| optical imaging of paramagnetic bead-dna aggregation inhibition allows for low copy number detection of infectious pathogens. | dna-paramagnetic silica bead aggregation in a rotating magnetic field facilitates the quantification of dna with femtogram sensitivity, but yields no sequence-specific information. here we provide an original description of aggregation inhibition for the detection of dna and rna in a sequence-specific manner following loop-mediated isothermal amplification (lamp). the fragments generated via lamp fail to induce chaotrope-mediated bead aggregation; however, due to their ability to passivate the b ... | 2015 | 26068926 |
| serological surveillance studies confirm the rift valley fever virus free status in south korea. | rift valley fever is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease of domestic ruminants. this disease causes abortions in pregnant animals, and it has a high mortality rate in newborn animals. recently, a rift valley fever virus (rvfv) outbreak in the arabian peninsula increased its potential spread to new regions worldwide. in non-endemic or disease-free countries, early detection and surveillance are important for preventing the introduction of rvfv. in this study, a serological surveillance was conducte ... | 2015 | 26024956 |
| single-cycle replicable rift valley fever virus mutants as safe vaccine candidates. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is an arbovirus circulating between ruminants and mosquitoes to maintain its enzootic cycle. humans are infected with rvfv through mosquito bites or direct contact with materials of infected animals. the virus causes rift valley fever (rvf), which was first recognized in the great rift valley of kenya in 1931. rvf is characterized by a febrile illness resulting in a high rate of abortions in ruminants and an acute febrile illness, followed by fatal hemorrhagic feve ... | 2016 | 26022573 |
| monitoring of the antiviral potential of bee venom and wax extracts against adeno-7 (dna) and rift valley fever virus (rna) viruses models. | this study monitored the antiviral potential of bee venom and four wax extracts, ethanol white and black beeswax (eww/ebw) and acetone white and black beeswax (aww/abw) extracts. two different virus models namely adeno-7 as dna model and rvfv as rna virus models. end point calculation assay was used to calculate virus depletion titer. the depletion of viral infectivity titer of abw to adeno-7 virus showed strong antiviral activity recorded a depletion of viral infectivity titer (1.66 log (10)/ m ... | 2015 | 26012234 |
| characterizing the effect of bortezomib on rift valley fever virus multiplication. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) belongs to the family bunyaviridae and is a known cause of epizootics and epidemics in africa and the middle east. with no fda approved therapeutics available to treat rvfv infection, understanding the interactions between the virus and the infected host is crucial to developing novel therapeutic strategies. here, we investigated the requirement of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (ups) for the establishment of a productive rvfv infection. it was previously shown th ... | 2015 | 26001632 |
| [survey of investigation around cases of rift valley fever at tagant, mauritania]. | rift valley fever (rvf) is a zoonotic arbovirosis. among animals, it mainly affects ruminants, causing abortions in gravid females and deaths among young animals. in humans, rvf virus infection is usually asymptomatic or characterized by a moderate fever. however, in 1-3% of cases, the disease progresses to a severe form with 50% mortality. | 2015 | 25959009 |
| [severe hemorrhagic form of rift valley fever in mauritania]. | we report three severe cases of hemorrhagic form of rift valley fever which have been observed in the hospital of aïoun (two cases) and in the regional hospital of tidjikdja (one case). the disease manifested itself by an infectious syndrome, an early infectious syndrome (on the second day) with onset of hemorrhagic complications and disorder of consciousness ranging from an agitation to deep coma. the biological examinations showed a severe anemia. multiple organ failures were also observed. of ... | 2015 | 25925806 |
| a ωxav motif in the rift valley fever virus nss protein is essential for degrading p62, forming nuclear filaments and virulence. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is a single-stranded rna virus capable of inducing fatal hemorrhagic fever in humans. a key component of rvfv virulence is its ability to form nuclear filaments through interactions between the viral nonstructural protein nss and the host general transcription factor tfiih. here, we identify an interaction between a ωxav motif in nss and the p62 subunit of tfiih. this motif in nss is similar to ωxav motifs found in nucleotide excision repair (ner) factors and trans ... | 2015 | 25918396 |
| comparison of the potential for different genetic forms in the culex pipiens complex in north america to transmit rift valley fever virus. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv), a mosquito-borne virus, has been responsible for large outbreaks in africa that have resulted in hundreds of thousands of human infections and major economic disruption due to loss of livestock and to trade restrictions. culex pipiens was implicated as the principal vector of the egyptian outbreak in 1977 that affected about 200,000 people. in the northern usa, cx. pipiens occurs both as a mix of forms pipiens and molestus (i.e., us culex pipiens) as well as pure ... | 2014 | 25843130 |
| seroepidemiological survey on rift valley fever among small ruminants and their close human contacts in makkah, saudi arabia, in 2011. | this study describes a seroepidemiological survey on rift valley fever (rvf) among small ruminants and their close human contacts in makkah, saudi arabia. a total of 500 small ruminants (126 local, 374 imported) were randomly selected from the sacrifice livestock yards of al-kaakiah slaughterhouse, in the holy city of makkah, during the pilgrimage season 1432 h (4-9 november 2011). in addition, blood samples were collected from 100 local workers in close contact with the animals at the slaughter ... | 2014 | 25812214 |
| prevalence of rift valley fever in domestic ruminants in the central and northern regions of burkina faso. | the seroprevalence of rift valley fever was determined in cattle, sheep and goats in selected areas of northern and central burkina faso. a total of 520 serum samples were screened for anti-rift valley fever virus immunoglobulin g (igg) antibodies using an inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa). an average seroprevalence of 7.67% (range 5% to 20%) was found in ruminants in seno and soum provinces, and prevalences of 20% and 22.5% in cattle in yatenga and oubritenga provinces, respe ... | 2014 | 25812213 |
| enemies and turncoats: bovine tuberculosis exposes pathogenic potential of rift valley fever virus in a common host, african buffalo (syncerus caffer). | the ubiquity and importance of parasite co-infections in populations of free-living animals is beginning to be recognized, but few studies have demonstrated differential fitness effects of single infection versus co-infection in free-living populations. we investigated interactions between the emerging bacterial disease bovine tuberculosis (btb) and the previously existing viral disease rift valley fever (rvf) in a competent reservoir host, african buffalo, combining data from a natural outbreak ... | 2015 | 25788592 |
