Evolutionary and Ecological Characterization of Mayaro Virus Strains Isolated during an Outbreak, Venezuela, 2010

Chikungunya virus and other emerging arthritogenic alphaviruses

Arthritogenic alphaviruses are arboviruses (arthropod-borne viruses) that are genetically and serologically related positive-strand RNA viruses and cause epidemics on a global scale. They are transmitted by mosquitoes and cause diseases in humans that are mainly characterized by fever and often debilitating, sometimes chronic polyarthralgia. At present, approved treatments or vaccines are not available for most arthritogenic alphaviruses, and recently licensed vaccines against chikungunya virus are awaiting implementation in endemic areas. Most arthritogenic alphaviruses are currently limited to specific geographic areas due to vector distributions and availability of amplifying hosts, but they pose a substantial risk of emergence in other regions. The exception is chikungunya virus, which has emerged repeatedly from Africa, established sustained and efficient transmission in urban areas (including in temperate climates) and has caused major epidemics across the world. In this Review, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of the transmission cycles of arthritogenic alphaviruses, their vectors, epidemiology, transmission dynamics, evolution, pathophysiology and immune responses. We also outline strategies and countermeasures to anticipate and mitigate the impact of arthritogenic alphaviruses on human health.

The Current Progress in the Quest for Vaccines Against the Semliki Forest Virus Complex

The Semliki Forest virus (SFV) complex comprises of arboviruses that are transmitted by arthropod vectors and cause acute febrile illness in humans. In the last seven decades, re-emergence of these viruses has resulted in numerous outbreaks globally, affecting regions including Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. These viruses are transmitted to humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes. Symptoms of infection include high fever, severe joint pain, skin rash, muscle pain and headache. Fatal cases were reported, and mortality rate increased during the epidemic of these viruses. There is therefore a need to control the spread of these emerging arboviruses. Given that vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect populations against viral outbreaks, efforts have been made to develop and test potential vaccine candidates. However, there are still no licensed vaccines available against the medically important viruses in the SFV complex. This review first summarizes the current knowledge of the SFV complex disease pathogenesis. Next, seven strategies that have been applied in vaccine development against these viruses are reviewed, indicating the immune response and efficacies of these vaccine candidates in in vivo models of infection. Finally, the more promising candidates that have entered clinical trials are discussed and insights into the future development of vaccines for viruses of the SFV complex are given.

Alphavirus nsP2: A Multifunctional Regulator of Viral Replication and Promising Target for Anti-Alphavirus Therapies

Alphaviruses are re-emerging vector-born pathogens that cause arthralgia or encephalitic diseases on a global scale. While a vaccine against chikungunya virus was recently approved, no vaccines currently exist for other alphaviruses, nor are there antiviral drugs for the treatment of alphavirus infections. Alphaviruses have positive-strand RNA genomes, and their RNA replication is coordinated by activities of the multifunctional nonstructural protein 2 (nsP2), a helicase-protease and a subunit of viral RNA replicase. We provide a comprehensive overview of nsP2 functions and inhibitors of its activities for their potential as effective antivirals. Furthermore, analysis of nsP2 activities suggests that it could be targeted to develop advanced live attenuated vaccines and strategies for controlling alphavirus transmission by mosquito vectors.

COI DNA barcoding to differentiate Haemagogus janthinomys and Haemagogus capricornii (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes

The genus Haemagogus (Diptera: Culicidae) includes species that are important vectors of pathogens such as the yellow fever virus. The accurate identification of these species is essential for the control of zoonoses. Females of Hg. capricornii and Hg. janthinomys are morphologically indistinguishable, which makes the use of alternative identification techniques desirable. This study aimed to obtain sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene, in the region widely used for DNA barcoding, of Haemagogus specimens from the state of São Paulo, Brazil, to evaluate the effectiveness of these sequences in the molecular identification of the species. A total of 37 female and 2 male mosquitoes were collected in various locations in the state of São Paulo, using methods such as hand-nets, Shannon traps, CDC light traps with CO2 bait and Nasci aspirators. The sequences of a 710 bp fragment of the COI gene were amplified by PCR and sequenced. A phylogenetic tree reconstruction was conducted using the Bayesian approach implemented in MrBayes v3.2.2, providing support values for taxa where genetic clusters may indicate the presence of new or cryptic species. We obtained 39 COI sequences representing three species: Haemagogus capricornii, Haemagogus leucocelaenus, and Haemagogus janthinomys. Bayesian analysis of the sequences produced clades that corroborate the morphological identification of the species. The separation of Hg. capricornii and Hg. janthinomys received 100 % statistical support and the Hg. capricornii was very well supported (91 %). The two sequences from male specimens, morphologically identified as Hg. capricornii, were grouped in the same clade, a sister clade of Hg. janthinomys. It is important to highlight that the Hg. janthinomys were positioned in several subclades, showing a polymorphism of this species within the state, a situation not observed for Hg. capricornii. For the first time, sequences of the mtCOI gene from Hg. capricornii were obtained and related to morphologically identified specimens. COI sequences proved effective in the molecular identification of Haemagogus species. This study contributes to the expansion of the GenBank database, providing the first sequences of Hg. capricornii and new sequences for Hg. janthinomys and Hg. leucocelaenus.

Mayaro Virus: An Emerging Alphavirus in the Americas

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an arbovirus first isolated in Trinidad and Tobago in 1954. MAYV is the causative agent of Mayaro fever, which is characterised by high fever, maculopapular rash, myalgia and arthralgia. The potential for chronic arthralgia is of particular clinical concern. Currently, MAYV outbreaks are restricted to South and Central America, with some cases reported in Africa as well as several imported cases in Europe. However, in recent years, MAYV has become a growing global concern due to its potential to emerge into urban transmission cycles. Challenges faced with diagnostics, as well as a lack of specific antivirals or licensed vaccines further exacerbate the potential global health threat posed by MAYV. In this review, we discuss this emerging arboviral threat with a particular focus on the current treatment and vaccine development efforts. Overall, MAYV remains a neglected arbovirus due to its limited area of transmission. However, with the potential of its urbanisation and expanding circulation, the threat MAYV poses to global health cannot be overlooked. Further research into the improvement of current diagnostics, as well as the development of efficacious antivirals and vaccines will be crucial to help prevent and manage potential MAYV outbreaks.

Comparative pathogenesis of three Mayaro virus genotypes in the cynomolgus macaque

Mayaro virus (MAYV), a mosquito-borne alphavirus, is considered an emerging threat to public health with epidemic potential. Phylogenetic studies show the existence of three MAYV genotypes. In this study, we provide a preliminary analysis of the pathogenesis of all three MAYV genotypes in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca facicularis, Mauritian origin). Significant MAYV-specific RNAemia and viremia were detected during acute infection in animals challenged intravenously with the three MAYV genotypes, and strong neutralizing antibody responses were observed. MAYV RNA was detected at high levels in lymphoid tissues, joint muscle and synovia over 1 month after infection, suggesting that this model could serve as a promising tool in studying MAYV-induced chronic arthralgia, which can persist for years. Significant leucopenia was observed across all MAYV genotypes, peaking with RNAemia. Notable differences in the severity of acute RNAemia and composition of cytokine responses were observed among the three MAYV genotypes. Our model showed no outward signs of clinical disease, but several major endpoints for future MAYV pathology and intervention studies are described. Disruptions to normal blood cell counts and cytokine responses were markedly distinct from those observed in macaque models of CHIKV infection, underlining the importance of developing non-human primate models specific to MAYV infection.

