Article
Immunology
Francesca Ferrara, Joanne Marie M. Del Rosario, Kelly A. S. da Costa, Rebecca Kinsley, Simon Scott, Sasan Fereidouni, Craig Thompson, Paul Kellam, Sarah Gilbert, George Carnell, Nigel Temperton
Summary: Traditional methods to assess influenza vaccine immunogenicity have limitations, leading researchers to develop innovative approaches using pseudotypes to study antibody responses. These pseudotypes show promise as effective tools in influenza research.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Diego Cantoni, Martin Mayora-Neto, Mariliza Derveni, Kelly Da Costa, Joanne Del Rosario, Veronica O. Ameh, Claude T. Sabeta, Bethany Auld, Arran Hamlet, Ian M. Jones, Edward Wright, Simon D. Scott, Efstathios S. Giotis, Ashley C. Banyard, Nigel Temperton
Summary: This study conducted a serological survey of E. helvum fruit bats captured in Makurdi, Nigeria, and found neutralizing antibodies against known pathogenic viruses in these bats. These findings suggest a potential risk of zoonotic spillover from E. helvum fruit bats.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stephanie L. Foster, Courtney Woolsey, Viktoriya Borisevich, Krystle N. Agans, Abhishek N. Prasad, Daniel J. Deer, Joan B. Geisbert, Natalie S. Dobias, Karla A. Fenton, Robert W. Cross, Thomas W. Geisbert
Summary: Nipah virus is an emerging highly lethal zoonotic disease that can be transmitted via respiratory droplets. A study has shown that a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus-based vaccine can rapidly protect monkeys from lethal Nipah virus infection.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Wenjun Zhu, Bradley Pickering, Greg Smith, Mathieu Pinette, Thang Truong, Shawn Babiuk, Darwyn Kobasa, Logan Banadyga, Ming Yang
Summary: A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) using a monoclonal antibody (mAb) and recombinant NiV glycoprotein (G) was developed and evaluated for the detection of Nipah virus and Hendra virus. The cELISA showed comparable or better results than the commonly used plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT), making it a suitable screening test for these viruses.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Virology
Erik M. Contreras, Gunner P. Johnston, David W. Buchholz, Victoria Ortega, I. Abrrey Monreal, J. Lizbeth R. Zamora, Tracy Cheung, Hector C. Aguilar
Summary: Cholesterol is involved in various stages of the viral life cycle for enveloped viruses. Nipah virus (NiV) is a highly pathogenic enveloped virus in the Henipavirus genus within the Paramyxoviridae family, and cholesterol levels influence both cell-cell membrane fusion during syncytium formation and virus-cell membrane fusion during viral entry. The levels of cholesterol impact early and late steps during the membrane fusion cascade in NiV, expanding our understanding of viral entry and cell-cell fusion processes.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Lydia Riepler, Annika Roessler, Albert Falch, Andre Volland, Wegene Borena, Dorothee von Laer, Janine Kimpel
Summary: Neutralizing antibodies are crucial for protection against viruses like SARS-CoV-2. This study compared four different assays for detecting these antibodies and found that they were all robust and yielded comparable results, indicating their reliability.
Article
Immunology
Joanne Marie M. Del Rosario, Kelly A. S. da Costa, Benedikt Asbach, Francesca Ferrara, Matteo Ferrari, David A. Wells, Gurdip Singh Mann, Veronica O. Ameh, Claude T. Sabeta, Ashley C. Banyard, Rebecca Kinsley, Simon D. Scott, Ralf Wagner, Jonathan L. Heeney, George W. Carnell, Nigel J. Temperton
Summary: A library of influenza hemagglutinin (HA) pseudotypes was developed for use in influenza neutralization assays, demonstrating high sensitivity and specificity for detecting virus-specific neutralizing antibodies and assessing antibody functionality. These HA pseudotypes can serve as substitutes for wildtype viruses in experiments and are valuable for evaluating cross-subtype immune responses elicited by vaccines.
