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1
Machmouchi, Dana, Marie-Pierre Courageot, Chaker El-Kalamouni, Alain Kohl e Philippe Desprès. "Replication properties of a contemporary Zika virus from West Africa". PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 18, n. 7 (5 luglio 2024): e0012066. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012066.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Zika virus (ZIKV) has become a global health problem over the past decade due to the extension of the geographic distribution of the Asian/American genotype. Recent epidemics of Asian/American ZIKV have been associated with developmental disorders in humans. There is mounting evidence that African ZIKV may be associated with increased fetal pathogenicity necessitating to pay a greater attention towards currently circulating viral strains in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, we generated an infectious molecular clone GUINEA-18 of a recently transmitted human ZIKV isolate from West Africa, ZIKV-15555. The available infectious molecular clone MR766MC of historical African ZIKV strain MR766-NIID was used for a molecular clone-based comparative study. Viral clones GUINEA-18 and MR766MC were compared for their ability to replicate in VeroE6, A549 and HCM3 cell lines. There was a lower replication rate for GUINEA-18 associated with weaker cytotoxicity and reduced innate immune system activation compared with MR766MC. Analysis of chimeric viruses between viral clones stressed the importance of NS1 to NS4B proteins, with a particular focus of NS4B on GUINEA-18 replicative properties. ZIKV has developed strategies to prevent cytoplasmic stress granule formation which occurs in response to virus infection. GUINEA-18 was greatly efficient in inhibiting stress granule assembly in A549 cells subjected to a physiological stressor, with NS1 to NS4B proteins also being critical in this process. The impact of these GUINEA-18 proteins on viral replicative abilities and host-cell responses to viral infection raises the question of the role of nonstructural proteins in the pathogenicity of currently circulating ZIKV in sub-Saharan Africa.
2
Machmouchi, Dana, Marie-Pierre Courageot, Eva Ogire, Lars Redecke, Alain Kohl, Philippe Desprès e Marjolaine Roche. "The NS1 protein of contemporary West African Zika virus potentiates viral replication and reduces innate immune activation". PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 18, n. 8 (23 agosto 2024): e0012146. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012146.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Mosquito-borne Zika virus (ZIKV) from sub-Saharan Africa has recently gained attention due to its epidemic potential and its capacity to be highly teratogenic. To improve our knowledge on currently circulating strains of African ZIKV, we conducted protein sequence alignment and identified contemporary West Africa NS1 (NS1CWA) protein as a highly conserved viral protein. Comparison of NS1CWA with the NS1 of the historical African ZIKV strain MR766 (NS1MR766), revealed seven amino acid substitutions. The effects of NS1 mutations on protein expression, virus replication, and innate immune activation were assessed in human cells using recombinant NS1 proteins and a chimeric viral clone MR766 with NS1CWA replacing NS1MR766. Our data indicated higher secretion efficiency of NS1CWA compared to NS1MR766 associated with a change in subcellular distribution. A chimeric MR766 virus with NS1CWA instead of authentic protein displayed a greater viral replication efficiency, leading to more pronounced cell death compared to parental virus. Enhanced viral growth was associated with reduced activation of innate immunity. Our data raise questions of the importance of NS1 protein in the pathogenicity of contemporary ZIKV from sub-Saharan Africa and point to differences within viral strains of African lineage.
3
Rawlinson, William. "Pregnancy, the placenta and Zika virus (ZIKV) infection". Microbiology Australia 37, n. 4 (2016): 170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ma16057.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Zika virus (ZIKV) infections have been recognised in Africa and Asia since 1940. The virus is in the family Flaviviridae and genus Flavivirus, along with Dengue, Japanese encephalitis virus, Tick borne encephalitis, West Nile virus, and Yellow fever virus. These viruses share biological characteristics of an envelope, icosahedral nucleocapsid, and a non-segmented, positive sense, single-strand RNA genome of ~10kb encoding three structural proteins (capsid C pre-membrane/membrane PrM/M, envelope E), and seven non-structural proteins (NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B and NS5). ZIKV has three known genotypes; the West African (Nigerian cluster), East African (MR766 prototype cluster), and Asian strains. Virus sequencing from the most recent South American outbreak suggests this virus is related to the 2013 French Polynesian isolates of Asian lineage.
4
Rose, Noah H., Stéphanie Dabo, Silvânia da Veiga Leal, Massamba Sylla, Cheikh T. Diagne, Oumar Faye, Ousmane Faye, Amadou A. Sall, Carolyn S. McBride e Louis Lambrechts. "Enhanced mosquito vectorial capacity underlies the Cape Verde Zika epidemic". PLOS Biology 20, n. 10 (26 ottobre 2022): e3001864. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001864.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
The explosive emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) across the Pacific and Americas since 2007 was associated with hundreds of thousands of human cases and severe outcomes, including congenital microcephaly caused by ZIKV infection during pregnancy. Although ZIKV was first isolated in Uganda, Africa has so far been exempt from large-scale ZIKV epidemics, despite widespread susceptibility among African human populations. A possible explanation for this pattern is natural variation among populations of the primary vector of ZIKV, the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Globally invasive populations of Ae. aegypti outside of Africa are considered effective ZIKV vectors because they are human specialists with high intrinsic ZIKV susceptibility, whereas African populations of Ae. aegypti across the species’ native range are predominantly generalists with low intrinsic ZIKV susceptibility, making them less likely to spread viruses in the human population. We test this idea by studying a notable exception to the patterns observed across most of Africa: Cape Verde experienced a large ZIKV outbreak in 2015 to 2016. We find that local Ae. aegypti in Cape Verde have substantial human-specialist ancestry, show a robust behavioral preference for human hosts, and exhibit increased susceptibility to ZIKV infection, consistent with a key role for variation among mosquito populations in ZIKV epidemiology. These findings suggest that similar human-specialist populations of Ae. aegypti in the nearby Sahel region of West Africa, which may be expanding in response to rapid urbanization, could serve as effective vectors for ZIKV in the future.
5
Park, Jooyeon, Jinhwa Jang e Insung Ahn. "Comparison of Genetic Variations in Zika Virus Isolated From Different Geographic Regions". International Journal of Healthcare Information Systems and Informatics 14, n. 3 (luglio 2019): 29–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/ijhisi.2019070103.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
The Zika virus (ZIKV) belongs to the genus Flavivirus, together with Dengue virus, yellow fever virus, and West Nile virus. The virus, which was first found in Africa in 1947, has spread across the world owing to a lack of effective drugs or vaccines. The complete genome sequence of ZIKV is now available; it includes three structural and seven non-structure genes arranged in the order of capsid, pre-membrane, envelope, NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5. Two geographically distinct lineages are known, i.e., Asian and African, but ZIKV exhibits differences in clinical progression among regions.
6
Majumder, Maimuna S., Rosanna Hess, Ratchneewan Ross e Helen Piontkivska. "Seasonality of birth defects in West Africa: could congenital Zika syndrome be to blame?" F1000Research 7 (7 febbraio 2018): 159. http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.13858.1.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
The link between Zika virus infection during pregnancy and microcephaly and other neurodevelopmental defects in infants, referred to as congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), was recently discovered. One key question that remains is whether such neurodevelopmental abnormalities are limited to the recently evolved Asiatic ZIKV strains or if they can also be induced by endemic African strains. Thus, we examined birth registries from one particular hospital from a country in West Africa, where ZIKV is endemic. Results showed a seasonal pattern of birth defects that is consistent with potential CZS, which correspond to a range of presumed maternal infection that encompasses both the peak of the warm, rainy season as well as the months immediately following it, when mosquito activity is likely high. While we refrain from definitively linking ZIKV infection and birth defects in West Africa at this time, in part due to scant data available from the region, we hope that this report will initiate broader surveillance efforts that may help shed light onto mechanisms underlying CZS.
7
Majumder, Maimuna S., Rosanna Hess, Ratchneewan Ross e Helen Piontkivska. "Seasonality of birth defects in West Africa: could congenital Zika syndrome be to blame?" F1000Research 7 (19 luglio 2018): 159. http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.13858.2.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
The link between Zika virus infection during pregnancy and microcephaly and other neurodevelopmental defects in infants, referred to as congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), was recently discovered. One key question that remains is whether such neurodevelopmental abnormalities are limited to the recently evolved Asiatic ZIKV strains or if they can also be induced by endemic African strains. Thus, we examined birth registries from one particular hospital from a country in West Africa, where ZIKV is endemic. Results showed a seasonal pattern of birth defects that is consistent with potential CZS, which corresponds to a range of presumed maternal infection that encompasses both the peak of the warm, rainy season as well as the months immediately following it, when mosquito activity is likely high. While we refrain from definitively linking ZIKV infection and birth defects in West Africa at this time, in part due to scant data available from the region, we hope that this report will initiate broader surveillance efforts that may help shed light onto mechanisms underlying CZS.
