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Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2020Emerging and re-emerging viral diseases are of great public health concern. The recent emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) related coronavirus...
Emerging and re-emerging viral diseases are of great public health concern. The recent emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) related coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in December 2019 in China, which causes COVID-19 disease in humans, and its current spread to several countries, leading to the first pandemic in history to be caused by a coronavirus, highlights the significance of zoonotic viral diseases. Rift Valley fever, rabies, West Nile, chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Ebola, and influenza viruses among many other viruses have been reported from different African countries. The paucity of information, lack of knowledge, limited resources, and climate change, coupled with cultural traditions make the African continent a hotspot for vector-borne and zoonotic viral diseases, which may spread globally. Currently, there is no information available on the status of virus diseases in Africa. This systematic review highlights the available information about viral diseases, including zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, reported in Africa. The findings will help us understand the trend of emerging and re-emerging virus diseases within the African continent. The findings recommend active surveillance of viral diseases and strict implementation of One Health measures in Africa to improve human public health and reduce the possibility of potential pandemics due to zoonotic viruses.
PubMed: 32325980
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9040301 -
Planta Medica Oct 2020Viruses have a high mutation rate, and, thus, there is a continual emergence of new antiviral-resistant strains. Therefore, it becomes imperative to explore and develop...
Viruses have a high mutation rate, and, thus, there is a continual emergence of new antiviral-resistant strains. Therefore, it becomes imperative to explore and develop new antiviral compounds continually. The search for pharmacological substances of plant origin that are effective against animal viruses, which have a high mortality rate or cause large economic losses, has garnered interest in the last few decades. This systematic review compiles 130 plant species that exhibit antiviral activity on 37 different virus species causing serious diseases in animals. The kind of extract, fraction, or compound exhibiting the antiviral activity and the design of the trial were particularly considered for review. The literature revealed details regarding plant species exhibiting antiviral activities against pathogenic animal virus species of the following families-, and that cause infections, among others, in poultry, cattle, pigs, horses, shrimps, and fish. Overall, 30 plant species exhibited activity against various influenza viruses, most of them causing avian influenza. Furthermore, 30 plant species were noted to be active against Newcastle disease virus. In addition, regarding the pathogens most frequently investigated, this review provides a compilation of 20 plant species active against bovine herpesvirus, 16 against fowlpox virus, 12 against white spot syndrome virus in marine shrimps, and 10 against suide herpesvirus. Nevertheless, some plant extracts, particularly their compounds, are promising candidates for the development of new antiviral remedies, which are urgently required.
Topics: Animal Diseases; Animals; Antiviral Agents; Cattle; Horses; Orthomyxoviridae; Plant Extracts; Plants, Medicinal; Swine; Veterinary Medicine
PubMed: 32777833
DOI: 10.1055/a-1224-6115 -
Zhonghua Yu Fang Yi Xue Za Zhi [Chinese... Oct 2019To systematically review the mortality burden study of influenza in mainland China. "influenza", "flu", "H1N1", "pandemic", "mortality", "death", "fatality", "burden",...
To systematically review the mortality burden study of influenza in mainland China. "influenza", "flu", "H1N1", "pandemic", "mortality", "death", "fatality", "burden", "China" and "Chinese" were used as keywords, and a systematic literature search was conducted to identify articles in three English databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Embase) and three Chinese database (CNKI, WanFang and VIP) during 1990-2018 (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan). The language of literature was restricted to Chinese and English. The inclusion criteria were human-oriented researches with method based on population, and research indexes included mortality and excess mortality. The exclusion criteria were non-primary research materials, predictive research and research on the burden of avian influenza related deaths. A total of 17 literatures were included, and the basic information to descriptive characteristics, methodology of modeling and the corresponding results were extracted. All the 17 studies adopted indirect statistical models, with 14 of which adopted the regression model, and all the research index was excess mortality. All causes (16 studies), respiratory and circulatory diseases (14 studies) and pneumonia and influenza (10 studies) were the main causes of death associated with influenza. Influenza associated mortality burden in the elderly was higher, with the lowest excess mortality rates of all causes, respiratory and circulatory diseases, pneumonia and influenza being 49.57, 30.80 and 0.69 per 100 000 people, and the highest rates being 228.16, 170.20 and 30.35 per 100 000 people, respectively. In the non-elderly, the corresponding lowest rates were -0.27, -0.08 and 0.04 per 100 000 people respectively, and the highest rates were 3.63, 2.6 and 0.91 per 100 000 people, respectively. The influenza-related excess mortality was higher in the north, with a minimum of 7.8 per 100 000 and a maximum of 18.0 per 100 000, and slightly lower in the south, with a minimum of 6.11 per 100 000 and a maximum of 18.7 per 100 000. There were also differences in deaths caused by different influenza virus subtypes, with influenza A(H3N2) and influenza B virus possibly posing a heavier mortality burden. Studies on influenza mortality burden is mainly based on indirect model and urban level in China. The mortality burden of influenza in the elderly, the northern and subtype A(H3N2) and B were more severe.
