1
|
Larivière Y, Garcia-Fogeda I, Zola Matuvanga T, Isekah Osang'ir B, Milolo S, Meta R, Kimbulu P, Robinson C, Katwere M, McLean C, Hens N, Matangila J, Maketa V, Mitashi P, Muhindo-Mavoko H, Van geertruyden JP, Van Damme P. Safety and Immunogenicity of the Heterologous 2-Dose Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo Vaccine Regimen in Health Care Providers and Frontliners of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. J Infect Dis 2024; 229:1068-1076. [PMID: 37673423 PMCID: PMC11011182 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In response to recent Ebola epidemics, vaccine development against the Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) has been fast-tracked in the past decade. Health care providers and frontliners working in Ebola-endemic areas are at high risk of contracting and spreading the virus. METHODS This study assessed the safety and immunogenicity of the 2-dose heterologous Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo vaccine regimen (administered at a 56-day interval) among 699 health care providers and frontliners taking part in a phase 2, monocentric, randomized vaccine trial in Boende, the Democratic Republic of Congo. The first participant was enrolled and vaccinated on 18 December 2019. Serious adverse events were collected up to 6 months after the last received dose. The EBOV glycoprotein FANG ELISA (Filovirus Animal Nonclinical Group enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) was used to measure the immunoglobulin G-binding antibody response to the EBOV glycoprotein. RESULTS The vaccine regimen was well tolerated with no vaccine-related serious adverse events reported. Twenty-one days after the second dose, an EBOV glycoprotein-specific binding antibody response was observed in 95.2% of participants. CONCLUSIONS The 2-dose vaccine regimen was well tolerated and led to a high antibody response among fully vaccinated health care providers and frontliners in Boende.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ynke Larivière
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk
- Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk
| | - Irene Garcia-Fogeda
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Trésor Zola Matuvanga
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk
- Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Bernard Isekah Osang'ir
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk
- Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk
| | - Solange Milolo
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Rachel Meta
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Primo Kimbulu
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | | | | | - Niel Hens
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Data Science Institute, Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics, UHasselt, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Junior Matangila
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Vivi Maketa
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Patrick Mitashi
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Hypolite Muhindo-Mavoko
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Jean-Pierre Van geertruyden
- Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk
| | - Pierre Van Damme
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Guttieres D, Diepvens C, Decouttere C, Vandaele N. Modeling Supply and Demand Dynamics of Vaccines against Epidemic-Prone Pathogens: Case Study of Ebola Virus Disease. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 12:24. [PMID: 38250837 PMCID: PMC10819028 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12010024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Health emergencies caused by epidemic-prone pathogens (EPPs) have increased exponentially in recent decades. Although vaccines have proven beneficial, they are unavailable for many pathogens. Furthermore, achieving timely and equitable access to vaccines against EPPs is not trivial. It requires decision-makers to capture numerous interrelated factors across temporal and spatial scales, with significant uncertainties, variability, delays, and feedback loops that give rise to dynamic and unexpected behavior. Therefore, despite progress in filling R&D gaps, the path to licensure and the long-term viability of vaccines against EPPs continues to be unclear. This paper presents a quantitative system dynamics modeling framework to evaluate the long-term sustainability of vaccine supply under different vaccination strategies. Data from both literature and 50 expert interviews are used to model the supply and demand of a prototypical Ebolavirus Zaire (EBOV) vaccine. Specifically, the case study evaluates dynamics associated with proactive vaccination ahead of an outbreak of similar magnitude as the 2018-2020 epidemic in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The scenarios presented demonstrate how uncertainties (e.g., duration of vaccine-induced protection) and design criteria (e.g., priority geographies and groups, target coverage, frequency of boosters) lead to important tradeoffs across policy aims, public health outcomes, and feasibility (e.g., technical, operational, financial). With sufficient context and data, the framework provides a foundation to apply the model to a broad range of additional geographies and priority pathogens. Furthermore, the ability to identify leverage points for long-term preparedness offers directions for further research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Donovan Guttieres
- Access-to-Medicines Research Centre, Faculty of Economics & Business, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (C.D.); (C.D.); (N.V.)
