scholarly journals Nurses in an Ebola Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Outbreak: Facing and Preparing for Psychosocial Challenges

SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 215824402092065
Author(s):  
Stéphanie Paillard-Borg ◽  
Jessica Holmgren ◽  
Panu Saaristo ◽  
Eva von Strauss
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Hemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Psychosocial Aspects ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
Treatment Center ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Human Contact ◽  
Psychosocial Challenges

The purpose of this study was to describe the psychosocial experience of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ nurses upon their return from deployment at an Ebola Treatment Center during an Ebola virus disease outbreak in Kenema, Sierra Leone, between 2014 and 2015. The following three psychosocial aspects related to pre-, during, and postdeployment were explored: stress management, sociocultural exposure, and attitudes from others. This is a descriptive qualitative study with a cross-sectional design. Questionnaires were administered to 50 nurses, of which 44 responded. Eight themes were identified in relation to the three psychosocial aspects of interest: professional- and self-confidence, pragmatism, wellness activities, human contact, cultural competency, professionalism, pariah, and/or hero. One of the most important findings in this article relates to the essential mental health support pre- and during deployment with an emphasis upon return when the risk of isolation and stigmatization is greater. In conclusion, more research is needed about the psychosocial challenges met by nurses to prepare and support them as increasing threat of emerging infectious diseases puts pressure on global health systems.

scholarly journals Assessment of Post Vaccination Symptoms Following COVID-19 Vaccination in India: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 415-422
Author(s):  
Deshpande Sanjay ◽  
Patil Sachin ◽  
Ninad Nagrale ◽  
Swarupa Chakole
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Analytical Study ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Nipah Virus ◽  
Hemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Lassa Fever ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Post Vaccination ◽  
Human Contact ◽  
Morbid Conditions

Introduction: The recent examples of newly emerged diseases that causes alarming situation globally include H1N1, Congo Hemorrhagic fever, Ebola virus diseases, Nipah Virus Infection, Lassa Fever and newly declared global emergency pandemic SARS nCOVID-19 infection. Since its emergence, it has spread around the globe. It tends to spread by the inhalation of the respiratory aerosols, direct human contact. Materials and Methods: This analytical study was carried out among the healthcare workers and people who received either of Covishield or Covaxin. The online survey questionnaire was prepared and data obtained through the responses to the survey proforma. Results: 86.17% respondents were above 40 years, 69.15% males and 30.85% were females. 89.36% were vaccinated with Covishield and 10.64% by Covaxin. 75.53% respondents experienced post vaccination symptoms; commonest were the local pain at injection site (28.72%), fever (12.76%), Myalgia (12.77%). The symptoms were found more in respondents with any of co-morbid condition. Discussion: Covishield was used more commonly than Covaxin in study samples. The symptoms following vaccination were more common in 40-60 age group and persons with co-morbid conditions.

scholarly journals Equine-Origin Immunoglobulin Fragments Protect Nonhuman Primates from Ebola Virus Disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hualei Wang ◽  
Gary Wong ◽  
Wenjun Zhu ◽  
Shihua He ◽  
Yongkun Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Nonhuman Primates ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Hemorrhagic Fever ◽  
West African ◽  
Clinical Testing ◽  
The Past ◽  
Over 40 Years

ABSTRACT Ebola virus (EBOV) infections result in aggressive hemorrhagic fever in humans, with fatality rates reaching 90% and with no licensed specific therapeutics to treat ill patients. Advances over the past 5 years have firmly established monoclonal antibody (MAb)-based products as the most promising therapeutics for treating EBOV infections, but production is costly and quantities are limited; therefore, MAbs are not the best candidates for mass use in the case of an epidemic. To address this need, we generated EBOV-specific polyclonal F(ab′)2 fragments from horses hyperimmunized with an EBOV vaccine. The F(ab′)2 was found to potently neutralize West African and Central African EBOV in vitro. Treatment of nonhuman primates (NHPs) with seven doses of 100 mg/kg F(ab′)2 beginning 3 or 5 days postinfection (dpi) resulted in a 100% survival rate. Notably, NHPs for which treatment was initiated at 5 dpi were already highly viremic, with observable signs of EBOV disease, which demonstrated that F(ab′)2 was still effective as a therapeutic agent even in symptomatic subjects. These results show that F(ab′)2 should be advanced for clinical testing in preparation for future EBOV outbreaks and epidemics. IMPORTANCE EBOV is one of the deadliest viruses to humans. It has been over 40 years since EBOV was first reported, but no cure is available. Research breakthroughs over the past 5 years have shown that MAbs constitute an effective therapy for EBOV infections. However, MAbs are expensive and difficult to produce in large amounts and therefore may only play a limited role during an epidemic. A cheaper alternative is required, especially since EBOV is endemic in several third world countries with limited medical resources. Here, we used a standard protocol to produce large amounts of antiserum F(ab′)2 fragments from horses vaccinated with an EBOV vaccine, and we tested the protectiveness in monkeys. We showed that F(ab′)2 was effective in 100% of monkeys even after the animals were visibly ill with EBOV disease. Thus, F(ab′)2 could be a very good option for large-scale treatments of patients and should be advanced to clinical testing.

