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Lancet Infect Dis 2022 May 11. Epub 2022 May 11.

Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Background: Western (WEEV), eastern (EEEV), and Venezuelan (VEEV) equine encephalitis viruses are mosquito-borne pathogens classified as potential biological warfare agents for which there are currently no approved human vaccines or therapies. We aimed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of an investigational trivalent virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine, western, eastern, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis (WEVEE) VLP, composed of WEEV, EEEV, and VEEV VLPs.

Methods: The WEVEE VLP vaccine was evaluated in a phase 1, randomised, open-label, dose-escalation trial at the Hope Clinic of the Emory Vaccine Center at Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022 04 13;16(4):e0010329. Epub 2022 Apr 13.

University of Florida IFAS, Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Vero Beach, Florida, United States of America.

Determining effective sampling methods for mosquitoes are among the first objectives in elucidating transmission cycles of vector-borne zoonotic disease, as the effectiveness of sampling methods can differ based on species, location, and physiological state. The Spissipes section of the subgenus Melanoconion of Culex represents an understudied group of mosquitoes which transmit Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses (VEEV) in the Western Hemisphere. The objective of this study was to determine effective collection methods that target both blood-engorged and non-engorged females of the Spissipes section of Culex subgenus Melanoconion to test the hypothesis that favorable trapping methods differ between species and by physiological status within a species. Read More

PLoS One 2022 8;17(4):e0266840. Epub 2022 Apr 8.

Confirmatory Laboratory, Hungarian National Blood Transfusion Service, Budapest, Hungary.

In Hungary, West Nile virus (WNV) has been responsible for 459 laboratory confirmed human cases between 2004 and 2019, while the first human Usutu virus (USUV) infection was confirmed only in 2018. A comprehensive serosurvey was conducted among blood donors to assess the WNV and USUV seroprevalence in 2019, one year after the largest European WNV epidemic. Altogether, 3005 plasma samples were collected and screened for WNV and USUV specific Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Read More

PLoS One 2022 17;17(3):e0262967. Epub 2022 Mar 17.

Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America.

Herein we describe a previously uninvestigated salivary gland escape barrier (SEB) in Culex tarsalis mosquitoes infected with two different strains of Western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV). The WEEV strains were originally isolated either from mosquitoes (IMP181) or a human patient (McMillan). Both IMP181 and McMillan viruses were fully able to infect the salivary glands of Culex tarsalis after intrathoracic injection as determined by expression of mCherry fluorescent protein. Read More

Viruses 2022 01 28;14(2). Epub 2022 Jan 28.

Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an Alphavirus in the Togaviridae family of positive-strand RNA viruses. The viral genome of positive-strand RNA viruses is infectious, as it produces infectious virus upon introduction into a cell. VEEV is a select agent and samples containing viral RNA are subject to additional regulations due to their infectious nature. Read More

Viruses 2022 01 25;14(2). Epub 2022 Jan 25.

Friedrich-Loeffler Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.

Following the introduction of the West Nile virus (WNV) into eastern Germany in 2018, increasing infections have been diagnosed in birds, equines, and humans over time, while the spread of WNV into western Germany remained unclear. We screened 437 equine sera from 2018 to 2020, excluding vaccinated horses, collected from convenience sampled patients in the eastern and western parts of Germany, for WNV-specific antibodies (ELISAs followed by virus/specific neutralization tests) and genomes (RT-qPCRs). Clinical presentations, final diagnoses, and demographic data were also recorded. Read More

Viruses 2021 11 5;13(11). Epub 2021 Nov 5.

Defence Research and Development Canada, Suffield Research Centre, Medicine Hat, AB T1A 8K6, Canada.

The three encephalitic alphaviruses, namely, the Venezuelan, eastern, and western equine encephalitis viruses (VEEV, EEEV, and WEEV), are classified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as biothreat agents. Currently, no licensed medical countermeasures (MCMs) against these viruses are available for humans. Neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) are fast-acting and highly effective MCMs for use in both pre- and post-exposure settings against biothreat agents. Read More

Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021 Oct 19;583:14-21. Epub 2021 Oct 19.

Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania.

COVID-19 pandemic has a major effect on world health, particularly on individuals suffering from severe diseases or old aged persons. Various case studies revealed that COVID-19 might increase the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Coxsackievirus, dengue virus Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis C virus, Japanese encephalitis, Western equine encephalomyelitis virus, West Nile virus, and human immunodeficiency virus have all been linked to the development of transient or permanent parkinsonism, owing to the induction of neuroinflammation/hypoxic brain injury with structural/functional damage within the basal ganglia. Read More

Virus Res 2021 12 13;306:198598. Epub 2021 Oct 13.

National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital/National Center of Gerontology, P. R. China; Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China; Beijing Engineering Research Center of Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Hospital, Beijing, P. R. China. Electronic address:

Background: Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), Western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV), Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), Hendra virus (HeV), Nipah virus (NiV), Yellow fever virus (YFV), West Nile virus (WNV), Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) and Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) have been detected in travelers returning to China and potentially pose a serious threat to public health. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) plays an important role in the detection of these viruses. Although these viruses are not mainly prevalent in China, occasionally imported cases have been reported with the increase in population mobility and entry-exit activities. Read More

Virology 2022 01 28;565:13-21. Epub 2021 Sep 28.

Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.

Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) can cause fatal encephalitis in humans and equids. Some MAbs to the E1 glycoprotein are known to be cross-reactive, weakly neutralizing in vitro but can protect from disease in animal models. We investigated the mechanism of neutralization of VEEV infection by the broadly cross-reactive E1-specific MAb 1A4B-6. Read More

Exp Neurol 2021 12 26;346:113845. Epub 2021 Aug 26.

Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States of America. Electronic address:

Viral infection of the central nervous system (CNS) can cause lasting neurological decline in surviving patients and can present with symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease (PD). The mechanisms underlying postencephalitic parkinsonism remain unclear but are thought to involve increased innate inflammatory signaling in glial cells, resulting in persistent neuroinflammation. We therefore studied the role of glial cells in regulating neuropathology in postencephalitic parkinsonism by studying the involvement of astrocytes in loss of dopaminergic neurons and aggregation of α-synuclein protein following infection with western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV). Read More

Cell 2021 08;184(17):4414-4429.e19

Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA. Electronic address:

Alphaviruses are emerging, mosquito-transmitted pathogens that cause musculoskeletal and neurological disease in humans. Although neutralizing antibodies that inhibit individual alphaviruses have been described, broadly reactive antibodies that protect against both arthritogenic and encephalitic alphaviruses have not been reported. Here, we identify DC2. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2021 Aug 14;14(1):403. Epub 2021 Aug 14.

Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane (ILMD), Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.

Background: The emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases are a cause for worldwide concern. The introduction of Zika and Chikungunya diseases in the Americas has exposed unforeseen medical and logistical challenges for public health systems. Moreover, the lack of preventive measures and vaccination against known and emerging mosquito-transmitted pathogens, and the occurrence of unanticipated clinical complications, has had an enormous social and economic impact on the affected populations. Read More

Vet Med Sci 2021 11 29;7(6):2348-2352. Epub 2021 Jul 29.

Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus of a re-emergence importance with a wide range of vertebrate hosts. Granted, it causes asymptomatic infection, but fatal cases and neurologic disorders were also recorded, especially in humans, horses and some exposed birds. The virus is globally spread and birds are considered an amplifying and reservoir host of WNV, helping to spread the disease due to their close contact with main hosts. Read More

Biomedica 2021 06 29;41(2):247-259. Epub 2021 Jun 29.

Departamento de Virología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública "Dr. Leopoldo Izquieta Pérez", Guayaquil, Ecuador; Centro de Referencia Nacional de Virus Exantemáticos, Gastroentéricos y Transmitidos por vectores, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública "Dr. Leopoldo Izquieta Pérez", Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Introduction: Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) cause morbidity and mortality in humans and domestic animals worldwide. The percentage of population immunity or susceptibility to these viruses in Ecuador is unknown.