8
Bayandin, Roman B., Marat T. Makenov, Sanaba Boumbaly, Olga A. Stukolova, Anastasia V. Gladysheva, Andrey V. Shipovalov, Maksim O. Skarnovich et al. "The First Case of Zika Virus Disease in Guinea: Description, Virus Isolation, Sequencing, and Seroprevalence in Local Population". Viruses 15, n. 8 (25 luglio 2023): 1620. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v15081620.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a widespread mosquito-borne pathogen. Phylogenetically, two lineages of ZIKV are distinguished: African and Asian–American. The latter became the cause of the 2015–2016 pandemic, with severe consequences for newborns. In West African countries, the African lineage was found, but there is evidence of the emergence of the Asian–American lineage in Cape Verde and Angola. This highlights the need to not only monitor ZIKV but also sequence the isolates. In this article, we present a case report of Zika fever in a pregnant woman from Guinea identified in 2018. Viral RNA was detected through qRT-PCR in a serum sample. In addition, the seroconversion of anti-Zika IgM and IgG antibodies was detected in repeated blood samples. Subsequently, the virus was isolated from the C6/36 cell line. The detected ZIKV belonged to the African lineage, the Nigerian sublineage. The strains with the closest sequences were isolated from mosquitoes in Senegal in 2011 and 2015. In addition, we conducted the serological screening of 116 blood samples collected from patients presenting to the hospital of Faranah with fevers during the period 2018–2021. As a result, it was found that IgM-positive patients were identified each year and that the seroprevalence varied between 5.6% and 17.1%.
9
Dabo, Stéphanie, Annabelle Henrion-Lacritick, Alicia Lecuyer, Davy Jiolle, Christophe Paupy, Diego Ayala, Silvânia da Veiga Leal et al. "Extensive variation and strain-specificity in dengue virus susceptibility among African Aedes aegypti populations". PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 18, n. 3 (25 marzo 2024): e0011862. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0011862.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
African populations of the mosquito Aedes aegypti are usually considered less susceptible to infection by human-pathogenic flaviviruses than globally invasive populations found outside Africa. Although this contrast has been well documented for Zika virus (ZIKV), it is unclear to what extent it is true for dengue virus (DENV), the most prevalent flavivirus of humans. Addressing this question is complicated by substantial genetic diversity among DENV strains, most notably in the form of four genetic types (DENV1 to DENV4), that can lead to genetically specific interactions with mosquito populations. Here, we carried out a survey of DENV susceptibility using a panel of seven field-derived Ae. aegypti colonies from across the African range of the species and a colony from Guadeloupe, French West Indies as non-African reference. We found considerable variation in the ability of African Ae. aegypti populations to acquire and replicate a panel of six DENV strains spanning the four DENV types. Although African Ae. aegypti populations were generally less susceptible than the reference non-African population from Guadeloupe, in several instances some African populations were equally or more susceptible than the Guadeloupe population. Moreover, the relative level of susceptibility between African mosquito populations depended on the DENV strain, indicating genetically specific interactions. We conclude that unlike ZIKV susceptibility, there is no clear-cut dichotomy in DENV susceptibility between African and non-African Ae. aegypti. DENV susceptibility of African Ae. aegypti populations is highly heterogeneous and largely governed by the specific pairing of mosquito population and DENV strain.
10
Venkateswaran, Neeraja, Jawad Sarwar, Nishnath Parameswaran, Tracy Fecteau, David O’Connor, William M. Nelson e Kodumudi Venkateswaran. "Development and testing of a novel multiplex serodiagnostic assay for Zika and other arboviruses". Journal of Immunology 198, n. 1_Supplement (1 maggio 2017): 81.26. http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.198.supp.81.26.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Abstract Human immunoglobulin (IgM) antibody capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (MAC-ELISA) is recommended by US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to detect the Zika Virus (ZIKV) infection in samples collected after few days of the onset of disease. However, the cross-reactivity of IgM and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to ZIKV with dengue virus (DENV), West Nile virus (WNV), yellow fever virus (YFV) and some other related flaviviruses poses a significant challenge for an accurate detection of ZIKV infection in a singleplex serological assay. To overcome these challenges we developed a novel multiplex serological assay that will simultaneously detect antibody response to ZIKV, other related flaviviruses and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Various recombinant arboviral antigens were coupled to optically-coded microspheres from Luminex Corporation. This fluorescent labeled microsphere assay was used to differentiate between recent, past arbovirus infections, or co-infections that may occur in endemic regions. We used plasma samples from non-human primates (NHPs) prior to and after ZIKV infection for longitudinal assessment of IgM and IgG antibody responses for evaluation of this method. 37 blood samples from 5 different animals challenged with either African strain or Asian lineage strain of ZIKV were analyzed for antibody responses to multiple antigens included in this test. We developed a detection algorithm for automation of IgM result analysis to differentiate ZIKV IgM response from other arboviruses. Thus this multiplex arbovirus assay has great promise for testing human samples for detecting ZIKV infection.
11
Gwon, Yong-Dae, Mårten Strand, Richard Lindqvist, Emma Nilsson, Michael Saleeb, Mikael Elofsson, Anna K. Överby e Magnus Evander. "Antiviral Activity of Benzavir-2 against Emerging Flaviviruses". Viruses 12, n. 3 (22 marzo 2020): 351. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v12030351.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Most flaviviruses are arthropod-borne viruses, transmitted by either ticks or mosquitoes, and cause morbidity and mortality worldwide. They are endemic in many countries and have recently emerged in new regions, such as the Zika virus (ZIKV) in South-and Central America, the West Nile virus (WNV) in North America, and the Yellow fever virus (YFV) in Brazil and many African countries, highlighting the need for preparedness. Currently, there are no antiviral drugs available to treat flavivirus infections. We have previously discovered a broad-spectrum antiviral compound, benzavir-2, with potent antiviral activity against both DNA- and RNA-viruses. Our purpose was to investigate the inhibitory activity of benzavir-2 against flaviviruses. We used a ZIKV ZsGreen-expressing vector, two lineages of wild-type ZIKV, and other medically important flaviviruses. Benzavir-2 inhibited ZIKV derived reporter gene expression with an EC50 value of 0.8 ± 0.1 µM. Furthermore, ZIKV plaque formation, progeny virus production, and viral RNA expression were strongly inhibited. In addition, 2.5 µM of benzavir-2 reduced infection in vitro in three to five orders of magnitude for five other flaviviruses: WNV, YFV, the tick-borne encephalitis virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, and dengue virus. In conclusion, benzavir-2 was a potent inhibitor of flavivirus infection, which supported the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of benzavir-2.
12
Joannides, Joannitta, Mawuli Dzodzomenyo, Faustus Azerigyik, Eudocia Esinam Agbosu, Deborah Pratt, Joseph Harold Nyarko Osei, Rebecca Pwalia et al. "Species composition and risk of transmission of some Aedes-borne arboviruses in some sites in Northern Ghana". PLOS ONE 16, n. 6 (1 giugno 2021): e0234675. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234675.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Aedes-borne viral diseases mainly Yellow Fever (YF), Dengue (DEN), Zika (ZIK) and Chikungunya (CHK) have contributed to many deaths’ in the world especially in Africa. There have been major outbreaks of these diseases in West Africa. Although, YF outbreaks have occurred in Ghana over the years, no outbreak of DEN, ZIK and CHK has been recorded. However, the risk of outbreak is high due to its proximity to West African countries where outbreaks have been recently been recorded. This study surveyed the mosquito fauna to assess the risk of transmission of Yellow fever (YFV), Dengue (DENV), Chikungunya (CHKV) and Zika (ZIKV) viruses in Larabanga and Mole Game Reserve areas in Northern Ghana. The immature and adult stages of Aedes mosquitoes were collected from Larabanga and Mole Game Reserve area. There was a significant (P>0.001) number of mosquitoes collected during the rainy season than the dry season. A total of 1,930 Aedes mosquitoes were collected during the rainy season and morphologically identified. Of these, 1,915 (99.22%) were Aedes aegypti and 15 (0.22%) were Aedes vittatus. During the dry season, 27 Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected. A total of 415 Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were molecularly identified to subspecies level of which Ae. (Ae) aegypti aegypti was the predominant subspecies. Both Ae. aegypti aegypti and Ae aegypti formosus exist in sympatry in the area. All Aedes pools (75) were negative for DENV, ZIKV and CHKV when examined by RT- PCR. Three Larval indices namely House Index, HI (percentage of houses positive for Aedes larvae or pupae), Container Index, CI (the percentage of containers positive for Aedes larvae or pupae) and Breteau Index, BI (number of positive containers per 100 houses inspected) were assessed as a measure for risk of transmission in the study area. The HI, CI and BI for both sites were as follows; Mole Game Reserve (HI, 42.1%, CI, 23.5% and BI, 100 for rainy season and 0 for all indices for dry season) and Larabanga (39%, 15.5% and 61 for rainy season and 2.3%, 1.3% and 2.3 for dry season). The spatial distribution of Aedes breeding sites in both areas indicated that Aedes larvae were breeding in areas with close proximity to humans. Lorry tires were the main source of Aedes larvae in all the study areas. Information about the species composition and the potential role of Aedes mosquitoes in future outbreaks of the diseases that they transmit is needed to design efficient surveillance and vector control tools.
