|
1
|
Zhang L, Zheng B, Lu J, Wu H, Wu H, Zhang Q, Jiao L, Pan H, Zhou J. Evaluation of human antibodies from vaccinated volunteers for protection against Yersinia pestis infection. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0105424. [PMID: 39189763 PMCID: PMC11448073 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01054-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis has a broad host range and has caused lethal bubonic and pneumonic plague in humans. With the emergence of multiple resistant strains and the potential for biothreat use, there is an urgent need for new therapeutic strategies that can protect populations from natural or deliberate infection. Targeting F1 has been proven to be the main strategy for developing vaccines and therapeutic antibodies, but data on anti-F1 antibodies, especially in humans, are scarce. To date, three human anti-F1 monoclonal antibodies (m252, αF1Ig2, and αF1Ig8) from naive populations have been reported. Here, we constructed an antibody library from vaccinees immunized with the plague subunit vaccine IIa by phage display. The genetic basis, epitopes, and biological functions of the obtained mAbs were assessed and evaluated in plague-challenged mice. Three human mAbs, namely, F3, F19, and F23, were identified. Their biolayer responses were 0.4, 0.6, and 0.6 nm, respectively. The dissociation constants (KD) of the F1 antigen were 1 pM, 0.165 nM, and 1 pM, respectively. Although derived from distinct Ab lineages, that is, VH3-30-D3-10-JH4 (F3&F23) and VH3-43-D6-19-JH4 (F19), these mAbs share similar binding sites in F1 with some overlap with αF1Ig8 but are distinct from αF1Ig2. Each of them provided a significant protective effect for Balb/c mice against a 100 median lethal dose (MLD) challenge of a virulent Y. pestis strain when administered at a dose of 100 µg. No synergistic or antagonistic effects were observed among them. These mAbs are novel and excellent candidates for further drug development and use in clinical practice.IMPORTANCEIn this study, we identified three human monoclonal antibodies with a high affinity to F1 protein of Yersinia pestis. We discovered that they have relatively lower somatic hypermutations compared with antibodies, m252, αF1Ig2, and αF1Ig8, derived from the naive library reported previously. We also observed that these mAbs share similar binding sites in F1 with some overlapping with αF1Ig8 but distinct from that of αF1Ig2. Furthermore, each of them could provide complete protection for mice against a lethal dose of Yersinia pestis challenge. Our data provided new insights into the anti-F1 Ab repertories and their associated epitopes during vaccination in humans. The findings support the additional novel protective human anti-F1Abs for potential therapeutics against plaque.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases (NITFID), National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, China
| | - Binyang Zheng
- Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Lu
- Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, China
| | - Haisheng Wu
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Xining, China
| | - Hailian Wu
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Xining, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Xining, China
| | - Lei Jiao
- Lanzhou Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., State Key Laboratory of Novel Vaccines for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hongxing Pan
- Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, China
| | - Jianfang Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases (NITFID), National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
|
2
|
Dias RA. Towards a Comprehensive Definition of Pandemics and Strategies for Prevention: A Historical Review and Future Perspectives. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1802. [PMID: 39338476 PMCID: PMC11433773 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12091802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The lack of a universally accepted definition of a pandemic hinders a comprehensive understanding of and effective response to these global health crises. Current definitions often lack quantitative criteria, rendering them vague and limiting their utility. Here, we propose a refined definition that considers the likelihood of susceptible individuals contracting an infectious disease that culminates in widespread global transmission, increased morbidity and mortality, and profound societal, economic, and political consequences. Applying this definition retrospectively, we identify 22 pandemics that occurred between 165 and 2024 AD and were caused by a variety of diseases, including smallpox (Antonine and American), plague (Justinian, Black Death, and Third Plague), cholera (seven pandemics), influenza (two Russian, Spanish, Asian, Hong Kong, and swine), AIDS, and coronaviruses (SARS, MERS, and COVID-19). This work presents a comprehensive analysis of past pandemics caused by both emerging and re-emerging pathogens, along with their epidemiological characteristics, societal impact, and evolution of public health responses. We also highlight the need for proactive measures to reduce the risk of future pandemics. These strategies include prioritizing surveillance of emerging zoonotic pathogens, conserving biodiversity to counter wildlife trafficking, and minimizing the potential for zoonotic spillover events. In addition, interventions such as promoting alternative protein sources, enforcing the closure of live animal markets in biodiversity-rich regions, and fostering global collaboration among diverse stakeholders are critical to preventing future pandemics. Crucially, improving wildlife surveillance systems will require the concerted efforts of local, national and international entities, including laboratories, field researchers, wildlife conservationists, government agencies and other stakeholders. By fostering collaborative networks and establishing robust biorepositories, we can strengthen our collective capacity to detect, monitor, and mitigate the emergence and transmission of zoonotic pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Augusto Dias
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
|
3
|
Mongillo J, Zedda N, Rinaldo N, Bellini T, Manfrinato MC, Du Z, Yang R, Stenseth NC, Bramanti B. Differential pathogenicity and lethality of bubonic plague (1720-1945) by sex, age and place. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240724. [PMID: 39045692 PMCID: PMC11267469 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 brought back to the attention of the scientific community that males are more susceptible to infectious diseases. What is clear for other infections-that sex and gender differences influence both risk of infection and mortality-is not yet fully elucidated for plague, particularly bubonic plague, although this knowledge can help find specific defences against a disease for which a vaccine is not yet available. To address this question, we analysed data on plague from hospitals in different parts of the world since the early eighteenth century, which provide demographic information on individual patients, diagnosis and course of the disease in the pre-antibiotic era. Assuming that the two sexes were equally represented, we observe a worldwide prevalence of male cases hospitalized at any age, a result which seems better explained by gender-biased (thus cultural) behaviours than biological sex-related factors. Conversely, case fatality rates differ among countries and geographic macro-areas, while globally, lethality appears slightly prevalent in young females and older adults (regardless of sex). Logistic regression models confirm that the main risk factor for bubonic plague death was the geographical location of the cases and being older than 50 years, whereas sex only showcased a slight trend.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J. Mongillo
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara44121, Italy
| | - N. Zedda
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara44121, Italy
| | - N. Rinaldo
- Department of Neurosciences and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara44121, Italy
| | - T. Bellini
- Department of Neurosciences and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara44121, Italy
- University Strategic Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara44121, Italy
| | - M. C. Manfrinato
- Department of Neurosciences and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara44121, Italy
| | - Z. Du
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, People‘s Republic of China
