453 research outputs found
Equine Coital Exanthema: new insights on the knowledge and leading perspectives for treatment and prevention
Equine coital exanthema (ECE) is a highly contagious, venereally-transmitted mucocutaneous disease, characterized by the formation of papules, vesicles, pustules and ulcers on the external genital organs of mares and stallions, and caused by equid alphaherpesvirus 3 (EHV-3). The infection is endemic worldwide and the virus is transmitted mainly through direct contact during sexual intercourse and by contaminated instruments during reproductive maneuvers in breeding facilities. The disease does not result in systemic illness, infertility or abortion, yet it does have a negative impact on the equine industry as it forces the temporary withdrawal of affected animals with the consequent disruption of mating activities in breeding facilities. The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date relevant information on the knowledge of EHV-3 infection and to analyze new approaches on diagnostics, treatment and prevention in the interest of minimizing the negative consequences of ECE in light of the current situation of the equine industry.Instituto de VirologíaFil: Vissani, Aldana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Virología: Argentina.Fil: Vissani, Aldana. Universidad del Salvador. Escuela de Veterinaria. Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: Vissani, Aldana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Damiani, Armando Mario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Damiani, Armando Mario. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Barrandeguy, Maria Edith. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Virología; Argentina.Fil: Barrandeguy, Maria Edith. Universidad del Salvador. Escuela de Veterinaria. Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentin
Chlamydia trachomatis Infection Impairs MHC-I Intracellular Trafficking and Antigen Cross-Presentation by Dendritic Cells
During cross-presentation, exogenous antigens (i.e. intracellular pathogens or tumor cells) are internalized and processed within the endocytic system and also by the proteasome in the cytosol. Then, antigenic peptides are associated with Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I molecules and these complexes transit to the plasma membrane in order to trigger cytotoxic immune responses through the activation of CD8+ T lymphocytes. Dendritic cells (DCs) are particularly adapted to achieve efficient antigen cross-presentation and their endocytic network displays important roles during this process, including a sophisticated MHC-I transport dependent on recycling compartments. In this study, we show that C. trachomatis, an obligate intracellular pathogen that exhibits multiple strategies to evade the immune system, is able to induce productive infections in the murine DC line JAWS-II. Our results show that when C. trachomatis infects these cells, the bacteria-containing vacuole strongly recruits host cell recycling vesicles, but no other endosomal compartments. Furthermore, we found that chlamydial infection causes significant alterations of MHC-I trafficking in JAWS-II DCs: reduced levels of MHC-I expression at the cell surface, disruption of the perinuclear MHC-I intracellular pool, and impairment of MHC-I endocytic recycling to the plasma membrane. We observed that all these modifications lead to a hampered cross-presentation ability of soluble and particulate antigens by JAWS-II DCs and primary bone marrow-derived DCs. In summary, our findings provide substantial evidence that C. trachomatis hijacks the DC endocytic recycling system, causing detrimental changes on MHC-I intracellular transport, which are relevant for competent antigen cross-presentation.Fil: del Balzo, Diego Damián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Capmany, Anahi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Damiani, Armando Mario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Cebrián, José Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; Argentin
Long term stability and infectivity of herpesviruses in water
For viruses to utilize environmental vectors (hard surfaces, soil, water) for
transmission, physical and chemical stability is a prerequisite. There are
many factors including pH, salinity, temperature, and turbidity that are known
to contribute to the ability of viruses to persist in water. Equine
herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1) is a pathogenic alphaherpesvirus associated with
domestic horses and wild equids. EHV-1 and recombinants of EHV-1 and EHV-9 are
able to cause infections in non-equid animal species, particularly in captive
settings. Many of the captive non-equid mammals are not naturally sympatric
with equids and do not share enclosures, however, in many cases water sources
may overlap. Similarly, in the wild, equids encounter many species at
waterholes in times of seasonal drought. Therefore, we hypothesized that EHV-1
is stable in water and that water may act as a vector for EHV-1. In order to
establish the conditions promoting or hindering EHV-1 longevity, infectivity
and genomic stability in water; we exposed EHV-1 to varied water environments
(pH, salinity, temperature, and turbidity) in controlled experiments over 21
days. The presence and infectivity of the virus was confirmed by both qPCR and
cell culture experiments. Our results show that EHV-1 remains stable and
infectious under many conditions in water for up to three weeks
West Nile virus antibody prevalence in horses of Ukraine
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus of global importance. Over the
last two decades, it has been responsible for significant numbers of cases of
illness in humans and animals in many parts of the world. In Ukraine, WNV
infections in humans and birds were first reported more than 25 years ago, yet
the current epidemiological status is quite unclear. In this study, serum
samples from over 300 equines were collected and screened in order to detect
current WNV activity in Ukraine with the goal to estimate the risk of
infection for humans and horses. Sera were tested by enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and virus neutralization assay (NT) to detect WNV-
specific antibodies. The results clearly revealed that WNV circulates in most
of the regions from which samples were obtained, shown by a WNV seroprevalence
rate of 13.5% of examined horses. This is the first topical report indicating
the presence of WNV infections in horses in Ukraine, and the results of this
study provide evidence of a widespread WNV circulation in this country
Genetic Diversity, Latency and Co-Infections
Alphaherpesviruses are highly prevalent in equine populations and co-
infections with more than one of these viruses’ strains frequently diagnosed.