Assessment of Mayaro virus vector competence of the mosquito Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) populations in Argentine using dose-response assays

Mayaro virus (MAYV; Alphavirus: Togaviridae) is an emerging pathogen in Latin America, causing fever and polyarthritis. Sporadic outbreaks of MAYV have occurred in the region, with reported human cases being imported to Europe and North America. Although primarily a risk for those residing in the Amazon basin's tropical forests, recent reports highlight that urbanization would increase the risk of MAYV transmission in Latin America. Urban emergence depends on human susceptibility and the ability of mosquitos like Aedes aegypti  (Linnaeus, 1762) (Diptera: Culicidae) to transmit MAYV. Despite the absence of active MAYV transmission in Argentine, the risk of introduction is substantial due to human movement and the presence of Ae. aegypti in the region. This study aimed to evaluate the susceptibility of different Argentine Ae. aegypti populations to MAYV genotype L (MAYV-L) using dose-response assays and determine barriers to virus infection, dissemination and transmission. Immature mosquito stages were collected in Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Rosario cities. Female Ae. aegypti (F2) were orally infected by feeding on five concentrations of MAYV-L, ranging from 1.0 to 6.0 log10 PFU/mL. Abdomens, legs and saliva were analysed using viral plaque assays. Results revealed that MAYV-L between infection and dissemination were associated with viral doses rather than the population origin. Infection rates varied between 3% and 65%, with a 50% infectious dose >5.5 log10 PFU/mL. Dissemination occurred at 39%, with a 50% dissemination dose of ~6.0 log10 PFU/mL. Dissemination among infected mosquitoes ranged from 60% to 86%, and transmission from disseminated mosquitoes ranged from 11% to 20%. Argentine Ae. aegypti populations exhibited a need for higher viral doses of MAYV-L than those typically found in humans to become infected. In addition, only a small proportion of infected mosquitoes were capable of transmitting the virus. Understanding MAYV transmission in urban areas is crucial for public health interventions.

Mayaro virus, a potential threat for Europe: vector competence of autochthonous vector species

BACKGROUND

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an emerging alphavirus, primarily transmitted by the mosquito Haemagogus janthinomys in Central and South America. However, recent studies have shown that Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus and various Anopheles mosquitoes can also transmit the virus under laboratory conditions. MAYV causes sporadic outbreaks across the South American region, particularly in areas near forests. Recently, cases have been reported in European and North American travelers returning from endemic areas, raising concerns about potential introductions into new regions. This study aims to assess the vector competence of three potential vectors for MAYV present in Europe.

METHODS

Aedes albopictus from Italy, Anopheles atroparvus from Spain and Culex pipiens biotype molestus from Belgium were exposed to MAYV and maintained under controlled environmental conditions. Saliva was collected through a salivation assay at 7 and 14 days post-infection (dpi), followed by vector dissection. Viral titers were determined using focus forming assays, and infection rates, dissemination rates, and transmission efficiency were calculated.

RESULTS

Results indicate that Ae. albopictus and An. atroparvus from Italy and Spain, respectively, are competent vectors for MAYV, with transmission possible starting from 7 dpi under laboratory conditions. In contrast, Cx. pipiens bioform molestus was unable to support MAYV infection, indicating its inability to contribute to the transmission cycle.

CONCLUSIONS

In the event of accidental MAYV introduction in European territories, autochthonous outbreaks could potentially be sustained by two European species: Ae. albopictus and An. atroparvus. Entomological surveillance should also consider certain Anopheles species when monitoring MAYV transmission.

Molecular Epidemiology of Mayaro Virus among Febrile Patients, Roraima State, Brazil, 2018-2021

We detected Mayaro virus (MAYV) in 3.4% (28/822) of febrile patients tested during 2018-2021 from Roraima State, Brazil. We also isolated MAYV strains and confirmed that these cases were caused by genotype D. Improved surveillance is needed to better determine the burden of MAYV in the Amazon Region.

Clinical and laboratory diagnosis of Mayaro virus (MAYV): Current status and opportunities for further development

The recent outbreaks related to Mayaro virus (MAYV) infection in the Americas have brought this neglected virus as a potential threat to global public health. Given the range of symptoms that can be associated with MAYV infection, it can be challenging to diagnose individuals based on clinical signs, especially in countries with simultaneous circulation of other mosquito-borne viruses, such as dengue virus (DENV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV). With this challenge in mind, laboratory-based diagnosis assumes a critical role in the introduction of measures to help prevent virus dissemination and to adequately treat patients. In this review, we provide an overview of the clinical features reported in infected patients and currently available laboratory tools that are used for MAYV diagnosis, discussing their advances, advantages, and limitations to apply in the field. Moreover, we explore novel point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic platforms that can provide de-centralised diagnostics for use in areas with limited laboratory infrastructure.

Cryogenic electron microscopy and tomography reveal imperfect icosahedral symmetry in alphaviruses

Alphaviruses are spherical, enveloped RNA viruses with two-layered icosahedral architecture. The structures of many alphaviruses have been studied using cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) reconstructions, which impose icosahedral symmetry on the viral particles. Using cryogenic electron tomography (cryo-ET), we revealed a polarized symmetry defect in the icosahedral lattice of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in situ, similar to the late budding particles, suggesting the inherent imperfect symmetry originates from the final pinch-off of assembled virions. We further demonstrated this imperfect symmetry is also present in in vitro purified CHIKV and Mayaro virus, another arthritogenic alphavirus. We employed a subparticle-based single-particle analysis protocol to circumvent the icosahedral imperfection and boosted the resolution of the structure of the CHIKV to ∼3 Å resolution, which revealed detailed molecular interactions between glycoprotein E1-E2 heterodimers in the transmembrane region and multiple lipid-like pocket factors located in a highly conserved hydrophobic pocket. This complementary use of in situ cryo-ET and single-particle cryo-EM approaches provides a more precise structural description of near-icosahedral viruses and valuable insights to guide the development of structure-based antiviral therapies against alphaviruses.

Mayaro virus pathogenesis and immunity in rhesus macaques

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that causes debilitating and persistent arthritogenic disease. While MAYV was previously reported to infect non-human primates (NHP), characterization of MAYV pathogenesis is currently lacking. Therefore, in this study we characterized MAYV infection and immunity in rhesus macaques. To inform the selection of a viral strain for NHP experiments, we evaluated five MAYV strains in C57BL/6 mice and showed that MAYV strain BeAr505411 induced robust tissue dissemination and disease. Three male rhesus macaques were subcutaneously challenged with 105 plaque-forming units of this strain into the arms. Peak plasma viremia occurred at 2 days post-infection (dpi). NHPs were taken to necropsy at 10 dpi to assess viral dissemination, which included the muscles and joints, lymphoid tissues, major organs, male reproductive tissues, as well as peripheral and central nervous system tissues. Histological examination demonstrated that MAYV infection was associated with appendicular joint and muscle inflammation as well as presence of perivascular inflammation in a wide variety of tissues. One animal developed a maculopapular rash and two NHP had viral RNA detected in upper torso skin samples, which was associated with the presence of perivascular and perifollicular lymphocytic aggregation. Analysis of longitudinal peripheral blood samples indicated a robust innate and adaptive immune activation, including the presence of anti-MAYV neutralizing antibodies with activity against related Una virus and chikungunya virus. Inflammatory cytokines and monocyte activation also peaked coincident with viremia, which was well supported by our transcriptomic analysis highlighting enrichment of interferon signaling and other antiviral processes at 2 days post MAYV infection. The rhesus macaque model of MAYV infection recapitulates many of the aspects of human infection and is poised to facilitate the evaluation of novel therapies and vaccines targeting this re-emerging virus.

