scholarly journals Times to Key Events in the Course of Zika Infection and their Implications for Surveillance: A Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Lessler ◽  
Cassandra T. Ott ◽  
Andrea C. Carcelen ◽  
Jacob M. Konikoff ◽  
Joe Williamson ◽  
...  

Background Evidence suggests that Zika virus has driven a 10-fold increase in babies born with microcephaly in Brazil, prompting the WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. However, little is known about the natural history of infection. These data are critical for implementation of surveillance and control measures such as protecting the blood supply. Methods We conducted a systematic review and pooled analysis to estimate the distribution of times from Zika infection to symptom onset, seroconversion, and viral clearance, and analyzed their implications for surveillance and blood supply safety. Results Based on 25 case reports, we estimate the median incubation period of Zika virus infection is 5.9 days (95% CI: 4.4-7.6), and that 95% of cases will develop symptoms by 11.1 days post-infection (95% CI: 7.6-18.0). On average seroconversion occurs 9.0 days (95% CI, 7.0-11.6) after infection, and virus is detectable in blood for 9.9 days (95% CI: 6.8-21.4). In 5% of cases detectable virus persists for over 18.9 days (95% CI: 12.6-79.5). The baseline (no screening) risk of a blood donation being infected with Zika increases by approximately 1 in 10,000 for every 1 per 100,000 person-days increase in Zika incidence. Symptom based screening reduces this by 7% (RR 0.93, 93% CI 0.86-0.99), and antibody screening by 29% (RR 0.71, 95% CI: 0.28-0.88). Conclusions Symptom or antibody-based surveillance can do little to reduce the risk of Zika contaminated blood donations. High incidence areas may consider PCR testing to identify lots safe for use in pregnant women.

EcoHealth ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 821-839 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah J. Thompson ◽  
John M. Pearce ◽  
Andrew M. Ramey

2008 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Otlu ◽  
M. Sahin ◽  
H. I. Atabay ◽  
A. Unver

The prevalence of brucellosis was investigated in cattle, farmers and veterinarians in the Kars district of Turkey between 2004 - 2006. In order to achieve this, a total of 407 serum samples of cattle from 27 herds having history of abortions were examined for Brucella antibodies by RBPT and SAT. In addition, the sera collected from 246 farmers (130 males and 116 females) and 28 veterinarians in the same district were analysed serologically by RBPT, SAT and ELISA. Of the cattle sera analysed, 134 (32.92%) and 141 (34.64%) were determined as positive by RBPT and SAT, respectively. Thirty-two (13%), 35 (14.22%) and 44 (17.88%) of the farmers' sera were found positive for brucellosis by RBPT, SAT and ELISA, respectively. There was no significant difference between sexes for Brucella seropositivity. Of the 28 sera from veterinarians, 13 (46.42%) were positive by the three serological tests. The high prevalence of brucellosis both in cattle and humans suggests that brucellosis is common in this area. Preventive and control measures should be implemented and pursued more strictly to reduce and/or eradicate brucellosis from the area.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 141-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael G. dos Santos ◽  
José Carlos Bouso ◽  
Jaime E. C. Hallak

Ayahuasca is a hallucinogen brew traditionally used for ritual and therapeutic purposes in Northwestern Amazon. It is rich in the tryptamine hallucinogens dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which acts as a serotonin 5-HT2A agonist. This mechanism of action is similar to other compounds such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin. The controlled use of LSD and psilocybin in experimental settings is associated with a low incidence of psychotic episodes, and population studies corroborate these findings. Both the controlled use of DMT in experimental settings and the use of ayahuasca in experimental and ritual settings are not usually associated with psychotic episodes, but little is known regarding ayahuasca or DMT use outside these controlled contexts. Thus, we performed a systematic review of the published case reports describing psychotic episodes associated with ayahuasca and DMT intake. We found three case series and two case reports describing psychotic episodes associated with ayahuasca intake, and three case reports describing psychotic episodes associated with DMT. Several reports describe subjects with a personal and possibly a family history of psychosis (including schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorders, psychotic mania, psychotic depression), nonpsychotic mania, or concomitant use of other drugs. However, some cases also described psychotic episodes in subjects without these previous characteristics. Overall, the incidence of such episodes appears to be rare in both the ritual and the recreational/noncontrolled settings. Performance of a psychiatric screening before administration of these drugs, and other hallucinogens, in controlled settings seems to significantly reduce the possibility of adverse reactions with psychotic symptomatology. Individuals with a personal or family history of any psychotic illness or nonpsychotic mania should avoid hallucinogen intake.


Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 368 (6491) ◽  
pp. 638-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huaiyu Tian ◽  
Yonghong Liu ◽  
Yidan Li ◽  
Chieh-Hsi Wu ◽  
Bin Chen ◽  
...  

Responding to an outbreak of a novel coronavirus [agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)] in December 2019, China banned travel to and from Wuhan city on 23 January 2020 and implemented a national emergency response. We investigated the spread and control of COVID-19 using a data set that included case reports, human movement, and public health interventions. The Wuhan shutdown was associated with the delayed arrival of COVID-19 in other cities by 2.91 days. Cities that implemented control measures preemptively reported fewer cases on average (13.0) in the first week of their outbreaks compared with cities that started control later (20.6). Suspending intracity public transport, closing entertainment venues, and banning public gatherings were associated with reductions in case incidence. The national emergency response appears to have delayed the growth and limited the size of the COVID-19 epidemic in China, averting hundreds of thousands of cases by 19 February (day 50).


