scholarly journals An integrative review of the limited evidence on international travel bans as an emerging infectious disease disaster control measure

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole A. Errett, PhD, MSPH ◽  
Lauren M. Sauer, MS ◽  
Lainie Rutkow, PhD, JD, MPH
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Control Measure ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Geographic Region ◽  
International Travel ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
Global Spread

In our increasingly interconnected world, the potential for emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) to spread globally is of paramount concern. Travel bans—herein defined as the complete restriction of travel from at least one geographic region to at least one other international geographic region—are a potential policy solution to control the global spread of disease. The social, economic, and health-related consequences of travel bans, as well as the available evidence on the effectiveness of travel restrictions in preventing the global spread of influenza, have been previously described. However, the effectiveness of travel bans in reducing the spread of noninfluenza EIDs, characterized by different rates and modes of transmission, is less well understood. This study employs an integrative review approach to summarize the minimal evidence on effectiveness of travel bans to decrease the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS), Ebola virus disease (EVD), and Zika virus disease (ZVD). We describe and qualify the evidence presented in six modeling studies that assess the effectiveness of travel bans in controlling these noninfluenza EID events. We conclude that there is an urgent need for additional research to inform policy decisions on the use of travel bans and other control measures to control  oninfluenza EIDs in advance of the next outbreak.

scholarly journals Offering patients more: how the West Africa Ebola outbreak can shape innovation in therapeutic research for emerging and epidemic infections

2017 ◽  
Vol 372 (1721) ◽  
pp. 20160294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda M. Rojek ◽  
Peter W. Horby
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Nipah Virus ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
International Travel ◽  
Marburg Virus ◽  
World Health ◽  
The West

Although, after an epidemic of over 28 000 cases, there are still no licensed treatments for Ebola virus disease (EVD), significant progress was made during the West Africa outbreak. The pace of pre-clinical development was exceptional and a number of therapeutic clinical trials were conducted in the face of considerable challenges. Given the on-going risk of emerging infectious disease outbreaks in an era of unprecedented population density, international travel and human impact on the environment it is pertinent to focus on improving the research and development landscape for treatments of emerging and epidemic-prone infections. This is especially the case since there are no licensed therapeutics for some of the diseases considered by the World Health Organization as most likely to cause severe outbreaks—including Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Marburg virus, Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever and Nipah virus. EVD, therefore, provides a timely exemplar to discuss the barriers, enablers and incentives needed to find effective treatments in advance of health emergencies caused by emerging infectious diseases. This article is part of the themed issue ‘The 2013–2016 West African Ebola epidemic: data, decision-making and disease control’.

Biological Hazards

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Russi
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
H1n1 Influenza ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Bloodborne Pathogens ◽  
Oral Transmission ◽  
B Virus ◽  
Animal Contact ◽  
Novel H1n1 Influenza

This chapter describes various biological hazards and their impact on workers and others. A major focus of the chapter is biological hazards in healthcare and laboratory settings, including exposure to bloodborne pathogens and prevention of diseases related to them. Sections deal with sharps injuries, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases that can be acquired in the work environment via direct contact, droplet or airborne spread, or fecal-oral transmission. In addition, infectious agents spread by animal contact or arthropod vectors in a broad range of settings will be addressed. Newly emerging infectious or re-emerging infections, such as those due to H5N1 and novel H1N1 influenza, Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS), and Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) as well as agents associated with bioterrorism are discussed.

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 Emerging Viral Diseases

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 224-232
Author(s):  
Jamal Uddin Ahmed ◽  
Muhammad Abdur Rahim ◽  
Khwaja Nazim Uddin
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Swine Flu ◽  
Viral Diseases ◽  
New Host ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Emerging Viral Diseases

