Diagnosing the novel SARS-CoV-2 by quantitative RT-PCR: variations and opportunities.
AuthorsBarreto HG,de Pádua Milagres FA,de Araújo GC,Daúde MM,Benedito VA
JournalJournal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany)
PubMed ID33067676
The world is currently facing a novel viral pandemic (SARS-CoV-2), and large-scale testing is central to decision-making for the design of effective policies and control strategies to minimize its impact on the global population. However, testing for the presence of the virus is a major bottleneck in tracking the spreading ... More
DNA vaccination protects mice against Zika virus-induced damage to the testes.
Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging pathogen causally associated with serious sequelae in fetuses, inducing fetal microcephaly and other neurodevelopment defects. ZIKV is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, but can persist in human semen and sperm, and sexual transmission has been documented. Moreover, exposure of type-I interferon knockout mice to ZIKV ... More
Inhibitory effect of lactoferrin-coated zinc nanoparticles on SARS-CoV-2 replication and entry along with improvement of lung fibrosis induced in adult male albino rats.
AuthorsEl-Fakharany EM,El-Gendi H,El-Maradny YA,Abu-Serie MM,Abdel-Wahhab KG,Shabana ME,Ashry M
JournalInternational journal of biological macromolecules
PubMed ID37356684
Severe acute respiratory syndrome 2019-new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is a major global challenge caused by a pandemic disease, named âCOVID-19â with no effective and selective therapy available so far. COVID-19-associated mortality is directly related to the inability to suppress the viral infection and the uncontrolled inflammatory response. So, we investigated the ... More
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Matrix Protein-Chromatin Association Is Key to Transcriptional Inhibition in Infected Cells.
AuthorsLi HM,Ghildyal R,Hu M,Tran KC,Starrs LM,Mills J,Teng MN,Jans DA
JournalCells
PubMed ID34685766
The morbidity and mortality caused by the globally prevalent human respiratory pathogen respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) approaches that world-wide of influenza. We previously demonstrated that the RSV matrix (M) protein shuttles, in signal-dependent fashion, between host cell nucleus and cytoplasm, and that this trafficking is central to RSV replication and ... More
Novel strains of a pandemic plant virus, tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus, increase vector fitness and modulate virus transmission in a resistant host.
Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV) is one of the most successful pandemic agricultural pathogens transmitted by several species of thrips in a persistent propagative manner. Current management strategies for TSWV heavily rely on growing single-gene resistant cultivars of tomato (âSw-5bâ gene) and pepper (âTswâ gene) deployed worldwide. However, the emergence ... More
Evaluation of in vitro antiviral activity of SARS-CoV-2 M(pro) inhibitor pomotrelvir and cross-resistance to nirmatrelvir resistance substitutions.
AuthorsTong X,Keung W,Arnold LD,Stevens LJ,Pruijssers AJ,Kook S,Lopatin U,Denison M,Kwong AD
JournalAntimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
PubMed ID37800975
The unprecedented scale of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants underscore the need for broadly active inhibitors with a high barrier to resistance. The coronavirus main protease (M(pro)) is an essential cysteine protease required for viral polyprotein processing and is highly conserved across human coronaviruses. Pomotrelvir ... More
Comparison of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae response to infection by route of exposure.
High Infection Secondary Attack Rates of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Dutch Households Revealed by Dense Sampling.
AuthorsReukers DFM,van Boven M,Meijer A,Rots N,Reusken C,Roof I,van Gageldonk-Lafeber AB,van der Hoek W,van den Hof S
JournalClinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
PubMed ID33822007
BACKGROUND: Indoor environments are considered one of the main settings for transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Households in particular represent a close-contact environment with high probability of transmission between persons of different ages and roles in society. METHODS: Households with a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 positive case in ... More
Wastewater monitoring in tourist cities as potential sentinel sites for near real-time dynamics of imported SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) complements the clinical surveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants' distribution in populations. Many developed nations have established national and regional WBE systems; however, governance and budget constraints could be obstacles for low- and middle-income countries. An urgent need thus exists to ... More
Microbes increase thermal sensitivity in the mosquito Aedes aegypti, with the potential to change disease distributions.
AuthorsWare-Gilmore F,Sgrò CM,Xi Z,Dutra HLC,Jones MJ,Shea K,Hall MD,Thomas MB,McGraw EA
JournalPLoS neglected tropical diseases
PubMed ID34292940
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of many disease-causing viruses, including dengue (DENV), Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. As consequences of climate change, we expect an increase in both global mean temperatures and extreme climatic events. When temperatures fluctuate, mosquito vectors will be increasingly exposed to temperatures beyond ... More
Dissecting transcription of the 8q24-MYC locus in prostate cancer recognizes the equilibration between androgen receptor direct and indirect dual-functions.
BACKGROUND: Androgen receptor (AR) activation and repression dual-functionality only became known recently and still remains intriguing in prostate cancer (PCa). MYC is a prominent oncogene that functionally entangles with AR signaling in PCa. Further exploration of AR regulatory mechanisms on MYC gene transcription bears clinical and translation significance. METHODS: Bioinformatics ... More
Detection of genotype-1 of dengue virus serotype 3 for the first time and complete genome analysis of dengue viruses during the 2018 epidemic in Mandalay, Upper Myanmar.