| randomized controlled field trial to assess the immunogenicity and safety of rift valley fever clone 13 vaccine in livestock. | although livestock vaccination is effective in preventing rift valley fever (rvf) epidemics, there are concerns about safety and effectiveness of the only commercially available rvf smithburn vaccine. we conducted a randomized controlled field trial to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of the new rvf clone 13 vaccine, recently registered in south africa. | 2015 | 25756501 |
| a review of mosquitoes associated with rift valley fever virus in madagascar. | rift valley fever (rvf) is a viral zoonotic disease occurring throughout africa, the arabian peninsula, and madagascar. the disease is caused by a phlebovirus (rvf virus [rvfv]) transmitted to vertebrate hosts through the bite of infected mosquitoes. in madagascar, the first rvfv circulation was reported in 1979 based on detection in mosquitoes but without epidemic episode. subsequently, two outbreaks occurred: the first along the east coast and in the central highlands in 1990 and 1991 and the ... | 2015 | 25732680 |
| understanding rift valley fever: contributions of animal models to disease characterization and control. | rift valley fever (rvf) is a mosquito-borne viral zoonosis with devastating health impacts in domestic ruminants and humans. effective vaccines and accurate disease diagnostic tools are key components in the control of rvf. animal models reproducing infection with rvf virus are of upmost importance in the development of these disease control tools. rodent infection models are currently used in the initial steps of vaccine development and for the study of virus induced pathology. translation of d ... | 2015 | 25725948 |
| enveloped virus-like particles as vaccines against pathogenic arboviruses. | arthropod-borne arboviruses form a continuous threat to human and animal health, but few arboviral vaccines are currently available. advances in expression technology for complex, enveloped virus-like particles (evlps) create new opportunities to develop potent vaccines against pathogenic arboviruses. in this short review, i highlight the successes and challenges in evlp production for members of the three major arbovirus families: flaviviridae (e.g., dengue, west nile, japanese encephalitis); b ... | 2015 | 25692281 |
| validation of an elisa for the concurrent detection of total antibodies (igm and igg) to rift valley fever virus. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) infects humans and livestock, causing haemorrhaging and abortions in animals. three major rvf epizootics have occurred in south africa since the 1950s and the outbreak in 2010 had a mortality rate of 10.7% in humans. accurate and early detection is therefore essential for management of this zoonotic disease. enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (elisas) have been developed for the detection of either igm or igg antibodies to rvfv in animal sera. in this study, data a ... | 2014 | 25686466 |
| four-segmented rift valley fever virus induces sterile immunity in sheep after a single vaccination. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv), a mosquito-borne virus in the bunyaviridae family, causes recurrent outbreaks with severe disease in ruminants and occasionally humans. the virus comprises a segmented genome consisting of a small (s), medium (m) and large (l) rna segment of negative polarity. the m-segment encodes a glycoprotein precursor (gpc) protein that is co-translationally cleaved into gn and gc, which are required for virus entry and fusion. recently we developed a four-segmented rvfv (rvf ... | 2015 | 25665959 |
| elevated antibodies against rift valley fever virus among humans with exposure to ruminants in saudi arabia. | in 2000, an outbreak of rift valley fever virus (rvfv) occurred in the kingdom of saudi arabia (ksa). since then there have been sparse efforts to monitor for rvfv reemergence. during 2012, we enrolled 300 individuals with ruminant exposure and 50 age-group matched non-exposed controls in southwestern ksa, in a cross-sectional epidemiological study of rvfv. sera from the participants were screened with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) for anti-rvfv igg antibodies of which 39 (11.1%) ... | 2015 | 25646253 |
| the genetic basis for susceptibility to rift valley fever disease in mbt/pas mice. | the large variation in individual response to infection with rift valley fever virus (rvfv) suggests that host genetic determinants play a role in determining virus-induced disease outcomes. these genetic factors are still unknown. the systemic inoculation of mice with rvfv reproduces major pathological features of severe human disease, notably the hepatitis and encephalitis. a genome scan performed on 546 (balb/c × mbt) f2 progeny identified three quantitative trait loci (qtls), denoted rvfs-1 ... | 2017 | 25569261 |
| inter-epidemic abundance and distribution of potential mosquito vectors for rift valley fever virus in ngorongoro district, tanzania. | background rift valley fever (rvf) is a mosquito-borne viral zoonosis that primarily affects ruminants but also has the capacity to infect humans. objective to determine the abundance and distribution of mosquito vectors in relation to their potential role in the virus transmission and maintenance in disease epidemic areas of ngorongoro district in northern tanzania. methods a cross-sectional entomological investigation was carried out before the suspected rvf outbreak in october 2012. mosquitoe ... | 2015 | 28156815 |
| cross-sectional survey of rift valley fever virus exposure in bodhei village located in a transitional coastal forest habitat in lamu county, kenya. | few studies have focused on rift valley fever virus (rvfv) transmission in less arid, transitional landscapes surrounding known high-risk regions. the objective of this study was to identify evidence of rvfv exposure in bodhei village in a forested area at the edge of the rvfv-epidemic garissa region. in a household cluster-based survey conducted between epidemics in early 2006, 211 participants were enrolled. overall seroprevalence for anti-rvfv was high (18%) and comparable with rates in the m ... | 2015 | 25535309 |
| comprehensive phylogenetic reconstructions of rift valley fever virus: the 2010 northern mauritania outbreak in the camelus dromedarius species. | rift valley fever (rvf) is a mosquito-borne disease of domestic and wild ruminants caused by rvf virus (rvfv), a phlebovirus (bunyaviridae). rvf is widespread in sub-saharan africa. in september of 2010, an rvf outbreak occurred in northern mauritania involving mass abortions in small ruminants and camels (camelus dromedarius) and at least 63 human clinical cases, including 13 deaths. in camels, serological prevalence was 27.5-38.5% (95% confidence interval, n=279). for the first time, clinical ... | 2014 | 25514121 |
| seroprevalence of rift valley fever virus infection in camels (dromedaries) in northern tanzania. | rift valley fever (rvf) is an arthropod-borne viral zoonotic disease that affects a wide range of animals including sheep, goats, cattle, camels and humans. camels have only recently been introduced into tanzania and, as a result, there is no credible diseases status information concerning this population, estimated to be in the low hundreds. as part of a broader study on camel diseases in different localities of northern tanzania, serum samples (n = 109) were collected from apparently healthy, ... | 2015 | 25432300 |
