Fungal viruses (mycoviruses) exist in all major groups of fungi. The primary focus of this review is viruses of filamentous fungi, especially plant pathogens, with emphasis on the molecular characterization of fungus-virus interactions. There are two main hypotheses about the origin of mycoviruses isolated from plant pathogenic fungi. The origin of these mycoviruses may be ancient but they may also have evolved from plant viruses. Many characterized mycoviruses are in unencapsidated dsRNA forms without any coat protein in fungi. Mycoviruses are efficiently spread in two ways, vertically by spore formation and horizontally via hyphal fusion. Replication cycle of RNA mycoviruses doesn’t have the extracellular route of infection under natural conditions. Typically, fungal infections cause no obvious phenotypic alterations. Although the interaction of mycoviruses and their host is largely limited, those aspects including the transcriptional profiling and RNA silencing are of help to understand the co-existence mechanism of virus and fungi. Mycoviruses are potential agents of biological control of important plant pathogenic fungi.

Hanta Virus (HV) is one of the major emerging and remerging zoonotic public health problems globally. These viruses are also known as rodent-borne viruses (zoonotic diseases) of the family Bunyaviridae that have been identified as etiological agents of two human diseases, Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) [1,2]. Hanta virus first outbreak was reported during the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, where more than 3000 united nation troops fell ill with Korean hemorrhagic fever caused by HFRS. HV outbreak was also occurred in the four corners region of the United States in 1993 and which is now referred as Hanta Virus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) [1,3,4]. Now a days, owing to improved diagnostic facilities and surveillance efforts the presences of Hanta viruses are increasingly being reported in humans and rodents from Far East Russia, China, and South Korea [5-9].

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is a specific liver condition. It usually occurs in the second or third trimester of pregnancy and is characterized by pruritus and elevated serum bile acid level. Timely diagnosis and management of this disease entity is necessary as increasing bile salts concentration can have adverse outcomes on the mother and the baby. A high index of suspicion is essential to diagnose intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy among patients with chronic liver diseases for their overlapping clinical manifestations. In this case report, we present the clinical course and management of a 35-year-old Asian female with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in the setting of chronic hepatitis B.

In 2017, Democratic Republic of Congo, a West African country experienced another outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) since the largest outbreaks in history were last reported in 2015 in the region. Ebola virus disease is a severe, often fatal illness, with a death rate as high as 90% and caused by Ebola virus. The victims become infected with the pathogen either through contact with infected animals or via direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected humans. The virus responsible for this outbreak, the Zaire Ebola Virus (EBOV), from the genus Ebolavirus in conjunction with the genus Marburgvirus forms the Filoviridae family. Ebola virus is one of the most deadly and highly virulent pathogens among the viral haemorrhagic fevers resulting in case fatality rates of close to 90% as earlier documented. Multi-organ failure and severe bleeding complications have been responsible for the high mortality usually reported. In the recent past, a total of 5335 cases (confirmed, suspected and probable) with 2622 deaths, with a case fatality rate of around 50% have been documented. Laboratory confirmation through the use of RT-PCR molecular technique remains the gold standard for diagnosis. Although as at today, there is no licensed vaccine against the virus, however, under an agreement between GAVI and Merck, the developer of an Ebola vaccine known as rVSV-ZEBOV is now available. Therefore, various hygienic and preventive measures have been advocated for Ebola control and prevention. This review summarizes the drifts and pattern of Ebola outbreaks and its antecedents in West African region including other aspects of diagnosis and prevention and what is the current trend as a guide against future control.