Article
Infectious Diseases
Young Eun Kim
Summary: This study assessed the impact of the Ebola virus disease outbreak on child mortality in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone from 2014 to 2016. The results showed that the child mortality rate decreased significantly for children born after the outbreak, but the association with the increase in Ebola cases remained strong. Additionally, there were variations in the utilization of maternal health services after the outbreak.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Virology
Boban Mugosa, Giancarlo Ceccarelli, Senad Begic, Danijela Vujosevic, Zeljka Zekovic, Massimo Ciccozzi, Zoran Vratnica
Summary: The recent measles epidemic in Montenegro is largely attributable to a dangerous accumulation of susceptible subjects, posing a high-risk factor for re-establishing endemic transmission in the Balkan area. The study showed the significant impact of the measles outbreak on the regional public health system performance.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Charles Beadling, David Brett-Major, Melinda Hamer, Kelly Vest, Timothy Muyimbo, Frederick Burkle
Summary: The transition from nomadic hunter-gatherer societies to agrarian communities led to infectious diseases becoming an increasing public health threat. The 2014-2015 Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa showed that the international community was not adequately prepared, highlighting the need for greater readiness in prevention and management of such outbreaks.
DISASTER MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Fulton Quincy Shannon II, Luke L. Bawo, John A. Crump, Katrina Sharples, Richard Egan, Philip C. Hill
Summary: The current EVD surveillance system in Liberia shows some deficiencies in its structure, core functions, support functions, and quality indicators at various levels. There are gaps in performance in case detection, reporting, and managing patients with EVD. Limited resources, stock out of sample collection materials, and staff attrition pose major challenges to the system's operations. Specific improvements and regular evaluations are needed, and standardized patient studies are crucial for evaluating surveillance systems for rarely occurring diseases that require early detection.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ines Hassan, Genevie Fernandes, Mitsuru Mukaigawara, Devi Sridhar
Summary: Pandemic preparedness plans should prioritize fair access to diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics, and include strategies to build trust and combat disinformation.
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Qihui Wang, Hua Chen, Yi Shi, Alice C. Hughes, William J. Liu, Jingkun Jiang, George F. Gao, Yongbiao Xue, Yigang Tong
Summary: Understanding the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from its natural reservoir to humans is crucial for preventing future coronavirus outbreaks. Through accumulated research data and lessons learned from battling pathogens, multiple potential locations as natural reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 have been identified.
Article
Mathematics
Danielle Burton, Suzanne Lenhart, Christina J. Edholm, Benjamin Levy, Michael L. Washington, Bradford R. Greening, K. A. Jane White, Edward Lungu, Obias Chimbola, Moatlhodi Kgosimore, Faraimunashe Chirove, Marilyn Ronoh, M. Helen Machingauta
Summary: Contact tracing plays a vital role in controlling and ending Ebola virus outbreaks, and modeling this process can help improve tracking efforts and highlight its importance. Results indicate that implementing a larger scale contact tracing program could reduce the death toll of outbreaks.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Seung-Ji Kang, Sooyeon Kim, Kyung-Hwa Park, Sook In Jung, Min-Ho Shin, Sun-Seog Kweon, Hyang Park, Seong-Woo Choi, Eungyu Lee, So Yeon Ryu
Summary: The first surge of COVID-19 cases in South Korea occurred in Gwangju metropolitan city on June 27, 2020, prompting immediate epidemiologic investigations and contact tracing efforts. By using various data sources including mobile device location data and credit card transactions, authorities were able to identify 138 community transmission cases and 10 infection clusters by July 16, 2020. Contact tracing proved to be crucial in containing the outbreak in a densely populated city.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Ian Crozier, Kyla A. Britson, Daniel N. Wolfe, John D. Klena, Lisa E. Hensley, John S. Lee, Larry A. Wolfraim, Kimberly L. Taylor, Elizabeth S. Higgs, Joel M. Montgomery, Karen A. Martins
