Review
Virology
Laith AL-Eitan, Malek Alnemri, Mishael Alkhawaldeh, Ahmad Mihyar
Summary: Rodents are a highly abundant mammal species, making up over two-fifths of all mammal species with approximately 4600 existing species. They are capable of transmitting deadly diseases, particularly those caused by viruses. The Middle East, due to its geographical location and diverse topography, biosphere, and climate, is vulnerable to hosting emerging diseases, especially with the presence of refugee crises. This review aims to raise awareness among public health organizations in the Middle East about the dangers of rodent-borne diseases reported or suspected in the region.
REVIEWS IN MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Liudmila N. Yashina, Sergey A. Abramov, Alexander Zhigalin, Natalia A. Smetannikova, Tamara A. Dupal, Anton Krivopalov, Fuka Kikuchi, Kae Senoo, Satoru Arai, Tetsuya Mizutani, Motoi Suzuki, Joseph A. Cook, Richard Yanagihara
Summary: The discovery of genetically distinct hantaviruses in multiple species of shrews, moles and bats reveals a complex evolutionary history involving cross-species transmission. Different viruses, such as SWSV, ALTV, LENV, and ALTV-related viruses, have been found in various shrew species in different regions, suggesting a diverse and geographically widespread distribution pattern. These findings hint at the emergence of new hantavirus species through ancient cross-species transmission and subsequent diversification within Sorex shrews in Eurasia.
Article
Virology
Devinda S. Muthusinghe, Kenta Shimizu, Sithumini M. W. Lokupathirage, Zhouoxing Wei, Yomani D. Sarathkumara, G. R. Amanda Fonseka, Pavani Senarathne, Nobuo Koizumi, Tomonori Kawakami, Akio Koizumi, Chaminda Wickramasinghe, Hideki Ebihara, Keita Matsuno, Yoshimi Tsuda, Jiro Arikawa, Chandika D. Gamage, Kumiko Yoshimatsu
Summary: Genetic evidence from small mammals in a CKDu hotspot area of Sri Lanka revealed the presence of two THAIV-related hantaviruses, carried by rodents and Mus animals, suggesting a potential role in the induction of CKDu.
Article
Virology
Valentina Cirkovic, Simon Dellicour, Gorana Stamenkovic, Marina Siljic, Ana Gligic, Maja Stanojevic
Summary: This study aims to reconstruct the dispersal history of TULV lineages across Eurasia based on S segment sequences sampled from different geographic areas. The results showed that the potential root and origin of TULV spread occurred in the Black Sea region. We also detected a single-lineage introduction of TULV to Europe, followed by local viral circulation.
Article
Virology
Monika Madai, Gyozo Horvath, Robert Herczeg, Balazs Somogyi, Brigitta Zana, Fanni Foldes, Gabor Kemenesi, Kornelia Kurucz, Henrietta Papp, Safia Zeghbib, Ferenc Jakab
Summary: The study found that nucleic acids and antibodies of hantaviruses were detected in rodents in Hungary, with different types of viruses carried by different rodent species. The kidney was the most effective organ for detecting virus nucleic acids, while the positivity rate in urine samples was relatively low.
Article
Virology
Bert Vanmechelen, Zafeiro Zisi, Sophie Gryseels, Joelle Gouy de Bellocq, Bram Vrancken, Philippe Lemey, Piet Maes, Magda Bletsa
Summary: Recent years have seen the discovery of several new viruses belonging to the family Arteriviridae, expanding the known diversity and host range of this group of complex RNA viruses. The pathological relevance of these new viruses is not always clear, but phylogenetic analysis shows they cluster uniquely with other arteriviruses, sharing similar patterns with their hosts in evolutionary history.