| | - R. Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, People‘s Republic of China
| | - N. C. Stenseth
- Center for Pandemics and One Health Research, Sustainable Health Unit (SUSTAINIT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo0316, Norway
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo0316, Norway
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, People‘s Republic of China
| | - B. Bramanti
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara44121, Italy
- University Strategic Center for Studies on Gender Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara44121, Italy
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo0316, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
|
4
|
Mazzanti C, Zedda N, Bramanti B. Antimicrobial therapies administrated during the Third Plague Pandemic in Europe. LE INFEZIONI IN MEDICINA 2024; 32:254-263. [PMID: 38827832 PMCID: PMC11142408 DOI: 10.53854/liim-3202-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Plague raged in Europe for over 1400 years and was responsible for three major pandemics. Today, plague still poses a serious threat to global public health and surveillance is imperative. Plague is still present in natural reservoirs on several continents, including Africa, Asia and the Americas, and sometimes causes local cases and epidemics. The Third Plague Pandemic caused millions of deaths worldwide, including in Europe. Plague arrived in Europe in the autumn of 1896 mostly through maritime trade routes, where it spread with several epidemic events until 1945, when, in the port city of Taranto, the last known outbreak was recorded. In this paper, we present an overview of the natural history and pathogenicity of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for plague, its spread from Asia to Europe during the Third Pandemic, and the therapies used to treat and prevent the disease in Europe, with particular focus on the case of Taranto. In Taranto, the Pasteur Institute's antiserum antimicrobial therapy, and vaccination were used to treat and stop the advance of the bacterium, with mixed results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Mazzanti
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Zedda
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Italy
| | - Barbara Bramanti
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
|
5
|
Yu HW, Kuan CH, Tseng LW, Chen HY, Tsai MY, Chen YS. Investigation of the Correlation between Enterovirus Infection and the Climate Factor Complex Including the Ping-Year Factor and El Niño-Southern Oscillation in Taiwan. Viruses 2024; 16:471. [PMID: 38543836 PMCID: PMC10975746 DOI: 10.3390/v16030471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Enterovirus infection and enterovirus infection with severe complications (EVSC) are critical issues in several aspects. However, there is no suitable predictive tool for these infections. A climate factor complex (CFC) containing several climate factors could provide more effective predictions. The ping-year factor (PYF) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are possible CFCs. This study aimed to determine the relationship between these two CFCs and the incidence of enterovirus infection. Children aged 15 years and younger with enterovirus infection and/or EVSC were enrolled between 2007 and 2022. Each year was categorized into a ping-year or non-ping-year according to the PYF. Poisson regression was used to evaluate the associations between the PYF, ENSO, and the incidence of enterovirus infection. Compared to the ping-year group, the incidence rate of enterovirus infection, the incidence rate of EVSC, and the ratio of EVSC in the non-ping-year group were 1.24, 3.38, and 2.73 times higher, respectively (p < 0.001). For every one-unit increase in La Niña, the incidence rate of enterovirus infection decreased to 0.96 times (p < 0.001). Our study indicated that CFCs could be potential predictors for enterovirus infection, and the PYF was more suitable than ENSO. Further research is needed to improve the predictive model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hsueh-Wen Yu
- Department of Chinese Acupuncture and Traumatology, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 123, Dinghu Rd., Gueishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333423, Taiwan; (H.-W.Y.); (C.-H.K.); (L.-W.T.)
- Taiwan Huangdi-Neijing Medical Practice Association (THMPA), Taoyuan City 330032, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hsuan Kuan
- Department of Chinese Acupuncture and Traumatology, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 123, Dinghu Rd., Gueishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333423, Taiwan; (H.-W.Y.); (C.-H.K.); (L.-W.T.)
- Taiwan Huangdi-Neijing Medical Practice Association (THMPA), Taoyuan City 330032, Taiwan
| | - Liang-Wei Tseng
- Department of Chinese Acupuncture and Traumatology, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 123, Dinghu Rd., Gueishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333423, Taiwan; (H.-W.Y.); (C.-H.K.); (L.-W.T.)
- Taiwan Huangdi-Neijing Medical Practice Association (THMPA), Taoyuan City 330032, Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Yu Chen
- Department of Chinese Internal Medicine, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 123, Dinghu Rd., Gueishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333423, Taiwan;
| | - Meg-Yen Tsai
- Pingzhen Fengze Chinese Medicine Clinic, No. 65, Sec. 2, Yanping Rd., Pingzhen Dist., Taoyuan City 324005, Taiwan;
| | - Yu-Sheng Chen
- Department of Chinese Acupuncture and Traumatology, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No. 123, Dinghu Rd., Gueishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333423, Taiwan; (H.-W.Y.); (C.-H.K.); (L.-W.T.)
- Taiwan Huangdi-Neijing Medical Practice Association (THMPA), Taoyuan City 330032, Taiwan
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, No. 259, Wen-Hwa 1st Rd., Gueishan Dist., Taoyuan City 333323, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
|
6
|
Ma Y, Liu P, Li Z, Yue Y, Zhao Y, He J, Zhao J, Song X, Wang J, Liu Q, Lu L. High genetic diversity of the himalayan marmot relative to plague outbreaks in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:262. [PMID: 38459433 PMCID: PMC10921737 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10171-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Plague, as an ancient zoonotic disease caused by Yersinia pestis, has brought great disasters. The natural plague focus of Marmota himalayana in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the largest, which has been constantly active and the leading source of human plague in China for decades. Understanding the population genetics of M. himalayana and relating that information to the biogeographic distribution of Yersinia pestis and plague outbreaks are greatly beneficial for the knowledge of plague spillover and arecrucial for pandemic prevention. In the present research, we assessed the population genetics of M. himalayana. We carried out a comparative study of plague outbreaks and the population genetics of M. himalayana on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We found that M. himalayana populations are divided into two main clusters located in the south and north of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Fourteen DFR genomovars of Y. pestis were found and exhibited a significant region-specific distribution. Additionally, the increased genetic diversity of plague hosts is positively associated with human plague outbreaks. This insight gained can improve our understanding of biodiversity for pathogen spillover and provide municipally directed targets for One Health surveillance development, which will be an informative next step toward increased monitoring of M. himalayana dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Ma
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, 811602, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Pengbo Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Ziyan Li
- College of Life Sciences, WuHan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yujuan Yue
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Yanmei Zhao
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, 811602, China
| | - Jian He
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, 811602, China
| | - Jiaxin Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Xiuping Song
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Jun Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Qiyong Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Liang Lu
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, China.