AuthorsNgwe Tun MM,Kyaw AK,Nabeshima T,Soe AM,Nwe KM,Htet KKK,Aung TH,Htwe TT,Aung T,Myaing SS,Mar TT,Lwin EP,Thu HM,Thant KZ,Morita K
JournalPloS one
PubMed ID34086703
BACKGROUND: Dengue (DEN) is a neglected tropical disease, and surveillance of dengue virus (DENV) serotypes and genotypes is critical for the early detection of outbreaks. Risk factors for outbreaks include the emergence of new genotypes and serotype shifting. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To understand the genomic and viral characteristics of ... More
SARS-CoV-2 RNA surveillance in large to small centralized wastewater treatment plants preceding the third COVID-19 resurgence in Bangkok, Thailand.
Wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 RNA has been a successful indicator of COVID-19 outbreaks in populations prior to clinical testing. However, this has been mostly conducted in high-income countries, which means there is a dearth of performance investigations in low- and middle-income countries with different socio-economic settings. This study evaluated the ... More
Development of alveolar and airway cells from human iPS cells: toward SARS-CoV-2 research and drug toxicity testing.
AuthorsTsuji K,Yamada S,Hirai K,Asakura H,Kanda Y
JournalThe Journal of toxicological sciences
PubMed ID34470994
Phylogeographic diversity of pathogenic and non-pathogenic hantaviruses in slovenia.
AuthorsKorva M,Knap N,Rus KR,Fajs L,Grubelnik G,Bremec M,Knapič T,Trilar T,Županc TA
JournalViruses
PubMed ID24335778
Slovenia is a very diverse country from a natural geography point of view, with many different habitats within a relatively small area, in addition to major geological and climatic differences. It is therefore not surprising that several small mammal species have been confirmed to harbour hantaviruses: A. flavicollis (Dobrava virus), ... More
Oral Microbiome Alterations and SARS-CoV-2 Saliva Viral Load in Patients with COVID-19.
Bacterial-viral interactions in saliva have been associated with morbidity and mortality for respiratory viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV. However, such transkingdom relationships during SARS-CoV-2 infection are currently unknown. Here, we aimed to elucidate the relationship between saliva microbiota and SARS-CoV-2 in a cohort of newly hospitalized COVID-19 patients and ... More
Molecular Epidemiology and Strain Comparison between Hepatitis E Viruses in Human Sera and Pig Livers during 2014 to 2016 in Hong Kong.
AuthorsChan MCW,Kwok K,Hung TN,Chan PKS
JournalJournal of clinical microbiology
PubMed ID28202801
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes substantial morbidity and mortality in developing countries and is considered an emerging foodborne pathogen in developed countries in which it was previously not endemic. To investigate genetic association between human HEV infection and HEV-contaminated high-risk food in Hong Kong, we compared local virus strains obtained ... More
Rapid Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Variant-Associated Mutations in Wastewater Using Real-Time RT-PCR.
Within months of the COVID-19 pandemic being declared on March 20, 2020, novel, more infectious variants of SARS-CoV-2 began to be detected in geospatially distinct regions of the world. With international travel being a lead cause of spread of the disease, the importance of rapidly identifying variants entering a country ... More
Susceptibility and barriers to infection of Colorado mosquitoes with Rift Valley fever virus.
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) causes morbidity and mortality in humans and domestic ungulates in sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt, and the Arabian Peninsula. Mosquito vectors transmit RVFV between vertebrates by bite, and also vertically to produce infectious progeny. Arrival of RVFV into the United States by infected mosquitoes or humans could ... More
Metabolic Perturbation Associated With COVID-19 Disease Severity and SARS-CoV-2 Replication.
Viruses hijack host metabolic pathways for their replicative advantage. In this study, using patient-derived multiomics data and in vitro infection assays, we aimed to understand the role of key metabolic pathways that can regulate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 reproduction and their association with disease severity. We used multiomics platforms (targeted ... More
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the Danube River in Serbia associated with the discharge of untreated wastewaters.
In Serbia less than 13% of collected municipal wastewaters is being treated before their release in the environment. This includes all municipal wastewater discharges from Belgrade (capital city of Serbia; population 1,700,000). Previous research has identified the impacts of raw wastewater discharges from Belgrade on the Danube River, and this ... More
Defining the Innate Immune Responses for SARS-CoV-2-Human Macrophage Interactions.
Host innate immune response follows severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and it is the driver of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) amongst other inflammatory end-organ morbidities. Such life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is heralded by virus-induced activation of mononuclear phagocytes (MPs; monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells). ... More
Susceptibility of Well-Differentiated Airway Epithelial Cell Cultures from Domestic and Wild Animals to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread globally, and the number of worldwide cases continues to rise. The zoonotic origins of SARS-CoV-2 and its intermediate and potential spillback host reservoirs, besides humans, remain largely unknown. Because of ethical and experimental constraints and more important, to reduce and refine ... More
Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in domestic cats imposes a narrow bottleneck.
The evolutionary mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 viruses adapt to mammalian hosts and, potentially, undergo antigenic evolution depend on the ways genetic variation is generated and selected within and between individual hosts. Using domestic cats as a model, we show that SARS-CoV-2 consensus sequences remain largely unchanged over time within hosts, ... More
SARS-CoV-2 viral load as a predictor for disease severity in outpatients and hospitalised patients with COVID-19: A prospective cohort study.