| sumo modification of tbk1 at the adaptor-binding c-terminal coiled-coil domain contributes to its antiviral activity. | the non-canonical ikk kinase tbk1 serves as an important signal transmitter of the antiviral interferon response, but is also involved in the regulation of further processes such as autophagy. the activity of tbk1 is regulated by posttranslational modifications comprising phosphorylation and ubiquitination. this study identifies sumoylation as a novel posttranslational tbk1 modification. tbk1 kinase activity is required to allow the attachment of sumo1 or sumo2/3 proteins. since tbk1 does not bi ... | 2015 | 25409927 |
| a glycoprotein subunit vaccine elicits a strong rift valley fever virus neutralizing antibody response in sheep. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv), a member of the bunyaviridae family, is a mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogen that causes serious morbidity and mortality in livestock and humans. the recent spread of the virus beyond its traditional endemic boundaries in africa to the arabian peninsula coupled with the presence of susceptible vectors in nonendemic countries has created increased interest in rvf vaccines. subunit vaccines composed of specific virus proteins expressed in eukaryotic or prokaryotic exp ... | 2014 | 25325319 |
| stability, bifurcation and chaos analysis of vector-borne disease model with application to rift valley fever. | this paper investigates a rvf epidemic model by qualitative analysis and numerical simulations. qualitative analysis have been used to explore the stability dynamics of the equilibrium points while visualization techniques such as bifurcation diagrams, poincaré maps, maxima return maps and largest lyapunov exponents are numerically computed to confirm further complexity of these dynamics induced by the seasonal forcing on the mosquitoes oviposition rates. the obtained results show that ordinary ... | 2014 | 25271641 |
| inhibition of rift valley fever virus replication and perturbation of nucleocapsid-rna interactions by suramin. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is an emerging infectious pathogen that causes severe disease in humans and livestock and has the potential for global spread. there are currently no proven safe and effective treatment options for rvfv infection. inhibition of rna binding to rvfv nucleocapsid protein (n) represents an attractive antiviral therapeutic strategy because several essential steps in the rvfv replication cycle involve n binding to viral rna. in this study, we demonstrate the therapeutic ... | 2014 | 25267680 |
| simulation modelling of population dynamics of mosquito vectors for rift valley fever virus in a disease epidemic setting. | rift valley fever (rvf) is weather dependent arboviral infection of livestock and humans. population dynamics of mosquito vectors is associated with disease epidemics. in our study, we use daily temperature and rainfall as model inputs to simulate dynamics of mosquito vectors population in relation to disease epidemics. | 2014 | 25259792 |
| a systematic scoping study of the socio-economic impact of rift valley fever: research gaps and needs. | rift valley fever (rvf) is a severe mosquito-borne disease affecting humans and domestic ruminants. rvf virus has been reported in most african countries, as well as in the arabic peninsula. this paper reviews the different types of socio-economic impact induced by rvf disease and the attempts to evaluate them. of the 52 papers selected for this review, 13 types of socio-economic impact were identified according to the sector impacted, the level and temporal scale of the impact. rvf has a dramat ... | 2015 | 25256804 |
| risk factors associated with human rift valley fever infection: systematic review and meta-analysis. | to identify risk factors for human rift valley fever virus (rvfv) infection. | 2014 | 25252137 |
| occurrence of rift valley fever in cattle in ijara district, kenya. | ijara district in kenya was one of the hotspots of rift valley fever (rvf) during the 2006/2007 outbreak which led to human and animal deaths causing huge economic and public health losses. the main constraint in the control and prevention of rvf is inadequate knowledge on its occurrence during the interepidemic period. this study was aimed at understanding the occurrence of rvf in cattle in ijara to enable the development of improved community-based disease surveillance, prediction, control and ... | 2014 | 25217406 |
| phylogeographic reconstructions of a rift valley fever virus strain reveals transboundary animal movements from eastern continental africa to the union of the comoros. | major explosive outbreaks of rift valley fever (rvf), an arthropod borne zoonotic disease, occur in humans and animals with significant mortality and economic impact across continental africa and the indian ocean region (madagascar, the comoros archipelago). recently, sporadic human cases have been reported in mayotte and grande comore, two islands belonging to the comoros archipelago. to identify the hypothetical source of virus introduction in an inter-epidemic or a post-epidemic period, a lon ... | 2016 | 25213037 |
| detection of rift valley fever virus interepidemic activity in some hotspot areas of kenya by sentinel animal surveillance, 2009-2012. | rift valley fever virus causes an important zoonotic disease of humans and small ruminants in eastern africa and is spread primarily by a mosquito vector. in this region, it occurs as epizootics that typically occur at 5-15-year intervals associated with unusual rainfall events. it has hitherto been known that the virus is maintained between outbreaks in dormant eggs of the mosquito vector and this has formed the basis of understanding of the epidemiology and control strategies of the disease. w ... | 2014 | 25202470 |
| monitoring activation of the antiviral pattern recognition receptors rig-i and pkr by limited protease digestion and native page. | host defenses to virus infection are dependent on a rapid detection by pattern recognition receptors (prrs) of the innate immune system. in the cytoplasm, the prrs rig-i and pkr bind to specific viral rna ligands. this first mediates conformational switching and oligomerization, and then enables activation of an antiviral interferon response. while methods to measure antiviral host gene expression are well established, methods to directly monitor the activation states of rig-i and pkr are only p ... | 2014 | 25146252 |
| a modeling approach to investigate epizootic outbreaks and enzootic maintenance of rift valley fever virus. | we propose a mathematical model to investigate the transmission dynamics of rift valley fever (rvf) virus among ruminants. our findings indicate that in endemic areas rvf virus maintains at a very low level among ruminants after outbreaks and subsequent outbreaks may occur when new susceptible ruminants are recruited into endemic areas or abundant numbers of mosquitoes emerge when herd immunity decreases. many factors have been shown to have impacts on the severity of rvf outbreaks; a higher pro ... | 2014 | 25102776 |
| evidence for circulation of the rift valley fever virus among livestock in the union of comoros. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is an arthropod-borne phlebovirus reported to be circulating in most parts of africa. since 2009, rvfv has been suspected of continuously circulating in the union of comoros. to estimate the incidence of rvfv antibody acquisition in the comorian ruminant population, 191 young goats and cattle were selected in six distinct zones and sampled periodically from april 2010 to august 2011. we found an estimated incidence of rvfv antibody acquisition of 17.5% (95% confide ... | 2014 | 25078616 |