13
Idris, A. N., Whong, C. M. Z. e Abdulkadir, B. "Historical Trend and Epidemiology of Zika Virus". UMYU Journal of Microbiology Research (UJMR) 2, n. 2 (30 dicembre 2017): 153–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.47430/ujmr.1722.023.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus related to yellow fever, dengue, West Nile, and Japanese encephalitis viruses. In 2007 ZIKV caused an outbreak of relatively mild disease characterized by rash, arthralgia, and conjunctivitis on Yap Island in the south western Pacific Islands. Zika virus trend infection have been confirmed in several infants with microcephaly and in fetal losses in women infected during pregnancy. The virus can be prevented and control by sleeping under treated mosquito net to protect you from Mosquito bite. This was the first time that ZIKV was detected outside of Africa and Asia. The history, transmission dynamics, virology, and clinical manifestations of ZIKV disease are discussed, along with the possibility for diagnostic confusion between ZIKV illness and dengue. The emergence of ZIKV outside of its previously known geographic range should prompt awareness of the potential for ZIKV to spread to other Pacific islands and the America.
14
Poungou, Natacha, Silas Lendzele Sevidzem, Aubin Armel Koumba, Christophe Roland Zinga Koumba, Phillipe Mbehang, Richard Onanga, Julien Zahouli Bi Zahouli et al. "Mosquito-Borne Arboviruses Occurrence and Distribution in the Last Three Decades in Central Africa: A Systematic Literature Review". Microorganisms 12, n. 1 (19 dicembre 2023): 4. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12010004.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Arboviruses represent a real public health problem globally and in the Central African subregion in particular, which represents a high-risk zone for the emergence and re-emergence of arbovirus outbreaks. Furthermore, an updated review on the current arbovirus burden and associated mosquito vectors is lacking for this region. To contribute to filling this knowledge gap, the current study was designed with the following objectives: (i) to systematically review data on the occurrence and distribution of arboviruses and mosquito fauna; and (ii) to identify potential spillover mosquito species in the Central African region in the last 30 years. A web search enabled the documentation of 2454 articles from different online databases. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) and the quality of reporting of meta-analyses (QUORUM) steps for a systematic review enabled the selection of 164 articles that fulfilled our selection criteria. Of the six arboviruses (dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), yellow fever virus (YFV), Zika virus (ZIKV), Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), and West Nile virus (WNV)) of public health concern studied, the most frequently reported were chikungunya and dengue. The entomological records showed >248 species of mosquitoes regrouped under 15 genera, with Anopheles (n = 100 species), Culex (n = 56 species), and Aedes (n = 52 species) having high species diversity. Three genera were rarely represented, with only one species included, namely, Orthopodomyia, Lutzia, and Verrallina, but individuals of the genera Toxorhinchites and Finlayas were not identified at the species level. We found that two Aedes species (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus) colonised the same microhabitat and were involved in major epidemics of the six medically important arboviruses, and other less-frequently identified mosquito genera consisted of competent species and were associated with outbreaks of medical and zoonotic arboviruses. The present study reveals a high species richness of competent mosquito vectors that could lead to the spillover of medically important arboviruses in the region. Although epidemiological studies were found, they were not regularly documented, and this also applies to vector competence and transmission studies. Future studies will consider unpublished information in dissertations and technical reports from different countries to allow their information to be more consistent. A regional project, entitled “Ecology of Arboviruses” (EcoVir), is underway in three countries (Gabon, Benin, and Cote d’Ivoire) to generate a more comprehensive epidemiological and entomological data on this topic.
15
Marchi, Serena, Simonetta Viviani, Emanuele Montomoli, Yuxiao Tang, Adele Boccuto, Ilaria Vicenti, Maurizio Zazzi et al. "Zika Virus Epidemiology in Selected West African Countries between 2007 and 2012". Proceedings 50, n. 1 (24 giugno 2020): 100. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2020050100.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Before its recent spread, serological investigations conducted between the 1960s and the 1990s showed the wide presence of Zika virus in Africa. According to the World Health Organization, the entire Africa continent is at risk of Zika outbreak due to the presence of the virus, competent vectors, and the low capacity for surveillance and containment of an epidemic. However, limited data are available on the recent prevalence in the African population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunity against Zika virus in samples of a selected cohort from West Africa, in order to investigate the circulation of the virus in the region during the first years of its emergence in the Pacific. Human serum samples were collected in 2007 and between 2011 and 2012 from a cohort of subjects from Mali, Senegal, and The Gambia. The samples were tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection kit and positives were further confirmed by microneutralization test. The results indicate that Zika virus is present and actively circulating in Senegal and The Gambia, with prevalence values of 13.7% and 6.9% in 2012, respectively. Although no significant differences in prevalence were found for the considered time period, seroconversion of some subjects showed the active circulation of Zika virus in the West African area. Analysis by age showed an increase in immunity in relation to increasing age, demonstrating that the population is consistently exposed to the virus throughout life and with a high possibility of being infected during reproductive age. In conclusion, the obtained results allow for better knowledge of the circulation of Zika virus within three different ecological and demographic contexts, and represent an update to the limited data currently available.
16
Marchi, Serena, Simonetta Viviani, Emanuele Montomoli, Yuxiao Tang, Adele Boccuto, Ilaria Vicenti, Maurizio Zazzi et al. "Zika Virus in West Africa: A Seroepidemiological Study between 2007 and 2012". Viruses 12, n. 6 (13 giugno 2020): 641. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v12060641.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
According to the World Health Organization, the entire African continent is at risk of a Zika outbreak. To increase data availability on the epidemiology of Zika virus circulation in Africa, we evaluated the immunity to Zika virus in a selected cohort of subjects from West Africa between 2007 and 2012. Human serum samples were collected in 2007 and in 2011/2012 from a cohort of 2–29-year-old subjects from Mali, Senegal, and The Gambia. A sample that tested positive by Zika virus IgG ELISA and by Zika virus microneutralization test was defined as positive. In 2007, the highest prevalence was 21.9%, found in Senegal among 18–29-year-old subjects. In 2011/2012, the highest prevalence, 22.7%, was found still in Senegal, but in 11–17-year-old subjects. During both study periods, the lowest prevalence was found in Mali, where few positive cases were found only in 18–29-year-old subjects. The Gambia showed an intermediate prevalence. In the three countries, prevalence was strongly associated with increasing age. This study contributes to understanding Zika virus circulation within three different ecological and demographic contexts with scarce or no data currently available. Results showed that Zika virus circulated actively in West Africa between the period 2007 and 2011/2012, but with some geographic specificity.
17
Khatri, Sweety, Chandni Dhanoriya e Deepak Kumar Jain. "Zika virus (ZIKV) disease: past, present and future". Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics 8, n. 6-s (15 dicembre 2018): 320–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.22270/jddt.v8i6-s.2076.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
The mosquito-borne arbovirus Zika virus (positive-stranded RNA virus, ZIKV, Flavivirus, Flaviviridae), has caused an outbreak imposing by its extent and quick spread. This became the focus of a current pandemic and public health crisis all around the world because of the incessant geographic growth of both the virus and its mosquito vectors; it is often misdiagnosed with other disease like yellow fever, west nile, dengue and chikungunya because of same clinical manifestation. After unprecedented huge scale outbreak of ZIKV in Pacific, Micronesian island of Yap in 2007, though ZIKV infections are in general sporadic cases or causing mild self-limiting illness, harsh symptoms have been explained including neurological disorders, autoimmune disorder, fetal anomalies, impaired central nervous system of the fetus, microcephaly in newborns, meningoencephalitis, myelitis and Guillain Barre´Syndrome supposed to be linked with ZIKV. The virus is transmitted mainly by a mosquito Aedes aegypti, whereas, other routes of viral broadcast includes monkey bite, coitus and body fluids such as semen, blood and saliva which needs further corroboration. The relationship between these conditions with ZIKV infection is still not established and is under assessment. Till now there is no vaccine or specific antiviral against ZIKV, therefore the public health authority focuses on preventing infection, mainly in pregnant women and virus transmitted area. WHO and other health officials are working on the expansion of new projects and mosquito control techniques to manage up with infection as there is very fewer literature present on the pathogenesis of the ZIKV to help understand the clinical disease spectrum and target treatments to decrease or stop infection. The future status of ZIKV dispersal to other parts of the world is still unknown. The present review emphasizes various features of ZIKV and its history, epidemiology, transmission, clinical manifestations, progress and advances in developing effective diagnostics, vaccines and drugs/therapeutics along with accepting suitable avoidance and control strategies to undertake this deadly emerging disease.
