Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Luisa Santus, Maria Sopena-Rios, Raquel Garcia-Perez, Aaron E. Lin, Gordon C. Adams, Kayla G. Barnes, Katherine J. Siddle, Shirlee Wohl, Ferran Reverter, John L. Rinn, Richard S. Bennett, Lisa E. Hensley, Pardis C. Sabeti, Marta Mele
Summary: In this study, the authors characterized the differential features of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and protein-coding genes upon Ebola infection in macaques at the single-cell level. They found that lncRNAs are expressed in fewer cells than protein-coding genes, but they are not expressed at lower levels nor are they more cell-type specific. Furthermore, lncRNAs exhibit similar changes in expression patterns to those of protein-coding genes during Ebola infection, and are often co-expressed with known immune regulators.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Anabel Negredo, Rafael Sanchez-Arroyo, Francisco Diez-Fuertes, Fernando de Ory, Marco Antonio Budino, Ana Vazquez, Angeles Garcinuno, Lourdes Hernandez, Cesar de la Hoz Gonzalez, Almudena Gutierrez-Arroyo, Carmen Grande, Paz Sanchez-Seco
Summary: In August 2018, a fatal autochthonous case of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever was confirmed in western Spain, with a new virus circulating as the genotype differs from a previous case in 2016. Practitioners must remain alert to the possibility of new cases.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aliou Bouba, Kristina Barbara Helle, Kristan Alexander Schneider
Summary: This study uses a predictive model to study the interaction of case isolation, safe funeral practices, and contact tracing. The results suggest that proper diagnosis and isolation have the highest impact on reducing the outbreak, but case isolation and safe funeral practices alone are insufficient. Combining these measures with contact tracing and shortening the time for contact tracing can significantly contain the outbreak.
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Thanh Hai Pham, Phuc Nhon Nguyen, Quang Nhat Ho
Summary: Dengue hemorrhagic fever poses a high risk to pregnant women, resulting in increased mortality for both the mother and baby. This case study reports a rare case of dengue transmission during late-stage pregnancy, with both the mother and newborn being infected. Close monitoring of the newborn is crucial to prevent adverse outcomes and infant mortality.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jiaqi Teng, Shuzhen Ding, Huiguo Zhang, Kai Wang, Xijian Hu
Summary: This study analyzed the factors influencing HFRS development, the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics, and the threshold exceedance locations using a Bayesian hierarchical spatiotemporal distribution model. The results showed that woodland and grassland area, economic level, and traffic level were all significantly associated with HFRS development, with traffic level having the strongest promoting effect. The study also revealed that HFRS had a seasonal cycle with peak incidence in May-June and October-December each year, particularly in November. Spatially, there was a south-heavy north-light trend, with high-risk areas primarily located in mountainous regions with abundant forest vegetation.
ZOONOSES AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Xiao Wei, Biao Meng, Hong Peng, Yan Li, Min Liu, Hairui Si, Rui Wu, Hailong Chen, Ying Bai, Qunling Feng, Changjun Wang, Xiangna Zhao
Summary: This study analyzed an outbreak of HFRS caused by a Hantavirus that occurred in Xi'an in November 2020. The main sources of infection were inhalation of aerosolized excreta and contaminated food. The genome analysis showed that the Hantavirus strain hv03xa was a reassortment strain of HTNV, with potential recombination in the S segment. The anti-HV-IgG level in all patients persisted for at least one year after infection.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Virology
Isaac Downs, Joshua C. Johnson, Franco Rossi, David Dyer, David L. Saunders, Nancy A. Twenhafel, Heather L. Esham, William D. Pratt, John Trefry, Elizabeth Zumbrun, Paul R. Facemire, Sara C. Johnston, Erin L. Tompkins, Nathan K. Jansen, Anna Honko, Anthony P. Cardile
Summary: Ebola virus disease is a serious global health concern with high mortality rates, requiring well-defined nonhuman primate models for testing candidate countermeasures. This study found that aerosol-exposed rhesus macaques displayed early markers of disease and a distinct disease course compared to intramuscularly challenged animals.
