1
|
Nissly RH, Lim L, Keller MR, Bird IM, Bhushan G, Misra S, Chothe SK, Sill MC, Kumar NV, Sivakumar AVN, Naik BR, Jayarao BM, Kuchipudi SV. The Susceptibility of Chickens to Zika Virus: A Comprehensive Study on Age-Dependent Infection Dynamics and Host Responses. Viruses 2024; 16:569. [PMID: 38675911 PMCID: PMC11054531 DOI: 10.3390/v16040569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) remains a public health concern, with epidemics in endemic regions and sporadic outbreaks in new areas posing significant threats. Several mosquito-borne flaviviruses that can cause human illness, including West Nile, Usutu, and St. Louis encephalitis, have associations with birds. However, the susceptibility of chickens to ZIKV and their role in viral epidemiology is not currently known. We investigated the susceptibility of chickens to experimental ZIKV infection using chickens ranging from 1-day-old chicks to 6-week-old birds. ZIKV caused no clinical signs in chickens of all age groups tested. Viral RNA was detected in the blood and tissues during the first 5 days post-inoculation in 1-day and 4-day-old chicks inoculated with a high viral dose, but ZIKV was undetectable in 6-week-old birds at all timepoints. Minimal antibody responses were observed in 6-week-old birds, and while present in younger chicks, they waned by 28 days post-infection. Innate immune responses varied significantly between age groups. Robust type I interferon and inflammasome responses were measured in older chickens, while limited innate immune activation was observed in younger chicks. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 2 (STAT2) is a major driver of host restriction to ZIKV, and chicken STAT2 is distinct from human STAT2, potentially contributing to the observed resistance to ZIKV infection. The rapid clearance of the virus in older chickens coincided with an effective innate immune response, highlighting age-dependent susceptibility. Our study indicates that chickens are not susceptible to productive ZIKV infection and are unlikely to play a role in the ZIKV epidemiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruth H. Nissly
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (L.L.); (M.R.K.); (I.M.B.); (G.B.); (B.M.J.)
| | - Levina Lim
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (L.L.); (M.R.K.); (I.M.B.); (G.B.); (B.M.J.)
- DermBiont, Inc., 451 D Street, Suite 908, Boston, MA 02210, USA
| | - Margo R. Keller
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (L.L.); (M.R.K.); (I.M.B.); (G.B.); (B.M.J.)
| | - Ian M. Bird
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (L.L.); (M.R.K.); (I.M.B.); (G.B.); (B.M.J.)
- Applied Biological Sciences Group, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
| | - Gitanjali Bhushan
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (L.L.); (M.R.K.); (I.M.B.); (G.B.); (B.M.J.)
- College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Sougat Misra
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (S.M.); (S.K.C.)
| | - Shubhada K. Chothe
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (S.M.); (S.K.C.)
| | - Miranda C. Sill
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;
| | - Nagaram Vinod Kumar
- College of Veterinary Science, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Tirupati 517 602, Andhra Pradesh, India; (N.V.K.); (A.V.N.S.); (B.R.N.)
| | - A. V. N. Sivakumar
- College of Veterinary Science, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Tirupati 517 602, Andhra Pradesh, India; (N.V.K.); (A.V.N.S.); (B.R.N.)
| | - B. Rambabu Naik
- College of Veterinary Science, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Tirupati 517 602, Andhra Pradesh, India; (N.V.K.); (A.V.N.S.); (B.R.N.)
| | - Bhushan M. Jayarao
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (L.L.); (M.R.K.); (I.M.B.); (G.B.); (B.M.J.)
| | - Suresh V. Kuchipudi
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (S.M.); (S.K.C.)
