Article
Mathematics, Applied
Folashade Agusto, Daniel Bond, Adira Cohen, Wandi Ding, Rachel Leander, Allis Royer
Summary: We constructed an epidemic model for West Nile virus, considering the interaction between bird hosts, mosquito vectors, and the use of insecticides. We derived the basic reproduction number and formulated optimal control problems to balance the cost and benefit of vector and disease control. Numerical simulations were performed to study the impact of control strategies on the system.
Article
Microbiology
Erica Azevedo Costa, Marta Giovanetti, Lilian Silva Catenacci, Vagner Fonseca, Flavia Figueira Aburjaile, Flavia L. L. Chalhoub, Joilson Xavier, Felipe Campos de Melo Iani, Marcelo Adriano da Cunha e Silva Vieira, Danielle Freitas Henriques, Daniele Barbosa de Almeida Medeiros, Maria Isabel Maldonado Coelho Guedes, Beatriz Senra Alvares da Silva Santos, Aila Solimar Goncalves Silva, Renata de Pino Albuquerque Maranhao, Nieli Rodrigues da Costa Faria, Renata Farinelli de Siqueira, Tulio de Oliveira, Karina Ribeiro Leite Jardim Cavalcante, Noely Fabiana Oliveira de Moura, Alessandro Pecego Martins Romano, Carlos F. Campelo de Albuquerque, Lauro Cesar Soares Feitosa, Jose Joffre Martins Bayeux, Raffaella Bertoni Cavalcanti Teixeira, Osmaikon Lisboa Lobato, Silvokleio da Costa Silva, Ana Maria Bispo de Filippis, Rivaldo Venancio da Cunha, Jose Lourenco, Luiz Carlos Junior Alcantara
Summary: The study found new genetic evidence of WNV circulation in southern and northeastern states of Brazil, with a climate-informed theoretical perspective highlighting the potential transmission pathways. The scarcity of existing data on WNV in Brazil and the need for active surveillance to prepare for future epidemics with human spill-over potential were also emphasized.
Article
Immunology
Robert E. Snyder, Gail Sondermeyer Cooksey, Vicki Kramer, Seema Jain, Duc J. Vugia
Summary: WNV-associated hospitalizations in California were substantial and costly, with higher incidence in males, elderly persons, and patients with underlying conditions. WNV remains a costly and severe public health threat in California.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Talgat Nurmakhanov, Yerlan Sansyzbaev, Boris Atshabar, Vladimir Berlin, Damir Kobzhasarov, Olzhas Yeskhojayev, Anna Vilkova, Timur Ayazbayev, Alexey Andryuchshenko, Fyodor Bidashko, John Hay, Alexandr Shvetsov
Summary: The West Nile virus is prevalent in southern Russia and parts of Western Kazakhstan, with a small percentage of Culex modestus mosquitoes carrying the virus and around 5% of the local human population testing positive for West Nile virus IgG.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Edmilson F. De Oliveira-Filho, Carlo Fischer, Beatrice Sarah Berneck, Ianei O. Carneiro, Arne Kuehne, Angelica C. de Almeida Campos, Jorge R. L. Ribas, Eduardo Martins Netto, Carlos Roberto Franke, Sebastian Ulbert, Jan Felix Drexler
Summary: A study in northeastern Brazil found a West Nile virus seroprevalence of 4.5% among sampled equids from 2013-2018. Mathematical modeling confirmed higher seroprevalence near avian migratory routes and areas with forest loss, indicating increased risk for zoonotic infections in disturbed areas.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Umberto Molini, Giovanni Franzo, Hannah Nel, Siegfried Khaiseb, Charles Ntahonshikira, Bernard Chiwome, Ian Baines, Oscar Madzingira, Federica Monaco, Giovanni Savini, Nicola D'Alterio
Summary: The study revealed the exposure of WNV in Namibian donkeys, indicating its circulation throughout the country with regional differences, and the effectiveness of donkeys as sentinels for infection surveillance.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Patricia Mingo-Casas, Ana-Belen Blazquez, Marta Gomez de Cedron, Ana San-Felix, Susana Molina, Estela Escribano-Romero, Eva Calvo-Pinilla, Nereida Jimenez de Oya, Ana Ramirez de Molina, Juan-Carlos Saiz, Maria-Jesus Perez-Perez, Miguel A. Martin-Acebes
Summary: This study reveals that West Nile virus (WNV) infection leads to a misbalance of glucose homeostasis in the central nervous system, resulting in the upregulation of aerobic glycolysis and a reduction of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Transcriptomics analyses in infected mice indicate the upregulation of hexokinases 2 and 3 (Hk2 and Hk3), as well as pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (Pdk4), suggesting the importance of glycolysis in WNV infection. Inhibitors targeting glycolysis alleviate WNV-induced neuroinflammation, demonstrating the potential druggability of the glycolytic pathway for developing therapies against WNV pathology.