Article
Virology
Samuel M. Goodfellow, Robert A. Nofchissey, Kurt C. Schwalm, Joseph A. Cook, Jonathan L. Dunnum, Yan Guo, Chunyan Ye, Gregory J. Mertz, Kartik Chandran, Michelle Harkins, Daryl B. Domman, Darrell L. Dinwiddie, Steven B. Bradfute
Summary: This study used SNV WGS to pinpoint the likely site of human infection and identify SNV in multiple rodent species, impacting hantavirus epidemiology and infection control. The discovery of SNV in novel rodent species demonstrates the importance of virus sequencing in tracing transmission and identifying potential new host reservoirs.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Virology
Jeremy Camp, Eva Schmon, Robert Krause, Wolfdieter Sixl, Daniela Schmid, Stephan W. Aberle
Summary: Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) is widely distributed throughout Europe, with human cases mainly concentrated in southeastern Austria. The genetic diversity of PUUV is highly correlated with geographic distance, and a new phylogenetically distinct sublineage of the Central Europe (CE) lineage has been discovered through sequencing analysis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Frauke Ecke, Barbara A. Han, Birger Hornfeldt, Hussein Khalil, Magnus Magnusson, Navinder J. Singh, Richard S. Ostfeld
Summary: Through a global empirical analysis of the linkages between habitat use, population fluctuations, and zoonotic reservoir status in rodents, we found that the magnitude of population fluctuations, along with species' synanthropy and degree of human exploitation, consistently distinguish most rodent reservoirs at a global scale, regardless of pathogen types and transmission modes. Our spatial analyses also identified hotspots of high transmission risk, which are dominated by reservoir species in the rodent community. These findings inform our understanding of how natural and anthropogenic factors interact to increase the risk of zoonotic spillover in a rapidly changing world.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Virology
Fuka Kikuchi, Kae Senoo, Satoru Arai, Kimiyuki Tsuchiya, Nguyen Truong Son, Masaharu Motokawa, Marie Ranorosoa, Saw Bawm, Kyaw Lin, Hitoshi Suzuki, Akira Unno, Keisuke Nakata, Masashi Harada, Keiko Tanaka-Taya, Shigeru Morikawa, Motoi Suzuki, Tetsuya Mizutani, Richard Yanagihara
Summary: Hantaviruses harbored by various small mammal species in Japan, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Madagascar were analyzed for virus-host relationships and geographic distribution, revealing the presence of different strains in different rodent species and evidence of host-switching through co-phylogeny mapping.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mahdi Aminikhah, Jukka T. Forsman, Esa Koskela, Tapio Mappes, Jussi Sane, Jukka Ollgren, Sami M. Kivela, Eva R. Kallio
Summary: This study in Finland found that rodent population dynamics were associated with approximately 3-year cycles of human LB and PUUV infections incidence, with complex time lags in the relationship between LB and rodent abundance fluctuations.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Virology
Se Hun Gu, Marcos Minarro, Carlos Feliu, Jean-Pierre Hugot, Naomi L. Forrester, Scott C. Weaver, Richard Yanagihara
Summary: Recent detection of NVAV and BRGV in European moles in Belgium and Germany prompted a search for related hantaviruses in the Iberian mole. Analysis of lung tissue from 106 Iberian moles in Spain revealed genetically distinct hantaviruses, including a new hantavirus species designated as ASTV. Next generation sequencing of infected moles confirmed the presence of ASTV. These findings challenge the previous assumption that each hantavirus species is limited to a single host species.
Article
Virology
Liudmila N. Yashina, Victor V. Panov, Sergey A. Abramov, Natalia A. Smetannikova, Ekaterina M. Luchnikova, Tamara A. Dupal, Anton V. Krivopalov, Satoru Arai, Richard Yanagihara
Summary: This report describes a novel hantavirus, ACDV, harbored by the Siberian mole, which shares a common evolutionary origin with Bruges virus found in the European mole, and is distantly related to other mole-borne hantaviruses. Co-evolution and local adaptation of genetic variants of hantaviruses and their hosts, with possible reassortment events, may have shaped the evolutionary history of ACDV.
Article
Ecology
Nathaniel Mull, Colin J. Carlson, Kristian M. Forbes, Daniel J. Becker
Summary: Identifying reservoir host species is crucial for understanding the ecology of multi-host pathogens and predicting risks of pathogen spillover. This study compares models trained on different types of evidence for infection and onward transmission to identify likely zoonotic reservoirs. The results show that rodent phylogeny influences RT-PCR data, and models using virus isolation data provide narrower predictions of reservoirs. The model predictions provide a priority list for future sampling and demonstrate the value of multiple data types for predicting zoonotic pathogen hosts.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Virology
Samuel M. Goodfellow, Robert A. Nofchissey, Chunyan Ye, Jonathan L. Dunnum, Joseph A. Cook, Steven B. Bradfute
Summary: Orthohantaviruses, a type of negative-stranded RNA viruses, can cause severe diseases in humans. This study developed a rapid detection method for orthohantaviruses and identified previously unreported host reservoirs in wild-caught rodents.
