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Virulence Dec 2023Mammarenaviruses, a genus of the family , are capable of infecting mammals and are primarily found in rodent reservoirs worldwide. Mammarenaviruses can be transmitted to...
Mammarenaviruses, a genus of the family , are capable of infecting mammals and are primarily found in rodent reservoirs worldwide. Mammarenaviruses can be transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents, and though infection is often asymptomatic, some members of this genus can cause viral haemorrhagic fever which has mortality rates ranging from 1% to 50%. These viruses are typically restricted geographically, based on the geographical range of their host reservoirs. Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) was previously thought to be the only mammarenavirus found across the globe. However, recent discoveries of two novel human mammarenaviruses, Wenzhou Virus (WENV) and Plateau Pika Virus (PPV), in Asia and Southeast Asia show that mammarenaviruses are more widespread than previously thought. This editorial article aims to raise awareness about these emerging viruses, their genetic and ecological diversities, and clinical significance, and to encourage further study of these emerging viruses.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Arenaviridae; Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; Asia, Southeastern; Asia; Mammals
PubMed: 37394841
DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2231392 -
The Journal of General Virology Aug 2019Members of the family Arenaviridae produce enveloped virions containing genomes consisting of two or three single-stranded RNA segments totalling about 10.5 kb....
Members of the family Arenaviridae produce enveloped virions containing genomes consisting of two or three single-stranded RNA segments totalling about 10.5 kb. Arenaviruses can infect mammals, including humans and other primates, snakes, and fish. This is a summary of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Report on the family Arenaviridae, which is available at www.ictv.global/report/arenaviridae.
Topics: Animals; Arenaviridae; Arenaviridae Infections; Fishes; Genome, Viral; Humans; Phylogeny; RNA, Viral; Reptiles; Viral Proteins
PubMed: 31192784
DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001280 -
Uirusu 2018Arenavirus is a genetic term for viruses belonging to the family Arenaviridae and is presented from lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), which shows almost no... (Review)
Review
Arenavirus is a genetic term for viruses belonging to the family Arenaviridae and is presented from lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), which shows almost no pathogenicity to humans, to Lassa virus, Junin virus, Machupo virus, Chapare virus, Lujo virus, Sabia virus, and Guanarito virus, which shows high pathogenicity to humans. These viruses except for LCMV are risk group 4 pathogens specified by World Health Organization. Based on this designation, it is designated as Class I pathogens in Japan. Although there have been no reports excluding one imported case of the Lassa fever patient, it is not surprising whenever imported cases occur in our country. Considering the disease severity and mortality rate, it is an urgent matter to develop vaccines and therapeutic drugs in endemic areas, and maintenances of these are also important in countries other than endemic areas. However, basic research on highly pathogenic arenavirus infections and development of therapeutic drugs are not easily progressed, because handling in highly safe research facilities is indispensable. In this article, we will outline the current knowledge from the recent basic research on arenavirus to the development situation of antivirals against arenaviruses.
Topics: Africa, Western; Antiviral Agents; Arenaviridae Infections; Arenavirus; Disease Outbreaks; Drug Discovery; Genome, Viral; Humans; Research; Transcription, Genetic; Viral Vaccines; Virion
PubMed: 31105135
DOI: 10.2222/jsv.68.51 -
Science (New York, N.Y.) Jan 2019
Topics: Disease Outbreaks; Humans; Lassa Fever; Lassa virus; Metagenomics; Nigeria
PubMed: 30606832
DOI: 10.1126/science.aav8958 -
Advances in Experimental Medicine and... 2023Mammarenaviruses are classified into New World arenaviruses (NW) and Old World arenaviruses (OW). The OW arenaviruses include the first discovered...