Summary: The Ebola virus disease outbreak in Western Africa from 2013-2016 led to unprecedented efforts by the United States government to develop effective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. These efforts resulted in regulatory approval of diagnostic tests, vaccines, and therapeutics for Ebola virus disease, and improved the speed of diagnosis and mobilization of public health resources. Lessons learned from this experience can enhance future efforts against other filoviruses.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nancy Vicente-Alcalde, Esther Ruescas-Escolano, Carlos Franco-Paredes, Jose Tuells
Summary: The rapid spread of highly transmissible respiratory infections in carceral settings occurred in a prison in Alicante, Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions such as early medical isolation, quarantining of contacts, and regular testing played a crucial role in containing the outbreak.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Raymond Weldon, Feng Wang
Summary: This study investigates two methods to convert flexible models into rigid models. The rigid model can be created based on the Model's Geometry (MG) without molecular interaction or the ensemble averaged geometry (EG) under specific thermodynamic conditions. While the MG model is more straightforward, it has relatively poor performance compared to the EG model, which behaves similarly to the corresponding flexible model (FL model) and agrees better with experiments. The difference between the EG and FL models is mainly due to flexibility, and the MG and EG models have different dipole moments in the condensed phase.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Aila Sarkesh, Amin Daei Sorkhabi, Hamid Ahmadi, Samaneh Abdolmohammadi-Vahid, Forough Parhizkar, Mehdi Yousefi, Leili Aghebati-Maleki
Summary: The endometrium plays a crucial role in the immune dialogue between the mother and the conceptus. The immune system regulates all stages of pregnancy and immunological dysregulation can lead to implantation failures. Lymphocyte immunotherapy has shown promise in improving maternal immune balance and pregnancy outcomes. However, there are challenges that need to be addressed.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Swati Gupta, Nivedita Gupta, Pragya Yadav, Deepak Patil
Summary: This review summarizes the literature on EBOV outbreaks and preparedness strategies for developing countries, providing an updated preparedness plan to contain future outbreaks. Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to major outbreaks of EBOV, and the recommended preparedness plan aims to help them effectively contain EBOV outbreaks in the future.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jordana Munoz-Basagoiti, Daniel Perez-Zsolt, Jorge Carrillo, Julia Blanco, Bonaventura Clotet, Nuria Izquierdo-Useros
Summary: Viruses rely on cellular machinery to replicate and spread within hosts, with different families sharing similar viral internalization mechanisms; for example, Ebola virus and SARS-CoV-2. Therapies against Ebola have informed strategies against SARS-CoV-2, highlighting the importance of preparedness against novel viruses.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kathy Z. Chang, Kristina Gracey, Brooke Lamparello, Bridget Nandawula, Nancy Pandhi
Summary: Interest in global health training experiences among trainees from higher income countries has grown. The WEIGHT guidelines provide best practices for global health training, but implementing them can be challenging. By reviewing our service-learning programs in Uganda and mapping them to the WEIGHT guidelines, we have developed an action-oriented checklist that can guide coordinators in implementing best practices in global health training collaborations.