Topics: Aged; Animals; China; Humans; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype; Influenza B virus; Influenza, Human
PubMed: 31607054
DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0253-9624.2019.10.018 -
BMJ Global Health Nov 2020There are reports of outbreaks of COVID-19 in prisons in many countries. Responses to date have been highly variable and it is not clear whether public health guidance...
BACKGROUND
There are reports of outbreaks of COVID-19 in prisons in many countries. Responses to date have been highly variable and it is not clear whether public health guidance has been informed by the best available evidence. We conducted a systematic review to synthesise the evidence on outbreaks of highly contagious diseases in prison.
METHODS
We searched seven electronic databases for peer-reviewed articles and official reports published between 1 January 2000 and 28 July 2020. We included quantitative primary research that reported an outbreak of a given contagious disease in a correctional facility and examined the effects of interventions. We excluded studies that did not provide detail on interventions. We synthesised common themes using the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) guideline, identified gaps in the literature and critically appraised the effectiveness of various containment approaches.
RESULTS
We identified 28 relevant studies. Investigations were all based in high-income countries and documented outbreaks of tuberculosis, influenza (types A and B), varicella, measles, mumps, adenovirus and COVID-19. Several themes were common to these reports, including the public health implications of infectious disease outbreaks in prison, and the role of interagency collaboration, health communication, screening for contagious diseases, restriction, isolation and quarantine, contact tracing, immunisation programmes, epidemiological surveillance and prison-specific guidelines in addressing any outbreaks.
DISCUSSION
Prisons are high-risk settings for the transmission of contagious diseases and there are considerable challenges in managing outbreaks in them. A public health approach to managing COVID-19 in prisons is required.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42020178827.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; COVID-19; Communicable Disease Control; Communicable Diseases; Contact Tracing; Disease Outbreaks; Female; Health Communication; Humans; Male; Mass Screening; Middle Aged; Prisons; Public Health; SARS-CoV-2; Young Adult
PubMed: 33199278
DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003201 -
The Journal of Infectious Diseases Apr 2020
PubMed: 31860082
DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz662 -
Animal Health Research Reviews Jun 2020Automated systems for high-input data collection and data storage have led to exponential growth in the availability of information. Such datasets and the tools applied...
Automated systems for high-input data collection and data storage have led to exponential growth in the availability of information. Such datasets and the tools applied to them have been referred to as 'big data'. Starting with a systematic review of the terms 'informatics, bioinformatics and big data' in animal health this special issue of AHRR illustrates some big-data applications with papers on how the use of various omics methods may be used to facilitate the development of improved diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines for foodborne pathogens in poultry and on how a better understanding of rumen microbiota could lead to improved feed absorption while minimizing methane production. Other papers in this issue cover the use of big data modeling in dairy cattle for more effective disease interventions and machine learning tools for livestock breeding. The final two reviews describe the use of big data in better vector-borne pathogen forecasts with canine seroprevalence maps and modeling approaches to understand the transmission of avian influenza virus. Although a lot of technical and ethical issues remain with the use of big data, these reviews illustrate the tremendous potential that big-data systems have to revolutionize animal health research.