Article
Virology
Marcilio Jorge Fumagalli, Carlos Fabiano Capato, Luiza Antunes de Castro-Jorge, William Marciel de Souza, Eurico Arruda, Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo
Summary: This study found differences in the stability of different viruses under various conditions, such as reduced thermal stability of coxsackievirus B5 at 45 degrees Celsius and residual infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 at 55 degrees Celsius; UV light exposure was an efficient means of viral inactivation, but less effective for non-enveloped viruses; rhinovirus A16 and respiratory syncytial virus showed extreme sensitivity to acid conditions.
ARCHIVES OF VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Virology
Marcilio Jorge Fumagalli, Luiza Antunes Castro-Jorge, William Marciel de Souza, Patrick Orestes de Azevedo, Alana Witt Hansen, Ricardo Tostes Gazzinelli, Benedito Antonio Lopes da Fonseca, Fernando Rosado Spilki, Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo
Summary: The emergence of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 has raised concerns about vaccine effectiveness. However, this study found that the Delta variant is still neutralized effectively by antibodies produced from CoronaVac or ChAdOx1 vaccination, indicating the importance of vaccination even for individuals previously infected by the Gamma variant.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrea Brizzi, Charles Whittaker, Luciana M. S. Servo, Iwona Hawryluk, Carlos A. Prete Jr, William M. de Souza, Renato S. Aguiar, Leonardo J. T. Araujo, Leonardo S. Bastos, Alexandra Blenkinsop, Lewis F. Buss, Darlan Candido, Marcia C. Castro, Silvia F. Costa, Julio Croda, Andreza Aruska de Souza Santos, Christopher Dye, Seth Flaxman, Paula L. C. Fonseca, Victor E. V. Geddes, Bernardo Gutierrez, Philippe Lemey, Anna S. Levin, Thomas Mellan, Diego M. Bonfim, Xenia Miscouridou, Swapnil Mishra, Melodie Monod, Filipe R. R. Moreira, Bruce Nelson, Rafael H. M. Pereira, Otavio Ranzani, Ricardo P. Schnekenberg, Elizaveta Semenova, Raphael Sonnabend, Renan P. Souza, Xiaoyue Xi, Ester C. Sabino, Nuno R. Faria, Samir Bhatt, Oliver Ratmann
Summary: Analysis of individual-level patient records from Brazil reveals that COVID-19 mortality rates are significantly influenced by pre-pandemic geographic inequities and healthcare capacity during the pandemic. The study also documents the temporary shocks in hospital fatality rates following the spread of the Gamma variant in 14 state capitals, where more than half of hospitalized patients aged 70 years and older died. The fluctuations in Brazil's COVID-19 in-hospital fatality rates were primarily associated with geographic inequities and shortages in healthcare capacity. Approximately half of the COVID-19 deaths in hospitals in the 14 cities could have been avoided without pre-pandemic geographic inequities and healthcare pressure. Investments in healthcare resources, healthcare optimization, and pandemic preparedness are critical to minimize the impact of highly transmissible and deadly pathogens like SARS-CoV-2, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Scott E. Guimond, Courtney J. Mycroft-West, Neha S. Gandhi, Julia A. Tree, Thuy T. Le, C. Mirella Spalluto, Maria Humbert, Karen R. Buttigieg, Naomi Coombes, Michael J. Elmore, Matthew Wand, Kristina Nystrom, Joanna Said, Yin Xiang Setoh, Alberto A. Amarilla, Naphak Modhiran, Julian D. J. Sng, Mohit Chhabra, Paul R. Young, Daniel J. Rawle, Marcelo A. Lima, Edwin A. Yates, Richard Karlsson, Rebecca L. Miller, Yen-Hsi Chen, Ieva Bagdonaite, Zhang Yang, James Stewart, Dung Nguyen, Stephen Laidlaw, Edward Hammond, Keith Dredge, Tom M. A. Wilkinson, Daniel Watterson, Alexander A. Khromykh, Andreas Suhrbier, Miles W. Carroll, Edward Trybala, Tomas Bergstrom, Vito Ferro, Mark A. Skidmore, Jeremy E. Turnbull
Summary: This study found that the synthetic HS mimetic pixatimod can interact with the receptor binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and directly inhibit its binding to ACE2. The results show that pixatimod can effectively inhibit the infection of multiple clinical isolates of SARS-CoV-2 virus and has broad potency against various variants. In a mouse model, pixatimod also reduces viral titers and weight loss. This study provides strong evidence for the potential use of synthetic HS mimetics as a therapeutic approach for COVID-19.
ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ahmed O. Shalash, Armira Azuar, Harrison Y. R. Madge, Naphak Modhiran, Alberto A. Amarilla, Benjamin Liang, Alexander A. Khromykh, Waleed M. Hussein, Keith J. Chappell, Daniel Watterson, Paul R. Young, Mariusz Skwarczynski, Istvan Toth
Summary: The SARS-CoV-2 virus has caused a global crisis with billions of infections and millions of deaths. Current DNA and mRNA vaccines have shown decreased efficacy over time, especially the Pfizer BNT162 vaccine. Variant strains have further reduced vaccine effectiveness. Peptide vaccines offer an alternative solution with greater stability and flexibility to target emerging strains.
Article
Immunology
Christopher L. D. McMillan, Armira Azuar, Jovin J. Y. Choo, Naphak Modhiran, Alberto A. Amarilla, Ariel Isaacs, Kate E. Honeyman, Stacey T. M. Cheung, Benjamin Liang, Maria J. Wurm, Paco Pino, Joeri Kint, Germain J. P. Fernando, Michael J. Landsberg, Alexander A. Khromykh, Jody Hobson-Peters, Daniel Watterson, Paul R. Young, David A. Muller
Summary: The study investigated a novel vaccination strategy using a modified HexaPro S protein subunit vaccine, which generated potent antibody responses capable of neutralizing various SARS-CoV-2 variants in mice. The results demonstrated the potential of this alternative vaccination approach to mitigate the impact of emerging viral variants.
Article
Immunology
Camille F. de Oliveira, Walter F. F. Neto, Carla P. da Silva, Ana Claudia S. Ribeiro, Livia C. Martins, Alana W. de Sousa, Maria N. O. Freitas, Jannifer O. Chiang, Franko A. Silva, Eder B. dos Santos, Daniele B. A. Medeiros, Gleiciane S. Pinheiro, Gleiciane F. Brandao, Valeria L. Carvalho, Raimunda S. S. Azevedo, Pedro F. C. Vasconcelos, Igor B. Costa, Iran B. Costa, Mirleide C. dos Santos, Luana S. Soares, Rayssa L. S. Bedran, James L. Ferreira, Alberto A. Amarilla, Naphak Modhiran, Christopher L. D. McMillan, Morgan E. Freney, David A. Muller, Daniel Watterson, Livia M. N. Casseb, Daniele F. Henriques
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic is a major health threat globally, and monitoring the antibody responses to the Sinovac vaccine and SARS-CoV-2 infection has shown that receiving the vaccine after infection can lead to higher and longer-lasting responses, highlighting the need for booster doses of Sinovac to prevent severe disease.
Article
Virology
Mario Luis Garcia de Figueiredo, Evan P. Williams, Colleen B. Jonsson, Mohd Jaseem Khan, Marcio Roberto Teixeira Nunes, Clayton Pereira Silva de Lima, Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo, Monica Regina Farias Costa, Maria Paula Gomes Mourao, Marcus Vinicius Guimaraes Lacerda, Victor Hugo Aquino
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential for viral infections in patients with suspected malaria but without Plasmodium infection in the Brazilian Amazon. The results showed that arboviruses are not the most frequent viral infections in these patients.
ARCHIVES OF VIROLOGY
(2022)
Correction
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrea Brizzi, Charles Whittaker, Luciana M. S. Servo, Iwona Hawryluk, Carlos A. Prete, William M. de Souza, Renato S. Aguiar, Leonardo J. T. Araujo, Leonardo S. Bastos, Alexandra Blenkinsop, Lewis F. Buss, Darlan Candido, Marcia C. Castro, Silvia F. Costa, Julio Croda, Andreza Aruska de Souza Santos, Christopher Dye, Seth Flaxman, Paula L. C. Fonseca, Victor E. V. Geddes, Bernardo Gutierrez, Philippe Lemey, Anna S. Levin, Thomas Mellan, Diego M. Bonfim, Xenia Miscouridou, Swapnil Mishra, Melodie Monod, Filipe R. R. Moreira, Bruce Nelson, Rafael H. M. Pereira, Otavio Ranzani, Ricardo P. Schnekenberg, Elizaveta Semenova, Raphael Sonabend, Renan P. Souza, Xiaoyue Xi, Ester C. Sabino, Nuno R. Faria, Samir Bhatt, Oliver Ratmann
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ana Catharina Nastri, Amaro Nunes Duarte-Neto, Luciana Vilas Boas Casadio, William Marciel de Souza, Ingra M. Claro, Erika R. Manuli, Gloria Selegatto, Matias C. Saloma, Gabriel Fialkovitz, Mariane Taborda, Bianca Leal de Almeida, Marcello C. Magri, Ana Rubia Guedes, Laura Vieira Perdigao Neto, Fatima Mitie Sataki, Thais Guimaraes, Maria Cassia Mendes-Correa, Tania R. Tozetto-Mendoza, Marcilio Jorge Fumagalli, Yeh-Li Ho, Camila ALves Maia da Silva, Thais M. Coletti, Jacqueline Goes de Jesus, Camila M. Romano, Sarah C. Hill, Oliver Pybus, Joao Renato Rebello Pinho, Felipe Lourenco Ledesma, Yuri R. Casal, Cristina Kanamura, Leonardo Jose Tadeu de Araujo, Camila Santos da Silva Ferreira, Juliana Mariotti Guerra, Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo, Marisa Dolhnikoff, Nuno R. Faria, Ester C. Sabino, Venacio Avancini, Ferreira Alves, Anna S. Levin
Summary: This study reports two cases of Brazilian Sabi virus infection diagnosed using metagenomics. The patients presented with hepatitis, bleeding, and neurological alterations, leading to death. No nosocomial transmission was found in the contact tracing.
