumana ◽  
Foday Sahr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease
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