Keywords: Zika virus, Flavivirus, Aedes aegypti, Pregnancy, Transmission, Microcephaly, Africa
18
Tinto, Bachirou, Didier Patindé Alexandre Kaboré, Dramane Kania, Thérèse Samdapawindé Kagoné, Alice Kiba-Koumaré, Laura Pinceloup, Guillaume Thaurignac et al. "Serological Evidence of Zika Virus Circulation in Burkina Faso". Pathogens 11, n. 7 (29 giugno 2022): 741. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11070741.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Zika virus (ZIKV) and dengue virus (DENV) are two closely related members of the Flaviviridae family, both transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, and are among the arboviruses most at risk to human health. Burkina Faso has been facing an upsurge in DENV outbreaks since 2013. Unlike DENV, there is no serological evidence of ZIKV circulation in humans in Burkina Faso. The main objective of our study was to determine the seroprevalence of ZIKV and DENV in blood donors in Burkina Faso. A total of 501 donor samples collected in the two major cities of the country in 2020 were first tested by a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect flavivirus antibodies. Positive sera were then tested using Luminex to detect ZIKV and DENV antibodies and virus-specific microneutralization tests against ZIKV were performed. The ZIKV seroprevalence was 22.75% in the donor samples and we found seropositivity for all DENV-serotypes ranging from 19.56% for DENV-1 to 48.86% for DENV-2. Molecular analyses performed on samples from febrile patients and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes between 2019 and 2021 were negative. Our study showed the important circulation of ZIKV and DENV detected by serology although molecular evidence of the circulation of ZIKV could not be demonstrated. It is essential to strengthen existing arbovirus surveillance in Burkina Faso and more broadly in West Africa by focusing on fevers of unknown origin and integrating vector surveillance to assess the extent of ZIKV circulation and identify the circulating strain. Further studies are needed to better understand the epidemiology of this virus in order to define appropriate prevention and response methods.
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Schultz, Emily M., TyAnthony J. Jones, Hannah K. Hopkins, Jingmei Zeng e Kelli L. Barr. "Post-Vaccination Yellow Fever Antiserum Reduces Zika Virus in Embryoid Bodies When Placental Cells are Present". Vaccines 8, n. 4 (11 dicembre 2020): 752. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8040752.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus that originated in Africa but emerged in Latin America in 2015. In this region, other flaviviruses such as Dengue (DENV), West Nile, and Yellow Fever virus (YFV) also circulate, allowing for possible antigenic cross-reactivity to impact viral infections and immune responses. Studies have found antibody-mediated enhancement between DENV and ZIKV, but the impact of YFV antibodies on ZIKV infection has not been fully explored. ZIKV infections cause congenital syndromes, such as microcephaly, necessitating further research into ZIKV vertical transmission through the placental barrier. Recent advancements in biomedical engineering have generated co-culture methods that allow for the in vitro recapitulation of the maternal–fetal interface. This study utilized a transwell assay, which was a co-culture model utilizing human placental syncytiotrophoblasts, fetal umbilical cells, and a differentiating embryoid body, to replicate the maternal–fetal axis. To determine if cross-reactive YFV vaccine antibodies impacted the pathogenesis of ZIKV across the maternal–fetal axis, syncytiotrophoblasts were inoculated with ZIKV or ZIKV incubated with YFV vaccine antisera, and the viral load was measured 72 h post-inoculation. Here, we report that BeWo and HUVEC cells were permissive to ZIKV and that the impact of YFV post-vaccination antibodies on ZIKV replication was cell line-dependent. Embryoid bodies were also permissive to ZIKV, and the presence of YFV antibodies collected 4–14 months post-vaccination reduced ZIKV infection when placental cells were present. However, when directly infected with ZIKV, the embryoid bodies displayed significantly increased viral loads in the presence of YFV antiserum taken 30 days post-vaccination. The data show that each of the cell lines and EBs have a unique response to ZIKV complexed with post-vaccination serum, suggesting there may be cell-specific mechanisms that impact congenital ZIKV infections. Since ZIKV infections can cause severe congenital syndromes, it is crucial to understand any potential enhancement or protection offered from cross-reactive, post-vaccination antibodies.
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Gatherer, Derek. "The voyages of Zika virus". Microbiology Australia 37, n. 4 (2016): 206. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ma16067.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
The announcement in May this year from the World Health Organization, that the Zika virus outbreak that began in October 2015 in the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa was an American variant of Zika virus, confirmed that Zika has now circumnavigated the world.
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Agboli, Eric, Julien B. Z. Zahouli, Athanase Badolo e Hanna Jöst. "Mosquito-Associated Viruses and Their Related Mosquitoes in West Africa". Viruses 13, n. 5 (12 maggio 2021): 891. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v13050891.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Mosquito-associated viruses (MAVs), including mosquito-specific viruses (MSVs) and mosquito-borne (arbo)viruses (MBVs), are an increasing public, veterinary, and global health concern, and West Africa is projected to be the next front for arboviral diseases. As in-depth knowledge of the ecologies of both western African MAVs and related mosquitoes is still limited, we review available and comprehensive data on their diversity, abundance, and distribution. Data on MAVs’ occurrence and related mosquitoes were extracted from peer-reviewed publications. Data on MSVs, and mosquito and vertebrate host ranges are sparse. However, more data are available on MBVs (i.e., dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, Zika, and Rift Valley fever viruses), detected in wild and domestic animals, and humans, with infections more concentrated in urban areas and areas affected by strong anthropogenic changes. Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Aedes albopictus are incriminated as key arbovirus vectors. These findings outline MAV, related mosquitoes, key knowledge gaps, and future research areas. Additionally, these data highlight the need to increase our understanding of MAVs and their impact on host mosquito ecology, to improve our knowledge of arbovirus transmission, and to develop specific strategies and capacities for arboviral disease surveillance, diagnostic, prevention, control, and outbreak responses in West Africa.
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Bache, Emmanuel, Marguerite M. Loembe e Selidji T. Agnandji. "PO 8581 ZOONOTIC VIRAL ANTIGENS SURVEILLANCE IN HEALTHY POPULATIONS LIVING IN LAMBARÉNÉ, GABON". BMJ Global Health 4, Suppl 3 (aprile 2019): A58.2—A58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-edc.153.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
BackgroundWorldwide, viral zoonotic infections such as filoviruses, flaviviruses, nairoviruses and arenaviruses cause self-limiting to severe diseases. They are endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, causing sporadic outbreaks warranting the development of sustainable surveillance systems. In Gabon, Ebola outbreaks occurred from 1994 to 2002 causing 214 human cases and 150 deaths, while Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya virus outbreaks occurred between 2007 and 2010. Beyond these outbreaks, little is known about the epidemiology. Recently, in collaboration with the Japanese government, the Research and Health Ministries of Gabon supported the implementation of a biosecurity level-3 (BSL-3) laboratory at CERMEL in Lambaréné as a zoonotic disease surveillance unit. Start-off involved antigen detection and characterisation of circulating antibodies to targeted viral antigens in healthy populations. This study reports data from healthy participants (18–50 years) in a phase I rVSV-ZEBOV-GP Ebola vaccine trial.MethodsHundred-six (106) baseline samples were screened for Ebola, Dengue (serotypes) 1–4 and Chikungunya viral RNA by RT-PCR on serum. IgG ELISA on plasma was used to identify antibodies against: Zaire-Ebola-(EBOV-GP and EBOV-VP40), Marburg-(MARV-GP and MARV-VP40), Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever-(CCHFV-GP), Lasa-(LASV-GPC and LASV-NP), Yellow Fever-(YFV-NS1), West-Nile-(WNV-NS1), Zika virus-(ZIKV-NS1), Chikungunya-(CHIKV-VLP) and Dengue-(DENV1-NS1,DENV2-NS1,DENV3-NS1,DENV4-NS1) virus antigens.ResultsNo viral RNA was isolated by RT-PCR in 106 samples. About 9% (10/106), 3% (3/106), 6% (6/106), 24% (25/106), 51% (54/106), 38% (40/106) and 36% (38/106) participants were seropositive for antibodies specific to EBOV-GP, MARV-GP, CCHFV-GP, YFV-NS1, WNV-NS1, ZIKV-NS1 and CHIKV-VLP, respectively. Twelve percent (12%; 13/106) of participants possessed antibodies specific to Zika, Chikungunya and Dengue 1–4 antigens. Six percent (6%; 6/106) of participants were seropositive for EBOV-GP and CCHFV-GP.ConclusionWe found antibodies to viral zoonotic infections among our healthy volunteers. Further assays, including neutralisation assays are being performed to ascertain the specificity of the antibodies. These findings, once confirmed, will provide insights into disease surveillance, vaccine trial designs, evaluation of post-vaccine immune responses, variability in adverse events and overall disease transmission patterns.
