Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of the 'Dangerous Activities' Categories Defined by the CISSM Controlling Dangerous Pathogens Project

The Controlling Dangerous Pathogens Project of the Center for International Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM) outlines a prototype oversight system for ongoing microbiological research to control its possible misapplication. This so-called Biological Research Security System (BRSS) foresees the creation of regional, national, and international oversight bodies that review, approve, or reject those proposed microbiological research projects that would fit three BRSS-defined categories: Potentially Dangerous Activities (PDA), Moderately Dangerous Activities (MDA), and Extremely Dangerous Activities (EDA). It is the objective of this working paper to assess these categories qualitatively and quantitatively. To do so, published US research of the years 2000-present (early- to mid-2005) will be screened for science reports that would have fallen under the proposed oversight system had it existed already. Qualitatively, these selective reports will be sorted according to the subcategories of each individual Dangerous Activity, broken down by microbiological agent, and year. Quantitatively, institutes and researchers, which conducted research that would have fallen under review by BRSS, will be listed according to category and year. Taken together, the results of this survey will give an overview of the number of research projects, institutes, and researchers that would have been affected had the new proposed system existed, and thus should allow estimating the potential impact of BRSS on US microbiological academic and industrial research in the future. Furthermore, this working paper might aid refining the proposed system

New Advances on Zika Virus Research

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne member of the Flaviviridae family that historically has been associated with mild febrile illness. However, the recent outbreaks in Brazil in 2015 and its rapid spread throughout South and Central America and the Caribbean, together with its association with severe neurological disorders—including fetal microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults—have changed the historic perspective of ZIKV. Currently, ZIKV is considered an important public health concern that has the potential to affect millions of people worldwide. The significance of ZIKV in human health and the lack of approved vaccines and/or antiviral drugs to combat ZIKV infection have triggered a global effort to develop effective countermeasures to prevent and/or treat ZIKV infection. In this Special Issue of Viruses, we have assembled a collection of 32 research and review articles that cover the more recent advances on ZIKV molecular biology, replication and transmission, virus–host interactions, pathogenesis, epidemiology, vaccine development, antivirals, and viral diagnosis

Analysis of in vivo dynamics of influenza virus infection using a GFP reporter virus.

Influenza A virus Is being extensively studied due to its major Impact in human and animal health. However, the dynamics of Influenza virus Infection and the cell types infected In vivo are poorly understood. These characteristics are not easy to determine parUy because currently there Is no replication-competent virus expressing a fluorescent reporter gene. Here, we report the generation of a complete Influenza virus carrying a GFP reporter gene In the NS segment of its genome (NS1-GFP virus). NS1-GFP virus replicates efficiently in cell culture and shows pathogenicity In mice at levels similar to parental virus. We have analyzed the In vivo dynamics of influenza Infection progression in mice by flow cytometry and whole organ Imaging of infected lungs. Using flow cytometric analysis of infected lungs, apart from epithelial cells, we find antigen presenting cells like CD11c+, CD11b+ CD11c+, CD11b+ and B cells to be GFP positive. In addition, NK cells are susceptible to Influenza Infection. Whole organ imaging of lungs show that influenza infection starts In the respiratory tract In areas closer to large conducting airways and with time spreads to deeper sections of the lungs. We have also tested the effects of oseltamivir and amantadine on the kinetics and In vivo infection progression in mice and find Interesting differences In the effects of these antivirals. Treatment with oseltamlvlr dramatically reduces Influenza Infection in all cell types, whereas, Interestingly, amantadine treatment blocks infection In a cell type specific manner