Simplified Bioprinting-Based 3D Cell Culture Infection Models for Virus Detection.

Studies of virus-host interactions in vitro may be hindered by biological characteristics of conventional monolayer cell cultures that differ from in vivo infection. Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures show more in vivo-like characteristics and may represent a promising alternative for characterisation of infections. In this study, we established easy-to-handle cell culture platforms based on bioprinted 3D matrices for virus detection and characterisation.

Differential Efficacy of Novel Antiviral Substances in 3D and Monolayer Cell Culture.

Repurposing of approved drugs that target host functions also important for virus replication promises to overcome the shortage of antiviral therapeutics. Mostly, virus biology including initial screening of antivirals is studied in conventional monolayer cells. The biology of these cells differs considerably from infected tissues.

2019 meeting of the global virus network.

The Global Virus Network (GVN) was established in 2011 to strengthen research and responses to emerging viral causes of human disease and to prepare against new viral pandemics. There are now 52 GVN Centers of Excellence and 9 Affiliate laboratories in 32 countries. The 11th International GVN meeting was held from June 9-11, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain and was jointly organized with the Spanish Society of Virology.

Need for additional capacity and improved capability for molecular detection of yellow fever virus in European Expert Laboratories: External Quality Assessment, March 2018.

An external quality assessment of yellow fever virus (YFV) molecular detection in European laboratories was organised in rapid response to an increase in human cases in Brazil in 2018 with risk of import to Europe. Detection of YFV was assessed among 32 laboratories in 23/31 European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries and two laboratories in one non-EU/EEA country. Adequate capabilities were lacking in 10/23 countries; five did not participate as they lacked implemented assays.

Recombinant IFN-γ from the bank vole Myodes glareolus: a novel tool for research on rodent reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens.

Rodent species like Myodes glareolus and Microtus spp. are natural reservoirs for many zoonotic pathogens causing human diseases and are gaining increasing interest in the field of eco-immunology as candidate animal models. Despite their importance the lack of immunological reagents has hampered research in these animal species.

A novel three-dimensional cell culture method enhances antiviral drug screening in primary human cells.

Gefitinib is a specific inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and FDA approved for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. In a previous study we could show the in vitro efficacy of gefitinib for treatment of poxvirus infections in monolayer (2D) cultivated cell lines. Permanent cell lines and 2D cultures, however, are known to be rather unphysiological; therefore it is difficult to predict whether determined effective concentrations or the drug efficacy per se are transferable to the in vivo situation.

Dynamics of Pathological and Virological Findings During Experimental Calpox Virus Infection of Common Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).

Experimental intranasal infection of marmosets () with calpox virus results in fatal disease. Route and dose used for viral inoculation of the test animals mimics the natural transmission of smallpox, thus representing a suitable model to study pathogenesis and to evaluate new vaccines against orthopoxvirus infection. However, the pathogenic mechanisms leading to death are still unclear.

Limited susceptibility of rhesus macaques to a cowpox virus isolated from a lethal outbreak among New World monkeys.

This study was undertaken to investigate the susceptibility of rhesus monkeys to the calpox virus, an orthopoxvirus (OPXV) of the species (CPXV), which is uniformly lethal in common marmosets. Six rhesus monkeys were either intravenously (i.v.

External quality assessment study for ebolavirus PCR-diagnostic promotes international preparedness during the 2014 - 2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

During the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa several international mobile laboratories were deployed to the mainly affected countries Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia to provide ebolavirus diagnostic capacity. Additionally, imported cases and small outbreaks in other countries required global preparedness for Ebola diagnostics. Detection of viral RNA by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction has proven effective for diagnosis of ebolavirus disease and several assays are available.

2016 International meeting of the Global Virus Network.

The Global Virus Network (GVN) was established in 2011 in order to strengthen research and responses to current viral causes of human disease and to prepare against new viral pandemic threats. There are now 38 GVN Centers of Excellence and 6 Affiliate laboratories in 24 countries. GVN scientists meet annually to learn about each other's current research, address collaborative priorities and plan future programs.

Validation of the Cepheid GeneXpert for Detecting Ebola Virus in Semen.

Background: Ebola virus (EBOV) RNA persistence in semen, reported sexual transmission, and sporadic clusters at the end of the 2013-2016 epidemic have prompted recommendations that male survivors refrain from unprotected sex unless their semen is confirmed to be EBOV free. However, there is no fully validated assay for EBOV detection in fluids other than blood.

Methods: The Cepheid Xpert Ebola assay for EBOV RNA detection was validated for whole semen and blood using samples obtained from uninfected donors and spiked with inactivated EBOV.

Analysis of Diagnostic Findings From the European Mobile Laboratory in Guéckédou, Guinea, March 2014 Through March 2015.

Background: A unit of the European Mobile Laboratory (EMLab) consortium was deployed to the Ebola virus disease (EVD) treatment unit in Guéckédou, Guinea, from March 2014 through March 2015.

Methods: The unit diagnosed EVD and malaria, using the RealStar Filovirus Screen reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) kit and a malaria rapid diagnostic test, respectively.

