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BMC Infectious Diseases Nov 2017Varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes varicella and herpes zoster. These vaccine preventable diseases are common globally. Most available data on VZV epidemiology are from... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes varicella and herpes zoster. These vaccine preventable diseases are common globally. Most available data on VZV epidemiology are from industrialised temperate countries and cannot be used to guide decisions on the immunization policy against VZV in Africa. This systematic review aims to review the published data on VZV morbidity and mortality in Africa.
METHODS
All published studies conducted in Africa from 1974 to 2015 were eligible. Eligible studies must have reported any VZV epidemiological measure (incidence, prevalence, hospitalization rate and mortality rate). For inclusion in the review, studies must have used a defined VZV case definition, be it clinical or laboratory-based.
RESULTS
Twenty articles from 13 African countries were included in the review. Most included studies were cross-sectional, conducted on hospitalized patients, and half of the studies used varying serological methods for diagnosis. VZV seroprevalence was very high among adults. Limited data on VZV seroprevalence in children showed very low seropositivity to anti-VZV antibodies. Co-morbidity with VZV was common.
CONCLUSION
There is lack of quality data that could be used to develop VZV control programmes, including vaccination, in Africa.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
PROSPERO 2015: CRD42015026144 .
Topics: Adult; Africa; Antibodies, Viral; Chickenpox; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Herpes Zoster; Herpesvirus 3, Human; Hospitalization; Humans; Male; Morbidity; Prevalence; Seroepidemiologic Studies
PubMed: 29137604
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-017-2815-9 -
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2024Equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) infection in horses is associated with respiratory and neurologic disease, abortion, and neonatal death. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) infection in horses is associated with respiratory and neurologic disease, abortion, and neonatal death.
HYPOTHESIS
Vaccines decrease the occurrence of clinical disease in EHV-1-infected horses.
METHODS
A systematic review was performed searching multiple databases to identify relevant studies. Selection criteria were original peer-reviewed research reports that investigated the in vivo use of vaccines for the prevention of disease caused by EHV-1 in domesticated horses. Main outcomes of interest included pyrexia, abortion, neurologic disease, viremia, and nasal shedding. We evaluated risk of bias, conducted exploratory meta-analyses of incidence data for the main outcomes, and performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for each vaccine subtype.
RESULTS
A total of 1018 unique studies were identified, of which 35 met the inclusion criteria. Experimental studies accounted for 31/35 studies, with the remainder being observational studies. Eight vaccine subclasses were identified including commercial (modified-live, inactivated, mixed) and experimental (modified-live, inactivated, deletion mutant, DNA, recombinant). Risk of bias was generally moderate, often because of underreporting of research methods, and sample sizes were small leading to imprecision in the estimate of the effect size. Several studies reported either no benefit or minimal vaccine efficacy for the primary outcomes of interest. Meta-analyses revealed significant heterogeneity was present, and our confidence in the quality of evidence for most outcomes was low to moderate.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
Our review indicates that commercial and experimental vaccines minimally reduce the incidence of clinical disease associated with EHV-1 infection.
Topics: Animals; Horses; Herpesvirus 1, Equid; Horse Diseases; Herpesviridae Infections; Vaccination; Herpesvirus Vaccines; Viral Vaccines
PubMed: 37930113
DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16895