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Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Sep 2020Viral anterior uveitis (VAU) needs to be suspected in anterior uveitis (AU) associated with elevated intraocular pressure, corneal involvement, and iris atrophic... (Review)
Review
Viral anterior uveitis (VAU) needs to be suspected in anterior uveitis (AU) associated with elevated intraocular pressure, corneal involvement, and iris atrophic changes. Common etiologies of VAU include herpes simplex, varicella-zoster, cytomegalovirus, and rubella virus. Clinical presentations can vary from granulomatous AU with corneal involvement, Posner-Schlossman syndrome, Fuchs uveitis syndrome, and endothelitis. Due to overlapping clinical manifestations between the different viruses, diagnostic tests like polymerase chain reaction and Goldmann-Witmer coefficient analysis on the aqueous humor may help in identifying etiology to plan and monitor treatment.
Topics: Aqueous Humor; Cytomegalovirus; DNA, Viral; Eye Infections, Viral; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Rubella virus; Uveitis; Uveitis, Anterior
PubMed: 32823392
DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_928_20 -
Hong Kong Medical Journal = Xianggang... Apr 2019Rubella is generally a mild and self-limited disease in children. During pregnancy, rubella can have potentially devastating effects on the developing fetus. Postnatal... (Review)
Review
Rubella is generally a mild and self-limited disease in children. During pregnancy, rubella can have potentially devastating effects on the developing fetus. Postnatal rubella is transmitted primarily by inhalation of virus-laden airborne droplets or direct contact with infected nasopharyngeal secretions. In susceptible pregnant women, the virus may cross the placenta and spread through the vascular system of the developing fetus. Postnatally acquired rubella typically begins with fever and lymphadenopathy, followed by an erythematous, maculopapular rash. The rash classically begins on the face, spreads cephalocaudally, becomes generalised within 24 hours, and disappears within 3 days. Maternal rubella, especially during early pregnancy, may lead to miscarriage, intrauterine fetal death, premature labour, intrauterine growth retardation, and congenital rubella syndrome. Cataracts, congenital heart defects, and sensorineural deafness are the classic triad of congenital rubella syndrome and they typically occur if the fetal infection occurs in the first 11 weeks of gestation. Laboratory confirmation of rubella virus infection can be based on a positive serological test for rubella-specific immunoglobulin M antibody; a four-fold or greater increase in rubella-specific immunoglobulin G titres between acute and convalescent sera; or detection of rubella virus RNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Treatment is mainly symptomatic. Universal childhood immunisation and vaccination of all susceptible patients with rubella vaccine to decrease circulation of the virus are cornerstones to prevention of rubella and, more importantly, congenital rubella syndrome.
Topics: Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Immunization; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Pregnancy; Prognosis; Rubella; Rubella Syndrome, Congenital; Rubella Vaccine; Rubella virus
PubMed: 30967519
DOI: 10.12809/hkmj187785 -
ELife Jun 2023The rubella virus can interfere with fetal brain development by infecting immune cells called microglia during pregnancy.
The rubella virus can interfere with fetal brain development by infecting immune cells called microglia during pregnancy.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Rubella virus; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Rubella; Fetus; Brain
PubMed: 37327049
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.89265 -
Microbiology Spectrum Apr 2022Rustrela virus (RusV; species Rubivirus strelense) is a recently discovered relative of rubella virus (RuV) that has been detected in cases of encephalitis in diverse...