| economic assessment of zoonotic diseases: an illustrative study of rift valley fever in the united states. | this study evaluates the economic consequences of a rift valley fever outbreak, a virus that spreads from livestock to humans, often through mosquitoes. developing a 'one health' economic framework, economic impacts on agricultural producers and consumers, government costs of response, costs and disruptions to non-agricultural activities in the epidemiologically impacted region, and human health costs (morbidity and mortality) are estimated. we find the agricultural firms bear most of the negati ... | 2016 | 25052324 |
| comparative efficacy of two next-generation rift valley fever vaccines. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is a re-emerging zoonotic bunyavirus of the genus phlebovirus. a natural isolate containing a large attenuating deletion in the small (s) genome segment previously yielded a highly effective vaccine virus, named clone 13. the deletion in the s segment abrogates expression of the nss protein, which is the major virulence factor of the virus. to develop a vaccine of even higher safety, a virus named r566 was created by natural laboratory reassortment. the r566 virus ... | 2014 | 25050973 |
| role of skin immune cells on the host susceptibility to mosquito-borne viruses. | due to climate change and the propagation of competent arthropods worldwide, arboviruses have become pathogens of major medical importance. early transmission to vertebrates is initiated by skin puncture and deposition of virus together with arthropod saliva in the epidermis and dermis. saliva components have the capacity to modulate skin cell responses by enhancing and/or counteracting initial replication and establishment of systemic viral infection. here, we review the nature of the cells tar ... | 2014 | 25043586 |
| epidemiological study of rift valley fever virus in kigoma, tanzania. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is an acute, zoonotic viral disease caused by a phlebovirus, which belongs to the bunyaviridae family. among livestock, outbreaks of the disease are economically devastating. they are often characterised by large, sweeping abortion storms and have significant mortality in adult livestock. the aim of the current study was to investigate rvfv infection in the kigoma region, which is nestled under the hills of the western arm of the great rift valley on the edge of la ... | 2014 | 25005550 |
| evaluation of lamb and calf responses to rift valley fever mp-12 vaccination. | rift valley fever (rvf) is an important viral disease of animals and humans in africa and the middle east that is transmitted by mosquitoes. the disease is of concern to international agricultural and public health communities. the rvfv mp-12 strain has been the most safety tested attenuated vaccine strain; thus it is being considered as a potential vaccine for the us national veterinary stockpile. this study was designed to establish safety protocols for large animal research with virulent rvf ... | 2014 | 24856133 |
| evidence of rift valley fever seroprevalence in the sahrawi semi-nomadic pastoralist system, western sahara. | the increasing global importance of rift valley fever (rvf) is clearly demonstrated by its geographical expansion. the presence of a wide range of host and vector species, and the epidemiological characteristics of rvf, have led to concerns that epidemics will continue to occur in previously unaffected regions of africa. the proximity of the sahrawi territories of western sahara to endemic countries, such as mauritania, senegal, and mali with periodic isolation of virus and serological evidence ... | 2014 | 24758592 |
| hantavirus gn and gc envelope glycoproteins: key structural units for virus cell entry and virus assembly. | in recent years, ultrastructural studies of viral surface spikes from three different genera within the bunyaviridae family have revealed a remarkable diversity in their spike organization. despite this structural heterogeneity, in every case the spikes seem to be composed of heterodimers formed by gn and gc envelope glycoproteins. in this review, current knowledge of the gn and gc structures and their functions in virus cell entry and exit is summarized. during virus cell entry, the role of gn ... | 2014 | 24755564 |
| broad spectrum antiviral activity of favipiravir (t-705): protection from highly lethal inhalational rift valley fever. | development of antiviral drugs that have broad-spectrum activity against a number of viral infections would be of significant benefit. due to the evolution of resistance to currently licensed antiviral drugs, development of novel anti-influenza drugs is in progress, including favipiravir (t-705), which is currently in human clinical trials. t-705 displays broad-spectrum in vitro activity against a number of viruses, including rift valley fever virus (rvfv). rvf is an important neglected tropical ... | 2014 | 24722586 |
| one health approach to rift valley fever vaccine development. | since its discovery in the 1930s, rift valley fever virus (rvfv) spread across the african continent and invaded the arabian peninsula and several islands off the coast of southeast africa. the virus causes recurrent outbreaks in these regions, and its continued spread is of global concern. next-generation veterinary vaccines of improved efficacy and safety are being developed that can soon be used for the widespread vaccination of livestock. however, due to regulatory and economic challenges, v ... | 2014 | 24681125 |
| single-dose intranasal treatment with def201 (adenovirus vectored consensus interferon) prevents lethal disease due to rift valley fever virus challenge. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) causes severe disease in humans and ungulates. the virus can be transmitted by mosquitoes, direct contact with infected tissues or fluids, or aerosol, making it a significant biological threat for which there is no approved vaccine or therapeutic. herein we describe the evaluation of def201, an adenovirus-vectored interferon alpha which addresses the limitations of recombinant interferon alpha protein (cost, short half-life), as a pre- and post-exposure treatment i ... | 2014 | 24662673 |
| development of a novel, single-cycle replicable rift valley fever vaccine. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) (genus phlebovirus, family bunyaviridae) is an arbovirus that causes severe disease in humans and livestock in sub-saharan african countries. although the mp-12 strain of rvfv is a live attenuated vaccine candidate, neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence of mp-12 in mice may be a concern when vaccinating certain individuals, especially those that are immunocompromised. we have developed a novel, single-cycle replicable mp-12 (scmp-12), which carries an l rna, m rna m ... | 2014 | 24651859 |
| development of a rift valley fever virus viremia challenge model in sheep and goats. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv), a member of the family bunyaviridae, causes severe to fatal disease in newborn ruminants, as well as abortions in pregnant animals; both preventable by vaccination. availability of a challenge model is a pre-requisite for vaccine efficacy trials. several modes of inoculation with rvfv zh501 were tested on goats and sheep. differences in development of infectious viremia were observed between animals inoculated with rvfv produced in mosquito c6/36 cells compared to ... | 2014 | 24631070 |
