Ebola: translational science considerations

Abstract

We are currently in the midst of the most aggressive and fulminating outbreak of Ebola-related disease, commonly referred to as “Ebola”, ever recorded. In less than a year, the Ebola virus (EBOV, Zaire ebolavirus species) has infected over 10,000 people, indiscriminately of gender or age, with a fatality rate of about 50%. Whereas at its onset this Ebola outbreak was limited to three countries in West Africa (Guinea, where it was first reported in late March 2014, Liberia, where it has been most rampant in its capital city, Monrovia and other metropolitan cities, and Sierra Leone), cases were later reported in Nigeria, Mali and Senegal, as well as in Western Europe (i.e., Madrid, Spain) and the US (i.e., Dallas, Texas; New York City) by late October 2014. World and US health agencies declared that the current Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak has a strong likelihood of growing exponentially across the world before an effective vaccine, treatment or cure can be developed, tested, validated and distributed widely. In the meantime, the spread of the disease may rapidly evolve from an epidemics to a full-blown pandemic. The scientific and healthcare communities actively research and define an emerging kaleidoscope of knowledge about critical translational research parameters, including the virology of EBOV, the molecular biomarkers of the pathological manifestations of EVD, putative central nervous system involvement in EVD, and the cellular immune surveillance to EBOV, patient-centered anthropological and societal parameters of EVD, as well as translational effectiveness about novel putative patient-targeted vaccine and pharmaceutical interventions, which hold strong promise, if not hope, to curb this and future Ebola outbreaks. This work reviews and discusses the principal known facts about EBOV and EVD, and certain among the most interesting ongoing or future avenues of research in the field, including vaccination programs for the wild animal vectors of the virus and the disease from global translational science perspective.

Ebola, viewed through a lens of African epidemiology

“…As the scientific and healthcare communities continue to actively research and define an emerging kaleidoscope of knowledge about the EVD, a major challenge will be the critical translational research parameters 15. Characteristically, scientists work in isolation to produce accurate and reliable knowledge that takes years to be translated for those who need it most.…”

“…Hence, the international transmission of the disease may be facilitated by ease of travel and it was feared that its spread might rapidly evolve into a pandemic not only in Africa but also worldwide 8 15 16. But this eventuality was curtailed because affected countries were required to strengthen their surveillance systems and enforce exit screening of all individuals at international ports (land, air and sea) 17.…”

Biosecurity for Translocations: Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus), Fisher’s Estuarine Moth (Gortyna borelii lunata), Short-Haired Bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus) and Pool Frog (Pelophylax lessonae) Translocations as Case Studies

“…This has recently been illustrated in the Ebola haemorrhagic fever outbreak in West Africa. Despite considerable investment in barrier quarantine techniques, highly trained health professionals became infected and developed Ebola fever when there was contact with the external surface of quarantine suits (Chiappelli et al, 2015, WHO, 2014. Investment in biosecurity techniques for wild animal translocations has understandably not reached the level used in the control of fatal infectious human diseases.…”

Neuropsychological Manifestation in Ebola: A Concern

“…Mohammed et al mentioned that brain sequela is the cause of the mental illness (8). The brain pathology and clinical correlation in ebola is an area for further research in neuropsychiatry (3,9). Boscarino and Adams noted, "Psychologists, physicians, and others in the healthcare field need to be aware of these developments and involved with preparations related to mitigating the psychological impact of ebola disease outbreaks among different populations, as well as other potential public health threats in the future" (10).…”