Rustrela virus (RusV; species Rubivirus strelense) is a recently discovered relative of rubella virus (RuV) that has been detected in cases of encephalitis in diverse mammals. Here, we diagnosed two additional cases of fatal RusV-associated meningoencephalitis in a South American coati (Nasua nasua) and a Eurasian or European otter (Lutra lutra) that were detected in a zoological garden with history of prior RusV infections. Both animals showed abnormal movement or unusual behavior and their brains tested positive for RusV using specific reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and RNA hybridization. As previous sequencing of the RusV genome proved to be very challenging, we employed a sophisticated target-specific capture enrichment with specifically designed RNA baits to generate complete RusV genome sequences from both detected encephalitic animals and apparently healthy wild yellow-necked field mice (Apodemus flavicollis). Furthermore, the technique was used to revise three previously published RusV genomes from two encephalitic animals and a wild yellow-necked field mouse. When comparing the newly generated RusV sequences to the previously published RusV genomes, we identified a previously undetected stretch of 309 nucleotides predicted to represent the intergenic region and the sequence encoding the N terminus of the capsid protein. This indicated that the original RusV sequence was likely incomplete due to misassembly of the genome at a region with an exceptionally high G+C content of >80 mol%. The new sequence data indicate that RusV has an overall genome length of 9,631 nucleotides with the longest intergenic region (290 nucleotides) and capsid protein-encoding sequence (331 codons) within the genus . The detection of rustrela virus (RusV)-associated encephalitis in two carnivoran mammal species further extends the knowledge on susceptible species. Furthermore, we provide clinical and pathological data for the two new RusV cases, which were until now limited to the initial description of this fatal encephalitis. Using a sophisticated enrichment method prior to sequencing of the viral genome, we markedly improved the virus-to-background sequence ratio compared to that of standard procedures. Consequently, we were able to resolve and update the intergenic region and the coding region for the N terminus of the capsid protein of the initial RusV genome sequence. The updated putative capsid protein now resembles those of rubella and ruhugu virus in size and harbors a predicted RNA-binding domain that had not been identified in the initial RusV genome version. The newly determined complete RusV genomes strongly improve our knowledge of the genome structure of this novel rubivirus.
Topics: Animals; Capsid; Capsid Proteins; DNA, Intergenic; Encephalitis; Mammals; Mice; Nucleotides; RNA; Rubivirus
PubMed: 35384712
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00103-22 -
Uirusu Dec 2011Many pathogens important for medicine, veterinary medicine or public health belong to the genera alphavirus and rubivirus within the family Togaviridae. 29 species of... (Review)
Review
Many pathogens important for medicine, veterinary medicine or public health belong to the genera alphavirus and rubivirus within the family Togaviridae. 29 species of alphaviruses have been reported, and most of them are arboviruses. Chikungnya virus re-emerged in Kenya in 2004 and the epidemics spread to the Indian Ocean islands and many countries in South Asia, South-East Asia and Europe. On the other hand, rubella virus, a sole member of the genus rubivirus, is the causative agent of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Because human is only a natural host of the virus and effective live attenuated vaccines are available, immunization activities are strengthened globally to eliminate rubella and CRS, together with measles.
Topics: Alphavirus; Alphavirus Infections; Chikungunya Fever; Chikungunya virus; Disease Outbreaks; Genome, Viral; Humans; Rubella; Rubella Syndrome, Congenital; Rubella Vaccine; Rubella virus; Togaviridae; Togaviridae Infections; Virus Release
PubMed: 22916568
DOI: 10.2222/jsv.61.211 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2021Rubella is a very diffusive but relatively benign infectious disease unless contracted during pregnancy, when it causes congenital rubella syndrome. The aim of this...
Rubella is a very diffusive but relatively benign infectious disease unless contracted during pregnancy, when it causes congenital rubella syndrome. The aim of this research was to determine the prevalence and titer of antirubella antibodies in a population of future healthcare workers (students at the school of medicine). The cohort consisted of 11,022 students who underwent antibody analysis after the presentation of a vaccine certificate. Vaccination compliance was very high, particularly in younger students (born after 1995), reaching almost 100% (at least one dose). Unvaccinated students born before 1990 had high seropositivity (>95%), but this percentage dropped to zero among the youngest students. Variables affecting antibody titer included year of birth and sex. Considering only vaccinated students, a greater antibody response was observed if the vaccine was administered between 8 and 10 years of age. Female sex was associated with more significant ( < 0.0001) positivity and higher antibody titer after one and two doses. However, this difference appeared less consistent in relation to year of birth. The studied population exhibited excellent vaccination compliance, high seropositivity, and high antibody titer. Vaccine and immune coverage were higher than what is deemed necessary to achieve herd immunity.
Topics: Female; Health Personnel; Humans; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; Pregnancy; Rubella; Rubella Syndrome, Congenital; Rubella virus
PubMed: 34589465
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.741178 -
ELife Jul 2023Rubella virus is an important human pathogen that can cause neurological deficits in a developing fetus when contracted during pregnancy. Despite successful vaccination...
