SARS-CoV-2 virus outbreak and the emergency public health measures in Bosnia and Herzegovina: January - July, 2020

An assessment of transmission dynamics via time-varying reproduction number of the second wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Fiji

This study involves the estimation of a key epidemiological parameter for evaluating and monitoring the transmissibility of a disease. The time-varying reproduction number is the index for quantifying the transmissibility of infectious diseases. Accurate and timely estimation of the time-varying reproduction number is essential for optimizing non-pharmacological interventions and movement control orders during epidemics. The time-varying reproduction number for the second wave of the pandemic in Fiji is estimated using the popular EpiEstim R package and the publicly available COVID-19 data from 19 April 2021 to 1 December 2021. Our findings show that the non-pharmacological interventions and movement control orders introduced and enforced by the Fijian Government had a significant impact in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Moreover, the results show that many restrictions were either relaxed or eased when the time-varying reproduction number was below the threshold value of 1. The results have provided some information on the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that could be used in the future as a guide for public health policymakers in Fiji. Estimation of time-varying reproduction numbers would be helpful for continuous monitoring of the effectiveness of the current public health policies that are being implemented in Fiji.

Epidemic Location Intelligence System as Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The outbreak of COVID-19 is a public health emergency that caused disastrous results in many countries. The global aim is to stop transmission and prevent the spread of the disease. To achieve it, every country needs to scale up emergency response mechanisms, educate and actively communicate with the public, intensify infected case finding, contact tracing, monitoring, quarantine of contacts, and isolation of cases. Responding to an emergency requires efficient collaboration and a multi-skilled approach (medical, information, statistical, political, social, and other expertise), which makes it hard to define one interface for all. As actors from different perspectives and domain backgrounds need to address diverse functions, the possibility to exchange available information quickly would be desirable. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a joint state-level public health institution has not been established, but is covered by entity competencies. In this sense, a geoportal has been developed as an epidemiological location-intelligence system (ELIS) that supports the exchange of such information between the entities and the cantons. For its development, open source software components in the cloud were used as a working platform with all the necessary functionalities. The geoportal provides an entry point for access to geospatial, epidemiological, environmental and statistical data used for analysis, geocoding of confirmed COVID-19 cases, identification of disease dynamics, identification of vulnerable groups, mapping of health capacities, and general modeling of infection spread with application support for communication and collaboration between all institutions and the public. The paper describes the challenges and ways to overcome them in the development and use of ELIS.

Insight into the emerging role of SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural and accessory proteins in modulation of multiple mechanisms of host innate defense

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is an extremely infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has become a major global health concern. The induction of a coordinated immune response is crucial to the elimination of any pathogenic infection. However, SARS-CoV-2 can modulate the host immune system to favor viral adaptation and persistence within the host. The virus can counteract type I interferon (IFN-I) production, attenuating IFN-I signaling pathway activation and disrupting antigen presentation. Simultaneously, SARS-CoV-2 infection can enhance apoptosis and the production of inflammatory mediators, which ultimately results in increased disease severity. SARS-CoV-2 produces an array of effector molecules, including nonstructural proteins (NSPs) and open-reading frames (ORFs) accessory proteins. We describe the complex molecular interplay of SARS-CoV-2 NSPs and accessory proteins with the host's signaling mediating immune evasion in the current review. In addition, the crucial role played by immunomodulation therapy to address immune evasion is discussed. Thus, the current review can provide new directions for the development of vaccines and specific therapies.

Phylogenetic pattern of SARS-CoV-2 from COVID-19 patients from Bosnia and Herzegovina: lessons learned to optimize future molecular and epidemiological approaches

This is the first report of molecular and epidemiology findings from Bosnia and Herzegovina related to ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 epidemic. Whole genome sequence of four samples from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks was done in two laboratories in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Veterinary Faculty Sarajevo and Alea Genetic Center). All four BiH sequences cluster mainly with European ones (Italy, Austria, France, Sweden, Cyprus, and England). The constructed phylogenetic tree indicates possible multiple independent introduction events. The data presented contribute to a better understanding of COVID-19 in the current reemergence of the disease.