| analysis of surveillance systems in place in european mediterranean countries for west nile virus (wnv) and rift valley fever (rvf). | west nile virus (wnv) and rift valley fever virus (rvfv) represent an important group of viral agents responsible for vector-borne zoonotic diseases constituting an emerging sanitary threat for the mediterranean basin and the neighbouring countries. wnv infection is present in several mediterranean countries, whereas rvf has never been introduced into europe, but it is considered a major threat for north african countries. being vector-borne diseases, they cannot be prevented only through an ani ... | 2013 | 24589100 |
| molecular and serological studies on the rift valley fever outbreak in mauritania in 2010. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is a vector-borne rna virus affecting humans, livestock and wildlife. in october/november 2010, after a period of unusually heavy rainfall, a rift valley fever outbreak occurred in northern mauritania causing clinical cases in cattle, sheep, goats and camels, 21 of which were of lethal outcome. the aim of this study was to obtain further information on the continuation of rvf virus activity and spread in animal species in mauritania after this outbreak. we therefor ... | 2013 | 24589099 |
| generation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against rift valley fever virus nucleoprotein. | due to the unpredictable and explosive nature of rift valley fever (rvf) outbreaks, rapid and accurate diagnostic assays for low-resource settings are urgently needed. to improve existing diagnostic assays, monoclonal antibodies (mabs) specific for the nucleocapsid protein of rvf virus (rvfv) were produced and characterized. four igg2a mabs showed specific binding to denatured nucleocapsid protein, both from a recombinant source and from inactivated rvfv, in western blot analysis and in an enzym ... | 2013 | 24589098 |
| a geographical information system-based multicriteria evaluation to map areas at risk for rift valley fever vector-borne transmission in italy. | rift valley fever (rvf) is a severe mosquito-borne disease that is caused by a phlebovirus (bunyaviridae) and affects domestic ruminants and humans. recently, its distribution widened, threatening europe. the probability of the introduction and large-scale spread of rift valley fever virus (rvfv) in europe is low, but localized rvf outbreaks may occur in areas where populations of ruminants and potential vectors are present. in this study, we assumed the introduction of the virus into italy and ... | 2013 | 24589097 |
| rift valley fever in kedougou, southeastern senegal, 2012. | | 2014 | 24565408 |
| clone 13-infected aedes aegypti salivary components inhibit rift valley fever virus pathogenicity. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) continues to cause large outbreaks among humans and domestic animals in africa. rvfv clone 13, a naturally attenuated clone, is a promising vaccine which was used during the 2009-2010 outbreak in south africa and played a key role in the control of the disease. in this work, we infected aedes aegypti mosquitoes with rvfv clone 13 and prepared salivary gland extracts (sge). c57bl/6-nrj male mice were infected with a mixture of sge infected by clone 13 and the zh548 ... | 2014 | 24530502 |
| favipiravir (t-705) protects against peracute rift valley fever virus infection and reduces delayed-onset neurologic disease observed with ribavirin treatment. | rift valley fever is a zoonotic, arthropod-borne disease that affects livestock and humans. the etiologic agent, rift valley fever virus (rvfv; bunyaviridae, phlebovirus) is primarily transmitted through mosquito bites, but can also be transmitted by exposure to infectious aerosols. there are presently no licensed vaccines or therapeutics to prevent or treat severe rvfv infection in humans. we have previously reported on the activity of favipiravir (t-705) against the mp-12 vaccine strain of rvf ... | 2014 | 24486952 |
| molecular detection of rift valley fever virus in serum samples from selected areas of tanzania. | rift valley fever (rvf) is an acute mosquito-borne viral zoonotic disease affecting domestic animals and humans caused by the rift valley fever virus (rvfv). the virus belongs to the genus phlebovirus of the family bunyaviridae. the main aim of this study was to detect the presence of antibodies to rvfv as well as the virus in the serum samples that were collected from livestock during the 2006/2007 rvf outbreaks in different locations in tanzania. analysis of selected samples was done using a r ... | 2014 | 24464589 |
| sensitivity and specificity of real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, histopathology, and immunohistochemical labeling for the detection of rift valley fever virus in naturally infected cattle and sheep. | real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real-time rt-pcr), histopathology, and immunohistochemical labeling (ihc) were performed on liver specimens from 380 naturally infected cattle and sheep necropsied during the 2010 rift valley fever (rvf) epidemic in south africa. sensitivity (se) and specificity (sp) of real-time rt-pcr, histopathology, and ihc were estimated in a latent-class model using a bayesian framework. the se and sp of real-time rt-pcr were estimated as 97.4% (95 ... | 2014 | 24464554 |
| efficacy of a recombinant rift valley fever virus mp-12 with nsm deletion as a vaccine candidate in sheep. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv), a mosquito-borne virus in the bunyaviridae family and phlebovirus genus, causes rvf, a disease of ruminants and man, endemic in sub-saharan african countries. however, outbreaks in yemen and saudi arabia demonstrate the ability for rvfv to spread into virgin territory and thus the need exists to develop safe and efficacious vaccines that can be used outside the endemic zones. commercial rvfv vaccines are available but have limitations that prevent their use in dis ... | 2014 | 24462482 |
| development of novel mechanisms for housing, handling, and remote monitoring of common marmosets at animal biosafety level 3. | the use of common marmosets as an alternative non-human primate model for infectious disease research using bsl-3 viruses such as rift valley fever virus (rvfv) presents unique challenges with respect to housing, handling, and safety. subject matter experts from veterinary care, animal husbandry, biosafety, engineering, and research were consulted to design a pilot experiment using marmosets infected with rvfv. this paper reviews the caging, handling, and safety-related adaptations and modificat ... | 2014 | 24453160 |
| the use of nanotrap particles for biodefense and emerging infectious disease diagnostics. | detection of early infectious disease may be challenging due to the low copy number of organisms present. to overcome this limitation and rapidly measure low concentrations of the pathogen, we developed a novel technology: nanotrap particles, which are designed to capture, concentrate, and protect biomarkers from complex biofluids. nanotrap particles are thermoresponsive hydrogels that are capable of antigen capture through the coupling of affinity baits to the particles. here, we describe recen ... | 2014 | 24449537 |