Topics: Animals; Big Data; Research; Veterinary Medicine
PubMed: 32684189
DOI: 10.1017/S1466252319000215 -
Preventive Veterinary Medicine Apr 2021Managing the health needs of livestock contributes to reducing poverty and improving the livelihoods of smallholder and pastoralist livestock keepers globally. Animal...
Prioritizing smallholder animal health needs in East Africa, West Africa, and South Asia using three approaches: Literature review, expert workshops, and practitioner surveys.
Managing the health needs of livestock contributes to reducing poverty and improving the livelihoods of smallholder and pastoralist livestock keepers globally. Animal health practitioners, producers, policymakers, and researchers all must prioritize how to mobilize limited resources. This study employed three approaches to prioritize animal health needs in East and West Africa and South Asia to identify diseases and syndromes that impact livestock keepers. The approaches were a) systematic literature review, b) a series of expert workshops, and c) a practitioner survey of veterinarians and para-veterinary professionals. The top constraints that emerged from all three approaches include endo/ ectoparasites, foot and mouth disease, brucellosis, peste des petits ruminants, Newcastle disease, and avian influenza. Expert workshops additionally identified contagious caprine pleuropneumonia, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, mastitis, and reproductive disorders as constraints not emphasized in the literature review. Practitioner survey results additionally identified nutrition as a constraint for smallholder dairy and pastoralist small ruminant production. Experts attending the workshops agreed most constraints can be managed using existing veterinary technologies and best husbandry practices, which supports a shift away from focusing on individual diseases and new technologies towards addressing systemic challenges that limit access to veterinary services and inputs. Few research studies focused on incidence/ prevalence of disease and impact, suggesting better incorporation of socio-economic impact measures in future research would better represent the interests of livestock keepers.
Topics: Africa, Eastern; Africa, Western; Animal Husbandry; Animals; Asia; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Chickens; Goat Diseases; Goats; Poultry Diseases
PubMed: 33581421
DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105279 -
Journal of Clinical Nursing Jan 2024Nurses play an essential role in responding to severe viral disease which bring considerable challenges to their personal and professional well-being. This subsequently...
BACKGROUND
Nurses play an essential role in responding to severe viral disease which bring considerable challenges to their personal and professional well-being. This subsequently can affect the delivery of care and healthcare systems' organisational capacity to respond. Understanding nurses' experiences of these challenges will help inform healthcare policies.
AIM
To explore the experiences and coping strategies of nurses caring for patients during severe viral disease pandemics.
DESIGN
A mixed-methods systematic review informed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology.
METHODS
A mixed-methods systematic review. Five electronic databases Medline, CINAHL, PsychInfo, ASSIA and Scopus were searched on 4th April 2021. Results were reported in accordance with PRISMA. The findings were analysed and reported in the context of the Self-Regulatory Common-Sense Model.
RESULTS
In total, 71 peer-review primary research articles describing nurses' experiences of caring for patients during SARS, MERS, Swine flu H1N1, Avian influenza or SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 published in English from 2003 to 2021 were included. We found links between nurses' perception of the health threats, their emotional reactions, and coping strategies. Perceived health threats were influenced by organisational factors including frequent changes in clinical guidelines and workplace protocols, onerous workloads and working hours, unavailability of PPE, and lack of knowledge and training in pandemic management. These impacted nurses' physical, psychological and social well-being. Nurses also reported helpful and unhelpful coping strategies to manage the health threats.
CONCLUSIONS
It is vital for stakeholders, policymakers, government and healthcare institutions to recognise and monitor the wider impact on healthcare workers from health emergencies. In addition, support to develop and implement effective systems and individual mechanisms to offset the anticipated impact pre and post pandemics/epidemics is needed. Our findings can inform those strategies for similar future health emergencies.
RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
Nurses are often the first point of contact in providing direct care to patients, hence they are at high risk of being infected. The findings from this review can help managers and policymakers in developing programmes to enhance resilience in the nursing workforce.
NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION
This was a literature review study.
Topics: Humans; Coping Skills; COVID-19; Emergencies; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; Nurses; Patient Care; Pandemics; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 37032642
DOI: 10.1111/jocn.16711