:.:RESEARCH ARTICLES ABSTRACTS:.:

[Giuseppe]

In this post: (1) Research Articles Abstracts.

Contents:

(1.1) Clinical features and complete genome characterization of a distinct human rhinovirus (HRV) genetic cluster, probably representing a previously undetected HRV species, HRV-C, associated with acute respiratory illness in children.

(1.2) Novel reassortant of swine influenza H1N2 virus in Germany.

(1.3) Protective effect of low-concentration chlorine dioxide gas against influenza A virus infection.

(1.4) Molecular analysis of avian H7 influenza viruses circulating in Eurasia in 1999 2005: detection of multiple reassortant virus genotypes.

(1.5) Highly conserved regions of the influenza A virus polymerase gene segments are critical for efficient vRNA packaging.

(1.6) Vaccination of macaques with adjuvanted formalin-inactivated influenza A (H5N1) vaccines: protection against H5N1 challenge without disease enhancement.

(1.7) Virally delivered cytokines alter the immune response to future lung infections.

(1.8) Identification of H2N3 influenza A viruses from swine in the United States.

(1.9) Inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) in children <2 years of age: Examination of selected adverse events reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) after thimerosal-free or thimerosal-containing vaccine.

(1.10) A combination in-ovo vaccine for avian influenza virus and Newcastle disease virus.

(1.11) Sudden deaths following influenza vaccination: Can this be expected?

(1.12) The absence of enhanced disease with wild type respiratory syncytial virus infection occurring after receipt of live, attenuated, respiratory syncytial virus vaccines.

(1.13) Long-lasting balanced immunity and protective efficacy against respiratory syncytial virus in mice induced by a recombinant protein G1F/M2.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dispmax=13&list_uids=17804649,18089751,18089729,18089728,18094182,18094159,17855518,18093945,18093701,18093698,18082296,17868959,17850930&dopt=AbstractPlus

[Giuseppe]

Re: :.:RESEARCH ARTICLES ABSTRACTS:.:

[In this post: (1) Research Articles Abstracts.

Contents:

(1.1) Preparation of Armored RNA as a Control for Multiplex Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR Detection of Influenza and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus.

(1.2) A novel approach to the development of effective H5N1 influenza A virus vaccines: the use of M2 cytoplasmic tail mutants.

(1.3) Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus replicon particles encoding respiratory syncytial virus surface glycoproteins induce protective mucosal responses in mice and cotton rats.

(1.4) Effectiveness of influenza vaccination.

(1.5) Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of H1N1 and H3N2 human influenza A viruses among infants and children in Thailand.

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See original abstracts at the source sites. EDITED.]

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(1.1): J Clin Microbiol. 2007 Dec 26 [Epub ahead of print]

Preparation of Armored RNA as a Control for Multiplex Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR Detection of Influenza and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus.

Yu XF, Pan JC, Ye R, Xiang HQ, Kou Y, Huang ZC.
Microbiology Laboratory, Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310006, people' republic of China.

The common respiratory viruses including influenza A, influenza B and new emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) viruses may cause similar clinical symptoms.

Therefore, differential diagnosis of these virus pathogens is frequently required in single clinical samples.

In addition, there is an urgent need for non-infectious and stable RNA standards and controls for multivirus detection.

In this study, reverse transcription-PCR targeting the RNA of influenza A, influenza B viruses and SARS coronavirus was performed and the resulting products were spliced into a fragment, which was packaged into armored RNA for use as a non-infectious, quantifiable synthetic substitute.

Furthermore, in the present study we developed a multiplex real-time RT-PCR assay in which the armored RNA was used as an external positive control, and the three RNA viruses could be detected simultaneously in a single reaction.

The detection limit of the multiplex real-time PCR was 10 copies/microl of armored RNA.

PMID: 18160451 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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(1.2): J Virol. 2007 Dec 26 [Epub ahead of print]
A novel approach to the development of effective H5N1 influenza A virus vaccines: the use of M2 cytoplasmic tail mutants.

