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Frontiers in Immunology 2024Type I interferons (IFN-I) are key immune messenger molecules that play an important role in viral defense. They act as a bridge between microbe sensing, immune function... (Review)
Review
Type I interferons (IFN-I) are key immune messenger molecules that play an important role in viral defense. They act as a bridge between microbe sensing, immune function magnitude, and adaptive immunity to fight infections, and they must therefore be tightly regulated. It has become increasingly evident that thymic irregularities and mutations in immune genes affecting thymic tolerance can lead to the production of IFN-I autoantibodies (autoAbs). Whether these biomarkers affect the immune system or tissue integrity of the host is still controversial, but new data show that IFN-I autoAbs may increase susceptibility to severe disease caused by certain viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, herpes zoster, and varicella pneumonia. In this article, we will elaborate on disorders that have been identified with IFN-I autoAbs, discuss models of how tolerance to IFN-Is is lost, and explain the consequences for the host.
Topics: Autoantibodies; Thymus Gland; Interferon Type I; Herpesvirus 3, Human
PubMed: 38455040
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1327784 -
Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal Feb 2024Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) is a triad of peri-auricular pain, ipsilateral facial nerve palsy and vesicular rash around the ear pinna. It is caused by reactivation of...
Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) is a triad of peri-auricular pain, ipsilateral facial nerve palsy and vesicular rash around the ear pinna. It is caused by reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) that lies dormant in the geniculate ganglia. It can be complicated by VZV encephalitis rarely. We report the case of an 8-year-old previously healthy boy who presented to a tertiary care hospital in Muscat, Oman in 2021 with fever, progressive left ear pain, vesicular rash around his ear pinna and left-sided facial nerve palsy. His course was complicated by VZV encephalitis where he was managed with intravenous (IV) acyclovir and IV corticosteroids. He improved significantly and was asymptomatic with a normal neurology examination at the 6-months follow-up.
Topics: Male; Child; Humans; Herpes Zoster Oticus; Herpesvirus 3, Human; Encephalitis; Pain; Exanthema; Paralysis
PubMed: 38434459
DOI: 10.18295/squmj.3.2023.020 -
Euro Surveillance : Bulletin Europeen... Feb 2024BackgroundChickenpox, a vaccine-preventable disease caused by the varicella zoster virus, generally presents with mild symptoms but can cause complications necessitating...
BackgroundChickenpox, a vaccine-preventable disease caused by the varicella zoster virus, generally presents with mild symptoms but can cause complications necessitating hospitalisation. In Poland, since 2009, vaccination has been obligatory for children up to 12 years of age who are particularly vulnerable to infection and for children in their vicinity.AimTo examine the burden of chickenpox complications and the trends of hospitalisation arising from these complications over time in the Polish population.MethodsData spanning 2006-21 were sourced from the Polish Infectious Diseases Surveillance System, the Nationwide General Hospital Morbidity Study and the Statistics Poland death registry. Standardised and age-specific incidence rates, hospital discharge rates and number of deaths because of chickenpox were calculated. Moreover, the joinpoint regression model was used to analyse trends of annual hospital discharge rates.ResultsOver the analysed timeframe, 25,804 hospitalisations and 52 deaths attributable to chickenpox complications were documented, and 1.0% of chickenpox cases required hospitalisation because of chickenpox. Age-standardised hospitalisation rates varied between 2.3 and 9.6 per 100,000 population. The analysis revealed no statistically significant trend in overall hospital discharge rates from chickenpox complications. However, a notable increase in hospitalisation rates was observed in children aged 0-4 and among inhabitants of rural areas, with annual percentage changes of 4.9% and 3.4% respectively.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the implementation of a universal chickenpox immunisation programme, supported by health education, should be considered to reduce the number of hospitalisations and nearly eliminate deaths because of chickenpox.
Topics: Child; Humans; Infant; Chickenpox; Chickenpox Vaccine; Poland; Herpesvirus 3, Human; Incidence; Registries
PubMed: 38426240
DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.9.2300355 -
Annals of Clinical Microbiology and... Feb 2024Early and accurate etiological diagnosis is very important for improving the prognosis of central nervous system (CNS) infections in human immunodeficiency virus...