- Center for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Fiacre L, Nougairède A, Migné C, Bayet M, Cochin M, Dumarest M, Helle T, Exbrayat A, Pagès N, Vitour D, Richardson JP, Failloux AB, Vazeille M, Albina E, Lecollinet S, Gonzalez G. Different viral genes modulate virulence in model mammal hosts and Culex pipiens vector competence in Mediterranean basin lineage 1 West Nile virus strains. Front Microbiol 2024; 14:1324069. [PMID: 38298539 PMCID: PMC10828019 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1324069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus (+ssRNA) belonging to the genus Orthoflavivirus. Its enzootic cycle involves mosquito vectors, mainly Culex, and wild birds as reservoir hosts, while mammals, such as humans and equids, are incidental dead-end hosts. It was first discovered in 1934 in Uganda, and since 1999 has been responsible for frequent outbreaks in humans, horses and wild birds, mostly in America and in Europe. Virus spread, as well as outbreak severity, can be influenced by many ecological factors, such as reservoir host availability, biodiversity, movements and competence, mosquito abundance, distribution and vector competence, by environmental factors such as temperature, land use and precipitation, as well as by virus genetic factors influencing virulence or transmission. Former studies have investigated WNV factors of virulence, but few have compared viral genetic determinants of pathogenicity in different host species, and even fewer have considered the genetic drivers of virus invasiveness and excretion in Culex vector. In this study, we characterized WNV genetic factors implicated in the difference in virulence observed in two lineage 1 WNV strains from the Mediterranean Basin, the first isolated during a significant outbreak reported in Israel in 1998, and the second from a milder outbreak in Italy in 2008. We used an innovative and powerful reverse genetic tool, e.g., ISA (infectious subgenomic amplicons) to generate chimeras between Israel 1998 and Italy 2008 strains, focusing on non-structural (NS) proteins and the 3'UTR non-coding region. We analyzed the replication of these chimeras and their progenitors in mammals, in BALB/cByJ mice, and vector competence in Culex (Cx.) pipiens mosquitoes. Results obtained in BALB/cByJ mice suggest a role of the NS2B/NS3/NS4B/NS5 genomic region in viral attenuation in mammals, while NS4B/NS5/3'UTR regions are important in Cx. pipiens infection and possibly in vector competence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lise Fiacre
- UMR VIRO, ANSES, ENVA, INRAE Virologie, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, Petit-Bourg, Guadeloupe
| | - Antoine Nougairède
- Unité Des Virus Emergents (UVE), Aix-Marseille Université, IRD 190, INSERM 1207, Marseille, France
| | - Camille Migné
- UMR VIRO, ANSES, ENVA, INRAE Virologie, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Maxime Cochin
- Unité Des Virus Emergents (UVE), Aix-Marseille Université, IRD 190, INSERM 1207, Marseille, France
| | - Marine Dumarest
- UMR VIRO, ANSES, ENVA, INRAE Virologie, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Teheipuaura Helle
- UMR VIRO, ANSES, ENVA, INRAE Virologie, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Antoni Exbrayat
- ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAe, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Damien Vitour
- UMR VIRO, ANSES, ENVA, INRAE Virologie, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Jennifer P. Richardson
- UMR VIRO, ANSES, ENVA, INRAE Virologie, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Anna-Bella Failloux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Arboviruses and Insects Vectors, Paris, France
| | - Marie Vazeille
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Arboviruses and Insects Vectors, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Albina
- ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAe, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Gaëlle Gonzalez
- UMR VIRO, ANSES, ENVA, INRAE Virologie, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Fiacre L, Lowenski S, Bahuon C, Dumarest M, Lambrecht B, Dridi M, Albina E, Richardson J, Zientara S, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Pardigon N, Gonzalez G, Lecollinet S. Evaluation of NS4A, NS4B, NS5 and 3'UTR Genetic Determinants of WNV Lineage 1 Virulence in Birds and Mammals. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051094. [PMID: 37243180 DOI: 10.3390/v15051094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is amplified in an enzootic cycle involving birds as amplifying hosts. Because they do not develop high levels of viremia, humans and horses are considered to be dead-end hosts. Mosquitoes, especially from the Culex genus, are vectors responsible for transmission between hosts. Consequently, understanding WNV epidemiology and infection requires comparative and integrated analyses in bird, mammalian, and insect hosts. So far, markers of WNV virulence have mainly been determined in mammalian model organisms (essentially mice), while data in avian models are still missing. WNV Israel 1998 (IS98) is a highly virulent strain that is closely genetically related to the strain introduced into North America in 1999, NY99 (genomic sequence homology > 99%). The latter probably entered the continent at New York City, generating the most impactful WNV outbreak ever documented in wild birds, horses, and humans. In contrast, the WNV Italy 2008 strain (IT08) induced only limited mortality in birds and mammals in Europe during the summer of 2008. To test whether genetic polymorphism between IS98 and IT08 could account for differences in disease spread and burden, we generated chimeric viruses between IS98 and IT08, focusing on the 3' end of the genome (NS4A, NS4B, NS5, and 3'UTR regions) where most of the non-synonymous mutations were detected. In vitro and in vivo comparative analyses of parental and chimeric viruses demonstrated a role for NS4A/NS4B/5'NS5 in the decreased virulence of IT08 in SPF chickens, possibly due to the NS4B-E249D mutation. Additionally, significant differences between the highly virulent strain IS98 and the other three viruses were observed in mice, implying the existence of additional molecular determinants of virulence in mammals, such as the amino acid changes NS5-V258A, NS5-N280K, NS5-A372V, and NS5-R422K. As previously shown, our work also suggests that genetic determinants of WNV virulence can be host-dependent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lise Fiacre