| |
Collapse
|
|
7
|
Bennasar-Figueras A. The Natural and Clinical History of Plague: From the Ancient Pandemics to Modern Insights. Microorganisms 2024; 12:146. [PMID: 38257973 PMCID: PMC10818976 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The human pathogen Yersinia pestis is responsible for bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plague. A deeply comprehensive overview of its historical context, bacteriological characteristics, genomic analysis based on ancient DNA (aDNA) and modern strains, and its impact on historical and actual human populations, is explored. The results from multiple studies have been synthesized to investigate the origins of plague, its transmission, and effects on different populations. Additionally, molecular interactions of Y. pestis, from its evolutionary origins to its adaptation to flea-born transmission, and its impact on human and wild populations are considered. The characteristic combinations of aDNA patterns, which plays a decisive role in the reconstruction and analysis of ancient genomes, are reviewed. Bioinformatics is fundamental in identifying specific Y. pestis lineages, and automated pipelines are among the valuable tools in implementing such studies. Plague, which remains among human history's most lethal infectious diseases, but also other zoonotic diseases, requires the continuous investigation of plague topics. This can be achieved by improving molecular and genetic screening of animal populations, identifying ecological and social determinants of outbreaks, increasing interdisciplinary collaborations among scientists and public healthcare providers, and continued research into the characterization, diagnosis, and treatment of these diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antoni Bennasar-Figueras
- Microbiologia—Departament de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Campus UIB, Carretera de Valldemossa, Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain; ; Tel.: +34-971172778
- Facultat de Medicina, Hospital Universitari Son Espases (HUSE), Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Carretera de Valldemossa, 79, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
|
8
|
Wang LKP. War on Rats: the architecture of the bubonic plague in Galveston. Proc AMIA Symp 2023; 36:534-538. [PMID: 37334092 PMCID: PMC10269426 DOI: 10.1080/08998280.2023.2204289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Galveston, Texas is one of the oldest seaport cities in the Gulf of Mexico west of New Orleans, making it a historically prime location for disease outbreaks. The bubonic plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis, likely spread to Galveston via infected rats and fleas on steamboats. Known as the Black Death, the bubonic plague infected 17 Galvestonians from 1920 to 1921. This article examines the "War on Rats," the public health response to the Galveston bubonic plague outbreak in the 1920s. As part of public health practices at the time, the rat-proofing of buildings provides a glimpse into the intersection of public health and architecture. This exploration of the war on rats in Galveston offers insights into 20th-century examples of cross-disciplinary collaboration to promote human health in urban contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonard Kuan-Pei Wang
- John Sealy School of Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| |
Collapse
|
|
9
|
Wolff M, Mykhnenko V. COVID-19 as a game-changer? The impact of the pandemic on urban trajectories. CITIES (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 134:104162. [PMID: 36593903 PMCID: PMC9797415 DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2022.104162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Will the COVID-19 pandemic interrupt the recent European urbanization trends - and if so - what is the magnitude of this sudden shock, and how deaths, births, and net migration contribute to this disruption? Until now, most discussions on the topic have circled either around the anecdotal evidence of city center decline, or contrarian speculations about residential inertia and the forthcoming business-as-usual. Bringing clarity to the uncertainty and confusion surrounding COVID-19, this paper seeks to detect overarching patterns in and the magnitude of its sudden shock to long-term urban trajectories, understood as a reversal of the pre-pandemic population development trend, across European cities in the early 2020s. It reveals that during the first year of COVID-19, population growth in European cities significantly slowed down to -0.3 % per annum, with 28 % of all European cities having experienced a U-turn from population growth to loss. Out-migration was the main driver of such rapid urban shrinkage, while excess mortality associated with COVID-19 has also contributed to population loss in several European city-regions; some, especially, smaller cities suffered from a significant drop in birth rates. Based on the factorial, hierarchical, and temporal dimensions of the COVID-19 crisis, the paper provides a plausible forecast about the future of Europe's post-coronavirus city.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Wolff
- Department of Geography, Lab for Landscape Ecology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Urban and Environmental Sociology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Vlad Mykhnenko
- St. Peter's College, University of Oxford, New Inn Hall Street, Oxford OX1 2DL, United Kingdom
- Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford, Rewley House, 1 Wellington Square, OX1 2JA, Oxford, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
|
10
|
No evidence for persistent natural plague reservoirs in historical and modern Europe. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2209816119. [PMID: 36508668 PMCID: PMC9907128 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2209816119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Caused by Yersinia pestis, plague ravaged the world through three known pandemics: the First or the Justinianic (6th-8th century); the Second (beginning with the Black Death during c.1338-1353 and lasting until the 19th century); and the Third (which became global in 1894). It is debatable whether Y. pestis persisted in European wildlife reservoirs or was repeatedly introduced from outside Europe (as covered by European Union and the British Isles). Here, we analyze environmental data (soil characteristics and climate) from active Chinese plague reservoirs to assess whether such environmental conditions in Europe had ever supported "natural plague reservoirs". We have used new statistical methods which are validated through predicting the presence of modern plague reservoirs in the western United States. We find no support for persistent natural plague reservoirs in either historical or modern Europe. Two factors make Europe unfavorable for long-term plague reservoirs: 1) Soil texture and biochemistry and 2) low rodent diversity. By comparing rodent communities in Europe with those in China and the United States, we conclude that a lack of suitable host species might be the main reason for the absence of plague reservoirs in Europe today. These findings support the hypothesis that long-term plague reservoirs did not exist in Europe and therefore question the importance of wildlife rodent species as the primary plague hosts in Europe.
Collapse
|
|
11
|
Warinner C. An Archaeology of Microbes. JOURNAL OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1086/721976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christina Warinner
- Department of Anthropology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, USA 02138, and Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany 04103
| |
Collapse
|
|
12
|
<i>Yersinia pestis</i> Strains of the 1.ORI Line as Etiological Agent of the Plague Pandemic III. PROBLEMS OF PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS INFECTIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.21055/0370-1069-2022-3-23-37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis strains of the 1.ORI lineage originate from China as a result of evolution of the 1.ANT phylogenetic branch. Strains of the biovar orientalis are divided into three major lines of evolution: 1.ORI1, 1.ORI2, 1.ORI3. Lines 1.ORI1 and 1.ORI2 originated in China and then spread across the east and west coasts of India, respectively. Strains of the biovar orientalis have widely spread throughout the world, mainly as a result of introduction by sea. This way, the 1.ORI1 line was imported onto the territory of North America. 1.ORI2 line has spread to Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America. In addition, the strains of the biovar orientalis were brought to the territory of Australia, however, the formation of natural foci did not occur. The spread of strains to new territories during the third plague pandemic, as a rule, took place with the participation of one strain, which caused epizootics among synanthropic rodents. After that, outbreaks were recorded among the population of port cities, followed by drifting into the countryside and the formation of natural foci under suitable natural conditions. In the absence of such, the plague pathogen was eliminated from natural biotopes, and the formation of a natural focus did not occur. In recent decades, most cases of human plague in the world have been caused by strains of the biovar orientalis (1.ORI). However, the emergence and spread of the evolutionary line “1” is insufficiently studied. Currently, there is a lack of both historical data and strains that are ancestors of modern strains in many countries to clarify the details of the irradiation of strains of the biovar orientalis. As a result, the concepts of dissemination of many evolution branches of the strains, biovar orientalis are in the form of hypotheses to date. In this work, the collection and analysis of literature data on the history and epidemiology of plague over the third pandemic, a search for a connection between epidemic manifestations and the appurtenance of the strains that caused them to certain phylogenetic lineages was carried out.
