Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome: CD8+and CD4+Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes to Epitopes on Sin Nombre Virus Nucleocapsid Protein Isolated during Acute Illness

AbstractIn 1993 a number of cases of unexplained adult respiratory syndrome occurred in the southwestern United States. The illness was characterized by a prodrome of fever, myalgia, and other symptoms followed by the rapid onset of a capillary leak syndrome with hemoconcentration, thrombocytopenia, and pulmonary edema. Viral RNA sequences in the lungs identified a new member of the hantavirus genus, Sin Nombre virus (SNV), unique to North America. Pulmonary endothelial cells were heavily infected but were not necrotic. We speculated that this capillary leak syndrome was initiated by immune responses to the SNV-infected pulmonary endothelial cells. We isolated a CD8+cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clone directly from the blood of a patient with the acute hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) which recognizes a SNV specific epitope on the virus nucleocapsid protein (aa 234–242) that is restricted by HLA C7 and produces IFNγ but not IL-4. We identified a second CD8+CTL epitope located within another site aa 131–139 on the nucleocapsid protein, which is HLA B35 restricted, and a CD4+CTL epitope located on a third site on nucleocapsid protein aa 372–380 using lymphocytes obtained during HPS from another patient that were stimulatedin vitro.Hantavirus specific CD8+and CD4+CTL may contribute to the immunopathology and capillary leak syndrome observed in the HPS

Natural history of Sin Nombre virus in western Colorado.

A mark-recapture longitudinal study of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody to Sin Nombre virus (SNV) in rodent populations in western Colorado (1994-results summarized to October 1997) indicates the presence of SNV or a closely related hantavirus at two sites. Most rodents (principally deer mice, Peromyscus maniculatus, and pinyon mice, P. truei) did not persist on the trapping webs much beyond 1 month after first capture. Some persisted more than 1 year, which suggests that even a few infected deer mice could serve as transseasonal reservoirs and mechanisms for over-winter virus maintenance. A positive association between wounds and SNV antibody in adult animals at both sites suggests that when infected rodents in certain populations fight with uninfected rodents, virus amplification occurs. At both sites, male rodents comprised a larger percentage of seropositive mice than recaptured mice, which suggests that male mice contribute more to the SNV epizootic cycle than female mice. In deer mice, IgG antibody prevalence fluctuations were positively associated with population fluctuations. The rates of seroconversion, which in deer mice at both sites occurred mostly during late summer and midwinter, were higher than the seroprevalence, which suggests that the longer deer mice live, the greater the probability they will become infected with SNV

Antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays to protect healthcare workers when undertaking aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) on patients without suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection

A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S We would like to thank the peer reviewers, Professor Jeremy Bagg, Dr Karolin Hijazi, Professor Carl Philpott and Professor Claire Hopkins, fortheirinsightful comments, which helped us to improve these reviews. Thanks also to Professor Peter Tugwell, Senior Editor Cochrane MOSS Network, for acting as sign-oF editor for these projects. We are also grateful to Doug Salzwedel from the Cochrane Hypertension Group for providing search peerreview comments for the draK search strategy. Professor Schilder's time for this project was supported by the National Institute for Health Research, University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK. This project was supported by the National Institute for Health Research, via Cochrane Infrastructure, Cochrane Programme Grant or Cochrane Incentive funding to Cochrane ENT and Cochrane Oral Health. The views and opinions expressed therein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Systematic Reviews Programme, NIHR, NHS or the Department of Health.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Use of antimicrobial mouthwashes (gargling) and nasal sprays by healthcare workers to protect them when treating patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection

Sources of support Internal sources No sources of support supplied External sources National Institute for Health Research, UK Infrastructure funding for Cochrane ENT and Cochrane Oral Health Acknowledgements We would like to thank the peer reviewers, Professor Jeremy Bagg, Dr Karolin Hijazi, Professor Carl Philpott and Professor Claire Hopkins, for their insightful comments which helped us to improve these protocols. Thanks also to Professor Peter Tugwell, Senior Editor Cochrane MOSS Network, for acting as sign‐off editor for these projects. We are also grateful to Doug Salzwedel from the Cochrane Hypertension Group for providing search peer review comments for the draft search strategy. This project was supported by the National Institute for Health Research, via Cochrane Infrastructure, Cochrane Programme Grant or Cochrane Incentive funding to Cochrane ENT and Cochrane Oral Health. The views and opinions expressed therein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Systematic Reviews Programme, NIHR, NHS or the Department of Health.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Genetic Characterization of Hantaviruses Transmitted by the Korean Field Mouse (Apodemus peninsulae), Far East Russia

In an epizootiologic survey of 122 rodents captured in Vladivostok, Russia, antibodies positive for hantavirus were found in Apodemus peninsulae (4/70), A. agrarius (1/39), and Clethrionomys rufocanus (1/8). The hantavirus sequences identified in two seropositive A. peninsulae and two patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) from the Primorye region of Far East Russia were designated as Solovey and Primorye, respectively. The nucleotide sequences of the Solovey, Primorye, and Amur (obtained through GenBank) sequences were closely related (>92% identity). Solovey and Primorye sequences shared 84% nucleotide identity with the prototype Hantaan 76-118. Phylogenetic analysis also indicated a close relationship between Solovey, Primorye, Amur, and other viruses identified in Russia, China, and Korea. Our findings suggest that the Korean field mouse (A. peninsulae) is the reservoir for a hantavirus that causes HFRS over a vast area of east Asia, including Far East Russia

Production of specific antibodies against SARS-coronavirus nucleocapsid protein without cross reactivity with human coronaviruses 229E and OC43

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a life-threatening disease for which accurate diagnosis is essential. Although many tools have been developed for the diagnosis of SARS, false-positive reactions in negative sera may occur because of cross-reactivity with other coronaviruses. We have raised polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies (Abs) using a recombinant form of the SARS virus nucleocapsid protein. Cross-reactivity of these anti-SARS Abs against human coronavirus (HCoV) 229E and HCoV OC43 were determined by Western blotting. The Abs produced reacted with recombinant SARS virus nucleocapsid protein, but not with HCoV 229E or HCoV OC43

Expression of recombinant Araraquara Hantavirus nucleoprotein in insect cells and its use as an antigen for immunodetection compared to the same antigen expressed in Escherichia coli

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Antigens for Hantavirus serological tests have been produced using DNA recombinant technology for more than twenty years. Several different strategies have been used for that purpose. All of them avoid the risks and difficulties involved in multiplying Hantavirus in the laboratory. In Brazil, the Araraquara virus is one of the main causes of Hantavirus Cardio-Pulmonary Syndrome (HCPS).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this investigation, we report the expression of the N protein of the Araraquara Hantavirus in a Baculovirus Expression System, the use of this protein in IgM and IgG ELISA and comparison with the same antigen generated in <it>E. coli</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The protein obtained, and purified in a nickel column, was effectively recognized by antibodies from confirmed HCPS patients. Comparison of the baculovirus generated antigen with the N protein produced in <it>E. coli </it>showed that both were equally effective in terms of sensitivity and specificity.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results therefore indicate that either of these proteins can be used in serological tests in Brazil.</p