JOURNAL OF NEUROINFLAMMATION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joanna Pianka, Natalia Gruba, Adam Lesner
Summary: West Nile Virus (WNV), a member of the flavivirus group, can cause mild or severe forms of infection, with no known medications for prevention. The research aimed to develop specific tools to determine the activity of the WNV serine proteinase.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Duan Ni, Jian Tan, Paula Niewold, Alanna Gabrielle Spiteri, Gabriela Veronica Pinget, Dragana Stanley, Nicholas Jonathan Cole King, Laurence Macia
Summary: Although dietary fiber can promote healthy gut bacteria, it does not have a significant effect on WNV encephalitis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Virology
Rebecca Salgado, Seth A. Hawks, Francesca Frere, Ana Vazquez, Claire Y. -H. Huang, Nisha K. Duggal
Summary: The study showed that exposure to an attenuated form of WNV protects against severe USUV disease in mice, providing critical insight into immune mechanisms and potential vaccine development for both USUV and WNV.
Article
Immunology
Jose-Maria Garcia-Carrasco, Antonio-Roman Munoz, Jesus Olivero, Marina Segura, Raimundo Real
Summary: This study created a database of WNV presence in Africa and used biogeographic models to determine the drivers of its distribution. Wetlands and human-related factors were found to play important roles in the spread of WNV. Understanding high-risk areas can help manage the disease and comprehend its transmission through avian migration routes outside Africa.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Haiyan Sun, Dhiraj Acharya, Amber M. Paul, Huafang Lai, Junyun He, Fengwei Bai, Qiang Chen
Summary: Researchers have developed a plant-based vaccine candidate that provides protective immunity against lethal West Nile virus and minimizes the risk of infection by Zika and dengue viruses.
Article
Virology
Renee Zakhia, Alan P. Dupuis, Faycal Khodr, Mahdi Fadel, Laura D. Kramer, Nabil Haddad
Summary: Through serological screening and mosquito collection testing, evidence of local exposure of the Lebanese population to West Nile virus was found, along with the first report of equine WNV in the country.
Letter
Immunology
Gino Arcilla, Antoine Nguyen, Antonio Liu
Summary: We encountered a patient with HIV who showed rapid deterioration in mental status and was positive for both acute West Nile encephalitis and amphiphysin antibodies. After reviewing the literature, we found Dr. Moutsopoulos's paper from your journal highly interesting (Karagianni et al., 2019 [1]). Although autoimmune encephalitis following West Nile encephalitis is not uncommon, there are several intriguing aspects in our patient's case. Firstly, the coexistence of amphiphysin antibodies with West Nile encephalitis has not been reported before. Secondly, the monophasic clinical course suggests that autoimmune encephalitis triggered by or coexisting with West Nile encephalitis may be significantly underrecognized. Lastly, our patient was HIV positive but not severely immunocompromised, which may have contributed to the autoimmune status.
CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Eron G. Manusov, Amalia Mora Campuzano, Omar Ahmed, Samantha Macias, Carolina Gomez de Ziegler, Gerardo Munoz Monaco
Summary: West Nile virus infections have surged in South Texas, with varying clinical manifestations leading to diagnostic challenges. Additionally, pandemics like SARS-CoV-2 can overwhelm the healthcare system and result in medical decision bias errors.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Review
Virology
Emily A. Madden, Michael S. Diamond
Summary: This article discusses the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the mechanisms employed by the virus to interfere with this innate immune defense.