Article
Virology
Moushimi Amaya, Randy Yin, Lianying Yan, Viktoriya Borisevich, Bishwo N. Adhikari, Andrew Bennett, Francisco Malagon, Regina Z. Cer, Kimberly A. Bishop-Lilly, Antony S. Dimitrov, Robert W. Cross, Thomas W. Geisbert, Christopher C. Broder
Summary: Using a recombinant Cedar virus (rCedV) reverse genetics platform, chimeric viruses (rCedV-NiV-B and rCedV-HeV) were generated with the fusion (F) and attachment (G) glycoprotein genes of Nipah virus (NiV-Bangladesh) or Hendra virus in place of those of rCedV. These chimeras induced an interferon response and utilized specific entry receptors compared to rCedV. Neutralization tests with monoclonal antibodies showed a high correlation between the chimeras and authentic NiV-B and HeV. A high-throughput fluorescence reduction neutralization test (FRNT) using the chimeras was established and showed highly correlated results with plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNT). The FRNT assay also measured serum neutralization titers from henipavirus G glycoprotein immunized animals. These rCedV chimeras provide a rapid and cost-effective henipavirus-based surrogate neutralization assay.
Editorial Material
Immunology
Shania Sanchez, Hinh Ly
Summary: A new virus called Langya henipavirus (LayV) has been found in Shandong and Henan provinces, China, infecting 35 people from April 2018 to August 2021. It is closely related to other known henipaviruses (Nipah and Hendra viruses) that can result in up to 70% human fatality. Although LayV has not been proven fatal in humans or transmitted human-to-human, it is an RNA virus that can genetically evolve in infected hosts (e.g. shrews) and infect humans (e.g. farmers in close contact with shrews), making it important to remain vigilant about this new viral outbreak.
Article
Microbiology
Stephen R. Welch, Jessica R. Spengler, Jessica R. Harmon, Joann D. Coleman-McCray, Florine E. M. Scholte, Sarah C. Genzer, Michael K. Lo, Joel M. Montgomery, Stuart T. Nichol, Christina F. Spiropoulou
Summary: This study demonstrates that treatment with virus-like particles containing defective interfering particles (DIs) can significantly improve the clinical course and outcome of viral disease, supporting the development of this approach for treating high-consequence viral pathogens.
Article
Virology
Camilla M. Donnelly, Olivia A. Vogel, Megan R. Edwards, Paige E. Taylor, Justin A. Roby, Jade K. Forwood, Christopher F. Basler
Summary: Nipah and Hendra viruses are highly pathogenic viruses that cause severe respiratory disease and encephalitis. This study investigates the interaction between viral proteins and cellular structures to gain a better understanding of viral transmission and develop potential therapeutics.
Article
Immunology
Fan Zhou, Lena Hansen, Gabriel Pedersen, Gunnveig Grodeland, Rebecca Cox
Summary: Our study demonstrates that the Matrix M adjuvanted virosomal H5N1 vaccine can induce rapid and robust broadly cross-neutralizing antibody responses, providing comprehensive protection. The adjuvanted vaccines also induce multifaceted antibody responses, including hemagglutinin stalk domain specific, neuraminidase inhibiting, and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity inducing antibodies.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Curtis Cline, Todd M. Bell, Paul Facemire, Xiankun Zeng, Thomas Briese, W. Ian Lipkin, Joshua D. Shamblin, Heather L. Esham, Ginger C. Donnelly, Joshua C. Johnson, Lisa E. Hensley, Anna N. Honko, Sara C. Johnston
Summary: Diseases caused by Nipah virus infection have severe symptoms related to both respiratory and neurological conditions, and can also lead to delayed neurological sequelae. Through experiments on four African green monkeys exposed to the Malaysian strain of Nipah virus, we provide detailed information about organ-specific pathological findings, confirming the African green monkey as a reliable model for studying human Nipah virus disease. Additionally, we discover a chronic phase of the disease in this model, which may be crucial for studying the late onset and relapse encephalitis observed in human disease.
