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The Science of the Total Environment Nov 2022Invasive Alien Species (IAS), i.e. species introduced by humans outside their natural geographic range, may act as host or vectors of pathogens of both human and animal... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Invasive Alien Species (IAS), i.e. species introduced by humans outside their natural geographic range, may act as host or vectors of pathogens of both human and animal health relevance. Although it has been recognized that IAS should deserve more attention from a public and animal health perspective, data on the pathogens hosted by these species are not systematically collected and this prevents accurate assessments of IAS-specific risks of disease transmission. To support the future development of disease risk assessments, we systematically reviewed the scientific literature related to the pathogens of the eleven mammal species included in the European list of IAS of concern to gain insight in the amount and quality of data available. Data were analyzed to assess the current knowledge on the pathogens harbored by mammal IAS in natural conditions, through the identification of the main factors associated with research intensity on IAS pathogens and with the IAS observed pathogen species richness, the estimation of the true pathogen species richness for each IAS, and a meta-analysis of prevalence for the pathogens of health relevance. While the review confirmed that mammal IAS harbor pathogens of human and animal health relevance such as rabies virus, West Nile Virus, Borrelia burgdorferi and Mycobacterium bovis, results also highlighted strong information gaps and biases in research on IAS pathogens. In addition, the analyses showed an underestimation of the number of pathogens harbored by these species and the existence of high levels of uncertainty in the prevalence of the pathogens of health significance identified. These results highlight the need towards more efforts in making the available information on IAS pathogens accessible and systematically collected in order to provide data for future investigations and risk assessments, as well as the need of relying on alternative sources of information to assess IAS disease risk, like expert opinions.
Topics: Animals; European Union; Introduced Species; Mammals; Risk Assessment; Species Specificity
PubMed: 35863572
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157448 -
Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease 2020Vaccine supply shortages are of global concern. We hypothesise that intradermal (ID) immunisation as an alternative to standard routes might augment vaccine supply... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Vaccine supply shortages are of global concern. We hypothesise that intradermal (ID) immunisation as an alternative to standard routes might augment vaccine supply utilisation without loss of vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis searching Medline, Embase and Web of Science databases. Studies were included if: licensed, currently available vaccines were used; fractional dose of ID was compared to IM or SC immunisation; primary immunisation schedules were evaluated; immunogenicity, safety data and/or cost were reported. We calculated risk differences (RD). Studies were included in meta-analysis if: a pre-defined immune correlate of protection was assessed; WHO-recommend schedules and antigen doses were used in the control group; the same schedule was applied to both ID and control groups (PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020151725).
RESULTS
The primary search yielded 5,873 articles, of which 156 articles were included; covering 12 vaccines. Non-inferiority of immunogenicity with 20-60% of antigen used with ID vaccines was demonstrated for influenza (H1N1: RD -0·01; 95% CI -0·02, 0·01; I = 55%, H2N3: RD 0·00; 95% CI -0·01, 0·01; I = 0%, B: RD -0·00; 95% CI -0·02, 0·01; I = 72%), rabies (RD 0·00; 95% CI -0·02, 0·02; I = 0%), and hepatitis B vaccines (RD -0·01; 95% CI -0·04, 0·02; I = 20%). Clinical trials on the remaining vaccines yielded promising results, but are scarce.
CONCLUSIONS
There is potential for inoculum/antigen dose-reduction by using ID immunisation as compared to standard routes of administration for some vaccines (e.g. influenza, rabies). When suitable, vaccine trials should include an ID arm.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Viral; Child; Humans; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; Influenza Vaccines; Injections, Intradermal; Injections, Intramuscular; Vaccination
PubMed: 32898704
DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101868 -
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 -
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders Feb 2022The pathogenesis of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) has been vigorously illustrated, but triggers of the disease remain unclear. Viral infection and...
INTRODUCTION
The pathogenesis of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) has been vigorously illustrated, but triggers of the disease remain unclear. Viral infection and vaccination have been observed to precede certain cases of NMOSD. Amidst the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, mass vaccination takes place across the globe. We report two cases of newly diagnosed NMOSD following COVID-19 vaccination and systematically review previous reports.
METHOD
Searching of Ovid MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was done using predefined search terms related to NMOSD and vaccination. Duplicates were removed. Newly diagnosed NMOSD cases fulfilling the 2015 International Panel for NMO Diagnosis criteria with symptoms presenting between 2-30 days after vaccination were included. Data on age, sex, comorbidity, vaccine name, type, and dose number, duration from vaccination to symptom onset, clinical phenotype(s), MRI findings, CSF profiles, severity of attack, initial and maintenance treatment, number of relapses after vaccination, and clinical outcomes were extracted using a standardized table and compared.
RESULT
Ten cases of postvaccination NMOSD were identified. Patients aged between 15-46 years old. Nine patients (90%) presented with transverse myelitis and 3 (30%) with optic neuritis. The mean duration from vaccination to clinical onset was 8.2 days (median 9 days). Five patients (50%) tested positive for aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibody. One patient had a family history of NMOSD. Three-fourths of AQP4-IgG seropositive patients with myelopathy had short transverse myelitis. The reported vaccines included CoronaVac, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, yellow fever, quadrivalent influenza, H1N1 influenza, quadrivalent human papillomavirus, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, and recombinant hepatitis B virus together with tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccines. All patients received high-dose steroids for initial treatment and 2 received additional therapeutic plasma exchange. Maintenance therapy was given in 4 patients. Five patients (50%) experienced no subsequent relapses within the follow-up period ranging between 3-34 months. Almost all patients returned to baseline functional status.