INTRODUCTION: We aimed to examine if severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cycle quantification (C(q)) value, as a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2 viral load, could predict hospitalisation and disease severity in adult patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study of ... More
Development of a quantitative one-step multiplex RT-qPCR assay for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in a biological matrix.
JournalInternational journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
PubMed ID33434663
INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that emerged in China in late 2019. The rapid viral spread has made the disease a public health emergency of worldwide concern. The gold standard for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 is reverse transcription followed by qualitative ... More
A Cross-Species Transmission of a Camel-Derived Genotype 8 Hepatitis E Virus to Rabbits.
AuthorsZhang W,Ami Y,Suzaki Y,Kataoka M,Takeda N,Muramatsu M,Li T
JournalPathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
PubMed ID34832530
Novel genotypes of hepatitis E virus (HEV), i.e., HEV-5, HEV-7, and HEV-8, have been identified in wild boar, dromedary camels, and Bactrian camels, respectively, and they transmit to cynomolgus monkeys in a trans-species manner, raising the potential for zoonotic infection. Rabbits are the natural reservoir for rabbit HEV, but they ... More
Visualising SARS-CoV-2 infection of the lung in deceased COVID-19 patients.
BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus. Several negative-sense SARS-CoV-2 RNA species, both full-length genomic and subgenomic, are produced transiently during viral replication. Methodologies for rigorously characterising cell tropism and visualising ongoing viral replication at single-cell resolution in histological sections are needed to assess the virological and pathological phenotypes ... More
Acute effects of viral respiratory tract infections on sputum bacterial density during CF pulmonary exacerbations.
JournalJournal of cystic fibrosis : official journal of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society
PubMed ID25544473
BACKGROUND: Airway proliferation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria is thought to trigger CF exacerbations and may be affected by the presence of viral infections. METHODS: A 2-year prospective study was conducted on 35 adults with CF. P. aeruginosa sputum density was analyzed during stable, exacerbation and post exacerbation assessments. Upon exacerbation, ... More
Temperature and Oxidative Stress as Triggers for Virulence Gene Expression in Pathogenic Leptospira spp.
AuthorsFraser T,Brown PD
JournalFrontiers in microbiology
PubMed ID28536558
Leptospirosis is a zooanthroponosis aetiologically caused by pathogenic bacteria belonging to the genus, Leptospira. Environmental signals such as increases in temperatures or oxidative stress can trigger response regulatory modes of virulence genes during infection. This study sought to determine the effect of temperature and oxidative stress on virulence associated genes ... More
Design of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro Inhibitors for COVID-19 Antiviral Therapy Leveraging Binding Cooperativity.
Antiviral agents that complement vaccination are urgently needed to end the COVID-19 pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro), one of only two essential cysteine proteases that regulate viral replication, also dysregulates host immune sensing by binding and deubiquitination of host protein substrates. PLpro is a promising therapeutic target, albeit challenging ... More
Prevention and therapy of SARS-CoV-2 and the B.1.351 variant in mice.
Improving clinical care for individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 variants is a global health priority. Small-molecule antivirals like remdesivir (RDV) and biologics such as human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have demonstrated therapeutic efficacy against SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is not known whether combination RDV/mAb will improve ... More
Broad-spectrum activity of bulevirtide against clinical isolates of HDV and recombinant pan-genotypic combinations of HBV/HDV.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Bulevirtide (BLV) is a small lipopeptide agent that specifically binds to the sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) bile salt transporter and HBV/HDV receptor on the surface of human hepatocytes and inhibits HDV and HBV entry. As a satellite virus of HBV, HDV virions are formed after assembly ... More
Circulating Vitamin D levels status and clinical prognostic indices in COVID-19 patients.
BACKGROUND: Several immune mechanisms activate in COVID-19 pathogenesis. Usually, coronavirus infection is characterized by dysregulated host immune responses, interleukine-6 increase, hyper-activation of cytotoxic CD8 T lymphocytes. Interestingly, Vitamin D deficiency has been often associated with altered immune responses and infections. In the present study, we evaluated Vitamin D plasma levels ... More
Surveillance along the Rio Grande during the 2020 Vesicular Stomatitis Outbreak Reveals Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of and Viral RNA Detection in Black Flies.
Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) emerges periodically from its focus of endemic transmission in southern Mexico to cause epizootics in livestock in the US. The ecology of VSV involves a diverse, but largely undefined, repertoire of potential reservoir hosts and invertebrate vectors. As part of a larger program to decipher VSV ... More
Native and activated antithrombin inhibits TMPRSS2 activity and SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Host cell proteases such as TMPRSS2 are critical determinants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2Â (SARSâCoVâ2)Â tropism and pathogenesis. Here, we show that antithrombin (AT), an endogenous serine protease inhibitor regulating coagulation, is a broadâspectrum inhibitor of coronavirus infection. Molecular docking and enzyme activity assays demonstrate that AT binds and inhibits ... More
Simultaneous detection of chikungunya virus, dengue virus and human pathogenic Leptospira genomes using a multiplex TaqMan® assay.
AuthorsGiry C,Roquebert B,Li-Pat-Yuen G,Gasque P,Jaffar-Bandjee MC
JournalBMC microbiology
PubMed ID28468604
BACKGROUND: In 2005â2006 a major epidemics of Chikungunya disease occurred in South-West Indian Ocean islands. In Reunion Island, the magnitude of Chikungunya infection related symptoms was high and with over 38% of serological prevalence in the population. This epidemics illustrated the potential threat of emerging arboviral diseases for inhabitants of ... More
Modification of two capripoxvirus quantitative real-time PCR assays to improve diagnostic sensitivity and include beta-actin as an internal positive control.