A geopositioned and evidence-graded pan-species compendium of Mayaro virus occurrence

Mayaro Virus (MAYV) is an emerging health threat in the Americas that can cause febrile illness as well as debilitating arthralgia or arthritis. To better understand the geographic distribution of MAYV risk, we developed a georeferenced database of MAYV occurrence based on peer-reviewed literature and unpublished reports. Here we present this compendium, which includes both point and polygon locations linked to occurrence data documented from its discovery in 1954 until 2022. We describe all methods used to develop the database including data collection, georeferencing, management and quality-control. We also describe a customized grading system used to assess the quality of each study included in our review. The result is a comprehensive, evidence-graded database of confirmed MAYV occurrence in humans, non-human animals, and arthropods to-date, containing 262 geo-positioned occurrences in total. This database - which can be updated over time - may be useful for local spill-over risk assessment, epidemiological modelling to understand key transmission dynamics and drivers of MAYV spread, as well as identification of major surveillance gaps.

Differential Susceptibility of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus Mosquitoes to Infection by Mayaro Virus Strains

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) belonging to the family Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus. In recent years, the geographic distribution of MAYV may have expanded north from South and Central America into the Caribbean Islands. Although Haemagogus janthinomys is considered the main vector for MAYV, the virus has also been isolated from other mosquitoes, including Aedes aegypti, a widespread species that serves as the main vector for highly epidemic viruses. Given the possible expansion and outbreaks of MAYV in Latin America, it is possible that MAYV might be adapting to be efficiently transmitted by urban vectors. Therefore, to investigate this possibility, we evaluated the vector competence of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes to transmit MAYV isolated during a year of low or high MAYV transmission. Adult Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were orally infected with the MAYV strains, and the infection, dissemination, and transmission rates were calculated to evaluate their vector competence. Overall, we found higher infection, dissemination, and transmission rates in both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes infected with the strain isolated during a MAYV outbreak, whereas low/no transmission was detected with the strain isolated during a year of low MAYV activity. Our results confirmed that both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus are competent vectors for the emergent MAYV. Our data suggest that strains isolated during MAYV outbreaks might be better fit to infect and be transmitted by urban vectors, raising serious concern about the epidemic potential of MAYV.

The E2 glycoprotein holds key residues for Mayaro virus adaptation to the urban Aedes aegypti mosquito

Adaptation to mosquito vectors suited for transmission in urban settings is a major driver in the emergence of arboviruses. To better anticipate future emergence events, it is crucial to assess their potential to adapt to new vector hosts. In this work, we used two different experimental evolution approaches to study the adaptation process of an emerging alphavirus, Mayaro virus (MAYV), to Ae. aegypti, an urban mosquito vector of many other arboviruses. We identified E2-T179N as a key mutation increasing MAYV replication in insect cells and enhancing transmission after escaping the midgut of live Ae. aegypti. In contrast, this mutation decreased viral replication and binding in human fibroblasts, a primary cellular target of MAYV in humans. We also showed that MAYV E2-T179N generates reduced viremia and displays less severe tissue pathology in vivo in a mouse model. We found evidence in mouse fibroblasts that MAYV E2-T179N is less dependent on the Mxra8 receptor for replication than WT MAYV. Similarly, exogenous expression of human apolipoprotein receptor 2 and Mxra8 enhanced WT MAYV replication compared to MAYV E2-T179N. When this mutation was introduced in the closely related chikungunya virus, which has caused major outbreaks globally in the past two decades, we observed increased replication in both human and insect cells, suggesting E2 position 179 is an important determinant of alphavirus host-adaptation, although in a virus-specific manner. Collectively, these results indicate that adaptation at the T179 residue in MAYV E2 may result in increased vector competence-but coming at the cost of optimal replication in humans-and may represent a first step towards a future emergence event.

Comparative Efficacy of Mayaro Virus-Like Particle Vaccines Produced in Insect or Mammalian Cells

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that causes often debilitating rheumatic disease in tropical Central and South America. There are currently no licensed vaccines or antiviral drugs available for MAYV disease. Here, we generated Mayaro virus-like particles (VLPs) using the scalable baculovirus-insect cell expression system. High-level secretion of MAYV VLPs in the culture fluid of Sf9 insect cells was achieved, and particles with a diameter of 64 to 70 nm were obtained after purification. We characterize a C57BL/6J adult wild-type mouse model of MAYV infection and disease and used this model to compare the immunogenicity of VLPs from insect cells with that of VLPs produced in mammalian cells. Mice received two intramuscular immunizations with 1 μg of nonadjuvanted MAYV VLPs. Potent neutralizing antibody responses were generated against the vaccine strain, BeH407, with comparable activity seen against a contemporary 2018 isolate from Brazil (BR-18), whereas neutralizing activity against chikungunya virus was marginal. Sequencing of BR-18 illustrated that this virus segregates with genotype D isolates, whereas MAYV BeH407 belongs to genotype L. The mammalian cell-derived VLPs induced higher mean neutralizing antibody titers than those produced in insect cells. Both VLP vaccines completely protected adult wild-type mice against viremia, myositis, tendonitis, and joint inflammation after MAYV challenge. IMPORTANCE Mayaro virus (MAYV) is associated with acute rheumatic disease that can be debilitating and can evolve into months of chronic arthralgia. MAYV is believed to have the potential to emerge as a tropical public health threat, especially if it develops the ability to be efficiently transmitted by urban mosquito vectors, such as Aedes aegypti and/or Aedes albopictus. Here, we describe a scalable virus-like particle vaccine against MAYV that induced neutralizing antibodies against a historical and a contemporary isolate of MAYV and protected mice against infection and disease, providing a potential new intervention for MAYV epidemic preparedness.

A study of the MAYV replication cycle: Correlation between the kinetics of viral multiplication and viral morphogenesis

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is mainly found in Central and South America and causes a febrile illness followed by debilitating arthritis and arthralgia similar to chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Infection leads to long-term sequelae with a direct impact on the patient's productive capacity, resulting in economic losses. Mayaro fever is a neglected disease due to the limited epidemiological data. In Brazil, it is considered a potential public health risk with the number of cases increasing every year. Most of our knowledge about MAYV biology is inferred from data obtained from other alphaviruses as well as more recent studies on MAYV. Here, we analyzed the kinetics of viral replication through standard growth curves, quantification of intracellular and extracellular particles, and RNA quantification. We compared transmission electron microscopy data during different stages of infection. This approach allowed us to establish a chronological order of events during MAYV replication and its respective timepoints including cell entry through clathrin-mediated endocytosis occurring at 15-30 min, genome replication at 2-3 h, morphogenesis at 4 hpi, and release at 4-6 hpi. We also present evidence of uncharacterized events such as ribosome reorganization as well as clusters of early viral precursors and release through exocytosis in giant forms. Our work sheds new and specific light on the MAYV replication cycle and may contribute to future studies on the field.

Generation of Multiple Arbovirus-like Particles Using a Rapid Recombinant Vaccinia Virus Expression Platform

As demonstrated by the 2015 Zika virus outbreak in the Americas, emerging and re-emerging arboviruses are public health threats that warrant research investment for the development of effective prophylactics and therapeutics. Many arboviral diseases are underreported, neglected, or of low prevalence, yet they all have the potential to cause outbreaks of local and international concern. Here, we show the production of virus-like particles (VLPs) using a rapid and efficient recombinant vaccinia virus (VACV) expression system for five tick- and mosquito-borne arboviruses: Powassan virus (POWV), Heartland virus (HRTV), severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), Bourbon virus (BRBV) and Mayaro virus (MAYV). We detected the expression of arbovirus genes of interest by Western blot and observed the expression of VLPs that resemble native virions under transmission electron microscopy. We were also able to improve the secretion of POWV VLPs by modifying the signal sequence within the capsid gene. This study describes the use of a rapid VACV platform for the production and purification of arbovirus VLPs that can be used as subunit or vectored vaccines, and provides insights into the selection of arbovirus genes for VLP formation and genetic modifications to improve VLP secretion and yield.

