Targeted Medical Interventions for the Prevention and Treatment of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever: A Rapid Systematic Review of Updated Intelligence from the 74th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Background: Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are severe, often high-consequence, life-threatening illnesses characterized by systemic disease, hemorrhage, and high mortality. The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Annual Meeting functions as a major international forum for the presentation of emerging data on infectious diseases, including novel pharmacologic and biologic interventions for VHF. However, while ASTMH presentations provide timely and high-impact insights, there is no efficient, consolidated synthesis of this rapidly evolving evidence base. Given the acute, outbreak-prone nature of VHF and the need for rapid translation of emerging data into clinical and public health practice, a structured synthesis of these data is warranted. Methods: This systematic review follows PRISMA guidelines and is limited to presentations delivered at the ASTMH Annual Meeting in Toronto (9–13 November 2025) in order to capture evolving evidence as it has emerged. Studies of all designs evaluating vaccines, chemoprophylactic agents, or targeted biological therapies for the prevention or treatment of VHF in adults and children were included. Data were extracted on incidence of VHF among exposed populations, safety, toxicity, and tolerability of preventive and therapeutic interventions, and morbidity and mortality outcomes among treated individuals. Secondary outcomes include hospitalization length-of-stay, economic outcomes, and measures of feasibility, acceptability, accessibility, and health equity. Results: Nine studies (four oral presentations, two poster presentations, and three hand-searched references) were included in the final synthesis. Seven studies evaluated pharmacologic preventive interventions and two evaluated experimental pharmacotherapeutics, with two studies contributing evidence to both categories. One observational study and one narrative review provided contextual evidence on vaccine readiness and outbreak preparedness. Discussion/Conclusions: This systematic review provides a rapid, structured synthesis of targeted medical interventions as emerging evidence at an expert scientific venue, while addressing the current lack of a consolidated, accessible summary of emerging VHF evidence. By rapidly organizing and evaluating these data, this work facilitates timely interpretation and application in clinical and public health settings where rapid decision-making is critical.