Article
Virology
Mariangela Stefania Fiori, Luca Ferretti, Matteo Floris, Federica Loi, Antonello Di Nardo, Anna Maria Sechi, Anna Ladu, Graziella Puggioni, Daria Sanna, Fabio Scarpa, Maria Luisa Sanna, Maria Paola Madrau, Claudia Torresi, Roberto Sirica, Eloisa Evangelista, Annalisa Oggiano, Silvia Dei Giudici
Summary: The research identifies two cases of intragenotype dual African swine fever virus infections in Sardinia, indicating that dual infections or similar virus strains may be more common than previously thought, especially in ASF endemic areas.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Lauren A. Castro, Nicholas Generous, Wei Luo, Ana Pastore y Piontti, Kaitlyn Martinez, Marcelo F. C. Gomes, Dave Osthus, Geoffrey Fairchild, Amanda Ziemann, Alessandro Vespignani, Mauricio Santillana, Carrie A. Manore, Sara Y. Del Valle
Summary: Dengue virus poses a significant public health challenge in Brazil, with seasonal dynamics hindering preparation efforts. A framework was presented to characterize weekly dengue activity in Brazil from 2010-2016, with climate factors playing a key role in seasonal outbreaks. Remote sensing and movement patterns were found to be useful proxies for predicting outbreak properties.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Virology
Yingyun Cai, Shuiqing Yu, Ying Fang, Laura Bollinger, Yanhua Li, Michael Lauck, Elena N. Postnikova, Steven Mazur, Reed F. Johnson, Courtney L. Finch, Sheli R. Radoshitzky, Gustavo Palacios, Thomas C. Friedrich, Tony L. Goldberg, David H. O'Connor, Peter B. Jahrling, Jens H. Kuhn
Summary: The study developed an infectious clone of SHFV for rapid detection of infection and demonstrated the replication of SHFV in different cell lines, providing important tools and insights for the molecular biology research of SHFV.
Review
Tropical Medicine
Mohammad Sorowar Hossain, Abdullah Al Noman, S. M. Abdullah Al Mamun, Abdullah Al Mosabbir
Summary: Dengue is a rapidly spreading mosquito-borne disease that poses a major public health threat, especially in tropical and subtropical countries like Bangladesh. This comprehensive review examines the overall situation of dengue in Bangladesh, including disease burden, clinical spectrum, seroprevalence, circulating serotypes/genotypes, and spatial distribution. Recent outbreaks have been associated with the emergence of serotype DENV-3, which had not been detected for a long time, leading to increased severity in clinical manifestation. The weak surveillance and risk management systems in Bangladesh are not adequately prepared to handle impending dengue risks.
TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Bashar Haruna Gulumbe, Uzairu Aminu, Usman Umar Liman, Abdulrakib Abdulrahim, Zaharaddin Muhammad Kalgo
Summary: Despite efforts to end the viral epidemic, Lassa fever continues to persist in Nigeria due to factors such as improper waste management, poor sanitation, limited access to healthcare, and poverty. To effectively eradicate Lassa fever in Nigeria, the government and partners need to implement a range of prevention measures and address the underlying social and economic issues contributing to the virus's persistence.
SUDAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ahmed A. Mosa, Nawfal R. Hussein
Summary: The Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the already fragile healthcare system in Iraq, leading to the emergence of other infectious diseases and exerting additional strain. Preventing the spread of diseases like Mpox requires increased public awareness, training for healthcare workers, and effective surveillance and diagnostic measures.
JOURNAL OF PURE AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Iftekhar Ahmed, Lubaba Salsabil, Md. Jamal Hossain, Mohammad Shahriar, Mohiuddin Ahmed Bhuiyan, Md. Rabiul Islam
Summary: Marburg virus disease (MVD) caused by the Marburg virus has a high mortality rate. Fruit bats act as the natural reservoir host of the virus, but it can also be transmitted from person to person through direct contact with body secretions. Recent outbreaks in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania have resulted in a significant number of deaths, and Ghana has also reported cases and deaths. There are no specific treatments or vaccines available for MVD, highlighting the potential for widespread harm and the need for intensive surveillance and preventative measures.
HEALTH SCIENCE REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ahmed A. Zayed, James M. Wainaina, Guillermo Dominguez-Huerta, Eric Pelletier, Jiarong Guo, Mohamed Mohssen, Funing Tian, Akbar Adjie Pratama, Benjamin Bolduc, Olivier Zablocki, Dylan Cronin, Lindsey Solden, Erwan Delage, Adriana Alberti, Jean-Marc Aury, Quentin Carradec, Corinne da Silva, Karine Labadie, Julie Poulain, Hans-Joachim Ruscheweyh, Guillem Salazar, Elan Shatoff, Ralf Bundschuh, Kurt Fredrick, Laura S. Kubatko, Samuel Chaffron, Alexander Culley, Shinichi Sunagawa, Jens H. Kuhn, Patrick Wincker, Matthew B. Sullivan
Summary: This study expands Earth's RNA virus catalogs and their taxonomy, investigates their evolutionary origins and marine biogeography, and reveals the need for substantive revisions of taxonomy for RNA viruses. The efforts provide foundational knowledge critical to integrating RNA viruses into ecological and epidemiological models.