AuthorsDas A,Deng MY,Babiuk S,McIntosh MT
JournalJournal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc
PubMed ID28430087
Genomic monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 uncovers an Nsp1 deletion variant that modulates type I interferon response.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, the causative agent of COVID-19, is undergoing constant mutation. Here, we utilized an integrative approach combining epidemiology, virus genome sequencing, clinical phenotyping, and experimental validation to locate mutations of clinical importance. We identified 35 recurrent variants, some of which are associated with clinical phenotypes related to severity. ... More
Viral RNA Metagenomics of Hyalomma Ticks Collected from Dromedary Camels in Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia.
Arthropod-borne infections are a medical and economic threat to humans and livestock. Over the last three decades, several unprecedented viral outbreaks have been recorded in the Western part of the Arabian Peninsula. However, little is known about the circulation and diversity of arthropod-borne viruses in this region. To prepare for ... More
Development of an Ex Vivo Assay for Identification of Infectious Hepatitis E Virus in Different Kinds of Food Samples.
AuthorsHakze-van der Honing RW,van Oort S,Dirks RAM,van der Poel WHM
JournalPathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
PubMed ID37887746
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus and a major cause of acute viral hepatitis. HEV is responsible for 20 million infections worldwide in humans every year. HEV-3 and HEV-4 are zoonotic and are responsible for most of the HEV cases in developed countries. Consumption of contaminated ... More
Lessons learned from SARS-CoV-2 measurements in wastewater.
Standardized protocols for wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) for the RNA of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic, are being developed and refined worldwide for early detection of disease outbreaks. We report here on lessons learned from establishing a WBS program for SARS-CoV-2 integrated with a human surveillance program ... More
Combination of a SARS-CoV-2 IgG Assay and RT-PCR for Improved COVID-19 Diagnosis.
BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is generally diagnosed by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR or serological assays. The SARS-CoV-2 viral load decreases a few days after symptom onset. Thus, the RT-PCR sensitivity peaks at three days after symptom onset (approximately 80%). We evaluated ... More
Common Laboratory Mice Are Susceptible to Infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Beta Variant.
Small animal models are of crucial importance for assessing COVID-19 countermeasures. Common laboratory mice would be well-suited for this purpose but are not susceptible to infection with wild-type SARS-CoV-2. However, the development of mouse-adapted virus strains has revealed key mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that increase infectivity, and interestingly, ... More
Wastewater surveillance to infer COVID-19 transmission: A systematic review.
AuthorsShah S,Gwee SXW,Ng JQX,Lau N,Koh J,Pang J
JournalThe Science of the total environment
PubMed ID34798721
Successful detection of SARS-COV-2 in wastewater suggests the potential utility of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for COVID-19 community surveillance. This systematic review aims to assess the performance of wastewater surveillance as early warning system of COVID-19 community transmission. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Medline, Embase and the WBE Consortium ... More
SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in wastewater foreshadow dynamics and clinical presentation of new COVID-19 cases.
Current estimates of COVID-19 prevalence are largely based on symptomatic, clinically diagnosed cases. The existence of a large number of undiagnosed infections hampers population-wide investigation of viral circulation. Here, we quantify the SARS-CoV-2 concentration and track its dynamics in wastewater at a major urban wastewater treatment facility in Massachusetts, between ... More
HIV Exploits Antiviral Host Innate GCN2-ATF4 Signaling for Establishing Viral Replication Early in Infection.
AuthorsJiang G,Santos Rocha C,Hirao LA,Mendes EA,Tang Y,Thompson GR 3rd,Wong JK,Dandekar S
JournalmBio
PubMed ID28465428
Antiviral innate host defenses against acute viral infections include suppression of host protein synthesis to restrict viral protein production. Less is known about mechanisms by which viral pathogens subvert host antiviral innate responses for establishing their replication and dissemination. We investigated early innate defense against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection ... More
Extraction of human noroviruses from leafy greens and fresh herbs using magnetic silica beads.
AuthorsRaymond P,Paul S,Perron A,Deschênes L,Hara K
JournalFood microbiology
PubMed ID34119112
Significant Associations between Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infections in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Pregnant Women.
AuthorsNgobese B,Swe-Han KS,Tinarwo P,Abbai NS
JournalInfectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology
PubMed ID35754526
There is a lack of data on the burden of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among human immunodeficiency virus- (HIV-) infected pregnant women in South Africa. We conducted a cross-sectional study which included 385 HIV-infected pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the King Edward VIII Hospital in Durban, South Africa. ... More
Androgen receptor splice variant 7 functions independently of the full length receptor in prostate cancer cells.
One mechanism for reactivation of androgen receptor (AR) activity after androgen deprivation therapy in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is expression of splice variants such as ARv7 that delete the ligand binding domain and have constitutive activity. Exogenous overexpressed ARv7 can function as a homodimer or heterodimer with full length AR ... More
Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across 40 U.S. states from February to June 2020.
