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Health Secur 2019 Mar/Apr;17(2):117-123

Saskia Popescu, MPH, MA, is an Infection Preventionist and Research Assistant, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. Rebecca Leach, MPH, RN, is an Infection Preventionist, Phoenix, Arizona.

Hospital infection disease preparedness gaps were brought to the forefront during the 2013-2016 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak. The ability of US hospitals to rapidly identify, isolate, and manage patients with potentially high-consequence pathogens is a critical component to health security. Since the EVD cases in Dallas, Texas, the continuity of hospital preparedness has been questionable. Read More

J Vis Exp 2019 Apr 6(146). Epub 2019 Apr 6.

Baylor Global Health, Baylor College of Medicine; Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine;

An uptick in recent pandemics (Ebola, Zika, MERS, influenza, etc.) underlines the need for a more 'nimble,' coordinated response that addresses a multitude of issues ranging from transportation, access, facilities, equipment, and communication to provider training. To address this need, we have developed an innovative, scalable, logistics-enhanced, mobile, laboratory facility for emergencies and epidemics in resource-constrained global settings. Read More

Can Commun Dis Rep 2018 May 3;44(5):98-101. Epub 2018 May 3.

Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Canada and the 100th anniversary of the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic. These, and other recent public health events, provide an opportunity for us to review and reflect on the evolution of Canada's public health emergency response over the past 15 years-from SARS, to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza, to Ebola virus and Zika virus disease. Key lessons have been learned and milestones achieved that have shaped and sharpened our response approach and structures. Read More

Mil Med 2019 Apr 20. Epub 2019 Apr 20.

University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health, 984355 Medical Center, Omaha, NB 68198.

Introduction: The Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program's (IDCRP) Emerging Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance (EIDAR) Research Area is a Department of Defense (DoD) clinical research capability that is responsive and adaptive to emerging infectious disease (EID) threats to US military readiness. Among active-duty and other Military Health System (MHS) beneficiaries, EIDAR research is largely focused on evaluating the incidence, risk factors, and acute- and long-term health effects of military-relevant EIDs, especially those caused by high-consequence pathogens or are responsible for outbreaks among US military populations. The EIDAR efforts also address Force Health Protection concerns associated with antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship practices within the MHS. Read More

Mol Biol Evol 2019 Apr 19. Epub 2019 Apr 19.

Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.

Many factors complicate the estimation of time-scales for phylogenetic histories, requiring increasingly complex evolutionary models and inference procedures. The widespread application of molecular clock dating has led to the insight that evolutionary rate estimates may vary with the time frame of measurement. This is particularly well-established for rapidly evolving viruses that can accumulate sequence divergence over years or even months. Read More

Curr Opin Virol 2019 Apr 16;35:42-56. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, United States. Electronic address:

The filovirus family includes some of the deadliest viruses known, including Ebola virus and Marburg virus. These viruses cause periodic outbreaks of severe disease that can be spread from person to person, making the filoviruses important public health threats. There remains a need for approved drugs that target all or most members of this virus family. Read More

PLoS Biol 2019 Apr 19;17(4):e3000217. Epub 2019 Apr 19.

BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America.

Viruses of wild and domestic animals can infect humans in a process called zoonosis, and these events can give rise to explosive epidemics such as those caused by the HIV and Ebola viruses. While humans are constantly exposed to animal viruses, those that can successfully infect and transmit between humans are exceedingly rare. The key event in zoonosis is when an animal virus begins to replicate (one virion making many) in the first human subject. Read More

Crit Rev Eukaryot Gene Expr 2019 ;29(1):77-84

Foundation University Medical College, Foundation University Islamabad, DHA-I Islamabad (44000), Pakistan.

The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the largest of its kind with 11,000 deaths and approximately 28,637 affected cases. The aim of the study was to analyze the global situation after the Ebola outbreak including Ebola complications, vaccine development, lessons learned, financial losses, and disease preparedness. We searched in PubMed, Google, and Google Scholar by using keywords Ebola virus, Ebola vaccine development and Ebola virus transmission, the world after Ebola, financial losses by Ebola outbreak, and disease preparedness. Read More

Emerg Infect Dis 2019 May;25(5)

Bombali virus (genus Ebolavirus) was identified in organs and excreta of an Angolan free-tailed bat (Mops condylurus) in Kenya. Complete genome analysis revealed 98% nucleotide sequence similarity to the prototype virus from Sierra Leone. No Ebola virus-specific RNA or antibodies were detected from febrile humans in the area who reported contact with bats. Read More

