Marburg Virus Disease Research Articles

Women at the front line of the Marburg virus disease response in Rwanda: balancing clinical care, public health, and family life

Women at the front line of the Marburg virus disease response in Rwanda: balancing clinical care, public health, and family life

Mathematical modelling of the transmission dynamics of Marburg virus disease with optimal control and cost-effectiveness analysis based on lessons from Ebola virus disease

Marburg virus, like Ebola, causes haemorrhagic disease with high fatality rates. We developed a deterministic SEIRDVT model incorporating vaccination and treatment to study the disease dynamics. Qualitative analysis revealed a backward bifurcation when R0=1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$R_{0}=1$\\end{document}, meaning R0<1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$R_{0} <1$\\end{document} is insufficient to eradicate the virus. Sensitivity analysis using Latin Hypercube Sampling showed that applying four control measures—screening, prevention, continuous vaccination, and treatment—significantly reduced transmission. The most cost-effective strategy combines prevention, vaccination, and treatment. These findings provide a framework for designing efficient interventions to combat Marburg virus.

Rwanda's first Marburg virus outbreak.

As of October 15, 2024, Rwanda’s Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak had caused 62 cases and 15 deaths (CFR 24.2%), with significant transmission among healthcare workers. The WHO and CDC issued warnings and travel advisories, emphasizing strict protocols. We discussed the local and global implications of such a situation here.

Serological Evidence of Potential Marburg Virus Circulation in Livestock and Dogs in Ghana

Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a zoonotic hemorrhagic disease with an estimated case fatality rate of up to 88%. Ghana recorded its first human MVD outbreak in June 2022 and although the outbreak was quickly brought under control, the transmission dynamics of the disease remained unclear. We assessed the presence of Marburg virus (MARV) antibodies in livestock and dogs and identified associated risk factors that increased the risk of these animals being exposed to MARV in five regions of Ghana. Sera collected from 3113 livestock and dogs in 2 climatic seasons (rainy and dry seasons) were tested for MARV antibodies using an indirect ELISA test. The samples were further tested using dot blotting to substantiate the presence of antibodies against MARV glycoprotein (GP). Overall, MARV antibodies were detected in 20.6% of the animals. The species-specific prevalence was 28.7% in cattle, 21.8% in sheep, 19.5% in goats, 15.3% in dogs and 11.2% in pigs. The seropositivity was higher in the rainy season [RR 1.5; 95% CI 1.3–1.8] and in older animals [RR = 2.6; 95% CI 1.9–3.4]. The findings underscore the importance of regular surveillance using the one health approach and future studies into the role of livestock and dogs as potential intermediaries in the circulation of MARV.

Enabling laboratory readiness and preparedness for the evaluation of suspected viral hemorrhagic fevers: development of a laboratory toolkit.

Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs), such as Ebola virus disease, Marburg virus disease, and Lassa fever, are associated with significant morbidity and mortality and the potential for person-to-person transmission. While most individuals in whom VHF is suspected will ultimately be diagnosed with a non-VHF illness, such patients may present to any United States healthcare facility (HCF) for initial evaluation; therefore, all HCFs must be prepared to evaluate and initiate care for suspect VHF patients, especially if they are acutely ill. Included within this evaluation is the ability to perform basic routine laboratory testing before VHF-specific diagnostic test results are available, as well as rapid malaria testing to assess for a common, dangerous "VHF mimic." To improve laboratory preparedness and readiness in the initial care of suspect VHF patients who may present to acute care hospitals. Plan-Do-Study-Act quality improvement model. Frontline healthcare facilities and their clinical laboratories. We describe the development of a laboratory testing toolkit for a suspect VHF patient that can assist frontline HCFs in providing basic laboratory testing required for the care of these patients. The toolkit provides guidance on infection prevention and control, waste management, occupational health, laboratory test collection, processing, and resulting, in the context of suspect VHF patient evaluation. The toolkit is designed to be readily adapted by any frontline HCF in the US. With the guidance provided, facilities will be able to support safer initial evaluation of VHF suspects and ensure high-quality patient care.