Wastewater-based disease surveillance is a promising approach for monitoring community outbreaks. Here we describe a nationwide campaign to monitor SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater of 159 counties in 40 U.S. states, covering 13% of the U.S. population from February 18 to June 2, 2020. Out of 1,751 total samples analyzed, 846 ... More
An in-well direct lysis method for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 by real time RT-PCR in eSwab specimens.
AuthorsJørgensen RL,Pedersen MS,Chauhan AS,Andreasson LM,Kristiansen GQ,Lisby JG,Rosenstierne MW,Schønning K
JournalJournal of virological methods
PubMed ID33428990
BACKGROUND: Diagnostic real time reverse transcription PCR (rRT-PCR) is usually done using nucleic acid (NA) purified from the sample. In the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic reagents and utensils for NA purification has been in short supply. This has generated interest in methods that eliminate the need for NA purification. OBJECTIVES: To investigate ... More
AZD5582 plus SIV-specific antibodies reduce lymph node viral reservoirs in antiretroviral therapy-suppressed macaques.
The main barrier to HIV cure is a persistent reservoir of latently infected CD4(+) T cells harboring replication-competent provirus that fuels rebound viremia upon antiretroviral therapy (ART) interruption. A leading approach to target this reservoir involves agents that reactivate latent HIV proviruses followed by direct clearance of cells expressing induced ... More
Evaluation of a Lateral Flow Assay for Rapid Detection of African Swine Fever Virus in Multiple Sample Types.
AuthorsOnyilagha C,Nguyen K,Luka PD,Hussaini U,Adedeji A,Odoom T,Ambagala A
JournalPathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
PubMed ID35215082
Antibody-based lateral flow assay (LFA) is a quick and inexpensive tool used to detect pathogens in field samples, especially in hard-to-reach remote areas that may have limited access to central laboratories during an outbreak or surveillance. In this study, we investigated the ability of a commercially available LFA, PenCheck(®), to ... More
Dose-dependent response to infection with SARS-CoV-2 in the ferret model and evidence of protective immunity.
There is a vital need for authentic COVID-19 animal models to enable the pre-clinical evaluation of candidate vaccines and therapeutics. Here we report a dose titration study of SARS-CoV-2 in the ferret model. After a high (5âÃâ10(6)âpfu) and medium (5âÃâ10(4)âpfu) dose of virus is delivered, intranasally, viral RNA shedding in ... More
Factors that Influence the Reported Sensitivity of Rapid Antigen Testing for SARS-CoV-2.
Tests that detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigen in clinical specimens from the upper respiratory tract can provide a rapid means of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis and help identify individuals who may be infectious and should isolate to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission. This systematic review ... More
A universal SARS-CoV DNA vaccine inducing highly cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies and T cells.
New variants in the SARSâCoVâ2 pandemic are more contagious (Alpha/Delta), evade neutralizing antibodies (Beta), or both (Omicron). This poses a challenge in vaccine development according to WHO. We designed a more universal SARSâCoVâ2 DNA vaccine containing receptorâbinding domain loops from the huCoVâ19/WH01, the Alpha, and the Beta variants, combined with ... More
Norovirus evolves as one or more distinct clonal populations in immunocompromised hosts.
Noroviruses are a major cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide and can establish chronic infection in immunocompromised individuals. To investigate the mechanisms of norovirus evolution during chronic infection, we selected seven representative patients from a National Institutes of Health study cohort who sustained norovirus infection for periods ranging from 73 to ... More
Case Report and Genomic Characterization of a Novel Porcine Nodavirus in the United States.
AuthorsYang C,Wang L,Schwartz K,Burrough E,Groeltz-Thrush J,Chen Q,Zheng Y,Shen H,Li G
JournalViruses
PubMed ID33430224
Nodaviruses are small bisegmented RNA viruses belonging to the family Nodaviridae. Nodaviruses have been identified in different hosts, including insects, fishes, shrimps, prawns, dogs, and bats. A novel porcine nodavirus was first identified in the United States by applying next-generation sequencing on brain tissues of pigs with neurological signs, including ... More
Gut microbiota composition reflects disease severity and dysfunctional immune responses in patients with COVID-19.
OBJECTIVE: Although COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory illness, there is mounting evidence suggesting that the GI tract is involved in this disease. We investigated whether the gut microbiome is linked to disease severity in patients with COVID-19, and whether perturbations in microbiome composition, if any, resolve with clearance of the ... More
Wolbachia-mediated resistance to Zika virus infection in Aedes aegypti is dominated by diverse transcriptional regulation and weak evolutionary pressures.
A promising candidate for arbovirus control and prevention relies on replacing arbovirus-susceptible Aedes aegypti populations with mosquitoes that have been colonized by the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia and thus have a reduced capacity to transmit arboviruses. This reduced capacity to transmit arboviruses is mediated through a phenomenon referred to as pathogen ... More
A Novel Small Molecule Inhibits Hepatitis C Virus Propagation in Cell Culture.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can cause acute and chronic infection that is associated with considerable liver-related morbidity and mortality. In recent years, there has been a shift in the treatment paradigm with the discovery and approval of agents that target specific proteins vital for viral replication. We employed a cell ... More
Multisystemic Cellular Tropism of SARS-CoV-2 in Autopsies of COVID-19 Patients.
