Publications

problem of ticks and tick-borne diseases in india with special emphasis on progress in tick control research: a review.	ticks, as vectors of several zoonotic diseases, are ranked second only to mosquitoes as vectors. the diseases spread by ticks are a major constraint to animal productivity while causing morbidity and mortality in both animals and humans. a number of tick species have been recognised since long as vectors of lethal pathogens, viz. crimean-congo haemorrhagic fever virus (cchfv), kyasanur forest disease virus (kfdv), babesia spp, theileria, rickettsia conorii, anaplasma marginale, etc. and the dama ...	2014	25540956
the role of viral persistence in flavivirus biology.	in nature, vector-borne flaviviruses are persistently cycled between either the tick or mosquito vector and small mammals such as rodents, skunks, and swine. these viruses account for considerable human morbidity and mortality worldwide. increasing and substantial evidence of viral persistence in humans, which includes the isolation of rna by rt-pcr and infectious virus by culture, continues to be reported. viral persistence can also be established in vitro in various human, animal, arachnid, an ...	2014	24737600
tick-borne pathogens and the vector potential of ticks in china.	ticks, as obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites, attack a broad range of vertebrates and transmit a great diversity of pathogenic microorganisms. they are considered second only to mosquitoes as vectors of human disease, and the most important vector of pathogens of domestic and wild animals. of the 117 described species in the chinese tick fauna, 60 are known to transmit one or more diseases: 36 species isolated within china and 24 species isolated outside china. moreover, 38 of these species ca ...	2015	25586007
metagenomic profile of the viral communities in rhipicephalus spp. ticks from yunnan, china.	besides mosquitoes, ticks are regarded as the primary source of vector-borne infectious diseases. indeed, a wide variety of severe infectious human diseases, including those involving viruses, are transmitted by ticks in many parts of the world. to date, there are no published reports on the use of next-generation sequencing for studying viral diversity in ticks or discovering new viruses in these arthropods from china. here, ion-torrent sequencing was used to investigate the presence of viruses ...	2015	25799057
on the transmission pattern of kyasanur forest disease (kfd) in india.	kyasanur forest disease (kfd), a tick-borne viral hemorrhagic fever, is endemic in five districts of karnataka state, india. recent reports of the spread of disease to neighboring districts of the western ghats, namely chamarajanagar district in karnataka, nilgiri district in tamil nadu, wayanad and malappuram districts in kerala, and pali village in goa are a cause for concern. besides vaccination of the affected population, establishing an event-based surveillance system for monkey deaths in t ...	2015	26286631
detection of langat virus by taqman real-time one-step qrt-pcr method.	langat virus (lgtv), one of the members of the tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) complex, was firstly isolated from ixodes granulatus ticks in malaysia. however, the prevalence of lgtv in ticks in the region remains unknown. surveillance for lgtv is therefore important and thus a tool for specific detection of lgtv is needed. in the present study, we developed a real-time quantitative reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qrt-pcr) for rapid detection of lgtv. our findings showed th ...	2015	26360297
viral hemorrhagic fever diagnostics.	there are 4 families of viruses that cause viral hemorrhagic fever (vhf), including filoviridae. ebola virus is one virus within the family filoviridae and the cause of the current outbreak of vhf in west africa. vhf-endemic areas are found throughout the world, yet traditional diagnosis of vhf has been performed in large reference laboratories centered in europe and the united states. the large amount of capital needed, as well as highly trained and skilled personnel, has limited the availabili ...	2015	26354968
new focus of kyasanur forest disease virus activity in a tribal area in kerala, india, 2014.	kyasanur forest disease (kfd) is a febrile illness characterized by hemorrhages, and is reported endemic in the shimoga district in karnataka state, india. it is caused by the kfd virus (kfdv) of the family flaviviridae, and is transmitted to monkeys and humans by haemaphysalis ticks.	2015	25750730
an early passage human isolate of kyasanur forest disease virus shows acute neuropathology in experimentally infected cd-1 mice.	kyasanur forest disease virus (kfdv) is a tick-borne flavivirus that causes a severe illness in humans. disease spectrum can vary from subclinical infection to fatal cases with hemorrhagic complications. the pathology of kfdv remains incompletely understood.	2016	27171207
inhibition of innate immune responses is key to pathogenesis by arenaviruses.	mammalian arenaviruses are zoonotic viruses that cause asymptomatic, persistent infections in their rodent hosts but can lead to severe and lethal hemorrhagic fever with bleeding and multiorgan failure in human patients. lassa virus (lasv), for example, is endemic in several west african countries, where it is responsible for an estimated 500,000 infections and 5,000 deaths annually. there are currently no fda-licensed therapeutics or vaccines available to combat arenavirus infection. a hallmark ...	2016	26865707
