Global research trends of World Health Organization's top eight emerging pathogens.

BACKGROUND: On December 8th, 2015, World Health Organization published a priority list of eight pathogens expected to cause severe outbreaks in the near future. To better understand global research trends and characteristics of publications on these emerging pathogens, we carried out this bibliometric study hoping to contribute to global awareness and preparedness toward this topic. METHOD: Scopus database was searched for the following pathogens/infectious diseases: Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, Rift valley, Crimean-Congo, Nipah, Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and Severe Respiratory Acute Syndrome (SARS). Retrieved articles were analyzed to obtain standard bibliometric indicators. RESULTS: A total of 8619 journal articles were retrieved. Authors from 154 different countries contributed to publishing these articles. Two peaks of publications, an early one for SARS and a late one for Ebola, were observed. Retrieved articles received a total of 221,606 citations with a mean ± standard deviation of 25.7 ± 65.4 citations per article and an h-index of 173. International collaboration was as high as 86.9%. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had the highest share (344; 5.0%) followed by the University of Hong Kong with 305 (4.5%). The top leading journal was Journal of Virology with 572 (6.6%) articles while Feldmann, Heinz R. was the most productive researcher with 197 (2.3%) articles. China ranked first on SARS, Turkey ranked first on Crimean-Congo fever, while the United States of America ranked first on the remaining six diseases. Of retrieved articles, 472 (5.5%) were on vaccine - related research with Ebola vaccine being most studied. CONCLUSION: Number of publications on studied pathogens showed sudden dramatic rise in the past two decades representing severe global outbreaks. Contribution of a large number of different countries and the relatively high h-index are indicative of how international collaboration can create common health agenda among distant different countries.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever/Ebola virus disease - Marburg disease - Lassa fever.

Ebola virus disease, Marburg disease, and Lassa fever are viral hemorrhagic fevers with similar clinical manifestations. Given the recent expanding movement of people around the world, persons infected with any of these hemorrhagic fever viruses might develop symp- toms in Japan. Clinicians should be aware of the latest situation once viral hemorrhagic fever is reported from any country. Obtaining travel history is crucial in suspecting viral hemorrha- gic fever when an acute febrile patient visits a medical facility. Secure implementation of standard precautions would limit further nosocomial transmission even before diagnosis. In order to investigate promptly a suspected case, medical facilities and health authorities should collaborate closely and effectively to break the transmission chain as soon as possi- ble.

An autopsy case of the Marburg variant of multiple sclerosis (acute multiple sclerosis).

We herein report an autopsy case of the Marburg variant of multiple sclerosis (MS). A 29-year-old woman developed acute and progressive neurological symptoms. A diagnosis of MS was suspected based on the patient's clinical background and brain MRI findings and the lack of evidence of malignancy on a brain biopsy. Despite the administration of typical treatment for MS, a fatal outcome occurred three months after disease onset. The autopsy revealed multiple inflammatory demyelinating lesions in the central nervous system. In addition, two noteworthy histopathological features were observed compared with prototypical MS. We evaluate the pathogenic differences between the Marburg type and prototypical MS by discussing the neuropathology and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings of our case.

Cutaneous manifestations of filovirus infections.

Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus, two filoviruses belonging to the Filoviridae family, are among the most virulent pathogens for humans and non-human primates, causing outbreaks of fulminant hemorrhagic fever (HF) in Central African countries with case fatality rates of up to 90%. Fruit bats are the likely reservoir, and human infection occurs through contact with bats or infected large-animal carcasses or by person-to-person contact (through body fluids, medical care, and burial practices). Schematically, clinical manifestations occur in three successive phases and include general, gastrointestinal, and mucocutaneous disorders. Death usually results from hemorrhagic complications. Cutaneous manifestations rarely make a major contribution to disease severity but can assist with the diagnosis. Rash, the main cutaneous disorder, is nonspecific and cannot guide the differential diagnosis. Immunohistochemical examination of skin biopsy or necropsy specimens can confirm the diagnosis.

Acute liver failure, multiorgan failure, cerebral oedema, and activation of proangiogenic and antiangiogenic factors in a case of Marburg haemorrhagic fever.

