Opportunities and challenges for countermeasures against Rift Valley fever virus: A quintessential One Health pathogen
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pntd.0014645
- PMID
- —
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- W7203640561
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
Recognized by global health authorities as a priority target, the pathogen necessitates integrated human-animal-environmental frameworks to convert research progress into actionable national prevention plans.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
This review evaluates current understanding of Rift Valley fever virus transmission, clinical impact, and management strategies to guide future countermeasure development.
Study design
The authors conducted a narrative review synthesizing existing literature on viral epidemiology, infection mechanisms, and control measures.
Population and setting
The analysis covers human and livestock communities across African nations, the Arabian Peninsula, and select Indian Ocean islands experiencing epidemic or endemic transmission.
Main findings
While vector-borne and direct animal contact drive human illness, only a minority progress to severe neurological or hemorrhagic complications. Several experimental vaccines have progressed to phase two clinical testing, yet substantial uncertainties remain regarding disease prevalence, spatial distribution, evolving transmission dynamics, ideal immunization protocols, and maternal outcomes in high-transmission zones.
Public-health relevance
Recognized by global health authorities as a priority target, the pathogen necessitates integrated human-animal-environmental frameworks to convert research progress into actionable national prevention plans.
Important limitations
The synthesis acknowledges that spillover probabilities are inadequately quantified and highlights unresolved questions concerning comprehensive burden estimates, regional spread, changing ecological drivers, vaccine deployment criteria, and gestational impacts in heavily affected human populations.
GIDS interpretation
This publication provides a structured overview of veterinary and medical research trajectories, emphasizing vaccine advancement and identified knowledge deficits. It supports tracking thematic developments in zoonotic disease preparedness and cross-sectoral collaboration initiatives.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 9 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.