Utility of a Dengue-Derived Monoclonal Antibody to Enhance Zika Infection In Vitro
Discussion
When determining the level of enhancement DENV2 strain 16803 achieved in the presence of 4G2, we found significant differences between titers from the treatment group with the antibody and the control group without the antibody (Table 1). In both the supernatant and pellet, the control group produced little or no plaques while the treatment group had countable plaques, which resulted in a mean value significant from the control group (p-values <0.05). Mean viral titers in the supernatant and pellet, respectively, increased more than 140-fold and 110-fold when pre-treated with antibody.
Table 1
...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - July 5, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: acharl5 at lsu.edu Source Type: research
FLIRT-ing with Zika: A Web Application to Predict the Movement of Infected Travelers Validated Against the Current Zika Virus Epidemic
This study assumed that the rate of imported Zika cases over time in U.S. locations would be proportional to the number of flights from Zika-affected areas. We tested this with univariate Gaussian general linear models (GLMs) by regressing imported Zika cases against FLIRT’s estimates. We ran these models on all permutations for FLIRT prediction type (one-degree connectedness and multi-degree simulation), time period (restricted to early data and all data), and aggregation level (state and airport region). Before running GLMs, all input variables were standardized by dividing by twice the standard deviation.15
To obt...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - June 10, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Andrew Huff Source Type: research
Radiological Characterization of Cerebral Phenotype in Newborn Microcephaly Cases from 2015 Outbreak in Brazil
CONCLUSION
The phenotype of the microcephaly cases associated with the current outbreak at Rio Grande do Norte state is more severe and different from previous cases. The data here presented can be used as a guideline for those who want to differentiate microcephalies caused by the probable ZIKV-associated outbreak. The consequences of this type of microcephalies to the children, their families and the public health system are still to be determined.
COMPETING INTERESTS
The authors declare having no competing interests.
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
The data presented in this article is freely available from FigShare. (S...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - June 8, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Yuri Raoni Ramalho Rocha Source Type: research
Maintaining Maternal and Child Health Services During the Ebola Outbreak: Experience from Pujehun, Sierra Leone
In conclusions, the strength of this study is that it uses data from a remote rural district setting in Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak. In the Pujehun district, even when faced with the extraordinary challenges of the Ebola outbreak, local leadership which implemented early response measures; continuity of care and staff protection; human resources management and community involvement were all important. We hope that these approaches can help others to continue their work in maternal and neonatal health care in challenging circumstances.
Competing Interest
The authors have declared that no competing interests exi...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - June 2, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: GianLuca Quaglio Source Type: research
Travel Volume to the United States from Countries and U.S. Territories with Local Zika Virus Transmission
This study is subject to several limitations. First, travel data are based on passenger journeys and do not indicate individual passengers. Origin and final destination city and state do not necessarily indicate the actual residence of travelers. For aviation estimates, Diio Mi FMg data as well as Department of Transportation origin and destination data, do not include passenger demographics. Estimates, therefore, were based on aggregate CBP statistics by region limiting the specificity of gender and age groups. This also limits the specificity of our estimates of pregnant women. We were not able to obtain all citizenship ...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - May 31, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Bradley Nelson Source Type: research
Using Phenomenological Models to Characterize Transmissibility and Forecast Patterns and Final Burden of Zika Epidemics
Discussion
We applied simple phenomenological models applied to surveillance data of Zika cases from Antioquia, Colombia, to forecast the size of the Zika epidemic and evaluate the reproduction number within the first two disease generations. Using the GRM model that incorporates the possibility of sub-exponential growth dynamics22, we were able to generate reasonable forecasts of epidemic size within 22% of observed values based on 30 days of epidemic data. By contrast, the logistic growth model consistently underestimated the epidemic size and was not able to capture the early growth phase of the Zika epidemic, which exh...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - May 31, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: gerardochowell Source Type: research
Genetically Modified (GM) Mosquito Use to Reduce Mosquito-Transmitted Disease in the US: A Community Opinion Survey
Conclusion
We present the first community-based survey of resident attitudes towards GMO mosquitoes in a region of a U.S. state in which Aedes-associated infectious disease risks are extant. Gender and individual risk-perception were found to be highly predictive of support or opposition to GM mosquito use. These findings may help public health practitioners and policymakers to improve communication and dialogue with the public around potential use of GM mosquitoes in the future, which may be increasingly important as new mosquito-borne threats such as Zika emerge.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared t...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - May 25, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: ameshadalja Source Type: research
Beyond Contact Tracing: Community-Based Early Detection for Ebola Response
Conclusions
We found that a policy of community response can be effective at combating disease outbreaks without relying on information about infected individual’s contact networks. This highlights the possibility of alternate methods to contact tracing for combating outbreaks. We have shown the policies require a surprisingly low compliance to end the outbreak. Notably, we see that for estimated Ebola parameters, 40% compliance is sufficient, and the cumulative number of infections in an outbreak is not substantially decreased by compliance higher than 60%. We also found that travel restrictions can be used to reduc...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - May 19, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: vwong Source Type: research
Zika Virus, Elevation, and Transmission Risk
We present this exploration not as a final analysis or set of recommendations, but rather as a suggestion to reconsider the too simple “elevational cutoff,” as it neglects the complex phenomena that drive disease transmission. The real-world translation of this concern is that travel to high-elevation Equatorial destinations is not at all without risk of Zika transmission, such that 2000 m is too low for those regions, whereas 2000 m will be too high for higher-latitude regions. At a minimum, travel guidelines should take into account the interaction between elevation and latitude; detailed climate data, suitability fo...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - May 9, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: town Source Type: research
Vaccine Effectiveness of Polysaccharide Vaccines Against Clinical Meningitis – Niamey, Niger, June 2015
Discussion
Our simulated results suggest a fast increase of the VE after vaccination, reaching more than 80% after five days and 90% after ten days. Such high VE combined with the very high vaccine coverage measured in Niamey may have contributed to the rapidly decreasing incidence following the vaccination campaign. However, based on prior evaluations, polysaccharide vaccines provide a short duration of protection6,14,15 and do not impact nasopharyngeal carriage16, making them unsuitable for preventive vaccination campaigns.