Human life is intricately related to it’s surrounding environment which also harbors other animals and some deadly infectious pathogens. Any threat to the environment can thus increase the threat of new and so-called ‘emerging infectious diseases’ (EIDs) especially novel viral infections called ‘emerging viral diseases’. This occurs partly due to changing climate as well as human interference with nature and animal life. An important event in new disease emergence is genetic changes in the pathogen that make it possible to become established in a new host species, productively infect new individuals in the new hosts (typically humans) and create local, regional or worldwide health threats. The world has witnessed some emerging and deadly viral threats in recent past with huge mortality and morbidity. Among them were severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), bird flu, swine flu, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), ebola virus disease. Moreover some disease has caused great concern in certain regions including Bangladesh in terms of morbidity, like Nipah virus, Zika virus, Dengue and Chikungunya fever. Here in this article an attempt was made to briefly describe some of these emerging viral infections.Birdem Med J 2017; 7(3): 224-232

scholarly journals Pre-Ebola virus disease laboratory system and related challenges in Liberia

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen B. Kennedy ◽  
John B. Dogba ◽  
Christine L. Wasunna ◽  
Philip Sahr ◽  
Candace B. Eastman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Reference Laboratory ◽  
Laboratory System ◽  
Human Resource Capacity

Prior to the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Liberia, the laboratory system was duplicativefragmented and minimally coordinated. The National Reference Laboratory was conceptualisedto address the existing challenges by promoting the implementation of effective and sustainablelaboratory services in Liberia. However, in a resource-limited environment such as Liberiaprogress regarding the rebuilding of the health system can be relatively slow, while efforts tosustain the transient gains remain a key challenge for the Ministry of Health. In this paper, wedescribe the pre-Ebola virus disease laboratory system in Liberia and its prevailing efforts toaddress future emerging infectious diseases, as well as current Infectious diseases, all of whichare exacerbated by poverty. We conclude that laboratory and diagnostic services in Liberiahave encountered numerous challenges regarding its efforts to strengthen the healthcaredelivery system. These challenges include limited trained human resource capacity, inadequateinfrastructure, and a lack of coordination. As with most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, whencomparing urban and rural settings, diagnostic and clinical services are generally skewedtoward urban health facilities and private, faith-based health facilities. We recommend thatstructured policy be directed at these challenges for national institutions to develop guidelinesto improve, strengthen and sustain diagnostic and curative laboratory services to effectivelyaddress current infectious diseases and prepare for future emerging and re-emerging infectiousdiseases.

scholarly journals Mathematical modeling and comparative analysis of the Ebola epidemic reveal effective control measures

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junlong Li ◽  
Caiping Song ◽  
Jingya Yang ◽  
Jingmin Zheng ◽  
Lina Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Modeling ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Epidemic Outbreak ◽  
And Control

Abstract The Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a highly contagious disease which is caused by the Ebola virus . Various measures were used to prevent and control the spread of EVD. The aim of this study was to find out the most critical measures to prevent and control the spread of EVD. Both mathematical modeling and comparative analysis were used to explore the development process of EVD outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The results of comparative analysis showed quarantined individuals before infection (R 2 = 0.848, ε = 1.012), safe burial teams (R 2 = 0.772, ε = 0.385), and the Ebola treatment units (ETU) bed (R 2 = 0.690, ε = 0.432) could significantly influence the incidence of EVD which were consistent with the results of mathematical modeling. These findings indicted that a timely and effective quarantine played a significant role in preventing and controlling the spread of EVD, and the findings would help us prevent and control the epidemic outbreak of new infectious disease in the future.

scholarly journals PO 8473 IMPACT OF EBOLA ON SLEEPING SICKNESS IN COASTAL GUINEA: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS (2012–2017) FROM THE GUINEAN NATIONAL CONTROL PROGRAMME