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Steve Ahuka-Mundeke, Yahaya Ali Ahmed, Youkouide Allarangar, Julienne Anoko, Brett Nicholas Archer, Aaron Aruna Abedi, Jayshree Bagaria, Ahmadou Barry, Ndjoloko Tambwe Bathe, Marie Roseline Darnycka Belizaire, Sangeeta Bhatia, Theophile Bokenge, Emanuele Bruni, Anne Cori, Ernest Dabire, Amadou Mouctar Diallo, Boubacar Diallo, Christi Ann Donnelly, Ilaria Dorigatti, Tshewang Choden Dorji, Aura Rocio Escobar Corado Waeber, Ibrahima Soce Fall, Neil M. Ferguson, Richard Gareth FitzJohn, Gervais Leon Folefack Tengomo, Pierre Bernard Henri Formenty, Alpha Forna, Anne Fortin, Tini Garske, Katy A. M. Gaythorpe, Celine Gurry, Esther Hamblion, Mamoudou Harouna Djingarey, Chris Haskew, Stephan Alexandre Louis Hugonnet, Natsuko Imai, Benido Impouma, Guylain Kabongo, Guy Kalambayi Kabamba, Oly Ilunga Kalenga, Emerencienne Kibangou, Emma Kitenge, Yvonne Lay, Theresa Min-Hyung Lee, Leopold Lubula, Charles Okot Lukoya, Jean De Dieu Lukwesa Mwati, Ousmane Ly, Sheila Makiala-Mandanda, Augustin Mamba, Placide Mbala-Kingebeni, Franck Fortune Roland Mboussou, Gisele Mbuy, Tamayi Mlanda, Vital Mondonge Makuma, Oscar Mavila, Oliver Morgan, Anastasie Mujinga Mulumba, Daniel Mukadi-Bamuleka, Patrick Mukadi Kakoni, Anny Mutombo, Jean-Jacques Muyembe, Patricia Ndumbi Ngamala, Roland Ngom, Guillaume Ngoy, Pierre Nouvellet, Justus Nsio, Kevin Babila Ousman, Emilie Peron, Jonathan Aaron Polonsky, Michael Joseph Ryan, Peter Salama, Alhassane Toure, Rodney Towner, Gaston Tshapenda, Reinhilde Van de Weerdt, Maria Van Kerkhove, Annika Wendland, Nda Konan Michel Yao, Zabulon Yoti, Etienne Yuma
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
K. Heitzinger, B. Impouma, B. L. Farham, E. L. Hamblion, C. Lukoya, C. Machingaidze, L. A. Rakotonjanabelo, M. Yao, B. Diallo, M. H. Djingarey, N. Nsenga, C. F. Ndiaye, I. S. Fall
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2019)
Article
Infectious Diseases
E. L. Hamblion, A. Burkitt, M. K. Lalor, L. F. Anderson, H. L. Thomas, I Abubakar, S. Morton, H. Maguire, S. R. Anderson, John Watson, Philip Monk, Francis Drobniewski, John Magee, Grace Smith, Claire Catherall, Shanel Reshat, Natasha Ratna
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2019)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Christopher J. E. Haggerty, Sidy Bakhoum, David J. Civitello, Giulio A. De Leo, Nicholas Jouanard, Raphael A. Ndione, Justin V. Remais, Gilles Riveau, Simon Senghor, Susanne H. Sokolow, Souleymane Sow, Caitlin Wolfe, Chelsea L. Wood, Isabel Jones, Andrew J. Chamberlin, Jason R. Rohr
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2020)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Caitlin M. Wolfe, Esther L. Hamblion, Emmanuel K. Dzotsi, Franck Mboussou, Isabelle Eckerle, Antoine Flahault, Claudia T. Codeco, Jaime Corvin, Janice C. Zgibor, Olivia Keiser, Benido Impouma
Summary: The WHO African region has been facing frequent outbreaks and epidemics of infectious diseases, exacerbated by weak health systems and infrastructure. The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response strategy was developed in 1998 to address these issues. Challenges and successes surrounding the implementation of this strategy were identified through a systematic review of published literature, highlighting areas for improvement and further research.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
George Sie Williams, Benido Impouma, Franck Mboussou, Theresa Min-Hyung Lee, Opeayo Ogundiran, Charles Okot, Tatiana Metcalf, Mary Stephen, Senait Tekeste Fekadu, Caitlin M. Wolfe, Bridget Farham, Cristina Hofer, Bertil Wicht, Claudia Codeco Tores, Antoine Flahault, Olivia Keiser
Summary: The study reviewed epidemic intelligence activities conducted by the WHO Regional Office for Africa from 2017 to 2020. Media monitoring played a crucial role in the initial detection of outbreaks, with the most common outbreaks being vaccine-preventable diseases. Rapid risk assessments provided evidence and formed the basis for WHO to trigger operational processes to support member states in responding to outbreaks with potential for international spread.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Benido Impouma, Caitlin M. Wolfe, Franck Mboussou, Bridget Farham, Tessa Saturday, Cyril Pervilhac, Nsarhaza Bishikwabo, Tamayi Mlanda, Arish Bukhari Muhammad, Fleury Moussana, Ambrose Talisuna, Humphrey Karamagi, Olivia Keiser, Antoine Flahault, Joseph Cabore, Matshidiso Moeti
Summary: Monitoring and evaluation are crucial for public health emergency response, with specific indicators developed for tracking the COVID-19 pandemic response. The interdisciplinary task force used strategic preparedness and response pillars to define indicators, supporting countries in tailored monitoring and evaluation.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Benido Impouma, Franck Mboussou, Caitlin M. Wolfe, Bridget Farham, George Sie Williams, Opeayo Ogundiran, Roland Ngom, Milse Nzingou, Antoine Flahault, Claudia Torres Codeco, Ambrose Talisuna, Zabulon Yoti, Olivia Keiser