CURRENT OPINION IN VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Abby Sung, Adam L. Bailey, Henry B. Stewart, David McDonald, Meghan A. Wallace, Kate Peacock, Candace Miller, Kimberly A. Reske, Caroline A. O'Neil, Victoria J. Fraser, Michael S. Diamond, Carey-Ann D. Burnham, Hilary M. Babcock, Jennie H. Kwon
Summary: This study aimed to determine if SARS-CoV-2 virus can be recovered in viral cell culture from immunocompromised adults with persistently positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR tests. Two patients with hematologic malignancies treated with chemotherapy and B cell depleting therapy showed positive viral cell cultures. Further research is needed to identify risk factors for persistent viral shedding and methods to prevent transmission from immunocompromised hosts.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pavlo Gilchuk, Isaac Thomsen, Sandra Yoder, Eric Brady, James D. Chappell, Laura J. Stevens, Mark R. Denison, Rachel E. Sutton, Rita E. Chen, Laura A. VanBlargan, Naveenchandra Suryadevara, Seth J. Zost, Jonathan Schmitz, Jill M. Pulley, Michael S. Diamond, Jillian P. Rhoads, Gordon R. Bernard, Wesley H. Self, Todd W. Rice, Allison P. Wheeler, James E. Crowe, Robert H. Carnahan
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for rapid evaluation of neutralizing antibody responses and the development of antibody-based treatments. The currently approved serological tests do not measure antibody-mediated viral neutralization, and there is a need for standardized quantitative neutralization assays. This study presents a high-throughput two-step profiling approach for identifying neutralizing convalescent plasma. Additionally, the researchers introduce a neutralizing antibody standard reagent to calibrate antibody neutralizing activity in convalescent plasma.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chun-Liang Chen, Thomas Klose, Chengqun Sun, Arthur S. Kim, Geeta Buda, Michael G. Rossmann, Michael S. Diamond, William B. Klimstra, Richard J. Kuhn
Summary: In this study, the cryo-electron microscopy technique was used to investigate the structural changes of the eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) under acidic conditions. The findings suggest that E2 dissociates from E1 and undergoes a rotation, exposing E1 fusion loops. Stabilization of E2-B may be a potential strategy for the development of antiviral agents.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Jeffrey A. Tomalka, Mehul S. Suthar, Michael S. Diamond, Rafick P. Sekaly
Summary: Innate immunity is an essential defense mechanism in cells, originating from bacteria and playing key roles in pathogen defense and immune response activation. Recent studies have shown that individual exposure histories, such as prior infections, vaccinations, and microbial metabolites, can modulate innate immunity and affect its effectiveness. Understanding how environmental factors regulate innate immune responses is crucial for pandemic preparedness.
TRENDS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Alexandra Schafer, Sarah R. Leist, Lisa E. Gralinski, David R. Martinez, Emma S. Winkler, Kenichi Okuda, Padraig E. Hawkins, Kendra L. Gully, Rachel L. Graham, D. Trevor Scobey, Timothy A. Bell, Pablo Hock, Ginger D. Shaw, Jennifer F. Loome, Emily A. Madden, Elizabeth Anderson, Victoria K. Baxter, Sharon A. Taft-Benz, Mark R. Zweigart, Samantha R. May, Stephanie Dong, Matthew Clark, Darla R. Miller, Rachel M. Lynch, Mark T. Heise, Roland Tisch, Richard C. Boucher, Fernando Pardo Manuel de Villena, Stephanie A. Montgomery, Michael S. Diamond, Martin T. Ferris, Ralph S. Baric
Summary: Host genetic variation plays an important role in predicting disease outcomes following coronavirus infection. Using a mouse model, researchers identified several genetic loci that control different disease outcomes in the context of SARS-CoV infection. They also found a conserved locus on mouse chromosome 9 that shares homology with a human GWAS locus for severe SARS-CoV-2 disease. Two candidate genes, CCR9 and CXCR6, were identified as key regulators of disease severity in multiple coronavirus infections across species.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Suzanne M. Scheaffer, Diana Lee, Bradley Whitener, Baoling Ying, Kai Wu, Chieh-Yu Liang, Hardik Jani, Philippa Martin, Nicholas J. Amato, Laura E. Avena, Daniela Montes Berrueta, Stephen D. Schmidt, Sijy O'Dell, Arshan Nasir, Gwo-Yu Chuang, Guillaume Stewart-Jones, Richard A. Koup, Nicole A. Doria-Rose, Andrea Carfi, Sayda M. Elbashir, Larissa B. Thackray, Darin K. Edwards, Michael S. Diamond
Summary: Bivalent vaccines induce broad immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, offering a customizable approach to protect against COVID-19 as new strains emerge.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vikas Chonira, Young D. Kwon, Jason Gorman, James Brett Case, Zhiqiang Ke, Rudo Simeon, Ryan G. Cosner, Darcy R. Harris, Adam S. Olia, Tyler Stephens, Lawrence Shapiro, Michael F. Bender, Hannah Boyd, I-Ting Teng, Yaroslav Tsybovsky, Florian Krammer, Ningyan Zhang, Michael S. Diamond, Peter D. Kwong, Zhiqiang An, Zhilei Chen
Summary: We report the engineering and selection of two synthetic proteins, FSR16m and FSR22, for the potential treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. These proteins exhibit broad-spectrum neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 strains and show promising results in mice, reducing viral burden and weight loss.
