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Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Nov 2023Powassan virus is an emerging neurotropic arbovirus transmitted by the tick This systematic review was conducted to aggregate data on its clinical manifestations,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Powassan virus is an emerging neurotropic arbovirus transmitted by the tick This systematic review was conducted to aggregate data on its clinical manifestations, diagnostic findings, and complications.
METHODS
PubMed was searched until August 2023 using the term "Powassan", to identify all published cases of Powassan virus infections, as per PRISMA guidelines.
RESULTS
Among the 380 abstracts identified, 45 studies describing 84 cases (70 adult, 14 pediatric) were included. Cases were reported from the USA and Canada. Complications included paralysis in 44.1% of adult and 42.6% of pediatric cases, cognitive deficits in 33.3% of adult and 25% of pediatric cases, while the mortality rate was 19.1% and 7.1% in the adult and pediatric populations, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed an association between mortality and age (r = 0.264, = 0.029), development of paralysis (r = 0.252, = 0.041), or respiratory distress or failure (r = 0.328, = 0.006). Factors associated with persistent neurological deficits were development of ataxia (r = 0.383, = 0.006), paralysis (r = 0.278, = 0.048), speech disorder (r = 0.319, = 0.022), and cranial nerve involvement (r = 0.322, = 0.017). Other significant correlations included those between speech disorders and ataxia (r = 0.526, < 0.001), and between paralysis and respiratory distress or failure (r = 0.349, = 0.003).
CONCLUSION
Powassan virus infections have significant morbidity and mortality and should be suspected in cases of encephalitis and possible tick exposure. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023395991.
PubMed: 38133440
DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8120508 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Apr 2022Dengue (DENV), Ross River (RRV) and Barmah Forest viruses (BFV) are the most common human arboviral infections in Australia and the Pacific Island Countries and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Dengue (DENV), Ross River (RRV) and Barmah Forest viruses (BFV) are the most common human arboviral infections in Australia and the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) and are associated with debilitating symptoms. All are nationally notifiable in Australia, but routine surveillance is limited to a few locations in the PICTs. Understanding the level of human exposure to these viruses can inform disease management and mitigation strategies. To assess the historic and current seroprevalence of DENV, RRV and BFV in Australia and the PICTs we conducted a systematic literature review of all published quantitative serosurveys.
METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
The Preferred Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses procedures were adopted to produce a protocol to systematically search for published studies reporting the seroprevalence of DENV, RRV and BFV in Australia and the PICTs. Data for author, research year, location, study population, serosurvey methods and positive tests were extracted. A total of 41 papers, reporting 78 serosurveys of DENV, RRV and BFV including 62,327 samples met the inclusion criteria for this review. Seroprevalence varied depending on the assay used, strategy of sample collection and location of the study population. Significant differences were observed in reported seropositivity depending on the sample collection strategy with clinically targeted sampling reporting the highest seroprevalence across all three viruses. Non-stratified seroprevalence showed wide ranges in reported positivity with DENV 0.0% - 95.6%, RRV 0.0% - 100.0%, and BFV 0.3% - 12.5%. We discuss some of the causes of variation including serological methods used, selection bias in sample collection including clinical or environmental associations, and location of study site. We consider the extent to which serosurveys reflect the epidemiology of the viruses and provide broad recommendations regarding the conduct and reporting of arbovirus serosurveys.
CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE
Human serosurveys provide important information on the extent of human exposure to arboviruses across: (1) time, (2) place, and (3) person (e.g., age, gender, clinical presentation etc). Interpreting results obtained at these scales has the potential to inform us about transmission cycles, improve diagnostic surveillance, and mitigate future outbreaks. Future research should streamline methods and reduce bias to allow a better understanding of the burden of these diseases and the factors associated with seroprevalence. Greater consideration should be given to the interpretation of seroprevalence in studies, and increased rigour applied in linking seroprevalence to transmission dynamics.
Topics: Alphavirus; Animals; Arboviruses; Australia; Chickens; Culicidae; Dengue; Forests; Humans; Seroepidemiologic Studies
PubMed: 35486651
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010314 -
Blood Transfusion = Trasfusione Del... Jul 2022Blood transfusion centres should understand the epidemiology of emerging diseases that are transmissible through the transfusion of blood components. The risk of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Blood transfusion centres should understand the epidemiology of emerging diseases that are transmissible through the transfusion of blood components. The risk of transmission of arboviruses through this route has become apparent in recent years. The aim of our study is to summarise the reported prevalence (viraemic rate, seroprevalence and/or antigen detection) of Chikungunya (CHIKV), Dengue (DENV) and Zika (ZIKV) viruses in blood donors according to screening test used and world region.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis having searched for information in the main bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus). The prevalence for each of the viruses was calculated according to the screening test used and geographic location.
