Molecular characterization of Dobrava-Belgrade hantavirus in Serbia, 2007-2011

Electrochemical determination of hantavirus using gold nanoparticle-modified graphene as an electrode material and Cu-based metal-organic framework assisted signal generation

An electrochemical biosensor was prepared for nucleic acid-based hantavirus detection using a Cu-based metal-organic framework (CuMOF) as a signal tag. The CuMOF was synthesized by the solvothermal method and then covalently bonded with signal DNA (sDNA) probes. The Au nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide composite were deposited on the electrode surface by electroreduction as support substrate and was then functionalized with capture DNA (cDNA) probes by self-assembly. Through the complementary base pairing, the target DNA (tDNA) fragment of hantavirus hybridized with the cDNA and the sDNA in a sandwich-type format. The tDNA was detected according to the current signal of the CuMOF catalyzed reaction using o-phenylenediamine as redox substrate. The peak current of the biosensor at - 0.55 V increased linearly in proportion to the logarithmic value of the tDNA concentration from 10^-15 to 10^-9 mol/L, with a detection limit of 0.74 × 10^-15 mol/L. Moreover, the proposed biosensor was successfully applied to detect hantavirus and was able to distinguish hantavirus from other arboviruses.

Vaccines and Therapeutics Against Hantaviruses

Hantaviruses (HVs) are rodent-transmitted viruses that can cause hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the Americas and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Eurasia. Together, these viruses have annually caused approximately 200,000 human infections worldwide in recent years, with a case fatality rate of 5–15% for HFRS and up to 40% for HCPS. There is currently no effective treatment available for either HFRS or HCPS. Only whole virus inactivated vaccines against HTNV or SEOV are licensed for use in the Republic of Korea and China, but the protective efficacies of these vaccines are uncertain. To a large extent, the immune correlates of protection against hantavirus are not known. In this review, we summarized the epidemiology, virology, and pathogenesis of four HFRS-causing viruses, HTNV, SEOV, PUUV, and DOBV, and two HCPS-causing viruses, ANDV and SNV, and then discussed the existing knowledge on vaccines and therapeutics against these diseases. We think that this information will shed light on the rational development of new vaccines and treatments.