BACKGROUND
Early and accurate etiological diagnosis is very important for improving the prognosis of central nervous system (CNS) infections in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. The goal is not easily achieved by conventional microbiological tests. We developed a nanopore targeted sequencing (NTS) platform and evaluated the diagnostic performance for CNS infections in HIV-infected patients, with special focus on cryptococcal meningitis (CM). We compared the CM diagnostic performance of NTS with conventional methods and cryptococcal polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
METHODS
This study included 57 hospitalized HIV-infected patients with suspected CNS infections from September 2018 to March 2022. The diagnosis established during hospitalization includes 27 cases of CM, 13 CNS tuberculosis, 5 toxoplasma encephalitis, 2 cytomegalovirus (CMV) encephalitis and 1 Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) encephalitis. The 2 cases of CMV encephalitis also have co-existing CM. Target-specific PCR amplification was used to enrich pathogen sequences before nanopore sequencing. NTS was performed on stored cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples and the results were compared with the diagnosis during hospitalization.
RESULTS
53 (93.0%) of the patients were male. The median CD4 cell count was 25.0 (IQR: 14.0-63.0) cells/uL. The sensitivities of CSF culture, India ink staining, cryptococcal PCR and NTS for CM were 70.4% (95%CI: 51.5 - 84.1%), 76.0% (95%CI: 56.6 - 88.5%), 77.8% (59.2 - 89.4%) and 85.2% (95%CI: 67.5 - 94.1%), respectively. All those methods had 100% specificity for CM. Our NTS platform could identify Cryptococcus at species level. Moreover, NTS was also able to identify all the 5 cases of toxoplasma encephalitis, 2 cases of CMV encephalitis and 1 VZV encephalitis. However, only 1 of 13 CNS tuberculosis cases was diagnosed by NTS, and so did Xpert MTB/RIF assay.
CONCLUSIONS
NTS has a good diagnostic performance for CM in HIV-infected patients and may have the ability of simultaneously detecting other pathogens, including mixed infections. With continuing improving of the NTS platform, it may be a promising alterative microbiological test for assisting with the diagnosis of CNS infections.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; HIV; Nanopore Sequencing; Nanopores; DNA, Viral; Herpesvirus 3, Human; Central Nervous System Infections; Cytomegalovirus Infections; Encephalitis; HIV Infections; Tuberculosis
PubMed: 38424544
DOI: 10.1186/s12941-024-00682-7 -
American Journal of Veterinary Research May 2024To determine the efficacy of primary or booster intranasal vaccination of beef steers on clinical protection and pathogen detection following simultaneous challenge with...
Intranasal booster vaccination of beef steers reduces clinical signs following experimental coinfection with BRSV and BHV-1 without reducing shedding of BRD-associated bacteria.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of primary or booster intranasal vaccination of beef steers on clinical protection and pathogen detection following simultaneous challenge with bovine respiratory syncytial virus and bovine herpes virus 1.
METHODS
30 beef steers were randomly allocated to 3 different treatment groups starting at 2 months of age. Group A (n = 10) was administered a single dose of a parenteral modified-live vaccine and was moved to a separate pasture. Groups B (n = 10) and C (10) remained unvaccinated. At 6 months of age, all steers were weaned and transported. Subsequently, groups A and B received a single dose of an intranasal modified-live vaccine vaccine while group C remained unvaccinated. Group C was housed separately until challenge. Two days following vaccination, all steers were challenged with bovine respiratory syncytial virus and bovine herpes virus 1 and housed in a single pen. Clinical and antibody response outcomes and the presence of nasal pathogens were evaluated.
RESULTS
The odds of clinical disease were lower in group A compared with group C on day 7 postchallenge; however, antibody responses and pathogen detection were not significantly different between groups before and following viral challenge. All calves remained negative for Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis; however, significantly greater loads of Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida were detected on day 7 postchallenge compared with day -2 prechallenge.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Intranasal booster vaccination of beef steers at 6 months of age reduced clinical disease early after viral challenge. Weaning, transport, and viral infection promoted increased detection rates of M haemolytica and P multocida regardless of vaccination status.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Herpesvirus 1, Bovine; Male; Administration, Intranasal; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Bovine; Immunization, Secondary; Coinfection; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections; Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis; Cattle Diseases; Viral Vaccines; Bacterial Shedding; Antibodies, Viral; Herpesviridae Infections; Random Allocation; Vaccination
PubMed: 38422620
DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.23.11.0266 -
BMC Veterinary Research Feb 2024Varicellovirus equidalpha1 (formerly Equid alphaherpesvirus 1, EqAHV-1) is among the most important viruses responsible for respiratory disease outbreaks among horses...