A high-throughput screening assay to identify inhibitory antibodies targeting alphavirus release

BACKGROUND

Several studies have demonstrated neutralizing antibodies to be highly effective against alphavirus infection in animal models, both prophylactically and remedially. In most studies, neutralizing antibodies have been evaluated for their ability to block viral entry in vitro but recent evidence suggests that antibody inhibition through other mechanisms, including viral budding/release, significantly contributes to viral control in vivo for a number of alphaviruses.

RESULTS

We describe a BSL-2, cell-based, high-throughput screening system that specifically screens for inhibitors of alphavirus egress using chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Mayaro virus (MAYV) novel replication competent nano-luciferase (nLuc) reporter viruses. Screening of both polyclonal sera and memory B-cell clones from CHIKV immune individuals using the optimized assay detected several antibodies that display potent anti-budding activity.

CONCLUSIONS

We describe an "anti-budding assay" to specifically screen for inhibitors of viral egress using novel CHIKV and MAYV nLuc reporter viruses. This BSL-2 safe, high-throughput system can be utilized to explore neutralizing "anti-budding" antibodies to yield potent candidates for CHIKV and MAYV therapeutics and prophylaxis.

Characterization of Mayaro virus (strain BeAn343102) biology in vertebrate and invertebrate cellular backgrounds

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an emerging New World alphavirus (genus Alphavirus, family Togaviridae) that causes acute multiphasic febrile illness, skin rash, polyarthritis and occasional severe clinical phenotypes. The virus lifecycle alternates between invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. Here we characterize the replication features, cell entry, lifecycle and virus-related cell pathology of MAYV using vertebrate and invertebrate in vitro models. Electron-dense clathrin-coated pits in infected cells and reduced viral production in the presence of dynasore, ammonium chloride and bafilomycin indicate that viral entry occurs through pH-dependent endocytosis. Increase in FITC-dextran uptake (an indicator of macropinocytosis) in MAYV-infected cells, and dose-dependent infection inhibition by 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl) amiloride (a macropinocytosis inhibitor), indicated that macropinocytosis is an additional entry mechanism of MAYV in vertebrate cells. Acutely infected vertebrate and invertebrate cells formed cytoplasmic or membrane-associated extracytoplasmic replication complexes. Mosquito cells showed modified hybrid cytoplasmic vesicles that supported virus replication, nucleocapsid production and maturation. Mature virus particles were released from cells by both exocytosis and budding from the cell membrane. MAYV replication was cytopathic and associated with induction of apoptosis by the intrinsic pathway, and later by the extrinsic pathway in infected vertebrate cells. Given that MAYV is expanding its geographical existence as a potential public health problem, this study lays the foundation for biological understanding that will be valuable for therapeutic and preventive interventions.

Re-emergence of mayaro virus and coinfection with chikungunya during an outbreak in the state of Tocantins/Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To perform a molecular screening to detect infections by the mayaro virus and possible coinfections with Chikungunya during an outbreak in the state of Tocantins/Brazil in 2017.

RESULTS

Of a total 102 samples analyzed in this study, 6 cases were identified with simultaneous infection between mayaro and chikungunya viruses (5.88%). In these 6 samples, the mean Cycle threshold (Ct) for CHIKV was 26.87 (SD ± 10.54) and for MAYV was 29.58 (SD ± 6.34). The mayaro sequences generated showed 95-100% identity to other Brazilian sequences of this virus and with other MAYV isolates obtained from human and arthropods in different regions of the world. The remaining samples were detected with CHIKV monoinfection (41 cases), DENV monoinfection (50 cases) and coinfection between CHIKV/DENV (5 cases). We did not detect MAYV monoinfections.

An ecological niche model to predict the geographic distribution of Haemagogus janthinomys, Dyar, 1921 a yellow fever and Mayaro virus vector, in South America

Yellow fever virus (YFV) has a long history of impacting human health in South America. Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an emerging arbovirus of public health concern in the Neotropics and its full impact is yet unknown. Both YFV and MAYV are primarily maintained via a sylvatic transmission cycle but can be opportunistically transmitted to humans by the bites of infected forest dwelling Haemagogus janthinomys Dyar, 1921. To better understand the potential risk of YFV and MAYV transmission to humans, a more detailed understanding of this vector species’ distribution is critical. This study compiled a comprehensive database of 177 unique Hg. janthinomys collection sites retrieved from the published literature, digitized museum specimens and publicly accessible mosquito surveillance data. Covariate analysis was performed to optimize a selection of environmental (topographic and bioclimatic) variables associated with predicting habitat suitability, and species distributions modelled across South America using a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) approach. Our results indicate that suitable habitat for Hg. janthinomys can be found across forested regions of South America including the Atlantic forests and interior Amazon.

Mayaro virus is a neglected tropical disease and there is insufficient evidence to define its geographic range. The mosquito Haemagogus janthinomys is a primary vector of Mayaro and its distribution is largely unknown at a sub-country scale. Building compendiums of collection data and creating ecological niche models provides a more precise estimation of vector species potential habitat. Our dataset stands as one of the most expansive existing for collection data of this species combining data published in literature, publicly available data repositories and digitized museum specimen records. Comparing results of niche models with near real time environmental data can give even better predictions of areas where Mayaro virus exposure could occur. The methods and results of this study can be replicated for any disease/vector of interest so long as there is data discoverable through the scientific literature, public repositories, or other civilian and governmental agencies willing to share.

Temperature-Mediated Effects on Mayaro Virus Vector Competency of Florida Aedes aegypti Mosquito Vectors

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an emerging mosquito-borne arbovirus and public health concern. We evaluated the influence of temperature on Aedes aegypti responses to MAYV oral infection and transmission at two constant temperatures (20 °C and 30 °C). Infection of mosquito tissues (bodies and legs) and salivary secretions with MAYV was determined at 3, 9, 15, 21, and 27 days post ingestion. At both temperatures, we observed a trend of increase in progression of MAYV infection and replication kinetics over time, followed by a decline during later periods. Peaks of MAYV infection, titer, and dissemination from the midgut were detected at 15 and 21 days post ingestion at 30 °C and 20 °C, respectively. Mosquitoes were able to transmit MAYV as early as day 3 at 30 °C, but MAYV was not detectable in salivary secretions until day 15 at 20 °C. Low rates of MAYV in salivary secretions collected from infected mosquitoes provided evidence supporting the notion that a substantial salivary gland barrier(s) in Florida Ae. aegypti can limit the risk of MAYV transmission. Our results provide insights into the effects of temperature and time on the progression of infection and replication of MAYV in Ae. aegypti vectors.

Mayaro virus infection in French Guiana, a cross sectional study 2003-2019

Mayaro Virus is an emerging arbovirus which can be responsible of important outbreaks in tropical regions. A retrospective study was performed in French Guiana, an ultraperipheral region of Europe in Amazonia. We identified 17 human cases between 2003 and 2019. The clinical and biological picture was close to Chikungunya with fever and arthralgia. One patient had acute meningo-encephalitis, and 4 had persistent arthralgia. Physicians should be aware of this virus, as imported cases in Europe have already occurred. AUTHOR SUMMARY: Latin America has experienced several epidemics of arboviruses in recent years, some known for a long time, such as the dengue virus, and others of more recent introduction such as the chikungunya or Zika viruses. There are other arboviruses for the moment more discreet which are rife with low noise in several countries of the continent, such as the Mayaro virus. This alphavirus, with a presentation similar to that of the chikungunya virus, is currently confined to transmission by forest mosquitoes, but its potential to be transmitted by coastal mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti, make it a potential candidate for a continent-wide epidemic. It therefore seems necessary to know this virus as well as possible in order to anticipate the occurrence of a possible new epidemic. We present here a both demographic and clinical study of this endemic arbovirus disease in French Guiana.

