树鼩实验感染基孔肯雅病毒的研究

选用3株基孔肯雅病毒人工感染成年树鼩,进行了病毒血症、抗体动态变化、内脏组织病理改变和病毒在宿主体内定位的研究。结果表明,感染树鼩能产生2～6天的病毒血症。血凝抑制(Hi)抗体第6天产生,第30～50天达高峰:中和(NT)抗体在第10天产生,第30～40天达高峰,二者相关性非常显著(P<0.01)。补体结合(CF)抗体第14天产生,第40～50天为高峰,以后逐渐下降。第8～12天能在其脑、肺、肝、脾和肾等组织查到病毒,经病理检查这些内脏组织呈炎性改变和出血倾向,表明该病毒能侵袭树鼩各主要脏器。试验认为树鼩对基孔肯雅病毒敏感。     

Characterization of the Complete Genome of Chikungunya in Zhejiang,China, Using a Modified Virus Discovery Method Based on cDNA-AFLP

Background

Chikungunya (CHIK) virus is a mosquito-borne emerging pathogen presenting great health challenges worldwide, particularly in tropical zones. Here we report a newly detected strain of CHIK, Zhejiang/chik-sy/2012, in China, a nonindigenous region for CHIK, using a modified approach based on the classic cDNA-AFLP. We then performed etiological and phylogenetic analyses to better understand its molecular characterization and phylogenetic pattern, and also to aid in further evaluating its persistence in Southeast Asia.

Methods

By using this modified procedure, we determined for the first time the complete genome sequence of the chikungunya virus strain, Zhejiang/chik-sy/2012, isolated in 2012 from a patient in Zhejiang, China. Sequence analyses revealed that this positive single strand of RNA is 12,017 bp long. We found no single amino acid mutation in A226V, D284E and A316V. Phylogenetic analysis showed that our strain shared the greatest homology with a strain isolated in Taiwan, which was derived from a strain from Indonesia. Chik-sy/2012 is in a different clade from other CHIK viruses found in China previously.

Conclusions

A modified cDNA-AFLP in virus discovery was used to isolate the first CHIK and the first complete genome sequence of virus strain chik-sy/2012 in 2012 from a patient with CHIK fever in Zhejiang, China. The infection displayed great phylogenetic distance from viruses detected in Guangdong, China, in 2008 and 2010, since they were derived from another evolutionary lineage. Additional molecular epidemiology data are needed to further understand, monitor and evaluate CHIK in China.     

从云南省蝙蝠脑组织中分离出乙型脑炎病毒

为进一步阐明蝙蝠在保存乙脑病毒中的作用,于1997年7月,在云南省耿马县捕捉蝙蝠64只,取脑组织作病毒分离,从一只金管鼻蝠脑组织中分离出1株病毒。该毒株能引起BHK21细胞病变和乳鼠发病死亡,在pH5.75～7.4时能凝集鸽红血球,经用单克隆抗体血凝抑制和免疫荧光试验鉴定,证实为乙型脑炎病毒。进一步证明蝙蝠在乙型脑炎病毒保存和扩散中具有重要作用。从金管鼻蝠体内分离出乙型脑炎病毒属国内外首次报道。     

白纹伊蚊和埃及伊蚊对基孔肯雅病毒的易感性和传播性的研究

用４株基孔肯雅病毒经口感染白纹伊蚊和埃及伊蚊,进行了易感性和传播性的研究。结果表明,这两种蚊虫对基孔肯雅病毒易感。无论白纹伊蚊或埃及伊蚊,感染后第５－６天即可通过吸血将病毒传播给乳鼠,至第８－１３天,传播率可高达５５．５５％－１００％。感染蚊亦可经叮咬将病毒传播给小鸡。埃及伊蚊的易感性和传播率高于白纹伊蚊。实验还发现,不同来源毒株之间存在一定差异,如分离自云南白纹伊蚊的Ｍ８１株的感染率和传播率均高于其它毒株。这些结果表明,白纹伊蚊和埃及伊蚊在基孔肯雅病毒的保存和传播中起重要作用。     

Rapid detection and characterization of Chikungunya virus by RT-PCR in febrile patients from Kerala, India

There has been a resurgence and prevalence of fever with symptoms of Chikungunya (CHIK) and increased death toll in Kerala, the southern-most state of India. The objective of this study was to develop a rapid detection method to determine the presence of CHIK- virus in the serum samples collected from febrile patients in Kerala, India. Serum specimens were analyzed for CHIK viral RNA by RT-PCR using primers specific for nsP1 and E1 genes. Five out of twenty clinical samples were positive for CHIK virus. The partial sequences of the E1 and nsP1 genes of the strain, IndKL01 were highly similar to the Reunion strains and the recently isolated Indian strains. A novel substitution, A148V, was detected in the E1 gene of the isolate, IndKL02. The detection procedure used in this study was simple, sensitive and rapid (less than 4 hr). This result suggests that CHIK viruses similar to the Reunion strains, which had resulted in high morbidity and mortality rates, may have caused the recent Chikungunya outbreak in India. The effect of the variant, E1-A148V, in the virulence and the rate of transmission of the virus deserves further investigation.     