- Animal Health Laboratory, L'alimentation et L'environnement (INRAE), Institut National de Recherche pour L'agriculture, École Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de L'alimentation, de L'environnement et du Travail (ANSES), UMR Virology, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), UMR ASTRE, 97170 Petit-Bourg, France
- ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAe, University of Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Steeve Lowenski
- Animal Health Laboratory, L'alimentation et L'environnement (INRAE), Institut National de Recherche pour L'agriculture, École Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de L'alimentation, de L'environnement et du Travail (ANSES), UMR Virology, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Céline Bahuon
- Animal Health Laboratory, L'alimentation et L'environnement (INRAE), Institut National de Recherche pour L'agriculture, École Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de L'alimentation, de L'environnement et du Travail (ANSES), UMR Virology, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Marine Dumarest
- Animal Health Laboratory, L'alimentation et L'environnement (INRAE), Institut National de Recherche pour L'agriculture, École Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de L'alimentation, de L'environnement et du Travail (ANSES), UMR Virology, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Maha Dridi
- SCIENSANO, Avian Virology and Immunology, 1180 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Albina
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), UMR ASTRE, 97170 Petit-Bourg, France
- ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAe, University of Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Jennifer Richardson
- Animal Health Laboratory, L'alimentation et L'environnement (INRAE), Institut National de Recherche pour L'agriculture, École Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de L'alimentation, de L'environnement et du Travail (ANSES), UMR Virology, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Stéphan Zientara
- Animal Health Laboratory, L'alimentation et L'environnement (INRAE), Institut National de Recherche pour L'agriculture, École Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de L'alimentation, de L'environnement et du Travail (ANSES), UMR Virology, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Miguel-Ángel Jiménez-Clavero
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, Carretera Algete-El Casar s/n, 28130 Valdeolmos, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28001 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Gaëlle Gonzalez
- Animal Health Laboratory, L'alimentation et L'environnement (INRAE), Institut National de Recherche pour L'agriculture, École Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de L'alimentation, de L'environnement et du Travail (ANSES), UMR Virology, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sylvie Lecollinet
- Animal Health Laboratory, L'alimentation et L'environnement (INRAE), Institut National de Recherche pour L'agriculture, École Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de L'alimentation, de L'environnement et du Travail (ANSES), UMR Virology, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bertzbach LD, Tregaskes CA, Martin RJ, Deumer US, Huynh L, Kheimar AM, Conradie AM, Trimpert J, Kaufman J, Kaufer BB. The Diverse Major Histocompatibility Complex Haplotypes of a Common Commercial Chicken Line and Their Effect on Marek's Disease Virus Pathogenesis and Tumorigenesis. Front Immunol 2022; 13:908305. [PMID: 35693787 PMCID: PMC9186122 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.908305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is crucial for appropriate immune responses against invading pathogens. Chickens possess a single predominantly-expressed class I molecule with strong associations between disease resistance and MHC haplotype. For Marek's disease virus (MDV) infections of chickens, the MHC haplotype is one of the major determinants of genetic resistance and susceptibility. VALO specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens are widely used in biomedical research and vaccine production. While valuable findings originate from MDV infections of VALO SPF chickens, their MHC haplotypes and associated disease resistance remained elusive. In this study, we used several typing systems to show that VALO SPF chickens possess MHC haplotypes that include B9, B9:02, B15, B19 and B21 at various frequencies. Moreover, we associate the MHC haplotypes to MDV-induced disease and lymphoma formation and found that B15 homozygotes had the lowest tumor incidence while B21 homozygotes had the lowest number of organs with tumors. Finally, we found transmission at variable levels to all contact birds except B15/B21 heterozygotes. These data have immediate implications for the use of VALO SPF chickens and eggs in the life sciences and add another piece to the puzzle of the chicken MHC complex and its role in infections with this oncogenic herpesvirus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Clive A. Tregaskes
