Japan could become one of the first countries in the world to end the HIV epidemic, says the president of Gilead Sciences Japan, Kennet Brysting. The idea for now could seem a little too ambitious, but it is not entirely unrealistic, given that the availability of medicines that can prevent transmission of HIV. Drugs are not the cure, but control over the spread of virus to the point where the disease is no longer a major public health threat.

What Is The Role Of Preventative HIV Medicines?

Gilead's have two key drugs, Truvada and lenacapavir. These two are playing a crucial role in prevention. Truvada is taken as a daily pill, while lenacapavir requires two injections per year. It can make the virus undetectable in infected individuals and prevent transmission to those who are not infected yet. In trials, lenacapavir showed 100% efficacy in preventing HIV infections. This is why it is describe as "almost a vaccine".

In 2024, Japan also approved Truvada for HIV prevention, but the country has yet to approve lenacapavir for the same. Until now, people in Japan had been importing generic versions of Truvada or purchasing it from clinics that source it from overseas.

HIV In Japan

Up until now, Japan reported around 25,000 HIV infections, whereas 669 new cases were reported in 2023. For seven consecutive years, the number of new infections remained under 1,000. The downward trend thus shows that the virus has been controlled, however, getting to zero new infections remains the ultimate goal.

Brysting too acknowledged that simply having effective drug is not enough. What is important is to have a proper implementation, access and healthcare support to make sure that these treatments are widely available and effective.

What Are The Challenges In Implementation?

The biggest challenges is testing rates. There is a need to increase testing rates. At this very moment, around 86% people infective with Japan have been tested, but the goal is to increase it up to 95%, with an ideal goal of 100%. Without widespread testing, many infected people may not even know that they are infected and it could transmit the virus.

Another measure issue is the cost of preventative medication. While Japan's health insurance covers treatments for diseases, it does not cover preventative drugs. Those who purchase Truvada for prevention, pay around $470 per month. Some clinics in Tokyo offer generic alternatives too, which is cheaper, but they are not ideal.

Better Healthcare Support

Brysting expressed concern that individuals importing medications might not be consulting doctors regularly, which is essential for monitoring HIV status and overall health. Truvada users need to be tested for HIV initially and every three months, along with screenings for other infections and kidney function checks. Without proper medical supervision, there is a risk of misuse and inadequate protection.

Gilead is in discussions with Japanese authorities to improve access and insurance coverage for Truvada, and progress is being made. Japan has shown efficiency in approving critical medicines, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic when Gilead’s remdesivir was approved in just three days.

What Is The Way Ahead?

Gilead at this moment is not only focused on HIV and hepatitis C, but also expanding into oncology with innovative treatments like CAR-T cell therapy, which strengthens a patient's immune system to fight cancer.

However, Japan’s strict approval processes can slow down drug availability. Phase 3 clinical trials often need to be conducted within the country, and Japan tends to approve medicines much later than other regions. For instance, Truvada was approved for prevention in Japan 12 years after the U.S. and nearly 20 years after its approval for treatment. inancial factors also play a role. The Japanese government adjusts drug prices annually, often reducing them, which can make long-term investment challenging for pharmaceutical companies.

Even as the world is still grappling with the news of a hantavirus and two separate norovirus outbreaks, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) today confirmed that the Ebola virus has resurfaced in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo for the 17th time.

In a statement, the Africa CDC reported that there are 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths, mainly in the mining areas of Mongwalu and Rwampara, about 100 kilometers north of the provincial capital, Bunia.

While tests are being carried out to identify the strain of the virus, early indications suggest the strain is not the Zaire variant, which has been responsible for several previous outbreaks in the country, the health officials said.

The Ebola Zaire strain was prominent in Congo’s past outbreaks, including the 2018 to 2020 outbreak in the eastern region that killed more than 1,000 people.

Ebola: 17th outbreak in DR Congo

Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in the DR Congo. This is the 17th outbreak of the deadly viral disease in the country.

