-
British Journal of Biomedical Science Jul 2021EBV is the sole causative agent of the acute illness in humans described either as infectious mononucleosis (IM), or glandular fever. IM, when not clinically silent, can... (Review)
Review
EBV is the sole causative agent of the acute illness in humans described either as infectious mononucleosis (IM), or glandular fever. IM, when not clinically silent, can present in patients with at least two of the classic triad of symptoms of fever, pharyngitis, and lymphadenopathy. Challenges for the clinician arise when atypical cases present. Early, accurate and informed laboratory test results are vital for diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and management. A key challenge for the practitioner, particularly in cases where the illness can present atypically, is distinguishing bacterial tonsillitis infections from early acute IM. The ability to draw on timely, clear, and insightful laboratory results to distinguish viral from bacterial infection is vital. Correct and prompt diagnosis of IM can help prevent the unnecessary administration of antibiotics and mitigate the need for other expensive exploratory tests in cases of IM that present with splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, or suspect haematological conditions. Good communication between the requesting clinician and those carrying out the investigative process, and between the different laboratory departments involved, is good practice and would ultimately benefit the patient. This communication will comprehensively review the aetiology, clinical presentation, and laboratory findings in IM with a view to promoting further research and so derive a standard diagnostic algorithm of the condition.
Topics: Algorithms; Decision Support Techniques; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Infectious Mononucleosis; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Virology
PubMed: 33721513
DOI: 10.1080/09674845.2021.1903683 -
Infectious Disease Clinics of North... Sep 2019Approximately 20% of people with HIV in the United States prescribed antiretroviral therapy are not virally suppressed. Thus, optimal management of virologic failure has... (Review)
Review
Approximately 20% of people with HIV in the United States prescribed antiretroviral therapy are not virally suppressed. Thus, optimal management of virologic failure has a critical role in the ability to improve viral suppression rates to improve long-term health outcomes for those infected and to achieve epidemic control. This article discusses the causes of virologic failure, the use of resistance testing to guide management after failure, interpretation and relevance of HIV drug resistance patterns, considerations for selection of second-line and salvage therapies, and management of virologic failure in special populations.
Topics: Anti-Retroviral Agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Disease Management; Drug Resistance, Viral; HIV; HIV Infections; Humans; Sustained Virologic Response; Treatment Failure; United States
PubMed: 31255384
DOI: 10.1016/j.idc.2019.05.004 -
Nature Sep 2022The RNA genome of SARS-CoV-2 contains a 5' cap that facilitates the translation of viral proteins, protection from exonucleases and evasion of the host immune response....
The RNA genome of SARS-CoV-2 contains a 5' cap that facilitates the translation of viral proteins, protection from exonucleases and evasion of the host immune response. How this cap is made in SARS-CoV-2 is not completely understood. Here we reconstitute the N7- and 2'-O-methylated SARS-CoV-2 RNA cap (GpppA) using virally encoded non-structural proteins (nsps). We show that the kinase-like nidovirus RdRp-associated nucleotidyltransferase (NiRAN) domain of nsp12 transfers the RNA to the amino terminus of nsp9, forming a covalent RNA-protein intermediate (a process termed RNAylation). Subsequently, the NiRAN domain transfers the RNA to GDP, forming the core cap structure GpppA-RNA. The nsp14 and nsp16 methyltransferases then add methyl groups to form functional cap structures. Structural analyses of the replication-transcription complex bound to nsp9 identified key interactions that mediate the capping reaction. Furthermore, we demonstrate in a reverse genetics system that the N terminus of nsp9 and the kinase-like active-site residues in the NiRAN domain are required for successful SARS-CoV-2 replication. Collectively, our results reveal an unconventional mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 caps its RNA genome, thus exposing a new target in the development of antivirals to treat COVID-19.
Topics: Antiviral Agents; COVID-19; Catalytic Domain; Guanosine Diphosphate; Humans; Methyltransferases; Nucleotidyltransferases; Protein Domains; RNA Caps; RNA, Viral; RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; SARS-CoV-2; Viral Proteins; COVID-19 Drug Treatment
PubMed: 35944563
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05185-z -
Journal of Virology Jan 2024In the United States (US), biosafety and biosecurity oversight of research on viruses is being reappraised. Safety in virology research is paramount and oversight...
In the United States (US), biosafety and biosecurity oversight of research on viruses is being reappraised. Safety in virology research is paramount and oversight frameworks should be reviewed periodically. Changes should be made with care, however, to avoid impeding science that is essential for rapidly reducing and responding to pandemic threats as well as addressing more common challenges caused by infectious diseases. Decades of research uniquely positioned the US to be able to respond to the COVID-19 crisis with astounding speed, delivering life-saving vaccines within a year of identifying the virus. We should embolden and empower this strength, which is a vital part of protecting the health, economy, and security of US citizens. Herein, we offer our perspectives on priorities for revised rules governing virology research in the US.
Topics: Humans; Containment of Biohazards; COVID-19; United States; Viruses; Virology; Biomedical Research
PubMed: 38168672
DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01791-23 -
Voprosy Virusologii Feb 2023In No. 5, 2022 of the journal "Questions of Virology" in the section "Editorial concept" the article "130 years of virology" was published (Lvov D.K., Alkhovsky S.V.,...
In No. 5, 2022 of the journal "Questions of Virology" in the section "Editorial concept" the article "130 years of virology" was published (Lvov D.K., Alkhovsky S.V., Zhirnov O.P. 130 years of virology. Questions of virology. 2022; 67(5): 357-384. DAY: https://doi.org/10.36233/0507-4088-140).The review presents the main stages of the formation and development of virology as a science in Russia with an emphasis on the most significant achievements of domestic virologists in the fight against viral infectious diseases of humans and animalsThe editorial office received the following reviews and reviews of the article.
Topics: Humans; Russia; Virology
PubMed: 37264843
DOI: 10.36233/0507-4088-140R -
Trends in Microbiology Nov 2020While conventional in vitro culture systems and animal models have been used to study the pathogenesis of viral infections and to facilitate development of vaccines and... (Review)
Review
While conventional in vitro culture systems and animal models have been used to study the pathogenesis of viral infections and to facilitate development of vaccines and therapeutics for viral diseases, models that can accurately recapitulate human responses to infection are still lacking. Human organ-on-a-chip (Organ Chip) microfluidic culture devices that recapitulate tissue-tissue interfaces, fluid flows, mechanical cues, and organ-level physiology have been developed to narrow the gap between in vitro experimental models and human pathophysiology. Here, we describe how recent developments in Organ Chips have enabled re-creation of complex pathophysiological features of human viral infections in vitro.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Microfluidics; Organ Culture Techniques; Virology; Virus Diseases; Virus Physiological Phenomena; Viruses
PubMed: 32674988
DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.06.005 -
Virology Apr 2023
Topics: Nanotechnology; Virology
PubMed: 36893501
DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.02.015 -
Nature Microbiology Dec 2021
Topics: Editorial Policies; History, 21st Century; Microbiology; Publications; Virology
PubMed: 34819639
DOI: 10.1038/s41564-021-01016-5 -
Viral Immunology Jun 2020
Topics: Allergy and Immunology; Humans; Periodicals as Topic; Research; Virology
PubMed: 32401183
DOI: 10.1089/vim.2020.0078