TRAVEL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eduardo A. Albornoz, Alberto A. Amarilla, Naphak Modhiran, Sandra Parker, Xaria X. Li, Danushka K. Wijesundara, Julio Aguado, Adriana Pliego Zamora, Christopher L. D. McMillan, Benjamin Liang, Nias Y. G. Peng, Julian D. J. Sng, Fatema Tuj Saima, Jenny N. Fung, John D. Lee, Devina Paramitha, Rhys Parry, Michael S. Avumegah, Ariel Isaacs, Martin W. Lo, Zaray Miranda-Chacon, Daniella Bradshaw, Constanza Salinas-Rebolledo, Niwanthi W. Rajapakse, Ernst J. Wolvetang, Trent P. Munro, Alejandro Rojas-Fernandez, Paul R. Young, Katryn J. Stacey, Alexander A. Khromykh, Keith J. Chappell, Daniel Watterson, Trent M. Woodruff
Summary: COVID-19 infection may lead to neurological symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease. The study found that SARS-CoV-2 and spike protein can directly activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in microglial cells, which may contribute to the development of neuroinflammation.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Paula Andrade, Ighor Arantes, Amilcar Tanuri, Gonzalo Bello, Tiago Graf
Summary: Studying the transmission networks of HIV-1 using genetic data can provide valuable insights into the dynamics of transmission. In Brazil, where HIV transmission has been stable, analyzing transmission clusters has helped understand the drivers of virus spread. This study analyzed a nationwide database of HIV-1 sequences and found that young men and individuals with more education were more likely to cluster together. Similar demographic features also contributed to clustering, particularly place of residence and age. Furthermore, assortativity weakened as the genetic distance threshold increased.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrii Slonchak, Xiaohui Wang, Julio Aguado, Julian D. J. Sng, Harman Chaggar, Morgan E. Freney, Kexin Yan, Francisco J. Torres, Alberto A. Amarilla, Rickyle Balea, Yin Xiang Setoh, Nias Peng, Daniel Watterson, Ernst Wolvetang, Andreas Suhrbier, Alexander A. Khromykh
Summary: sfRNA plays an important role in the transmission of Zika virus, facilitating the virus to pass through the placenta and infect the fetal brain. It also induces apoptosis of neural progenitor cells in human brain organoids. In infected human placental cells, sfRNA inhibits multiple antiviral pathways and promotes apoptosis, with STAT1 identified as a key factor. Phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of STAT1 are reduced due to sfRNA binding to and stabilizing viral protein NS5.
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Marcel Alied, Patricia Takako Endo, Victor Hugo Aquino, Venkata Vasavi Vadduri, Nguyen Tien Huy
BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Victor Hugo Aquino, Marcilio J. Fumagalli, Angelica Silva, Bento Vidal de Moura Negrini, Alejandra Rojas, Yvalena Guillen, Cynthia Bernal, Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo
Summary: This study identified epitopes recognized by serum samples from dengue and Zika patients on the proteins of DENV and ZIKV. Epitope hotspots were found with high recognition rates, and the serum samples from dengue and Zika patients showed cross-reactivity with peptides in the DENV and ZIKV proteins. These hotspots may have greater potential for diagnostic tests and vaccine development.
