Ebola Virus Disease

Researchers are studying the safety and immune response of the rVSV6G-MARV-GP vaccine in adults who are in good general health. This Phase 1 clinical trial uses a randomized, observer-blind, placebo-controlled design to evaluate different dose levels of the vaccine. The study focuses on understanding how the vaccine affects the body and its ability to trigger an immune response against Marburg Virus Disease. Participants will receive one of four different dose levels of the rVSV6G-MARV-GP vaccine or a placebo. The dosing starts at the lowest level and gradually increases after safety checks at each stage. About 112 adults will be involved, and the vaccine or placebo will be given following a careful dose-escalation plan to ensure safety at each step. During the study, participants will be monitored closely for safety, including common side effects and serious adverse events up to seven months after vaccination. Their immune response will be measured through blood tests over six months to assess antibody levels and neutralization. The trial includes regular follow-up visits and testing, with a total participation duration extending up to several months to evaluate both short and longer-term effects of the vaccine.

Researchers are evaluating the safety, tolerability, and how the body processes pharmacokinetics single and multiple intravenous doses of a drug called BWC0977 in healthy adult volunteers. This Phase 1 study involves a total of 64 healthy adults aged 18 to 55 years and is designed as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with multiple dose groups. The study focuses on measuring any treatment-emergent adverse events and serious adverse events to understand the drugs safety profile. Participants will be divided into two main groups single ascending dose SAD and multiple ascending dose MAD cohorts. In the SAD phase, volunteers receive one intravenous infusion of BWC0977 or placebo over 2 hours at doses of 750 mg or 1500 mg. In the MAD phase, participants receive multiple intravenous infusions of BWC0977 or placebo over 30 minutes to 2 hours daily for 7 to 10 consecutive days. Dose levels will increase sequentially based on safety and tolerability data collected during the study. During the study, participants will undergo various assessments including physical exams, vital signs, ECGs, laboratory tests, and blood sampling at specific times before, during, and after infusions to monitor safety and measure drug levels in the body. Researchers will track adverse events for up to 8 days after single dosing and up to 16 days after multiple dosing. Volunteers must comply with study visits and requirements throughout the trial, which lasts until August 2026.

Researchers are examining how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected alcohol use and related problems among adults with varying levels of alcohol consumption, including those with alcohol use disorder. The study aims to understand the ongoing mental health effects of the pandemic, such as stress and social isolation, and how these factors influence alcohol use and its consequences over time. Participants who have previously been screened under the NIAAA Natural History Protocol will complete a baseline survey by phone about their alcohol use, dependence, and stress during the year before and since the pandemic began. They will then complete a series of online surveys over two years, starting with weekly surveys for the first month, biweekly for the next two months, then every 1 to 2 months for the remainder of the first year, and every six months during the second year. Survey topics include alcohol use, other substance use, stress, pain, physical health, sleep, and quality of life. During the study, participants will receive an ID code and links to complete surveys online or by phone. The frequency of surveys may change depending on the course of the pandemic. Researchers will measure outcomes such as AUDIT and ADS scores, life events, loneliness, and perceived stress over 24 months. Participation lasts two years, with ongoing assessments to track changes in alcohol use and related effects over time.

Researchers are evaluating a new health education method aimed at helping indigenous Orang Asli households in Selangor, Malaysia, prepare for Disease X and other outbreaks. This cluster randomized trial seeks to find out if a package including workshops, simulation exercises, and card games can improve these households readiness, awareness, attitudes, and proactive preparedness actions compared to receiving educational brochures alone. The study compares two groups one receiving the intervention package plus educational brochures, and the other receiving only the brochures. The intervention package is delivered once during a workshop. The control group gets brochures sourced from the Ministry of Health Malaysias Info Sihat website. Both groups will participate in surveys before the intervention, immediately after, and at 1- and 2-month follow-ups to assess changes. Participants will engage in the intervention activities or receive brochures, then complete four surveys to measure preparedness using scores and matrices. Researchers will track household preparedness, cognitive preparedness, and behavior related to outbreak readiness over the two-month follow-up. The study is sponsored by Universiti Teknologi Mara and includes adults aged 18 to 99 years old from Orang Asli communities.

Vector-borne diseases, caused by bites from infected mosquitoes, flies, fleas, ticks, or other blood-feeding insects, result in nearly one million deaths annually and are increasing, especially in Southeast Asia. In Cambodia, these diseases may account for about 10 percent of fevers, but many cases go undiagnosed. This research aims to better understand the range of febrile illnesses by using advanced metagenomic sequencing to identify pathogens in affected individuals. Participants include people aged 2 months and older who have a fever of at least 38 degrees Celsius or are diagnosed with a concerning pathogen. Close contacts of infected individuals may also join. The study collects blood samples, and for those with respiratory symptoms, nasal swabs. Participants share information on their age, sex, health history, and recent travel. If a highly transmissible or virulent pathogen is found, follow-up samples and testing of close contacts are performed to deepen understanding of disease spread. During the study, participants undergo screening with medical history review and physical assessments such as weight for children. They complete questionnaires and provide biological samples for pathogen identification. Optional follow-up samples may be collected within 1 to 2 weeks and again at 3 months after enrollment. Researchers measure pathogen sequences and immune responses to vector saliva proteins. The study continues through July 2027, aiming to improve knowledge of febrile diseases in Cambodia.