Marital attitudes and quality among healthcare workers: Exploring the impact of frontline duties during the Marburg virus disease outbreak in Rwanda

Marital attitudes and quality among healthcare workers: Exploring the impact of frontline duties during the Marburg virus disease outbreak in Rwanda

Longitudinal proteome-wide antibody profiling in Marburg virus survivors identifies wing domain immunogen for vaccine design

Limited knowledge exists on the quality of polyclonal antibody responses generated following Marburg virus (MARV) infection and its evolution in survivors. In this study, we evaluate MARV proteome-wide antibody repertoire longitudinally in convalescent phase approximately every six months for five years following MARV infection in ten human survivors. Differential kinetics were observed for IgM vs IgG vs IgA epitope diversity, antibody binding, antibody affinity maturation and Fc-receptor interaction to MARV proteins. Durability of MARV-neutralizing antibodies is low in survivors. MARV infection induces a diverse epitope repertoire with predominance against GP, VP40, VP30 and VP24 that persisted up to 5 years post-exposure. However, the IgM and IgA repertoire declines over time. Within MARV-GP, IgG recognize antigenic sites predominantly in the amino-terminus, wing domain and GP2-heptad repeat. Interestingly, MARV infection generates robust durable FcɣRI, FcɣRIIA and FcɣRIIIA IgG-Fc receptor interactions. Immunization with immunodominant MARV epitopes reveals conserved wing region between GP1 and GP2, induces neutralizing antibodies against MARV. These findings demonstrate that MARV infection generates a diverse, long-lasting, non-neutralizing, IgG antibody repertoire that perturbs disease by FcɣR activity. This information, along with discovery of neutralizing immunogen in wing domain, could aid in development of effective therapeutics and vaccines against Marburg virus.

Experimental Success in Marburg Virus Vaccination

The Marburg virus (MRV), classified within the Filoviridae family, was initially identified in 1967, precipitating Marburg virus disease (MARV), a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever. With its pronounced infectiousness, high mortality rate, and proclivity for epidemic outbreaks, MARV stands as a formidable public health menace. Despite extensive sporadic outbreaks and its designation as a priority disease, the quest for efficacious drugs or vaccines against MRV remains an ongoing challenge. Nonetheless, the relentless pursuit of scientific inquiry, augmented by the innovative application of immunoinformatics, is propelling forward vaccine development endeavors. Current vaccine candidates, spanning from VSV-based formulations to virus-like particle vaccines, exhibit encouraging outcomes in preclinical and clinical evaluations, boasting notable efficacy and safety profiles. Furthermore, the exploration of multivalent vaccine strategies, designed to target a spectrum of hemorrhagic fever viruses, holds promise in fortifying pandemic preparedness efforts. Immunoinformatics assumes a pivotal role in this context, offering predictive insights into vaccine candidate selection and optimization, thereby facilitating expedited development tailored to diverse demographic cohorts. The integration of computational modeling techniques into vaccine development paradigms represents a transformative avenue for effectively controlling MRV outbreaks on a global scale. Sustained collaboration and continued research endeavors are imperative to fully harness the potential of these advancements in confronting the formidable challenge posed by the lethal Marburg virus and safeguarding global public health.

Lysosome-Associated Membrane Protein Targeting Strategy Improved Immunogenicity of Glycoprotein-Based DNA Vaccine for Marburg Virus.

Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) is a fatal infectious disease caused by Marburg virus (MARV) infection, and MARV has been identified as a priority pathogen for vaccine development by the WHO. The glycoprotein (GP) of MARV mediates viral adhesion and invasion of host cells and therefore can be used as an effective target for vaccine development. Moreover, DNA vaccines have unique advantages, such as simple construction processes, low production costs, and few adverse reactions, but their immunogenicity may decrease due to the poor absorption rate of plasmids. Lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1) can direct antigens to lysosomes and endosomes and has great potential for improving the immunogenicity of nucleic acid vaccines. Therefore, we constructed a DNA vaccine based on a codon-optimized MARV GP (ID MF939097.1) fused with LAMP1 and explored the effect of a LAMP targeting strategy on improving the immunogenicity of the MARV DNA vaccine. ELISA, ELISpot, and flow cytometry revealed that the introduction of LAMP1 into the MARV DNA candidate vaccine improved the humoral and cellular immune response, enhanced the secretion of cytokines, and established long-term immune protection. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the LAMP targeting strategy significantly enriched antigen processing and presentation-related pathways, especially the MHC class II-related pathway, in the candidate vaccine. Our study broadens the strategic vision for enhanced DNA vaccine design and provides a promising candidate vaccine for MHF prevention.