Watanabe T, Watanabe S, Kim JH, Hatta M, Kawaoka Y.
Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2015 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza viruses in avian species began in Asia and have since spread to other continents.

Concern regarding the pandemic potential of these viruses in humans is clearly warranted, as is the need to develop effective vaccines against them.

Previously, we and others demonstrated that deletions of the M2 cytoplasmic tail caused a growth defect in A/WSN/33 (H1N1) influenza A virus in vitro (Iwatsuki-Horimoto et al., J. Virol. 80: 5233-5240, 2006; McCown and Pekosz, J. Virol. 79: 3595-3605, 2005 and J. Virol. 80: 8178-8189, 2006).

We, therefore, tested the feasibility of using M2 tail mutants as live attenuated vaccines against H5N1 virus.

First, we generated a series of highly pathogenic H5N1 [A/Vietnam/1203/04 (VN1203)] M2 cytoplasmic tail deletion mutants and examined their growth properties in vitro and in vivo.

We found that one mutant, which contains an 11-amino-acid deletion from the C-terminus (M2del11 virus), grew as well as the wild-type virus, but replicated in mice less efficiently.

We then generated a recombinant VN1203 M2del11 virus whose HA gene was modified by replacing sequences at the cleavage site with those of an avirulent type of HA (M2del11-HAavir virus).

This M2del11-HAavir virus protected mice against challenge with a lethal dose of homologous [VN1203 (clade 1)] and antigenically distinct heterologous [A/Indonesia/7/2005 (clade 2)] H5N1 viruses.

Our results suggest that M2 cytoplasmic tail mutants have potential as live attenuated influenza vaccines against H5N1 viruses.

PMID: 18160446 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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(1.3): J Virol. 2007 Dec;81(24):13710-22. Epub 2007 Oct 10.

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus replicon particles encoding respiratory syncytial virus surface glycoproteins induce protective mucosal responses in mice and cotton rats.

Mok H, Lee S, Utley TJ, Shepherd BE, Polosukhin VV, Collier ML, Davis NL, Johnston RE, Crowe JE Jr.
Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important viral pathogen that causes severe lower respiratory tract infection in infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.

There are no licensed RSV vaccines to date.

To prevent RSV infection, immune responses in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts are required.

Previously, immunization with Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus replicon particles (VRPs) demonstrated effectiveness in inducing mucosal protection against various pathogens.

In this study, we developed VRPs encoding RSV fusion (F) or attachment (G) glycoproteins and evaluated the immunogenicity and efficacy of these vaccine candidates in mice and cotton rats.

VRPs, when administered intranasally, induced surface glycoprotein-specific virus neutralizing antibodies in serum and immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies in secretions at the respiratory mucosa.

In addition, fusion protein-encoding VRPs induced gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-secreting T cells in the lungs and spleen, as measured by reaction with an H-2K(d)-restricted CD8(+) T-cell epitope.

In animals vaccinated with F protein VRPs, challenge virus replication was reduced below the level of detection in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts following intranasal RSV challenge, while in those vaccinated with G protein VRPs, challenge virus was detected in the upper but not the lower respiratory tract.

Close examination of histopathology of the lungs of vaccinated animals following RSV challenge revealed no enhanced inflammation. Immunization with VRPs induced balanced Th1/Th2 immune responses, as measured by the cytokine profile in the lungs and antibody isotype of the humoral immune response.

These results represent an important first step toward the use of VRPs encoding RSV proteins as a prophylactic vaccine for RSV.

PMID: 17928349 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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(1.4): N Engl J Med. 2007 Dec 27;357(26):2728; author reply 2730-1.
Effectiveness of influenza vaccination.

Belongia EA, Coleman LA, Donahue JG.
PMID: 18160695 [PubMed - in process]

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(1.5): Virus Res. 2007 Dec 19 [Epub ahead of print]
Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of H1N1 and H3N2 human influenza A viruses among infants and children in Thailand.