scholarly journals Priorities, Barriers, and Facilitators towards International Guidelines for the Delivery of Supportive Clinical Care during an Ebola Outbreak: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Claude Battista ◽  
Christine Loignon ◽  
Lynda Benhadj ◽  
Elysee Nouvet ◽  
Srinivas Murthy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supportive Care ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Barriers And Facilitators ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Key Stakeholders

During the Ebola outbreak, mortality reduction was attributed to multiple improvements in supportive care delivered in Ebola treatment units (ETUs). We aimed to identify high-priority supportive care measures, as well as perceived barriers and facilitators to their implementation, for patients with Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). We conducted a cross-sectional survey of key stakeholders involved in the response to the 2014–2016 West African EVD outbreak. Out of 57 email invitations, 44 responses were received, and 29 respondents completed the survey. The respondents listed insufficient numbers of health workers (23/29, 79%), improper tools for the documentation of clinical data (n = 22/28, 79%), insufficient material resources (n = 22/29, 76%), and unadapted personal protective equipment (n = 20/28, 71%) as the main barriers to the provision of supportive care in ETUs. Facilitators to the provision of supportive care included team camaraderie (n in agreement = 25/28, 89%), ability to speak the local language (22/28, 79%), and having treatment protocols in place (22/28, 79%). This survey highlights a consensus across various stakeholders involved in the response to the 2014–2016 EVD outbreak on a limited number of high-priority supportive care interventions for clinical practice guidelines. Identified barriers and facilitators further inform the application of guidelines.

scholarly journals Impacts of environmental and socio-economic factors on emergence and epidemic potential of Ebola in Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Redding ◽  
Peter M. Atkinson ◽  
Andrew A. Cunningham ◽  
Gianni Lo Iacono ◽  
Lina M. Moses ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Healthcare Intervention ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
Modelling Framework ◽  
Global Change Scenarios ◽  
Socio Economic Factors

Abstract Recent outbreaks of animal-borne emerging infectious diseases have likely been precipitated by a complex interplay of changing ecological, epidemiological and socio-economic factors. Here, we develop modelling methods that capture elements of each of these factors, to predict the risk of Ebola virus disease (EVD) across time and space. Our modelling results match previously-observed outbreak patterns with high accuracy, and suggest further outbreaks could occur across most of West and Central Africa. Trends in the underlying drivers of EVD risk suggest a 1.75 to 3.2-fold increase in the endemic rate of animal-human viral spill-overs in Africa by 2070, given current modes of healthcare intervention. Future global change scenarios with higher human population growth and lower rates of socio-economic development yield a 1.63-fold higher likelihood of epidemics occurring as a result of spill-over events. Our modelling framework can be used to target interventions designed to reduce epidemic risk for many zoonotic diseases.

scholarly journals Inflammatory and Humoral Immune Response during Ebola Virus Infection in Survivor and Fatal Cases Occurred in Sierra Leone during the 2014–2016 Outbreak in West Africa

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Colavita ◽  
Mirella Biava ◽  
Concetta Castilletti ◽  
Simone Lanini ◽  
Rossella Miccio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Inflammatory Response ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Late Phase ◽  
Treatment Center ◽  
Humoral Immune ◽  
Western Africa ◽  
Ebov Infection

Ebola virus (EBOV) infection is characterized by an excessive inflammatory response, a loss of lymphocytes and a general paralysis of the immune system, however pathophysiological mechanisms are not fully understood. In a cohort of 23 fatal and 21 survivors of ebola virus disease (EVD) cases admitted to the Emergency Ebola-Treatment-Center in Goderich (Freetown, Sierra Leone) during the 2014 to 2016 EBOV epidemic in Western Africa, we analyzed the pathway-focused gene expression profile of secreted proteins involved in the immune response and the levels of specific anti-EBOV IgM and IgG from the time of admission till discharge or death. We observed a dysregulated inflammatory response in fatal patients as compared to survivors, mainly consisting of the upregulation of inflammatory mediators, whose extent directly correlated with viremia levels. The upregulation persisted and intensified during the late phase of infection. Relevant differences were also found in humoral immunity, as an earlier and more robust EBOV antibody response was observed in survivor patients.

scholarly journals Early clinical sequelae of Ebola virus disease in Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional study

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
John G Mattia ◽  
Mathew J Vandy ◽  
Joyce C Chang ◽  
Devin E Platt ◽  
Kerry Dierberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional

scholarly journals Facility-Based Delivery during the Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic in Rural Liberia: Analysis from a Cross-Sectional, Population-Based Household Survey

PLoS Medicine ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. e1002096 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Ly ◽  
Vidiya Sathananthan ◽  
Thomas Griffiths ◽  
Zahir Kanjee ◽  
Avi Kenny ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Cross Sectional
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