As per preliminary tests conducted at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in the country's capital, Kinshasa, the Ebola virus has been detected in 13 of 20 samples analysed, following consultations with DR Congo's Ministry of Health and National Public Institute.

Of the 65 deaths, four were reported among lab-confirmed cases, Africa CDC said.

Additional suspected cases have also been reported in Ituri's provincial capital, Bunia, a densely populated urban centre near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan, raising fears of regional transmission.

All affected communities and at-risk areas have been advised to follow guidelines from the national health authorities.

Also read: More Americans Exposed To Hantavirus; 41 Under Monitoring, Says CDC

What Is Ebola Virus Disease?

As per the WHO, Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a rare but severe illness in humans and is often fatal.

People can get infected with the virus if they touch an infected animal when preparing food, or touch body fluids of an infected person, such as saliva, urine, feces, or semen, or things that have body fluids of an infected person, like clothes or sheets.

How Does Transmission Work?

Read More: Another Norovirus Outbreak Confirmed Aboard Cruise Ship In France; Over 1,700 People Trapped

Ebola enters the body through cuts in the skin or when one touches their eyes, nose, or mouth. Early symptoms include fever, fatigue, and headache.

It is a highly infectious and transmissible disease; in fact, there have been cases of healthcare workers who have frequently been infected while treating patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola. This occurs through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not practiced strictly.

Cases of people conducting burial ceremonies, involving direct contact with the body of the deceased, can lead to the transmission of Ebola. Even after the long suffering and recovery, there is a possibility of sexual transmission. Pregnant women who get acute Ebola and recover may still carry the virus in their breastmilk or in pregnancy-related fluids and tissues.

Symptoms include:

• feeling tired
• headache
• muscle and joint pain
• eye pain and vision problems
• weight gain
• belly pain and loss of appetite
• hair loss and skin problems
• trouble sleeping
• memory loss
• hearing loss
• depression and anxiety.

Is There Any Vaccine for Ebola?

According to the WHO, there are two vaccines against the Ebola virus. But both the Merck-developed Ervebo vaccine, administered in one dose, and Johnson & Johnson-developed Zabdeno and Mvabea vaccine, administered in a two-dose regimen, target Zaire ebolavirus.

The Ervebo vaccine is recommended for use in outbreak settings and is currently the only vaccine available in the global stockpile.

The hantavirus outbreak may no longer be confined to the luxury Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, with health officials now assessing the possibility of wider exposure. Officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that although no cases have been reported in the US so far, the agency is monitoring 41 people for possible exposure.

The 41 includes the 18 people evacuated from the hantavirus-hit ship from Spain’s Canary Islands.

Notably, of the 18 passengers evacuated, two were carried in the plane's biocontainment units out of an abundance of caution — one who tested positive and another considered a suspected case. They were quarantined at a special facility in Nebraska. The remaining 16 are being quarantined in Omaha and Atlanta.

Speaking to CNN from a biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Dr. Stephen Kornfeld of Oregon said he “feels wonderful” and is not experiencing symptoms.

Spanish officials confirmed that after initially testing positive for hantavirus, Dr. Kornfeld has since tested negative twice for the disease, meaning no Americans currently have the illness, Forbes reported.

CDC Monitoring More People

However, an additional 16 people are being monitored by the CDC.

The new individuals were not on the cruise ship but were passengers on an April 25 flight to Johannesburg and were exposed to someone known to have been infected, said Dr. David Fitter, who is leading the CDC response to the outbreak, according to The New York Times.

Also read: Shocking Study Finds Andes Hantavirus Could Linger In Semen For Years, Pose Transmission Risk

Seven other passengers from the cruise ship had disembarked on April 24 in St. Helena, an island in the Atlantic Ocean, returned to the US on commercial flights, and are being monitored by state health departments.

As of May 14, there were no confirmed hantavirus cases in the United States, Dr. Fitter said.