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca J. Martin
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Lan Huynh
- Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmed M. Kheimar
- Institute of Virology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
| | | | - Jakob Trimpert
- Institute of Virology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jim Kaufman
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Benedikt B. Kaufer
- Institute of Virology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kuchinsky SC, Frere F, Heitzman-Breen N, Golden J, Vázquez A, Honaker CF, Siegel PB, Ciupe SM, LeRoith T, Duggal NK. Pathogenesis and shedding of Usutu virus in juvenile chickens. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 10:725-738. [PMID: 33769213 PMCID: PMC8043533 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1908850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV; family: Flaviviridae, genus: Flavivirus), is an emerging zoonotic arbovirus that causes severe neuroinvasive disease in humans and has been implicated in the loss of breeding bird populations in Europe. USUV is maintained in an enzootic cycle between ornithophilic mosquitos and wild birds. As a member of the Japanese encephalitis serocomplex, USUV is closely related to West Nile virus (WNV) and St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV), both neuroinvasive arboviruses endemic in wild bird populations in the United States. An avian model for USUV is essential to understanding zoonotic transmission. Here we describe the first avian models of USUV infection with the development of viremia. Juvenile commercial ISA Brown chickens were susceptible to infection by multiple USUV strains with evidence of cardiac lesions. Juvenile chickens from two chicken lines selected for high (HAS) or low (LAS) antibody production against sheep red blood cells showed markedly different responses to USUV infection. Morbidity and mortality were observed in the LAS chickens, but not HAS chickens. LAS chickens had significantly higher viral titers in blood and other tissues, as well as oral secretions, and significantly lower development of neutralizing antibody responses compared to HAS chickens. Mathematical modelling of virus-host interactions showed that the viral clearance rate is a stronger mitigating factor for USUV viremia than neutralizing antibody response in this avian model. These chicken models provide a tool for further understanding USUV pathogenesis in birds and evaluating transmission dynamics between avian hosts and mosquito vectors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Kuchinsky
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Francesca Frere
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Nora Heitzman-Breen
- Department of Mathematics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Jacob Golden
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Ana Vázquez
- National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Epidemiology and Public Health Network of Biomedical Research Centre (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Christa F Honaker
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Paul B Siegel
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Stanca M Ciupe
- Department of Mathematics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Tanya LeRoith
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Nisha K Duggal
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fiacre L, Pagès N, Albina E, Richardson J, Lecollinet S, Gonzalez G. Molecular Determinants of West Nile Virus Virulence and Pathogenesis in Vertebrate and Invertebrate Hosts. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21239117. [PMID: 33266206 PMCID: PMC7731113 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV), like the dengue virus (DENV) and yellow fever virus (YFV), are major arboviruses belonging to the Flavivirus genus. WNV is emerging or endemic in many countries around the world, affecting humans and other vertebrates. Since 1999, it has been considered to be a major public and veterinary health problem, causing diverse pathologies, ranging from a mild febrile state to severe neurological damage and death. WNV is transmitted in a bird–mosquito–bird cycle, and can occasionally infect humans and horses, both highly susceptible to the virus but considered dead-end hosts. Many studies have investigated the molecular determinants of WNV virulence, mainly with the ultimate objective of guiding vaccine development. Several vaccines are used in horses in different parts of the world, but there are no licensed WNV vaccines for humans, suggesting the need for greater understanding of the molecular determinants of virulence and antigenicity in different hosts. Owing to technical and economic considerations, WNV virulence factors have essentially been studied in rodent models, and the results cannot always be transported to mosquito vectors or to avian hosts. In this review, the known molecular determinants of WNV virulence, according to invertebrate (mosquitoes) or vertebrate hosts (mammalian and avian), are presented and discussed. This overview will highlight the differences and similarities found between WNV hosts and models, to provide a foundation for the prediction and anticipation of WNV re-emergence and its risk of global spread.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lise Fiacre
- UMR 1161 Virology, ANSES, INRAE, ENVA, ANSES Animal Health Laboratory, EURL for Equine Diseases, 94704 Maisons-Alfort, France; (L.F.); (J.R.); (G.G.)