Collapse
|
|
13
|
Zhang Y, Wang Z, Wang W, Yu H, Jin M. Applications of polymerase chain reaction‑based methods for the diagnosis of plague (Review). Exp Ther Med 2022; 24:511. [DOI: 10.3892/etm.2022.11438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Zhang
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Disease‑Related Biomarkers, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, Inner Mongolia 014060, P.R. China
| | - Zhanli Wang
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Disease‑Related Biomarkers, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, Inner Mongolia 014060, P.R. China
| | - Wenrui Wang
- General Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Huhehot, Inner Mongolia 010031, P.R. China
| | - Hui Yu
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Disease‑Related Biomarkers, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, Inner Mongolia 014060, P.R. China
| | - Min Jin
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Disease‑Related Biomarkers, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, Inner Mongolia 014060, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
|
14
|
Preventive Measures against Pandemics from the Beginning of Civilization to Nowadays—How Everything Has Remained the Same over the Millennia. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11071960. [PMID: 35407571 PMCID: PMC8999828 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11071960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As of 27 March 2022, the β-coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected more than 487 million individuals worldwide, causing more than 6.14 million deaths. SARS-CoV-2 spreads through close contact, causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); thus, emergency lockdowns have been implemented worldwide to avoid its spread. COVID-19 is not the first infectious disease that humankind has had to face during its history. Indeed, humans have recurrently been threatened by several emerging pathogens that killed a substantial fraction of the population. Historical sources document that as early as between the 10th and the 6th centuries BCE, the authorities prescribed physical–social isolation, physical distancing, and quarantine of the infected subjects until the end of the disease, measures that strongly resemble containment measures taken nowadays. In this review, we show a historical and literary overview of different epidemic diseases and how the recommendations in the pre-vaccine era were, and still are, effective in containing the contagion.
Collapse
|
|
15
|
Carlson CJ, Bevins SN, Schmid BV. Plague risk in the western United States over seven decades of environmental change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:753-769. [PMID: 34796590 PMCID: PMC9299200 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
After several pandemics over the last two millennia, the wildlife reservoirs of plague (Yersinia pestis) now persist around the world, including in the western United States. Routine surveillance in this region has generated comprehensive records of human cases and animal seroprevalence, creating a unique opportunity to test how plague reservoirs are responding to environmental change. Here, we test whether animal and human data suggest that plague reservoirs and spillover risk have shifted since 1950. To do so, we develop a new method for detecting the impact of climate change on infectious disease distributions, capable of disentangling long-term trends (signal) and interannual variation in both weather and sampling (noise). We find that plague foci are associated with high-elevation rodent communities, and soil biochemistry may play a key role in the geography of long-term persistence. In addition, we find that human cases are concentrated only in a small subset of endemic areas, and that spillover events are driven by higher rodent species richness (the amplification hypothesis) and climatic anomalies (the trophic cascade hypothesis). Using our detection model, we find that due to the changing climate, rodent communities at high elevations have become more conducive to the establishment of plague reservoirs-with suitability increasing up to 40% in some places-and that spillover risk to humans at mid-elevations has increased as well, although more gradually. These results highlight opportunities for deeper investigation of plague ecology, the value of integrative surveillance for infectious disease geography, and the need for further research into ongoing climate change impacts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Colin J. Carlson
- Center for Global Health Science and SecurityGeorgetown University Medical CenterWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
| | - Sarah N. Bevins
- US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service–Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research CenterFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Boris V. Schmid
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary SynthesisDepartment of BiosciencesUniversity of OsloOsloNorway
| |
Collapse
|
|
16
|
Rosario-Acevedo R, Biryukov SS, Bozue JA, Cote CK. Plague Prevention and Therapy: Perspectives on Current and Future Strategies. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1421. [PMID: 34680537 PMCID: PMC8533540 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9101421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Plague, caused by the bacterial pathogen Yersinia pestis, is a vector-borne disease that has caused millions of human deaths over several centuries. Presently, human plague infections continue throughout the world. Transmission from one host to another relies mainly on infected flea bites, which can cause enlarged lymph nodes called buboes, followed by septicemic dissemination of the pathogen. Additionally, droplet inhalation after close contact with infected mammals can result in primary pneumonic plague. Here, we review research advances in the areas of vaccines and therapeutics for plague in context of Y. pestis virulence factors and disease pathogenesis. Plague continues to be both a public health threat and a biodefense concern and we highlight research that is important for infection mitigation and disease treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Christopher K. Cote
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA; (R.R.-A.); (S.S.B.); (J.A.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
|
17
|
Bramanti B, Wu Y, Yang R, Cui Y, Stenseth NC. Assessing the origins of the European Plagues following the Black Death: A synthesis of genomic, historical, and ecological information. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2101940118. [PMID: 34465619 PMCID: PMC8433512 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101940118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The second plague pandemic started in Europe with the Black Death in 1346 and lasted until the 19th century. Based on ancient DNA studies, there is a scientific disagreement over whether the bacterium, Yersinia pestis, came into Europe once (Hypothesis 1) or repeatedly over the following four centuries (Hypothesis 2). Here, we synthesize the most updated phylogeny together with historical, archeological, evolutionary, and ecological information. On the basis of this holistic view, we conclude that Hypothesis 2 is the most plausible. We also suggest that Y. pestis lineages might have developed attenuated virulence during transmission, which can explain the convergent evolutionary signals, including pla decay, that appeared at the end of the pandemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Bramanti
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, N-0316 Oslo, Norway;
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Prevention, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Yarong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yujun Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China;
| | - Nils Chr Stenseth
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, N-0316 Oslo, Norway;
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| |
Collapse
|
|
18
|
Stenseth NC, Dharmarajan G, Li R, Shi ZL, Yang R, Gao GF. Lessons Learnt From the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Public Health 2021; 9:694705. [PMID: 34409008 PMCID: PMC8365337 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.694705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has been characterized by unprecedented rates of spatio-temporal spread. Here, we summarize the main events in the pandemic's timeline and evaluate what has been learnt by the public health community. We also discuss the implications for future public health policy and, specifically, the practice of epidemic control. We critically analyze this ongoing pandemic's timeline and contrast it with the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak. We identify specific areas (e.g., pathogen identification and initial reporting) wherein the international community learnt valuable lessons from the SARS outbreak. However, we also identify the key areas where international public health policy failed leading to the exponential spread of the pandemic. We outline a clear agenda for improved pandemic control in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nils Chr. Stenseth
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Guha Dharmarajan
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC, United States
| | - Ruiyun Li
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Zheng-Li Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - George F. Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
|
19
|