Aptamer and aptasensor technology for diagnosis of infectious diseases: A mini review

BackgroundAptamers are not so new a concept, however, it is scarcely discussed by medical fraternity. Aptamers are potent, new identification molecules set to rope in a new technique in the diagnostic arena. Aptamers have started almost a revolution in diagnostic assays since their discovery in the 90s. (Radu S. Current and previous disease outbreaks around the world, U.S. News & World Report. 2020 Mar 13 [cited 2024 Jun 17]. Available from: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/slideshows/20-pandemic-and-epidemic-diseases-according-to-who) provides an overview of pandemics and epidemics as reported by the WHO. It is interesting to note that several endemic and epidemic diseases viz. Chikungunya, Cholera, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Ebola virus disease, Hendra virus infection, Influenza, Lassa fever, Marburg virus disease, Meningitis, MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus), Monkeypox, Nipah virus infection, Novel coronavirus, Plague, Rift Valley fever, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), Smallpox, Tularaemia, Yellow fever, and Zika virus disease have been identified by the WHO and are being explored for applicability of aptamer technology in their identification. ObjectivesOne of the most important necessities to control epidemic or pandemic diseases is early diagnosis. However, the majority of the diagnostic tests for these diseases are available only in tertiary care centres. The objective of this review is to discuss the potential of aptamer technology to provide undemanding, simple, specific, sensitive, and cost-effective diagnostic assays that are useable in remote and field conditions. ContentHere, we discuss recent advances and approaches in aptamer and aptamer engineering useful in the diagnosis of infectious and non-infectious conditions. This review also discusses a few sensing discoveries which are a gift of advanced engineering and technology using optical and electrochemical aptasensors. It's still a long way to go, and we need to take into account the technological challenges being faced by aptamer-aptasensor technology.

Prevalence of human filovirus infections in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

BackgroundRecent outbreaks of Ebola virus disease (EVD) and Marburg virus disease (MVD) in sub-Saharan Africa illustrate the need to better understand animal reservoirs, burden of disease, and human transmission of filoviruses. This protocol outlines a systematic literature review to assess the prevalence of filoviruses that infect humans in sub-Saharan Africa. A secondary aim is to qualitatively describe and evaluate the assays used to assess prevalence.MethodsThe data sources for this systematic review include PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Titles, abstracts, and full texts will be reviewed for inclusion by a primary reviewer and then by a team of secondary reviewers, and data will be extracted using a pre-specified and piloted data extraction form. The review will include human cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials conducted in sub-Saharan Africa up until March 13, 2024 that have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, with no language restrictions. Prevalence will be stratified by pathogen, population, assay, and sampling methodology and presented in forest plots with estimated prevalence and 95% confidence intervals. If there are enough studies within a stratum, I2 statistics will be calculated (using R statistical software), and data will be pooled if heterogeneity is low. In addition, assays used to detect infection will be evaluated. All studies included in the review will be assessed for quality and risk of bias using the JBI Prevalence Critical Appraisal Tool and for certainty using the GRADE certainty ratings.DiscussionAccurately measuring the rate of exposure to filoviruses infecting humans in sub-Saharan Africa using prevalence provides an essential understanding of natural history, transmission, and the role of subclinical infection. This systematic review will identify research gaps and provide directions for future research seeking to improve our understanding of filovirus infections. Understanding the natural history, transmission, and the role of subclinical infection is critical for predicting the impact of an intervention on disease burden.Systematic Review RegistrationIn accordance with the guidelines outlined in the PRISMA-P methodology, this protocol was registered with PROSPERO on April 7, 2023 (ID: CRD42023415358).

Can Marburg virus be sexually transmitted?

Marburg virus (MARV) is a highly virulent virus of animal origin and the cause of a lethal infection (known as Marburg virus disease [MVD]) with a case-fatality ratio ranging from 24% to 90%. While the potential nonzoonotic routes of virus spread are plausible, the risk is not yet fully determined. Here, we described the ways by which MARV spreads within the human population focusing mainly on the potential of sexual transmission. In addition, we addressed some measures that should be taken to minimize the risk of sexual spread of the virus and proposed a future research agenda on the risk of sexual transmission. For this perspective, we searched four electronic databases (i.e., PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) and included the most relevant studies published since the first identification of the virus in 1967. We used "Marburg virus," "Marburg virus disease," "Seminal fluid," "Sexually-transmitted virus," "Sexual transmission," and "Emerging infectious disease" as keywords. MARV is transmitted to humans via both direct and indirect contact with infected animals (most importantly bats) and individuals who have recently been diagnosed with or died of the disease. The virus transmission through sexual contact has been previously suspected (exclusively from men to their sexual partners). Studies suggest that this virus persists predominantly in testicular Sertoli cells within seminiferous tubules over a relatively long period and is released through seminal fluid (in some reports >200 days post onset of infection) both could potentially threaten sexual health. In addition to men, women could theoretically, although less probably contribute to the sexual transmission of the disease. MVD, however, rarely, could be passed through sex, and men appear to be the main carriers in this regard. Taking preventive countermeasures and practicing safe sex are recommended to reduce the risk of interhuman transmission.