Emerg Infect Dis 2019 May;25(5):911-918

We conducted a serologic survey of 2,430 serum samples collected during 1997-2012 for various studies to determine the prevalence of the hemorrhagic fever virus Ebola virus (EBOV) in equatorial Africa. We screened serum samples for neutralizing antibodies by using a pseudotype microneutralization assay and a newly developed luciferase immunoprecipitation system assay. Specimens seroreactive for EBOV were confirmed by using an ELISA. Read More

Lancet Infect Dis 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Research and Development Institute, National Infection Service, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wilts SP40JG, UK. Electronic address:

Lancet Infect Dis 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Service de Microbiologie, Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background: The 2018 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Équateur Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, began on May 8, and was declared over on July 24; it resulted in 54 documented cases and 33 deaths. We did a retrospective genomic characterisation of the outbreak and assessed potential therapeutic agents and vaccine (medical countermeasures).

Methods: We used target-enrichment sequencing to produce Ebola virus genomes from samples obtained in the 2018 Équateur Province outbreak. Read More

Lancet Infect Dis 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Service de Microbiologie, Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background: The real-time generation of information about pathogen genomes has become a vital goal for transmission analysis and characterisation in rapid outbreak responses. In response to the recently established genomic capacity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we explored the real-time generation of genomic information at the start of the 2018 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in North Kivu Province.

Methods: We used targeted-enrichment sequencing to produce two coding-complete Ebola virus genomes 5 days after declaration of the EVD outbreak in North Kivu. Read More

Virology 2019 Apr 3;532:22-29. Epub 2019 Apr 3.

Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Wilhelm-Weber-Str. 2, University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany. Electronic address:

Priming of the viral glycoprotein (GP) by the cellular proteases cathepsin B and L (CatB, CatL) is believed to be essential for cell entry of filoviruses. However, pseudotyping systems that predominantly produce non-filamentous particles have frequently been used to prove this concept. Here, we report that GP-mediated entry of retroviral-, rhabdoviral and filoviral particles depends on CatB/CatL activity and that this effect is cell line-independent. Read More

PLoS One 2019 18;14(4):e0215457. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Battelle, West Jefferson, OH, United States of America.

The need for an efficacious vaccine against highly pathogenic filoviruses was reinforced by the recent and devastating 2014-2016 outbreak of Ebola virus (EBOV) disease in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia that resulted in more than 10,000 casualties. Such a vaccine would need to be vetted through a U.S. Read More

Nat Commun 2019 Apr 17;10(1):1788. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.

Three Ebolavirus genus viruses cause lethal disease and lack targeted therapeutics: Ebola virus, Sudan virus and Bundibugyo virus. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) cocktails against the surface glycoprotein (GP) present a potential therapeutic strategy. Here we report two crystal structures of the antibody BDBV223, alone and complexed with its GP2 stalk epitope, an interesting site for therapeutic/vaccine design due to its high sequence conservation among ebolaviruses. Read More

Viruses 2019 Apr 4;11(4). Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada.

Remdesivir (GS-5734) is a 1'-cyano-substituted adenosine nucleotide analogue prodrug that shows broad-spectrum antiviral activity against several RNA viruses. This compound is currently under clinical development for the treatment of Ebola virus disease (EVD). While antiviral effects have been demonstrated in cell culture and in non-human primates, the mechanism of action of Ebola virus (EBOV) inhibition for remdesivir remains to be fully elucidated. Read More

Pan Afr Med J 2019 21;32(Suppl 1). Epub 2019 Jan 21.

Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, Abuja, Nigeria.

Introduction: The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) epidemic devastated West Africa, with Sierra Leone recording over 50% of the 28,610 cases across the three most affected countries. Enhanced surveillance system was developed for improved identification of cases and response in Sierra Leone. Here, we evaluated the surveillance system to determine its strengths and challenges in meeting the set objectives. Read More

Mol Biol Rep 2019 Apr 13. Epub 2019 Apr 13.

School of Humanities, Nanyang Technological University, 14 Nanyang Dr, Singapore, 637332, Singapore.

Ebola virus is a virulent pathogen that causes highly lethal hemorrhagic fever in human and non-human species. The rapid growth of this virus infection has made the scenario increasingly complicated to control the disease. Receptor viral matrix protein (VP40) is highly responsible for the replication and budding of progeny virus. Read More

J Infect Public Health 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Infection Prevention and Healthcare Epidemiology Unit, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.

Background: Saudi Arabia being a major pilgrimage center with an annual turnover of millions of pilgrims from all over the world has a high risk for transmission of infections; Ebola virus disease (EVD) being one of them. Health care workers (HCWs) are particularly vulnerable to these infections. The objectives of this research were to assess the overall knowledge and infection control practices of HCWs about EVD, and to evaluate and compare the role of pre deployment Hajj training of HCWs assigned Hajj duties with those HCWs who did not receive this training. Read More

Epidemics 2019 Mar 2. Epub 2019 Mar 2.

