Unique epitopes recognized by antibodies induced in Chikungunya virus-infected non-human primates: implications for the study of immunopathology and vaccine development.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an Alphavirus that causes chronic and incapacitating arthralgia in humans. Although patient cohort studies have shown the production of CHIKV specific antibodies, the fine specificity of the antibody response against CHIKV is not completely defined. The macaque model of CHIKV infection was established due to limitations of clinical specimens.

Diversity of Phlebotomus perniciosus in Provence, southeastern France: Detection of two putative new phlebovirus sequences.

Phlebotomine sand flies are known to transmit Leishmania, bacteria, and viruses that affect humans and animals in many countries worldwide. Sand fly-borne viruses belong mainly to the Phlebovirus, Vesiculovirus, and Orbivirus genera, and some of them are associated with outbreaks or sporadic human cases in the Mediterranean Europe. Up to now, Toscana virus is the only phlebovirus of medical importance identified in France.

Longitudinal analysis of the human antibody response to Chikungunya virus infection: implications for serodiagnosis and vaccine development.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus which causes chronic and incapacitating arthralgia in humans. Although previous studies have shown that antibodies against the virus are produced during and after infection, the fine specificity of the antibody response against CHIKV is not known. Here, using plasma from patients at different times postinfection, we characterized the antibody response against various proteins of the virus.

Chikungunya virus infection of corneal grafts.

Background: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arbovirus with a high potential to spread globally. We investigated whether CHIKV is transmittable via corneal grafts.

Methods: Serum specimens from 69 potential corneal donors living in La Réunion during the 2005–2006 outbreak of CHIKV infection were screened for anti-CHIKV antibodies.

[Plasmacytosis and dengue fever: an underestimated abnormality?].

Introduction: A significant peripheral blood plasmacytosis is a rare finding associated with viral infections. We reported five consecutive cases of dengue virus infection, with circulating plasma cells.

Case Reports: Three women and two men, aged 26 to 75 years, had returned from French West Indies less than one week before the onset of the symptoms (mean: 2.