DISCUSSION
The temporal relationship between vaccination and onset of symptoms suggests that vaccine might be a trigger of NMOSD. Genetic predisposition could be a risk factor for postvaccination NMOSD as there are evidences of family history and presence of an associated HLA allele. The prevalence of short-segment transverse myelitis seems to be higher than in typical cases of NMOSD, but the natural history is otherwise similar. All patients received acute treatment with high-dose corticosteroids, most with excellent response. Long-term immunomodulation therapy should be initiated for relapse prevention. Limitations of this study are lack of some relevant data, precision of temporal relationship, and the small number of reports.
CONCLUSION
Postvaccination NMOSD is a rare condition that can occur with various types of vaccines. The short temporal relationship between vaccination and onset of NMOSD and the history of NMOSD in one patient's sibling indicate that vaccine might be a trigger for genetically predisposed individuals.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Humans; Middle Aged; Young Adult; Aquaporin 4; Autoantibodies; ChAdOx1 nCoV-19; COVID-19; COVID-19 Vaccines; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Neuromyelitis Optica; SARS-CoV-2; Vaccination
PubMed: 35216789
DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103414 -
Knowledge about bacterial and viral pathogens present in wild mammals in Chile: a systematic review.Revista Chilena de Infectologia :... Apr 2019This study organizes all available information about viral and bacterial pathogens of wild mammals in Chile. This was done in order to identify pathogens that have been...
This study organizes all available information about viral and bacterial pathogens of wild mammals in Chile. This was done in order to identify pathogens that have been well-documented and recognize those that have not been properly studied, determine the number of articles that have been published annually about this topic and identify regions in Chile that concentrate the highest and lowest number of studies concerning viral and bacterial pathogens. A total of 67 scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals from 1951 to 2018 were selected for revision. Results indicate that the number of publications has increased per decade but there are years in which no articles were published. Most studies addressed Leptospira, rabies, hantavirus, Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) and distemper. Rodentia, Carnivora, Chiroptera and Cetartiodactyla were the most studied mammal orders. Information about presence/absence of pathogens was found for 44 wild mammal species. Research was mainly carried out in central and southern Chile and the most commonly employed methods for pathogen diagnosis were serology and molecular techniques. Overall, research in wild mammals has been directed towards the evaluation of zoonotic diseases, while vector-borne and non-zoonotic diseases have been mostly neglected by the scientific community over the years.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Wild; Bacterial Infections; Bibliometrics; Chile; Mammals; Time Factors; Virus Diseases; Zoonoses
PubMed: 31344156
DOI: 10.4067/S0716-10182019000200195 -
Transplant Infectious Disease : An... Apr 2018Unexpected donor-derived transmission of infections is rare, but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We aimed to provide an overview of published...
BACKGROUND
Unexpected donor-derived transmission of infections is rare, but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We aimed to provide an overview of published cases on unexpected infectious transmissions.
METHODS
We systematically reviewed all published evidence describing any unexpected donor-derived viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections in kidney transplant recipients.
RESULTS
In all, 119 studies (case reports [n = 36], case series [n = 78], cohort studies [n = 2], and case-control studies [n = 3]) involving 139 donors and 207 kidney recipients were included. Donor-derived viral (n = 116, 56.0%) infections were most prevalent, followed by bacterial (32, 15.5%), fungal (32, 15.5%), and parasitic (27, 13.0%) infections. The most commonly reported viral infections were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (n = 20, 9.7%), human T-cell lymphotrophic virus (HTLV) (n = 20, 9.7%), and West Nile virus (WNV) (n = 13, 6.3%). The most frequent bacterial infections were caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (10, 4.8%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9, 4.3%). Candida species were the most frequent causes of fungal donor-derived infections (8, 3.9%). Toxoplasma gondii accounted for seven (3.4%) cases of transmitted parasitic infections. Patients with rabies experienced the highest probability of recipient death from virus-related complications at 90.0%, within a median time of 2.8 months after transplantation.
CONCLUSION
The frequency of donor-derived infectious transmission appears low in kidney transplantation, with viral transmissions being most commonly reported overall.
Topics: Disease Transmission, Infectious; Humans; Kidney; Kidney Transplantation; Risk Factors; Tissue Donors
PubMed: 29508947
DOI: 10.1111/tid.12851 -
Revista Chilena de Infectologia :... Feb 2019This study organizes all available information about viral and bacterial pathogens of wild mammals in Chile. This was done in order to identify pathogens that have been...
This study organizes all available information about viral and bacterial pathogens of wild mammals in Chile. This was done in order to identify pathogens that have been well-documented and recognize those that have not been properly studied, determine the number of articles that have been published annually about this topic and identify regions in Chile that concentrate the highest and lowest number of studies concerning viral and bacterial pathogens. A total of 67 scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals from 1951 to 2018 were selected for revision. Results indicate that the number of publications has increased per decade but there are years in which no articles were published. Most studies addressed Leptospira, rabies, hantavirus, Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) and distemper. Rodentia, Carnivora, Chiroptera and Cetartiodactyla were the most studied mammal orders. Information about presence/absence of pathogens was found for 44 wild mammal species. Research was mainly carried out in central and southern Chile and the most commonly employed methods for pathogen diagnosis were serology and molecular techniques. Overall, research in Chilean wild mammals has been directed towards the evaluation of zoonotic diseases, while vector-borne and non-zoonotic diseases have been mostly neglected by the scientific community.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Wild; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Bibliometrics; Chile; Mammals; Time Factors; Virus Diseases; Viruses; Zoonoses
PubMed: 31095204
DOI: 10.4067/S0716-10182019000100043