Lytic replication and latency with subsequent reactivation, along with new
episodes of disease, can be influenced by genetic diversity generated by
spontaneous mutation and recombination. Latency enhances virus survival by
providing an epidemiological strategy for long-term maintenance of divergent
strains in animal populations. The alphaherpesviruses equine herpesvirus 1
(EHV-1) and 9 (EHV-9) have recently been shown to cross species barriers,
including a recombinant EHV-1 observed in fatal infections of a polar bear and
Asian rhinoceros. Little is known about the latency and genetic diversity of
EHV-1 and EHV-9, especially among zoo and wild equids. Here, we report
evidence of limited genetic diversity in EHV-9 in zebras, whereas there is
substantial genetic variability in EHV-1. We demonstrate that zebras can be
lytically and latently infected with both viruses concurrently. Such a co-
occurrence of infection in zebras suggests that even relatively slow-evolving
viruses such as equine herpesviruses have the potential to diversify rapidly
by recombination. This has potential consequences for the diagnosis of these
viruses and their management in wild and captive equid populations. View Full-
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Comprehensive Serology Based on a Peptide ELISA to Assess the Prevalence of Closely Related Equine Herpesviruses in Zoo and Wild Animals
Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) causes respiratory disorders and abortion in
equids while EHV-1 regularly causes equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy
(EHM), a stroke-like syndrome following endothelial cell infection in horses.
Both EHV-1 and EHV-9 infections of non-definitive hosts often result in
neuronal infection and high case fatality rates. Hence, EHV-1 and EHV-9 are
somewhat unusual herpesviruses and lack strict host specificity, and the true
extent of their host ranges have remained unclear. In order to determine the
seroprevalence of EHV-1 and EHV-9, a sensitive and specific peptide-based
ELISA was developed and applied to 428 sera from captive and wild animals
representing 30 species in 12 families and five orders. Members of the
Equidae, Rhinocerotidae and Bovidae were serologically positive for EHV-1 and
EHV-9. The prevalence of EHV-1 in the sampled wild zebra populations was
significantly higher than in zoos suggesting captivity may reduce exposure to
EHV-1. Furthermore, the seroprevalence for EHV-1 was significantly higher than
for EHV-9 in zebras. In contrast, EHV-9 antibody prevalence was high in
captive and wild African rhinoceros species suggesting that they may serve as
a reservoir or natural host for EHV-9. Thus, EHV-1 and EHV-9 have a broad host
range favoring African herbivores and may have acquired novel natural hosts in
ecosystems where wild equids are common and are in close contact with other
perissodactyls
Microcirculatory effects of the transfusion of leukodepleted or non-leukodepleted red blood cells in patients with sepsis: a pilot study
Introduction: Microvascular alterations impair tissue oxygenation during sepsis. A red blood cell (RBC) transfusion increases oxygen (O2)-delivery but rarely improves tissue O2 uptake in septic patients. Possible causes include RBC alterations due to prolonged storage or residual leukocyte-derived inflammatory mediators. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of two types of transfused-RBCs on microcirculation in septic patients. Methods: In a prospective randomized trial, 20 septic patients were divided into two separate groups and received either non-leukodepleted (n = 10) or leukodepleted (n = 10) RBC transfusions. Microvascular density and perfusion were assessed with sidestream dark-field (SDF) imaging sublingually, before and 1 hour after transfusions. Thenar tissue O2-saturation (StO2) and tissue haemoglobin index (THI) were determined with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and a vascular occlusion test was performed. The microcirculatory perfused boundary region was assessed in SDF images as an index of glycocalyx damage and glycocalyx compounds (syndecan-1, hyaluronan, heparan sulfate) were measured in the serum. Results: No differences were observed in microvascular parameters at baseline and after transfusion between the groups, except for the proportion of perfused vessels (PPV) and blood flow velocity, which were higher after transfusion in the leukodepleted group. Microvascular flow index in small vessels (MFI) and blood flow velocity exhibited different responses to transfusion between the two groups (P = 0.03 and P = 0.04, respectively), with a positive effect of leukodepleted RBCs. When looking at