RESULTS
We included 18 records on CHIKV, 71 on DENV, and 27 on ZIKV. The highest prevalences of RNA for CHIKV were 1.9% in Puerto Rico (2014), 1.0% in Thailand (2009), and 1.0% in French Polynesia (2014-15). The highest prevalences of RNA for DENV were 5.5% in Saudi Arabia (2015-16), 2.3% in Madeira, Portugal (2012-13), and 0.6% in Brazil (2012). The highest prevalences of RNA for ZIKV were 2.8% in French Polynesia (2013-14), 2.7% in Brazil (2015-16), and 1.8% in Martinique (2016). Overall seroprevalence, as assessed by IgG antibodies, was 21.6% for CHIKV, 24.0% for DENV, and 5.1% for ZIKV.
DISCUSSION
Our study shows a high proportion of donors who are viraemic and asymptomatic, especially during outbreaks, with prevalences surpassing 5% for DENV, 1% for CHIKV, and 2% for ZIKV. These data confirm a clear threat to blood transfusion safety. The elevated seroprevalence for these three arboviruses is also indicative of their wide circulation in populations, correlating with an increased risk of infected but asymptomatic donors. Health centres and institutions must address this threat, especially in tropical regions where the biggest outbreaks occur.
Topics: Blood Donors; Chikungunya Fever; Dengue; Humans; Prevalence; RNA; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Viremia; Zika Virus; Zika Virus Infection
PubMed: 34694219
DOI: 10.2450/2021.0106-21 -
Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Aug 2021Oropouche virus (OROV), a member of the genus, is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) and is the etiologic agent of human and animal disease. The primary vector of... (Review)
Review
Observational Characterization of the Ecological and Environmental Features Associated with the Presence of Oropouche Virus and the Primary Vector : Data Synthesis and Systematic Review.
Oropouche virus (OROV), a member of the genus, is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) and is the etiologic agent of human and animal disease. The primary vector of OROV is presumed to be the biting midge, though , , and mosquitoes are considered secondary vectors. The objective of this systematic review is to characterize locations where OROV and/or its primary vector have been detected. Synthesis of known data through review of published literature regarding OROV and vectors was carried out through two independent searches: one search targeted to OROV, and another targeted towards the primary vector. A total of 911 records were returned, but only 90 (9.9%) articles satisfied all inclusion criteria. When locations were characterized, some common features were noted more frequently than others, though no one characteristic was significantly associated with presence of OROV using a logistic classification model. In a separate correlation analysis, vector presence was significantly correlated only with the presence of restingas. The lack of significant relationships is likely due to the paucity of data regarding OROV and its eco-epidemiology and highlights the importance of continued focus on characterizing this and other neglected tropical diseases.
PubMed: 34449725
DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6030143 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Mar 2021Throughout the last decade, chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Zika virus (ZIKV) infections have spread globally, causing a spectrum of disease that ranges from self-limited...
Throughout the last decade, chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Zika virus (ZIKV) infections have spread globally, causing a spectrum of disease that ranges from self-limited febrile illness to permanent severe disability, congenital anomalies, and early death. Nevertheless, estimates of their aggregate health impact are absent from the literature and are currently omitted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) reports. We systematically reviewed published literature and surveillance records to evaluate the global burden caused by CHIKV and ZIKV between 2010 and 2019, to calculate estimates of their disability-adjusted life year (DALY) impact. Extracted data on acute, chronic, and perinatal outcomes were used to create annualized DALY estimates, following techniques outlined in the GBD framework. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020192502). Of 7,877 studies identified, 916 were screened in detail, and 21 were selected for inclusion. Available data indicate that CHIKV and ZIKV caused the average yearly loss of over 106,000 and 44,000 DALYs, respectively, between 2010 and 2019. Both viruses caused substantially more burden in the Americas than in any other World Health Organization (WHO) region. This unequal distribution is likely due to a combination of limited active surveillance reporting in other regions and the lack of immunity that left the previously unexposed populations of the Americas susceptible to severe outbreaks during the last decade. Long-term rheumatic sequelae provided the largest DALY component for CHIKV, whereas congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) contributed most significantly for ZIKV. Acute symptoms and early mortality accounted for relatively less of the overall burden. Suboptimal reporting and inconsistent diagnostics limit precision when determining arbovirus incidence and frequency of complications. Despite these limitations, it is clear from our assessment that CHIKV and ZIKV represent a significant cause of morbidity that is not included in current disease burden reports. These results suggest that transmission-blocking strategies, including vector control and vaccine development, remain crucial priorities in reducing global disease burden through prevention of potentially devastating arboviral outbreaks.