BACKGROUND
Varicellovirus equidalpha1 (formerly Equid alphaherpesvirus 1, EqAHV-1) is among the most important viruses responsible for respiratory disease outbreaks among horses throughout the world. No reports to date have detailed the association between EqAHV-1 and respiratory disease among horses in China. This study described one such outbreak among a population of horses in north Xinjiang that occurred from April 2021 - May 2023.
RESULTS
qPCR revealed that EqAHV-1 was detectable in all samples and this virus was identified as a possible source of respiratory disease, although a limited subset of these samples were also positive for EqAHV-2, EqAHV-4, and EqAHV-5. In total, three EqAHV-1 strains responsible for causing respiratory illness in horses were isolated successfully, and full-length ORF33 sequence comparisonsand phylogenetic analyses indicated that these isolates may have originated from EqAHV-1 strains detected in Yili horse abortions. ORF30 sequence data additionally suggested that these strains were neuropathic, as evidenced by the presence of a guanine residue at nucleotide position 2254 corresponding to the aspartic acid present at position 752 in the DNA polymerase encoded by this virus.
CONCLUSION
This study is the first report of an outbreak of respiratory disease among horses in China caused by EqAHV-1. ORF30 sequence characterization revealed that these EqAHV-1 strains harbored a neuropathogenic genotype. Given the detection of this virus in horses suffering from respiratory disease, concern is warranted with respect to this neuropathogenic EqAHV-1 outbreak.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Horses; Animals; Varicellovirus; Phylogeny; DNA, Viral; Herpesvirus 1, Equid; Disease Outbreaks; Horse Diseases; Herpesviridae Infections
PubMed: 38413936
DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03925-z -
Viruses Feb 2024The CRISPR/Cas9 system is widely used to manipulate viral genomes. Although genomes are large and complicated to edit, in recent years several Pseudorabies virus (PRV)...
The CRISPR/Cas9 system is widely used to manipulate viral genomes. Although genomes are large and complicated to edit, in recent years several Pseudorabies virus (PRV) mutants have been successfully generated using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. However, the application of CRISPR/Cas9 editing on another member of alpha herpesviruses, bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1), is rarely reported. This paper reports a rapid and straightforward approach to manipulating herpesviruses genome using CRISPR/Cas9. The recombinant plasmids contained the left and right arm of the () gene of PRV or of the () and () of BHV-1. Upon the cleavage of the TK or gIgE gene by Cas9 protein, this was replaced by the () by homologous recombination. With this approach, we generated recombinant TK-/eGFP+ PRV and gIgE-/eGFP+ BHV-1 mutants and then proceeded to characterize their biological activities in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, we showed that alpha herpesvirus, including PRV and BHV-1, can be rapidly edited using the CRISPR/Cas9 approach paving the way to the development of animal herpesvirus vaccines.
Topics: Animals; Herpesvirus 1, Suid; Gene Editing; CRISPR-Cas Systems; Herpesvirus 1, Bovine; Pseudorabies; Glycoproteins
PubMed: 38400086
DOI: 10.3390/v16020311 -
Viruses Feb 2024Porcine pseudorabies has long existed in China and is a serious threat to the Chinese farming industry. To understand the prevalence and genetic variation of the porcine...
