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Ayari R, Chaouch H, Findlay-Wilson S, Hachfi W, Ben Lasfar N, Bellazreg F, Dowall S, Hannachi N, Letaief A. Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Phleboviruses and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus among Blood Donors in Central Tunisia. Pathogens 2024; 13:348. [PMID: 38668303 PMCID: PMC11054088 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of six viruses, from two families of the order Bunyavirales, in the general population of central Tunisia. Sera collected from 377 asymptomatic blood donors were serologically assayed for Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), and four sandfly-borne phleboviruses: Toscana virus (TOSV), sandfly fever Naples virus (SFNV), sandfly fever Sicilian virus (SFSV), and sandfly fever Cyprus virus (SFCV). Of the 377 subjects enrolled in this study, 17.3% were IgG positive for at least one of the viruses tested. The most frequently detected antibodies were against TOSV (13.3%), followed by SFCV (2.9%), RVFV (1.9%), SFSV (1.3%), and SFNV (1.1%). Only one sample was IgG positive for CCHFV. Dual reactivity was observed in nine cases: SFSV + SFCV in three cases (0.8%) and TOSV + SFNV, TOSV + SFCV, and TOSV + RVFV in two cases (0.5%) each. 15.9% of donors were IgG positive against sandfly-borne phleboviruses. Among the 65 donors IgG positive for phleboviruses, 50.8% were from rural areas compared to 12.3% from urban areas (p < 0.001); 92.3% had animals in their living quarters (p = 0.009); and 70.8% lived in the vicinity of stagnant water (p = 0.062). Seroprevalence was significantly higher among donors living with chronic diseases (p = 0.039). Furthermore, the seroprevalence of phleboviruses was higher in Kairouan, the central governorate, than in the two coastal governorates: Monastir and Sousse, with 33.4%, 24.2%, and 14.9%, respectively. The presence of antibodies in the general population needs further investigation to better assess the extent of these viruses. Only TOSV was known to have an extensive circulation in Tunisia and in North Africa. Continued surveillance and interventions are necessary to detect the emergence of all arboviruses and to prevent further transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rym Ayari
- Infectious Diseases Department, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse 4000, Tunisia; (R.A.); (H.C.); (W.H.); (N.B.L.); (F.B.)
| | - Houda Chaouch
- Infectious Diseases Department, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse 4000, Tunisia; (R.A.); (H.C.); (W.H.); (N.B.L.); (F.B.)
| | - Stephen Findlay-Wilson
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JG, UK; (S.F.-W.); (S.D.)
| | - Wissem Hachfi
- Infectious Diseases Department, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse 4000, Tunisia; (R.A.); (H.C.); (W.H.); (N.B.L.); (F.B.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sousse, Sousse 4000, Tunisia;
| | - Nadia Ben Lasfar
- Infectious Diseases Department, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse 4000, Tunisia; (R.A.); (H.C.); (W.H.); (N.B.L.); (F.B.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sousse, Sousse 4000, Tunisia;
| | - Foued Bellazreg
- Infectious Diseases Department, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse 4000, Tunisia; (R.A.); (H.C.); (W.H.); (N.B.L.); (F.B.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sousse, Sousse 4000, Tunisia;
| | - Stuart Dowall
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JG, UK; (S.F.-W.); (S.D.)
| | - Neila Hannachi
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sousse, Sousse 4000, Tunisia;
- Microbiology Laboratory, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse 4000, Tunisia
| | - Amel Letaief
- Infectious Diseases Department, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse 4000, Tunisia; (R.A.); (H.C.); (W.H.); (N.B.L.); (F.B.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sousse, Sousse 4000, Tunisia;
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Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever: Immunopathogenesis and recent advances in the development of vaccines. Microb Pathog 2023; 177:106054. [PMID: 36882130 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a serious vector-borne zoonotic viral infection which leads to severe illness and fatalities in people living in endemic regions and becoming infected sporadically. Hyalomma ticks are responsible for the transmission of the virus which belongs to the family Nairoviridae. This disease spreads through ticks bite, infected tissues, or blood of viremic animals, and from infected humans to others. Serological studies also indicate the presence of the virus in various domestic and wild animals to be a risk factor for the transmission of the disease. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus elicits many immune responses during the infection including inflammatory, innate, and adaptive immune responses. The development of an effective vaccine could be a promising method for the control and prevention of disease in endemic areas. The purpose of this review is to highlight the importance of CCHF, its mode of transmission, the interaction of the virus with the hosts and ticks, immunopathogenesis, and advances in immunization.