Krauer F, Viljugrein H, Dean KR. The influence of temperature on the seasonality of historical plague outbreaks. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202725. [PMID: 34255997 PMCID: PMC8277479 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Modern plague outbreaks exhibit a distinct seasonal pattern. By contrast, the seasonality of historical outbreaks and its drivers has not been studied systematically. Here, we investigate the seasonal pattern, the epidemic peak timing and growth rates, and the association with latitude, temperature, and precipitation using a large, novel dataset of plague- and all-cause mortality during the Second Pandemic in Europe and the Mediterranean. We show that epidemic peak timing followed a latitudinal gradient, with mean annual temperature negatively associated with peak timing. Based on modern temperature data, the predicted epidemic growth of all outbreaks was positive between 11.7°C and 21.5°C with a maximum around 17.3°C. Hence, our study provides evidence that the growth of plague epidemics across the whole study region depended on similar absolute temperature thresholds. Here, we present a systematic analysis of the seasonality of historical plague in the Northern Hemisphere, and we show consistent evidence for a temperature-related process influencing the epidemic peak timing and growth rates of plague epidemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabienne Krauer
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis CEES, University of Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases CMMID, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Hildegunn Viljugrein
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis CEES, University of Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ås, Norway
| | | |
Collapse
|
|
20
|
Sebbane F, Lemaître N. Antibiotic Therapy of Plague: A Review. Biomolecules 2021; 11:724. [PMID: 34065940 PMCID: PMC8151713 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Plague-a deadly disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis-is still an international public health concern. There are three main clinical forms: bubonic plague, septicemic plague, and pulmonary plague. In all three forms, the symptoms appear suddenly and progress very rapidly. Early antibiotic therapy is essential for countering the disease. Several classes of antibiotics (e.g., tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, sulfonamides, chloramphenicol, rifamycin, and β-lactams) are active in vitro against the majority of Y. pestis strains and have demonstrated efficacy in various animal models. However, some discrepancies have been reported. Hence, health authorities have approved and recommended several drugs for prophylactic or curative use. Only monotherapy is currently recommended; combination therapy has not shown any benefits in preclinical studies or case reports. Concerns about the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains of Y. pestis have led to the development of new classes of antibiotics and other therapeutics (e.g., LpxC inhibitors, cationic peptides, antivirulence drugs, predatory bacteria, phages, immunotherapy, host-directed therapy, and nutritional immunity). It is difficult to know which of the currently available treatments or therapeutics in development will be most effective for a given form of plague. This is due to the lack of standardization in preclinical studies, conflicting data from case reports, and the small number of clinical trials performed to date.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florent Sebbane
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1019—UMR 9017—CIIL—Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Nadine Lemaître
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, Institut Pasteur Lille, U1019—UMR 9017—CIIL—Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
- Laboratoire de Bactériologie-Hygiène, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Amiens Picardie, UR 4294, Agents Infectieux, Résistance et Chimiothérapie (AGIR), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, F-80000 Amiens, France
| |
Collapse
|
|
21
|
Abstract
Before the 20th century many deaths in England, and most likely a majority, were caused by infectious diseases. The focus here is on the biggest killers, plague, typhus, smallpox, tuberculosis, cholera, typhoid, dysentery, childhood infections, pneumonia, and influenza. Many other infectious diseases including puerperal fever, relapsing fever, malaria, syphilis, meningitis, tetanus and gangrene caused thousands of deaths. This review of preventive measures, public health interventions and changes in behavior that reduced the risk of severe infections puts the response to recent epidemic challenges in historical perspective. Two new respiratory viruses have recently caused pandemics: an H1N1 influenza virus genetically related to pig viruses, and a bat-derived coronavirus causing COVID-19. Studies of infectious diseases emerging in human populations in recent decades indicate that the majority were zoonotic, and many of the causal pathogens had a wildlife origin. As hunter-gatherers, humans contracted pathogens from other species, and then from domesticated animals and rodents when they began to live in settled communities based on agriculture. In the modern world of large inter-connected urban populations and rapid transport, the risk of global transmission of new infectious diseases is high. Past and recent experience indicates that surveillance, prevention and control of infectious diseases are critical for global health. Effective interventions are required to control activities that risk dangerous pathogens transferring to humans from wild animals and those reared for food.
Collapse
|
|
22
|
Verma HK. Radiological and clinical spectrum of COVID-19: A major concern for public health. World J Radiol 2021; 13:53-63. [PMID: 33815683 PMCID: PMC8006056 DOI: 10.4329/wjr.v13.i3.53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The pandemic of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by +ve strand RNA virus (SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) that belongs to the corona viridae family. In March, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of novel coronavirus for the public health emergency. Although SARS-CoV-2 infection presents with respiratory symptoms, it affects other organs such as the kidneys, liver, heart and brain. Early-stage laboratory disease testing shows many false positive or negative outcomes such as less white blood cell count and a low number of lymphocyte count. However, radiological examination and diagnosis are among the main components of the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. In particular, for COVID-19, chest computed tomography developed vigorous initial diagnosis and disease progression assessment. However, the accuracy is limited. Although real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction is the gold standard method for the diagnosis of COVID-19, sometimes it may give false-negative results. Due to the consequences of the missing diagnosis. This resulted in a discrepancy between the two means of examination. Conversely, based on currently available evidence, we summarized the possible understanding of the various patho-physiology, radio diagnostic methods in severe COVID-19 patients. As the information on COVID-19 evolves rapidly, this review will provide vital information for scientists and clinicians to consider novel perceptions for the comprehensive knowledge of the diagnostic approaches based on current experience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Henu Kumar Verma
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Lab, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology CNR, Naples 80131, Campania, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
|
23
|
Sahu T, Mehta A, Ratre YK, Jaiswal A, Vishvakarma NK, Bhaskar LVKS, Verma HK. Current understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on gastrointestinal disease: Challenges and openings. World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27:449-469. [PMID: 33642821 PMCID: PMC7896435 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i6.449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus which belongs to the Coronaviridae family. In March 2019 the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 was a pandemic. COVID-19 patients typically have a fever, dry cough, dyspnea, fatigue, and anosmia. Some patients also report gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, as well as liver enzyme abnormalities. Surprisingly, many studies have found severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral RNA in rectal swabs and stool specimens of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients. In addition, viral receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and transmembrane protease serine-type 2, were also found to be highly expressed in gastrointestinal epithelial cells of the intestinal mucosa. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 can dynamically infect and replicate in both GI and liver cells. Taken together these results indicate that the GI tract is a potential target of SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, the present review summarizes the vital information available to date on COVID-19 and its impact on GI aspects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tarun Sahu
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Science, Raipur 492001, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Arundhati Mehta
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur 495001, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Yashwant Kumar Ratre
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur 495001, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Akriti Jaiswal
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Science, Raipur 492001, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Naveen Kumar Vishvakarma
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur 495001, Chhattisgarh, India
| | | | - Henu Kumar Verma
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Lab, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology CNR, Naples, Campania 80131, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
|
24
|
