ABSTRACT
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) was detected in 2 refugees living in a refugee settlement in Kikuube district, Uganda. Investigations revealed a CCHF IgG seroprevalence of 71.3% (37/52) in goats within the refugee settlement. This finding highlights the need for a multisectoral approach to controlling CCHF in humans and animals in Uganda.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo , Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean , Refugees , Animals , Humans , Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean/epidemiology , Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean/veterinary , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Uganda/epidemiology , Pandemics , Disease Outbreaks , Goats , Immunoglobulin G , Antibodies, ViralABSTRACT
Rift Valley fever, endemic or emerging throughout most of Africa, causes considerable risk to human and animal health. We report 7 confirmed Rift Valley fever cases, 1 fatal, in Kiruhura District, Uganda, during 2021. Our findings highlight the importance of continued viral hemorrhagic fever surveillance, despite challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Rift Valley Fever , Rift Valley fever virus , Animals , Humans , Rift Valley Fever/epidemiology , COVID-19/epidemiology , Uganda/epidemiology , Pandemics , Disease OutbreaksSubject(s)
COVID-19 , Hemostatics , Monkeypox , Humans , Monkeypox/epidemiology , Disease Outbreaks , Antibodies, ViralABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Defibrotide (DF) is a polyribonucleotide with antithrombotic, pro-fibrinolytic, and anti-inflammatory effects on endothelium. These effects and the established safety of DF present DF as a strong candidate to treat viral and post-infectious syndromes involving endothelial dysfunction. AREAS COVERED: We discuss DF and other therapeutic agents that have the potential to target endothelial components of pathogenesis in viral and post-infectious syndromes. We introduce defibrotide (DF), describe its mechanisms of action, and explore its established pleiotropic effects on the endothelium. We describe the established pathophysiology of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and highlight the processes specific to COVID-19 potentially modulated by DF. We also present influenza A and viral hemorrhagic fevers, especially those caused by hantavirus, Ebola virus, and dengue virus, as viral syndromes in which DF might serve therapeutic benefit. Finally, we offer our opinion on novel treatment strategies targeting endothelial dysfunction in viral infections and their severe manifestations. EXPERT OPINION: Given the critical role of endothelial dysfunction in numerous infectious syndromes, in particular COVID-19, therapeutic pharmacology for these conditions should increasingly prioritize endothelial stabilization. Several agents with endothelial protective properties should be further studied as treatments for severe viral infections and vasculitides, especially where other therapeutic modalities have failed.