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Design and evaluation of neutralizing and fusion inhibitory peptides to Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. Antiviral Res 2022; 207:105401. [DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Recent advances in treatment Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus: A concise overview. Microb Pathog 2022; 169:105657. [PMID: 35753597 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2022.105657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) is widespread in Africa, Asia, and Europe, among other places. The disease was initially discovered in the Crimean cities of the Soviet Union and the Congo, and it was given the name Crimean Congo because it induces hemorrhagic fever. According to studies, when the virus enters the body, it settles in immune cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells, causing them to malfunction and secrete inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL1, and IL6, resulting in cytokine storms that induces shock via endothelial activation and vascular leakage, while on the other hand, clots and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) formation causes massive defects in various organs such as the liver and kidneys, as well as fatal bleeding. Disease prevention and treatment are crucial since no other effective vaccination against the disease has yet been developed. Immunotherapy is utilized as a consequence. One of the most effective treatments, when combined with compensatory therapies such as blood and platelet replacement, water, electrolytes, Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) replacement, and other compensatory therapies, is one of the most effective treatments. Studies; show that immunotherapy using IVIG and neutralizing and non-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies; cytokine therapy, and anti-inflammatory therapy using corticosteroids are effective ways to treat the disease.
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Rodriguez SE, Hawman DW, Sorvillo TE, O'Neal TJ, Bird BH, Rodriguez LL, Bergeron É, Nichol ST, Montgomery JM, Spiropoulou CF, Spengler JR. Immunobiology of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. Antiviral Res 2022; 199:105244. [PMID: 35026307 PMCID: PMC9245446 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Human infection with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), a tick-borne pathogen in the family Nairoviridae, can result in a spectrum of outcomes, ranging from asymptomatic infection through mild clinical signs to severe or fatal disease. Studies of CCHFV immunobiology have investigated the relationship between innate and adaptive immune responses with disease severity, attempting to elucidate factors associated with differential outcomes. In this article, we begin by highlighting unanswered questions, then review current efforts to answer them. We discuss in detail current clinical studies and research in laboratory animals on CCHF, including immune targets of infection and adaptive and innate immune responses. We summarize data about the role of the immune response in natural infections of animals and humans and experimental studies in vitro and in vivo and from evaluating immune-based therapies and vaccines, and present recommendations for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio E Rodriguez
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - David W Hawman
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Teresa E Sorvillo
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - T Justin O'Neal
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Brian H Bird
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Luis L Rodriguez
- Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit, Plum Island Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Orient Point, New York, USA
| | - Éric Bergeron
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Stuart T Nichol
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Joel M Montgomery
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Christina F Spiropoulou
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jessica R Spengler
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
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Mishra AK, Hellert J, Freitas N, Guardado-Calvo P, Haouz A, Fels JM, Maurer DP, Abelson DM, Bornholdt ZA, Walker LM, Chandran K, Cosset FL, McLellan JS, Rey FA. Structural basis of synergistic neutralization of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus by human antibodies. Science 2022; 375:104-109. [PMID: 34793197 PMCID: PMC9771711 DOI: 10.1126/science.abl6502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is the most widespread tick-borne zoonotic virus, with a 30% case fatality rate in humans. Structural information is lacking in regard to the CCHFV membrane fusion glycoprotein Gc—the main target of the host neutralizing antibody response—as well as antibody–mediated neutralization mechanisms. We describe the structure of prefusion Gc bound to the antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) of two neutralizing antibodies that display synergy when combined, as well as the structure of trimeric, postfusion Gc. The structures show the two Fabs acting in concert to block membrane fusion, with one targeting the fusion loops and the other blocking Gc trimer formation. The structures also revealed the neutralization mechanism of previously reported antibodies against CCHFV, providing the molecular underpinnings essential for developing CCHFV–specific medical countermeasures for epidemic preparedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akaash K. Mishra
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA 78712
