Tests confirm 3 more Ebola infections in the DRC
The Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC's) health ministry today reported three more Ebola cases in three different locations.
In its daily update, officials said the 3 new lab-confirmed cases are from Katwa, Komanda, and Mabalako, raising the overall total to 542 cases, including 494 confirmed and 48 classified as probable. Outbreak responders are still investigating 96 suspected Ebola cases.
Also, four new deaths were reported — two in patients from Beni, and one each from Butembo and Mabalako. One of the people died in a community setting, which raises the risk of further spread. So far, the virus has killed 319 people since the outbreak began in August.
The number of people immunized with Merck's unlicensed VSV-EBOV vaccine continues to grow, including primary healthcare workers in Goma, the provincial capital. According to today's report, 48,791 people have been vaccinated against Ebola in a campaign that began on Aug 8.
Dec 18 DRC update
Lassa fever confirmed in family cluster in Benin
In its weekly update, the World Health Organization's (WHO's) African regional office reported a Lassa fever outbreak in Benin among three members of a household.
The index case involved a 22-year-old-woman who contracted the disease while living and working in Kwara state, Nigeria, in late November. She moved back to Benin for medical treatment, and her husband and child also tested positive for the virus. All three patients are hospitalized and in good clinical condition.
According to the WHO, 33 contacts, including 24 healthcare professionals, 4 caregivers, and 4 patients, have been identified and are being monitored. Nigeria has been dealing with the world's largest-ever Lassa fever outbreak, with almost 600 confirmed cases.
"This event should be a wakeup call to the national authorities to step up preparedness measures for Lassa fever across the country, especially along the borders with Nigeria," the WHO said. "Functional port health services and cross border surveillance is paramount, in light of the fact that the index case in this event crossed the border with symptoms. Improving routine universal precautions in healthcare settings is also critical, since about 70% of contacts during this event are health professionals."
Dec 18 WHO regional report
Yellow fever outbreak grows in Edo, Nigeria, to 97 suspected cases
Nigeria continues to battle a yellow fever outbreak in Edo state, which now stands at 97 suspected cases, including 23 deaths (case-fatality rate, 23.7%). Though the outbreak began in late September, more than half of the 97 cases were reported in the last 2 weeks, the WHO's regional office for Africa said in an update.
The WHO said about two thirds of suspected and confirmed cases come from Uhunmwonde, a rural farming community. Many residents of Uhunmwonde travel to the nearby state capital, Benin City, with a population of 1.5 million people.
Since September of 2017, Nigeria has recorded 3,510 yellow fever cases. Children ages 1 to 10 years account for 41% of cases, and males account for 58% of case-patients. Nigeria introduced the yellow fever vaccine into routine immunizations in 2016, but much of the population is still at risk for contracting the mosquito-borne virus
"In Edo State, yellow fever vaccination coverage in children below one year of age is about 69% and approximately 60% in the rest of the population, leaving a significant number of people susceptible to the disease," the WHO said.
In other yellow fever news, the WHO supplied more details on a Dutch man who contracted yellow fever while traveling in Gambia and Senegal in November. The 26-year-old man developed symptoms of yellow fever upon his return to the Netherlands, and was hospitalized on Nov 19. He remains hospitalized as of Dec 10 with acute liver failure.
The man was unvaccinated against yellow fever, and the WHO said the risk of local transmission of yellow fever in the Netherlands is negligible.
Dec 18 WHO regional report
Dec 18 WHO Dutch case update
Lyme vaccine enters phase 2 trial; promising Powassan vaccine
Valneva, a French biotechnology company specializing in vaccine development, announced yesterday the start of a phase 2 clinical trial for its Lyme disease vaccine candidate, VLA15.
The trial will help establish the optimal dosage level and schedule for use of the vaccine in 570 adult volunteers at study sites in the United States and Europe. The study centers will be located in places where Lyme is endemic, and subjects with a cleared past infection with Borrelia burgdorferi will also be enrolled.
VLA15, a protein subunit vaccine, is the only Lyme disease vaccine in development, and Valneva obtained fast-track designation by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in July of 2017.
According to a press release from Valneva, "It is designed for prophylactic, active immunization against Lyme disease aiming for protection against the majority of human pathogenic Borrelia species. VLA15 is designed to confer protection by raising antibodies that prevent Borrelia from migrating from ticks to humans after a bite."
Also, a study today in Cell Reports shows that a lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated mRNA vaccine against Powassan virus protected mice challenged with the deadly virus after one dose.
Powassan virus is a rare tick-borne flavivirus that can be fatal in humans. Researchers used a Zika vaccine platform to develop the vaccine, which showed cross-protection against Langat virus, as well.
Dec 17 Valneva press release
Dec 18 Cell Rep study
