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Viruses Apr 2021We report the isolation of a newly recognized phlebovirus, Hedi virus (HEDV), from sandflies collected in Shanxi Province, China. The virus' RNA is comprised of three...
We report the isolation of a newly recognized phlebovirus, Hedi virus (HEDV), from sandflies collected in Shanxi Province, China. The virus' RNA is comprised of three segments. The greatest amino acid sequence similarity of the three gene segments between this virus and previously recognized phleboviruses is 40.85-63.52%, and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) amino acid sequence has the greatest similarity (63.52%) to the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) ZH-548 strain. Phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequence of the virus RdRp indicated that HEDV is close to RVFV and distinct from other phleboviruses, forming its own evolutionary branch. We conclude that it is necessary to increase the monitoring of phleboviruses carried by sandflies in China.
Topics: Animals; China; Genome, Viral; Genomics; Phlebotomus Fever; Phlebovirus; Phylogeny; Psychodidae; RNA, Viral; Virus Replication; Whole Genome Sequencing
PubMed: 33925561
DOI: 10.3390/v13050772 -
Comparative Immunology, Microbiology... Sep 2022Toscana virus (TOSV) is major meningitis and meningoencephalitis agent in the Mediterranean basin. Dogs are frequently exposed to TOSV; thereby they can contribute to...
Presence of the sandfly-borne phlebovirus (Toscana virus) in different bio-geographical regions of Algeria demonstrated by a microneutralisation-based seroprevalence study in owned dogs.
Toscana virus (TOSV) is major meningitis and meningoencephalitis agent in the Mediterranean basin. Dogs are frequently exposed to TOSV; thereby they can contribute to estimating its circulation. In Algeria, little is known about its circulation, and available data are restricted to the Kabylian region. To investigate the current situation in Algeria, a total of 205 dog sera collected from 13 different wilayas over the country were analyzed by using in-house Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and microneutralization test (MNT). An overall seroprevalence rate of 20% (14.5-25.5%) was observed by ELISA. Whereas, a seroprevalence rate of 4.56% (1.65-7.43%) was recorded by microneutralization test elucidating the exact occurrence of TOSV exposure in dogs, in Algeria. Positive dogs were detected from the areas of Algiers, Bejaia, Blida, Bouira, Medea, Setif, and Tlemcen in the north; Laghouat in the high lands and Tamanrasset in great Sahara. Only one serum, originating from Bejaia in the north east, was positive for both testing methods, while 8/9 positive sera in MNT remained negative in ELISA. MNT negative/ELISA positive result of 40/41 might suggest evidence for dog transmission, and circulation of phleboviruses other than TOSV. Noticeably, TOSV and antigenically related viruses are largely prevalent. Thus, they are not only confined to Kabylia region, but are widespread in Algeria, despite its climate diversity.
Topics: Algeria; Animals; Antibodies, Viral; Dogs; Phlebovirus; Psychodidae; Sandfly fever Naples virus; Seroepidemiologic Studies
PubMed: 35926272
DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2022.101861 -
Parasites & Vectors Jul 2018High throughput sequencing (HTS) boosted the discovery of novel viruses and new variants of known viruses. Here we investigated the presence of viruses in 12 pools of...
BACKGROUND
High throughput sequencing (HTS) boosted the discovery of novel viruses and new variants of known viruses. Here we investigated the presence of viruses in 12 pools of sand flies captured in three climatic periods in RAPELD grids at Rio Claro, Chapada dos Guimarães and at Pirizal, North Pantanal, Mato Grosso State, Midwestern Brazil by HTS, viral isolation of a putative Phlebovirus positive pool in Vero cells, RT-PCR and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
RESULTS
One pool containing three Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) longipalpis sand flies captured in the transitional climatic period in North Pantanal showed a tripartite genomic sequence of a putative novel Phlebovirus belonging to the phlebotomus fever serogroup. Phylogenetic analysis revealed this virus is closely related and share a common ancestor with phleboviruses included in the same clade: Chagres, Urucuri and Uriurana virus. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) presented 60%, 59% and 58% of amino-acid (aa) similarity with these phleboviruses, respectively. Similarity of Nucleoprotein and NSs protein codified by ambissense strategy of segment S was of 49% and 37%, respectively, with the proteins of the closest phlebovirus, Uriurana virus. Glycoproteins (G1, G2) and NSm protein presented 49% and 48% aa similarity with Chagres and Uriurana virus, respectively. Uriurana virus was isolated from sand flies in Brazilian Amazon and Urucuri from rodents in Utinga forest, Pará State. Chagres virus is an arbovirus responsible for outbreaks of febrile illness in Panama. This phlebovirus was isolated in Vero cells, confirmed by TEM and RT-PCR for the L segment of the virus, and named Viola phlebovirus.