We observed a higher VE of the quadrivalent compared to the trivalent vaccine. This difference...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - April 18, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Marc Rondy Source Type: research
Clinical and Epidemiological Characterization of Laboratory-Confirmed Autochthonous Cases of Zika Virus Disease in Mexico
CONCLUSIONS
ZIKV epidemic poses new challenges to public health, our knowledge about this virus is incipient. In Brazil, a relationship between ZIKV and microcephaly has been mentioned since November 20157 which has not been reported in ZIKV outbreaks in other areas of the world. Several research groups are working on this topic. Guillain Barré Syndrome also has been reported as a complication of ZIKV; however, there are still many questions unanswered regarding the complications caused by this virus.
Provide information to the population, following recommendations and preventive measures, taking actions to reduce the...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - April 15, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Maria-Eugenia Jimenez-Corona Source Type: research
On the Seasonal Occurrence and Abundance of the Zika Virus Vector Mosquito Aedes Aegypti in the Contiguous United States
This study has numerous limitations related to the model simulations. We do not account for vector control practices in the simulations and thus abundance may be overestimated (as suggested during the off-peak months in Miami and Phoenix in the validation). There is incomplete understanding of how temperature may limit population dynamics at the geographic margins of Ae. aegypti survival68, where sensitivity to poorly-constrained meteorological thresholds may hamper model performance. For example, because knowledge of egg survival during winter in marginal areas is limited68, we artificially introduce eggs into the simulat...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - March 16, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: monaghan Source Type: research
Unintended Pregnancies in Brazil – A Challenge for the Recommendation to Delay Pregnancy Due to Zika
Unintended pregnancies in Brazil – A challenge for the recommendation to delay pregnancy due to Zika
The World Health Organization has recently declared the emerging Zika virus an international public health emergency1. The virus, which reached Brazil to cause a major epidemic starting in April 2015, has rapidly spread to over 28 countries2 and may still reach many more considering the widespread distribution of its vector species (Aedes aegypti mosquitoes) and the high transmission rates observed so far. Concerns also involve the possibility of a second vector of Zika transmission, Aedes albopictus, which is current...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - March 16, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Cynthia Schuck-Paim Source Type: research
Parental Vaccine Hesitancy in Quebec (Canada)
This study aims to contribute to the ongoing reflections on tools and indicators of vaccine hesitancy by providing results of a survey on knowledge, attitudes and beliefs (KAB) of parents in Quebec (Canada). We have compared KAB of parents according to: 1) self-reported vaccination status of their child and 2) hesitation during the vaccination decision.
Methods
Data were collected through the 2014 Quebec study on vaccination against seasonal influenza and pneumococcal infections, a biennial repeated cross-sectional study in the province of Quebec, Canada. This paper presents the results pertaining to parents’ KAB about...
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - March 7, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: evedube Source Type: research
Knowledge, Attitude and Perception of Ebola Virus Disease among Secondary School Students in Ondo State, Nigeria, October, 2014
Conclusion
We recommended the promotion and sustainability of health messages focusing on the mode of transmission and preventive measures such as demonstration of hand-washing techniques, addressing myths and misconceptions; and promoting safe burial practices. The public health action that followed this survey was the commencement of school health education and training of students on prevention of EVD in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. This should be extended to other schools across Nigeria.
Competing Interests
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. (Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks)
Source: PLOS Currents Outbreaks - March 4, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: plosyinka01 Source Type: research