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Arthur S. Kim, Michael S. Diamond
Summary: This Review provides an overview of the global epidemics caused by arthropod-transmitted RNA viruses known as alphaviruses. It highlights the host factors required for alphavirus entry, the mechanisms by which protective antibodies inhibit alphavirus infection, and the progress of clinical evaluation of candidate vaccines focusing on humoral immunity.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Corey Ratcliffe, Guleed Adan, Anthony Marson, Tom Solomon, Jitender Saini, Sanjib Sinha, Simon S. Keller
Summary: Neurocysticercosis (NCC), a parasitic CNS infection, is the leading global cause of acquired epilepsy but remains understudied. The factors contributing to recurrent seizures and the features predisposing to an epileptogenic state in NCC are uncertain.
SEIZURE-EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF EPILEPSY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Glennys Reynoso, David N. Gordon, Anurag Kalia, Cynthia C. Aguilar, Courtney S. Malo, Maya Aleshnick, Kimberly A. Dowd, Christian R. Cherry, John P. Shannon, Sophia M. Vrba, Autumn C. Holmes, Yael Alippe, Sonia Maciejewski, Kenichi Asano, Michael S. Diamond, Theodore C. Pierson, Heather D. Hickman
Summary: To understand the initial steps in Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission, researchers investigated the virus's movement from the skin to the lymph nodes. Contrary to previous beliefs, migratory immune cells were not necessary for the virus to reach the lymph nodes or the bloodstream. Instead, a specific subset of macrophages in the lymph nodes, called CD169+ macrophages, were found to be rapidly infected by ZIKV and release the virus to infect other lymph nodes. These findings improve our understanding of ZIKV dissemination and identify a potential target for antiviral intervention.
Article
Microbiology
Samantha R. Mackin, Pritesh Desai, Bradley M. Whitener, Courtney E. Karl, Meizi Liu, Ralph S. Baric, Darin K. Edwards, Taras M. Chicz, Ryan P. McNamara, Galit Alter, Michael S. Diamond
Summary: Fc-Fc gamma receptor interactions and alveolar macrophages play a crucial role in controlling infection with SARS-CoV-2 variants in mice vaccinated with ancestral vaccines. While the spike protein antigenic changes in SARS-CoV-2 variants reduce the neutralizing efficiency of legacy vaccine-induced antibodies, vaccines like mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 still protect against severe disease and death, indicating the involvement of other aspects of immunity in controlling lung infection. Antibodies elicited by vaccines can bind Fc gamma receptors and exert effector functions against SARS-CoV-2 variants, and this property is associated with improved clinical outcomes. However, the causal relationship between Fc effector functions and vaccine-induced protection against infection needs further investigation.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Ronald R. Cobb, Joseph Nkolola, Pavlo Gilchuk, Abishek Chandrashekar, Jingyou Yu, Robert House, Christopher G. Earnhart, Nicole M. Dorsey, Svetlana A. Hopkins, Doris M. Snow, Rita E. Chen, Laura A. VanBlargan, Manuel Hechenblaickner, Brian Hoppe, Laura Collins, Milan T. Tomic, Genevieve H. Nonet, Kyal Hackett, James C. Slaughter, Mark G. Lewis, Hanne Andersen, Anthony Cook, Michael S. Diamond, Robert H. Carnahan, Dan H. Barouch, James E. Crowe
Summary: This study demonstrates that neutralizing antibodies with extended half-life and lacking Fc-mediated effector functions are highly effective for pre-exposure prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infection in NHPs, supporting the clinical development of ADM03820 for COVID-19 prevention.
Article
Immunology
Michael S. Diamond, John D. Lambris, Jenny P. Ting, John S. Tsang
Summary: In early 2022, a workshop focusing on the innate immune response to SARS-CoV-2 was organized by staff from the NIAID at the NIH. This Viewpoint article features the thoughts of organizers and invited speakers on the key outcomes of the meeting. While the media has mainly focused on adaptive immunity during the COVID-19 pandemic, immunologists have been trying to understand how SARS-CoV-2 infection affects our innate immune system.
NATURE REVIEWS IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Naveenchandra Suryadevara, Andrea R. Shiakolas, Laura A. VanBlargan, Elad Binshtein, Rita E. Chen, James Brett Case, Kevin J. Kramer, Erica C. Armstrong, Luke Myers, Andrew Trivette, Christopher Gainza, Rachel S. Nargi, Christopher N. Selverian, Edgar Davidson, Benjamin J. Doranz, Summer M. Diaz, Laura S. Handal, Robert H. Carnahan, Michael S. Diamond, Ivelin S. Georgiev, James E. Crowe
Summary: This study identifies a rare human antibody, COV23434, that disrupts the integrity of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein and possesses a distinct class of functional activity. The findings suggest that the trimer interface region of the S protein may be a vulnerable site for the virus.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2022)