Ratre YK, Kahar N, Bhaskar LVKS, Bhattacharya A, Verma HK. Molecular mechanism, diagnosis, and potential treatment for novel coronavirus (COVID-19): a current literature review and perspective. 3 Biotech 2021; 11:94. [PMID: 33520580 PMCID: PMC7832422 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-021-02657-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus which belongs to the Coronaviridae family. COVID-19 outbreak became evident after the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in the twenty-first century as the start of the third deadly coronavirus. Currently, research is at an early stage, and the exact etiological dimensions of COVID-19 are unknown. Several candidate drugs and plasma therapy have been considered and evaluated for the treatment of severe COVID-19 patients. These include clinically available drugs such as chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, and lopinavir/ritonavir. However, understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of this virus is critical for predicting interaction with humans. Based on recent evidence, we have summarized the current virus biology in terms of the possible understanding of the various pathophysiologies, molecular mechanisms, recent efficient diagnostics, and therapeutic approaches to control the disease. In addition, we briefly reviewed the biochemistry of leading candidates for novel therapies and their current status in clinical trials. As information from COVID-19 is evolving rapidly, this review will help the researcher to consider new insights and potential therapeutic approaches based on up-to-date knowledge. Finally, this review illustrates a list of alternative therapeutic solutions for a viral infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Namrata Kahar
- Department of Zoology, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur, India
| | | | - Antaripa Bhattacharya
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Henu Kumar Verma
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Lab, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology CNR, Naples, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
|
25
|
Ibn-Mohammed T, Mustapha KB, Godsell J, Adamu Z, Babatunde KA, Akintade DD, Acquaye A, Fujii H, Ndiaye MM, Yamoah FA, Koh SCL. A critical analysis of the impacts of COVID-19 on the global economy and ecosystems and opportunities for circular economy strategies. RESOURCES, CONSERVATION, AND RECYCLING 2021; 164:105169. [PMID: 32982059 PMCID: PMC7505605 DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 203] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on the 11th of March 2020, but the world is still reeling from its aftermath. Originating from China, cases quickly spread across the globe, prompting the implementation of stringent measures by world governments in efforts to isolate cases and limit the transmission rate of the virus. These measures have however shattered the core sustaining pillars of the modern world economies as global trade and cooperation succumbed to nationalist focus and competition for scarce supplies. Against this backdrop, this paper presents a critical review of the catalogue of negative and positive impacts of the pandemic and proffers perspectives on how it can be leveraged to steer towards a better, more resilient low-carbon economy. The paper diagnosed the danger of relying on pandemic-driven benefits to achieving sustainable development goals and emphasizes a need for a decisive, fundamental structural change to the dynamics of how we live. It argues for a rethink of the present global economic growth model, shaped by a linear economy system and sustained by profiteering and energy-gulping manufacturing processes, in favour of a more sustainable model recalibrated on circular economy (CE) framework. Building on evidence in support of CE as a vehicle for balancing the complex equation of accomplishing profit with minimal environmental harms, the paper outlines concrete sector-specific recommendations on CE-related solutions as a catalyst for the global economic growth and development in a resilient post-COVID-19 world.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T Ibn-Mohammed
- Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), The University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - K B Mustapha
- Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Nottingham (Malaysia Campus), Semenyih, Selangor43500, Malaysia
| | - J Godsell
- Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), The University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Z Adamu
- School of The Built Environment and Architecture, London South Bank University, London SE1 0AA, United Kingdom
| | - K A Babatunde
- Faculty of Economics and Management, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor43600, Malaysia
- Department of Economics, Faculty of Management Sciences, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - D D Akintade
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH United Kingdom
| | - A Acquaye
- Kent Business School, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7PE, United Kingdom
| | - H Fujii
- Faculty of Economics, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - M M Ndiaye
- Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE
| | - F A Yamoah
- Department of Management, Birkbeck University of London, London WC1E 7JL United Kingdom
| | - S C L Koh
- Sheffield University Management School (SUMS), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 1FL, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
|
26
|
Barbieri R, Signoli M, Chevé D, Costedoat C, Tzortzis S, Aboudharam G, Raoult D, Drancourt M. Yersinia pestis: the Natural History of Plague. Clin Microbiol Rev 2020; 34:e00044-19. [PMID: 33298527 PMCID: PMC7920731 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00044-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The Gram-negative bacterium Yersinia pestis is responsible for deadly plague, a zoonotic disease established in stable foci in the Americas, Africa, and Eurasia. Its persistence in the environment relies on the subtle balance between Y. pestis-contaminated soils, burrowing and nonburrowing mammals exhibiting variable degrees of plague susceptibility, and their associated fleas. Transmission from one host to another relies mainly on infected flea bites, inducing typical painful, enlarged lymph nodes referred to as buboes, followed by septicemic dissemination of the pathogen. In contrast, droplet inhalation after close contact with infected mammals induces primary pneumonic plague. Finally, the rarely reported consumption of contaminated raw meat causes pharyngeal and gastrointestinal plague. Point-of-care diagnosis, early antibiotic treatment, and confinement measures contribute to outbreak control despite residual mortality. Mandatory primary prevention relies on the active surveillance of established plague foci and ectoparasite control. Plague is acknowledged to have infected human populations for at least 5,000 years in Eurasia. Y. pestis genomes recovered from affected archaeological sites have suggested clonal evolution from a common ancestor shared with the closely related enteric pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and have indicated that ymt gene acquisition during the Bronze Age conferred Y. pestis with ectoparasite transmissibility while maintaining its enteric transmissibility. Three historic pandemics, starting in 541 AD and continuing until today, have been described. At present, the third pandemic has become largely quiescent, with hundreds of human cases being reported mainly in a few impoverished African countries, where zoonotic plague is mostly transmitted to people by rodent-associated flea bites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R Barbieri
- Aix-Marseille University, IRD, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Marseille, France
- Fondation Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - M Signoli
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Marseille, France
| | - D Chevé
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Marseille, France
| | - C Costedoat
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Marseille, France
| | - S Tzortzis
- Ministère de la Culture, Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles de Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Service Régional de l'Archéologie, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - G Aboudharam
- Aix-Marseille University, IRD, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Faculty of Odontology, Marseille, France
| | - D Raoult
- Aix-Marseille University, IRD, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Fondation Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - M Drancourt
- Aix-Marseille University, IRD, MEPHI, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Fondation Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| |
Collapse
|
|
27
|
Pandemics and the future of human-landscape interactions. ANTHROPOCENE 2020; 31:100256. [PMCID: PMC7451098 DOI: 10.1016/j.ancene.2020.100256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Pandemics have accelerated in frequency in recent decades, with COVID-19 the latest to join the list. Emerging in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, the virus has spread quickly through the world, affecting billions of people through quarantine, and at the same time claiming more than 800,000 lives worldwide. While early reflections from the academic community have tended to target the microbiology, medicine, and animal science communities, this article articulates a viewpoint from a perspective of human interactions with Earth systems. We highlight the link between rising pandemics and accelerating global human impacts on Earth, thereby suggesting that pandemics may be an emerging element of the “Anthropocene.” Examples from Denver, Colorado, USA, show how policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic changed human-environment interactions and created anomalous landscapes at the local scale, in relation to the quality of air and patterns of acquiring and consuming food. In recognizing the significance of novel infectious diseases as part of understanding human-landscape interactions in the Anthropocene, as well as the multi-scale interconnectedness between environment and health, this viewpoint converges toward an urgent need for new paradigms for research and teaching. The program required extends well beyond the already broad interdisciplinary scholarship essential for addressing human-landscape interactions, by integrating the work of health scientists, disease specialists, immunologists, virologists, veterinarians, behavioral scientists, and health policy experts.