Topics: Americas; Chikungunya Fever; Chikungunya virus; Cost of Illness; Disease Outbreaks; Female; Global Burden of Disease; Humans; Incidence; Pregnancy; Treatment Outcome; Vector Borne Diseases; Zika Virus; Zika Virus Infection
PubMed: 33661908
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009055 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2021Emerging and re-emerging mosquito-borne viral diseases are a threat to global health. This systematic review aimed to investigate the available evidence of... (Review)
Review
Emerging and re-emerging mosquito-borne viral diseases are a threat to global health. This systematic review aimed to investigate the available evidence of mosquito-borne viral pathogens reported in Zambia. A search of literature was conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar for articles published from 1 January 1930 to 30 June 2020 using a combination of keywords. Eight mosquito-borne viruses belonging to three families, , and were reported. Three viruses (Chikungunya virus, Mayaro virus, Mwinilunga virus) were reported among the togaviruses whilst four (dengue virus, West Nile virus, yellow fever virus, Zika virus) were among the flavivirus and only one virus, Rift Valley fever virus, was reported in the family. The majority of these mosquito-borne viruses were reported in Western and North-Western provinces. and species were the main mosquito-borne viral vectors reported. Farming, fishing, movement of people and rain patterns were among factors associated with mosquito-borne viral infection in Zambia. Better diagnostic methods, such as the use of molecular tools, to detect the viruses in potential vectors, humans, and animals, including the recognition of arboviral risk zones and how the viruses circulate, are important for improved surveillance and design of effective prevention and control measures.
PubMed: 34451471
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10081007 -
Infectious Diseases of Poverty May 2023Primary health care settings and hospitals of low- and middle-income countries have few accessible diagnostic tools and limited laboratory and human resources capacity... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Primary health care settings and hospitals of low- and middle-income countries have few accessible diagnostic tools and limited laboratory and human resources capacity to identify multiple pathogens with high accuracy. In addition, there is a paucity of information on fever and its underlying aetiology in the adolescent and adult population in East Africa. The purpose of this study was to estimate the pooled prevalence of fever of unidentified aetiology among adolescent and adult febrile patients seeking health care in East Africa.
METHODS
We pursued a systematic review using readily available electronic databases (i.e. PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science) without language restriction from inception date of the respective databases to October 31, 2022. We adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Identified studies were screened for relevance. Further analyses based on pre-set eligibility criteria were carried out for final inclusion. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data. Risk of study bias was assessed. Meta-analysis of the prevalence of fever of unidentified aetiology was performed.
RESULTS
We identified 14,029 articles of which 25 were eligible for inclusion, reporting data from 8538 participants. The pooled prevalence of febrile cases with unidentified aetiology was 64% [95% confidence interval (CI): 51-77%, I = 99.6%] among febrile adolescents and adults in East Africa. For the proportion of patients with identified aetiology, the studies documented bacterial pathogens (human bloodstream infections), bacterial zoonotic pathogens and arboviruses as the main non-malarial causative agents in East Africa.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study provides evidence that almost two-thirds of adolescent and adult febrile patients attending health care facilities in East Africa might receive inappropriate treatments due to unidentified potential life-threatening fever aetiology. Hence, we call for a comprehensive fever syndromic surveillance to broaden a consequential differential diagnosis of syndromic fever and to considerably improve the course of patients' disease and treatment outcomes.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Humans; Prevalence; East African People; Fever
PubMed: 37231500
DOI: 10.1186/s40249-023-01105-z -
Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Jul 2020The goal of this study was to systematically review the published data on dengue virus (DENV) seroprevalence in Sudan and to estimate disease burden through... (Review)
Review
The goal of this study was to systematically review the published data on dengue virus (DENV) seroprevalence in Sudan and to estimate disease burden through meta-analysis. We searched, reviewed, and extracted online available reports on DENV in Sudan. Among 168 identified records, 19 were selected. Dengue infections were documented in 11/18 states. The overall seroprevalence of DENV in Sudan was estimated to be 27%, while the prevalence of dengue IgM was 22% and IgG was 38%. The prevalence of dengue estimated from community and hospital-based cross-sectional studies were 26% and 30% respectively. Additionally, one cohort study and a single PCR-based study reported a prevalence of 1% and 4%, respectively. Regional analysis revealed that the variation in seroprevalence in East, North, West, and Central Sudan was 23%, 24%, 36% and 43%, respectively. Interestingly, we found that DENV is circulating countrywide with a significant spatiotemporal variation in the disease seroprevalence. Furthermore, publications on dengue prevalence are temporally and geographically fragmented, perhaps due to limited resources. However, this gap in data and knowledge highlights the urgent need for a country-wide surveillance system and continued study of dengue burden in Sudan to accurately estimate the disease prevalence and determine the associated risk factors.