Computational vaccinology guided design of multi-epitope subunit vaccine against a neglected arbovirus of the Americas

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an arbovirus found in the Americas that can cause debilitating arthritogenic disease. Although it is an emerging virus, the only current approach is vector control, as there are no approved vaccines to prevent MAYV infection nor therapeutics to treat it. In search of an effective vaccine candidate against MAYV, we used immunoinformatics and molecular modeling to attempt to identify promiscuous T-cell epitopes of the nonstructural polyproteins (nsP1, nsP2, nsP3, and nsP4) from 127 MAYV genomes sequenced in the Americas (08 Bolivia, 72 Brazil, 04 French Guiana, 05 Haiti, 20 Peru, 04 Trinidad and Tobago, and 14 Venezuela). For this purpose, consensus sequences of 360 proteins were used to identify short protein sequences that can bind to MHC I class (MHC II). Our analysis revealed 56 potential MHC-I/TCD8+ (29 MHC-II/TCD4+) epitopes, but only 6 (16) TCD8+ (TCD4+) epitopes showed high antigenicity and conservation, non-allergenicity, non-toxicity, and excellent population coverage. Finally, classical and quantum mechanical calculations (QM:MM) were used to improve the quality of the docking calculations, with the QM part of the simulations performed using the density functional theory formalism (DFT). These results provide insights for the advancement of diagnostic platforms, vaccine development, and immunotherapeutic interventions.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Serological Responses in Patients Infected with Mayaro Virus and Evaluation of Cross-Protective Responses against Chikungunya Virus

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an alphavirus endemic to both Latin America and the Caribbean. Recent reports have questioned the ability of MAYV and its close relative, Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), to generate cross-reactive, neutralizing antibodies to one another. Since CHIKV was introduced to South America in 2013, discerning whether individuals have cross-reactive antibodies or whether they have had exposures to both viruses previously has been difficult. Using samples obtained from people infected with MAYV prior to the introduction of CHIKV in the Americas, we performed neutralizing assays and observed no discernable neutralization of CHIKV by sera from patients previously infected with MAYV. These data suggest that a positive CHIKV neutralization test cannot be attributed to prior exposure to MAYV and that previous exposure to MAYV may not be protective against a subsequent CHIKV infection.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the potential non-human animal reservoirs and arthropod vectors of the Mayaro virus

Improving our understanding of Mayaro virus (MAYV) ecology is critical to guide surveillance and risk assessment. We conducted a PRISMA-adherent systematic review of the published and grey literature to identify potential arthropod vectors and non-human animal reservoirs of MAYV. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, SciELO and grey-literature sources including PAHO databases and dissertation repositories. Studies were included if they assessed MAYV virological/immunological measured occurrence in field-caught, domestic, or sentinel animals or in field-caught arthropods. We conducted an animal seroprevalence meta-analysis using a random effects model. We compiled granular georeferenced maps of non-human MAYV occurrence and graded the quality of the studies using a customized framework. Overall, 57 studies were eligible out of 1523 screened, published between the years 1961 and 2020. Seventeen studies reported MAYV positivity in wild mammals, birds, or reptiles and five studies reported MAYV positivity in domestic animals. MAYV positivity was reported in 12 orders of wild-caught vertebrates, most frequently in the orders Charadriiformes and Primate. Sixteen studies detected MAYV in wild-caught mosquito genera including Haemagogus, Aedes, Culex, Psorophora, Coquillettidia, and Sabethes. Vertebrate animals or arthropods with MAYV were detected in Brazil, Panama, Peru, French Guiana, Colombia, Trinidad, Venezuela, Argentina, and Paraguay. Among non-human vertebrates, the Primate order had the highest pooled seroprevalence at 13.1% (95% CI: 4.3-25.1%). From the three most studied primate genera we found the highest seroprevalence was in Alouatta (32.2%, 95% CI: 0.0-79.2%), followed by Callithrix (17.8%, 95% CI: 8.6-28.5%), and Cebus/Sapajus (3.7%, 95% CI: 0.0-11.1%). We further found that MAYV occurs in a wide range of vectors beyond Haemagogus spp. The quality of evidence behind these findings was variable and prompts calls for standardization of reporting of arbovirus occurrence. These findings support further risk emergence prediction, guide field surveillance efforts, and prompt further in-vivo studies to better define the ecological drivers of MAYV maintenance and potential for emergence.

Emergent Arboviruses: A Review About Mayaro virus and Oropouche orthobunyavirus

Arthropod-borne viruses have a significant impact on public health worldwide, and their (re) emergence put aside the importance of other circulating arboviruses. Therefore, this scoping review aims to identify and characterize the literature produced in recent years, focusing on aspects of two arboviruses: Mayaro virus and Oropouche orthobunyavirus. The Mayaro and Oropouche viruses were isolated for the first time in Trinidad and Tobago in 1954 and 1955, respectively, and have more recently caused numerous outbreaks. In addition, they have been incriminated as candidate diseases for human epidemics. These viruses have been drawing the attention of public health authorities worldwide following recent outbreaks. To determine the global epidemiological profile of these viruses, we used the Dimensions Database, which contains more than 100 million publications. In general, we identified 327 studies published from 1957 to 2020 for Mayaro virus, and 152 studies published from 1961 to 2020 for Oropouche orthobunyavirus. Interestingly, we observed that Mayaro and Oropouche had a significant increase in the number of publications in recent years. Thus, this comprehensive review will be helpful to guide future research based on the identified knowledge gaps.

Hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral activities of silymarin against mayaro virus infection

Infection caused by Mayaro virus (MAYV) is responsible for causing acute nonspecific fever, in which the majority of patients develop incapacitating and persistent arthritis/arthralgia. Mayaro fever is a neglected and underreported disease without treatment or vaccine, which has gained attention in recent years after the competence of Aedes aegypti to transmit MAYV was observed in the laboratory, coupled with the fact that cases are being increasingly reported outside of endemic forest areas, calling attention to the potential of an urban cycle arising in the near future. Thus, to mitigate the lack of information about the pathological aspects of MAYV, we previously described the involvement of oxidative stress in MAYV infection in cultured cells and in a non-lethal mouse model. Additionally, we showed that silymarin, a natural compound, attenuated MAYV-induced oxidative stress and inhibited MAYV replication in cells. The antioxidant and anti-MAYV effects prompted us to determine whether silymarin could also reduce oxidative stress and MAYV replication after infection in an immunocompetent animal model. We show that infected mice exhibited reduced weight gain, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, anaemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, increased liver transaminases, increased pro-inflammatory cytokines and liver inflammation, increased oxidative damage biomarkers, and reduced antioxidant enzyme activity. However, in animals infected and treated with silymarin, all these parameters were reversed or significantly improved, and the detection of viral load in the liver, spleen, brain, thigh muscle, and footpad was significantly reduced. This work reinforces the potent hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral effects of silymarin against MAYV infection, demonstrating its potential against Mayaro fever disease.

