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International audience ; INTRODUCTION: With the development of therapeutics and vaccine against Ebola Virus Disease, the question of post exposure prophylaxis for high risk contact emerged. Immunotherapies (monoclonal antibodies, mAbs) recently validated for treatment of infected patients appears to be good candidate to protect contacts.DESIGN: During the 10(th) EVD outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we have administrated mAbs (Mab114 or REGN-EB3) to high and intermediate risk contact of Ebola Virus Disease patients.RESULTS: Overall, 23 non vaccinated contacts received mAbs after a median delay between contact and post exposure prophylaxis of 1 day (IQR 1,2). 14 days after the contact, all contacts were free of symptoms and all had negative RT-PCRCONCLUSION: Immunotherapies appears to be promising candidates to protect contacts of Ebola Virus Disease. Interaction with vaccine and larger study on efficacy need to be conducted.

International audience ; INTRODUCTION: With the development of therapeutics and vaccine against Ebola Virus Disease, the question of post exposure prophylaxis for high risk contact emerged. Immunotherapies (monoclonal antibodies, mAbs) recently validated for treatment of infected patients appears to be good candidate to protect contacts.DESIGN: During the 10(th) EVD outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we have administrated mAbs (Mab114 or REGN-EB3) to high and intermediate risk contact of Ebola Virus Disease patients.RESULTS: Overall, 23 non vaccinated contacts received mAbs after a median delay between contact and post exposure prophylaxis of 1 day (IQR 1,2). 14 days after the contact, all contacts were free of symptoms and all had negative RT-PCRCONCLUSION: Immunotherapies appears to be promising candidates to protect contacts of Ebola Virus Disease. Interaction with vaccine and larger study on efficacy need to be conducted.

De Brazza's monkeys (Cercopithecus neglectus) are non-human primates (NHP) living in Equatorial Africa from South Cameroon through the Congo-Basin to Uganda. As most of the NHP living in sub-Saharan Africa, they are naturally infected with their own simian lentivirus, SIVdeb. Previous studies confirmed this infection for De Brazza's from East Cameroon and Uganda. In this report, we studied the genetic diversity of SIVdeb in De Brazza's monkeys from different geographical areas in South Cameroon and from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). SIVdeb strains from east, central and western equatorial Africa form a species-specific monophyletic lineage. Phylogeographic clustering was observed among SIVdeb strains from Cameroon, the DRC and Uganda, but also among primates from distinct areas in Cameroon. These observations suggest a longstanding virus–host co-evolution. SIVdeb prevalence is high in wild De Brazza's populations and thus represents a current risk for humans exposed to these primates in central Africa.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has experienced the most outbreaks of Ebola virus disease since the virus' discovery in 1976. This article provides for the first time a description and a line list for all outbreaks in this country, comprising 996 cases. Compared to patients over 15 years old, the odds of dying were significantly lower in patients aged 5 to 15 and higher in children under five (with 100% mortality in those under 2 years old). The odds of dying increased by 11% per day that a patient was not hospitalised. Outbreaks with an initially high reproduction number, R (>3), were rapidly brought under control, whilst outbreaks with a lower initial R caused longer and generally larger outbreaks. These findings can inform the choice of target age groups for interventions and highlight the importance of both reducing the delay between symptom onset and hospitalisation and rapid national and international response.

BackgroundIn 2018, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared its 9th and 10th Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) outbreaks, in the Equateur province (end: July 2018), and in the eastern provinces including North Kivu (end: June 2020). The DRC Ministry of Health deployed the rVSV-vectored glycoprotein (VSV-EBOV) vaccine in response during both outbreaks.MethodsA cohort of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals from the Equateur province were enrolled and followed prospectively for 6months. Among participants included in this analysis, 505 were vaccinated and 1,418 were unvaccinated. Differences in transmission behaviors pre- and post- outbreak were identified, along with associations between behaviors and vaccination.ResultsThere was an overall increase in the proportion of both unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals in Mbandaka who participated in risky activities post-outbreak. Travel outside of the province pre-outbreak was associated with vaccination. Post-outbreak, vaccinated individuals were less likely to participate in funeral traditions than unvaccinated individuals.ConclusionA net increase in activities considered high risk was observed in both groups despite significant efforts to inform the population of risky behaviors. The absence of a reduction in transmission behavior post-outbreak should be considered for improving future behavior change campaigns in order to prevent recurrent outbreaks.