Article
Virology
Sushma M. Bhosle, Julie P. Tran, Shuiqing Yu, Jillian Geiger, Jennifer D. Jackson, Ian Crozier, Anya Crane, Jiro Wada, Travis K. Warren, Jens H. Kuhn, Gabriella Worwa
Summary: This study developed duplex one-step RT-qPCR assays that can simultaneously detect SARS-CoV-2 genomic and subgenomic RNA. The assays successfully detected the presence of different variant strains during live virus infection. Quantifying subgenomic RNA is important for determining active replication, and the ability to detect both genomic and subgenomic RNAs in a single reaction improves efficiency and aids in understanding viral replication and pathogenesis.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jens H. Kuhn, Connie S. Schmaljohn
Summary: In 1998, the first immunocompetent laboratory mouse model of Ebola virus disease was developed by Mike Bray and colleagues. Despite being considered inferior to large nonhuman primate efforts initially, this model paved the way for the establishment of panel-derived cross-bred and humanized mouse models, as well as a golden hamster model. The global shortage of commercially available large nonhuman primates may lead to an increased focus on and improvement of rodent modeling, potentially replacing nonhuman primate studies in the short term and the future.
ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Guillermo Dominguez-Huerta, James M. Wainaina, Ahmed A. Zayed, Alexander I. Culley, Jens H. Kuhn, Matthew B. Sullivan
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jens H. Kuhn, Eugene V. Koonin
Summary: The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) has recognized viriforms as a new category of virus-derived genetic elements, distinct from viruses, viroids, and satellite nucleic acids. Viriforms are former viruses that have been integrated into the genomes of cellular hosts and perform functions important for the host's life cycle. These viriforms resemble viruses in appearance but do not package their own genomes, instead transporting host genetic material. They have been found in the genomes of parasitoid wasps and prokaryotes, and recent discoveries suggest their presence in mammalian genomes. This article outlines the properties of different viriform groups and the proposed classification frameworks by ICTV.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Stuart G. Siddell, Donald B. Smith, Evelien Adriaenssens, Poliane Alfenas-Zerbini, Bas E. Dutilh, Maria Laura Garcia, Sandra Junglen, Mart Krupovic, Jens H. Kuhn, Amy J. Lambert, Elliot J. Lefkowitz, Malgorzata Lobocka, Arcady R. Mushegian, Hanna M. Oksanen, David L. Robertson, Luisa Rubino, Sead Sabanadzovic, Peter Simmonds, Nobuhiro Suzuki, Koenraad Van Doorslaer, Anne-Mieke Vandamme, Arvind Varsani, F. Murilo Zerbini
Summary: The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) is responsible for the development and oversight of virus taxonomy. It approves and ratifies taxonomic proposals and maintains a list of approved virus names. The ICTV has a democratic decision-making process with approximately 180 members who vote on proposals. Taxon-specific Study Groups, comprised of over 600 scientists, provide expertise and contribute to taxonomic proposals.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Virology
Jens H. Kuhn, Steven B. Bradfute, Charles H. Calisher, Boris Klempa, Jonas Klingstrom, Lies Laenen, Gustavo Palacios, Connie S. Schmaljohn, Nicole D. Tischler, Piet Maes
Summary: The official classification of viruses by the ICTV requires complete or nearly complete genome sequences to be deposited in GenBank. This requirement is fairly new, resulting in fragmented or absent genomic sequence information for many classified viruses. This poses challenges for taxon-wide phylogenetic analyses, especially for viruses with segmented genomes. To address this issue for Hantaviridae, the community is urged to provide additional sequence information for incompletely sequenced classified viruses by mid-June 2023 to prevent possible declassification.
Article
Microbiology
Carla M. Bellomo, Daniel O. Alonso, Unai Perez-Sautu, Karla Prieto, Sebastian Kehl, Rocio M. Coelho, Natalia Periolo, Nicholas Di Paola, Natalia Ferressini-Gerpe, Jens H. Kuhn, Mariano Sanchez-Lockhart, Gustavo Palacios, Valeria P. Martinez
Summary: This study analyzed the Andes virus (ANDV) using whole-genome sequencing and identified four amino acid substitutions related to cell culture adaptation that attenuated the virus in an animal model. Additionally, three amino acid substitutions associated with efficient person-to-person transmission were identified. These findings suggest that single-nucleotide polymorphisms can be used to predict ANDV virulence and transmissibility.