A woman developed Marburg haemorrhagic fever in the Netherlands, most likely as a consequence of being exposed to virus-infected bats in the python cave in Maramagambo Forest during a visit to Uganda. The clinical syndrome was dominated by acute liver failure with secondary coagulopathy, followed by a severe systemic inflammatory response, multiorgan failure, and fatal cerebral oedema. A high blood viral load persisted during the course of the disease. The initial systemic inflammatory response coincided with peaks in interferon-γ and tumour necrosis factor-α concentrations in the blood. A terminal rise in interleukin-6, placental growth factor (PlGF), and soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (sVEGF-R1) seemed to suggest an advanced pathophysiological stage of Marburg haemorrhagic fever associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction and fatal cerebral oedema. The excess of circulating sVEGF-R1 and the high sVEGF-R1:PlGF ratio shortly before death resemble pathophysiological changes thought to play a causative part in pre-eclampsia. Aggressive critical-care treatment with renal replacement therapy and use of the molecular absorbent recirculation system appeared able to stabilise--at least temporarily--the patient's condition.

Imported case of Marburg hemorrhagic fever - Colorado, 2008.

Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) is a rare, viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF); the causative agent is an RNA virus in the family Filoviridae, and growing evidence demonstrates that fruit bats are the natural reservoir of Marburg virus (MARV). On January 9, 2008, an infectious disease physician notified the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) of a case of unexplained febrile illness requiring hospitalization in a woman who had returned from travel in Uganda. Testing of early convalescent serum demonstrated no evidence of infection with agents that cause tropical febrile illnesses, including VHF. Six months later, in July 2008, the patient requested repeat testing after she learned of the death from MHF of a Dutch tourist who had visited the same bat-roosting cave as the patient, the Python Cave in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda. The convalescent serologic testing revealed evidence of prior infection with MARV, and MARV RNA was detected in the archived early convalescent serum. A public health investigation did not identify illness consistent with secondary MHF transmission among her contacts, and no serologic evidence of infection was detected among the six tested of her eight tour companions. The patient might have acquired MARV infection through exposure to bat secretions or excretions while visiting the Python Cave. Travelers should be aware of the risk for acquiring MHF in caves or mines inhabited by bats in endemic areas in sub-Saharan Africa. Health-care providers should consider VHF among travelers returning from endemic areas who experience unexplained febrile illness.

Pathological differences in acute inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system.

This article reviews the different pathological and immunological features of MS, acute variants of MS and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). T-cell-mediated inflammatory reactions are involved in all acute inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system, but the diseases discussed also exhibit distinct immunopathological features. The perivascular infiltrate of T-cells and macrophages seen in ADEM resembles the pathological pattern found in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. In addition, there is evidence that humoral mechanisms play a crucial role in some acute MS lesions, Devics syndrome and Marburgs syndrome. Analysis of acute MS lesions shows many different structural and immunological features, indicating that different mechanisms may be involved in lesion formation. Distinct subtypes of acute lesions exhibit either similarities with T-cell-mediated autoimmune encephalomyelitis or signs of primary oligodendrocyte damage.

Uveal involvement in Marburg virus disease.

The first reported case of uveal involvement in Marburg virus disease is described.

Outbreake of Marburg virus disease in Johannesburg.

The first recognised outbreak of Marburg virus disease in Africa, and the first since the original epidemic in West Germany and Yugoslavia in 1967, occurred in South Africa in February 1975. The primary case was in a young Australian man , who was admitted to the Johannesburg Hospital after having toured Rhodesia. Two secondary cases occurred, one being in the first patient's travelling companion, and the other in a nurse. Features of the illness included high fever, myalgia, vomiting and diarrhoea, hepatitis, a characteristic maculopapular rash, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, and a bleeding tendency. The first patient died on the seventh day from haemorrhage resulting from a combination of disseminated intravascular coagulation and hepatic failure. The other two patients were given vigorous supportive treatment and prophylactic heparin and recovered after an acute phase lasting about seven days. During this period on developed pancreatitis, the serum amylase remaining raised until the 32nd day after the onset of the illness. The other developed unilateral uveitis after having been asymptomatic for two months. This persisted for several weeks and Marburg virus was cultured from the anterior chamber of the eye.