Collapse
|
|
28
|
Tennant WSD, Tildesley MJ, Spencer SEF, Keeling MJ. Climate drivers of plague epidemiology in British India, 1898-1949. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200538. [PMID: 32517609 PMCID: PMC7341932 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Plague, caused by Yersinia pestis infection, continues to threaten low- and middle-income countries throughout the world. The complex interactions between rodents and fleas with their respective environments challenge our understanding of human plague epidemiology. Historical long-term datasets of reported plague cases offer a unique opportunity to elucidate the effects of climate on plague outbreaks in detail. Here, we analyse monthly plague deaths and climate data from 25 provinces in British India from 1898 to 1949 to generate insights into the influence of temperature, rainfall and humidity on the occurrence, severity and timing of plague outbreaks. We find that moderate relative humidity levels of between 60% and 80% were strongly associated with outbreaks. Using wavelet analysis, we determine that the nationwide spread of plague was driven by changes in humidity, where, on average, a one-month delay in the onset of rising humidity translated into a one-month delay in the timing of plague outbreaks. This work can inform modern spatio-temporal predictive models for the disease and aid in the development of early-warning strategies for the deployment of prophylactic treatments and other control measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Warren S. D. Tennant
- The Zeeman Institute: SBIDER, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- Mathematics Institute, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Mike J. Tildesley
- The Zeeman Institute: SBIDER, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- Mathematics Institute, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Simon E. F. Spencer
- The Zeeman Institute: SBIDER, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- Department of Statistics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Matt J. Keeling
- The Zeeman Institute: SBIDER, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- Mathematics Institute, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
|
29
|
Abstract
The Justinianic Plague, the first part of the earliest of the three plague pandemics, has minimal historical documentation. Based on the limited primary sources, historians have argued both for and against the "maximalist narrative" of plague, i.e. that the Justinianic Plague had universally devastating effects throughout the Mediterranean region during the sixth century CE. Using primary sources of one of the pandemic’s best documented outbreaks that took place in Constantinople during 542 CE, as well as modern findings on plague etiology and epidemiology, we developed a series of dynamic, compartmental models of disease to explore which, if any, transmission routes of plague are feasible. Using expected parameter values, we find that the bubonic and bubonic-pneumonic transmission routes exceed maximalist mortality estimates and are of shorter detectable duration than described by the primary sources. When accounting for parameter uncertainty, several of the bubonic plague model configurations yielded interquartile estimates consistent with the upper end of maximalist estimates of mortality; however, these models had shorter detectable outbreaks than suggested by the primary sources. The pneumonic transmission routes suggest that by itself, pneumonic plague would not cause significant mortality in the city. However, our global sensitivity analysis shows that predicted disease dynamics vary widely for all hypothesized transmission routes, suggesting that regardless of its effects in Constantinople, the Justinianic Plague would have likely had differential effects across urban areas around the Mediterranean. Our work highlights the uncertainty surrounding the details in the primary sources on the Justinianic Plague and calls into question the likelihood that the Justinianic Plague affected all localities in the same way.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A. White
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC), Annapolis, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lee Mordechai
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC), Annapolis, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of History, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
|
30
|
Dzieciatkowski T, Szarpak L, Filipiak KJ, Jaguszewski M, Ladny JR, Smereka J. COVID-19 challenge for modern medicine. Cardiol J 2020; 27:175-183. [PMID: 32286679 PMCID: PMC8016041 DOI: 10.5603/cj.a2020.0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses cause disease in animals and people around the world. Human coronaviruses (HCoV) are mainly known to cause infections of the upper and lower respiratory tract but the symptoms may also involve the nervous and digestive systems. Since the beginning of December 2019, there has been an epidemic of SARS-CoV-2, which was originally referred to as 2019-nCoV. The most common symptoms are fever and cough, fatigue, sputum production, dyspnea, myalgia, arthralgia or sore throat, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea (30%). The best prevention is to avoid exposure. In addition, contact per-sons should be subjected to mandatory quarantine. COVID-19 patients should be treated in specialist centers. A significant number of patients with pneumonia require passive oxygen therapy. Non-invasive ventilation and high-flow nasal oxygen therapy can be applied in mild and moderate non-hypercapnia cases. A lung-saving ventilation strategy must be implemented in acute respiratory distress syndrome and mechanically ventilated patients. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is a highly specialized method, available only in selected centers and not applicable to a significant number of cases. Specific pharmacological treatment for COVID-19 is not currently available. Modern medicine is gearing up to fight the new coronavirus pandemic. The key is a holistic approach to the patient including, primar-ily, the use of personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of further virus transmission, as well as patient management, which consists in both quarantine and, in the absence of specific pharmacological therapy, symptomatic treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Dzieciatkowski
- Chair and Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Krzysztof J Filipiak
- 1st Chair and Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland, Warsaw
| | - Milosz Jaguszewski
- 1st Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Jerzy R Ladny
- Clinic of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
- Polish Society of Disaster Medicine, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jacek Smereka
- Department of Emergency Medical Service, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
- Polish Society of Disaster Medicine, Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
|
31
|
Verma HK, Farran B, Bhaskar LVKS. Convalescent plasma transfusion a promising therapy for coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19): current updates. Antib Ther 2020; 3:115-125. [PMID: 33912791 PMCID: PMC7314270 DOI: 10.1093/abt/tbaa010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
While there is no proven treatment available for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), convalescent plasma (CP) may provide therapeutic relief as the number of cases escalate steeply world-wide. At the time of writing this review, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies or drugs are still lacking for the recent large COVID-19 outbreak, which restores the interest in CP as an empirical life-saving treatment. However, formal proof of efficacy is needed. The purpose of this review is to summarize all historical clinical trials on COVID-19 infected patients treated with CP to provide precise evidence for the efficacy and effectiveness of CP therapy in severe COVID-19 patients. Although there are many clinical trials in progress, high-quality clinical evidence is still lacking to analyze the existing problems. Meanwhile, based on the previous successful outcomes, we recommend healthcare systems to use CP therapy cautiously in critically ill COVID-19 patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Henu Kumar Verma