Objectives: To investigate the proportion of Ecuadorian populations with IgG antibodies (Abs) (past exposure/immunity) and IgM Abs (current exposure) against flaviviruses and alphaviruses and to study the activity of these viruses in Ecuador. Read More

Biotechnol J 2021 Aug 9;16(8):e2100008. Epub 2021 Jul 9.

Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, China.

Western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) causes lethal encephalitis in humans and equines, and it poses a serious public health threat in many countries. Therefore, the development of an efficient vaccine remains an important challenge for the prevention of WEEV infection. This study presents the first description of WEEV virus-like particles (VLPs) generated from insect cells using recombinant baculoviruses. Read More

Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021 08 15;46:128171. Epub 2021 Jun 15.

Vahlteich Medicinal Chemistry Core, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States. Electronic address:

We have previously reported the development of indole-based CNS-active antivirals for the treatment of neurotropic alphavirus infection, but further optimization is impeded by a lack of knowledge of the molecular target and binding site. Herein we describe the design, synthesis and evaluation of a series of conformationally restricted analogues with the dual objectives of improving potency/selectivity and identifying the most bioactive conformation. Although this campaign was only modestly successful at improving potency, the sharply defined SAR of the rigid analogs enabled the definition of a three-dimensional pharmacophore, which we believe will be of value in further analog design and virtual screening for alternative antiviral leads. Read More

Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2021 04 2;24:100566. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Laboratorio de Diagnóstico, Clinica Equina SRL, Alem 1698 - Capitan Sarmiento, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Northern Argentina hosts equine populations living under preserved natural areas and extensive breeding conditions, with limited access to veterinary care. Horses can be in contact with i) wildlife considered to be a potential reservoir of horse pathogens (e.g. Read More

Transbound Emerg Dis 2022 May 5;69(3):1466-1478. Epub 2021 May 5.

Laboratoire de Lutte contre les Maladies Infectieuses, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco.

Rift Valley Fever (RVF) and West Nile virus (WNV) are two important emerging Arboviruses transmitted by Aedes and Culex mosquitoes, typically Ae. caspius, Ae. detritus and Cx. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021 03 31;15(3):e0009306. Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America.

Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV) is a major biothreat agent that naturally causes outbreaks in humans and horses particularly in tropical areas of the western hemisphere, for which no antiviral therapy is currently available. The host response to VEEV and the cellular factors this alphavirus hijacks to support its effective replication or evade cellular immune responses are largely uncharacterized. We have previously demonstrated tremendous cell-to-cell heterogeneity in viral RNA (vRNA) and cellular transcript levels during flaviviral infection using a novel virus-inclusive single-cell RNA-Seq approach. Read More

Rev Bras Med Vet 2021 31;43:e001720. Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Biomedical Scientist, DSc, Seção de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas, IEC, Ananindeua, PA, Brazil.

Serum samples from 89 equids were analyzed (75 horses, 9 donkeys, and 5 mules) from the municipality of Viseu, Pará state, Brazil. Samples were collected in November 2014 and August 2015. The antibody prevalence against the following alphaviruses was estimated: Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Western equine encephalitis virus, Mucambo virus, and Mayaro virus. Read More

Vet Microbiol 2021 Apr 24;255:109020. Epub 2021 Feb 24.

Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain. Electronic address:

West Nile virus (WNV) is an emerging flavivirus transmitted generally by mosquitoes of Culex genus. It is maintained in an enzootic life cycle where birds act as reservoir hosts. Humans and horses are also susceptible to infection, and occasionally, they suffer from neurological complications. Read More

Front Cell Dev Biol 2021 11;9:625711. Epub 2021 Feb 11.

Laboratory of Virology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands.

Alphaviruses infect a diverse range of host organisms including mosquitoes, mammals, and birds. The enigmatic alphavirus non-structural protein 3 (nsP3) has an intrinsically disordered, C-terminal hypervariable domain (HVD) that can interact with a variety of host proteins associated with stress granules (SGs). The HVD displays the highest variability across the more than 30 known alphaviruses, yet it also contains several motifs that are conserved amongst different subgroups of alphaviruses. Read More

J Therm Biol 2021 Feb 6;96:102826. Epub 2021 Jan 6.

Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA; The Fralin Life Science Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA; The Global Change Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA; Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA. Electronic address:

Mosquitoes are regarded as one of the most dangerous animals on earth. Because they are responsible for the spread of a wide range of both human and animal pathogens, research of the underlying mechanisms of their feeding behavior and physiology is critical. Among disease vector mosquitoes, Culex quinquefasciatus, a known carrier of West Nile virus and Western Equine Encephalitis, remains relatively understudied. Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2021 28;8:626028. Epub 2021 Jan 28.

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Center for BioMolecular Science and Engineering, Washington, DC, United States.

A single domain antibody (clone CC3) previously found to neutralize a vaccine strain of the chikungunya virus (PRNT = 2. 5 ng/mL) was found to be broadly neutralizing. Clone CC3 is not only able to neutralize a wild-type (WT) strain of chikungunya virus (CHIKV), but also neutralizes WT strains of Mayaro virus (MAYV) and Ross River virus (RRV); both arthralgic, Old World alphaviruses. Read More

Front Immunol 2020 19;11:598847. Epub 2021 Jan 19.

Bavarian Nordic GmbH, Martinsried, Germany.

Venezuelan, eastern and western equine encephalitis viruses (EEV) can cause severe disease of the central nervous system in humans, potentially leading to permanent damage or death. Yet, no licensed vaccine for human use is available to protect against these mosquito-borne pathogens, which can be aerosolized and therefore pose a bioterror threat in addition to the risk of natural outbreaks. Using the mouse aerosol challenge model, we evaluated the immunogenicity and efficacy of EEV vaccines that are based on the modified vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) vaccine platform: three monovalent vaccines expressing the envelope polyproteins E3-E2-6K-E1 of the respective EEV virus, a mixture of these three monovalent EEV vaccines (Triple-Mix) as a first approach to generate a multivalent vaccine, and a true multivalent alphavirus vaccine (MVA-WEV, Trivalent) encoding the polyproteins of all three EEVs in a single non-replicating MVA viral vector. Read More

Arch Virol 2021 Mar 12;166(3):881-884. Epub 2021 Jan 12.

Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Instituto de Virología "Dr. JM Vanella", Argentina, Enfermera Gordillo S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina.

In the present study, we serosurveyed the exposure of 222 draft horses to different arboviruses in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina. Plaque reduction neutralization tests confirmed exposure to Fort Sherman virus (FSV), Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV), West Nile virus (WNV), and Río Negro virus (RNV). Apparently, Western and Eastern equine encephalitis viruses did not circulate in the population tested. Read More

Front Vet Sci 2020 10;7:604910. Epub 2020 Dec 10.

Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany.

Ticks transmit a variety of pathogens affecting both human and animal health. In temperate and cold regions of Europe (Western, Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe), the most relevant zoonotic tick-borne pathogens are tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), spp. and . Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020 12 21;104(2):593-603. Epub 2020 Dec 21.

1New York State Department of Health, The Arbovirus Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, Slingerlands, New York.

Sera from white-tailed deer (WTD, Odocoileus virginianus) hunter-harvested throughout New York State (NYS), 2007-2015, were tested by plaque reduction neutralization for antibodies against nine mosquito-borne viruses from the families Peribunyaviridae, Flaviviridae, and Togaviridae. Overall, 76.1% (373/490) of sampled WTD were seropositive against at least one virus, and 38. Read More

Viruses 2020 12 16;12(12). Epub 2020 Dec 16.

Institute of Vertebrate Biology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Květná 8, CZ-60365 Brno, Czech Republic.

RNA of Kyzylagach virus (KYZV), a Sindbis-like mosquito-borne alphavirus from Western equine encephalitis virus complex, was detected in four pools (out of 221 pools examined), encompassing 10,784 female mosquitoes collected at a fishpond in south Moravia, Czech Republic, with a minimum infection rate of 0.04%. This alphavirus was never detected in Central Europe before. Read More