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Falade, Bankole. "Religious and Traditional Belief Systems Coexist and Compete with Science for Cultural Authority in West Africa". Cultures of Science 2, n. 1 (marzo 2019): 9–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/209660831900200102.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
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.
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Sheikh, Farooq A. "Uphill Task: Can We Ever Conquer Against New Emerging Viruses?" JMS SKIMS 20, n. 2 (9 dicembre 2017): 109–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.33883/jms.v20i2.207.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Every time there is a major infectious disease outbreak that scares us, such as Ebola in West Africa, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) on the Arabian Peninsula and South Africa, and Zika virus in South and Central America and the Caribbean; this time arising from a mosquito-borne agent that has spread stealth around the globe [ 1]. It remains one of the great mysteries of the Zika epidemic: Why did a virus that existed for decades elsewhere in the world suddenly seem to become more destructive when it landed in Latin America? An intriguing study in mice, which has prompted some skepticism among experts, suggests that a single genetic mutation- called S139N, first arose in an Asian strain of the Zika virus in 2013, just before a small outbreak in French Polynesia, helped transform the Zika virus into a devastating force in Latin America [2 ]. JMS 2017;20(2):115-116
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Gatherer, Derek. "Emerging viruses – is there an emerging pattern?" Biochemist 39, n. 3 (1 giugno 2017): 4–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1042/bio03903004.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014 and the spread of Zika across the Americas in 2016 have thrust previously obscure viruses into the media spotlight. But is something new really going on? What can we expect in future? Is there anything we can do?
26
Varghese, Jano, Imesh De Silva e Douglas Millar. "Latest Advances in Arbovirus Diagnostics". Microorganisms 11, n. 5 (28 aprile 2023): 1159. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11051159.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Arboviruses are a diverse family of vector-borne pathogens that include members of the Flaviviridae, Togaviridae, Phenuviridae, Peribunyaviridae, Reoviridae, Asfarviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Orthomyxoviridae and Poxviridae families. It is thought that new world arboviruses such as yellow fever virus emerged in the 16th century due to the slave trade from Africa to America. Severe disease-causing viruses in humans include Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), yellow fever virus (YFV), dengue virus (DENV), West Nile virus (WNV), Zika virus (ZIKV), Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). Numerous methods have been developed to detect the presence of these pathogens in clinical samples, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), lateral flow assays (LFAs) and reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Most of these assays are performed in centralized laboratories due to the need for specialized equipment, such as PCR thermal cyclers and dedicated infrastructure. More recently, molecular methods have been developed which can be performed at a constant temperature, termed isothermal amplification, negating the need for expensive thermal cycling equipment. In most cases, isothermal amplification can now be carried out in as little as 5–20 min. These methods can potentially be used as inexpensive point of care (POC) tests and in-field deployable applications, thus decentralizing the molecular diagnosis of arboviral disease. This review focuses on the latest developments in isothermal amplification technology and detection techniques that have been applied to arboviral diagnostics and highlights future applications of these new technologies.
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Herrera, Bobby Brooke, Charlotte A. Chang, Donald J. Hamel, Souleymane Mboup, Daouda Ndiaye, Godwin Imade, Jonathan Okpokwu, Oche Agbaji, Amy K. Bei e Phyllis J. Kanki. "Continued Transmission of Zika Virus in Humans in West Africa, 1992–2016". Journal of Infectious Diseases 215, n. 10 (8 aprile 2017): 1546–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jix182.
Testo completo
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Bhatia, Bharti, Wakako Furuyama, Thomas Hoenen, Heinz Feldmann e Andrea Marzi. "Ebola Virus Glycoprotein Domains Associated with Protective Efficacy". Vaccines 9, n. 6 (10 giugno 2021): 630. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9060630.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Ebola virus (EBOV) is the cause of sporadic outbreaks of human hemorrhagic disease in Africa, and the best-characterized virus in the filovirus family. The West African epidemic accelerated the clinical development of vaccines and therapeutics, leading to licensure of vaccines and antibody-based therapeutics for human use in recent years. The most widely used vaccine is based on vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) expressing the EBOV glycoprotein (GP) (VSV-EBOV). Due to its favorable immune cell targeting, this vaccine has also been used as a base vector for the development of second generation VSV-based vaccines against Influenza, Nipah, and Zika viruses. However, in these situations, it may be beneficial if the immunogenicity against EBOV GP is minimized to induce a better protective immune response against the other foreign immunogen. Here, we analyzed if EBOV GP can be truncated to be less immunogenic, yet still able to drive replication of the vaccine vector. We found that the EBOV GP glycan cap and the mucin-like domain are both dispensable for VSV-EBOV replication. The glycan cap, however, appears critical for mediating a protective immune response against lethal EBOV challenge in mice.
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Chappatte, André. "When silence is “yeelen” (light): Exploring the corporeality of the mind in a nocturnal solo zikr practice (Odienné, Ivory Coast)". Critical Research on Religion 9, n. 2 (1 febbraio 2021): 175–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2050303220986982.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
In the town of Odienné (Ivory Coast), Madou forges his faith in God by performing long sessions of solo zikr (recollection of God) after midnight. This article ethnographically explores the theme of light in this Sufi practice of concentration as an experiential form of being. It first describes how the light and darkness of the penumbra of the night co-initiate what I call “the devotional place” of zikr. Following a phenomenological writing, it then describes how, as hours go by, Madou’s concentration navigates towards “ yeelen” (spiritual light) through the silence of the deep night. In doing so, this article elaborates the “corporeal mind” as synesthetic instants in this journey when the body becomes the mind and the mind faith, as the penumbra becomes silence and silence light. In other words, it explores the sensuous unboundedness of the self that happens in regular and long practice of nocturnal solo zikr. This article therefore offers a corporeal understanding of the light of God among practitioners of prolonged nocturnal solo zikr in West Africa.
30
Ali, P. Shaik Syed. "Epidemiology of emerging viruses". Indian Journal of Microbiology Research 10, n. 3 (15 ottobre 2023): 116–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.18231/j.ijmr.2023.021.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Newly emerging viruses such as West Nile virus, coronaviruses (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2), H1N1pdm09, Ebola virus, Zika virus and Monkeypox virus are of global concern as they have caused serious public threats. Among the several outbreaks caused by emerging viruses, the worst pandemic was caused by SARS-CoV-2. The Omicron variant is the dominant variant among SARS-CoV-2 variants and the lineages BA.5.2 and BF.7 were responsible for the recent Chinese surge. Genome sequencing studies of MERS-CoV revealed that it is evolving with mutations in spike protein. West Nile virus is still circulating among birds in Europe, Mediterranean and North American countries. Several West Nile virus cases were reported from Europe and neighboring countries in 2022. The 2009 H1N1 pandemic caused by H1N1pdm09 is a variant strain evolved from H1N1 in swine. Though it caused more than 60 million infections, the mortality rate was 0.02%. Staggeringly, severe infections occurred among obese people. Zika virus has jumped borders from Africa and is adapting to become endemic in new geographical habitats such as South East Asia, India and Europe due to uncontrolled breeding of Aedes mosquitoes. Recently, autochthonous vector borne transmission of Zika virus was documented in France. During the Monkeypox pandemic, the virus demonstrated a lower infectious and mortality rate in individuals vaccinated for smallpox. A lower virulence of Monkeypox virus compared to smallpox was due to mutations in the ORF regions. Surveillance efforts and measures must be incessantly undertaken to prevent future outbreaks caused by emerging viruses.
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Pinto Junior, Vitor Laerte, Kleber Luz, Ricardo Parreira e Paulo Ferrinho. "Vírus Zika: Revisão para Clínicos". Acta Médica Portuguesa 28, n. 6 (3 dicembre 2015): 760. http://dx.doi.org/10.20344/amp.6929.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Zika virus is a flavivirus related to Dengue virus, yellow fever virus and West Nile virus. It is considered an emerging arbovirus transmitted by mosquitos of the genus Aedes. Its first description took place in 1947 in the Zika Forest in Uganda, isolated on Rhesus monkey used as bait to study the yellow fever virus. Sporadic cases have been detected in African countries and at the end of the 70’s in Indonesia. In 2007, epidemics were described in Micronesia and other islands in the Pacific Ocean and more recently in Brazil. Clinical picture is characterized as a ‘dengue-like’ syndrome, with abrupt onset of fever and an early onset evanescent rash, often pruritic. Occasionally the disease has been associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome. Nevertheless, until now deaths and complications caused by the disease were not reported. The diagnosis can be performed by PCR or by IgG and IgM antibodies detection. The rapid spread of the virus and its epidemic potential are especially problematic in countries where there are the circulation of other arboviruses which<br />imposes difficulties in the differential diagnosis and healthcare burden. Control measures are the same recommended for dengue and chikungunya which are based in health education and vector control.