一株牛源阿卡斑病毒的分离鉴定

阿卡斑病毒(Akabane virus,AKV)是能引起牛、绵羊、山羊流产、早产、新生胎儿畸形的虫媒性RNA病毒。为了解家畜虫媒病毒在我国西南边境地区的分布和流行情况,本研究对中缅边境西盟县的52份牛抗凝血和140份血清(牛70份、羊70份)中的蓝舌病病毒(Bluetongue virus,BTV)、鹿流行性出血热病毒(Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus,EHDV)、AKV等虫媒病毒进行检测与分离,通过ELISA及qRT-PCR方法检测病毒,通过核酸阳性抗凝血接种BHK细胞传代以分离病毒,通过设计特异性引物,扩增分离毒株S基因721bp片段及M基因816bp片段,通过克隆测序及中和试验以鉴定病毒,最终从38号牛的抗凝血中分离到一株AKV,TCID50为10-3.5/0.1mL,经比对,分离株S片段与日本KS-2/Mo/06毒株亲缘关系最近,核苷酸同源性为97.66%,M片段与中国DHL10M110毒株亲缘关系最近,核苷酸同源性为96.56%。本研究首次报告了从云南边境地区牛群中分离到AKV,证实了西南边境存在AKV的流行,为AKV在我国的流行病学和边境地区疫病风险防控提供了重要参考及有力依据。     

Genetic characterization of Chikungunya virus from New Delhi reveal emergence of a new molecular signature in Indian isolates

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Chikungunya (CHIK) is currently endemic in South and Central India and exist as co-infections with dengue in Northern India. In 2010, New Delhi witnessed an outbreak of CHIK in the months October-December. This was the first incidence of a dominant CHIK outbreak in Delhi and prompted us to characterize the Delhi virus strains. We have also investigated the evolution of CHIK spread in India. FINDINGS: Clinical samples were subjected to RT-PCR to detect CHIK viral RNA. The PCR amplified products were sequenced and the resulting sequences were genetically analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial sequences of the structural proteins E1 and E2 revealed that the viruses in the latest outbreak exhibited ECSA lineage. Two novel mutations, E1 K211E and E2 V264A were observed in all Delhi isolates. In addition, CHIKV sequences from eight states in India were analyzed along with Delhi sequences to map the genetic diversity of CHIKV within the country. Estimates of average evolutionary divergence within states showed varying divergence among the sequences both within the states and between the states. We identified distinct molecular signatures of the different genotypes of CHIKV revealing emergence of a new signature in the New Delhi clade. Statistical analyses and construction of evolutionary path of the virus within the country revealed gradual spread of one specific strain all over the country. CONCLUSION: This study has identified unique mutations in the E1 and E2 genes and has revealed the presence of ancestral CHIKV population with maximum diversity circulating in Maharashtra. The study has further revealed the trend of CHIK spread in India since its first report in 1963 and its subsequent reappearance in 2005.     

Extended Preclinical Safety,Efficacy and Stability Testing of a Live-attenuated Chikungunya Vaccine Candidate

We recently described a new, live-attenuated vaccine candidate for chikungunya (CHIK) fever, CHIKV/IRES. This vaccine was shown to be well attenuated, immunogenic and efficacious in protecting against CHIK virus (CHIKV) challenge of mice and nonhuman primates. To further evaluate its preclinical safety, we compared CHIKV/IRES distribution and viral loads in interferon-α/β receptor-incompetent A129 mice to another CHIK vaccine candidate, 181/clone25, which proved highly immunogenic but mildly reactive in human Phase I/II clinical trials. Compared to wild-type CHIK virus, (wt-CHIKV), both vaccines generated lower viral loads in a wide variety of tissues and organs, including the brain and leg muscle, but CHIKV/IRES exhibited marked restrictions in dissemination and viral loads compared to 181/clone25, and was never found outside the blood, spleen and muscle. Unlike wt-CHIKV, which caused disrupted splenic architecture and hepatic lesions, histopathological lesions were not observed in animals infected with either vaccine strain. To examine the stability of attenuation, both vaccines were passaged 5 times intracranially in infant A129 mice, then assessed for changes in virulence by comparing parental and passaged viruses for footpad swelling, weight stability and survival after subcutaneous infection. Whereas strain 181/clone25 p5 underwent a significant increase in virulence as measured by weight loss (from <10% to >30%) and mortality (from 0 to 100%), CHIKV/IRES underwent no detectible change in any measure of virulence (no significant weight loss and no mortality). These data indicate greater nonclinical safety of the CHIKV/IRES vaccine candidate compared to 181/clone25, further supporting its eligibility for human testing.