Knowledge, attitude, and perception about Marburg virus in healthcare workers of India

BackgroundThe recent Marburg virus outbreaks in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania in March 2023 have sparked fears about potential worldwide spread. Thus, assessing healthcare workers’ (HCW) knowledge of the disease is critical, particularly in India, where the healthcare system is underfunded and understaffed and already has an immense burden of infectious illnesses.MethodsWe carried out a cross-sectional web-based survey among 300 healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. The Google survey form was circulated online via email. To recruit participants, a convenience sample technique was utilized. Descriptive and logistic regression was applied to analyse data.Results50.9% were aware of Marburg virus disease, and 60.5% had a favourable attitude towards Marburg virus disease (MARVD) control and prevention. Bleeding was cited as the most common clinical symptom of MARVD by 53.3% of participants. Regarding the mode of transmission, 51.6% were aware of how MARVD is spread. Almost all HCWs (99%) claimed they would accept an approved vaccine for themselves, however, the readiness to receive experimental treatments was less certain. The logistic regression model showed gender [female—OR: 2.8 (1.75 to 3.5), p = 0.001] and job roles [pharmacist—OR: 4.1 (2.9 to 7.2), P < 0.001] as predictors of poor KAP about MARVD.ConclusionAlthough there was a high degree of awareness about MARVD, there were notable knowledge gaps and differences in attitudes among healthcare professionals. This underlines the importance of customized training programs for each group to increase healthcare workers’ knowledge of MARVD.

Efficacy and Immunogenicity of a Recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-Vectored Marburg Vaccine in Cynomolgus Macaques.

Filoviruses, like the Marburg (MARV) and Ebola (EBOV) viruses, have caused outbreaks associated with significant hemorrhagic morbidity and high fatality rates. Vaccines offer one of the best countermeasures for fatal infection, but to date only the EBOV vaccine has received FDA licensure. Given the limited cross protection between the EBOV vaccine and Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF), we analyzed the protective efficacy of a similar vaccine, rVSV-MARV, in the lethal cynomolgus macaque model. NHPs vaccinated with a single dose (as little as 1.6 × 107 pfu) of rVSV-MARV seroconverted to MARV G-protein prior to challenge on day 42. Vaccinemia was measured in all vaccinated primates, self-resolved by day 14 post vaccination. Importantly, all vaccinated NHPs survived lethal MARV challenge, and showed no significant alterations in key markers of morbid disease, including clinical signs, and certain hematological and clinical chemistry parameters. Further, apart from one primate (from which tissues were not collected and no causal link was established), no pathology associated with Marburg disease was observed in vaccinated animals. Taken together, rVSV-MARV is a safe and efficacious vaccine against MHF in cynomolgus macaques.

Non-Ebola Filoviruses: Potential Threats to Global Health Security.

Filoviruses are negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses often associated with severe and highly lethal hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates, with case fatality rates as high as 90%. Of the known filoviruses, Ebola virus (EBOV), the prototype of the genus Orthoebolavirus, has been a major public health concern as it frequently causes outbreaks and was associated with an unprecedented outbreak in several Western African countries in 2013-2016, affecting 28,610 people, 11,308 of whom died. Thereafter, filovirus research mostly focused on EBOV, paying less attention to other equally deadly orthoebolaviruses (Sudan, Bundibugyo, and Taï Forest viruses) and orthomarburgviruses (Marburg and Ravn viruses). Some of these filoviruses have emerged in nonendemic areas, as exemplified by four Marburg disease outbreaks recorded in Guinea, Ghana, Tanzania, and Equatorial Guinea between 2021 and 2023. Similarly, the Sudan virus has reemerged in Uganda 10 years after the last recorded outbreak. Moreover, several novel bat-derived filoviruses have been discovered in the last 15 years (Lloviu virus, Bombali virus, Měnglà virus, and Dehong virus), most of which are poorly characterized but may display a wide host range. These novel viruses have the potential to cause outbreaks in humans. Several gaps are yet to be addressed regarding known and emerging filoviruses. These gaps include the virus ecology and pathogenicity, mechanisms of zoonotic transmission, host range and susceptibility, and the development of specific medical countermeasures. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on non-Ebola filoviruses (Bombali virus, Bundibugyo virus, Reston virus, Sudan virus, Tai Forest virus, Marburg virus, Ravn virus, Lloviu virus, Měnglà virus, and Dehong virus) and suggest some strategies to accelerate specific countermeasure development.