| reactive oxygen species activate nfκb (p65) and p53 and induce apoptosis in rvfv infected liver cells. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) infection is often associated with pronounced liver damage. previously, our studies revealed altered host phospho-signaling responses (nfκb, mapk and dna damage responses) in rvfv infected epithelial cells that correlated with a cellular stress response. here, we report that rvfv infection of liver cells leads to an increase in reactive oxygen species (ros). our data suggests the presence of the viral protein nss in the mitochondria of infected cells, hence contrib ... | 2014 | 24418562 |
| rift valley fever virus infection induces activation of the nlrp3 inflammasome. | inflammasome activation is gaining recognition as an important mechanism for protection during viral infection. here, we investigate whether rift valley fever virus, a negative-strand rna virus, can induce inflammasome responses and il-1β processing in immune cells. we have determined that rvfv induces nlrp3 inflammasome activation in murine dendritic cells, and that this process is dependent upon asc and caspase-1. furthermore, absence of the cellular rna helicase adaptor protein mavs/ips-1 sig ... | 2014 | 24418550 |
| virulence factor nss of rift valley fever virus recruits the f-box protein fbxo3 to degrade subunit p62 of general transcription factor tfiih. | the nonstructural protein nss is the main virulence factor of rift valley fever virus (rvfv; family bunyaviridae, genus phlebovirus), a serious pathogen of livestock and humans in africa. rvfv nss blocks transcriptional upregulation of antiviral type i interferons (ifn) and destroys the general transcription factor tfiih subunit p62 via the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. here, we identified a subunit of e3 ubiquitin ligases, f-box protein fbxo3, as a host cell interactor of nss. small interfering ... | 2014 | 24403578 |
| coupling vector-host dynamics with weather geography and mitigation measures to model rift valley fever in africa. | we present and characterize a multi-host epidemic model of rift valley fever (rvf) virus in east africa with geographic spread on a network, rule-based mitigation measures, and mosquito infection and population dynamics. susceptible populations are depleted by disease and vaccination and are replenished with the birth of new animals. we observe that the severity of the epidemics is strongly correlated with the duration of the rainy season and that even severe epidemics are abruptly terminated wh ... | 2014 | 25892858 |
| a 3-year serological and virological cattle follow-up in madagascar highlands suggests a non-classical transmission route of rift valley fever virus. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is a mosquito-borne infection of livestock and human which causes a potentially severe disease. in 2008-2009, a rvf outbreak occurred in a temperate and mountainous area located on the highlands of madagascar. a three-year cattle follow-up (2009-2011) was conducted in a pilot area of this highland. a seroprevalence rate of 28% was estimated in 2009 and a seroconversion rate of 7% in 2009-2010. a third cross-sectional survey showed a seroconversion rate of 14% in 20 ... | 2014 | 24366500 |
| aerosolized rift valley fever virus causes fatal encephalitis in african green monkeys and common marmosets. | rift valley fever (rvf) is a veterinary and human disease in africa and the middle east. the causative agent, rvf virus (rvfv), can be naturally transmitted by mosquito, direct contact, or aerosol. we sought to develop a nonhuman primate (nhp) model of severe rvf in humans to better understand the pathogenesis of rvf and to use for evaluation of medical countermeasures. nhp from four different species were exposed to aerosols containing rvfv. both cynomolgus and rhesus macaques developed mild fe ... | 2014 | 24335307 |
| rift valley fever in kruger national park: do buffalo play a role in the inter-epidemic circulation of virus? | rift valley fever (rvf) is a zoonotic mosquito-borne virus disease of livestock and wild ruminants that has been identified as a risk for international spread. typically, the disease occurs in geographically limited outbreaks associated with high rainfall events and can cause massive losses of livestock. it is unclear how rvf virus persists during inter-epidemic periods but cryptic cycling of the virus in wildlife populations may play a role. we investigated the role that free-living african buf ... | 2015 | 24330522 |
| role of the cytosolic tails of rift valley fever virus envelope glycoproteins in viral morphogenesis. | the correct folding, heterodimerization and trafficking of gn/gc envelope glycoproteins of rift valley fever virus, rvfv (bunyaviridae and phlebovirus genus) are essential for golgi assembly and budding of viral particles. the gn and gc carboxy-terminus contain a golgi targeting and an er-retrieval signal, respectively. we generated rvfv-like particles with mutations in the cytosolic tails of gn or gc and identified regions important for release of infectious particles. the role of specific amin ... | 2014 | 24314631 |
| rift valley fever in namibia, 2010. | during may-july 2010 in namibia, outbreaks of rift valley fever were reported to the national veterinary service. analysis of animal specimens confirmed virus circulation on 7 farms. molecular characterization showed that all outbreaks were caused by a strain of rift valley fever virus closely related to virus strains responsible for outbreaks in south africa during 2009-2010. | 2013 | 24274469 |
| mosquito vectors of infectious diseases: are they neglected health disaster in egypt? | in spite of the great technological progress achieved worldwide, still arthropod borne infectious diseases is a puzzle disturbing the health authorities. among these arthropods, mosquitoes from medical, veterinary and economic point of view top all groups. they are estimated to transmit disease to more than 700 million people annually worldwide mainly in africa, south america, central america, mexico and much of asia with millions of deaths. in europe, russia, greenland, canada, the united state ... | 2013 | 24260815 |
| potential for mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) from florida to transmit rift valley fever virus. | we evaluated aedes atlanticus dyar and knab, aedes infirmatus dyar and knab, aedes vexans (meigen), anopheles crucians wiedemann, coquillettidia perturbans (walker), culex nigripalpus theobald, mansonia dyari belkin, heinemann, and page, and psorophora ferox (von humboldt) from florida to determine which of these species should be targeted for control should rift valley fever virus (rvfv) be detected in north america. female mosquitoes that had fed on adult hamsters inoculated with rvfv were inc ... | 2013 | 24180117 |
| a single vaccination with an improved nonspreading rift valley fever virus vaccine provides sterile immunity in lambs. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is an important pathogen that affects ruminants and humans. recently we developed a vaccine based on nonspreading rvfv (nsr) and showed that a single vaccination with this vaccine protects lambs from viremia and clinical signs. however, low levels of viral rna were detected in the blood of vaccinated lambs shortly after challenge infection. these low levels of virus, when present in a pregnant ewe, could potentially infect the highly susceptible fetus. we therefore ... | 2013 | 24167574 |
| bunyaviral cap-snatching vs. decapping: recycling cell cycle mrnas. | | 2013 | 24145225 |