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel St. London. WC1E 7HT UK. Electronic address:

Background: Health care workers (HCW) are at risk of infection during Ebola virus disease outbreaks and therefore may be targeted for vaccination before or during outbreaks. The effect of these strategies depends on the role of HCW in transmission which is understudied.

Methods: To evaluate the effect of HCW-targeted or community vaccination strategies, we used a transmission model to explore the relative contribution of HCW and the community to transmission. Read More

Clin Dermatol 2019 Mar - Apr;37(2):109-118. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Dermatology Department, University of CT Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA. Electronic address:

There is a broad differential diagnosis for the presentation of fever and maculopapular rash in an adult. Although some causative conditions are benign, others are medical emergencies that require prompt diagnosis. We describe various conditions that result in a fever and maculopapular rash in adults. Read More

Trop Med Infect Dis 2019 Apr 10;4(2). Epub 2019 Apr 10.

EpiLab, Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag, 11 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.

The global burden of infectious diseases and the increased attention to natural, accidental, and deliberate biological threats has resulted in significant investment in infectious disease research. Translating the results of these studies to inform prevention, detection, and response efforts often can be challenging, especially if prior relationships and communications have not been established with decision-makers. Whatever scientific information is shared with decision-makers before, during, and after public health emergencies is highly dependent on the individuals or organizations who are communicating with policy-makers. Read More

PLoS One 2019 11;14(4):e0214968. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center-Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.

Emerging viruses such as severe fever and thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) and Ebola virus (EBOV) are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. Host cell proteases that process the glycoproteins of these viruses are potential targets for antiviral intervention. The aspartyl protease signal peptide peptidase (SPP) has recently been shown to be required for processing of the glycoprotein precursor, Gn/Gc, of Bunyamwera virus and for viral infectivity. Read More

N Engl J Med 2019 Apr;380(15):1389-1391

From the Divisions of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (W.A.F.) and Infectious Diseases (D.A.W.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill; Integrated Research Facility, Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD (I.C.); the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team, Public Health England, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London (D.G.B.), and the Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool (S.T.J.) - all in the United Kingdom; Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale and Département de Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Kinshasa - both in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (J.-J.M., S.M.); the Clinical Management Team, Health Emergencies Program, World Health Organization, Geneva (J.V.D.); and the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), Dakar, Senegal (R.K.).

PLoS One 2019 10;14(4):e0214227. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America.

Bats are implicated as natural reservoirs for a wide range of zoonotic viruses including SARS and MERS coronaviruses, Ebola, Marburg, Nipah, Hendra, Rabies and other lyssaviruses. Accordingly, many One Health surveillance and viral discovery programs have focused on bats. In this report we present viral metagenomic data from bats collected in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [KSA]. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Department of Microbiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118;

Most nonsegmented negative strand (NNS) RNA virus genomes have complementary 3' and 5' terminal nucleotides because the promoters at the 3' ends of the genomes and antigenomes are almost identical to each other. However, according to published sequences, both ends of ebolavirus genomes show a high degree of variability, and the 3' and 5' terminal nucleotides are not complementary. If correct, this would distinguish the ebolaviruses from other NNS RNA viruses. Read More

Lancet 2019 Mar 14;393(10176):1088. Epub 2019 Mar 14.

Open Forum Infect Dis 2019 Mar 26;6(3):ofz068. Epub 2019 Feb 26.

The Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The clinical, virologic, and immunologic findings in a female Ebola virus disease patient are described. During the long-term follow-up, Ebola virus RNA was detectable in vaginal fluid before 36 days after symptom onset, with nearly an identical genome sequence as in acute phase blood. Ebola-specific T cells retained activation at 56 days after disease onset. Read More

Open Forum Infect Dis 2019 Mar 6;6(3):ofz046. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Program, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg.

Ebola virus (EBOV) is a highly pathogenic filovirus that causes outbreaks of a severe hemorrhagic fever known as EBOV disease (EVD). Ebola virus disease is characterized in part by a dysregulated immune response and massive production of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. To better understand the immune response elicited by EVD in the context of treatment with experimental anti-EBOV antibody cocktails, we analyzed 29 cytokines in 42 EBOV-infected rhesus macaques. Read More

Cell Rep 2019 Apr;27(1):172-186.e7

MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK. Electronic address:

We describe therapeutic monoclonal antibodies isolated from human volunteers vaccinated with recombinant adenovirus expressing Ebola virus glycoprotein (EBOV GP) and boosted with modified vaccinia virus Ankara. Among 82 antibodies isolated from peripheral blood B cells, almost half neutralized GP pseudotyped influenza virus. The antibody response was diverse in gene usage and epitope recognition. Read More

J Infect Dis 2019 Apr 3. Epub 2019 Apr 3.