Multiorgan tropism of SARS-CoV-2 has previously been shown for several major organs. We have comprehensively analyzed 25 different formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues/organs from autopsies of fatal COVID-19 cases (n = 8), using histopathological assessment, detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA using polymerase chain reaction and RNA in situ hybridization, viral protein using ... More
Substitutions in SARS-CoV-2 Mpro Selected by Protease Inhibitor Boceprevir Confer Resistance to Nirmatrelvir.
Nirmatrelvir, which targets the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), is the first-in-line drug for prevention and treatment of severe COVID-19, and additional Mpro inhibitors are in development. However, the risk of resistance development threatens the future efficacy of such direct-acting antivirals. To gain knowledge on viral correlates of resistance to Mpro ... More
A microfluidic platform for highly parallel bite by bite profiling of mosquito-borne pathogen transmission.
AuthorsKumar S,Hol FJH,Pujhari S,Ellington C,Narayanan HV,Li H,Rasgon JL,Prakash M
JournalNature communications
PubMed ID34650045
Mosquito bites transmit a number of pathogens via salivary droplets deposited during blood-feeding, resulting in potentially fatal diseases. Little is known about the genomic content of these nanodroplets, including the transmission dynamics of live pathogens. Here we introduce Vectorchip, a low-cost, scalable microfluidic platform enabling high-throughput molecular interrogation of individual ... More
Improved detection of genus-specific Alphavirus using a generic TaqMan® assay.
AuthorsGiry C,Roquebert B,Li-Pat-Yuen G,Gasque P,Jaffar-Bandjee MC
JournalBMC microbiology
PubMed ID28738838
BACKGROUND: Alphaviruses are arthropod borne RNA viruses of medical importance. Geographical expansion of mosquitoes of the Aedes genus in the past decades has been associated with major Alphavirus-associated outbreaks. Climate changes and intensification of air travels have favored vector expansion and virus dissemination in new territories leading to virus emergence ... More
2BC Non-Structural Protein of Enterovirus A71 Interacts with SNARE Proteins to Trigger Autolysosome Formation.
Viruses have evolved unique strategies to evade or subvert autophagy machinery. Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) induces autophagy during infection in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we report that EV-A71 triggers autolysosome formation during infection in human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells to facilitate its replication. Blocking autophagosome-lysosome fusion with chloroquine inhibited ... More
Wastewater surveillance demonstrates high predictive value for COVID-19 infection on board repatriation flights to Australia.
Controlling importation and transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from overseas travelers is essential for countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, and other island nations, that have adopted a suppression strategy to manage very low community transmission. Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA has emerged as a promising ... More
Active individuals have high mitochondrial content and oxidative markers in their abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue.
AuthorsPino MF,Parsons SA,Smith SR,Sparks LM
JournalObesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
PubMed ID27804230
Development and validation of a new triplex real-time quantitative reverse Transcriptase-PCR assay for the clinical detection of SARS-CoV-2.
AuthorsGadkar VJ,Goldfarb DM,Young V,Watson N,Al-Rawahi GN,Srigley JA,Tilley P
JournalMolecular and cellular probes
PubMed ID34089805
To increase the repertoire of PCR based laboratory developed tests (LDTs) for the detection of SARS-CoV-2, we describe a new multiplex assay (SORP), targeting the SARS-CoV-2's, Spike and ORF8 genes. The widely used human RNaseP internal control was modified to specifically co-amplify the RNaseP mRNA. The SORP triplex assay was ... More
Repression of Stress-Induced LINE-1 Expression Protects Cancer Cell Subpopulations from Lethal Drug Exposure.
Cross-reactive immunity between SARS-CoV-2 and other related coronaviruses has been well-documented, and it may play a role in preventing severe COVID-19. Epidemiological studies early in the pandemic showed a geographical association between high influenza vaccination rates and lower incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We, therefore, analyzed whether exposure to influenza A ... More
Pathogens That Cause Acute Febrile Illness Among Children and Adolescents in Burkina Faso, Madagascar, and Sudan.
JournalClinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
PubMed ID33822011
BACKGROUND: The etiology and optimal clinical management of acute febrile illness (AFI) is poorly understood. METHODS: Blood samples taken from study participants with acute fever (â¥37.5°C) or a history of fever and recruited into the previous Typhoid Fever Surveillance in Africa (TSAP) study were evaluated using a polymerase chain reaction ... More
Development and Validation of Two Diagnostic Real-Time PCR (TaqMan) Assays for the Detection of Bordetella avium from Clinical Samples and Comparison to the Currently Available Real-Time TaqMan PCR Assay.
AuthorsHashish A,Sinha A,Mekky A,Sato Y,Macedo NR,El-Gazzar M
JournalMicroorganisms
PubMed ID34835358
Bordetella avium (BA) is one of many pathogens that cause respiratory diseases in turkeys. However, other bacterial species can easily overgrow it during isolation attempts. This makes confirming the diagnosis of BA as the causative agent of turkey coryza more difficult. Currently, there are two PCR assays for the molecular ... More
A humanized mouse-based HIV-1 viral outgrowth assay with higher sensitivity than in vitro qVOA in detecting latently infected cells from individuals on ART with undetectable viral loads.
Assays that can verify full viral eradication are essential in the context of achieving a cure for HIV/AIDS. In vitro quantitative viral out growth assays (qVOA) are currently the gold standard for measuring latent HIV-1 but these assays often fail to detect very low levels of replication-competent virus. Here we ... More
COVID-eVax, an electroporated DNA vaccine candidate encoding the SARS-CoV-2 RBD, elicits protective responses in animal models.
JournalMolecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy
PubMed ID34547465
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has made the development of safe and effective vaccines a critical priority. To date, four vaccines have been approved by European and American authorities for preventing COVID-19, but the development of additional vaccine platforms with improved supply and logistics profiles remains a pressing need. ... More
A study of quality assessment in SARS-CoV-2 pathogen nucleic acid amplification tests performance; from the results of external quality assessment survey of clinical laboratories in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government external quality assessment program in 2020.
AuthorsIshii Y,Aoki K,Oda M,Ichikawa M,Moriuchi R,Konishi H,Nagashima M,Sadamasu K,Sugishita Y
JournalJournal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy
PubMed ID34776346
INTRODUCTION: The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) conducted an external quality assessment (EQA) survey of pathogen nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) as a TMG EQA program for SARS-CoV-2 for clinical laboratories in Tokyo. METHODS: We diluted and prepared a standard product manufactured by Company A to about 2,500 copies/mL to make ... More
Structural basis for human respiratory syncytial virus NS1-mediated modulation of host responses.
Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric, elderly, and immune compromised populations(1,2). A gap in our understanding of hRSV disease pathology is the interplay between virally encoded immune antagonists and host components that limit hRSV replication. hRSV encodes for non-structural (NS) ... More
Improved performance of nucleic acid-based assays for genetically diverse norovirus surveillance.
Nucleic acid-based assays, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), that amplify and detect organism-specific genome sequences are a standard method for infectious disease surveillance. However, challenges arise for virus surveillance because of their genetic diversity. Here, we calculated the variability of nucleotides within the genomes of 10 human viral species ... More
Prevention and therapy of SARS-CoV-2 and the B.1.351 variant in mice.
Improving the standard of clinical care for individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 variants is a global health priority. Small molecule antivirals like remdesivir (RDV) and biologics such as human monoclonal antibodies (mAb) have demonstrated therapeutic efficacy against SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. However, it is not known if combination RDV/mAb ... More
Versatile SARS-CoV-2 Reverse-Genetics Systems for the Study of Antiviral Resistance and Replication.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten healthcare systems worldwide due to the limited access to vaccines, suboptimal treatment options, and the continuous emergence of new and more transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants. Reverse-genetics studies of viral genes and mutations have proven highly valuable in advancing basic virus research, leading to the development ... More
Wastewater-based surveillance was conducted by the national public health authority to monitor SARS-CoV-2 circulation in the Belgian population. Over 5 million inhabitants representing 45% of the Belgian population were monitored throughout 42 wastewater treatment plants for 15 months comprising three major virus waves. During the entire period, a high correlation ... More
Dengue Virus Dysregulates Master Transcription Factors and PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway in Megakaryocytes.
AuthorsLahon A,Arya RP,Banerjea AC
JournalFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology
PubMed ID34513730
Dengue virus (DENV) infection can cause either self-limited dengue fever or hemorrhagic complications. Low platelet count is one of the manifestations of dengue fever. Megakaryocytes are the sole producers of platelets. However, the role of both host and viral factors in megakaryocyte development, maturation, and platelet production is largely unknown ... More
Identification of CCZ1 as an essential lysosomal trafficking regulator in Marburg and Ebola virus infections.
Marburg and Ebola filoviruses are two of the deadliest infectious agents and several outbreaks have occurred in the last decades. Although several receptors and co-receptors have been reported for Ebola virus, key host factors remain to be elucidated. In this study, using a haploid cell screening platform, we identify the ... More
Serological and molecular study of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in cattle from selected districts in Uganda.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has circulated worldwide and causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, infection control measures were taken, such as hand washing, mask wearing, and behavioral restrictions. However, it is not fully clear how the effects of these non-pharmaceutical interventions ... More
Comparative analysis of rapid concentration methods for the recovery of SARS-CoV-2 and quantification of human enteric viruses and a sewage-associated marker gene in untreated wastewater.
AuthorsAhmed W,Bivins A,Simpson SL,Smith WJM,Metcalfe S,McMinn B,Symonds EM,Korajkic A
JournalThe Science of the total environment
PubMed ID34388890
To support public-health-related disease surveillance and monitoring, it is crucial to concentrate both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses from domestic wastewater. To date, most concentration methods were developed for non-enveloped viruses, and limited studies have directly compared the recovery efficiency of both types of viruses. In this study, the effectiveness of ... More
Clinical validation of optimised RT-LAMP for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
We have optimised a reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 from extracted RNA for clinical application. We improved the stability and reliability of the RT-LAMP assay by the addition of a temperature-dependent switch oligonucleotide to reduce self- or off-target amplification. We then developed freeze-dried master ... More
Time-Dependent Proinflammatory Responses Shape Virus Interference during Coinfections of Influenza A Virus and Influenza D Virus.
Both influenza A virus (IAV) and influenza D virus (IDV) are enzootic in pigs. IAV causes approximately 100% morbidity with low mortality, whereas IDV leads to only mild respiratory diseases in pigs. In this study, we performed a series of coinfection experiments in vitro and in vivo to understand how ... More
High hydrostatic pressure inactivation of murine norovirus and human noroviruses on green onions and in salsa.
AuthorsSido RF,Huang R,Liu C,Chen H
JournalInternational journal of food microbiology
PubMed ID27846447
External quality assessment of orthohantavirus and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus molecular detection and serology in Europe, 2021.