- Stem Cell Lab Institute of Endocrinology and Oncology, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Batoul Farran
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
|
32
|
Nguyen SV, Greig DR, Hurley D, Donoghue O, Cao Y, McCabe E, Mitchell M, Schaffer K, Jenkins C, Fanning S. Yersinia canariae sp. nov., isolated from a human yersiniosis case. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2020; 70:2382-2387. [DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.004047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A Gram-negative rod from the
Yersinia
genus was isolated from a clinical case of yersiniosis in the United Kingdom. Long read sequencing data from an Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION in conjunction with Illumina HiSeq reads were used to generate a finished quality genome of this strain. Overall Genome Related Index (OGRI) of the strain was used to determine that it was a novel species within
Yersinia
, despite biochemical similarities to
Yersinia enterocolitica
. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene accessions are MN434982-MN434987 and the accession number for the complete and closed chromosome is CP043727. The type strain is SRR7544370T (=NCTC 14382T/=LMG 31573T).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Scott V. Nguyen
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland
| | - David R. Greig
- National Infection Services, Public Health England, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HT, UK
| | - Daniel Hurley
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland
| | - Orla Donoghue
- Department of Microbiology, St Vincent's University Hospital, 196 Merrion Road, Elm Park, Dublin D04 T6F4, Ireland
| | - Yu Cao
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland
| | - Evonne McCabe
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland
| | - Molly Mitchell
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland
| | - Kirsten Schaffer
- Department of Microbiology, St Vincent's University Hospital, 196 Merrion Road, Elm Park, Dublin D04 T6F4, Ireland
| | - Claire Jenkins
- National Infection Services, Public Health England, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HT, UK
| | - Séamus Fanning
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland
- Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
|
33
|
Chahrour M, Assi S, Bejjani M, Nasrallah AA, Salhab H, Fares M, Khachfe HH. A Bibliometric Analysis of COVID-19 Research Activity: A Call for Increased Output. Cureus 2020; 12:e7357. [PMID: 32328369 PMCID: PMC7174863 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.7357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has impacted many countries across all inhabited continents, and is now considered a global pandemic, due to its high rate of infectivity. Research related to this disease is pivotal for assessing pathogenic characteristics and formulating therapeutic strategies. The aim of this paper is to explore the activity and trends of COVID-19 research since its outbreak in December 2019. METHODS We explored the PubMed database and the World Health Organization (WHO) database for publications pertaining to COVID-19 since December 2019 up until March 18, 2020. Only relevant observational and interventional studies were included in our study. Data on COVID-19 incidence were extracted from the WHO situation reports. Research output was assessed with respect to gross domestic product (GDP) and population of each country. RESULTS Only 564 publications met our inclusion criteria. These articles came from 39 different countries, constituting 24% of all affected countries. China produced the greatest number of publications with 377 publications (67%). With respect to continental research activity, Asian countries had the highest research activity with 434 original publications (77%). In terms of publications per million persons (PPMPs), Singapore had the highest number of publications with 1.069 PPMPs. In terms of publications per billion-dollar GDP, Mauritius ranked first with 0.075. CONCLUSION COVID-19 is a major disease that has impacted international public health on a global level. Observational studies and therapeutic trials pertaining to COVID-19 are essential for assessing pathogenic characteristics and developing novel treatment options.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohamad Chahrour
- Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, LBN
| | - Sahar Assi
- Miscellaneous, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, LBN
| | - Michael Bejjani
- Miscellaneous, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, LBN
| | - Ali A Nasrallah
- Urology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut , LBN
| | - Hamza Salhab
- Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, LBN
| | - Mohamad Fares
- Sports Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, LBN
| | - Hussein H Khachfe
- General Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, LBN
| |
Collapse
|
|
34
|
" Bridging the Gap" Everything that Could Have Been Avoided If We Had Applied Gender Medicine, Pharmacogenetics and Personalized Medicine in the Gender-Omics and Sex-Omics Era. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 21:ijms21010296. [PMID: 31906252 PMCID: PMC6982247 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gender medicine is the first step of personalized medicine and patient-centred care, an essential development to achieve the standard goal of a holistic approach to patients and diseases. By addressing the interrelation and integration of biological markers (i.e., sex) with indicators of psychological/cultural behaviour (i.e., gender), gender medicine represents the crucial assumption for achieving the personalized health-care required in the third millennium. However, ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are often misused as synonyms, leading to frequent misunderstandings in those who are not deeply involved in the field. Overall, we have to face the evidence that biological, genetic, epigenetic, psycho-social, cultural, and environmental factors mutually interact in defining sex/gender differences, and at the same time in establishing potential unwanted sex/gender disparities. Prioritizing the role of sex/gender in physiological and pathological processes is crucial in terms of efficient prevention, clinical signs’ identification, prognosis definition, and therapy optimization. In this regard, the omics-approach has become a powerful tool to identify sex/gender-specific disease markers, with potential benefits also in terms of socio-psychological wellbeing for each individual, and cost-effectiveness for National Healthcare systems. “Being a male or being a female” is indeed important from a health point of view and it is no longer possible to avoid “sex and gender lens” when approaching patients. Accordingly, personalized healthcare must be based on evidence from targeted research studies aimed at understanding how sex and gender influence health across the entire life span. The rapid development of genetic tools in the molecular medicine approaches and their impact in healthcare is an example of highly specialized applications that have moved from specialists to primary care providers (e.g., pharmacogenetic and pharmacogenomic applications in routine medical practice). Gender medicine needs to follow the same path and become an established medical approach. To face the genetic, molecular and pharmacological bases of the existing sex/gender gap by means of omics approaches will pave the way to the discovery and identification of novel drug-targets/therapeutic protocols, personalized laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures (sex/gender-omics). In this scenario, the aim of the present review is not to simply resume the state-of-the-art in the field, rather an opportunity to gain insights into gender medicine, spanning from molecular up to social and psychological stances. The description and critical discussion of some key selected multidisciplinary topics considered as paradigmatic of sex/gender differences and sex/gender inequalities will allow to draft and design strategies useful to fill the existing gap and move forward.
Collapse
|
|
35
|
Bronza B. Austrian measures for prevention and control of the plague epidemic along the border with the Ottoman Empire during the 18th century. SCRIPTA MEDICA 2019. [DOI: 10.5937/scriptamed50-23457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
|