Performance assessment of a multi-epitope chimeric antigen for the serological diagnosis of acute Mayaro fever

Mayaro virus (MAYV), which causes mayaro fever, is endemic to limited regions of South America that may expand due to the possible involvement of Aedes spp. mosquitoes in its transmission. Its effective control will require the accurate identification of infected individuals, which has been restricted to nucleic acid-based tests due to similarities with other emerging members of the Alphavirus genus of the Togaviridae family; both in structure and clinical symptoms. Serological tests have a more significant potential to expand testing at a reasonable cost, and their performance primarily reflects that of the antigen utilized to capture pathogen-specific antibodies. Here, we describe the assembly of a synthetic gene encoding multiple copies of antigenic determinants mapped from the nsP1, nsP2, E1, and E2 proteins of MAYV that readily expressed as a stable chimeric protein in bacteria. Its serological performance as the target in ELISAs revealed a high accuracy for detecting anti-MAYV IgM antibodies. No cross-reactivity was observed with serum from seropositive individuals for dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, Zika, and other infectious diseases as well as healthy individuals. Our data suggest that this bioengineered antigen could be used to develop high-performance serological tests for MAYV infections.

Molecular epidemiological investigation of Mayaro virus in febrile patients from Goiania City, 2017-2018

Mayaro virus (MAYV) has historically been associated with sylvatic transmission; however, urban outbreaks have been reported in Brazil, including cases of co-detection with dengue virus (DENV). Therefore, we performed a molecular survey to investigate MAYV circulation and cocirculation with DENV within Goiania, a major city in Central-West Brazil. Among 375 subjects with arbovirus-like symptoms, 259 were positive for DENV and 26 for MAYV. Of these, 17 were coinfected with DENV-2, suggesting co-transmission of the viruses. The most common complaints at the time of inclusion were myalgia, headache, fever, arthralgia, retro-orbital pain, and skin rash. No specific symptoms were associated with MAYV when either detected alone or co-detected with DENV, compared to that when DENV was detected alone. Most MAYV-infected subjects were women with no recent travel history to rural/sylvatic areas. Phylogenetic reconstruction indicated that the MAYV identified in this study is closely related with a lineage observed in Peru, belonging to genotype D. Our results corroborate the growing circulation of MAYV in urban environments in Brazil and reinforce the need to implement laboratory diagnosis in the Unified Health System, considering that the clinical manifestations of Mayaro fever are similar to those of other arboviruses, particularly dengue. Furthermore, most cases occurred in association with DENV-2. Further phylogenetic studies are needed to evaluate MAYV, which has not been widely examined.

The epidemiology of Mayaro virus in the Americas: A systematic review and key parameter estimates for outbreak modelling

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an arbovirus that is endemic to tropical forests in Central and South America, particularly within the Amazon basin. In recent years, concern has increased regarding MAYV's ability to invade urban areas and cause epidemics across the region. We conducted a systematic literature review to characterise the evolutionary history of MAYV, its transmission potential, and exposure patterns to the virus. We analysed data from the literature on MAYV infection to produce estimates of key epidemiological parameters, including the generation time and the basic reproduction number, R0. We also estimated the force-of-infection (FOI) in epidemic and endemic settings. Seventy-six publications met our inclusion criteria. Evidence of MAYV infection in humans, animals, or vectors was reported in 14 Latin American countries. Nine countries reported evidence of acute infection in humans confirmed by viral isolation or reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). We identified at least five MAYV outbreaks. Seroprevalence from population based cross-sectional studies ranged from 21% to 72%. The estimated mean generation time of MAYV was 15.2 days (95% CrI: 11.7-19.8) with a standard deviation of 6.3 days (95% CrI: 4.2-9.5). The per-capita risk of MAYV infection (FOI) ranged between 0.01 and 0.05 per year. The mean R0 estimates ranged between 2.1 and 2.9 in the Amazon basin areas and between 1.1 and 1.3 in the regions outside of the Amazon basin. Although MAYV has been identified in urban vectors, there is not yet evidence of sustained urban transmission. MAYV's enzootic cycle could become established in forested areas within cities similar to yellow fever virus.

Cryo-EM structure of the mature and infective Mayaro virus at 4.4 Å resolution reveals features of arthritogenic alphaviruses

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an emerging arbovirus of the Americas that may cause a debilitating arthritogenic disease. The biology of MAYV is not fully understood and largely inferred from related arthritogenic alphaviruses. Here, we present the structure of MAYV at 4.4 Å resolution, obtained from a preparation of mature, infective virions. MAYV presents typical alphavirus features and organization. Interactions between viral proteins that lead to particle formation are described together with a hydrophobic pocket formed between E1 and E2 spike proteins and conformational epitopes specific of MAYV. We also describe MAYV glycosylation residues in E1 and E2 that may affect MXRA8 host receptor binding, and a molecular “handshake” between MAYV spikes formed by N262 glycosylation in adjacent E2 proteins. The structure of MAYV is suggestive of structural and functional complexity among alphaviruses, which may be targeted for specificity or antiviral activity.

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an emerging arbovirus in Central and South America that is transmitted by mosquitoes and causes arthritogenic disease. Here, the authors present the 4.4 Å resolution cryo-EM structure of MAYV and describe specific features of the virus, which could be exploited for the design of MAYV-specific diagnostics and therapeutics.

Persistent Joint Pain Following Arthropod Virus Infections

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Persistent joint pain is a common manifestation of arthropod-borne viral infections and can cause long-term disability. We review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of arthritogenic alphavirus infection.

RECENT FINDINGS

The global re-emergence of alphaviral outbreaks has led to an increase in virus-induced arthralgia and arthritis. Alphaviruses, including Chikungunya, O'nyong'nyong, Sindbis, Barmah Forest, Ross River, and Mayaro viruses, are associated with acute and/or chronic rheumatic symptoms. Identification of Mxra8 as a viral entry receptor in the alphaviral replication pathway creates opportunities for treatment and prevention. Recent evidence suggesting virus does not persist in synovial fluid during chronic chikungunya infection indicates that immunomodulators may be given safely. The etiology of persistent joint pain after alphavirus infection is still poorly understood. New diagnostic tools along and evidence-based treatment could significantly improve morbidity and long-term disability.

Non-replicating adenovirus based Mayaro virus vaccine elicits protective immune responses and cross protects against other alphaviruses

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an alphavirus endemic to South and Central America associated with sporadic outbreaks in humans. MAYV infection causes severe joint and muscle pain that can persist for weeks to months. Currently, there are no approved vaccines or therapeutics to prevent MAYV infection or treat the debilitating musculoskeletal inflammatory disease. In the current study, a prophylactic MAYV vaccine expressing the complete viral structural polyprotein was developed based on a non-replicating human adenovirus V (AdV) platform. Vaccination with AdV-MAYV elicited potent neutralizing antibodies that protected WT mice against MAYV challenge by preventing viremia, reducing viral dissemination to tissues and mitigating viral disease. The vaccine also prevented viral-mediated demise in IFN⍺R1-/- mice. Passive transfer of immune serum from vaccinated animals similarly prevented infection and disease in WT mice as well as virus-induced demise of IFN⍺R1-/- mice, indicating that antiviral antibodies are protective. Immunization with AdV-MAYV also generated cross-neutralizing antibodies against two related arthritogenic alphaviruses-chikungunya and Una viruses. These cross-neutralizing antibodies were protective against lethal infection in IFN⍺R1-/- mice following challenge with these heterotypic alphaviruses. These results indicate AdV-MAYV elicits protective immune responses with substantial cross-reactivity and protective efficacy against other arthritogenic alphaviruses. Our findings also highlight the potential for development of a multi-virus targeting vaccine against alphaviruses with endemic and epidemic potential in the Americas.