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Mohulatsi, Makgake Ziphorah, Tendayi Clotilda Garutsa e Boipelo Bahule. "The Experiences of Expectant and New Mothers in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mmabatho, North-West, South Africa". Social Sciences 12, n. 7 (28 giugno 2023): 381. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/socsci12070381.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Access to maternal healthcare has been a challenge for women of African descent. Similarly, to previous illness outbreaks such as the Ebola and Zika outbreaks, the Coronavirus pandemic effects vary from one demographic group to another. Women, compared to men, are left in a more vulnerable position due to long-existing social inequalities and disparities. Differentiated effects include, amongst others, access to health and healthcare, risk of infection and coping strategies. This study examined the experiences of expectant and new mothers in accessing maternal healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In-depth interviews were used, and participants were selected from Mmabatho, North-West Province in South Africa. The findings show that women accessing maternal healthcare services have had diverse experiences. Some expectant and new mothers experienced fear, anxiety, and frustration, while some had more positive experiences. The positive experiences included spending more time with their families and newborn babies. Some of the participants were worried because of the fear of being infected with the coronavirus. Furthermore, the unavailability and inadequacy of, as well as limited access to, maternal healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected some of the women in the study. This study recommends that public and private sectors responsible for providing maternal healthcare should have emergency preparedness measures in place to ensure the continuous provision of maternal healthcare and cushion women in future disease pandemics.
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Grubaugh, Nathan D., e Kristian G. Andersen. "Navigating the Zika panic". F1000Research 5 (4 agosto 2016): 1914. http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.9370.1.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
The epidemics of Ebola virus in West Africa and Zika virus in America highlight how viruses can explosively emerge into new territories. These epidemics also exposed how unprepared we are to handle infectious disease emergencies. This is also true when we consider hypothesized new clinical features of infection, such as the associations between Zika virus infection and severe neurological disease, including microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. On the surface, these pathologies appear to be new features of Zika virus infection, however, causal relationships have not yet been established. Decades of limited Zika virus research are making us scramble to determine the true drivers behind the epidemic, often at the expense of over-speculation without credible evidence. Here we review the literature and find no conclusive evidence at this time for significant biological differences between the American Zika virus strains and those circulating elsewhere. Rather, the epidemic scale in the Americas may be facilitated by an abnormally warm climate, dense human and mosquito populations, and previous exposure to other viruses. Severe disease associated with Zika virus may therefore not be a new trait for the virus, rather it may have been overlooked due to previously small outbreaks. Much of the recent panic regarding Zika virus has been about the Olympics in Brazil. We do not find any substantial evidence that the Olympics will result in a significant number of new Zika virus infections (~10 predicted) or that the Olympics will promote further epidemic spread over what is already expected. The Zika virus epidemic in the Americas is a serious situation and decisions based on solid scientific evidence - not hyped media speculations - are required for effective outbreak response.
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Lounibos, L. Phil, Barry W. Alto, Nathan D. Burkett-Cadena, Cynthia C. Lord, Chelsea T. Smartt, C. Roxanne Rutledge Connelly e Jorge R. Rey. "Zika, a Mosquito-Transmitted Virus". EDIS 2016, n. 1 (16 febbraio 2016): 7. http://dx.doi.org/10.32473/edis-in1120-2016.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Zika is a mosquito-transmitted virus that has spread broadly in tropical regions and caused epidemics, especially in the past 8 to 9 years. In its native range in West Africa and Uganda, the Zika virus stays in the forest for the most part, and human infections are considered incidental and medically inconsequential. In 2015, however, Zika became a larger concern when a strain of the virus traced to outbreaks in French Polynesia emerged in northeastern Brazil. This strain provoked alarm because of increased incidence of microcephaly in babies born to Zika-infected mothers. Local transmission, mainly by the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti, has now been documented in most tropical countries of the Americas but has not yet been detected in the continental United States. This 7-page fact sheet describes the Zika microbe, its mosquito hosts, and the disease it causes. A history of the virus and its migration are included, along with some details about the virus in the state of Florida and preventative measures people can take to avoid infection. The best way to avoid contracting Zika (and other mosquito-borne diseases) is not to get bitten in the first place. Take precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Written by L. P. Lounibos, B. W. Alto, N. D. Burkett-Cadena, C. C. Lord, C. T. Smartt, C. R. Connelly, and J. R. Rey, and published by the Department of Entomology and Nematology, February 2016. ENY-888/IN1120: Zika, a Mosquito-Transmitted Virus (ufl.edu) See also 2/9/2016 press release: UF/IFAS scientists write document explaining Zika virus; urge vigilance - News.
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Klasing, Amanda M. "COVID-19, Gender, and Intersectional Discrimination: Can the Promise of International Human Rights Meet the Moment?" Proceedings of the ASIL Annual Meeting 114 (2020): 377–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/amp.2021.71.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Human rights documentation around the world has shown that crises disproportionately or distinctly impacts women and girls, whether conflict or natural disaster-related. This is true for disease outbreaks as well. Human Rights Watch has raised the concerns about the gendered impacts of the Ebola virus outbreaks in West Africa, or the human rights dimensions of the Zika virus impacts in northeast Brazil. The COVID-19 pandemic and response are no different. We are already seeing the disproportionate and gendered ways government responses to the pandemic are generating harm to women and girls and reinforcing longstanding gender inequity.
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Lendak, Dajana, Tomislav Preveden, Nadica Kovacevic, Slavica Tomic, Maja Ruzic e Milotka Fabri. "Novel infectious diseases in europe". Medical review 70, n. 11-12 (2017): 385–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.2298/mpns1712385l.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Introduction. The end of 20th and beginning of 21st century is marked by the discovery of new, supercontagious and fast spreading viral diseases. Since 1967, more than 40 new agents have been identified, including human immunodeficiency virus, Ebola, Marburg fever, severe acute respiratory syndrome, hepatitis C, hepatitis E viruses and Zika virus. Modern lifestyle, availability and speed of air traffic, migrations, as well as climate changes, enable faster spreading of infectious diseases from the regions that were hardly reachable. We selected a few diseases that raised the greatest attention among experts and public in general. Ebola. Ebola virus raises anxiety due to high mortality and fast spreading by using inter-human contact. Zika virus. Zika virus, that most often causes mild symptoms, is potentially responsible for microcephaly in neonates. Dengue. Dengue virus is an ?old story?, but in last decades incidence has multiplied by 30. West Nile virus. Although discovered in 1937, West Nile virus has been found exclusively in rural parts of Africa, while nowadays it represents one of the most important etiological factors of viral meningo-encephalitis all over the world. Hepatitis E. Today it is well-known that hepatitis E virus can cause not only acute viral hepatitis but also potentially blood-transmitted chronic hepatitis in immunocompromised, as well as some neurological disorders. Conclusion. One of the scientific challenges in the future will certainly be the discovery of available and cost-effective diagnostic tests, as well as efficient and safe vaccines for these diseases. Up to now, efficient prophylaxis is available only for Denga virus.