within-group changes, microcirculatory improvement was only observed in patients that received leukodepleted RBC transfusion as suggested by the increase in De Backer score (P = 0.02), perfused vessel density (P = 0.04), PPV (P = 0.01) and MFI (P = 0.04). Blood flow velocity decreased in the non-leukodepleted group (P = 0.03). THI and StO2-upslope increased in both groups. StO2 and StO2-downslope increased in patients who received non-leukodepleted RBC transfusions. Syndecan-1 increased after the transfusion of non-leukodepleted RBCs (P = 0.03). Conclusions: This study does not show a clear superiority of leukodepleted over non-leukodepleted RBC transfusions on microvascular perfusion in septic patients, although it suggests a more favourable effect of leukodepleted RBCs on microcirculatory convective flow. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings. © 2014 Donati et al.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe
The future of Cybersecurity in Italy: Strategic focus area
This volume has been created as a continuation of the previous one, with the aim of outlining a set of focus areas and actions that the Italian Nation research community considers essential. The book touches many aspects of cyber security, ranging from the definition of the infrastructure and controls needed to organize cyberdefence to the actions and technologies to be developed to be better protected, from the identification of the main technologies to be defended to the proposal of a set of horizontal actions for training, awareness raising, and risk management
Development of a surveillance scheme for equine influenza in the UK and characterisation of viruses isolated in Europe, Dubai and the USA from 2010-2012
Equine influenza viruses are a major cause of respiratory disease in horses worldwide and undergo antigenic drift. Several outbreaks of equine influenza occurred worldwide during 2010-2012, including in vaccinated animals, highlighting the importance of surveillance and virus characterisation. Virus isolates were characterised from more than 20 outbreaks over a 3-year period, including strains from the UK, Dubai, Germany and the USA. The haemagglutinin-1 (HA1) sequence of all isolates was determined and compared with OIE-recommended vaccine strains. Viruses from Florida clades 1 and 2 showed continued divergence from each other compared with 2009 isolates. The antigenic inter-relationships among viruses were determined using a haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) assay with ferret antisera and visualised using antigenic cartography. All European isolates belonged to Florida clade 2, all those from the USA belonged to Florida clade 1. Two subpopulations of clade 2 viruses were isolated, with either substitution A144V or I179V. Isolates from Dubai, obtained from horses shipped from Uruguay, belonged to Florida clade 1 and were similar to viruses isolated in the USA the previous year. The neuraminidase (NA) sequence of representative strains from 2007 and 2009 to 2012 was also determined and compared with that of earlier isolates dating back to 1963. Multiple changes were observed at the amino acid level and clear distinctions could be made between viruses belonging to Florida clade 1 and clade 2
Effective Treatment of Respiratory Alphaherpesvirus Infection Using RNA Interference
BACKGROUND: Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), a member of the Alphaherpesvirinae, is spread via nasal secretions and causes respiratory disease, neurological disorders and abortions. The virus is a significant equine pathogen, but current EHV-1 vaccines are only partially protective and effective metaphylactic and therapeutic agents are not available. Small interfering RNAs (siRNA's), delivered intranasally, could prove a valuable alternative for infection control. siRNA's against two essential EHV-1 genes, encoding the viral helicase (Ori) and glycoprotein B, were evaluated for their potential to decrease EHV-1 infection in a mouse model. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FNDINGS: siRNA therapy in vitro significantly reduced virus production and plaque size. Viral titers were reduced 80-fold with 37.5 pmol of a single siRNA or with as little as 6.25 pmol of each siRNA when used in combination. siRNA therapy in vivo significantly reduced viral replication and clinical signs. Intranasal treatment did not require a transport vehicle and proved effective when given up to 12 h before or after infection. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: siRNA treatment has potential for both prevention and early treatment of EHV-1 infections
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