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A42.2-A42
Author(s):  
Oumou Camara ◽  
Hamidou Ilboudo ◽  
Mariame Camara ◽  
Eric Ouattara ◽  
Alexandre Duvignaud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Analysis ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Control Programme ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Elimination Goal ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundCoastal Guinea harbours the most active human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) foci in West Africa. The Guinean government and its partners are conducting HAT control activities to reduce the burden of this neglected tropical disease and, as set-up by WHO, to eliminate it as a public health problem by 2020. Unfortunately, control efforts were deeply impaired during the Ebola outbreak that struck the country in 2014–2015. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of this unprecedented outbreak on HAT screening and care activities and more generally on T. brucei gambiense transmission.MethodsA retrospective analysis of the data collected by the HAT-NCP between 2012 and 2013 (pre-Ebola period) and 2014–2015 (Ebola outbreak) has shown an interruption of active HAT screening activities and a rapid decrease of passive HAT screening activities as the Ebola outbreak was spreading. During the Ebola epidemic, HAT patients were also diagnosed in a later stage of the disease and attendance to post-treatment control visits was also severely affected.ResultsOnly 59 HAT patients were diagnosed and treated during the Ebola outbreak (January 2014–October 2015) as compared to 154 before the outbreak (February 2012–December 2013). This potentially large undiagnosed human reservoir of trypanosomes may have contributed to increased transmission levels. After Guinea was declared free of Ebola virus disease, screening activities (both passive and active) were progressively resumed. In 2016 and 2017, Guinea reported 107 and 140 HAT cases, respectively (almost twice as much as during the pre-Ebola period) and became the second most affected country after the Democratic Republic of the Congo.ConclusionA major lesson taken from the Ebola outbreak is that disruption of medical care may lead to a quick HAT burst in areas of high transmission. Current HAT control measures combining screening and tsetse control interventions will help to stay on course for the elimination goal.

scholarly journals Ebola virus disease in pregnancy and anesthetic considerations

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
J. Sudharma Ranasinghe ◽  
Andres Missair ◽  
Daria Moaveni ◽  
Zahira Zahid ◽  
Jennifer Hochman-Cohn
Keyword(s):  
Patient Population ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Central Element ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Fetal Loss ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Labor Pain ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
In Pregnancy

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is often lethal, mortality rates range from 50% to over 90%, depending on the patient population, viral strain, and access to medical care. During pregnancy, the morbidity and mortality from the viral disease has been suggested to be among the highest of any affected patient population. According to the existing literature, which is confined to a few small case series in Africa, the risk of spontaneous fetal loss is high and there have been no known neonatal survivors. The mode of EVD transmission is well understood and evidence from the current and previous epidemics indicates that transmission can be interrupted by infection control measures. The central element of providing care to a patient suspected of Ebola is a three-step triage process: identify/isolate/inform. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, because of the potentially worse outcomes seen in pregnancy, specialized multidisciplinary care may be needed. In addition, especially in the obstetric setting, there is a high likelihood of exposure to a potentially deadly disease by health care workers. Therefore, these patients should be managed by anesthetic and obstetric providers in centers with expertise, protocols and training. Labor pain management, and the decision to proceed with cesarean delivery or other obstetric interventions will need to be considered on a case-by-case basis, weighing the risks and benefits to the mother, the fetus and the caregivers.

scholarly journals Mathematical modeling of contact tracing as a control strategy of Ebola virus disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (07) ◽  
pp. 1850093 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Berge ◽  
A. J. Ouemba Tassé ◽  
H. M. Tenkam ◽  
J. Lubuma
Keyword(s):  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Asymptotically Stable ◽  
Globally Asymptotically Stable ◽  
Imperfect Contact ◽  
Adequate Treatment ◽  
Disease Free

More than 20 outbreaks of Ebola virus disease have occurred in Africa since 1976, and yet no adequate treatment is available. Hence, prevention, control measures and supportive treatment remain the only means to avoid the disease. Among these measures, contact tracing occupies a prominent place. In this paper, we propose a simple mathematical model that incorporates imperfect contact tracing, quarantine and hospitalization (or isolation). The control reproduction number [Formula: see text] of each sub-model and for the full model are computed. Theoretically, we prove that when [Formula: see text] is less than one, the corresponding model has a unique globally asymptotically stable disease-free equilibrium. Conversely, when [Formula: see text] is greater than one, the disease-free equilibrium becomes unstable and a unique globally asymptotically stable endemic equilibrium arises. Furthermore, we numerically support the analytical results and assess the efficiency of different control strategies. Our main observation is that, to eradicate EVD, the combination of high contact tracing (up to 90%) and effective isolation is better than all other control measures, namely: (1) perfect contact tracing, (2) effective isolation or full hospitalization, (3) combination of medium contact tracing and medium isolation.

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