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Raulino, Raisa, Guillaume Thaurignac, Christelle Butel, Christian Julian Villabona-Arenas, Thomas Foe, Severin Loul, Simon-Pierre Ndimbo-Kumugo et al. "Multiplex detection of antibodies to Chikungunya, O’nyong-nyong, Zika, Dengue, West Nile and Usutu viruses in diverse non-human primate species from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo". PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 15, n. 1 (21 gennaio 2021): e0009028. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009028.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Background Epidemic arbovirus transmission occurs among humans by mosquito bites and the sylvatic transmission cycles involving non-human primates (NHPs) still exists. However, limited data are available on the extent in NHPs infections and their role. In this study, we have developed and validated a high-throughput serological screening tool to study the circulation of multiple arboviruses that represent a significant threat to human health, in NHPs in Central Africa. Methodology/Principal findings Recombinant proteins NS1, envelope domain-3 (DIII) for the dengue (DENV), yellow fever (YFV), usutu (USUV), west nile (WNV) and zika (ZIKV) and envelope 2 for the chikungunya (CHIKV) and o'nyong-nyong (ONNV) were coupled to Luminex beads to detect IgG directed against these viruses. Evaluation of test performance was made using 161 human sera of known arboviral status (66 negative and 95 positive). The sensitivity and specificity of each antigen were determined by statistical methods and ROC curves (except for ONNV and USUV). All NS1 antigens (except NS1-YFV), CHIKV-E2 and WNV-DIII had sensitivities and specificities > 95%. For the other DIII antigens, the sensitivity was low, limiting the interest of their use for seroprevalence studies. Few simultaneous reactions were observed between the CHIKV+ samples and the NS1 antigens to the non-CHIKV arboviruses. On the other hand, the DENV+ samples crossed-reacted with NS1 of all the DENV serotypes (1 to 4), as well as with ZIKV, USUV and to a lesser extent with YFV. A total of 3,518 samples of 29 species of NHPs from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were tested against NS1 (except YFV), E2 (CHIKV/ONNV) and DIII (WNV) antigens. In monkeys (n = 2,100), the global prevalence varied between 2 and 5% for the ten antigens tested. When we stratified by monkey’s biotope, the arboreal species showed the highest reactivity. In monkeys from Cameroon, the highest IgG prevalence were observed against ONNV-E2 and DENV2-NS1 with 3.95% and 3.40% respectively and in DRC, ONNV-E2 (6.63%) and WNV-NS1 (4.42%). Overall prevalence was low in apes (n = 1,418): ranging from 0% for USUV-NS1 to 2.6% for CHIKV-E2. However, a very large disparity was observed among collection site and ape species, e.g. 18% (9/40) and 8.2% (4/49) of gorillas were reactive with CHIKV-E2 or WNV-NS1, respectively in two different sites in Cameroon. Conclusions/Significance We have developed a serological assay based on Luminex technology, with high specificity and sensitivity for simultaneous detection of antibodies to 10 antigens from 6 different arboviruses. This is the first study that evaluated on a large scale the presence of antibodies to arboviruses in NHPs to evaluate their role in sylvatic cycles. The overall low prevalence (<5%) in more than 3,500 NHPs samples from Cameroon and the DRC does not allow us to affirm that NHP are reservoirs, but rather, intermediate hosts of these viruses.
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Thabet, Hala S., Emadeldin Y. Fawaz, Kossi Badziklou, Reham A. Tag ElDin, Rania M. Kaldas, Nermeen T. Fahmy, Tsidi Agbeko Tamekloe, Abiba Kere-Banla e Joseph W. Diclaro. "Preliminary Screening of Mosquito Spatial Distribution in Togo: With Special Focus on the Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae) Species". Journal of Medical Entomology 56, n. 4 (30 marzo 2019): 1154–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjz029.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Abstract The Togolese Republic has a tropical and humid climate which constitutes an ideal environment for mosquitoes to breed and transmit diseases. The Aedes mosquito is known to transmit yellow fever (YF), dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses in West Africa. Togo has been suffering from YF virus transmission, despite vaccination efforts. Unfortunately, there is scarcity in the data that reflect mosquito spatial distribution in Togo, specifically possible YF vectors. In the current study, mosquito surveillance efforts targeted areas with confirmed YF cases between July and August 2012. Indoor mosquitoes were collected using knockdown insecticide spraying, whereas Biogents (BG) traps were used to collect outdoor mosquito adults. Mosquito larval surveillance was conducted as well. In total, 17 species were identified. This investigation revealed the presence of medically important vectors in Togo, especially the Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Culicidae) which was collected in the four regions. Screening of all pools of female Aedes mosquitoes for YF, by real-time PCR, showed negative results. This is the first record for Coquillettidia flavocincta (Edwards) (Diptera: Culicidae) species in West Africa. This preliminary work serves as a baseline for further mosquito distribution studies in Togo.
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Nsabatien, Victoire, Josue Zanga, Fiacre Agossa, Nono Mvuama, Maxwell Bamba, Osée Mansiangi, Leon Mbashi et al. "Data from Entomological Collections of Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae) in a post-epidemic area of Chikungunya, City of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo". Gigabyte 2023 (8 novembre 2023): 1–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.46471/gigabyte.96.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Arbovirus epidemics (chikungunya, dengue, West Nile fever, yellow fever and zika) are a growing threat in African areas where Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1895) are present. The lack of comprehensive sampling of these two vectors limits our understanding of their propagation dynamics in areas at risk of arboviruses. Here, we collected 6,943 observations (both larval and human capture) of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus between 2020 and 2022. The study was carried out in the Vallee de la Funa, a post-epidemic zone in the city of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Our results provide important information for future basic and advanced studies on the ecology and phenology of these vectors, as well as on vector dynamics after a post-epidemic period. The data from this study are published in the public domain as the Darwin Core Archive in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
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Lucey, Daniel R. "Will Zika Virus and Microcephaly Epidemics Emerge After Ebola in West Africa? The Need for Prospective Studies Now". Health Security 14, n. 2 (aprile 2016): 53–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/hs.2016.0033.
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BABA, S. S., A. H. FAGBAMI e O. D. OLALEYE. "ANTIGENIC RELATEDNESS OF SELECTED FLAVIVIRUSES: STUDY WITH HOMOLOGOUS AND HETEROLOGOUS IMMUNE MOUSE ASCITIC FLUIDS". Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo 40, n. 6 (novembre 1998): 343–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0036-46651998000600002.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
The antigenic relationship of 9 flaviviruses, Yellow fever (YF) , Wesselsbron (WSL) , Uganda S (UGS) , Potiskum (POT), West Nile (WN) , Banzi (BAN) , Zika (ZK) , Dengue type 1 (DEN-1) and Dengue type 2 (DEN-2), was assessed by cross-haemagglutination-inhibition (Cross-HI) and cross-complement fixation (Cross-CF) reactions between each of the viruses and their homologous immune mouse ascitic fluids. Titre ratios were calculated using the heterologous and homologous titres. Cross-CF reactions revealed wider antigenic variations among viruses than Cross-HI reactions. There was no significant antigenic variation between WSL, POT and YF viruses using either of those methods. However, definite differences in antigenicity were observed between them and UGS, BAN and ZK viruses. There were no significant differences between UGS, BAN and ZK or between DEN-1 and DEN-2. The serological relationship among flaviviruses is important in establishing diagnosis and epidemiology of these infections in Africa.
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Raksakoon, Chadchalerm, e Rutcharin Potiwat. "Current Arboviral Threats and Their Potential Vectors in Thailand". Pathogens 10, n. 1 (18 gennaio 2021): 80. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10010080.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Arthropod-borne viral diseases (arboviruses) are a public-health concern in many regions of the world, including Thailand. This review describes the potential vectors and important human and/or veterinary arboviruses in Thailand. The medically important arboviruses affect humans, while veterinary arboviruses affect livestock and the economy. The main vectors described are mosquitoes, but other arthropods have been reported. Important mosquito-borne arboviruses are transmitted mainly by members of the genus Aedes (e.g., dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus) and Culex (e.g., Japanese encephalitis, Tembusu and West Nile virus). While mosquitoes are important vectors, arboviruses are transmitted via other vectors, such as sand flies, ticks, cimicids (Family Cimicidae) and Culicoides. Veterinary arboviruses are reported in this review, e.g., duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV), Kaeng Khoi virus (KKV), and African horse sickness virus (AHSV). During arbovirus outbreaks, to target control interventions appropriately, it is critical to identify the vector(s) involved and their ecology. Knowledge of the prevalence of these viruses, and the potential for viral infections to co-circulate in mosquitoes, is also important for outbreak prediction.
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Hery, Lyza, Antoine Boullis, Christelle Delannay e Anubis Vega-Rúa. "Transmission potential of African, Asian and American Zika virus strains by Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus from Guadeloupe (French West Indies)". Emerging Microbes & Infections 8, n. 1 (1 gennaio 2019): 699–706. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2019.1615849.
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Salgueiro, Patrícia, Célia Serrano, Bruno Gomes, Joana Alves, Carla A. Sousa, Ana Abecasis e João Pinto. "Phylogeography and invasion history of Aedes aegypti , the Dengue and Zika mosquito vector in Cape Verde islands (West Africa)". Evolutionary Applications 12, n. 9 (3 agosto 2019): 1797–811. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/eva.12834.
