Publications by authors named "Benevolence Ebo"
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on the emergence and dissemination patterns of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.318 and B.1.525 (Eta) variants in Nigeria and Africa, highlighting their significance for public health policies during a pandemic.
- By combining genomic and travel data, the research indicates that both variants originated from within Africa, with B.1.525 emerging specifically in Nigeria before spreading globally.
- The findings emphasize the importance of understanding regional connectivity and bidirectional transmission in Africa, revealing that the risks of virus importation between countries have been underestimated.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers found that the LARGE gene is crucial for how Lassa virus binds and enters human cells, linking it to natural selection in populations in Nigeria, particularly the Yoruba.
- They suggest that the rise of diseases like Lassa fever is more about increased detection capabilities than the emergence of new viruses, indicating humans may have been exposed to these pathogens for longer than thought.
- This groundwork inspired the Sentinel project, aimed at early detection and characterization of pathogens globally through its core strategies of detection, information sharing, and empowering public health systems to enhance pandemic preparedness.
Lassa virus (LASV) is the causative agent of Lassa fever, an often-fatal hemorrhagic disease that is endemic in West Africa. Seven genetically distinct LASV lineages have been identified. As part of CEPI's (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) Lassa vaccine development program, we assessed the potential of the human immune system to mount cross-reactive and cross-protective humoral immune responses to antigens from the most prevalent LASV lineages, which are lineages II and III in Nigeria and lineage IV in Sierra Leone.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLassa virus is genetically diverse with several lineages circulating in West Africa. This study aimed at describing the sequence variability of Lassa virus across Nigeria and inferring its spatiotemporal evolution. We sequenced and isolated 77 Lassa virus strains from 16 Nigerian states.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDuring 2018, an unusual increase in Lassa fever cases occurred in Nigeria, raising concern among national and international public health agencies. We analyzed 220 Lassa virus genomes from infected patients, including 129 from the 2017-2018 transmission season, to understand the viral populations underpinning the increase. A total of 14 initial genomes from 2018 samples were generated at Redeemer's University in Nigeria, and the findings were shared with the Nigerian Center for Disease Control in real time.
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