Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arthropod-borne virus that was first isolated in 1947. Since then, multiple outbreaks of ZIKV have been reported in different countries. It is transmitted mostly by Aedes mosquitoes, and the symptoms of fever, joint pain, red eyes, headache, and maculopapular rash closely resemble chikungunya and dengue. The most severe complications of ZIKV infection include the risk of microcephaly and other congenital brain anomalies in infected pregnant women. It is a condition that can be easily prevented with proper education. In this review, we focussed on different aspects of the recent outbreaks of Zika virus disease, including its epidemiological background, transmission routes, presentation, as well as diagnosis and prevention.
Nipah virus (NiV) is a deadly virus with a high mortality rate that has affected many developing countries in the past. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many economically deprived countries such as Madagascar, Cambodia, and Thailand are also at high risk for future outbreaks. The first case of NiV was reported in 1998 and almost two decades later, little scientific progress has been made in finding a proper treatment and prevention vaccine. As many developing countries are not properly equipped to fight the infection, it is vital to properly educate the health systems. The aim of this review is to provide an epidemiological background as well as to understand the transmission routes, presentation, and the diagnosis and prevention of this deadly virus.
Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that is characterized by reversible airflow obstruction. Interleukin-5 (IL-5) is involved in the pathophysiology of the disease and drugs targeting IL-5 have been studied for years as a possible treatment option for severe asthma. In this review, the authors searched PubMed for major drug therapies and clinical trials against IL-5. A total of 29 articles met the criteria for selection and were shortlisted; of these, 10 papers were on benralizumab, 14 on mepolizumab, and five on reslizumab.The three drugs proved to be safe and efficacious for patients with severe asthma, leading to decreased rates of asthma exacerbations, lowered levels of eosinophils, and improved pulmonary functions in various studies. Patients also reported an improvement in the quality of life. The side effects of these three drugs were mild and no deaths directly linked to the drug were reported. However, longer duration studies are required to draw firm and strong conclusions on the safety of these therapeutic agents.
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