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yalewayker Tegegne ◽  
Daniel Asmelash ◽  
Sintayehu Ambachew ◽  
Setegn Eshetie ◽  
Ayenew Addisu ◽  
...  

Background. Malaria during pregnancy remains a major public health concern in tropical and subtropical countries. Moreover, malaria is increasingly associated with unwanted pregnancy outcomes such as an increased risk of abortion, stillbirth, premature delivery, and low-birthweight infants. Since pregnant women are most vulnerable to malaria, implementation of the appropriate prevention and control measures among this group is very important. Therefore, the current review was designed to assess the prevalence of both symptomatic and asymptomatic malaria among pregnant women in Ethiopia.Method. In this systematic review and meta-analysis we have followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. The databases used were PubMed, Google Scholar, HINARI, and Science Direct literature. Search terms used were “prevalence”, “malaria”, “pregnant women”, and “Ethiopia”. Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) was used for critical appraisal of studies. The meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 14 software. The pooled meta-logistic regression was computed to present the pooled prevalence with a 95% confidence interval (CI).Result. Among a total of 10207 studies, seven studies were included in this analysis. The estimated pooled prevalence of malaria among pregnant women in Ethiopia was 12.72% (95% CI: 7.45, 17.98). In subgroup analysis, the prevalence of malaria showed a significant variation between asymptomatic and symptomatic cases, which was 7.83% (95% CI: 2.23, 13.43) and 17.97% (95% CI: 7.31, 28.92), respectively.Conclusion. The current systematic review and meta-analysis showed that the pooled prevalence of malaria among pregnant women was found to be relatively higher compared with the general population. Therefore, the existing prevention and control measures should be strengthen.


mBio ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott C. Weaver

ABSTRACT The mechanisms responsible for the dramatic emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV), accompanied by congenital Zika syndrome and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), remain unclear. However, two hypotheses are prominent: (i) evolution for enhanced urban transmission via adaptation to mosquito vectors, or for enhanced human infection to increase amplification, or (ii) the stochastic introduction of ZIKV into large, naive human populations in regions with abundant Aedes aegypti populations, leading to enough rare, severe infection outcomes for their first recognition. Advances in animal models for human infection combined with improvements in serodiagnostics, better surveillance, and reverse genetic approaches should provide more conclusive evidence of whether mosquito transmission or human pathogenesis changed coincidentally with emergence in the South Pacific and the Americas. Ultimately, understanding the mechanisms of epidemic ZIKV emergence, and its associated syndromes, is critical to predict future risks as well as to target surveillance and control measures in key locations.


BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. e013634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Babu Rajendran Nithya ◽  
Beryl Primrose Gladstone ◽  
Jesús Rodríguez-Baño ◽  
Frangiscos Sifakis ◽  
Andreas Voss ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 94 (11) ◽  
pp. 841-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Lessler ◽  
Cassandra T Ott ◽  
Andrea C Carcelen ◽  
Jacob M Konikoff ◽  
Joe Williamson ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Huaiyu Tian ◽  
Yonghong Liu ◽  
Yidan Li ◽  
Chieh-Hsi Wu ◽  
Bin Chen ◽  
...  

AbstractRespiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) appeared in China during December 2019. Attempting to contain infection, China banned travel to and from Wuhan city on 23 January and implemented a national emergency response. Here we evaluate the spread and control of the epidemic based on a unique synthesis of data including case reports, human movement and public health interventions. The Wuhan shutdown slowed the dispersal of infection to other cities by an estimated 2.91 days (95%CI: 2.54-3.29), delaying epidemic growth elsewhere in China. Other cities that implemented control measures pre-emptively reported 33.3% (11.1-44.4%) fewer cases in the first week of their outbreaks (13.0; 7.1-18.8) compared with cities that started control later (20.6; 14.5-26.8). Among interventions investigated here, the most effective were suspending intra-city public transport, closing entertainment venues and banning public gatherings. The national emergency response delayed the growth and limited the size of the COVID-19 epidemic and, by 19 February (day 50), had averted hundreds of thousands of cases across China.One sentence summaryTravel restrictions and the national emergency response delayed the growth and limited the size of the COVID-19 epidemic in China.


Author(s):  
Evangelia Antoniou ◽  
Eirini Orovou ◽  
Angeliki Sarella ◽  
Maria Iliadou ◽  
Nikolaos Rigas ◽  
...  

The global epidemic of Zika virus has been a major public health problem affecting pregnant women and their infants. Zika virus causes a viral disease transmitted to humans mainly by the infected Aedes mosquito bite. The infection is not severe in most cases; however, there is evidence that infection during pregnancy may be associated with fetal genetic abnormalities (including microcephaly). In addition to microcephaly and other malformations, some specific lesions in the central nervous system have been reported. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the risk of developing microcephaly in infants whose mothers were infected with Zika virus in pregnancy. Epidemiological studies and case reports were incorporated in our review, finally including 15 articles from an initial pool of 355 related papers. Most studies have linked maternal infection during pregnancy to the development of neonatal microcephaly. The period considered most dangerous is the first trimester and the beginning or the whole of the second trimester. In order to understand the relationship between Zika virus and microcephaly in infants, a cohort study will be able to estimate the time from the onset of Zika infection and the full spectrum of adverse pregnancy outcomes.


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