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, F-97170 Petit Bourg, Guadeloupe, France; (N.P.); (E.A.)
- ASTRE, University Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, F-34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Nonito Pagès
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, F-97170 Petit Bourg, Guadeloupe, France; (N.P.); (E.A.)
- ASTRE, University Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, F-34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuel Albina
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, F-97170 Petit Bourg, Guadeloupe, France; (N.P.); (E.A.)
- ASTRE, University Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, F-34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Jennifer Richardson
- UMR 1161 Virology, ANSES, INRAE, ENVA, ANSES Animal Health Laboratory, EURL for Equine Diseases, 94704 Maisons-Alfort, France; (L.F.); (J.R.); (G.G.)
| | - Sylvie Lecollinet
- UMR 1161 Virology, ANSES, INRAE, ENVA, ANSES Animal Health Laboratory, EURL for Equine Diseases, 94704 Maisons-Alfort, France; (L.F.); (J.R.); (G.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-1-43967376
| | - Gaëlle Gonzalez
- UMR 1161 Virology, ANSES, INRAE, ENVA, ANSES Animal Health Laboratory, EURL for Equine Diseases, 94704 Maisons-Alfort, France; (L.F.); (J.R.); (G.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Pathogenicity of West Nile Virus Lineage 1 to German Poultry. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8030507. [PMID: 32899581 PMCID: PMC7563189 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8030507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus that originates from Africa and at present causes neurological disease in birds, horses, and humans all around the globe. As West Nile fever is an important zoonosis, the role of free-ranging domestic poultry as a source of infection for humans should be evaluated. This study examined the pathogenicity of an Italian WNV lineage 1 strain for domestic poultry (chickens, ducks, and geese) held in Germany. All three species were subcutaneously injected with WNV, and the most susceptible species was also inoculated via mosquito bite. All species developed various degrees of viremia, viral shedding (oropharyngeal and cloacal), virus accumulation, and pathomorphological lesions. Geese were most susceptible, displaying the highest viremia levels. The tested waterfowl, geese, and especially ducks proved to be ideal sentinel species for WNV due to their high antibody levels and relatively low blood viral loads. None of the three poultry species can function as a reservoir/amplifying host for WNV, as their viremia levels most likely do not suffice to infect feeding mosquitoes. Due to the recent appearance of WNV in Germany, future pathogenicity studies should also include local virus strains.
Collapse
|
8
|
Usutu Virus Epizootic and Plasmodium Coinfection in Eurasian Blackbirds ( Turdus merula) in Flanders, Belgium. J Wildl Dis 2018; 54:859-862. [PMID: 29889004 DOI: 10.7589/2017-07-163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
At the end of the summer of 2016, unusually high levels of mortality were detected in Passeriformes and Strigiformes in Flanders, Belgium, mainly in Eurasian Blackbirds ( Turdus merula). A passive surveillance program demonstrated a widespread Usutu virus outbreak and revealed a coinfection with Plasmodium in 99% of the dead passerine birds that were necropsied.
