Development of a Luciferase Immunosorbent Assay for Detecting Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus IgG Antibodies Based on Nucleoprotein.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a serious tick-borne disease with a wide geographical distribution. Classified as a level 4 biosecurity risk pathogen, CCHF can be transmitted cross-species due to its aerosol infectivity and ability to cause severe hemorrhagic fever outbreaks with high morbidity and mortality. However, current methods for detecting anti-CCHFV antibodies are limited.

Gender Identity Disclosure and Healthcare Services Uptake Among Chinese Transgender Individuals in China: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study.

Purpose: Culture and stigma-relevant issues discourage transgender individuals in China from gender identity disclosure, which may limit their access to comprehensive health care services. This study evaluates how gender identity disclosure to healthcare professionals would facilitate healthcare services in China.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in nine cities across mainland China from December 2019 to June 2020 among transgender individuals.

Rapid and extensive SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection wave revealed by wastewater surveillance in Shenzhen following the lifting of a strict COVID-19 strategy.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as a promising tool for monitoring the spread of COVID-19, as SARS-CoV-2 can be shed in the faeces of infected individuals, even in the absence of symptoms. This study aimed to optimize a prediction model for estimating COVID-19 infection rates based on SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in wastewater, and reveal the infection trends and variant diversification in Shenzhen, China following the lifting of a strict COVID-19 strategy. Faecal samples (n = 4337) from 1204 SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals hospitalized in a designated hospital were analysed to obtain Omicron variant-specific faecal shedding dynamics.

Determinants of sputum culture conversion time in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients in ALERT comprehensive specialized hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: The treatment response of multi-drug resistance tuberculosis (MDR-Tuberculosis) patients is mainly dictated by the sputum culture conversion. An earlier culture conversion is a remarkable indicator of the improvement in the treatment response. In this study, we aimed to determine the time to culture conversion and its associated factors among MDR-Tuberculosis patients in All Africa Leprosy, Tuberculosis and Rehabilitation Training Center (ALERT) Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

A Luciferase Immunosorbent Assay Based on Attachment Glycoprotein for the Rapid and Easy Detection of Nipah Virus IgG Antibodies.

Nipah virus (NiV) is a virulent zoonotic disease whose natural host is the fruit bat (), which can coexist with and transmit the virus. Due to its high pathogenicity, wide host range, and pandemic potential, establishing a sensitive, specific, and rapid diagnostic method for NiV is key to preventing and controlling its spread and any outbreaks. Here, we established a luciferase immunosorbent assay (LISA) based on the NiV attachment glycoprotein (G) to detect NiV-specific immunoglobulin G by expressing a fusion protein of nanoluciferase (NanoLuc) and the target antigen.

Early Detection of the Emerging SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 Lineage Through Wastewater Surveillance Using a Mediator Probe PCR Assay - Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China, 2023.

Introduction: The emergence of the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron sublineage, BA.2.86, has sparked global public health concerns for its potential heightened transmissibility and immune evasion.

Enterohemorrhagic effector EspF triggers oxidative DNA lesions in intestinal epithelial cells.

Attaching/effacing (A/E) pathogens induce DNA damage and colorectal cancer by injecting effector proteins into host cells via the type III secretion system (T3SS). EspF is one of the T3SS-dependent effector proteins exclusive to A/E pathogens, which include enterohemorrhagic . The role of EspF in the induction of double-strand breaks (DSBs) and the phosphorylation of the repair protein SMC1 has been demonstrated previously.

Development of monoclonal antibodies targeting the conserved fragment of hexon protein to detect different serotypes of human adenovirus.

Unlabelled: Human adenovirus (HAdV) infects the respiratory system, thus posing a threat to health. However, immunodiagnostic reagents for human adenovirus are limited. This study aimed to develop efficient diagnostic reagents based on monoclonal antibodies for diagnosing various human adenovirus infections.

Calpain-2 protein influences replication and regulates vimentin rearrangement caused by infection.

Chikungunya fever (CHIF), a vector-borne disease transmitted mainly by and , is caused by (CHIKV) infection. To date, it is estimated that 39% of the world's population is at risk of infection for living in countries and regions where CHIKV is endemic. However, at present, the cellular receptors of CHIKV remains not clear, and there are no specific drugs and vaccines for CHIF.

Isolation of novel simian adenoviruses from macaques for development of a vector for human gene therapy and vaccines.

Adenoviruses are widely used in gene therapy and vaccine delivery. Due to the high prevalence of human adenoviruses (HAdVs), the pre-existing immunity against HAdVs in humans is common, which limits the wide and repetitive use of HAdV vectors. In contrast, the pre-existing immunity against simian adenoviruses (SAdVs) is low in humans.

Three neutralizing mAbs induced by MPXV A29L protein recognizing different epitopes act synergistically against orthopoxvirus.

The worldwide outbreak of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) has become a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" (PHEIC). Severe monkeypox virus infection can be fatal, however, effective therapeutic methods are yet to be developed. Mice were immunized with A35R protein and A29L protein of MPXV, and the binding and neutralizing activities of the immune sera against poxvirus-associated antigens and viruses were identified.

A simple and effective aerosol pathogen disinfection test for a flowing air disinfector.

Aerosol transmission is an important disease transmission route and has been especially pertinent to hospital and biosafety laboratories during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The thermal resistance of airborne SARS-CoV-2 is lower than that of spores, which are often used to test the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogen disinfection methods. Herein, we propose a new method to test the disinfection ability of a flowing air disinfector (a digital electromagnetic induction air heater) using spores.