Chutinimitkul S, Chieochansin T, Payungporn S, Samransamruajkit R, Hiranras T, Theamboonlers A, Poovorawan Y.
Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

The annual influenza outbreaks can cause a high mortality rate among infants and children.

In the tropics, influenza shows no clear dependence on seasons.

In the present study, we performed molecular and phylogenetic analysis of H1N1 and H3N2 influenza virus isolated from infants and children diagnosed with respiratory tract illness between February 2006 and February 2007.

A total of 33 samples (10.92%) were found positive for human influenza virus infection.

Characterization of the hemagglutinin gene revealed conserved sequences at the receptor-binding site as well as variations due to amino acid substitutions at the antigenic site, potentially resulting in an N-linked glycosylation site.

As for the neuraminidase gene, amino acid substitutions were found in N1 and N2 but not directly at the catalytic or framework sites of this enzyme.

Based on the phylogenetic tree, the hemagglutinin 1 (HA1) region and the neuraminidase (NA) gene of both H1N1 and H3N2 isolated subtypes clustered with the current vaccine strain for the Northern Hemisphere 2007-2008.

This finding contributes to understanding the evolution of influenza A viruses in humans and is useful for surveillance and vaccine strain selection.

PMID: 18160168 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dispmax=5&list_uids=18160451,18160446,17928349,18160695,18160168&dopt=AbstractPlus

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[gsgs]

Re: :.:RESEARCH ARTICLES ABSTRACTS:.:

(1.1) it all depends on how expensive these methods are, but we almost never see prices
in these articles. How much does multiplex save ?
Why can't we get full genome sequencing, is it too expensive ?

(1.2) as I understand, the M2-tail deletion is just the method to inactivate the virus
so it can be used for vaccination. However we saw cross-immunity already with split-vaccine
and there are other methods to attenuate live virus, so I don't quite see the benefit.

(1.4) discussion is here:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/357/26/2728?ck=nck

(1.5)

                                  000000000000000000011111111111222222222222222222222233 
                                  122223333334456777935577888899123444444455566778999900 
                                  724560135993697349522346257827613377899916719779018955 
                                  283792594094972178414097014888069625404962701588768423 
-codon-position-------------------1  222     21  2   1    2 2121 22     1 2           12 
---Index--------------------------CACCAAACGAACATAAAGGTAGCAGAGAAATAAGCAGCAAAGAGAAAACCAAGA 
  1 >A/Thailand/CU88/2006(H1N1)   T...GGG.A....C.G....G...A......G.......G.A..GG...T.G.G       24     17 ,     24     17      1:>A/Thailand/CU88/2006(H1N1)   
  2 >A/Thailand/CU67/2006(H1N1)   T.T.GGG.A....C.G....G...A......G.......G.A..GG...T.G.G       18     18 ,     18     18      2:>A/Thailand/CU67/2006(H1N1)   
  3 >A/Thailand/CU53/2006(H1N1)   T.T.GGG.A...GC.G....G...A......G.......G.A..GG...T.G.G       19     19 ,     19     19      3:>A/Thailand/CU53/2006(H1N1)   
  4 >A/Thailand/CU41/2006(H1N1)   T.T.GGG.A...GC.G....G...A......G.......G.A..GG...T.G.G       20     19 ,     20     19      4:>A/Thailand/CU41/2006(H1N1)   
  5 >A/Thailand/CU51/2006(H1N1)   T...GG.........................G............G....TGG.G       13      9 ,     13      9      5:>A/Thailand/CU51/2006(H1N1)   
  6 >A/Thailand/CU57/2006(H1N1)   .G.T...T.G.TGA..G....A.G...C....G....TT...G.......G...       33     16 ,     33     16      6:>A/Thailand/CU57/2006(H1N1)   
  7 >A/Thailand/CU44/2006(H1N1)   .G.T...T.GGT..G.GAA..ATG.GACGGC..TTGATT.G.GA..GGT.T.A.       33     33 ,     33     33      7:>A/Thailand/CU44/2006(H1N1)   
  8 >A/Thailand/CU68/2006(H1N1)   .G.T...T.GGT..G.GAAC.ATG.GACGGC.GTTGATT.G.GA..GGT.T.A.       36     35 ,     36     35      8:>A/Thailand/CU68/2006(H1N1)   
  9 >A/Thailand/CU75/2006(H1N1)   .G.T...T.GGT..G.GAAC..TG.GACGGC..TTGATT.G.GA..GGT.T.A.       43     33 ,     43     33      9:>A/Thailand/CU75/2006(H1N1)   
 10 >A/Thailand/CU32/2006(H1N1)   ...T.....G.T....GA.....G...CG........TT...G.......G...       80     12 ,     80     12     10:>A/Thailand/CU32/2006(H1N1)   
                                                                                         