BACKGROUND: In 2018, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared its 9th and 10th Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) outbreaks, in the Equateur province (end: July 2018), and in the eastern provinces including North Kivu (end: June 2020). The DRC Ministry of Health deployed the rVSV-vectored glycoprotein (VSV-EBOV) vaccine in response during both outbreaks. METHODS: A cohort of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals from the Equateur province were enrolled and followed prospectively for 6 months. Among participants included in this analysis, 505 were vaccinated and 1,418 were unvaccinated. Differences in transmission behaviors pre- and post- outbreak were identified, along with associations between behaviors and vaccination. RESULTS: There was an overall increase in the proportion of both unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals in Mbandaka who participated in risky activities post-outbreak. Travel outside of the province pre-outbreak was associated with vaccination. Post-outbreak, vaccinated individuals were less likely to participate in funeral traditions than unvaccinated individuals. CONCLUSION: A net increase in activities considered high risk was observed in both groups despite significant efforts to inform the population of risky behaviors. The absence of a reduction in transmission behavior post-outbreak should be considered for improving future behavior change campaigns in order to prevent recurrent outbreaks.

Background On October, 2020, after the first wave of COVID-19, only 8290 confirmed cases were reported in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, but the real prevalence remains unknown. To guide public health policies, we aimed to describe the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in the general population in Kinshasa. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, household-based serosurvey between October 22, 2020, and November 8, 2020. Participants were interviewed at home and tested for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid proteins in a Luminex based assay. A positive serology was defined as a sample that reacted with both SARS-CoV-2 proteins (100% sensitivity, 99.7% specificity). The overall weighted, age-standardized prevalence was estimated and the infection-to-case ratio was calculated to determine the proportion of undiagnosed SARS-CoV-2 infections. Results A total of 1233 participants from 292 households were included (mean age, 32.4 years; 764 [61.2%] were women). The overall weighted, age-standardized SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 16.6% (95% CI 14.0-19.5). The estimated infection-to-case ratio was 292:1. Prevalence was higher among participants ≥ 40 years than among those ˂18 years (21.2% vs 14.9%, respectively; p˂0.05). It was also higher in participants who reported hospitalization than among those who did not (29.8% vs 16.0%, respectively; p˂0.05). However, differences were not significant in the multivariate model (p=0.1). Conclusion The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 is much higher than the number of COVID-19 cases reported. These results justify the organization of a sequential series of serosurveys by public health authorities to adapt response measures to the dynamics of the pandemic. ; Peer Reviewed

BACKGROUND: On October, 2020, after the first wave of COVID-19, only 8290 confirmed cases were reported in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, but the real prevalence remains unknown. To guide public health policies, we aimed to describe the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in the general population in Kinshasa. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, household-based serosurvey between October 22, 2020, and November 8, 2020. Participants were interviewed at home and tested for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid proteins in a Luminex based assay. A positive serology was defined as a sample that reacted with both SARS-CoV-2 proteins (100% sensitivity, 99.7% specificity). The overall weighted, age-standardized prevalence was estimated and the infection-to-case ratio was calculated to determine the proportion of undiagnosed SARS-CoV-2 infections. RESULTS: A total of 1233 participants from 292 households were included (mean age, 32.4 years; 764 [61.2%] were women). The overall weighted, age-standardized SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 16.6% (95% CI 14.0-19.5). The estimated infection-to-case ratio was 292:1. Prevalence was higher among participants ≥ 40 years than among those ˂18 years (21.2% vs 14.9%, respectively; p˂0.05). It was also higher in participants who reported hospitalization than among those who did not (29.8% vs 16.0%, respectively; p˂0.05). However, differences were not significant in the multivariate model (p=0.1). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 is much higher than the number of COVID-19 cases reported. These results justify the organization of a sequential series of serosurveys by public health authorities to adapt response measures to the dynamics of the pandemic.

In 2014, Ebola virus (EBOV) was identified as the etiological agent of a large and still expanding outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa and a much more confined EVD outbreak in Middle Africa. Epidemiological and evolutionary analyses confirmed that all cases of both outbreaks are connected to a single introduction each of EBOV into human populations and that both outbreaks are not directly connected. Coding-complete genomic sequence analyses of isolates revealed that the two outbreaks were caused by two novel EBOV variants, and initial clinical observations suggest that neither of them should be considered strains. Here we present consensus decisions on naming for both variants (West Africa: "Makona", Middle Africa: "Lomela") and provide database-compatible full, shortened, and abbreviated names that are in line with recently established filovirus sub-species nomenclatures. ; This work was funded in part through Battelle Memorial Institute's prime contract with the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under Contract No. HHSN272200700016I. ; http://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses ; hb2015

In 2014, Ebola virus (EBOV) was identified as the etiological agent of a large and still expanding outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa and a much more confined EVD outbreak in Middle Africa. Epidemiological and evolutionary analyses confirmed that all cases of both outbreaks are connected to a single introduction each of EBOV into human populations and that both outbreaks are not directly connected. Coding-complete genomic sequence analyses of isolates revealed that the two outbreaks were caused by two novel EBOV variants, and initial clinical observations suggest that neither of them should be considered strains. Here we present consensus decisions on naming for both variants (West Africa: "Makona", Middle Africa: "Lomela") and provide database-compatible full, shortened, and abbreviated names that are in line with recently established filovirus sub-species nomenclatures.