The Importance of Networks and Relationships: Leveraging the Biocontainment Unit Leadership Workgroup for Special Pathogen Outbreak Response.

Developing and sustaining relationships and networks before an emergency occurs is crucial. The Biocontainment Unit Leadership Workgroup is a consortium of the 13 Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers in the United States. Established in 2017, the volunteer-based workgroup is composed of operational leaders dedicated to maintaining readiness for special pathogen care. Monthly meetings focus on addressing operational challenges, sharing best practices, and brainstorming solutions to common problems. Task forces are leveraged to tackle more complex issues that are identified as priorities. In 2022, members of the workgroup were harnessed for response efforts related to mpox, Sudan ebolavirus, and Marburg virus disease. The weekly Outbreak Readiness call is a shared effort between the Biocontainment Unit Leadership Workgroup and the Special Pathogens Research Network of the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center. Call participants included leaders of the Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers and federal partners who shared weekly updates on operational readiness of units, case counts, laboratory capacity, available medical countermeasures, and other pertinent information. The routine exchange of real-time information enabled learning and collegial sharing of experiences, highlighted the experience of the network to federal partners, and provided situational awareness of special pathogen outbreaks across the country. The consortium enabled this rapid convening of partners to meet an urgent need for special pathogen response. The weekly Outbreak Readiness call is a communication model and scalable framework that serves both domestic preparedness efforts and international efforts should the need for a collaborative global response arise. In this case study, we describe the framework and experience of this partnership, along with the structure of rapid deployment for group convening.

Development of epitope-based vaccine to prevent Marburg virus infection: an in silico approach

Marburg virus (MARV) is one of the deadliest zoonotic viruses, causing severe hemorrhagic fever in humans with high mortality rates. The development of an effective vaccine is crucial to prevent potential Marburg virus outbreaks. In this study, an in silico approach was employed to design an epitope-based vaccine to prevent MARV infections. The MARV proteins nominating NP, VP24, VP35, VP30, VP40, GP &amp; Polymerase L was analyzed for antigenicity and non-allergenicity prediction, among these proteins VP30 protein has a 0.5636 (Probable Antigen) score and it was non-allergen. For that reason, VP30 was selected for further in silico analysis. After analysis it is found that the top ranked T–cell (MHC-I) epitopes LSKPPPPPK, ESSPTNHIPR, TQLPSKPHY, SPQDCGSPSL, FEAALWQGW, T-Cell (MHC-II) epitopes IHLDKGGQF, INTMTELHM, VTPTIYHET, YTNYHPRAR, YTGIHLDKG was epitopes &amp; B-Cell epitopes SEIGKLDET, IHLDKGGQF, MNHENLPQDQNGV, PTCNRDHDLDNLTN was found non-toxic and non-allergen. The T-Cell (MHC-I)epitope TQLPSKPHY,T-Cell (MHC-II)epitope YTNYHPRAR &amp; B-Cell epitope SEIGKLDET was found highly antigenic, non-toxic as well as non-allergen and it was selected for molecular docking analysis. The T-Cell (MHC-I) epitope TQLPSKPHY,T-Cell (MHC-II)epitope YTNYHPRAR shows strong structural similarity and potential binding affinity with antibody. The B-Cell epitope SEIGKLDET shows poor affinity towards antibody. In silico analysis indicate that both T-Cell epitopes becomes an effective peptide vaccine to prevent MARV infection. Our findings highlight the promise of in silico vaccine design in accelerating the development of vaccines against MARV, a highly pathogenic virus with no effective cure currently available

Novel stochastic descriptors of a Markovian SIRD model for the assessment of the severity behind epidemic outbreaks