| | - Jan Hellert
- Structural Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3569, 25-28 rue du Docteur Roux, Cedex 15, Paris, France 75724
| | - Natalia Freitas
- CIRI-Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, U1111, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS Lyon, 46 allée d’Italie, Lyon, France 69007
| | - Pablo Guardado-Calvo
- Structural Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3569, 25-28 rue du Docteur Roux, Cedex 15, Paris, France 75724
| | - Ahmed Haouz
- Crystallography Platform C2RT, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3528, 25-28 rue du Docteur Roux, Cedex 15, Paris, France 75724
| | - J. Maximilian Fels
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA 10461
| | | | | | | | | | - Kartik Chandran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA 10461
| | - François-Loïc Cosset
- CIRI-Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, U1111, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS Lyon, 46 allée d’Italie, Lyon, France 69007
| | - Jason S. McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA 78712,Correspondence: (J.S.M.); (F.A.R)
| | - Felix A. Rey
- Structural Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3569, 25-28 rue du Docteur Roux, Cedex 15, Paris, France 75724,Correspondence: (J.S.M.); (F.A.R)
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7
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Mears MC, Bente DA. In silico Design of a Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Glycoprotein Multi-Epitope Antigen for Vaccine Development. ZOONOSES (BURLINGTON, MASS.) 2022; 2:34. [PMID: 37206318 PMCID: PMC10195060 DOI: 10.15212/zoonoses-2022-0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Objective There is no licensed vaccine available to prevent the severe tick-borne disease Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), caused by the CCHF virus (CCHFV). This study sought to show that a combination of computational methods and data from published literature can inform the design of a multi-epitope antigen for CCHFV that has the potential to be immunogenic. Methods Cytotoxic and helper T-cell epitopes were evaluated on the CCHFV GPC using bioinformatic servers, and this data was combined with work from previous studies to identify potentially immunodominant regions of the GPC. Regions of the GPC were selected for generation of a model multi-epitope antigen in silico, and the percent residue identity and similarity of each region was compared across sequences representing the widespread geographical and ecological distribution of CCHFV. Results Eleven multi-epitope regions were joined together with flexible linkers in silico to generate a model multi-epitope antigen, termed EPIC, which included 812 (75.7%) of all predicted epitopes. EPIC was predicted to be antigenic by two independent bioinformatic servers, suggesting that multi-epitope antigens should be explored further for CCHFV vaccine development. Conclusion The results presented within this manuscript provide information for potential targets within the CCHFV GPC for guiding future vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan C. Mears
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Correspondent: , 301 University Blvd., Route 0610, Galveston, Texas 77550
| | - Dennis A. Bente
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Galveston National Laboratory, Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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Suschak JJ, Golden JW, Fitzpatrick CJ, Shoemaker CJ, Badger CV, Schmaljohn CS, Garrison AR. A CCHFV DNA vaccine protects against heterologous challenge and establishes GP38 as immunorelevant in mice. NPJ Vaccines 2021; 6:31. [PMID: 33654101 PMCID: PMC7925670 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-021-00293-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a tick-borne virus that causes severe hemorrhagic fever disease in humans. Currently, no licensed CCHF vaccines exist, and the protective epitopes remain unclear. Previously, we tested a DNA vaccine expressing the M-segment glycoprotein precursor gene of the laboratory CCHFV strain IbAr 10200 (CCHFV-M10200). CCHFV-M10200 provided >60% protection against homologous CCHFV-IbAr 10200 challenge in mice. Here, we report that increasing the dose of CCHFV-M10200 provides complete protection from homologous CCHFV challenge in mice, and significant (80%) protection from challenge with the clinically relevant heterologous strain CCHFV-Afg09-2990. We also report complete protection from CCHFV-Afg09-2990 challenge following vaccination with a CCHFV-Afg09-2990 M-segment DNA vaccine (CCHFV-MAfg09). Finally, we show that the non-structural M-segment protein, GP38, influences CCHF vaccine immunogenicity and provides significant protection from homologous CCHFV challenge. Our results demonstrate that M-segment DNA vaccines elicit protective CCHF immunity and further illustrate the immunorelevance of GP38.
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Affiliation(s)
- John J Suschak
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA.
| | - Joseph W Golden
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Collin J Fitzpatrick
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Charles J Shoemaker
- Diagnostics Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Catherine V Badger
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Connie S Schmaljohn
- Headquarters Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA.,National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Integrated Research Facility, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Aura R Garrison
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA.