Review
Microbiology
Hongzhao Li, Ji-Young V. Kim, Bradley S. Pickering
Summary: This article provides a concise update on the epidemiology of Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV), two zoonotic pathogens that cause severe neurological and respiratory diseases. It discusses the natural reservoir hosts of these viruses, transmission pathways, and the role of intermediate hosts in disease spread.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Blair L. DeBuysscher, Dana P. Scott, Rebecca Rosenke, Victoria Wahl, Heinz Feldmann, Joseph Prescott
Summary: Nipah virus is a highly pathogenic zoonotic virus that primarily targets vascular endothelial cells, leading to cytopathic effects and vasculitis. Smooth muscle cells may also play an important role in disease development by producing progeny virus without experiencing cytopathogenic consequences.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Glenn A. Marsh, Alexander J. McAuley, Sheree Brown, Elizabeth A. Pharo, Sandra Crameri, Gough G. Au, Michelle L. Baker, Jennifer A. Barr, Jemma Bergfeld, Matthew P. Bruce, Kathie Burkett, Peter A. Durr, Clare Holmes, Leonard Izzard, Rachel Layton, Suzanne Lowther, Matthew J. Neave, Timothy Poole, Sarah-Jane Riddell, Brenton Rowe, Elisha Soldani, Vittoria Stevens, Willy W. Suen, Vinod Sundaramoorthy, Mary Tachedjian, Shawn Todd, Lee Trinidad, Sinead M. Williams, Julian D. Druce, Trevor W. Drew, Seshadri S. Vasan
Summary: Researchers made efforts early in the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak to propagate and characterize an Australian isolate of the virus in vitro and in an ex vivo model of human airway epithelium, as well as to demonstrate the susceptibility of domestic ferrets to SARS-CoV-2 infection following intranasal challenge.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Suwanna Chaorattanakawee, Rachel N. Wofford, Ratree Takhampunya, B. Katherine Poole-Smith, Bazartseren Boldbaatar, Sukhbaatar Lkhagvatseren, Doniddemberel Altantogtokh, Elisha Musih, Pagbajab Nymadawa, Silas Davidson, Jeffrey Hertz, Jodi Fiorenzano, Gregory C. Gray, Michael E. von Fricken
Summary: The study examined the prevalence of tick-borne bacterial infections in livestock from three provinces in Mongolia, with Anaplasma, Bartonella, and Ehrlichia showing prevalence rates of 57.6%, 12.8%, and 0.4% respectively. Anaplasma spp. had a significantly higher prevalence in Selenge and To center dot v provinces compared to Dornogovi. Further research is needed to understand the burden of tick-borne diseases in both livestock and pastoral herder populations in Mongolia.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gough G. Au, Glenn A. Marsh, Alexander J. McAuley, Suzanne Lowther, Lee Trinidad, Sarah Edwards, Shawn Todd, Jennifer Barr, Matthew P. Bruce, Timothy B. Poole, Sheree Brown, Rachel Layton, Sarah Riddell, Brenton Rowe, Elisha Soldani, Willy W. Suen, Jemma Bergfeld, John Bingham, Jean Payne, Peter A. Durr, Trevor W. Drew, Seshadri S. Vasan
Summary: This study investigated the infection of SARS-CoV-2 in ferrets and found that the virus replicated in the upper respiratory tract with consistent shedding in nasal wash and oral swab samples. Infectious SARS-CoV-2 was detected in various tissues within 3-7 days post-challenge, but only viral RNA was found in the trachea, lung, and parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Immunohistochemical staining showed viral antigen exclusively in nasal epithelium and draining lymph nodes. The ferret model used in this study is suitable for studying asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections and is most appropriate for vaccine efficacy studies.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Anne Balkema-Buschmann, Kerstin Fischer, Leanne McNabb, Sandra Diederich, Nagendrakumar Balasubramanian Singanallur, Ute Ziegler, Gunther M. Keil, Peter D. Kirkland, Maren Penning, Balal Sadeghi, Glenn Marsh, Jennifer Barr, Axel Colling
Summary: An indirect ELISA method was developed in this study for identification of Hendra virus infected horses and detection of antibody in vaccinated horses, showing reliable and high specificity and sensitivity. The method demonstrated good correlation in testing horse serum samples from different geographical regions.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jennifer Barr, Victoria Boyd, Shawn Todd, Ina Smith, Diana Prada, Mark O'Dea, Bethany Jackson, Lesley Pearce, Timothy E. Adams, Eric Vanderduys, David Westcott, Adam McKeown, Michelle L. Baker, Glenn A. Marsh