Porcine pseudorabies has long existed in China and is a serious threat to the Chinese farming industry. To understand the prevalence and genetic variation of the porcine pseudorabies virus (PRV) and its pathogenicity in Yunnan Province, China, we collected 560 serum samples across seven Yunnan Province regions from 2020 to 2021 and detected anti-gE antibodies in these samples. Sixty-one clinical tissue samples were also collected from pigs with suspected PRV that were vaccinated with Bartha-K61. PRV-gE antibodies were found in 29.6% (166/560) of the serum samples. The PRV positivity rate in clinical tissue samples was 13.1% (8/61). Two isolates, PRV-KM and PRV-QJ, were obtained. The identity of the gB, gD, and gE genes between these isolates and the Chinese mutants exceeded 99.5%. These isolates and the classical Fa strain were used to infect 4-week-old rats intranasally to assess their pathogenicity. All infected rats showed the typical clinical and pathological features of PRV two days post-infection. The viral loads in the organs differed significantly among the infected groups. Viruses were detected in the saliva and feces at 12 h. Significant dynamic changes in total white blood cell counts (WBC), lymphocyte counts (Lym), and neutrophil counts (Gran) occurred in the blood of the infected groups at 24 and 48 h. These results show that mutant PRV strains are prevalent in Bartha-K61-vaccinated pigs in Yunnan Province, China. Moreover, rats shed PRV in their saliva and feces during early infection, indicating the need for rodent control in combatting PRV infections in Yunnan Province, China.
Topics: Animals; Swine; Rats; Herpesvirus 1, Suid; Virulence; China; Swine Diseases; Pseudorabies; Antibodies, Viral
PubMed: 38400009
DOI: 10.3390/v16020233 -
Viruses Feb 2024In the realm of clinical practice, nucleoside analogs are the prevailing antiviral drugs employed to combat feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) infections. However, these...
In the realm of clinical practice, nucleoside analogs are the prevailing antiviral drugs employed to combat feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) infections. However, these drugs, initially formulated for herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections, operate through a singular mechanism and are susceptible to the emergence of drug resistance. These challenges underscore the imperative to innovate and develop alternative antiviral medications featuring unique mechanisms of action, such as viral entry inhibitors. This research endeavors to address this pressing need. Utilizing Bio-layer interferometry (BLI), we meticulously screened drugs to identify natural compounds exhibiting high binding affinity for the herpesvirus functional protein envelope glycoprotein B (gB). The selected drugs underwent a rigorous assessment to gauge their antiviral activity against feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) and to elucidate their mode of action. Our findings unequivocally demonstrated that Saikosaponin B2, Punicalin, and Punicalagin displayed robust antiviral efficacy against FHV-1 at concentrations devoid of cytotoxicity. Specifically, these compounds, Saikosaponin B2, Punicalin, and Punicalagin, are effective in exerting their antiviral effects in the early stages of viral infection without compromising the integrity of the viral particle. Considering the potency and efficacy exhibited by Saikosaponin B2, Punicalin, and Punicalagin in impeding the early entry of FHV-1, it is foreseeable that their chemical structures will be further explored and developed as promising antiviral agents against FHV-1 infection.
Topics: Animals; Cats; Humans; Antiviral Agents; Varicellovirus; Herpesviridae Infections; Oleanolic Acid; Saponins; Hydrolyzable Tannins
PubMed: 38400007
DOI: 10.3390/v16020231 -
Viruses Jan 2024(CaHV-1) infects dogs, causing neonatal death and ocular, neurological, respiratory, and reproductive problems in adults. Although CaHV-1 is widespread in canine...
(CaHV-1) infects dogs, causing neonatal death and ocular, neurological, respiratory, and reproductive problems in adults. Although CaHV-1 is widespread in canine populations, only four studies have focused on the CaHV-1 whole genome. In such context, two CaHV-1 strains from both the kidney and spleen of 20-day-old deceased French Bulldog puppies were recently isolated in Sardinia, Italy. The extracted viral DNA underwent whole-genome sequencing using the Illumina MiSeq platform. The Italian CaHV-1 genomes were nearly identical (>99%), shared the same tree branch, and clustered near the ELAL-1 (MW353125) and BTU-1 (KX828242) strains, enlarging the completely separated clade discussed by Lewin et al., in 2020. This study aims to provide new insights on the evolution of the CaHV-1, based on high-resolution whole-genome phylogenetic analysis, and on its clinicopathological characterization during a fatal outbreak in puppies.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Herpesvirus 1, Canid; Herpesviridae Infections; Phylogeny; Dog Diseases; DNA, Viral
PubMed: 38399985
DOI: 10.3390/v16020209