Mammarenaviruses are classified into New World arenaviruses (NW) and Old World arenaviruses (OW). The OW arenaviruses include the first discovered mammarenavirus-lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and the highly lethal Lassa virus (LASV). Mammarenaviruses are transmitted to human by rodents, resulting in severe acute infections and hemorrhagic fever. Pseudotyped viruses have been widely used as a tool in the study of mammarenaviruses. HIV-1, SIV, FIV-based lentiviral vectors, VSV-based vectors, MLV-based vectors, and reverse genetic approaches have been applied in the construction of pseudotyped mammarenaviruses. Pseudotyped mammarenaviruses are commonly used in receptor research, neutralizing antibody detection, inhibitor screening, viral virulence studies, functional analysis of N-linked glycans, and studies of viral infection, endocytosis, and fusion mechanisms.
Topics: Humans; Arenaviridae; Viral Pseudotyping; Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; Arenaviruses, New World; Lassa virus
PubMed: 36920703
DOI: 10.1007/978-981-99-0113-5_15 -
Current Topics in Microbiology and... 2023Lassa fever (LF) is a lethal hemorrhagic disease primarily concentrated in the tropical savannah regions of Nigeria and the Mano River Union countries of Sierra Leone,...
Lassa fever (LF) is a lethal hemorrhagic disease primarily concentrated in the tropical savannah regions of Nigeria and the Mano River Union countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea. Endemic hotspots within these countries have had recurrent exposure to Lassa virus (LASV) via continual spillover from the host reservoir Mastomys natalensis. Increased trade and travel throughout the region have spread the virus to previously unexposed countries, including Ghana, Benin, Mali, and Côte d'Ivoire. In the absence of effective treatment or vaccines to LASV, preventative measures against Lassa fever rely heavily on reducing or eliminating rodent exposure, increasing the knowledge base surrounding the virus and disease in communities, and diminishing the stigmas faced by Lassa fever survivors.
Topics: Animals; Lassa Fever; Lassa virus; Murinae
PubMed: 33861373
DOI: 10.1007/82_2021_234 -
Experimental Biology and Medicine... Oct 2023, or Sabiá virus (SABV), is a New World (NW) arenavirus associated with fulminant hemorrhagic disease in humans and the sole biosafety level 4 microorganism ever... (Review)
Review
, or Sabiá virus (SABV), is a New World (NW) arenavirus associated with fulminant hemorrhagic disease in humans and the sole biosafety level 4 microorganism ever isolated in Brazil. Since the isolation of SABV in the 1990s, studies on viral biology have been scarce, with no available countermeasures against SABV infection or disease. Here we provide a comprehensive review of SABV biology, including key aspects of SABV replication, and comparisons with related Old World and NW arenaviruses. SABV is most likely a rodent-borne virus, transmitted to humans, through exposure to urine and feces in peri-urban areas. Using protein structure prediction methods and alignments, we analyzed shared and unique features of SABV proteins (GPC, NP, Z, and L) that could be explored in search of therapeutic strategies, including repurposing intended application against arenaviruses. Highly conserved catalytic activities present in L protein could be targeted for broad-acting antiviral activity among arenaviruses, while protein-protein interactions, such as those between L and the matrix protein Z, have evolved in NW arenaviruses and should be specific to SABV. The nucleoprotein (NP) also shares targetable interaction interfaces with L and Z and exhibits exonuclease activity in the C-terminal domain, which may be involved in multiple aspects of SABV replication. Envelope glycoproteins GP1 and GP2 have been explored in the development of promising cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies and vaccines, some of which could be repurposed for SABV. GP1 remains a challenging target in SABV as evolutive pressures render it the most variable viral protein in terms of both sequence and structure, while antiviral strategies targeting the Z protein remain to be validated. In conclusion, the prediction and analysis of protein structures should revolutionize research on viruses such as SABV by facilitating the rational design of countermeasures while reducing dependence on sophisticated laboratory infrastructure for experimental validation.