limited effects of type i interferons on kyasanur forest disease virus in cell culture.	the tick-borne flavivirus, kyasanur forest disease virus (kfdv) causes seasonal infections and periodic outbreaks in south-west india. the current vaccine offers poor protection with reported issues of coverage and immunogenicity. since there are no approved prophylactic therapeutics for kfdv, type i ifn-α/β subtypes were assessed for antiviral potency against kfdv in cell culture.	2016	27479197
development of a subgenomic clone system for kyasanur forest disease virus.	emerging tropical viruses pose an increasing threat to public health because social, economic and environmental factors such as global trade and deforestation allow for their migration into previously unexposed populations and ecological niches. among such viruses, kyasanur forest disease virus (kfdv) deserves particular recognition because it causes hemorrhagic fever. this work describes the completion of an antiviral testing platform (subgenomic system) for kfdv that could be used to quickly a ...	2016	27357207
dermacentor reticulatus: a vector on the rise.	dermacentor reticulatus is a hard tick species with extraordinary biological features. it has a high reproduction rate, a rapid developmental cycle, and is also able to overcome years of unfavourable conditions. dermacentor reticulatus can survive under water for several months and is cold-hardy even compared to other tick species. it has a wide host range: over 60 different wild and domesticated hosts are known for the three active developmental stages. its high adaptiveness gives an edge to th ...	2016	27251148
genetic contribution of mhc class ii genes in susceptibility to west nile virus infection.	wnv is a zoonotic neurotropic flavivirus that has recently emerged globally as a significant cause of viral encephalitis. the last five years, 624 incidents of wnv infection have been reported in greece. the risk for severe wnv disease increases among immunosuppressed individuals implying thus the contribution of the mhc locus to the control of wnv infection. in order to investigate a possible association of mhc class ii genes, especially hla-dpa1, hla-dqa1, hla-drb1, we examined 105 wnv patient ...	2016	27812212
in vitro antiviral activity of adenosine analog nitd008 against tick-borne flaviviruses.	there are currently no antiviral therapies available for the tick-borne flaviviruses associated with hemorrhagic fevers: kyasanur forest disease virus (kfdv), both classical and the alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus (ahfv) subtype, and omsk hemorrhagic fever virus (ohfv). in this brief study, we describe the in vitro antiviral activity of adenosine analog nitd008 against kfdv, ahfv, ohfv, as well as tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev). alongside the well-established activity of nitd008 against m ...	2016	27016316
antiviral activity of the adenosine analogue bcx4430 against west nile virus and tick-borne flaviviruses.	there are currently no approved antiviral therapies against medically important human flaviviruses. the imino-c-nucleoside bcx4430 shows broad-spectrum antiviral activity against a wide range of rna viruses. here, we demonstrate that bcx4430 inhibits tick-borne species of the genus flavivirus; however, the antiviral effect varies against individual species. micro-molar bcx4430 levels inhibited tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev); while, approximately 3-8-fold higher concentrations were needed t ...	2017	28336346
kyasanur forest disease virus breaking the endemic barrier: an investigation into ecological effects on disease emergence and future outlook.	kyasanur forest disease (kfd) is found in a limited range of india, but is epidemiologically understudied. the seasonal patterns of kfd are well known; however, the significant concern is on the extent to which changes in epidemiology happen especially under the influence of ecological destructions and by the eventual effects of resulting climate change. presently, a southward and northward spread of the kyasanur forest disease virus (kfdv) along the western ghats has been reported in the adjoin ...	2017	28220635
cross-neutralisation of viruses of the tick-borne encephalitis complex following tick-borne encephalitis vaccination and/or infection.	the tick-borne encephalitis complex contains a number of flaviviruses that share close genetic homology, and are responsible for significant human morbidity and mortality with widespread geographical range. although many members of this complex have been recognised for decades, licenced human vaccines with broad availability are only available for tick-borne encephalitis virus. while tick-borne encephalitis virus vaccines have been demonstrated to induce significant protective immunity, as deter ...	2017	29263866
bioinformatics characterization of envelope glycoprotein from kyasanur forest disease virus.	kyasanur forest disease (kfd) is a febrile illness characterized by haemorrhages and caused by kfd virus (kfdv), which belongs to the flaviviridae family. it is reported to be an endemic disease in shimoga district of karnataka state, india, especially in forested and adjoining areas. several outbreaks have been reported in newer areas, which raised queries regarding the changing nature of structural proteins if any. the objective of the study was to investigate amino acid composition and antige ...	2018	29806609
tick-borne flaviviruses and the type i interferon response.	flaviviruses are globally distributed pathogens causing millions of human infections every year. flaviviruses are arthropod-borne viruses and are mainly transmitted by either ticks or mosquitoes. mosquito-borne flaviviruses and their interactions with the innate immune response have been well-studied and reviewed extensively, thus this review will discuss tick-borne flaviviruses and their interactions with the host innate immune response.	2018	29933625