Institut National de Recherche Biomedicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background: In 2017, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) recorded its eighth Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, approximately 3 years after the previous outbreak.

Methods: Suspect cases of EVD were identified on the basis of clinical and epidemiological information. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis or serological testing was used to confirm Ebola virus infection in suspected cases. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Apr 2;9(1):5520. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States.

Paramyxovirus vaccine vectors based on human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV-3) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) have been previously evaluated against Ebola virus (EBOV) challenge. Although both the viral vectored vaccines efficiently induce protective immunity, some concerns remain to be solved. Since HPIV-3 is a common human pathogen, the human population has pre-existing immunity to HPIV-3, which may restrict the replication of the vaccine vector. Read More

BMC Public Health 2019 Apr 2;19(1):364. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.

Background: The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) in Sierra Leone partially rolled out the implementation of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) in 2003. After the Ebola virus disease outbreak in 2014-2015, there was need to strengthen IDSR to ensure prompt detection and response to epidemic-prone diseases. We describe the processes, successes and challenges of revitalizing public health surveillance in a country recovering from a protracted Ebola virus disease outbreak. Read More

Vaccines (Basel) 2019 Mar 29;7(2). Epub 2019 Mar 29.

State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology "Vector", Koltsovo, 630559 Novosibirsk Region, Russia.

: The lack of effective vaccines against Ebola virus initiates a search for new approaches to overcoming this problem. The aim of the study was to design artificial polyepitope T-cell immunogens⁻⁻candidate DNA vaccines against Ebola virus and to evaluate their capacity to induce a specific immune response in a laboratory animal model. : Design of two artificial polyepitope T-cell immunogens, one of which (EV. Read More

Genomics Inform 2019 Mar 31;17(1):e4. Epub 2019 Mar 31.

Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.

In this paper, we propose a window-based mechanism visualization approach as an alternative way to measure the seriousness of the difference among data-insights extracted from a composite biodata point. The approach is based on two components: undirected graph and Mosaab-metric space. The significant application of this approach is to visualize the segmented genome of a virus. Read More

Lancet Infect Dis 2019 Mar 27. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Background: The current outbreak of Ebola in eastern DR Congo, beginning in 2018, emerged in a complex and violent political and security environment. Community-level prevention and outbreak control measures appear to be dependent on public trust in relevant authorities and information, but little scholarship has explored these issues. We aimed to investigate the role of trust and misinformation on individual preventive behaviours during an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD). Read More

J Theor Biol 2019 Mar 27;471:1-12. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan; CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama 332-0012, Japan. Electronic address:

The criteria of zero Ebola cases defined by the World Health Organization did not explicitly account for the sexual transmission and led to multiple recrudescent events in West Africa from 2015 to 2016, partly indeed caused by sexual transmission from survivors. We devised a statistical model to compute the probability of the end of an Ebola virus disease epidemic, accounting for sexual transmission and under-ascertainment of cases. Analyzing the empirical data in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the performance of the proposed model was compared with the existing criteria comprising a fixed waiting time of 42 days since the last case testing negative or burial. Read More

Nat Rev Microbiol 2019 May;17(5):261-263

World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

PLoS Comput Biol 2019 Mar 29;15(3):e1006930. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.

There exists significant interest in developing statistical and computational tools for inferring 'who infected whom' in an infectious disease outbreak from densely sampled case data, with most recent studies focusing on the analysis of whole genome sequence data. However, genomic data can be poorly informative of transmission events if mutations accumulate too slowly to resolve individual transmission pairs or if there exist multiple pathogens lineages within-host, and there has been little focus on incorporating other types of outbreak data. We present here a methodology that uses contact data for the inference of transmission trees in a statistically rigorous manner, alongside genomic data and temporal data. Read More

PLoS One 2019 28;14(3):e0214284. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America.

Situated in southeastern Sierra Leone, Kenema Government Hospital (KGH) maintains one of the world's only Lassa fever isolation wards and was a strategic Ebola virus disease (EVD) treatment facility during the 2014 EVD outbreak. Since 2006, the Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Consortium (VHFC) has carried out research activities at KGH, capturing clinical and laboratory data for suspected cases of Lassa fever. Here we describe the approach, progress, and challenges in designing and maintaining a data capture and management system (DCMS) at KGH to assist infectious disease researchers in building and sustaining DCMS in low-resource environments. Read More

Pan Afr Med J 2018 11;31:22. Epub 2018 Sep 11.