Collapse
|
9
|
Alsaleh K, Khou C, Frenkiel MP, Lecollinet S, Vàzquez A, de Arellano ER, Després P, Pardigon N. The E glycoprotein plays an essential role in the high pathogenicity of European-Mediterranean IS98 strain of West Nile virus. Virology 2016; 492:53-65. [PMID: 26896935 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2016.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Revised: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is the most widespread arbovirus in the world. Several recent outbreaks and epizootics have been reported in Europe and the Mediterranean basin with increased virulence. In contrast to the well-characterized American and Australian strains, little is known about the virulence determinants of the WNV European-Mediterranean strains. To investigate the viral factors involved in the virulence of these strains, we generated chimeras between the highly neuropathogenic Israel 1998 (IS-98-ST1, IS98) strain and the non-pathogenic Malaysian Kunjin virus (KJMP-502). In vivo analyses in a mouse model of WNV pathogenesis shows that chimeric virus where KJMP-502 E glycoprotein was replaced by that of IS98 is neuropathogenic, demonstrating that this protein is a major virulence determinant. Presence of the N-glycosylation site had limited impact on virus virulence and the 5'UTR does not seem to influence pathogenesis. Finally, mice inoculated with KJMP-502 virus were protected against lethal IS98 infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Cécile Khou
- Institut Pasteur, URE ERI/CIBU, Paris, France
| | | | - Sylvie Lecollinet
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Animal Health Laboratory, UMR1161 Virology, INRA, ANSES, ENVA, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Ana Vàzquez
- Arbovirus & Imported Viral Diseases, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Ctra. Pozuelo, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Ramírez de Arellano
- Arbovirus & Imported Viral Diseases, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Ctra. Pozuelo, Madrid, Spain
| | - Philippe Després
- University of La Réunion Island, UM134 PIMIT, INSERM U1187, CNRS UMR9192, IRD UMR249, Technology Platform CYROI, 97490 Saint-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Dridi M, Van Den Berg T, Lecollinet S, Lambrecht B. Evaluation of the pathogenicity of West Nile virus (WNV) lineage 2 strains in a SPF chicken model of infection: NS3-249Pro mutation is neither sufficient nor necessary for conferring virulence. Vet Res 2015; 46:130. [PMID: 26518144 PMCID: PMC4628354 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-015-0257-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 09/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Lineage 2 West Nile virus (WNV) strains were reported for the first time in Europe in 2004. Despite an almost silent circulation around their entry point in Hungary, an upsurge of pathogenicity occurred in 2010 as 262 people suffered from neuroinvasive disease in Greece. This increase in virulence was imputed to the emergence of a His249Pro mutation in the viral NS3 helicase, as previously evidenced in American crows experimentally infected with the prototype lineage 1 North-American WNV strain. However, since 2003, WNV strains bearing the NS3Pro genotype are regularly isolated in Western-Mediterranean countries without being correlated to any virulent outbreak in vertebrates. We thus sought to evaluate the weight of the NS3249Pro genotype as a virulence marker of WNV in an in vivo avian model of WNV infection. We therefore characterized three genetically-related Eastern-Europe lineage 2 WNV strains in day-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens: Hun2004 and Aus2008 which are both characterized by a NS3249His genotype, and Gr2011 which is characterized by a NS3249Pro genotype. Unlike Hun2004 and Aus2008, Gr2011 was weakly virulent in SPF chicks as Gr2011-induced viremia was lower and waned quicklier than in the Hun2004 and Aus2008 groups. Overall, this study showed that the presence of a proline residue at position 249 of the viral NS3 helicase is neither sufficient nor necessary to confer pathogenicity to any given lineage 2 WNV strain in birds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maha Dridi
- Operational Direction of Viral Diseases, CODA-CERVA-Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre, 99 Groeselenberg, 1180, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Thierry Van Den Berg
- Operational Direction of Viral Diseases, CODA-CERVA-Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre, 99 Groeselenberg, 1180, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Sylvie Lecollinet
- UPE, UMR1161 Virologie, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (ANSES), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA), 14 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 94701, Maisons-Alfort, France.