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Wampande EM, Waiswa P, Allen DJ, Hewson R, Frost SDW, Stubbs SCB. Phylogenetic Characterization of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Detected in African Blue Ticks Feeding on Cattle in a Ugandan Abattoir. Microorganisms 2021; 9:438. [PMID: 33672497 PMCID: PMC7923759 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9020438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is the most geographically widespread of the tick-borne viruses. However, African strains of CCHFV are poorly represented in sequence databases. In addition, almost all sequence data collected to date have been obtained from cases of human disease, while information regarding the circulation of the virus in tick and animal reservoirs is severely lacking. Here, we characterize the complete coding region of a novel CCHFV strain, detected in African blue ticks (Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus) feeding on cattle in an abattoir in Kampala, Uganda. These cattle originated from a farm in Mbarara, a major cattle-trading hub for much of Uganda. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the newly sequenced strain belongs to the African genotype II clade, which predominantly contains the sequences of strains isolated from West Africa in the 1950s, and South Africa in the 1980s. Whilst the viral S (nucleoprotein) and L (RNA polymerase) genome segments shared >90% nucleotide similarity with previously reported genotype II strains, the glycoprotein-coding M segment shared only 80% nucleotide similarity with the next most closely related strains, which were derived from ticks in Western India and Northern China. This genome segment also displayed a large number of non-synonymous mutations previously unreported in the genotype II strains. Characterization of this novel strain adds to our limited understanding of the natural diversity of CCHFV circulating in both ticks and in Africa. Such data can be used to inform the design of vaccines and diagnostics, as well as studies exploring the epidemiology and evolution of the virus for the establishment of future CCHFV control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eddie M. Wampande
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; (E.M.W.); (P.W.)
| | - Peter Waiswa
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; (E.M.W.); (P.W.)
| | - David J. Allen
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (D.J.A.); (R.H.)
| | - Roger Hewson
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (D.J.A.); (R.H.)
- Virology and Pathogenesis Group, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Simon D. W. Frost
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK;
- Microsoft Research, Redmond, Washington, DC 98052, USA
| | - Samuel C. B. Stubbs
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK;
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
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Purification of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus nucleoprotein and its utility for serological diagnosis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2324. [PMID: 33504869 PMCID: PMC7840982 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81752-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) causes a zoonotic disease, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) endemic in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Southeastern Europe. However, the prevalence of CCHF is not monitored in most of the endemic countries due to limited availability of diagnostic assays and biosafety regulations required for handling infectious CCHFV. In this study, we established a protocol to purify the recombinant CCHFV nucleoprotein (NP), which is antigenically highly conserved among multiple lineages/clades of CCHFVs and investigated its utility in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect CCHFV-specific antibodies. The NP gene was cloned into the pCAGGS mammalian expression plasmid and human embryonic kidney 293 T cells were transfected with the plasmid. The expressed NP molecule was purified from the cell lysate using cesium-chloride gradient centrifugation. Purified NP was used as the antigen for the ELISA to detect anti-CCHFV IgG. Using the CCHFV NP-based ELISA, we efficiently detected CCHFV-specific IgG in anti-NP rabbit antiserum and CCHFV-infected monkey serum. When compared to the commercially available Blackbox CCHFV IgG ELISA kit, our assay showed equivalent performance in detecting CCHFV-specific IgG in human sera. These results demonstrate the usefulness of our CCHFV NP-based ELISA for seroepidemiological studies.
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Khan MSA, Nain Z, Syed SB, Abdulla F, Moni MA, Sheam MM, Karim MM, Adhikari UK. Computational formulation and immune dynamics of a multi-peptide vaccine candidate against Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. Mol Cell Probes 2020; 55:101693. [PMID: 33388416 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2020.101693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The sole objective of this research is to devise an epitope-based vaccine candidate as prophylaxis for the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) using the knowledge of immunoinformatics and structural biology. Importantly, CCHFV outbreaks have increased in several countries resulting in increased mortality up to 40% due to the lack of prospective medication and an efficient vaccine. In this study, we have used several immunoinformatic tools and servers to anticipate potent B-cell and T-cell epitopes from the CCHFV glycoprotein with the highest antigenicity. After a comprehensive evaluation, a vaccine candidate was designed using 6 CD8+, 3 CD4+, and 7 B-cell epitopes with appropriate linkers. To enhance the vaccine's efficiency, we added Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipoprotein LprG (Rv1411c) to the vaccine as an adjuvant. The final construct was composed of a total of 468 amino acid residues. The epitope included in the construct showed 98% worldwide population coverage. Importantly, the construct appeared as antigenic, immunogenic, soluble, and non-allergenic in nature. To explore further, we modelled the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the constructed vaccine. Our chimeric vaccine showed stable and strong interactions for toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) found on the cell surface. Moreover, the dynamics simulation of immune response showed elevated levels of cellular immune activity and faster clearance of antigen from the body upon repetitive exposure. Finally, the optimized codon (CAI≈1) ensured the marked translation efficiency of the vaccine protein in E. coli strain K12 bacterium followed by the insertion of construct DNA into the cloning vector pET28a (+). We believe that the designed vaccine chimera could be useful in vaccine development to fight CCHFV outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Shakil Ahmed Khan
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003, Bangladesh
| | - Zulkar Nain
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003, Bangladesh
| | - Shifath Bin Syed
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003, Bangladesh
| | - Faruq Abdulla
- Department of Statistics, Faculty of Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Ali Moni
- WHO Collaborating Centre on eHealth, UNSW Digital Health, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Md Moinuddin Sheam
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Minnatul Karim
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, 7003, Bangladesh.