Rubella virus is an important human pathogen that can cause neurological deficits in a developing fetus when contracted during pregnancy. Despite successful vaccination programs in the Americas and many developed countries, rubella remains endemic in many regions worldwide and outbreaks occur wherever population immunity is insufficient. Intense interest since rubella virus was first isolated in 1962 has advanced our understanding of clinical outcomes after infection disrupts key processes of fetal neurodevelopment. Yet it is still largely unknown which cell types in the developing brain are targeted. We show that in human brain slices, rubella virus predominantly infects microglia. This infection occurs in a heterogeneous population but not in a highly microglia-enriched monoculture in the absence of other cell types. By using an organoid-microglia model, we further demonstrate that rubella virus infection leads to a profound interferon response in non-microglial cells, including neurons and neural progenitor cells, and this response is attenuated by the presence of microglia.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Rubella virus; Microglia; Rubella; Neural Stem Cells; Organoids
PubMed: 37470786
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.87696 -
Nature Oct 2020Since 1814, when rubella was first described, the origins of the disease and its causative agent, rubella virus (Matonaviridae: Rubivirus), have remained unclear. Here...
Since 1814, when rubella was first described, the origins of the disease and its causative agent, rubella virus (Matonaviridae: Rubivirus), have remained unclear. Here we describe ruhugu virus and rustrela virus in Africa and Europe, respectively, which are, to our knowledge, the first known relatives of rubella virus. Ruhugu virus, which is the closest relative of rubella virus, was found in apparently healthy cyclops leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideros cyclops) in Uganda. Rustrela virus, which is an outgroup to the clade that comprises rubella and ruhugu viruses, was found in acutely encephalitic placental and marsupial animals at a zoo in Germany and in wild yellow-necked field mice (Apodemus flavicollis) at and near the zoo. Ruhugu and rustrela viruses share an identical genomic architecture with rubella virus. The amino acid sequences of four putative B cell epitopes in the fusion (E1) protein of the rubella, ruhugu and rustrela viruses and two putative T cell epitopes in the capsid protein of the rubella and ruhugu viruses are moderately to highly conserved. Modelling of E1 homotrimers in the post-fusion state predicts that ruhugu and rubella viruses have a similar capacity for fusion with the host-cell membrane. Together, these findings show that some members of the family Matonaviridae can cross substantial barriers between host species and that rubella virus probably has a zoonotic origin. Our findings raise concerns about future zoonotic transmission of rubella-like viruses, but will facilitate comparative studies and animal models of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome.
Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Animals, Zoo; Cell Membrane; Chiroptera; Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; Equidae; Evolution, Molecular; Female; Geographic Mapping; Germany; Host Specificity; Humans; Male; Mammals; Marsupialia; Membrane Fusion; Mice; Models, Animal; Models, Molecular; Phylogeny; Rubella; Rubella virus; Sequence Alignment; Uganda; Viral Envelope Proteins
PubMed: 33029010
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2812-9 -
Journal of Virology Apr 2021Rubella virus (RUBV), a rubivirus, is an airborne human pathogen that generally causes mild measles-like symptoms in children or adults. However, RUBV infection of... (Review)
Review
Rubella virus (RUBV), a rubivirus, is an airborne human pathogen that generally causes mild measles-like symptoms in children or adults. However, RUBV infection of pregnant women can result in miscarriage or congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), a collection of long-term birth defects including incomplete organ development and mental retardation. Worldwide vaccination campaigns have significantly reduced the number of RUBV infections, but RUBV continues to be a problem in countries with low vaccination coverage. Further, the recent discovery of pathogenic rubiviruses in other mammals emphasizes the spillover potential of rubella-related viruses to humans. In the last decade, our understanding of RUBV has been significantly increased by virological, biochemical, and structural studies, providing a platform to begin understanding the life cycle of RUBV at the molecular level. This review concentrates on recent work on RUBV, focusing on the virion, its structural components, and its entry, fusion, and assembly mechanisms. Important features of RUBV are compared with those of viruses from other families. We also use comparative genomics, manual curation, and protein homology modeling to highlight distinct features of RUBV that are evolutionarily conserved in the non-human rubiviruses. Since rubella-like viruses may potentially have higher pathogenicity and transmissibility to humans, we also propose a framework for utilizing RUBV as a model to study its more pathogenic cousins.
PubMed: 33627388
DOI: 10.1128/JVI.02349-20 -
Neurology India 2011
Topics: Adult; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Humans; Immunoglobulin M; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Rubella virus; Rubivirus Infections; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Viral Proteins
PubMed: 22019669
DOI: 10.4103/0028-3886.86559