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Larivière Y, Matuvanga TZ, Lemey G, Osang'ir BI, Vermeiren PP, Milolo S, Meta R, Kimbulu P, Esanga E, Matangila J, Van Geertruyden JP, Van Damme P, Maketa V, Muhindo-Mavoko H, Mitashi P. Conducting an Ebola vaccine trial in a remote area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Challenges, mitigations, and lessons learned. Vaccine 2023; 41:7587-7597. [PMID: 37993355 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.11.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Conducting a vaccine trial in a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) can present unique challenges and lessons learned. This Ebola vaccine trial, enrolling 699 healthcare providers and frontliners and jointly set up by the University of Antwerp (Sponsor) and the University of Kinshasa (Principal Investigator (PI)), was conducted in Boende, a remote city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), between December 2019 and October 2022 (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04186000). While being bound by strict ICH-GCP and international funder regulations, this trial, exemplary for being a public-private partnership, required collaboration between several international stakeholders (e.g., two universities, a pharmaceutical company, and a clinical research organization), local communities and government agencies. Here we address several logistical and administrative challenges, cultural differences, language barriers and regulatory, political, and ethical considerations over the trial's 2.5-year duration, while tailoring and adapting the study to the specific local context. Lessons learned include the importance of clear communication with participants in all phases of the study, but also within the study team and among different stakeholders. Challenges, mitigations, and lessons learned are presented in nine categories (e.g., safety management; trial documentation, tools, and materials; communication, staff training and community engagement/sensitization; financial and administrative hurdles; and more). Ultimately, to reach the successful end of the vaccine trial in this remote Ebola endemic area in the DRC, careful planning, collaboration, and great flexibility and adaptability was often required from all involved partners. Despite the encountered challenges, the vaccine trial discussed in this paper was able to obtain high participant retention rates (i.e., 92% of participants completed the study). We hope that other international teams aspiring to conduct similar trials in remote areas of LMICs can learn from the way our challenges were addressed, mitigations developed, and lessons were learned.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ynke Larivière
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium; Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Trésor Zola Matuvanga
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium; Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium; Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, The.
| | - Gwen Lemey
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium; Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Bernard Isekah Osang'ir
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium; Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Paul Peter Vermeiren
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium; Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Solange Milolo
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, The
| | - Rachel Meta
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, The
| | - Primo Kimbulu
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, The
| | - Emmanuel Esanga
- Division Provinciale de la Santé de la Tshuapa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, The
| | - Junior Matangila
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, The
| | - Jean-Pierre Van Geertruyden
- Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Pierre Van Damme
- Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Vivi Maketa
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, The
| | - Hypolite Muhindo-Mavoko
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, The
| | - Patrick Mitashi
- Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, The
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Al-Tammemi AB, Sallam M, Rebhi A, Soliman L, Al Sarayrih L, Tarhini Z, Abutaima R, Aljaberi MA, Barakat M. The outbreak of Ebola virus disease in 2022: A spotlight on a re-emerging global health menace. NARRA J 2022; 2:e97. [PMID: 38449901 PMCID: PMC10914067 DOI: 10.52225/narra.v2i3.97] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a rare but highly contagious and lethal disease that occurs predominantly in African countries, with a case-fatality rate of 30-90%. The causative viral pathogens of EVD are within the genus Ebolavirus in the family Filoviridae. The primary route of human-to-human transmission is through direct contact with blood, bodily fluids and secretions from infected individuals. Direct contact with virally contaminated objects and sexual transmission have also been reported. Management of EVD is aggressive supportive care with possibly new therapeutic options. On 20 September 2022, an EVD outbreak was declared in Uganda, caused by Sudan ebolavirus. As of 7 November 2022, a total of 136 confirmed cases, 53 confirmed deaths have been reported, including 18 cases with seven deaths among healthcare workers. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), an EVD outbreak was also declared on 22 August 2022 (which ended on 27 September 2022); with only one case, a middle-aged woman. At the time when most countries in the world have been occupied with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the recent human monkeypox outbreak, these two outbreaks of EVD have the potential to significantly add to the burden on global health. Authorities need to augment their multi-faceted response, including stringent contact tracing and border control, to avoid the catastrophe of the 2014-2016 EVD epidemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ala'a B. Al-Tammemi