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Böszörményi, Kinga, Janet Hirsch, Gwendoline Kiemenyi Kayere, Zahra Fagrouch, Nicole Heijmans, Roberto Rodriguez Garcia, Soesjiel Dwarka et al. "A Bacterially-Expressed Recombinant Envelope Protein from Usutu Virus Induces Neutralizing Antibodies in Rabbits". Vaccines 9, n. 2 (16 febbraio 2021): 157. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9020157.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Background: Recently, an emerging flavivirus, Usutu virus (USUV), has caused an epidemic among birds in Europe, resulting in a massive die-off in Eurasian blackbirds. Currently found only in Europe and Africa, it can be envisioned that Usutu virus will follow the path of other flaviviruses, like West Nile virus and Zika virus, and will spread via its mosquito vectors and bird hosts to other parts of the world. Several cases of human infections by Usutu virus have already been published. Anticipating this spread, development of an efficacious vaccine would be highly desirable. Method: This study describes the production in E. coli, purification, and refolding of a partial USUV envelope protein. Prior to immunization, the protein was characterized using size exclusion chromatography, transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering, showing the limited presence of virus-like structures, indicating that the protein solution is probably a mixture of mono and multimeric envelope proteins. Results: Immunizations of two rabbits with the refolded E-protein fraction, mixed with a strong adjuvant, resulted in the generation of neutralizing antibodies, as evidenced in an in vitro assay. Discussion: The way forward towards a subunit vaccine against Usutu virus infection is discussed.
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Diouf, Babacar, Ibrahima Dia, Ndeye Marie Sene, El Hadji Ndiaye, Mawlouth Diallo e Diawo Diallo. "Morphology and taxonomic status of Aedes aegypti populations across Senegal". PLOS ONE 15, n. 11 (18 novembre 2020): e0242576. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242576.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of dengue, Zika, yellow fever and chikungunya viruses to humans. In Africa, two subspecies, Ae. aegypti aegypti (Aaa) and Ae. aegypti formosus (Aaf) have been described. Until very recently, it was considered that the two forms were sympatric in East Africa and that only Aaf was present in Central and West Africa. However, recent data suggests that Aaa was also common in Senegal without any clear evidence of genetic differences with Aaf. This study was carried out in different Ae. aegypti populations from Senegal to better clarify their taxonomic status. The larvae, pupae and eggs were collected between July and September 2018 and reared individually to adult stage. For each population, F1 progeny from eggs laid by a single female F0 were reared as sibling samples. The number of pale scales on the first abdominal tergite (T1) and the basal part of the second tergite (T2) were counted. Individuals with no pale scale on T1 were classified as Aaf while those with at least one pale scale on this tergite were classified as Aaa. The morphological variations within families of Aaf were studied across 4 generations. In total, 2400 individuals constituting 240 families were identified, of which 42.5% were heterogeneous (families with both forms). Multivariate statistical analysis of variance including T1 and T2 data together showed that populations were significantly different from each other. Statistical analysis of T1 alone showed a similarity between populations from the southeast while variations were observed within northwest population. The analysis of family composition across generations showed the presence of Aaa and Aaf forms in each generation. The classification of Ae. aegypti into two subspecies is invalid in Senegal. Populations exhibit morphological polymorphism at the intra-family level that could have biological and epidemiological impacts.
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Blázquez, Ana-Belén, Miguel A. Martín-Acebes, Teresa Poderoso e Juan-Carlos Saiz. "Relevance of oxidative stress in inhibition of eIF2 alpha phosphorylation and stress granules formation during Usutu virus infection". PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 15, n. 1 (25 gennaio 2021): e0009072. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009072.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Usutu virus (USUV) is an African mosquito-borne flavivirus closely related to West Nile, Japanese encephalitis, Zika, and dengue viruses. USUV emerged in 1996 in Europe, where quickly spread across the continent causing a considerable number of bird deaths and varied neurological disorders in humans, including encephalitis, meningoencephalitis, or facial paralysis, thus warning about USUV as a potential health threat. USUV replication takes place on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of infected cells, inducing ER stress and resulting in the activation of stress-related cellular pathways collectively known as the integrated stress response (ISR). The alpha subunit of the eukaryotic initiation factor eIF2 (eIF2α), the core factor in this pathway, is phosphorylated by stress activated kinases: protein kinase R (PKR), PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), heme-regulated inhibitor kinase (HRI), and general control non-repressed 2 kinase (GCN2). Its phosphorylation results, among others, in the downstream inhibition of translation with accumulation of discrete foci in the cytoplasm termed stress granules (SGs). Our results indicated that USUV infection evades cellular stress response impairing eIF2α phosphorylation and SGs assembly induced by treatment with the HRI activator ArsNa. This protective effect was related with oxidative stress responses in USUV-infected cells. Overall, these results provide new insights into the complex connections between the stress response and flavivirus infection in order to maintain an adequate cellular environment for viral replication.
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Jiang, Jingjing, Stephanie J. Ramos, Preeti Bangalore, Dustin Elwood, Kathleen A. Cashman, Sagar B. Kudchodkar, Katherine Schultheis et al. "Multivalent DNA Vaccines as a Strategy to Combat Multiple Concurrent Epidemics: Mosquito-Borne and Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses". Viruses 13, n. 3 (27 febbraio 2021): 382. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v13030382.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
The emergence of multiple concurrent infectious diseases localized in the world creates a complex burden on global public health systems. Outbreaks of Ebola, Lassa, and Marburg viruses in overlapping regions of central and West Africa and the co-circulation of Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya viruses in areas with A. aegypti mosquitos highlight the need for a rapidly deployable, safe, and versatile vaccine platform readily available to respond. The DNA vaccine platform stands out as such an application. Here, we present proof-of-concept studies from mice, guinea pigs, and non-human primates for two multivalent DNA vaccines delivered using in vivo electroporation (EP) targeting mosquito-borne (MMBV) and hemorrhagic fever (MHFV) viruses. Immunization with MMBV or MHFV vaccines via intradermal EP delivery generated robust cellular and humoral immune responses against all target viral antigens in all species. MMBV vaccine generated antigen-specific binding antibodies and IFNγ-secreting lymphocytes detected in NHPs up to six months post final immunization, suggesting induction of long-term immune memory. Serum from MHFV vaccinated NHPs demonstrated neutralizing activity in Ebola, Lassa, and Marburg pseudovirus assays indicating the potential to offer protection. Together, these data strongly support and demonstrate the versatility of DNA vaccines as a multivalent vaccine development platform for emerging infectious diseases.
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Ottersen, Trygve, Steven J. Hoffman e Gaëlle Groux. "Ebola Again Shows the International Health Regulations Are Broken". American Journal of Law & Medicine 42, n. 2-3 (maggio 2016): 356–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0098858816658273.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Epidemics are among the greatest threats to humanity, and the International Health Regulations are the world's key legal instrument for addressing this threat. Since their revision in 2005, the IHR have faced two big tests: the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic and the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Both exposed major shortcomings of the IHR, and both offered profound lessons for the future.The objective of this Article is twofold. First, we seek to compare the lessons learned from H1N1 and Ebola for reforming the IHR in order to test the hypothesis that they are similar. Second, we seek to examine the barriers to implementing these lessons and to identify strategies for overcoming those barriers.We find that the lessons from H1N1 and Ebola are indeed similar, and that opportunities to act on lessons from H1N1 were woefully missed. We identify many political barriers to global collective action and implementation of lessons for the IHR. On that basis, we describe strategies to overcome these barriers, which will hopefully be deployed now to reform the IHR before the policy window following Ebola closes, and before the inevitable next epidemic comes. The emerging threat of the Zika virus underscores that we have no time to waste.
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Cáceres, Victor M., Jessica Goodell, Julie Shaffner, Alezandria Turner, Jasmine Jacobs-Wingo, Samir Koirala, Monica Molina et al. "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Temporary Epidemiology Field Assignee program: Supporting state and local preparedness in the wake of Ebola". SAGE Open Medicine 7 (gennaio 2019): 205031211985072. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2050312119850726.
Testo completoAbstract (sommario):
Objectives: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the Temporary Epidemiology Field Assignee (TEFA) Program to help state and local jurisdictions respond to the risk of Ebola virus importation during the 2014–2016 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa. We describe steps taken to launch the 2-year program, its outcomes and lessons learned. Methods: State and local health departments submitted proposals for a TEFA to strengthen local capacity in four key public health preparedness areas: 1) epidemiology and surveillance, 2) health systems preparedness, 3) health communications, and 4) incident management. TEFAs and jurisdictions were selected through a competitive process. Descriptions of TEFA activities in their quarterly reports were reviewed to select illustrative examples for each preparedness area. Results: Eleven TEFAs began in the fall of 2015, assigned to 7 states, 2 cities, 1 county and the District of Columbia. TEFAs strengthened epidemiologic capacity, investigating routine and major outbreaks in addition to implementing event-based and syndromic surveillance systems. They supported improvements in health communications, strengthened healthcare coalitions, and enhanced collaboration between local epidemiology and emergency preparedness units. Several TEFAs deployed to United States territories for the 2016 Zika Outbreak response. Conclusion: TEFAs made important contributions to their jurisdictions’ preparedness. We believe the TEFA model can be a significant component of a national strategy for surging state and local capacity in future high-consequence events.