AuthorsErdin M,Stanoeva KR,Mögling R,Korva M,Knap N,Resman Rus K,Domingo C,Reimerink JH,de Vries A,Alburkat H,Utriainen M,Gossner CM,Sironen T,Avšič-Županc T,Reusken CB,Vapalahti O
JournalEuro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin
PubMed ID37796441
BACKGROUND: Rodent-borne viruses such as orthohantaviruses and arenaviruses cause considerable disease burden with regional and temporal differences in incidence and clinical awareness. Therefore, it is important to regularly evaluate laboratory diagnostic capabilities, e.g. by external quality assessments (EQA). AIM: We wished to evaluate the performance and diagnostic capability of European ... More
Intranasal Liposomal Formulation of Spike Protein Adjuvanted with CpG Protects and Boosts Heterologous Immunity of hACE2 Transgenic Mice to SARS-CoV-2 Infection.
AuthorsRusso M,Mendes-Corrêa MC,Lins BB,Kersten V,Pernambuco Filho PCA,Martins TR,Tozetto-Mendoza TR,Vilas Boas LS,Gomes BM,Dati LMM,Duarte-Neto AN,Reigado GR,Frederico ABT,de Brito E Cunha DRA,de Paula AV,da Silva JIG,Vasconcelos CFM,Chambergo FS,Nunes VA,Ano Bom APD,Castilho LR,Martins RAP,Hirata MH,Mirotti L
JournalVaccines
PubMed ID38006064
Mucosal vaccination appears to be suitable to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, we tested an intranasal mucosal vaccine candidate for COVID-19 that consisted of a cationic liposome containing a trimeric SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and CpG-ODNs, a Toll-like receptor 9 agonist, as an adjuvant. In vitro and in vivo ... More
Infection of the maternal-fetal interface and vertical transmission following low-dose inoculation of pregnant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) with an African-lineage Zika virus.
BACKGROUND: Congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) infection can result in birth defects, including malformations in the fetal brain and visual system. There are two distinct genetic lineages of ZIKV: African and Asian. Asian-lineage ZIKVs have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in humans; however, recent evidence from experimental models suggests that ... More
Critical ACE2 Determinants of SARS-CoV-2 and Group 2B Coronavirus Infection and Replication.
The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor is a major severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) host range determinant, and understanding SARS-CoV-2-ACE2 interactions will provide important insights into COVID-19 pathogenesis and animal model development. SARS-CoV-2 cannot infect mice due to incompatibility between its receptor binding domain and the murine ACE2 ... More
Etiology of acute febrile illnesses in Southern China: Findings from a two-year sentinel surveillance project, 2017-2019.
BACKGROUND: Southern China is at risk for arborvirus disease transmission, including Zika virus and dengue. Patients often present to clinical care with non-specific acute febrile illnesses (AFI). To better describe the etiology of AFI, we implemented a two-year AFI surveillance project at five sentinel hospitals in Yunnan and Guangdong Provinces. ... More
IFITM proteins promote SARS-CoV-2 infection and are targets for virus inhibition in vitro.
Interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs 1, 2 and 3) can restrict viral pathogens, but pro- and anti-viral activities have been reported for coronaviruses. Here, we show that artificial overexpression of IFITMs blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, endogenous IFITM expression supports efficient infection of SARS-CoV-2 in human lung cells. Our results indicate that ... More
Impact of a direct-fed microbial supplementation on intestinal permeability and immune response in broiler chickens during a coccidia challenge.
AuthorsOsho S,Bolek K,Saddoris-Clemons K,Humphrey B,Garcia M
JournalFrontiers in microbiology
PubMed ID38029093
Maintaining intestinal health supports optimal gut function and influences overall performance of broilers. Microlife(®) Prime (MLP) contains a unique combination of four strains of Bacillus spp. selected to support a healthy gut which may improve performance. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of MLP supplementation on ... More
COVID-19 wastewater surveillance in rural communities: Comparison of lagoon and pumping station samples.
Wastewater-based epidemiology/wastewater surveillance has been a topic of significant interest over the last year due to its application in SARS-CoV-2 surveillance to track prevalence of COVID-19 in communities. Although SARS-CoV-2 surveillance has been applied in more than 50 countries to date, the application of this surveillance has been largely focused ... More
SARS-CoV-2 crosses the blood-brain barrier accompanied with basement membrane disruption without tight junctions alteration.
SARS-CoV-2 has been reported to show a capacity for invading the brains of humans and model animals. However, it remains unclear whether and how SARS-CoV-2 crosses the bloodâbrain barrier (BBB). Herein, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was occasionally detected in the vascular wall and perivascular space, as well as in brain microvascular endothelial ... More
Development and pre-clinical evaluation of a Zika virus diagnostic for low resource settings.
AuthorsBalea R,Pollak NM,Hobson-Peters J,Macdonald J,McMillan DJ
JournalFrontiers in microbiology
PubMed ID38053551
INTRODUCTION: Zika virus (ZIKV) is a re-emerging flavivirus that poses a significant public health threat. ZIKV exhibits a wide array of non-vector borne human transmission routes, such as sexual transmission, transplacental transmission and blood transfusion. Detection and surveillance of ZIKV is considered paramount in prevention of major outbreaks. With the ... More