| | - Utpal Kumar Adhikari
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, 2560, Australia.
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Heiss K, Heidepriem J, Fischer N, Weber LK, Dahlke C, Jaenisch T, Loeffler FF. Rapid Response to Pandemic Threats: Immunogenic Epitope Detection of Pandemic Pathogens for Diagnostics and Vaccine Development Using Peptide Microarrays. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:4339-4354. [PMID: 32892628 PMCID: PMC7640972 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Emergence and re-emergence of pathogens bearing the risk of becoming a pandemic threat are on the rise. Increased travel and trade, growing population density, changes in urbanization, and climate have a critical impact on infectious disease spread. Currently, the world is confronted with the emergence of a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, responsible for yet more than 800 000 deaths globally. Outbreaks caused by viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, HIV, Ebola, influenza, and Zika, have increased over the past decade, underlining the need for a rapid development of diagnostics and vaccines. Hence, the rational identification of biomarkers for diagnostic measures on the one hand, and antigenic targets for vaccine development on the other, are of utmost importance. Peptide microarrays can display large numbers of putative target proteins translated into overlapping linear (and cyclic) peptides for a multiplexed, high-throughput antibody analysis. This enabled for example the identification of discriminant/diagnostic epitopes in Zika or influenza and mapping epitope evolution in natural infections versus vaccinations. In this review, we highlight synthesis platforms that facilitate fast and flexible generation of high-density peptide microarrays. We further outline the multifaceted applications of these peptide array platforms for the development of serological tests and vaccines to quickly encounter pandemic threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Heiss
- PEPperPRINT
GmbH, Rischerstrasse
12, 69123 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jasmin Heidepriem
- Max
Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Biomolecular Systems, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Nico Fischer
- Section
Clinical Tropical Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, INF 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Laura K. Weber
- PEPperPRINT
GmbH, Rischerstrasse
12, 69123 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
of Microstructure Technology, Karlsruhe
Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Christine Dahlke
- Division
of Infectious Diseases, First Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Department
of Clinical Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- German
Center for Infection Research, Partner Site
Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Thomas Jaenisch
- Heidelberg
Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Heidelberg
University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Center
for Global Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado 80045, United States
- Department
of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado 80045, United States
| | - Felix F. Loeffler
- Max
Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Biomolecular Systems, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
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Serretiello E, Astorri R, Chianese A, Stelitano D, Zannella C, Folliero V, Santella B, Galdiero M, Franci G, Galdiero M. The emerging tick-borne Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus: A narrative review. Travel Med Infect Dis 2020; 37:101871. [PMID: 32891725 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is an increasingly relevant viral zoonosis caused by the negative-sense single-stranded (ss) RNA Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever Orthonairovirus (CCHFV) (Nairoviridae family, Bunyavirales order). The viral genome is divided into three segments (L-M-S) of distinct size and functions. The infection is generally mediated by a tick vector, in particular belonging to the Hyalomma genus, and the transmission follows a tick-vertebrate-tick ecologic cycle, with asymptomatic infected animals functioning as reservoirs and amplifiers for CCHFV. Human hosts could be infected primarily through infected ticks or by contact with infected hosts or their body fluids and tissues, also in a nosocomial way and in occupational contexts. Infected symptomatic patients generally manifest a nonspecific illness, which progresses across four stages, with possibly lethal outcomes. Disease outbreaks show a widespread geographic diffusion and a highly variable mortality rate, dramatically peaking in untreated patients. The lack of an adequate animal model and the elevated virus biological risk (only manageable under biosafety level 4 conditions) represent strongly limiting factors for a better characterization of the disease and for the development of specific therapies and vaccines. The present review discusses updated information on CCHFV-related disease, including details about the virus (taxonomy, structure, life cycle, transmission modalities) and considering CCHF pathogenesis, epidemiology and current strategies (diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive).