In contemporary epidemiology, it is of paramount importance to effectively evaluate epidemic occurrences by employing novel approaches that yield dependable predictions for the progression of widespread outbreaks. The present paper focuses on proposing novel stochastic descriptors based on a Markovian SIRD (susceptible-infected-recovered-deceased) epidemiological scheme that accounts for multiple re-infections. A continuous-time, three-dimensional Markovian process is employed tailored to the characteristics of the presented SIRD model. Our study examines several new time- and especially size-related characteristics, including the final size of infections and deaths, the maximum number of concurrent infectious cases, and the alarm time associated with escalating numbers of infections or deaths. We present theorems and algorithms for the determination of the distributions and moments of key statistical measures. Additionally, we share further insights on effective computational techniques designed to enhance the efficiency of employing the suggested algorithms. Moreover, numerous illustrative instances, coupled with a thorough sensitivity analysis, demonstrate how system parameters affect the severity of epidemics. This not only bolsters the credibility of the outcomes, but also underscores the significance of the suggested stochastic descriptors when assessing real-life epidemics. At the same time, we examine the applicability of the proposed methodology to real Marburg fever data in Angola. Unlike other approaches that mainly concentrate on using mathematical models to fit the evolution of a disease, our goal is to complement these studies by emphasizing significant aspects that play an important role in assessing the seriousness of epidemics. The introduced epidemiological quantities can aid public health authorities in making well-informed choices, potentially leading to a substantial decrease in both mortality rates and socio-economic repercussions. MSC62G30, 60G10, 62P10, 62G32

News Items of Russian and Foreign News Agencies on WHO Priority Pathogens: A Comparative Analysis

Introduction: Broadcasting socially important information, including that on infectious disease outbreaks, news agencies are one of the key open sources of epidemic intelligence. Objective: To compare news items on World Health Organization priority pathogens published by Russian and foreign news agencies. Materials and methods: Using the variants of the names of World Health Organization priority pathogens as search queries, among all Google search results on the websites of four agencies (Associated Press, Reuters, Novosti Russian Information Agency, and TASS Russian News Agency) we found 714 news items published in 2018–2022 that have one of the following diseases as the main topic: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever; Ebola virus disease, Marburg virus disease, Lassa fever, Middle East respiratory syndrome, Nipah and henipavirus infections, Rift Valley fever, and Zika fever. We carried out a quantitative (number of news items) and qualitative (topics) content analysis of the sample comparing the findings by agency and pathogen. Results: Each news agency accounted for 20 to 30 % of the sample (approximately 57 % in case of foreign ones), with greater genre diversity among foreign agencies. The vast majority of news items across all agencies were on Ebola (506 stories in total), while in 27 instances the number of the agency news stories on the pathogen was less than 20, and the largest gap between the news agencies regarding the number of the news stories on a single pathogen was seventeen fold (for Lassa). Disease incidence was the predominant topic of the news items. Discussion: Russian and foreign news agencies provided similarly intensive and topically diverse news flows on World Health Organization priority pathogens, with frequent non-reporting on different outbreaks (except for Ebola and Marburg virus diseases), and complemented each other with information relevant to Russian and Western audiences, respectively.

Infection prevention and control: Qualitative study of the preparedness and response of Christian health Association of Ghana to Marburg virus disease in Ghana

ObjectiveRecent disease outbreaks underscore the importance of robust disease surveillance and infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes to bolster Africa's public health response system. Yet, available evidence shows extensive gaps in the emergency response capacity of faith-based healthcare providers on the continent. Accordingly, this study examines the IPC and surveillance strategies adopted by a faith-based healthcare provider and the challenges encountered during Marburg Virus Disease outbreak (MVD) in Ghana. MethodWe collected data from 15 clinical and nonclinical health workers from the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS). Data was collected through online interviews to examine two pillars of the WHO COVID-19 SPRP-AFR (2021) framework. We analyzed the data using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. FindingsThe facility performed creditably well with contact tracing and other quarantine protocols during MVD outbreak in Ghana. However, it also encountered several challenges in the enforcement of IPC protocols, including human resource constraints, the lack of decontamination equipment, and limited infrastructure, among others. Given these limitations, we assessed that the facility cannot handle major outbreaks. ConclusionDue to numerous infectious disease outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa in recent years, the government of Ghana and faith-based healthcare providers must resource their facilities with the relevant equipment and qualified human resources against future disease outbreaks.