- Migration Health Division, International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amman, Jordan
- Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan
| | - Malik Sallam
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Asem Rebhi
- The Knowledge Company for Medical and Laboratory Supplies, Amman, Jordan
| | - Laarni Soliman
- Migration Health Division, International Organization for Migration (IOM), Doha, Qatar
| | - Lina Al Sarayrih
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Cyprus International University, Nicosia, North Cyprus
| | - Zeinab Tarhini
- Laboratory INSERM U1308, CAPTuR, Control of Cell Activation in Tumor Progression and Therapeutic Resistance, Medical School, Limoges Cedex, France
- EpiMaCT - Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases in Tropical Zone, Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology, OmegaHealth, Limoges, France
| | - Rana Abutaima
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Zarqa Private University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Musheer A. Aljaberi
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Taiz University, Taiz, Yemen
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Faculty of Nursing and Applied Sciences, Lincoln University College, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Muna Barakat
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bratcher A, Hoff NA, Doshi RH, Gadoth A, Halbrook M, Mukadi P, Musene K, Ilunga-Kebela B, Spencer D, Bramble MS, McIlwan D, Kelly JD, Mukadi D, Kingebeni PM, Ahuka S, Okitolonda-Wemakoy E, Muyembe-Tamfum JJ, Rimoin AW. Zoonotic risk factors associated with seroprevalence of Ebola virus GP antibodies in the absence of diagnosed Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009566. [PMID: 34383755 PMCID: PMC8384205 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ebola virus (EBOV) is a zoonotic filovirus spread through exposure to infected bodily fluids of a human or animal. Though EBOV is capable of causing severe disease, referred to as Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), individuals who have never been diagnosed with confirmed, probable or suspected EVD can have detectable EBOV antigen-specific antibodies in their blood. This study aims to identify risk factors associated with detectable antibody levels in the absence of an EVD diagnosis. METHODOLOGY Data was collected from September 2015 to August 2017 from 1,366 consenting individuals across four study sites in the DRC (Boende, Kabondo-Dianda, Kikwit, and Yambuku). Seroreactivity was determined to EBOV GP IgG using Zaire Ebola Virus Glycoprotein (EBOV GP antigen) ELISA kits (Alpha Diagnostic International, Inc.) in Kinshasa, DRC; any result above 4.7 units/mL was considered seroreactive. Among the respondents, 113 (8.3%) were considered seroreactive. Several zoonotic exposures were associated with EBOV seroreactivity after controlling for age, sex, healthcare worker status, location, and history of contact with an EVD case, namely: ever having contact with bats, ever having contact with rodents, and ever eating non-human primate meat. Contact with monkeys or non-human primates was not associated with seroreactivity. CONCLUSIONS This analysis suggests that some zoonotic exposures that have been linked to EVD outbreaks can also be associated with EBOV GP seroreactivity in the absence of diagnosed EVD. Future investigations should seek to clarify the relationships between zoonotic exposures, seroreactivity, asymptomatic infection, and EVD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bratcher
- UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Nicole A. Hoff
- UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Reena H. Doshi
- UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Adva Gadoth
- UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Megan Halbrook
- UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Patrick Mukadi
- Institut National de Recherche Biomedicale, Kinshasa, DRC
| | - Kamy Musene
- Kinshasa School of Public Health, Kinshasa, DRC
| | - Benoit Ilunga-Kebela
- Direction de lutte contre la maladie-Ministère de la santé Publique, Kinshasa, DRC
| | - D’Andre Spencer
- UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Matthew S. Bramble
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - David McIlwan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - J. Daniel Kelly
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel Mukadi
- Institut National de Recherche Biomedicale, Kinshasa, DRC
| | | | - Steve Ahuka
- Institut National de Recherche Biomedicale, Kinshasa, DRC
| | | | | | - Anne W. Rimoin
- UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|