---Index--------------------------CACCAAACGAACATAAAGGTAGCAGAGAAATAAGCAGCAAAGAGAAAACCAAGA 
-codon-position-------------------1  222     21  2   1    2 2121 22     1 2           12 
                                  000000000000000000011111111111222222222222222222222233 
                                  122223333334456777935577888899123444444455566778999900 
                                  724560135993697349522346257827613377899916719779018955 
                                  283792594094972178414097014888069625404962701588768423

                                   00000000011111111112222222222222233 
                                   01445568912333557891112225666667800 
                                   68471677572699450275893898022451100 
                                   52728552417378875980898153789652639 
-codon-position--------------------22 121 2 1 12   12121  1    1   2   
---Index---------------------------TGTGCGCGCGCCAGTGAGGACACGCTCTTACCCCT 
  1 >A/Thailand/CU280/2007(H3N2)   .A.....A...........................       11      2 ,     11      2      1:>A/Thailand/CU280/2007(H3N2)   
  2 >A/Thailand/CU228/2006(H3N2)   ...................................        1      0 ,      1      0      2:>A/Thailand/CU228/2006(H3N2)   
  3 >A/Thailand/CU259/2006(H3N2)   ...................................        3      0 ,      3      0      3:>A/Thailand/CU259/2006(H3N2)   
  4 >A/Thailand/CU282/2007(H3N2)   ...........................C.......        4      1 ,      4      1      4:>A/Thailand/CU282/2007(H3N2)   
  5 >A/Thailand/CU272/2007(H3N2)   .A..............T..........C.......        5      3 ,      5      3      5:>A/Thailand/CU272/2007(H3N2)   
  6 >A/Thailand/CU260/2006(H3N2)   .........-------T..........C.......       19      9 ,      4      2      6:>A/Thailand/CU260/2006(H3N2)   
  7 >A/Thailand/CU23/2006(H3N2)    A..ATA..TAT.GACA-AA.T....CA..T...TC       31     20 ,     26     19      7:>A/Thailand/CU23/2006(H3N2)    
  8 >A/Thailand/CU46/2006(H3N2)    A..ATA..TAT.GACA.AA.T...TCA..T...T.       24     19 ,     24     19      8:>A/Thailand/CU46/2006(H3N2)    
  9 >A/Thailand/CU124/2006(H3N2)   A.CATATA..TT.AC.TA.GTTAATC..CTTTTTC       33     27 ,     33     27      9:>A/Thailand/CU124/2006(H3N2)   
 10 >A/Thailand/CU231/2006(H3N2)   A.CATAT...TT.AC..A.GTTAATC..CTTTTTC       38     25 ,     38     25     10:>A/Thailand/CU231/2006(H3N2)   
                                                                       
---Index---------------------------TGTGCGCGCGCCAGTGAGGACACGCTCTTACCCCT 
-codon-position--------------------22 121 2 1 12   12121  1    1   2   
                                   00000000011111111112222222222222233 
                                   01445568912333557891112225666667800 
                                   68471677572699450275893898022451100 
                                   52728552417378875980898153789652639

[HA and NA chained together]