PubMed: 32708492
DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed5030120 -
Viruses Dec 2022Ilheus fever is a mosquito-borne, poorly known tropical disease. We aimed to report the pooled rate of exposure to the Ilheus virus (ILHV) and clinical outcomes of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Ilheus fever is a mosquito-borne, poorly known tropical disease. We aimed to report the pooled rate of exposure to the Ilheus virus (ILHV) and clinical outcomes of infection to determine the epidemiological patterns of ILHV. We conducted a meta-analysis of 37 studies ( = 17,722 individuals) from Latin America. The common clinical characteristics of ILHV infection were fever (82.3%), headache (52.9%), and myalgia (52.9%). Encephalitis complicated the course of the infection in 29.4% cases. Monotypic serological reactions detected a pooled rate of exposure of 2% to ILHV (95% CI: 1-2). Studies were mainly conducted in Brazil, with a pooled proportion of ILHV positivity of 8% (95% CI: 3-14). Males (12%) had higher rates of seropositivity than females (7%) and had high chances of ILHV infection (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2-2.5). Seropositivity increased with age, from 2% (95% CI: 2-3) among people aged 0-14 years to 8% (95% CI: 6-10) among people aged 15-64 years. Our analysis indicated a low and relatively constant burden of ILHV in Latin America. More research is needed to evaluate and innovate serological assays for ILHV to better estimate the burden and dynamics of epidemiological changes in ILHV infection in different regions.
Topics: Animals; Male; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant; Child, Preschool; Child; Adolescent; Flavivirus; Culicidae; Brazil; Phylogeny
PubMed: 36680131
DOI: 10.3390/v15010092 -
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders May 2023Chikungunya fever is an infection transmitted by the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which is an arbovirus that is transmitted by the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes...
INTRODUCTION
Chikungunya fever is an infection transmitted by the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which is an arbovirus that is transmitted by the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The most common sequelae caused by CHIKV are chronic musculoskeletal pain, nerve damage, joint deformation and functional impairment.
OBJECTIVE
To systematically identify the literature on the contributions of physiotherapy in the treatment of patients with CHIKV sequelae.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Systematic review of the literature, guided by the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The databases used were PUBMED, LILACS, Scielo and PEDro. Experimental studies and/or full case studies published without language restriction or publication data were included, in which they stood out as contributions of musculoskeletal functional rehabilitation in the treatment of patients with the condition in question. Analytical observational studies, editorial letters, review protocols, reflective studies, literature reviews and articles that do not have an abstract and/or full text available online were excluded.
RESULTS
The search in the databases was carried out between July and August 2022. A total of 4,782 articles were found on the platforms used and 10 articles from the gray literature search. After the duplicate analysis, 2,027 studies were excluded, leaving 2,755 articles that had their titles and abstracts read, of which 600 articles were selected for full reading. After this step, a final sample of 13 articles was eligible for this review.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
The most consolidated approaches used in the literature demonstrate that kinesiotherapy, associated or not with electrothermophototherapy, the pilates method and auriculotherapy are useful resources in the treatment of these individuals, significantly inspired by pain relief, improved quality of life and of functionality.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Chikungunya Fever; Quality of Life; Chikungunya virus; Physical Therapy Modalities; Aedes
PubMed: 37143009
DOI: 10.1186/s12891-023-06450-6