Demography And Population Studies Program, Schools of Public Health and Social Sciences, University of The Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Introduction: The threat of devastating disease outbreaks is on the rise with several outbreaks recorded across the world in the last five years. The intractable Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in West Africa which spread to Nigeria was a reawakening point. This study aims to review the status and adequacy of the legal framework for disease surveillance in Nigeria. Read More

J Virol 2019 Mar 27. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

Influenza is an RNA virus encapsulated in a lipid bilayer derived from the host cell plasma membrane. Previous studies showed that influenza infection depends on cellular lipids including the sphingolipids sphingomyelin and sphingosine. Here we examined the role of a third sphingolipid, glucosylceramide, in influenza infection following CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of its metabolizing enzyme glucosylceramidase (GBA). Read More

Prehosp Emerg Care 2019 Mar 27:1-25. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

b Rutgers New Jersey Medical School , Department of Emergency Medicine , 185 South Orange Ave, MSB E609 , Newark , NJ , 07103 , USA.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes and behaviors of EMTs and Paramedics when faced with the decision to care for patients with suspected Ebola Virus Disease, and to illicit suggestions for improvement of infectious disease (ID) preparedness.

Methods: A convenience sample of 22 EMT/Paramedics were recruited from an emergency department at one of the designated Ebola centers. Each provider participated in one of three on-site focus groups. Read More

Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2019 Apr 5;19(4):325-340. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

a HerpeZ , University Teaching hospital , Lusaka , Zambia.

Introduction: The 2014-16 outbreak of ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa resulted in 11,308 deaths. During the outbreak only 60% of patients were laboratory confirmed and global health authorities have identified the need for accurate and readily deployable molecular diagnostics as an important component of the ideal response to future outbreaks, to quickly identify and isolate patients. Areas covered: Currently PCR-based techniques and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) that detect antigens specific to EVD infections dominate the diagnostic landscape, but recent advances in biosensor technologies have led to novel approaches for the development of EVD diagnostics. Read More

Nature 2019 Mar;567(7749):433

Sci Rep 2019 Mar 26;9(1):5151. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

Human mobility is an important driver of geographic spread of infectious pathogens. Detailed information about human movements during outbreaks are, however, difficult to obtain and may not be available during future epidemics. The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa between 2014-16 demonstrated how quickly pathogens can spread to large urban centers following one cross-species transmission event. Read More

Bioconjug Chem 2019 Apr 4;30(4):1114-1126. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Laboratoire de Glycochimie des Antimicrobiens et des Agroressources (LG2A-UMR7378-CNRS) , Université de Picardie Jules Verne , 10 Rue Baudelocque , 80039 , Amiens , France.

Glycan-protein interactions control numerous biological events from cell-cell recognition and signaling to pathogen host cell attachment for infections. To infect cells, some viruses bind to immune cells with the help of DC-SIGN (dendritic cell [DC]-specific ICAM3-grabbing nonintegrin) C-type lectin expressed on dendritic and macrophage cell membranes, via their envelope protein. Prevention of this infectious interaction is a serious therapeutic option. Read More

J Immunol Methods 2019 May 22;468:29-34. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Malaria Vaccine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, United States of America. Electronic address:

Immunoglobulin M (IgM) is the first antibody induced after the onset of an adaptive immune response against a pathogen or vaccine. Serological assays play a central role in evaluating these adaptive immunological responses. Such assays are not only crucial for the assessment of vaccine immunogenicity, but also inform on exposure to pathogens and cross-reactivity with other viruses. Read More

J Clin Virol 2019 Mar 19;114:26-31. Epub 2019 Mar 19.

Helsinki University and Helsinki University Hospital (HUSLAB), Department of Virology, Finland; University of Helsinki, Department of Virology, Helsinki, Finland; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.

Background: During the five decades since their discovery, filoviruses of four species have caused human hemorrhagic fever outbreaks: Marburg (MARV) marburgvirus, and Zaire (EBOV), Sudan (SUDV) and Bundybugyo (BDBV) ebolaviruses. The largest, devastating EBOV epidemic in West Africa in 2014-16, has been followed by outbreaks of MARV in Uganda, 2017, and EBOV in Democratic Republic of Congo, 2018, emphasizing the need to develop preparedness to diagnose all filoviruses.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to optimize a new filovirus RT-qPCR to detect all filoviruses, define its limits of detection (LOD) and perform a field evaluation with outbreak samples. Read More