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
Infectious Diseases
Julia Schneider, Friederike Bachmann, Mira Choi, Lille Kurvits, Marie Luisa Schmidt, Leon Bergfeld, Iris Meier, Marta Zuchowski, Dirk Werber, Joerg Hofmann, Klemens Ruprecht, Kai-Uwe Eckardt, Terry C. Jones, Christian Drosten, Victor Max Corman
Summary: The West Nile Virus (WNV) infections are increasingly detected in central Europe, with the first mosquito-borne autochthonous human infection detected in Germany in 2019. This case study described a WNV-encephalitis case in a 33-year-old kidney transplant recipient, which highlighted the importance of considering WNV in cases of meningoencephalitis, especially in immunocompromised patients. Proper education, communication, and revised diagnostic strategies are essential in raising awareness and detecting future WNV infections.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
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)
Editorial Material
Clinical Neurology
Kenneth L. Tyler
ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Kevin Messacar, Claire Palmer, LiseAnne Gregoire, Audrey Elliott, Elizabeth Ackley, Marcelo C. Perraillon, Kenneth L. Tyler, Samuel R. Dominguez
Summary: Implementation of MEP with a rapid central nervous system diagnostic stewardship program improved antimicrobial use with faster results shortening empiric therapy. Routine MEP testing for high-yield indications enables antimicrobial optimization with unchanged overall costs.
JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Sarah Stonedahl, Jennifer Smith Leser, Penny Clarke, Kenneth L. Tyler
Summary: This study used PLX5622 to deplete microglia and investigate their role in West Nile virus infection. The results showed that microglia play a crucial role in limiting viral growth and preventing cell death, but they are not required for the cytokine/chemokine response to WNV infection.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Letter
Clinical Neurology
Elizabeth Matthews, Lakshmi Chauhan, Amanda L. Piquet, Kenneth L. Tyler, Daniel M. Pastula
Review
Clinical Neurology
Jonathan D. Krett, J. David Beckham, Kenneth L. Tyler, Amanda L. Piquet, Lakshmi Chauhan, Carla J. Wallace, Daniel M. Pastula, Ronak K. Kapadia
Summary: Neurohospitalists, with their expertise in acute neurology, play a vital role in diagnosing and managing acute viral infections that affect the nervous system. This comprehensive review aims to provide practical diagnostic and therapeutic insights for busy neurohospitalists, focusing on several acute viral infections.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Daniel M. Pastula, Kenneth L. Tyler
Summary: Monkeypox virus is a virus of international concern that is transmitted through contact with infected animals or close contact with infected individuals. In the current outbreak, it primarily affects men who have sex with men, and symptoms may not include a febrile prodrome, with lesions mainly localized to the genital and anal regions. Although neurological manifestations of monkeypox virus infection are rare, neurologists should be prepared to recognize, diagnose, and treat potential neuroinvasive disease or other neurological symptoms.
ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Michael J. Rudy, Joshua Frost, Penny Clarke, Kenneth L. Tyler
Summary: Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) can cause respiratory illness and paralysis. There is no known antiviral treatment for the associated paralysis, but experiments with virus-specific immunotherapy showed positive results. Therefore, early treatment is recommended for patients suspected to be infected with EV-D68 and presenting symptoms of paralysis.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Clinical Neurology
Michael R. Wilson, Kenneth L. Tyler
Summary: This Viewpoint discusses the ability of next-generation sequencing to diagnose central nervous system infections, the complexity of such technology, and the need to develop programs to assist clinicians in selecting, interpreting, and responding to test results more accurately.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Kelli M. Money, T. Allen Barnett, Samuel Rapaka, Rebecca Osborn, Takashi Kitani, Daniel Fuguet, Faria Amjad, Jeffrey R. Clark, Debanjana Chakravarty, Matthew J. Copeland, Justin M. Honce, Princy N. Kumar, Rebecca N. Kumar, Fady Mousa-Ibrahim, Bilaal Sirdar, Rafal Sobota, Mengxuan Tang, Maureen K. Bolon, Eric J. Russell, Michael Wilson, Carlo Tornatore, Ayush Batra, Kenneth L. Tyler, Daniel M. Pastula
Summary: This study presents three cases of Monkeypox virus (MPXV)-associated central nervous system (CNS) disease during the 2022 outbreak, with imaging findings and treatment outcomes. The patients, previously healthy immunocompetent gay men in their 30s, developed a febrile illness followed by progressive neurologic symptoms and vesiculopustular rash. MPXV nucleic acid was detected in skin lesions of two patients, with the third patient having an epidemiological link to a confirmed case. Magnetic resonance imaging showed central spinal cord lesions and other brain abnormalities. All patients received tecovirimat treatment, and two also received immunotherapy. Good neurological recovery was observed in all cases.
ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Clinical Neurology
Kenneth L. L. Tyler
ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Sarah Stonedahl, J. Smith Leser, Penny Clarke, Huntington Potter, Timothy D. D. Boyd, Kenneth L. L. Tyler
Summary: West Nile virus (WNV) is the main cause of epidemic arboviral encephalitis in the United States. Depleting microglia in WNV-infected mice enhances viral replication and tissue injury, while augmenting microglial activation through GM-CSF administration reduces viral titers and apoptotic activity and increases survival. Stimulation of microglial activation may be a viable therapeutic approach for WNV neuroinvasive disease.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Joshua Frost, Michael J. Rudy, J. Smith Leser, Haozhou Tan, Yanmei Hu, Jun Wang, Penny Clarke, Kenneth L. Tyler
Summary: Recent outbreaks of EV-D68 in 2014, 2016, and 2018 have led to over 600 cases of a paralytic illness called AFM. AFM primarily affects children, lacks an FDA-approved treatment, and shows limited recovery from limb weakness in many patients.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Daniel M. Pastula, Matthew J. Copeland, Markus C. Hannan, Samuel Rapaka, Takashi Kitani, Elizabeth Kleiner, Adrienne Showler, Cindy Yuen, Elizabeth M. Ferriman, Jennifer House, Shannon O'Brien, Alexis Burakoff, Bhavik Gupta, Kelli M. Money, Elizabeth Matthews, J. David Beckham, Lakshmi Chauhan, Amanda L. Piquet, Rebecca N. Kumar, Carlo S. Tornatore, Kia Padgett, Kevin O'Laughlin, Anil T. Mangla, Princy N. Kumar, Kenneth L. Tyler, Siobhan M. O'Connor
Summary: Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is a poxvirus that has spread to 96 countries where monkeypox was not previously reported, with most cases occurring among men who have sex with men. The current outbreak of monkeypox in the United States has shown different symptoms compared to previous outbreaks, with neuroinvasive disease being rare. This report describes two cases of encephalomyelitis in patients with monkeypox during the current U.S. outbreak. It is important to report suspected cases of neurological complications from acute MPXV infection to improve understanding and treatment options during this outbreak.
MMWR-MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Elizabeth Matthews, J. David Beckham, Amanda L. Piquet, Kenneth L. Tyler, Lakshmi Chauhan, Daniel M. Pastula
Summary: This article reviews the eight human herpesviruses and their recent advances in relation to encephalitis, including diagnosis, treatment, complications, and management.
CURRENT TROPICAL MEDICINE REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Lakshmi Chauhan, Elizabeth Matthews, Amanda L. Piquet, Andres Henao-Martinez, Carlos Franco-Paredes, Kenneth L. Tyler, David Beckham, Daniel M. Pastula
Summary: Environmental factors and human intervention affect the spread of arthropod vectors and the transmission cycle of arboviruses. Certain arboviral infections can result in various clinical neurologic syndromes.
CURRENT TROPICAL MEDICINE REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Surgery
Kevin Ferrari, Alice Aarnink, Carole Ayav, Luc Frimat, Cecile Couchoud, Benoit Audry, Corinne Antoine, Sophie Girerd
Summary: Continuation of immunosuppressive therapy after kidney allograft failure is associated with less change in HLA-sensitization and does not increase patient mortality.
CLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION
(2024)
Article
Surgery
Sandeep Sainathan, John Ryan, Leonardo Mullinari, Pablo Sanchez
Summary: Patients undergoing lung transplantation for pulmonary venous-occlusive disease (PVOD) had better initial survival compared to those with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPHTN), but this advantage disappeared after 1 year. The use of donation after circulatory death donors was associated with lower short-term survival rates.
CLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION
(2024)