SDS-EDTA-treated chromatography paper strips for sampling and transportation of monkeypox virus, varicella zoster virus and herpes simplex 1 and 2 viruses.

Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease characterized by flu-like symptoms followed by rash, which can be difficult to distinguish from other rash-presenting infections. Laboratory diagnosis is essential for confirming monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection; However, challenges in specimen transport and storage in endemic regions, especially in rural areas with limited infrastructure, hinder timely diagnosis. This study evaluates the use of SDS-EDTA-treated chromatography paper strips for testing different viral dilutions of MPXV, varicella-zoster virus (VZV), herpes simplex viruses 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2) under different storage durations and temperatures.

Genomic characterization and serotype distribution of dengue virus circulating in Pakistan during 2024.

Dengue virus (DENV) remains a significant public health concern in Pakistan, with recurrent outbreaks necessitating continuous genomic surveillance. The 2024 dengue outbreak prompted an investigation into circulating serotypes and genomic diversity. The National Institute of Health (NIH), Pakistan, received 524 NS-1 confirmed dengue samples across multiple districts in 2024.

Emergence of Antiviral Drug Resistance in Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection During Treatment: An Updated Review of Literature and Case Report.

Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the most common congenital infection worldwide and a major cause of sensorineural hearing loss. A limited number of infants present with severe symptoms, including end-organ disease, developmental delay and neurologic sequelae. Infants with severe cCMV benefit from 6 months of valganciclovir (VGCV) therapy.

Effect of whole meal yeast-leavened, sourdough-leavened and yeast-sourdough-leavened bread consumption on appetite, energy intake, and postprandial metabolic responses: A randomized, blinded, cross-over study.

Bread is a major source of carbohydrates in Europe, and whole meal varieties may offer better metabolic responses and increased satiety than white bread. We compared the effects of three types of whole meal bread: whole meal yeast bread (WYB), whole meal sourdough bread (WSB), and whole meal sourdough and yeast bread (WSYB), on appetite regulation and metabolic outcomes in healthy subjects. The sourdough contained Fructilactobacillus sanfranciscensis and Maudiozyma humilis, and the process time depended on the leavening agent.

Correction: Mbigha Donfack et al. Mosquito Virome in Southwestern Cameroon: Lack of Core Virome, But a Very Rich and Diverse Virome in Compared to Other Species. 2024, , 1172.

In the original publication [...

Systematic literature review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of rotavirus genotypes in Asia from 2015 to 2021.

Understanding rotavirus prevalence by genotype can inform disease prevention and immunization decision-making. This systematic literature review summarized the genotype-specific prevalence of rotavirus in Asia from 2015 to 2021. We identified surveillance studies using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases, and used proportional meta-analysis (with the generic inverse variance method with arcsine transformation and generalized linear mixed models) to summarize genotype prevalence by region.

International importance and spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants Alpha, Delta, and Omicron BA.1 into Spain.

Background: The spread of SARS-CoV-2 has been influenced by multiple factors, from the inherent transmission capabilities of the different variants to the control measurements put in place. Understanding how new variants enter a country is essential for managing future outbreaks. This study investigates how three major variants-Alpha, Delta, and Omicron (BA.

Cytomegalovirus infection and drug resistance emergence during letermovir salvage therapy in a pediatric SCID patient.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a common complication in newborns with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Prolonged antiviral treatment in immunocompromised patients increases the risk of the emergence of drug resistance. We analyzed drug resistance in a newborn with SCID who developed neonatal CMV infection.

HIV multidrug class resistance prediction with a time sliding anchor approach.

Motivation: The emergence of multidrug class resistance (MDR) in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a rare but significant challenge in antiretroviral therapy (ART). MDR, which may arise from prolonged drug exposure, treatment failures, or transmission of resistant strains, accelerates disease progression and poses particular challenges in resource-limited settings with restricted access to resistance testing and advanced therapies. Early prediction of future MDR development is important to inform therapeutic decisions and mitigate its occurrence.

Combinations of approved oral nucleoside analogues confer potent suppression of alphaviruses in vitro and in vivo.

Alphaviruses, including chikungunya virus (CHIKV), pose a significant global health threat, yet specific antiviral therapies remain unavailable. We evaluated combinations of three oral directly acting antiviral drugs (sofosbuvir (SOF), molnupiravir (MPV), and favipiravir (FAV)), which are approved for other indications, against CHIKV, Semliki Forest virus (SFV), Sindbis virus (SINV), and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus (VEEV) in vitro and in vivo. We assessed antiviral efficacy in human skin fibroblasts and liver cells, as well as in a mouse model of CHIKV-induced arthritis.

Multi-cohort cross-omics analysis reveals disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets in HTLV-1-associated myelopathy, a neglected retroviral neuroinflammatory disorder.

HTLV-1 is an enigmatic retrovirus triggering a debilitating neuroinflammatory disease, HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM), with unknown pathogenesis. Both HTLV-1 infection and HAM predominantly affect women and non-white neglected populations. HAM is lacking disease-modifying treatment, as current treatment is mostly symptomatic and inspired by either HIV-1 or multiple sclerosis therapeutic strategies.