CONCLUSIONS
HTS, viral isolation, RT-PCR and TEM showed the presence of one virus in sand flies from North Pantanal with identity to a putative novel Phlebovirus from phlebotomus fever serogroup, named Viola phlebovirus.
Topics: Animals; Brazil; Chlorocebus aethiops; Phlebovirus; Phylogeny; Psychodidae; Vero Cells
PubMed: 29996902
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2985-3 -
Viruses May 2019Phlebotomine sand flies are generalist vectors with significant implications for public health. They are able to transmit phleboviruses that cause sand fly fever,...
Phlebotomine sand flies are generalist vectors with significant implications for public health. They are able to transmit phleboviruses that cause sand fly fever, headaches, or meningitis in humans. Albania is a country in Southeast Europe with a typical Mediterranean climate which provides convenient conditions for the presence of sand flies. Hence, the circulation of phleboviruses, such as the Toscana and Balkan viruses, has been recently described in the country. We followed a virus discovery approach on sand fly samples collected in 2015 and 2016 in seven regions of Albania, with the aim to investigate and characterize potentially circulating phleboviruses in phlebotomine sand flies. A presumed novel phlebovirus was detected in a pool consisting of 24 males. The virus was provisionally named the after a river near the locality of Kukës, where the infected sand flies were trapped. Genetic and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Drin virus is closely related to the Corfou (CFUV) virus, isolated in the 1980s from sand flies on the eponymous island of Greece, and may also be involved in human infections because of its similarity to the sand fly fever Sicilian virus. The latter justifies further studies to specifically address this concern. Together with recent findings, this study confirms that Albania and the Balkan peninsula are hot spots for phleboviruses.
Topics: Albania; Animals; Bunyaviridae Infections; Chlorocebus aethiops; Genome, Viral; Genomics; Geography; Insect Vectors; Phlebovirus; Phylogeny; Psychodidae; Public Health Surveillance; RNA, Viral; Vero Cells
PubMed: 31126034
DOI: 10.3390/v11050469 -
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Aug 2017In recent years the number of newly described tick-borne phleboviruses has been steadily growing. Some of these novel viruses are highly pathogenic in humans, e.g. the...
In recent years the number of newly described tick-borne phleboviruses has been steadily growing. Some of these novel viruses are highly pathogenic in humans, e.g. the Heartland and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus. We aimed to analyse ticks sampled across Europe to investigate the diversity of phleboviruses using a comprehensive PCR-based screening approach. A total of 4387 ticks were collected from the vegetation in regions of France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, and Estonia, respectively. Ticks were pooled and 22/979 pools tested positive using a PCR targeting the large (L) segment of phleboviruses. Phylogenetic analysis of a 500-bp fragment of the L segment showed a distinct novel clade provisionally named Glabbeek/Osterholz group (Belgium and Germany). In addition, sequences from ticks sampled in France clustered together with the recently described Antigone virus from Greece and AnLuc from Portugal. Our results extend the current diversity of phleboviruses in Europe. Future research should address the ecological processes driving the occurrence of phleboviruses and the impact of these novel phleboviruses for public health.
Topics: Animals; Dermacentor; Europe; Female; Genes, Viral; Ixodes; Male; Phlebovirus; Phylogeny; Sequence Analysis, DNA
PubMed: 28641955
DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2017.06.005 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Sep 2017Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) are two arthropod-borne phleboviruses in the family, which cause severe...