Summary: The study identified potentially Ebola virus-related antibodies in Australian bats, suggesting that novel Ebola viruses may be circulating in Australian bat species.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Virology
Joshua A. Hayward, Mary Tachedjian, Adam Johnson, Aaron T. Irving, Tamsin B. Gordon, Jie Cui, Alexis Nicolas, Ina Smith, Victoria Boyd, Glenn A. Marsh, Michelle L. Baker, Lin-Fa Wang, Gilda Tachedjian
Summary: Bats are important hosts of deadly viruses to humans and other mammals, and this study examines the unique features of their immune system to gain insights into how they tolerate viral infections, potentially informing new antiviral strategies. The study focuses on tetherin, a protein that restricts the release of viruses from host cells. Analysis of tetherin genes from 27 bat species reveals strong evolutionary pressure and shows that some bat species possess more tetherin genes, encoding structurally unique tetherins with activity against different viral particles. These findings suggest that bat tetherin plays a potentially broad and important role in managing viral infections in bats.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Andrew Young, Ariel Isaacs, Connor A. P. Scott, Naphak Modhiran, Christopher L. D. McMillan, Stacey T. M. Cheung, Jennifer Barr, Glenn Marsh, Nazia Thakur, Dalan Bailey, Kenneth S. M. Li, Hayes K. H. Luk, Kin-Hang Kok, Susanna K. P. Lau, Patrick C. Y. Woo, Wakako Furuyama, Andrea Marzi, Paul R. Young, Keith J. Chappell, Daniel Watterson
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of vaccine platform technologies in combating emerging infectious diseases. In this study, the molecular clamp, a subunit vaccine platform technology, was used to develop vaccines for four different viruses. The results showed that the vaccines were stable and induced a neutralizing immune response. Animal studies also demonstrated that the vaccines provided protection against viral challenge.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Avinash Karpe, Thao Nguyen, Rohan M. Shah, Gough G. Au, Alexander J. McAuley, Glenn A. Marsh, Sarah Riddell, Seshadri S. Vasan, David J. Beale
Summary: The global threat of COVID-19 has led to an increased use of metabolomics to study SARS-CoV-2 infections in animals and humans. In this study, metabolic responses to a SAS-CoV-2 challenge experiment were studied in nasal washes collected from an asymptomatic ferret model. Several statistically significant features were identified, including altered metabolites and influenced pathways. These findings provide insights into the progression of SARS-CoV-2 infection at the metabolic level.
Article
Microbiology
Nina M. Pollak, Malin Olsson, Glenn A. Marsh, Joanne Macdonald, David McMillan
Summary: Accurate and rapid diagnosis of Nipah virus is crucial for disease control. This study developed three rapid molecular diagnostic tests based on recombinase-based isothermal amplification and lateral flow detection. These tests have high sensitivity, do not cross-react with other viruses, and can be performed safely without the need for complex RNA purification. They are well suited for rapid diagnosis under resource-limited conditions.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Enkhbaatar Batmagnai, Bazartseren Boldbaatar, Amarbayasgalan Sodbayasgalan, Yuko Kato-Mori, Katsuro Hagiwara
Summary: A study in Mongolia found that Hepatitis E virus genotype 4 was detected in sheep, similar to the virus found in pigs. This suggests that the practice of feeding pigs with raw sheep organs may contribute to the spread of the virus, highlighting the need for urgent measures to prevent infection.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Graham A. Matulis, Jira Sakolvaree, Bazartseren Boldbaatar, Nora Cleary, Ratree Takhampunya, B. Katherine Poole-Smith, Abigail A. Lilak, Doniddemberel Altantogtokh, Nyamdorj Tsogbadrakh, Nitima Chanarat, Nittayaphon Youngdech, Erica J. Lindroth, Jodi M. Fiorenzano, Andrew G. Letizia, Michael E. von Fricken