Untapped potential of wastewater for animal and potentially zoonotic virus surveillance: Pilot study to detect non-human animal viruses in urban settings.

Introduction: Wastewater surveillance has become an essential tool for monitoring viral outbreaks and surveillance of human viruses. While PCR-based methods are most frequently used, more advanced techniques, such as shotgun metagenomics in combination with viral capture methods, have been developed. These capture methods significantly improve the ability to detect nearly all (known) viruses at once in complex samples, including wastewater.

14 years of rotavirus A surveillance: unusual dominance of equine-like G3P[8] genotype with DS-1-like genotype constellation after the pandemic, Belgium, 2009 to 2023.

IntroductionDespite vaccine availability, rotavirus persists as a leading cause of gastroenteritis in children younger than 5 years.AimWe aimed to evaluate temporal changes in rotavirus epidemiology in Belgium between 2009 and 2023, including the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe collected 8,024 rotavirus-positive stool samples throughout Belgium.

Detection of mpox and other orthopoxviruses using a lateral flow device as a point-of-care diagnostic.

In 2022, the World Health Organization declared the worldwide outbreak of mpox to be a public health emergency of international concern. The causative monkeypox virus (MPXV) belonged to clade IIb and is transmitted through sexual contact with a low case fatality rate (0.1%), which, together with under-detection, all contributed to a rapid global spread particularly within the MSM (men who have sex with men) community.

Detection of Measles Virus Genotype D8 in Wastewater of the Brussels Capital Region, Belgium.

We analyzed wastewater from Belgian treatment plants to look for measles virus. Genotype D8 was identified in Brussels North samples, matching sequences from 15 regional measles cases. Finding measles virus in wastewater can suggest undetected virus transmission.

Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 reservoir in long COVID.

There are no approved treatments for post-COVID-19 condition (also known as long COVID), a debilitating disease state following SARS-CoV-2 infection that is estimated to affect tens of millions of people. A growing body of evidence shows that SARS-CoV-2 can persist for months or years following COVID-19 in a subset of individuals, with this reservoir potentially driving long-COVID symptoms or sequelae. There is, therefore, an urgent need for clinical trials targeting persistent SARS-CoV-2, and several trials of antivirals or monoclonal antibodies for long COVID are underway.

Dispersal dynamics and introduction patterns of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in Iran.

Understanding the dispersal patterns of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) lineages is crucial to public health decision-making, especially in countries with limited access to viral genomic sequencing. This study provides a comprehensive epidemiological and phylodynamic perspective on SARS-CoV-2 lineage dispersal in Iran from February 2020 to July 2022. We explored the genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 combining 1281 genome sequences with spatial data in a phylogeographic framework.

Antigenic Imprinting Dominates Humoral Responses to New Variants of SARS-CoV-2 in a Hamster Model of COVID-19.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants escaping immunity challenges the efficacy of current vaccines. Here, we investigated humoral recall responses and vaccine-mediated protection in Syrian hamsters immunized with the third-generation Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.

Generation of Biologically Contained Marburg Virus.

Wild-type Marburg virus (MARV) can only be handled in biosafety level 4 facilities. By removing an essential gene from the virus genome, deficient virus particles can be generated that are only capable of replication if the missing gene product is provided in trans. As a result, these viruses are restricted to specific cell lines, making them safe to handle at lower biosafety levels.

Transcriptional profiling of zebrafish intestines identifies macrophages as host cells for human norovirus infection.

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are a major cause of diarrheal disease, yet critical aspects of their biology, including cellular tropism, remain unclear. Although research has traditionally focused on the intestinal epithelium, the hypothesis that HuNoV infects macrophages has been recurrently discussed and is investigated here using a zebrafish larval model. Through single-cell RNA sequencing of dissected zebrafish intestines, we unbiasedly identified macrophages as host cells for HuNoV replication, with all three open reading frames mapped to individual macrophages.

The effect of rewarming ischemia on tissue transcriptome and metabolome signatures: A clinical observational study in lung transplantation.

Background: In lung transplantation (LuTx), various ischemic phases exist, yet the rewarming ischemia time (RIT) during implantation has often been overlooked. During RIT, lungs are deflated and exposed to the body temperature in the recipient's chest cavity. Our prior clinical findings demonstrated that prolonged RIT increases the risk of primary graft dysfunction.

Dynamics and Evolution of Donor-derived Cytomegalovirus Infection in 3 Solid Organ Transplant Recipients With the Same Multiorgan Donor.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection poses a significant risk to immunosuppressed transplant recipients, manifesting through primary infection, reinfection, or reactivation.

Methods: We analyzed the emergence of drug resistance in CMV infection in 3 patients who were later found to have received an allograft from a shared, deceased donor. The seronegative transplant recipients developed symptomatic CMV infections after bowel/pancreas, kidney, or lung transplantation.