2018 in review: five hot topics in tropical medicine

Abstract

The year 2018 heralded many new developments in the field of tropical medicine, including licensure of novel drugs for novel indications, licensure of existing drugs for existing indications but in novel settings, and globalized outbreaks of both vector-borne and zoonotic diseases. We herein describe five top stories in tropical medicine that occurred during 2018, and illuminate the practice-changing development within each story.

Drug repurposing for COVID-19: a potential threat of self-medication and controlling measures

“…Moreover, there is no enough evidence to claim this drug is safe for pregnant women. 10 Azithromycin is another repurposed drug, which is easily accessible at community level and can be self-medicated alone or in combination with HCQ.…”

Seasonality of agricultural exposure as an important predictor of seasonal yellow fever spillover in Brazil

“…Through targeting vaccination and surveillance activities towards areas, and time-periods, most at risk of spillover, we can more accurately and effectively prevent human YF before it occurs. This increased understanding of YF spillover is particularly important in the context of limited resources 29 , and a globally changing epidemiology of YF 30 , and the increased risk of international exportation that these bring 28 .…”

Emerging Mosquito-Borne Viruses Linked toAedes aegyptiandAedes albopictus: Global Status and Preventive Strategies

“…Characteristic symptoms occur typically 3-7 days postinfection and include acute febrile illness with striking fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, swellings, and rash. A proportion of the cases, *15%, progress into a chronic disease that may persist for longer periods of time (Taubitz et al 2007, Manimunda et al 2010, Dupuis-Maguiraga et al 2012, Makhani et al 2019. CHIKV has also been associated with long-term chronic arthralgia that can persist for years (Schilte et al 2013).…”

“…The case fatality rate in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo was estimated to 9.7% and 21.6%, respectively (Barrett 2016, Chan 2016. Furthermore, between July 1, 2017 and April 24, 2018, a total of 1,218 confirmed human cases of YF were observed in Brazil and 364 of those died (Makhani et al 2019). In February 2020, an outbreak of YF was reported by the Ministry of Health in the Central equatorial state of South Sudan (World Health Organization 2020).…”