Cross host transmission in the emergence of MERS coronavirus

Coronaviruses (CoVs) able to infect humans emerge through cross-host transmission from animals. There is substantial evidence that the recent Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV outbreak is fueled by zoonotic transmission from dromedary camels. This is largely based on the fact that closely related viruses have been isolated from this but not any other animal species. Given the widespread geographical distribution of dromedaries found seropositive for MERS-CoV, continued transmission may likely occur in the future. Therefore, a further understanding of the cross host transmission of MERS-CoV is needed to limit the risks this virus poses to man

Електрофізичні властивості системи політетрафторетилен – вуглецеві нанотрубки

Проведено дослідження комплексної діелектричної проникності та електропровідності в надвисокочастотному діапазоні (9 ГГц) і на низьких частотах (0,1; 1 та 10 кГц) двох систем політетрафторетилен – багатошарові вуглецеві нанотрубки з вихідними та диспергованими у водному середовищі . Введення диспергованих нанотрубок в полімер знижує поріг перколяції з 4,5 % до 2,6 % (мас.) за рахунок рівномірного розподілу наповнювача у полімері, що призводить до зростання міжфазної поверхні взаємодії полімер – вуглецеві нанотрубки, яка проявляється в збільшенні значень дійсної та уявної складової комплексної діелектричної проникності.Проведены исследования комплексной диэлектрической проницаемости и электропроводности в сверхвысокочастотном диапазоне (9 ГГц) и на низких частотах (0,1; 1; 10 кГц) двух систем политетрафторэтилен–многослойные углеродные нанотрубки с исходными и диспергированными у водной среде. Введение диспергированных нанотрубок в полимер снижает порог перколяции с 4,5% до 2,6 % (масс.) за счет равномерного распределения наполнителя в полимере, что приводит к возрастанию межфазной поверхности взаимодействия полимер – углеродные нанотрубки, которая проявляется в увеличении значений действительной и мнимой составляющей комплексной диэлектрической проницаемости.Complex dielectric permeability and conductivity of two systems, namely polytetrafluorethylene – intact carbon nanotubes and polytetrafluorethylene – carbon nanotubes dispersed in aqueous media, has been studied in super high-frequency range (9 GHz) and at low frequencies (0,1; 1 and 10 kHz). Doping of the polymer with the dispersed nanotubes decreases percolation threshold (limit ) from 4,5 wt. % to 2,6 wt. % due to uniform distribution of the filler in the polymer. This results to increase of interface interaction polymer - carbon nanotubes that is demonstrated by increase of value of real and imaginary component of complex dielectric permeability

Identification and Characterization of Two Novel Viruses in Ocular Infections in Reindeer

A thorough understanding of virus diversity in wildlife provides epidemiological baseline information about pathogens. In this study, eye swab samples were obtained from semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in Norway during an outbreak of infectious eye disease, possibly a very early stage of infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC). Large scale molecular virus screening, based on host nucleic acid depletion, sequence-independen

Microneedle array delivered recombinant coronavirus vaccines: Immunogenicity and rapid translational development

Background: Coronaviruses pose a serious threat to global health as evidenced by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and COVID-19. SARS Coronavirus (SARS-CoV), MERS Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and the novel coronavirus, previously dubbed 2019-nCoV, and now officially named SARS-CoV-2, are the causative agents of the SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 disease outbreaks, respectively. Safe vaccines that rapidly induce potent and long-lasting virus-specific immune responses against these infectious agents are urgently needed

Reliable typing of MERS-CoV variants with a small genome fragment

Background: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (. MERS-CoV) is an emerging pathogen that causes lower respiratory tract infection in humans.

Metagenomic survey for viruses in Western Arctic caribou, Alaska, through iterative assembly of taxonomic units

Pathogen surveillance in animals does not provide a sufficient level of vigilance because it is generally confined to surveillance of pathogens with known economic impact in domestic animals and practically nonexistent in wildlife species. As most (re-)emerging viral infections originate from animal sources, it is important to obtain insight into viral pathogens present in the wildlife reservoir from a public health perspective. When monitoring living, free-ranging wildlife for viruses, sample collection can be challenging and availability of nucleic acids isolated from samples is often limited. The development of viral metagenomics platforms allows a more comprehensive

Genomic characterization of a newly discovered coronavirus associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome in humans

A novel human coronavirus (HCoV-EMC/2012) was isolated from a man with acute pneumonia and renal failure in June 2012. This report describes the complete genome sequence, genome organization, and expression strategy of HCoV-EMC/2012 and its relation with known coronaviruses. The genome contains 30,119 nucleotides and contains at least 10 predicted open reading frames, 9 of which are predicted to be expressed from a nested set of seven subgenomic mRNAs. Phylogenetic analysis of the replicase gene of coronaviruses with completely sequenced genomes showed that HCoV-EMC/2012 is most closely related to Tylonycteris bat coronavirus HKU4 (BtCoV-HKU4) and Pipistrellus bat coronavirus HKU5 (BtCoV-HKU5), which prototype two species in lineage C of the genus Betacoronavirus. In accordance with the guidelines of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, and in view of the 75% and 77% amino acid sequence identity in 7 conserved replicase domains with BtCoVHKU4 and BtCoV-HKU5, respectively, we propose that HCoV-EMC/2012 prototypes a novel species in the genus Betacoronavirus. HCoV-EMC/2012 may be most closely related to a coronavirus detected in Pipistrellus pipistrellus in The Netherlands, but

Identification of HCV Resistant Variants against Direct Acting Antivirals in Plasma and Liver of Treatment Naïve Patients

Current standard-of-care treatment of chronically infected hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients involves direct-acting antivirals (DAA). However, concerns exist regarding the emergence of drug -resistant variants and subsequent treatment failure. In this study, we investigate potential natural drug-resistance mutations in the NS5B gene of HCV genotype 1b from treatment-naïve patients. Population-based sequencing and 454 deep sequencing of NS5B gene were performed on plasma and liver samples obtained from 18 treatment- naïve patients. The quasispecies distribution in plasma and liver samples showed a remarkable overlap in each patient. Although unique sequences in plasma or liver were observed, in the majority of cases the most dominant sequences were shown to be identical in both compartments. Neither in plasma nor in the liver codon changes were detected at position 282 that cause resistance to nucleos(t)ide analogues. However, in 10 patients the V321I change conferring resistance to nucleos(t)ide NS5B polymerase inhibitors and in 16 patients the C316N/Y/H non-nucleoside inhibitors were found mainly in liver samples. In conclusion, 454-deep sequencing of liver and plasma compartments in treatment naïve patients provides insight into viral quasispecies and the pre-existence of some drug-resistant variants in the liver, which are not necessarily present in plasma