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrica Serretiello
- Section of Microbiology and Virology, University Hospital Luigi Vanvitelli of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Astorri
- Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, Infectious Diseases Unit, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy; Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Annalisa Chianese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Debora Stelitano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Carla Zannella
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Veronica Folliero
- Section of Microbiology and Virology, University Hospital Luigi Vanvitelli of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Biagio Santella
- Section of Microbiology and Virology, University Hospital Luigi Vanvitelli of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Marilena Galdiero
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Franci
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy; Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi (SA), Italy.
| | - Massimiliano Galdiero
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
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Structure and Characterization of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus GP38. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.02005-19. [PMID: 31996434 PMCID: PMC7108853 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02005-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a priority pathogen that poses a high risk to public health. Due to the high morbidity and mortality rates associated with CCHFV infection, there is an urgent need to develop medical countermeasures for disease prevention and treatment. CCHFV GP38, a secreted glycoprotein of unknown function unique to the Nairoviridae family, was recently shown to be the target of a protective antibody against CCHFV. Here, we present the crystal structure of GP38, which revealed a novel fold with distant homology to another CCHFV glycoprotein that is suggestive of a gene duplication event. We also demonstrate that antibody 13G8 protects STAT1-knockout mice against heterologous CCHFV challenge using a clinical isolate from regions where CCHFV is endemic. Collectively, these data advance our understanding of GP38 structure and antigenicity and should facilitate future studies investigating its function. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is the causative agent of the most widespread tick-borne viral infection in humans. CCHFV encodes a secreted glycoprotein (GP38) of unknown function that is the target of a protective antibody. Here, we present the crystal structure of GP38 at a resolution of 2.5 Å, which revealed a novel fold primarily consisting of a 3-helix bundle and a β-sandwich. Sequence alignment and homology modeling showed distant homology between GP38 and the ectodomain of Gn (a structural glycoprotein in CCHFV), suggestive of a gene duplication event. Analysis of convalescent-phase sera showed high titers of GP38 antibodies indicating immunogenicity in humans during natural CCHFV infection. The only protective antibody for CCHFV in an adult mouse model reported to date, 13G8, bound GP38 with subnanomolar affinity and protected against heterologous CCHFV challenge in a STAT1-knockout mouse model. Our data strongly suggest that GP38 should be evaluated as a vaccine antigen and that its structure provides a foundation to investigate functions of this protein in the viral life cycle. IMPORTANCE Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a priority pathogen that poses a high risk to public health. Due to the high morbidity and mortality rates associated with CCHFV infection, there is an urgent need to develop medical countermeasures for disease prevention and treatment. CCHFV GP38, a secreted glycoprotein of unknown function unique to the Nairoviridae family, was recently shown to be the target of a protective antibody against CCHFV. Here, we present the crystal structure of GP38, which revealed a novel fold with distant homology to another CCHFV glycoprotein that is suggestive of a gene duplication event. We also demonstrate that antibody 13G8 protects STAT1-knockout mice against heterologous CCHFV challenge using a clinical isolate from regions where CCHFV is endemic. Collectively, these data advance our understanding of GP38 structure and antigenicity and should facilitate future studies investigating its function.