Summary: Ticks and tick-borne diseases pose significant threats to public health in Mongolia, especially for those living a nomadic pastoralist lifestyle. In this study, ticks were collected from livestock and analyzed using next-generation sequencing to identify the microbial species present. The majority of ticks were found to carry Rickettsia spp., Coxiella spp., Francisella spp., and Borrelia spp. These findings highlight the importance of NGS in providing baseline data for tick-borne pathogens and informing public health policies and mitigation strategies.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wan Ni Chia, Chee Wah Tan, Aaron Wai Kit Tan, Barnaby Young, Tyler N. Starr, Ester Lopez, Guntur Fibriansah, Jennifer Barr, Samuel Cheng, Aileen Ying-Yan Yeoh, Wee Chee Yap, Beng Lee Lim, Thiam-Seng Ng, Wan Rong Sia, Feng Zhu, Shiwei Chen, Jinyan Zhang, Madeline Sheng Si Kwek, Allison J. Greaney, Mark Chen, Gough G. Au, Prasad N. Paradkar, Malik Peiris, Amy W. Chung, Jesse D. Bloom, David Lye, Sheemei Lok, Lin-Fa Wang
Summary: This article reports the isolation and characterization of highly potent monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the receptor binding domain (RBD) of huACE2-dependent sarbecoviruses from a SARS-CoV survivor vaccinated with BNT162b2. Among the six mAbs identified, one (E7) showed superior neutralizing potency and breadth against huACE2-dependent sarbecoviruses compared to any other mAbs reported to date. Mutagenesis and cryo-electron microscopy studies revealed a unique RBD contact footprint for these mAbs, with E7 binding to a quaternary structure-dependent epitope.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Atif Khurshid Wani, Chirag Chopra, Daljeet Singh Dhanjal, Nahid Akhtar, Himanshu Singh, Poorvi Bhau, Anjuvan Singh, Varun Sharma, Rafael Silvio Bonilha Pinheiro, Juliana Heloisa Pine Americo-Pinheiro, Reena Singh
Summary: Zoonotic viral infections pose significant threats to global public health. Understanding the origins and dynamics of these infections is crucial for prevention and management of future outbreaks. Metagenomics is a powerful tool for studying the diversity of viral populations and potential zoonotic events.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGICAL METHODS
(2024)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Michel V. F. Sucupira, Ana P. C. Argondizzo, Mariana Miguez, Anna E. de Araujo, Leila B. R. Silva, Marcelle B. Mello, Christiane F. S. Marques, Danielle Brito Cunha, Renata C. Bastos, Vanessa S. de Paula, Luciane A. Amado Leon
Summary: This study focuses on improving the purification, solubility, and protein expression levels of recombinant VP1-2A, a hepatitis A virus (HAV) structural protein with immunogenic activity. The results show that the modified approach successfully produces biologically active HAV VP1-2A, which can be used as a diagnostic tool for HAV infection.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGICAL METHODS
(2024)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Arun K. Dhar, Roberto Cruz-Flores, Hung N. Mai, Janet Warg
Summary: A sensitive and robust TaqMan PCR method for detecting IHHNV in three commercially important shrimp species was developed and compared with other published methods. Multiple primer/probe sets, including qIH-Fw/qIH-Rv and 3144F/3232R, are recommended for the detection of IHHNV. These findings are valuable for large-scale screening of shrimp using a TaqMan real-time PCR assay.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGICAL METHODS
(2024)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Kemal Mehinagic, Matthias Liniger, Maksym Samoilenko, Nick Soltermann, Markus Gerber, Nicolas Ruggli
Summary: A plasmid-based reporter assay has been developed for sensitive detection and titration of infectious African swine fever virus (ASFV). This novel method allows accurate measurement of ASFV titers and is applicable to ASFV of different genotypes, virulence, and sources.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGICAL METHODS
(2024)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Jan Van Slambrouck, Charlotte Schoenaers, Lies Laenen, Xin Jin, Kurt Beuselinck, Ann Verdonck, Joost Wauters, Geert Molenberghs, Bart M. Vanaudenaerde, Robin Vos, Peter Mombaerts, Katrien Lagrou, Laurens J. Ceulemans
Summary: The ability to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen in BAL fluid samples using point-of-care tests (POCTs) can reduce the risk of developing severe COVID-19 after lung transplantation.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGICAL METHODS
(2024)