Identification of promiscuous T cell epitopes on Mayaro virus structural proteins using immunoinformatics, molecular modeling, and QM:MM approaches

The Mayaro virus (MAYV) belongs to genus Alphavirus (family Togaviridae) and has been reported in several countries, especially in tropical regions of America. Due to its outbreaks and potential lack of medication, an effective vaccine formulation is strongly required. This study aimed to predict promiscuous T cell epitopes from structural polyproteins of MAYV using an immunoinformatics approach. For this purpose, consensus sequences were used to identify short protein sequences capable of binding to MHC class I and class II alleles. Our analysis pointed out 4 MHC-I/TCD8+ and 21 MHC-II/TCD4+ epitopes on capside (1;3), E1 (2;5), E2 (1;10), E3 (0;2), and 6 K (0;1) proteins. These predicted epitopes were characterized by high antigenicity, immunogenicity, conservancy, non-allergenic, non-toxic, and good population coverage rate values for North and South American geographical areas. Afterwards, we used the crystal structure of human toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) ectodomain as a template to predict, through docking essays, the placement of a vaccine prototype at the TLR3 receptor binding site. Finally, classical and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM:MM) computations were employed to improve the quality of docking calculations, with the QM part of the simulations being accomplished by using the density functional theory (DFT) formalism. These results provide important insights into the advancement of diagnostic platforms, the development of vaccines, and immunotherapeutic interventions.

Implementation of in silico methods to predict common epitopes for vaccine development against Chikungunya and Mayaro viruses

Being a Positive sense RNA virus the recent reemergence of Chikungunya and Mayaro virus has taken the concern of the leading scientific communities of the world. Though the outbreak of Mayaro virus is limited to Neotropical region only, Chikungunya is already identified in over 60 countries around the world. Besides, the lack of a strong protective treatment, misdiagnosis issue and co-circulation of both the viruses calls for a new strategy which could potentially prevent these infections from spreading. In this study, we therefore, identified the peptide based vaccine candidates e.g. epitopes for B cell and T cell from Chikungunya virus which also showed to be homologous to the Mayaro virus through immuno-informatics and computational approaches. Final epitopes identified from the most antigenic structural polyprotein of both the viruses were 5 for CD8+ T cell Epitopes (209KPGDSGRPI217, 219TGTMGHFIL227, 239ALSVVTWNK247, 98KPGRRERMC106 and 100GRRERMCMK108), 2 epitopes for CD4+ T cell (105MCMKIENDCIFEVKH119 and 502DRTLLSQQSGNVKIT516) and a single epitope for B cell (504GGRFTIPTGAGKPGDSGRPI518). Analysis of our predicted epitopes for population coverage showed prominent population coverage (92.43%) around the world. Finally, molecular docking simulation of the foreseen T cell epitopes with respondent HLA alleles secured good HLA-epitope interaction. This study was directed towards the discovery of potential antigenic epitopes which can open up a new skyline to design novel vaccines for combating both of the diseases at the same time.

Mayaro virus detection in patients from rural and urban areas in Trinidad and Tobago during the Chikungunya and Zika virus outbreaks

Mayaro virus, which can often go undetected due to its clinical manifestations and intimate alignment with dengue and chikungunya viruses, is one of the most neglected arboviruses. The virus has been found in several outbreaks, where a moderate-to-severe and potentially incapacitating joint disease has been observed. MAYV usually circulates in a sylvan cycle of forest mosquitoes and vertebrates, causing sporadic sylvatic infections to humans, and some outbreaks in sub-urban areas. This study focuses on the demonstration of the possible co-circulation of Mayaro virus with chikungunya virus and Zika virus during the outbreaks that occurred in Trinidad and Tobago in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Acute samples from patients who previously tested negative for chikungunya, dengue, and Zika, and specifically exhibiting joint pain were selected and investigated for the presence of Mayaro virus genome using real-time RT-PCR techniques. Nine persons were shown to be positive for Mayaro virus during the chikungunya outbreak of 2014, while no one during the Zika outbreak in 2016. Five results correspond to persons living in highly urbanized areas across Trinidad. These findings provide evidence that multiple arboviral circulations are possible and could easily go undetected especially during outbreak situations. Our study is the first to demonstrate the possible co-circulation of Mayaro and chikungunya viruses and the occurrence of human cases for both diseases during an outbreak in the Caribbean. A possible change in the pattern of distribution of human cases to more urbanized areas is also discussed.

Antiviral Drug Discovery and Development for Mayaro Fever - What do we have so far?

Tropical infectious diseases cause millions of deaths every year in developing countries, with about half of the world population living at risk. Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an emerging arbovirus that causes Mayaro fever, which is characterized by fever, headache, diarrhea, arthralgia, and rash. These symptoms can be clinically indistinguishable from other arboviruses, such as Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya, which makes the diagnosis and treatment of the disease more difficult. Though, the Mayaro virus is a potential candidate to cause large-scale epidemics on the scale of ZIKV and CHIKV. Despite this, there is no licensed vaccine or antiviral for the treatment of Mayaro fever and most arboviruses, so the design and development of candidates for antiviral drugs are urgently needed. In this context, this mini-review aims to provide an overview of studies of anti-MAYV derivatives and highlight the importance of the discovery and development of promising drug candidates for Mayaro fever.

Transmission potential of Mayaro virus by Aedes albopictus, and Anopheles quadrimaculatus from the USA

BACKGROUND

Mayaro virus (MAYV; Alphavirus, Togaviridae) is an emerging pathogen endemic in South American countries. The increase in intercontinental travel and tourism-based forest excursions has resulted in an increase in MAYV spread, with imported cases observed in Europe and North America. Intriguingly, no local transmission of MAYV has been reported outside South America, despite the presence of potential vectors.

METHODS

We assessed the vector competence of Aedes albopictus from New York and Anopheles quadrimaculatus for MAYV.

RESULTS

The results show that Ae. albopictus from New York and An. quadrimaculatus are competent vectors for MAYV. However, Ae. albopictus was more susceptible to infection. Transmission rates increased with time for both species, with rates of 37.16 and 64.44% for Ae. albopictus, and of 25.15 and 48.44% for An. quadrimaculatus, respectively, at 7 and 14 days post-infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest there is a risk of further MAYV spread throughout the Americas and autochthonous transmission in the USA. Preventive measures, such as mosquito surveillance of MAYV, will be essential for early detection.

The Mayaro virus and its potential epidemiological consequences in Colombia: an exploratory biomathematics analysis

Background

Mayaro virus (Togaviridae) is an endemic arbovirus of the Americas with epidemiological similarities with the agents of other more prominent diseases such as dengue (Flaviviridae), Zika (Flaviviridae), and chikungunya (Togaviridae). It is naturally transmitted in a sylvatic/rural cycle by Haemagogus spp., but, potentially, it could be incorporated and transmitted in an urban cycle by Aedes aegypti, a vector widely disseminated in the Americas.

Methods

The Mayaro arbovirus dynamics was simulated mathematically in the colombian population in the eight biogeographical provinces, bearing in mind the vector’s population movement between provinces through passive transport via truck cargo. The parameters involved in the virus epidemiological dynamics, as well as the vital rates of Ae. aegypti in each of the biogeographical provinces were obtained from the literature. These data were included in a meta-population model in differential equations, represented by a model structured by age for the dynamic population of Ae. aegypti combined with an epidemiological SEI/SEIR-type model. In addition, the model was incorporated with a term of migration to represent the connectivity between the biogeographical provinces.