Summary: Successive waves of COVID-19 transmission have led to exponential increases in new infections globally. This study assessed the risk of continuing transmission in 46 countries in Africa, with the majority at community transmission stage and limited health system response capacity. Enhanced assistance is needed to prevent further escalation of the risk.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Franck Mboussou, Benido Impouma, Bridget Farham, Caitlin M. Wolfe, George Sie Williams, Roland Ngom, Milse Nzingou, Aziza Merzouki, Erol Orel, Yahaya Ali Ahmed, Olivia Keiser, Matshidiso R. Moeti
Summary: This study analyzed the reported incidence of COVID-19 and associated factors in the WHO African region, finding that an increasing urban population percentage was associated with low incidence, while increasing SARS-CoV-2 testing per 10,000 population and the proportion of population aged 15-64 years were associated with high incidence. The findings stress the importance of increasing and decentralizing testing capacities and adjusting testing strategies to target at-risk populations in the face of limited testing capacities and overwhelmed health systems.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Benido Impouma, George Sie Williams, Fleury Moussana, Franck Mboussou, Bridget Farham, Caitlin M. Wolfe, Charles Okot, Katrina Downing, Claudia Codeco Tores, Antoine Flahault, Cyril Pervilhac, Georges Ki-Zerbo, Peter Clement, Steven Shongwe, Olivia Keiser, Ibrahima Soce Fall
Summary: Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, the three West African countries at the centre of the Ebola outbreak, implemented rapid readiness and response measures in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have been influenced by lessons learned from the devastating Ebola epidemic.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Benido Impouma, Franck Mboussou, Bridget Farham, Caitlin M. Wolfe, Krys Johnson, Catherine Clary, Richard Mihigo, Ngoy Nsenga, Ambrose Talisuna, Zabulon Yoti, Antoine Flahault, Olivia Keiser, Abdou Salam Gueye, Joseph Cabore, Matshidiso Moeti
Summary: The study describes the epidemiological trajectory of COVID-19 in the African region, summarizes the public health and social measures implemented, and discusses their impact on the pandemic trajectory.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Benido Impouma, Franck Mboussou, Cyrus Shahpar, Caitlin M. Wolfe, Bridget Farham, George Sie Williams, Humphrey Karamagi, Roland Ngom, Ngoy Nsenga, Antoine Flahault, Claudia Torres Codeco, Zabulon Yoti, Francis Kasolo, Olivia Keiser
Summary: As of 03 January 2021, the WHO African region has been the least affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, raising concerns about the accuracy of reported cases and deaths reflecting the true burden of the disease, as well as how monitoring the trajectory of the pandemic can inform response measures. Retrospective estimates using a prevalence calculator tool showed a low detection rate in most countries of the region, suggesting the need to strengthen testing capacities for SARS-CoV-2 and adjust testing strategies.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Thomas Nagbe, Kwuakuan Yealue, Trokon Yeabah, Julius Monday Rude, Musoka Fallah, Laura Skrip, Chukwuemeka Agbo, Nuha Mouhamoud, Joseph Chukwudi Okeibunor, Roland Tuopileyi, Ambrose Talisuna, Ali Ahmed Yahaya, Soatiana Rajatonirina, Joseph Asamoah Frimpong, Mary Stephen, Esther Hamblion, Tolbert Nyenswah, Bernice Dahn, Alex Gasasira, Ibrahima Soce Fall
PAN AFRICAN MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2019)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Thomas Nagbe, George Sie Williams, Julius Monday Rude, Sumor Flomo, Trokon Yeabah, Mosoka Fallah, Laura Skrip, Chukwuemeka Agbo, Nuha Mahmoud, Joseph Chukwudi Okeibunor, Kwuakuan Yealue, Ambrose Talisuna, Ali Ahmed Yahaya, Soatiana Rajatonirina, Adolphus Clarke, Esther Hamblion, Tolbert Nyenswah, Bernice Dahn, Alex Gasasira, Ibrahima Soce Fall
PAN AFRICAN MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2019)
Article
Immunology
Saskia Den Boon, Barbara J. Marston, Tolbert G. Nyenswah, Amara Jambai, Moumie Barry, Sakoba Keita, Kara Durski, Schabbethai S. Senesie, Devin Perkins, Anita Shah, Hugh H. Green, Esther L. Hamblion, Margaret Lamunu, Alex Gasasira, Nuha O. Mahmoud, Mamadou H. Djingarey, Oliver Morgan, Ian Crozier, Christopher Dye
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2019)