“Our job is to ensure that we are monitoring and in contact with anybody that might have been on the flight this person had taken,” Dr. Fitter told reporters. The agency is “monitoring all Americans that potentially would have been exposed, whether in the US or abroad, and we have been in contact with them,” he said.

Hantavirus Outbreak: 11 Cases And 3 Deaths Reported

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 10 people have been affected by the rat-borne virus so far, of whom three have died.

A Dutch couple is believed to have first been exposed to the virus while visiting a birdwatching site in Argentina.

The WHO has confirmed that the Andes strain of hantavirus — the only strain known to spread from person to person — is behind the outbreak.

While all passengers onboard the cruise have been taken care of by health authorities, the virus’ long incubation period remains a serious concern. This means that even asymptomatic individuals could potentially become infectious 6-8 weeks later.

WHO Guidelines On Hantavirus Exposure

The WHO recommends that people exposed to hantavirus should be:

• Monitored actively at a specified quarantine facility
• Monitored at home for 42 days from the last exposure

The UK is witnessing yet another outbreak of meningitis, with one college student dead and two others infected in Berkshire, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

According to the agency, close contacts of those affected are being offered antibiotics as a precautionary measure.

Also Read: Why Rebranding PCOS As PMOS Could Mark A New Era In Women’s Health

While stressing that the risk to the wider public remains low, the UKHSA confirmed that one case has been identified as Meningitis B (MenB), while further testing is ongoing.

The latest infections come after a small number of meningitis B cases were reported in the Weymouth region in April, followed by a major outbreak in Kent in March that affected more than 30 people and led to the deaths of a sixth-form pupil and a university student.

What’s The Meningitis Situation In Reading?

The young person who died attended The Henley College, according to a local GP surgery.

Authorities are reportedly sharing information about the infection with students and parents at affected schools. The other two cases are believed to be linked to schools in the Reading area. But the officials are yet to disclose the exact link.

Health officials said close contacts of the infected individuals are being offered antibiotics as a precaution.

Read More: Hantavirus Outbreak: Critically Ill French Patient On Artificial Lung Support

GP surgery, the Hart Surgery, based in Henley-on-Thames, stated that it was in contact with the UKHSA due to the college’s location, adding that the agency was “actively contacting those who may be at risk due to a close association with the student involved.”

However, it said anyone whom the UKHSA has not contacted does not require treatment, and students and staff can continue attending the sixth-form college as usual.

“The number of confirmed cases is very low, so there are currently no plans for a local emergency meningitis vaccination programme,” it added.

Also read: UK Reports Meningitis Outbreak Among School Children: All You Need To Know

What Is Meningitis?

Meningitis is a serious medical condition that affects the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known as the meninges. Fever is often considered one of the classic symptoms, although it may not always be present.

Understanding the symptoms, causes, and treatment options is important for early diagnosis and timely medical care.

“Anyone can get meningitis, and around 300 to 400 cases of meningococcal disease are diagnosed in England every year. It is most common in babies, young children, teenagers, and young adults," said Dr Rachel Mearkle, a consultant in health protection at the UKHSA.

“It needs to be treated quickly, so it is important to know the signs and symptoms. They can appear in any order and may not all be present, so seek rapid medical attention if there is ever any concern," she added.

The expert noted that "meningococcal meningitis requires very close contact to spread, and large outbreaks such as the one recently seen in Kent are thankfully rare."

“Meningococcal disease does not spread easily, and the risk to the wider public remains low.”

Symptoms Of Meningitis

Health officials urged the public to remain alert to the warning signs of meningococcal meningitis. Common symptoms include:

• Rash
• Headache
• Neck stiffness
• Fever
• Drowsiness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Increased sensitivity to light

“If the disease is suspected, immediate medical attention should be sought, as it can progress rapidly,” the officials said. While antibiotics provide the quickest short-term protection, vaccines offer longer-term protection.