Effects of a Shift of the Signal Peptide Cleavage Site in Signal Peptide Variant on the Synthesis and Secretion of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein.

The COVID-19 pandemic is caused by SARS-CoV-2; the spike protein is a key structural protein that mediates infection of the host by SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of signal peptide on the secretion and release of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Therefore, we constructed a signal peptide deletion mutant and three signal peptide site-directed mutants.

Enhancing the Immunogenicity of RBD Protein Variants through Amino Acid E484 Mutation in SARS-CoV-2.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, conducting antibody testing and vaccination is critical. In particular, the continued evolution of SARS-CoV-2 raises concerns about the effectiveness of vaccines currently in use and the activity of neutralizing antibodies. Here, we used the expression system to obtain nine different SARS-CoV-2 RBD protein variants, including six single-point mutants, one double-point mutant, and two three-point mutants.

Broadly neutralizing antibodies recognizing different antigenic epitopes act synergistically against the influenza B virus.

The discovery of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against influenza viruses has raised hope for the successful development of new antiviral drugs. However, due to the speed and variety of mutations in influenza viruses, single-component antibodies that recognize specific epitopes are susceptible to viral escape and have limited efficacy when administration is delayed. Hence, it is necessary to develop alternative strategies with better antiviral activity.

Murine diabetic models for dengue virus infection.

Dengue virus (DENV) is a critical public health concern in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Thus, immunocompetent murine models of DENV infection with robust viremia are required for vaccine studies. Diabetes is highly prevalent worldwide, making it frequent comorbidity in patients with dengue fever.

Outbreak dynamics of foodborne pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus over a seventeen year period implies hidden reservoirs.

Controlling foodborne diseases requires robust outbreak detection and a comprehensive understanding of outbreak dynamics. Here, by integrating large-scale phylogenomic analysis of 3,642 isolates and epidemiological data, we performed 'data-driven' outbreak detection and described the long-term outbreak dynamics of the leading seafood-associated pathogen, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, in Shenzhen, China, over a 17-year period. Contradictory to the widely accepted notion that sporadic patients and independent point-source outbreaks dominated foodborne infections, we found that 71% of isolates from patients grouped into within-1-month clusters that differed by ≤6 single nucleotide polymorphisms, indicating putative outbreaks.

EspF of Enterohemorrhagic Enhances Apoptosis Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Intestinal Epithelial Cells: An Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantitation-Based Comparative Proteomic Analysis.

There have been large foodborne outbreaks related to Enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) around the world. Among its virulence proteins, the EspF encoded by locus of enterocyte effacement is one of the most known functional effector proteins. In this research, we infected the HT-29 cells with the EHEC wild type strain and EspF-deficient EHEC strain.

Dengue virus is involved in insulin resistance via the downregulation of IRS-1 by inducing TNF-α secretion.

During the epidemic, the individuals with underlying diseases usually have a higher rate of mortality. Diabetes is highly prevalent worldwide, making it a frequent comorbidity in dengue fever patients. Therefore, understanding the relationship between dengue virus (DENV) infection and diabetes is important.

Pulmonary tuberculosis screening in emigrants and travellers: A retrospective analysis of Guangzhou Port in China.

Background: China is beginning to transform from a migrant exporting country to a migrant importing country. Our study aimed to assess risks of imported tuberculosis among travellers and to determine risk factors, to tailor institutional guidelines.

Methods: We conducted an observational, retrospective, population-based cohort study.

Luciferase Immunosorbent Assay Based on Multiple E Antigens for the Detection of Chikungunya Virus-Specific IgG Antibodies.

In recent years, the chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has continued to spread from local epidemics to nonnative habitats until eventually reaching pandemic status. Nonendemic areas such as China have also emerged as potential epidemic areas of CHIKV. Serological detection of CHIKV is the key to diagnosing and controlling the prevalence of this virus.

High-specificity targets in SARS-CoV-2 N protein for serological detection and distinction from SARS-CoV.

Numerous serological detection kits are being rapidly developed and approved for screening and diagnosing suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. However, cross-reactivity between pre-existing antibodies against other coronaviruses and the captured antigens in these kits can affect detection accuracy, emphasizing the necessity for identifying highly specific antigen fragments for antibody detection. Thus, we performed a conservation and specificity analysis of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleocapsid (N) protein.

Polyphosphate Kinase 1 Is a Pathogenesis Determinant in Enterohemorrhagic O157:H7.

The gene encodes polyphosphate kinase (PPK1), which is the major catalytic enzyme that utilizes to synthesize inorganic polyphosphate (polyP). The aim of this study was to explore the role of PPK1 in the pathogenesis of Enterohemorrhagic O157:H7 (EHEC O157:H7). An isogenic in-frame deletion mutant (Δ) and complemented mutant () were constructed and characterized in comparison to wild-type (WT) EHEC O157:H7 strain EDL933w by microscope observation and growth curve analysis.

Genomic Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile of Enterotoxigenic From Outpatients With Diarrhea in Shenzhen, China, 2015-2020.

Enterotoxigenic (ETEC) is the leading cause of severe diarrhea in children and the most common cause of diarrhea in travelers. However, most ETEC infections in Shenzhen, China were from indigenous adults. In this study, we characterized 106 ETEC isolates from indigenous outpatients with diarrhea (77% were adults aged >20 years) in Shenzhen between 2015 and 2020 by whole-genome sequencing and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.