Topics: Humans; Arenaviruses, New World; Viral Proteins; Arenaviridae Infections; Antiviral Agents; Molecular Biology
PubMed: 37937408
DOI: 10.1177/15353702231199071 -
Current Topics in Microbiology and... 2023Members of the family Arenaviridae are classified into four genera: Antennavirus, Hartmanivirus, Mammarenavirus, and Reptarenavirus. Reptarenaviruses and hartmaniviruses... (Review)
Review
Members of the family Arenaviridae are classified into four genera: Antennavirus, Hartmanivirus, Mammarenavirus, and Reptarenavirus. Reptarenaviruses and hartmaniviruses infect (captive) snakes and have been shown to cause boid inclusion body disease (BIBD). Antennaviruses have genomes consisting of 3, rather than 2, segments, and were discovered in actinopterygian fish by next-generation sequencing but no biological isolate has been reported yet. The hosts of mammarenaviruses are mainly rodents and infections are generally asymptomatic. Current knowledge about the biology of reptarenaviruses, hartmaniviruses, and antennaviruses is very limited and their zoonotic potential is unknown. In contrast, some mammarenaviruses are associated with zoonotic events that pose a threat to human health. This review will focus on mammarenavirus genetic diversity and its biological implications. Some mammarenaviruses including lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) are excellent experimental model systems for the investigation of acute and persistent viral infections, whereas others including Lassa (LASV) and Junin (JUNV) viruses, the causative agents of Lassa fever (LF) and Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF), respectively, are important human pathogens. Mammarenaviruses were thought to have high degree of intra-and inter-species amino acid sequence identities, but recent evidence has revealed a high degree of mammarenavirus genetic diversity in the field. Moreover, closely related mammarenavirus can display dramatic phenotypic differences in vivo. These findings support a role of genetic variability in mammarenavirus adaptability and pathogenesis. Here, we will review the molecular biology of mammarenaviruses, phylogeny, and evolution, as well as the quasispecies dynamics of mammarenavirus populations and their biological implications.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Arenaviridae; Rodentia; Genetic Variation
PubMed: 36592249
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-15640-3_8 -
Antiviral Research Dec 2014The term "viral hemorrhagic fever" (VHF) designates a syndrome of acute febrile illness, increased vascular permeability and coagulation defects which often progresses... (Review)
Review
The term "viral hemorrhagic fever" (VHF) designates a syndrome of acute febrile illness, increased vascular permeability and coagulation defects which often progresses to bleeding and shock and may be fatal in a significant percentage of cases. The causative agents are some 20 different RNA viruses in the families Arenaviridae, Bunyaviridae, Filoviridae and Flaviviridae, which are maintained in a variety of animal species and are transferred to humans through direct or indirect contact or by an arthropod vector. Except for dengue, which is transmitted among humans by mosquitoes, the geographic distribution of each type of VHF is determined by the range of its animal reservoir. Treatments are available for Argentine HF and Lassa fever, but no approved countermeasures have been developed against other types of VHF. The development of effective interventions is hindered by the sporadic nature of most infections and their occurrence in geographic regions with limited medical resources. Laboratory animal models that faithfully reproduce human disease are therefore essential for the evaluation of potential vaccines and therapeutics. The goal of this review is to highlight the current status of animal models that can be used to study the pathogenesis of VHF and test new countermeasures.
Topics: Animals; Antiviral Agents; Arenaviridae; Bunyaviridae; Disease Models, Animal; Filoviridae; Flaviviridae; Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral; Humans; Viral Vaccines
PubMed: 25448088
DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2014.10.001 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Jun 2017Lassa virus remains an important cause of illness in West Africa and among the travelers returning from this region with an acute febrile illness. The symptoms of Lassa... (Review)
Review
Lassa virus remains an important cause of illness in West Africa and among the travelers returning from this region with an acute febrile illness. The symptoms of Lassa fever can be nonspecific and mimic those of other endemic infections, especially early in illness, making a clinical diagnosis difficult; therefore, laboratory testing is needed to confirm the diagnosis. An early identification of Lassa fever is crucial for maximizing the benefit of available antiviral therapy, as treatment efficacy rapidly decreases following the clinical onset of the disease. This minireview provides an overview of the currently available diagnostic tests for Lassa fever and their strengths and weaknesses.
Topics: Africa, Western; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Diagnostic Tests, Routine; Humans; Lassa Fever; Lassa virus
PubMed: 28404674
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.00170-17