comparative genome analysis of alkhumra hemorrhagic fever virus with kyasanur forest disease and tick-borne encephalitis viruses by the in silico approach.	alkhumra hemorrhagic fever virus (ahfv), a relatively new member of the flaviviruses, was discovered in saudi arabia 23 years ago. ahfv is classified in the tick-borne encephalitis virus serocomplex, along with the kyasanur forest disease virus (kfdv) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev). currently, very little is known about the pathologies of ahfv. in this study, using the available genome information of ahfv, kfdv and tbev, we have predicted and compared the following aspects of these vir ...	2018	29745301
alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus rna in hyalomma rufipes ticks infesting migratory birds, europe and asia minor.	alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus rna was detected in immature hyalomma rufipes ticks infesting northward migratory birds caught in the north mediterranean basin. this finding suggests a role for birds in the ecology of the alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus and a potential mechanism for dissemination to novel regions. increased surveillance is warranted.	2018	29664386
kyasanur forest disease virus infection activates human vascular endothelial cells and monocyte-derived dendritic cells.	kyasanur forest disease virus (kfdv) is a highly pathogenic tick-borne flavivirus enzootic to india. in humans, kfdv causes a severe febrile disease. in some infected individuals, hemorrhagic manifestations, such as bleeding from the nose and gums and gastrointestinal bleeding with hematemesis and/or blood in the stool, have been reported. however, the mechanisms underlying these hemorrhagic complications remain unknown, and there is no information about the specific target cells for kfdv. we in ...	2018	30401896
epidemiology, pathogenesis, and control of a tick-borne disease- kyasanur forest disease: current status and future directions.	in south asia, haemaphysalis spinigera tick transmits kyasanur forest disease virus (kfdv), a flavivirus that causes severe hemorrhagic fever with neurological manifestations such as mental disturbances, severe headache, tremors, and vision deficits in infected human beings with a fatality rate of 3-10%. the disease was first reported in march 1957 from kyasanur forest of karnataka (india) from sick and dying monkeys. since then, between 400 and 500 humans cases per year have been recorded; monk ...	2018	29868505
development of single step rt-pcr for detection of kyasanur forest disease virus from clinical samples.	kyasanur forest disease (kfd), a tick borne flavivirus, which was earlier endemic to karnataka state, india, has been confirmed and detected from neighboring states of tamil nadu, maharashtra, goa and kerala states in india. increased human and vector surveillance therefore becomes essential for the identification of kfd affected regions and control of further spread of the disease. currently, available kfd detection assays include realtime rt-pcr and nested rt-pcr assays. here we describe the d ...	2018	29560461
growth kinetics of kyasanur forest disease virus in mammalian cell lines and development of plaque reduction neutralization test.	kyasanur forest disease virus (kfdv) is a tick-borne flavivirus identified in 1957 in the karnataka state of india causing fatalities in monkeys and humans. even after the introduction of a vaccine in the endemic areas, hundreds of cases are reported every year. being a high-risk category pathogen, the studies on this virus in india were limited till the past decade. the growth characteristics of this virus in various mammalian cell lines have not yet been studied. in this study, we have demonst ...	2019	30994413
kyasanur forest disease in india: innovative options for intervention.	kyasanur forest disease (kfd) is a tick-borne hemorrhagic fever of human, caused by kyasanur forest disease virus (kfdv) in india. the tick, haemaphysalis spinigera, has been incriminated as the vector of kfdv. in human, kfd clinically presents with high fever, frontal headache, and severe myalgia, followed by bleeding from the nasal cavity, throat, gingivae, and in some cases, gastrointestinal tract. the mortality rate in kfdv infected cases is estimated to be 3-10%. monkeys infected with the v ...	2019	30945970
genetic diversity of alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus in western asia.	alkhurma hemorrhagic fever, caused by alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus (alkv), is an arboviral infection which is further expanding in tropical and subtropical regions of the western asia. a number of alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus (alkv) strains have been isolated from clinical cases representing saudi arabia and egypt; however, the phylogenetic relationship of these particular isolates to those reported previously elsewhere in the world remains elusive. based on the analysis of the envelope ...	2019	30779959
kyasanur forest disease virus non-mouse animal models: a pilot study.	mouse models have delivered variable recapitulation of kyasanur forest disease (kfd) pathology and consistently demonstrated neurological involvement which may be a limited feature of human disease. with the purpose of more accurately modelling human disease progression we infected several small-mammalian models: guinea pigs, hamsters and ferrets with a titered infectious dose of kyasanur forest disease virus (kfdv). clinical indicators of disease severity were observed for seventeen days, on da ...	2020	32539799