Article
Microbiology
Jennifer Sword, Ji Hyun Lee, Marcelo A. A. Castro, Jeffrey Solomon, Nina Aiosa, Syed M. S. Reza, Winston T. T. Chu, Joshua C. C. Johnson, Christopher Bartos, Kurt Cooper, Peter B. B. Jahrling, Reed F. F. Johnson, Claudia Calcagno, Ian Crozier, Jens H. H. Kuhn, Lisa E. E. Hensley, Irwin M. M. Feuerstein, Venkatesh Mani
Summary: This study used CT imaging to identify abnormalities in the liver, spleen, and axillary lymph nodes that corresponded to the known clinical signs of Marburg virus disease in rhesus monkeys. The results suggest that CT imaging could be used to understand the pathogenesis of the disease and evaluate the effectiveness of candidate treatments.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Torsten Seuberlich, Jens H. H. Kuhn, Heike Schmidt-Posthaus
Summary: We obtained the near-complete genome sequence of a novel virus, Lotschberg virus (LTBV), from a European perch metatranscriptome. Genome organization and pairwise sequence comparison indicated that LTBV represents a tentative new species and genus of the mononegaviral family Filoviridae.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2023)
Article
Virology
Teressa M. Shaw, Sara M. Maloney, Kylie Nennig, Mitchell D. Ramuta, Andrew Norton, Rodrigo Ibarra, Paul Kuehnert, Margo Brinton, Kay Faaberg, Jens H. Kuhn, David H. O'Connor, Cody J. Warren, Adam L. Bailey
Summary: Arteriviruses, including lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV), have been identified as RNA viruses related to coronaviruses. LDV is a valuable model for studying immune failure and viral persistence in immunocompetent mice. This study demonstrates that the macrophage marker CD163 is essential for LDV infection and the establishment of an immortalized cell-culture system. Additionally, LDV infection can be completely resisted in knockout mice lacking the expression of mCD163. The findings contribute to the understanding of arterivirus infection and highlight the significance of CD163 utilization in this virus family.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Evelien M. M. Adriaenssens, Simon Roux, J. Rodney Brister, Ilene Karsch-Mizrachi, Jens H. H. Kuhn, Arvind Varsani, Tong Yigang, Alejandro Reyes, Cedric Lood, Elliot J. J. Lefkowitz, Matthew B. B. Sullivan, Robert A. A. Edwards, Peter Simmonds, Luisa Rubino, Sead Sabanadzovic, Mart Krupovic, Bas E. E. Dutilh
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Correction
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Evelien M. M. Adriaenssens, Simon Roux, J. Rodney Brister, Ilene Karsch-Mizrachi, Jens H. Kuhn, Arvind Varsani, Tong Yigang, Alejandro Reyes, Cedric Lood, Elliot J. Lefkowitz, Matthew B. B. Sullivan, Robert A. A. Edwards, Peter Simmonds, Luisa Rubino, Sead Sabanadzovic, Mart Krupovic, Bas E. E. Dutilh
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Todd A. Cutts, Raymond W. Nims, Joseph R. Rubino, Julie McKinney, Jens H. Kuhn, M. Khalid Ijaz
Summary: The World Health Organization's R & D Blueprint list includes Lassa fever as a priority disease for research and development in emergency contexts. The study evaluated the virucidal efficacy of various disinfectants against LASV and found rapid and substantial inactivation of the virus.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Virology
Mohammad Fereidouni, Dmitry A. Apanaskevich, David B. Pecor, Natalia Yu. Pshenichnaya, Gulzhan N. Abuova, Farida H. Tishkova, Yekaterina Bumburidi, Xiankun Zeng, Jens H. Kuhn, Maryam Keshtkar-Jahromi
Summary: This study summarizes the status of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Central, Eastern, and South-eastern Asia. The risk and burden of CCHF were assessed based on case reports, antibody prevalence, and vector ticks isolation. The majority of cases were reported in Central Asia, while only China reported cases in Eastern Asia. No cases were reported in South-eastern Asia. Countries were classified into different levels based on evidence of CCHF, guiding the strengthening or establishment of CCHF surveillance systems.