| development of real-time rt-pcr for the detection of low concentrations of rift valley fever virus. | in recent years, madagascar and the comoros archipelago have been affected by epidemics of rift valley fever (rvf), however detection of rift valley fever virus (rvfv) in zebu, sheep and goats during the post epidemic periods was frequently unsuccessful. thus, a highly sensitive real-time rt-pcr assay was developed for the detection of rvfv at low viral loads. a new rvf sybr green rt-pcr targeting the m segment was tested on serum from different rvf seronegative ruminant species collected from m ... | 2014 | 24120571 |
| generation and application of monoclonal antibodies against rift valley fever virus nucleocapsid protein np and glycoproteins gn and gc. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is a vector-borne virus that causes high neonatal mortality in livestock and deadly haemorrhagic fever in humans. in this paper, we describe the generation of monoclonal antibodies (mabs) against all three structural proteins of rvfv (glycoproteins gn and gc and nucleocapsid protein np). after immunization of balb/c mice with individual recombinant proteins, a total of 45 clones secreting elisa-reactive monoclonal antibodies against np, gn and gc epitopes were obta ... | 2014 | 24100475 |
| rift valley fever in humans and animals in mayotte, an endemic situation? | retrospective studies and surveillance on humans and animals revealed that rift valley fever virus (rvfv) has been circulating on mayotte for at least several years. a study was conducted in 2011 to estimate the seroprevalence of rvf in humans and in animals and to identify associated risk factors. using a multistage cluster sampling method, 1420 individuals were enrolled in the human study, including 337 children aged 5 to 14 years. for the animal study, 198 seronegative ruminants from 33 rando ... | 2013 | 24098637 |
| nuclear relocalization of polyadenylate binding protein during rift valley fever virus infection involves expression of the nss gene. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv), an ambisense member of the family bunyaviridae, genus phlebovirus, is the causative agent of rift valley fever, an important zoonotic infection in africa and the middle east. phlebovirus proteins are translated from virally transcribed mrnas that, like host mrna, are capped but, unlike host mrnas, are not polyadenylated. here, we investigated the role of pabp1 during rvfv infection of hela cells. immunofluorescence studies of infected cells demonstrated a gross re ... | 2013 | 23966414 |
| using click chemistry to measure the effect of viral infection on host-cell rna synthesis. | many rna viruses have evolved the ability to inhibit host cell transcription as a means to circumvent cellular defenses. for the study of these viruses, it is therefore important to have a quick and reliable way of measuring transcriptional activity in infected cells. traditionally, transcription has been measured either by incorporation of radioactive nucleosides such as (3)h-uridine followed by detection via autoradiography or scintillation counting, or incorporation of halogenated uridine ana ... | 2013 | 23963093 |
| rift valley fever virus structural and nonstructural proteins: recombinant protein expression and immunoreactivity against antisera from sheep. | the rift valley fever virus (rvfv) encodes the structural proteins nucleoprotein (n), aminoterminal glycoprotein (gn), carboxyterminal glycoprotein (gc), and l protein, 78-kd, and the nonstructural proteins nsm and nss. using the baculovirus system, we expressed the full-length coding sequence of n, nss, nsm, gc, and the ectodomain of the coding sequence of the gn glycoprotein derived from the virulent strain of rvfv zh548. western blot analysis using anti-his antibodies and monoclonal antibodie ... | 2013 | 23962238 |
| potential for populations of aedes j. japonicus to transmit rift valley fever virus in the usa. | aedes japonicus japonicus was introduced into the northeastern usa in 1998 and has since spread to more than 25 states. because this species has been shown to be a competent laboratory vector of several viruses, readily feeds on large mammals, and has become a pest in several areas, there is concern that it might serve as a vector of rift valley fever virus (rvfv) should that virus be introduced into north america. infection with rvfv causes mortality in > 90% of young domestic ungulates (e.g., ... | 2013 | 23923327 |
| potential for autoimmune pathogenesis of rift valley fever virus retinitis. | rift valley fever (rvf) is a significant threat to human health because it can progress to retinitis, encephalitis, and hemorrhagic fever. the timing of onset of rift valley fever virus (rvfv) retinitis suggests an autoimmune origin. to determine whether rvfv retinitis is associated with increased levels of igg against retinal tissue, we measured and compared levels of igg against healthy human eye tissue by immunohistochemical analysis. we found that serum samples from rvfv-exposed kenyans with ... | 2013 | 23918215 |
| development of a rift valley fever real-time rt-pcr assay that can detect all three genome segments. | outbreaks of rift valley fever in kenya, madagascar, mauritania, and south africa had devastating effects on livestock and human health. in addition, this disease is a food security issue for endemic countries. there is growing concern for the potential introduction of rvf into non-endemic countries. a number of single-gene target amplification assays have been developed for the rapid detection of rvf viral rna. this paper describes the development of an improved amplification assay that include ... | 2013 | 23850696 |
| rift valley fever risk map model and seroprevalence in selected wild ungulates and camels from kenya. | since the first isolation of rift valley fever virus (rvfv) in the 1930s, there have been multiple epizootics and epidemics in animals and humans in sub-saharan africa. prospective climate-based models have recently been developed that flag areas at risk of rvfv transmission in endemic regions based on key environmental indicators that precede rift valley fever (rvf) epizootics and epidemics. although the timing and locations of human case data from the 2006-2007 rvf outbreak in kenya have been ... | 2013 | 23840512 |
| comparison of sampling techniques for rift valley fever virus potential vectors, aedes aegypti and culex pipiens complex, in ngorongoro district in northern tanzania. | we investigated mosquito sampling techniques with two types of traps and attractants at different time for trapping potential vectors for rift valley fever virus. the study was conducted in six villages in ngorongoro district in tanzania from september to october 2012. a total of 1814 mosquitoes were collected, of which 738 were collected by cdc light traps and 1076 by mosquito magnet trapping technique. of the collected mosquitoes, 12.46% (n = 226) were aedes aegypti and 87.54% (n = 1588) were ... | 2013 | 26591704 |
| biology of mosquitoes that are potential vectors of rift valley fever virus in different biotopes of the central highlands of madagascar. | there were epidemic-epizootics of rift valley fever (rvf) affecting humans and cattle in madagascar in the district of anjozorobe in 2008. little is known about the role of malagasy mosquitoes in the circulation of rvf virus. therefore, we investigated the species diversity, dynamics and biology of potential rvf virus vectors in the rainforest, rainforest edge (village of anorana), and savanna biotope (village of antanifotsy) of this district between november 2008 and july 2010. we captured 56,6 ... | 2013 | 23802456 |