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) are two arthropod-borne phleboviruses in the family, which cause severe illness in humans and animals. Glycoprotein N (Gn) is one of the envelope proteins on the virus surface and is a major antigenic component. Despite its importance for virus entry and fusion, the molecular features of the phleboviruse Gn were unknown. Here, we present the crystal structures of the Gn head domain from both SFTSV and RVFV, which display a similar compact triangular shape overall, while the three subdomains (domains I, II, and III) making up the Gn head display different arrangements. Ten cysteines in the Gn stem region are conserved among phleboviruses, four of which are responsible for Gn dimerization, as revealed in this study, and they are highly conserved for all members in Therefore, we propose an anchoring mode on the viral surface. The complex structure of the SFTSV Gn head and human neutralizing antibody MAb 4-5 reveals that helices α6 in subdomain III is the key component for neutralization. Importantly, the structure indicates that domain III is an ideal region recognized by specific neutralizing antibodies, while domain II is probably recognized by broadly neutralizing antibodies. Collectively, Gn is a desirable vaccine target, and our data provide a molecular basis for the rational design of vaccines against the diseases caused by phleboviruses and a model for bunyavirus Gn embedding on the viral surface.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Bunyaviridae Infections; Cell Line; Crystallography, X-Ray; Epitopes; Glycoproteins; Phlebovirus; Rift Valley Fever; Rift Valley fever virus; Sf9 Cells; Viral Envelope Proteins; Virus Internalization
PubMed: 28827346
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1705176114 -
Archives of Virology Mar 2021Tick-borne pathogens are an emerging public health threat worldwide. However, information on tick-borne viruses is scanty in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, by RT-PCR, 363...
Tick-borne pathogens are an emerging public health threat worldwide. However, information on tick-borne viruses is scanty in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, by RT-PCR, 363 ticks (Amblyomma, Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus) in the Namwala and Livingstone districts of Zambia were screened for tick-borne phleboviruses (TBPVs). TBPVs (L gene) were detected in 19 (5.2%) Rhipicephalus ticks in Namwala. All the detected TBPVs were Shibuyunji viruses. Phylogenetically, they were closely related to American dog tick phlebovirus. This study highlights the possible role of Rhipicephalus ticks as the main host of Shibuyunji virus and suggests that these viruses may be present outside the area where they were initially discovered.
Topics: Amblyomma; Animals; Genetic Variation; Phlebotomus Fever; Phlebovirus; Phylogeny; Prevalence; Rhipicephalus; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Tick-Borne Diseases; Zambia
PubMed: 33475831
DOI: 10.1007/s00705-020-04924-9 -
Current Topics in Microbiology and... 1991Obviously, the family Bunyaviridae is comprised of a large number of epidemiologically diverse viruses. They vary dramatically in their vector and vertebrate host... (Review)
Review
Obviously, the family Bunyaviridae is comprised of a large number of epidemiologically diverse viruses. They vary dramatically in their vector and vertebrate host relationships, geographic distributions, and epidemic potential in humans and animals. Public health practitioners, veterinarians, virologists, entomologists, biologists, ecologists, molecular biologists, and other scientists will all benefit from increased study and knowledge of this fascinating group of viruses.
Topics: Animals; Bunyaviridae; Disease Vectors; Genes, Viral; Orthohantavirus; Nairovirus; Orthobunyavirus; Phlebovirus
PubMed: 1935229
DOI: No ID Found -
Current Topics in Microbiology and... 1991
Review
Topics: Animals; Bunyaviridae; Encephalitis Virus, California; Encephalitis, California; Orthohantavirus; Humans; Mice; Nairovirus; Phlebovirus; Rift Valley fever virus; Virulence
PubMed: 1935228
DOI: No ID Found -
Virus Research Jul 2023A newly discovered tick-borne virus called the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) can cause the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome...
A newly discovered tick-borne virus called the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) can cause the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). The mortality and incidence rate of SFTS patients remain extremely high due to the fast global dissemination of its arthropod vectors, and the mechanism of viral pathogenesis remains largely unknown. In this study, high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to sequence HEK 293 cells treated with SFTSV at four time points. 115, 191, 259, and 660 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h post-infection, respectively. We found that SFTSV infection induced the expression of genes responsible for numerous cytokine-related pathways, including TNF, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL3, CXCL8, CXCL10, and CCL20. With the extension of infection time, the expression of most genes involved in these pathways increased significantly, indicating the host's inflammatory response to SFTSV. Moreover, the expression levels of GNA13, ARHGEF12, RHOA, ROCK1, and MYL12A, elements of the platelet activation signaling pathway, were downregulated during SFTSV infection, suggesting that the SFTSV infection may cause thrombocytopenia by inhibiting platelet activation. Our results contribute to further understanding the interaction between SFTSV and the host.
Topics: Humans; Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome; Bunyaviridae Infections; HEK293 Cells; Phlebovirus; Signal Transduction; rho-Associated Kinases
PubMed: 37211158
DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199138