Results: The cleaned EMLab database comprised 4719 samples from 2741 cases of suspected EVD from Guinea.

Interactions between Hepatitis C Virus and the Human Apolipoprotein H Acute Phase Protein: A Tool for a Sensitive Detection of the Virus.

The Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection exhibits a high global prevalence frequently associated with hepatocellular carcinoma, taking years to develop. Despite the standardization of highly sensitive HCV quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) detection methods, false-negative diagnoses may be generated with current methods, mainly due to the presence of PCR inhibitors and/or low viral loads in the patient's sample. These false-negative diagnoses impact both public health systems, in developing countries, and an in lesser extent, in developed countries, including both the risk of virus transmission during organ transplantation and/or blood transfusion and the quality of the antiviral treatment monitoring.

Temporal and spatial analysis of the 2014-2015 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa.

West Africa is currently witnessing the most extensive Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak so far recorded. Until now, there have been 27,013 reported cases and 11,134 deaths. The origin of the virus is thought to have been a zoonotic transmission from a bat to a two-year-old boy in December 2013 (ref.

Field Evaluation of Capillary Blood Samples as a Collection Specimen for the Rapid Diagnosis of Ebola Virus Infection During an Outbreak Emergency.

Background: Reliable reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based diagnosis of Ebola virus infection currently requires a blood sample obtained by intravenous puncture. During the current Ebola outbreak in Guinea, we evaluated the usability of capillary blood samples collected from fingersticks of patients suspected of having Ebola virus disease (EVD) for field diagnostics during an outbreak emergency.

Methods: A total of 120 venous and capillary blood samples were collected from 53 patients admitted to the Ebola Treatment Centre in Guéckédou, Guinea, between July and August 2014.

Origin of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 in rural Côte d'Ivoire.

Simian T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (STLV-1) strains occasionally infect humans. However, the frequency of such infections is unknown. We show that direct transmission of STLV-1 from nonhuman primates to humans may be responsible for a substantial proportion of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 infections in rural Côte d'Ivoire, where primate hunting is common.

Diversity of parvovirus 4-like viruses in humans, chimpanzees, and monkeys in hunter-prey relationships.

During 2010-2011, we investigated interspecies transmission of partetraviruses between predators (humans and chimpanzees) and their prey (colobus monkeys) in Côte d'Ivoire. Despite widespread infection in all species investigated, no interspecies transmission could be detected by PCR and genome analysis. All sequences identified formed species- or subspecies (chimpanzee)-specific clusters, which supports a co-evolution hypothesis.

The pathology of experimental poxvirus infection in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus): further characterization of a new primate model for orthopoxvirus infections.

Zoonotic orthopoxvirus (OPV) can induce severe disease in man and the virus has potential for use in bioterrorism. New vaccines and therapeutics against OPV infections must be tested in animal models. The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical course and pathology of a new OPV isolate, calpox virus, which is infectious in marmosets.

Gouleako virus isolated from West African mosquitoes constitutes a proposed novel genus in the family Bunyaviridae.

The family Bunyaviridae is the most diversified family of RNA viruses. We describe a novel prototypic bunyavirus, tentatively named Gouléako virus, isolated from various mosquito species trapped in Côte d'Ivoire. The S segment comprised 1,087 nucleotides (nt), the M segment 3,188 nt, and the L segment 6,358 nt, constituting the shortest bunyavirus genome known so far.

An insect nidovirus emerging from a primary tropical rainforest.

Tropical rainforests show the highest level of terrestrial biodiversity and may be an important contributor to microbial diversity. Exploitation of these ecosystems may foster the emergence of novel pathogens. We report the discovery of the first insect-associated nidovirus, tentatively named Cavally virus (CAVV).

Rapid detection of anti-Vaccinia virus neutralizing antibodies.

Increasing infections with Monkeypox and Cowpox viruses pose a continuous and growing threat to human health. The standard method for detecting poxvirus neutralizing antibodies is the plaque-reduction neutralization test that is specific but also time-consuming and laborious. Therefore, a rapid and reliable method was developed to determine neutralizing antibody titers within twelve hours.

Highly sensitive detection of the group A Rotavirus using Apolipoprotein H-coated ELISA plates compared to quantitative real-time PCR.

Background: The principle of a capture ELISA is binding of specific capture antibodies (polyclonal or monoclonal) to the surface of a suitable 96 well plate. These immobilized antibodies are capable of specifically binding a virus present in a clinical sample. Subsequently, the captured virus is detected using a specific detection antibody.

Wild chimpanzees infected with 5 Plasmodium species.

Data are missing on the diversity of Plasmodium spp. infecting apes that live in their natural habitat, with limited possibility of human-mosquito-ape exchange. We surveyed Plasmodium spp.

Inhibition of poxvirus spreading by the anti-tumor drug Gefitinib (Iressa).

The threat of smallpox virus as a bioterrorist weapon is raising international concerns again since the anthrax attacks in the USA in 2001. The medical readiness of treating patients suffering from such infections is a prerequisite of an effective civil defense system. Currently the only therapeutic option for the treatment of poxvirus infections relies on the virostatic nulceosid analog cidofovir, although severe side effects and drug resistant strains have been described.