| identification of host blood from engorged mosquitoes collected in western uganda using cytochrome oxidase i gene sequences. | emerging infectious disease events are frequently caused by arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) that are maintained in a zoonotic cycle between arthropod vectors and vertebrate wildlife species, with spillover to humans in areas where human and wildlife populations interface. the greater congo basin region, including uganda, has historically been a hot spot for emergence of known and novel arboviruses. surveillance of arthropod vectors is a critical activity in monitoring and predicting outbre ... | 2013 | 23778610 |
| antibodies against rift valley fever virus in cattle, mozambique. | | 2013 | 23764189 |
| transmission potential of rift valley fever virus over the course of the 2010 epidemic in south africa. | a rift valley fever (rvf) epidemic affecting animals on domestic livestock farms was reported in south africa during january-august 2010. the first cases occurred after heavy rainfall, and the virus subsequently spread countrywide. to determine the possible effect of environmental conditions and vaccination on rvf virus transmissibility, we estimated the effective reproduction number (re) for the virus over the course of the epidemic by extending the wallinga and teunis algorithm with spatial in ... | 2013 | 23735606 |
| absence of rift valley fever virus in wild small mammals, madagascar. | | 2013 | 23735220 |
| international external quality assessment of molecular detection of rift valley fever virus. | rift valley fever (rvf) is a viral zoonosis that primarily affects animals resulting in considerable economic losses due to death and abortions among infected livestock. rvf also affects humans with clinical symptoms ranging from an influenza-like illness to a hemorrhagic fever. over the past years, rvf virus (rvfv) has caused severe outbreaks in livestock and humans throughout africa and regions of the world previously regarded as free of the virus. this situation prompts the need to evaluate t ... | 2013 | 23717706 |
| the rift valley fever: could re-emerge in egypt again? | the rift valley fever (rvf) is a neglected, emerging, mosquito-borne disease with severe negative impact on human and animal health and economy. rvf is caused by rvf virus of the family of bunyaviridae, genus phlebovirus. rvf is an acute, febrile disease affecting humans and a wide range of animals. the virus is trans-mitted through the bites from mosquitoes and exposure to viremic blood, body fluids, or contact with tissues of infected animals or by inhaling natural virus aerosols, also possibl ... | 2013 | 23697015 |
| diagnostic approaches for rift valley fever. | disease outbreaks caused by arthropod-borne animal viruses (arboviruses) resulting in significant livestock and economic losses world-wide appear to be increasing. rift valley fever (rvf) virus is an important arbovirus that causes lethal disease in cattle, camels, sheep and goats in sub-saharan africa. there is concern that this virus could spread because of global warming, increased animal trade or through bioterrorism. this paper discusses the current and developing approaches to diagnosis of ... | 2013 | 23689885 |
| vertical transmission of rift valley fever virus without detectable maternal viremia. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is a zoonotic bunyavirus that causes abortions in domesticated ruminants. sheep breeds exotic to endemic areas are reportedly the most susceptible to rvfv infection. within the scope of a risk assessment program of the netherlands, we investigated the susceptibility of a native breed of gestating sheep to rvfv infection. ewes were infected experimentally during the first, second, or third trimester of gestation. mortality was high among ewes that developed viremia. ... | 2013 | 23682700 |
| rift valley fever among children and adolescents in southwestern saudi arabia. | rift valley fever (rvf) virus has expanded its geographical range, reaching asia in 2000. this work investigated rvf seroprevalence among children born after the 2000-2001 outbreak in saudi arabia and compared it with the seroprevalence of adolescents born before the outbreak. | 2013 | 23668469 |
| a novel indirect elisa based on glycoprotein gn for the detection of igg antibodies against rift valley fever virus in small ruminants. | rift valley fever virus (rvfv) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that causes high morbidity and mortality in humans and livestock. in this paper, we describe the cloning, expression and purification of rvfv glycoprotein gn and its application as a diagnostic antigen in an indirect elisa for the specific detection of rvf igg antibodies in sheep and goats. the performance of this gn based elisa is validated using a panel of almost 2000 field samples from sheep and goats from mozambique, senegal, ug ... | 2013 | 23664015 |
| human cases of sindbis fever in south africa, 2006-2010. | sindbis virus (sinv), the prototype positive-sense rna alphavirus, causes febrile arthritis and is present throughout afro-eurasia. little is known of the epidemiology of sindbis fever due to insufficient surveillance in most endemic countries. the epidemiological features of sindbis fever in humans in south africa are described here based on a retrospective study of suspected arbovirus cases submitted for laboratory investigation from 2006 to 2010. cases were detected annually mostly during the ... | 2014 | 23611492 |
| identification of suitable areas for the occurrence of rift valley fever outbreaks in spain using a multiple criteria decision framework. | rift valley fever (rvf) is a mosquito-borne viral disease that may produce a considerable impact on the economy in affected countries. in the last decades, the geographic distribution of rvf virus has increased including most of the countries in africa, arabia saudi and yemen. this situation has raised the concerns regarding its potential introduction in the european union (eu) countries where the high number of susceptible species and competent vectors may contribute to the spread of the diseas ... | 2013 | 23602438 |
| structure of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus nucleocapsid protein in complex with suramin reveals therapeutic potential. | severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel bunyavirus (sftsv). lack of vaccines and inadequate therapeutic treatments have made the spread of the virus a global concern. viral nucleocapsid protein (n) is essential for its transcription and replication. here, we present the crystal structures of n from sftsv and its homologs from buenaventura (bue) and granada (gra) viruses. the structures reveal that phleboviral n folds into a compact core dom ... | 2013 | 23576501 |
| the nucleocapsid protein of rift valley fever virus is a potent human cd8+ t cell antigen and elicits memory responses. | there is no licensed human vaccine currently available for rift valley fever virus (rvfv), a category a high priority pathogen and a serious zoonotic threat. while neutralizing antibodies targeting the viral glycoproteins are protective, they appear late in the course of infection, and may not be induced in time to prevent a natural or bioterrorism-induced outbreak. here we examined the immunogenicity of rvfv nucleocapsid (n) protein as a cd8(+) t cell antigen with the potential for inducing rap ... | 2013 | 23527138 |