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Garrison AR, Smith DR, Golden JW. Animal Models for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Human Disease. Viruses 2019; 11:E590. [PMID: 31261754 PMCID: PMC6669593 DOI: 10.3390/v11070590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is an important tick-borne human pathogen endemic throughout Asia, Africa and Europe. CCHFV is also an emerging virus, with recent outbreaks in Western Europe. CCHFV can infect a large number of wild and domesticated mammalian species and some avian species, however the virus does not cause severe disease in these animals, but can produce viremia. In humans, CCHFV infection can lead to a severe, life-threating disease characterized by hemodynamic instability, hepatic injury and neurological disorders, with a worldwide lethality rate of ~20-30%. The pathogenic mechanisms of CCHF are poorly understood, largely due to the dearth of animal models. However, several important animal models have been recently described, including novel murine models and a non-human primate model. In this review, we examine the current knowledge of CCHF-mediated pathogenesis and describe how animal models are helping elucidate the molecular and cellular determinants of disease. This information should serve as a reference for those interested in CCHFV animal models and their utility for evaluation of medical countermeasures (MCMs) and in the study of pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aura R Garrison
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
- Mailing address: Virology Division, USAMRIID, 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Darci R Smith
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
- Mailing address: Virology Division, USAMRIID, 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Joseph W Golden
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
- Mailing address: Virology Division, USAMRIID, 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
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Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-Based Vaccine Protects Mice against Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7755. [PMID: 31123310 PMCID: PMC6533279 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44210-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), a tick-borne bunyavirus, can cause a life-threatening hemorrhagic syndrome in humans but not in its animal host. The virus is widely distributed throughout southeastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Disease management has proven difficult and there are no broadly licensed vaccines or therapeutics. Recombinant vesicular stomatitis viruses (rVSV) expressing foreign glycoproteins (GP) have shown promise as experimental vaccines for several viral hemorrhagic fevers. Here, we developed and assessed a replication competent rVSV vector expressing the CCHFV glycoprotein precursor (GPC), which encodes CCHFV structural glycoproteins. This construct drives strong expression of CCHFV-GP, in vitro. Using these vectors, we vaccinated STAT-1 knock-out mice, an animal model for CCHFV. The vector was tolerated and 100% efficacious against challenge from a clinical strain of CCHFV. Anti-CCHFV-GP IgG and neutralizing antibody titers were observed in surviving animals. This study demonstrates that a rVSV expressing only the CCHFV-GP has the potential to serve as a replication competent vaccine platform against CCHF infections.
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Recombinant Glycoprotein E of Varicella Zoster Virus Contains Glycan-Peptide Motifs That Modulate B Cell Epitopes into Discrete Immunological Signatures. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20040954. [PMID: 30813247 PMCID: PMC6412795 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20040954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A recombinant subunit vaccine (Shingrix®) was recently licensed for use against herpes zoster. This vaccine is based on glycoprotein E (gE) of varicella zoster virus (VZV), the most abundantly expressed protein of VZV, harboring sites for N- and O-linked glycosylation. The subunit vaccine elicits stronger virus-specific CD4+ T cell response as well as antibody B cell response to gE, compared to the currently used live attenuated vaccine (Zostavax®). This situation is at variance with the current notion since a live vaccine, causing an active virus infection, should be far more efficient than a subunit vaccine based on only one single viral glycoprotein. We previously found gE to be heavily glycosylated, not least by numerous clustered O-linked glycans, when it was produced in human fibroblasts. However, in contrast to Zostavax®, which is produced in fibroblasts, the recombinant gE of Shingrix® is expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Hence, the glycan occupancy and glycan structures of gE may differ considerably between the two vaccine types. Here, we aimed at (i) defining the glycan structures and positions of recombinant gE and (ii) identifying possible features of the recombinant gE O-glycosylation pattern contributing to the vaccine efficacy of Shingrix®. Firstly, recombinant gE produced in CHO cells (“Shingrix situation”) is more scarcely decorated by O-linked glycans than gE from human fibroblasts (“Zostavax situation”), with respect to glycan site occupancy. Secondly, screening of immunodominant B cell epitopes of gE, using a synthetic peptide library against serum samples from VZV-seropositive individuals, revealed that the O-linked glycan signature promoted binding of IgG antibodies via a decreased number of interfering O-linked glycans, but also via specific O-linked glycans enhancing antibody binding. These findings may, in part, explain the higher protective efficacy of Shingrix®, and can also be of relevance for development of subunit vaccines to other enveloped viruses.
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Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a widely distributed hemorrhagic fever virus and the cause of hemorrhagic disease in Africa, Southern and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, India and Asia. Recent emergence of CCHFV into Spain indicates that the geographic range of this virus is expanding and the presence of its tick vector in several countries without reported disease suggest that CCHFV will continue to spread. Research into CCHFV was historically limited by a lack of suitable animal models and tools to study viral pathogenesis. However, in the past few years the toolset for studying CCHFV has expanded with small animal and non-human primate models for CCHFV being developed along with a reverse genetics system that allows for investigation of viral determinants of disease. These tools have been utilized to understand how CCHFV antagonizes host restriction factors and to develop novel vaccine candidates that may help limit the substantial morbidity and mortality in humans caused by CCHFV.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Hawman
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, NIAID/NIH, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, USA
| | - Heinz Feldmann
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, NIAID/NIH, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, USA
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