| | - Benedicte Lambrecht
- Operational Direction of Viral Diseases, CODA-CERVA-Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre, 99 Groeselenberg, 1180, Brussels, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Dridi M, Rosseel T, Orton R, Johnson P, Lecollinet S, Muylkens B, Lambrecht B, Van Borm S. Next-generation sequencing shows West Nile virus quasispecies diversification after a single passage in a carrion crow (Corvus corone) in vivo infection model. J Gen Virol 2015; 96:2999-3009. [PMID: 26297666 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) occurs as a population of genetic variants (quasispecies) infecting a single animal. Previous low-resolution viral genetic diversity estimates in sampled wild birds and mosquitoes, and in multiple-passage adaptation studies in vivo or in cell culture, suggest that WNV genetic diversification is mostly limited to the mosquito vector. This study investigated genetic diversification of WNV in avian hosts during a single passage using next-generation sequencing. Wild-captured carrion crows were subcutaneously infected using a clonal Middle-East WNV. Blood samples were collected 2 and 4 days post-infection. A reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR approach was used to amplify the WNV genome directly from serum samples prior to next-generation sequencing resulting in an average depth of at least 700 × in each sample. Appropriate controls were sequenced to discriminate biologically relevant low-frequency variants from experimentally introduced errors. The WNV populations in the wild crows showed significant diversification away from the inoculum virus quasispecies structure. By contrast, WNV populations in intracerebrally infected day-old chickens did not diversify from that of the inoculum. Where previous studies concluded that WNV genetic diversification is only experimentally demonstrated in its permissive insect vector species, we have experimentally shown significant diversification of WNV populations in a wild bird reservoir species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Dridi
- Operational Direction of Viral Diseases, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Center (CODA-CERVA-VAR), 99 Groeselenberg, 1180 Brussels, Belgium
| | - T Rosseel
- Operational Direction of Viral Diseases, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Center (CODA-CERVA-VAR), 99 Groeselenberg, 1180 Brussels, Belgium
| | - R Orton
- Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Institute of Infection Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - P Johnson
- Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - S Lecollinet
- UMR1161 Virologie INRA, ANSES, ENVA, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses), 23 avenue du Général De Gaulle, 94706 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - B Muylkens
- Integrated Veterinary Research Unit, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium
| | - B Lambrecht
- Operational Direction of Viral Diseases, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Center (CODA-CERVA-VAR), 99 Groeselenberg, 1180 Brussels, Belgium
| | - S Van Borm
- Operational Direction of Viral Diseases, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Center (CODA-CERVA-VAR), 99 Groeselenberg, 1180 Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Rizzoli A, Jimenez-Clavero MA, Barzon L, Cordioli P, Figuerola J, Koraka P, Martina B, Moreno A, Nowotny N, Pardigon N, Sanders N, Ulbert S, Tenorio A. The challenge of West Nile virus in Europe: knowledge gaps and research priorities. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 20. [PMID: 26027485 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es2015.20.20.21135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is continuously spreading across Europe, and other continents, i.e. North and South America and many other regions of the world. Despite the overall sporadic nature of outbreaks with cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) in Europe, the spillover events have increased and the virus has been introduced into new areas. The high genetic diversity of the virus, with remarkable phenotypic variation, and its endemic circulation in several countries, require an intensification of the integrated and multidisciplinary research efforts built under the 7th Framework Programme of the European Union (FP7). It is important to better clarify several aspects of WNV circulation in Europe, including its ecology, genomic diversity, pathogenicity, transmissibility, diagnosis and control options, under different environmental and socio-economic scenarios. Identifying WNV endemic as well as infection-free areas is becoming a need for the development of human vaccines and therapeutics and the application of blood and organs safety regulations. This review, produced as a joint initiative among European experts and based on analysis of 118 scientific papers published between 2004 and 2014, provides the state of knowledge on WNV and highlights the existing knowledge and research gaps that need to be addressed with high priority in Europe and neighbouring countries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Rizzoli
- Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, San Michele all Adige (TN), Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|