Results

The vital rates and the development cycle of Ae. aegypti varied between provinces, having greater biological potential between 23 °C and 28 °C in provinces of Imerí, biogeographical Chocó, and Magdalena, with respect to the North-Andean Moorland (9.33–21.38 °C). Magdalena and Maracaibo had the highest flow of land cargo. The results of the simulations indicate that Magdalena, Imerí, and biogeographical Chocó would be the most affected regarding the number of cases of people infected by Mayaro virus over time.

Conclusions

The temperature in each of the provinces influences the local population dynamics of Ae. aegypti and passive migration via transport of land cargo plays an important role on how the Mayaro virus would be disseminated in the human population. Once this arbovirus begins an urban cycle, the most-affected departments would be Antioquia, Santander, Norte de Santander, Cesar (Provinces of Magdalena), and Valle del Cauca, and Chocó (biogeographical province of Chocó), which is why vector control programmes must aim their efforts at these departments and include some type of vector control to the transport of land cargo to avoid a future Mayaro epidemic.

Endemic and Epidemic Human Alphavirus Infections in Eastern Panama: An Analysis of Population-Based Cross-Sectional Surveys

Madariaga virus (MADV) has recently been associated with severe human disease in Panama, where the closely related Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) also circulates. In June 2017, a fatal MADV infection was confirmed in a community of Darien Province. We conducted a cross-sectional outbreak investigation with human and mosquito collections in July 2017, where sera were tested for alphavirus antibodies and viral RNA. In addition, by applying a catalytic, force-of-infection (FOI) statistical model to two serosurveys from Darien Province in 2012 and 2017, we investigated whether endemic or epidemic alphavirus transmission occurred historically. In 2017, MADV and VEEV IgM seroprevalences were 1.6% and 4.4%, respectively; IgG antibody prevalences were MADV: 13.2%, VEEV: 16.8%, Una virus (UNAV): 16.0%, and Mayaro virus: 1.1%. Active viral circulation was not detected. Evidence of MADV and UNAV infection was found near households, raising questions about its vectors and enzootic transmission cycles. Insomnia was associated with MADV and VEEV infections, depression symptoms were associated with MADV, and dizziness with VEEV and UNAV. Force-of-infection analyses suggest endemic alphavirus transmission historically, with recent increased human exposure to MADV and VEEV in Aruza and Mercadeo, respectively. The lack of additional neurological cases suggests that severe MADV and VEEV infections occur only rarely. Our results indicate that over the past five decades, alphavirus infections have occurred at low levels in eastern Panama, but that MADV and VEEV infections have recently increased-potentially during the past decade. Endemic infections and outbreaks of MADV and VEEV appear to differ spatially in some locations of eastern Panama.

Arthritogenic alphaviruses: epidemiological and clinical perspective on emerging arboviruses

Mosquito-borne viruses, or arboviruses, have been part of the infectious disease landscape for centuries, and are often, but not exclusively, endemic to equatorial and subtropical regions of the world. The past two decades saw the re-emergence of arthritogenic alphaviruses, a genus of arboviruses that includes several members that cause severe arthritic disease. Recent outbreaks further highlight the substantial public health burden caused by these viruses. Arthritogenic alphaviruses are often reported in the context of focused outbreaks in specific regions (eg, Caribbean, southeast Asia, and Indian Ocean) and cause debilitating acute disease that can extend to chronic manifestations for years after infection. These viruses are classified among several antigenic complexes, span a range of hosts and mosquito vectors, and can be distributed along specific geographical locations. In this Review, we highlight key features of alphaviruses that are known to cause arthritic disease in humans and outline the present findings pertaining to classification, immunogenicity, pathogenesis, and experimental approaches aimed at limiting disease manifestations. Although the most prominent alphavirus outbreaks in the past 15 years featured chikungunya virus, and a large body of work has been dedicated to understanding chikungunya disease mechanisms, this Review will instead focus on other arthritogenic alphaviruses that have been identified globally and provide a comprehensive appraisal of present and future research directions.

Adenoviral-Vectored Mayaro and Chikungunya Virus Vaccine Candidates Afford Partial Cross-Protection From Lethal Challenge in A129 Mouse Model

Mayaro (MAYV) and chikungunya viruses (CHIKV) are vector-borne arthritogenic alphaviruses that cause acute febrile illnesses. CHIKV is widespread and has recently caused large urban outbreaks, whereas the distribution of MAYV is restricted to tropical areas in South America with small and sporadic outbreaks. Because MAYV and CHIKV are closely related and have high amino acid similarity, we investigated whether vaccination against one could provide cross-protection against the other. We vaccinated A129 mice (IFNAR -/-) with vaccines based on chimpanzee adenoviral vectors encoding the structural proteins of either MAYV or CHIKV. ChAdOx1 May is a novel vaccine against MAYV, whereas ChAdOx1 Chik is a vaccine against CHIKV already undergoing early phase I clinical trials. We demonstrate that ChAdOx1 May was able to afford full protection against MAYV challenge in mice, with most samples yielding neutralizing PRNT80 antibody titers of 1:258. ChAdOx1 May also provided partial cross-protection against CHIKV, with protection being assessed using the following parameters: survival, weight loss, foot swelling and viremia. Reciprocally, ChAdOx1 Chik vaccination reduced MAYV viral load, as well as morbidity and lethality caused by this virus, but did not protect against foot swelling. The cross-protection observed is likely to be, at least in part, secondary to cross-neutralizing antibodies induced by both vaccines. In summary, our findings suggest that ChAdOx1 Chik and ChAdOx1 May vaccines are not only efficacious against CHIKV and MAYV, respectively, but also afford partial heterologous cross-protection.

A molecular understanding of alphavirus entry

Alphaviruses cause severe human illnesses including persistent arthritis and fatal encephalitis. As alphavirus entry into target cells is the first step in infection, intensive research efforts have focused on elucidating aspects of this pathway, including attachment, internalization, and fusion. Herein, we review recent developments in the molecular understanding of alphavirus entry both in vitro and in vivo and how these advances might enable the design of therapeutics targeting this critical step in the alphavirus life cycle.

Mayaro Virus Pathogenesis and Transmission Mechanisms

Mayaro virus (MAYV), isolated for the first time in Trinidad and Tobago, has captured the attention of public health authorities worldwide following recent outbreaks in the Americas. It has a propensity to be exported outside its original geographical range, because of the vast distribution of its vectors. Moreover, most of the world population is immunologically naïve with respect to infection with MAYV which makes this virus a true threat. The recent invasion of several countries by Aedesalbopictus underscores the risk of potential urban transmission of MAYV in both tropical and temperate regions. In humans, the clinical manifestations of MAYV disease range from mild fever, rash, and joint pain to arthralgia. In the absence of a licensed vaccine and clinically proven therapeutics against Mayaro fever, prevention focuses mainly on household mosquito control. However, as demonstrated for other arboviruses, mosquito control is rather inefficient for outbreak management and alternative approaches to contain the spread of MAYV are therefore necessary. Despite its strong epidemic potential, little is currently known about MAYV. This review addresses various aspects of MAYV, including its epidemiology, vector biology, mode of transmission, and clinical complications, as well as the latest developments in MAYV diagnosis.

Epidemic Alphaviruses: Ecology, Emergence and Outbreaks

Over the past century, the emergence/reemergence of arthropod-borne zoonotic agents has been a growing public health concern. In particular, agents from the genus Alphavirus pose a significant risk to both animal and human health. Human alphaviral disease presents with either arthritogenic or encephalitic manifestations and is associated with significant morbidity and/or mortality. Unfortunately, there are presently no vaccines or antiviral measures approved for human use. The present review examines the ecology, epidemiology, disease, past outbreaks, and potential to cause contemporary outbreaks for several alphavirus pathogens.