Researchers are evaluating how experiencing awe influences adults willingness to engage in prosocial preventive behaviors against infectious diseases. This randomized controlled trial includes adults from Hong Kong, Singapore, and ten major cities in Mainland China. The study aims to find out if feeling awe can increase intentions for actions like vaccination, mask-wearing, and social distancing, and whether these effects differ by location. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The intervention group will play a three-step mini game called Hidden Picture Puzzle designed to induce awe by revealing nature scenes and reflecting on feelings evoked. The control group will play the same game format but will uncover everyday objects and describe their features instead. Each participant will complete four rounds of the game with different images. During the study, participants will complete the game and immediately report their intentions to engage in preventive behaviors and their choices in pandemic-related scenarios. The study will also assess intentions to participate in social activities after the game. The trial is conducted online, and participants had a baseline assessment about four months before the trial. The research team will monitor responses immediately after the game to measure the impact of awe on prosocial behavior.

Researchers are conducting a national, multicenter prospective study to understand how genetic defects and autoantibodies against type I interferons IFNs affect the immune response to infections, especially severe viral diseases like COVID-19. This study focuses on adults who either have inborn errors of immunity IEI impairing type I IFN responses or carry neutralizing autoantibodies against type I IFNs, which have been linked to severe illness and increased mortality in COVID-19. The aim is to track infectious, autoimmune, and cancer-related events to improve prevention and management strategies for these patients. The study includes adults with these immune characteristics who may be patients with past or current disease or healthy individuals such as blood donors or relatives of affected patients. Participants will have yearly visits to clinical centers for blood sampling and medical history updates, including investigations of immune markers, autoantibodies, and genetic analyses. Additional visits occur if participants experience infections, autoimmune flare-ups, cancer diagnoses, or COVID-19 infections, with detailed blood tests and teleconsultations. Controls without these immune abnormalities will be matched and followed through questionnaires and health data linkage. Participants undergo an initial visit to collect demographic information, medical and family history, and blood samples for detailed immune and genetic tests, including whole-exome or whole-genome sequencing. Follow-up visits occur annually for up to four years, involving clinical assessments and blood sampling to measure autoantibody levels and immune function. Clinical events and healthcare use will be tracked through national health data, and the main outcomes include measuring autoantibody levels and their neutralizing activity over time. This long-term monitoring aims to reveal factors influencing disease risk and immune changes in this population.

Researchers are conducting a national observational study to understand bacterial meningitis in children and newborns. This study focuses on the bacteria that cause meningitis, how vaccination has influenced its occurrence, and the treatment outcomes in children under 18 who are hospitalized with this condition. The goal is to describe the changing epidemiology of bacterial meningitis, especially in the context of vaccine use. The study collects detailed data on hospitalized children including risk factors, vaccination status, symptoms, and treatments given during hospital stays. Laboratory analyses such as cerebrospinal fluid cultures, antigen tests, blood cultures, and PCR are used to identify the bacteria involved. The study also tracks cases of purpura fulminans, a serious complication related to bacterial infections. Participants will be monitored during their hospital stay with focus on mortality before discharge, treatment failures 48 hours after antibiotics and repeat lumbar puncture, and the impact of vaccines. Data on clinical signs and laboratory results are collected to support the study. The study began in 2001 and continues to gather information to improve understanding of bacterial meningitis in this population.

Researchers are investigating the effects of pre-operative mouthwash and varying oxygen levels during surgery on the rates of pneumonia and surgical site infections in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. This trial focuses on patients in low and middle-income countries, where postoperative complications are more common and often more severe. The study aims to find ways to reduce these serious complications, which can cause pain, disability, and increased healthcare costs. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups pre-operative chlorhexidine mouthwash combined with high oxygen levels 80-100% FiO2, no mouthwash with high oxygen levels, mouthwash with low oxygen levels 21-30% FiO2, or no mouthwash with low oxygen levels. Treatments are given around the time of surgery, with oxygen delivered during the operation and mouthwash used before surgery. The study includes an internal pilot phase lasting six months to check recruitment and compliance, followed by a larger trial aiming to enroll nearly 13,000 participants. During the study, researchers will monitor participants for up to 30 days after surgery, assessing rates of pneumonia and surgical site infections using CDC definitions. They will also track other outcomes like mortality, repeat surgeries, hospital stay length, return to normal activities, critical care admissions, and healthcare resource use. Follow-up includes evaluating patient recovery and safety, with all data collected to understand how these interventions impact surgical outcomes in these settings.

Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in primary care contributes significantly to antimicrobial resistance. This trial evaluates a digital Prescription Support System PSS designed to help Belgian general practitioners follow national antimicrobial guidelines more closely during patient consultations. The study uses a stepped-wedge cluster randomized design where general practices gradually transition from usual care to using the PSS, allowing comparison of prescribing patterns over time. The PSS integrates guideline-based recommendations from the Belgian BAPCOC guidelines into existing electronic health records. It presents advice through a decision tree for common infections and guides antibiotic choice, dosage, duration, and situations where antibiotics are not recommended. Practices start without access to the PSS and switch to using it in four sequential steps lasting three months each, after which they retain access for the study duration. Participants are general practices whose prescribing data are collected quarterly via the Belgian Antibiotic Barometer, ensuring anonymity and data security. Researchers will measure antibiotic prescribing rates and monitor PSS usage, usability, acceptability by clinicians, and any unintended effects on workflow. The study lasts up to 12 months per practice, aiming to inform broader implementation and optimization of the PSS in Belgian primary care.