Determining effectiveness of rotavirus vaccine by immunochromatography and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction: A comparison.

Introduction: Because of the large animal reservoirs and reassortment capacity of rotaviruses (RVs) that pose the possibilities of waning the effectiveness of RV-vaccines, it remains essential to monitor vaccine effectiveness (VE) regularly. Although reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) remains sensitive for RV detection, physicians, especially in Japan, frequently use immunochromatography (IC)-based kits for RV diagnosis. Recently, IC is being used to calculate VE also.

Replication-incompetent rabies virus vector harboring glycoprotein gene of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) protects mice from LCMV challenge.

Background: Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) causes a variety of diseases, including asymptomatic infections, meningitis, and congenital infections in the fetus of infected mother. The development of a safe and effective vaccine against LCMV is imperative. This study aims to develop a new candidate vaccine against LCMV using a recombinant replication-incompetent rabies virus (RV) vector.

A Single Vaccination of Nonhuman Primates with Highly Attenuated Smallpox Vaccine, LC16m8, Provides Long-term Protection against Monkeypox.

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) causes human monkeypox (human MPX), which is a similar disease to smallpox in humans. A previous study showed that a single vaccination of monkeys with LC16m8, a highly attenuated smallpox vaccine, protected them from MPX from 4-5 weeks post-vaccination. In this study, we evaluated the long-term efficacy of a single vaccination with LC16m8 in a nonhuman primate model of MPXV infection.

Analysis of the humoral immune responses among cynomolgus macaque naturally infected with Reston virus during the 1996 outbreak in the Philippines.

Background: Ebolaviruses induce lethal viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) in humans and non-human primates, with the exceptions of Reston virus (RESTV), which is not pathogenic for humans. In human VHF cases, extensive analyses of the humoral immune responses in survivors and non-survivors have shown that the IgG responses to nucleoprotein (NP) and other viral proteins are associated with asymptomatic and survival outcomes, and that the neutralizing antibody responses targeting ebolaviruses glycoprotein (GP1,2) are the major indicator of protective immunity. On the other hand, the immune responses in non-human primates, especially naturally infected ones, have not yet been elucidated in detail, and the significance of the antibody responses against NP and GP1,2 in RESTV-infected cynomolgus macaques is still unclear.

A seroepidemiologic study of Reston ebolavirus in swine in the Philippines.

Background: Ebola viruses cause viral hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates and are endemic in Africa. Reston ebolavirus (REBOV) has caused several epizootics in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) but is not associated with any human disease. In late 2008, REBOV infections were identified in swine for the first time in the Philippines.

Expression of herpes simplex virus type 1 recombinant thymidine kinase and its application to a rapid antiviral sensitivity assay.

Antiviral-resistant herpesvirus infection has become a great concern for immunocompromised patients. Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infections are treated with viral thymidine kinase (vTK)-associated drugs such as acyclovir (ACV), and most ACV-resistance (ACV(r)) is due to mutations in the vTK. The standard drug sensitivity test is usually carried out by the plaque reduction assay-based method, which requires over 10 days.

Virulence and pathophysiology of the Congo Basin and West African strains of monkeypox virus in non-human primates.

Monkeypox virus is divided into Congo Basin and West African strains. The virulence and pathophysiology of two strains, Zr-599 (a Congo Basin monkeypox virus) and Liberia (a West African monkeypox virus), were evaluated in non-human primates. Four monkeys were infected by the subcutaneous (SC) and two by the intranasal (IN) inoculation routes for Zr-599 and Liberia at a dose of 10(6) p.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification-based diagnostic assay for monkeypox virus infections.

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) causes a smallpox-like disease in non-human primates and humans. This infection is endemic to central and western Africa. MPXV is divided into two genetically different groups, Congo Basin and West African MPXV, with the former being the more virulent.

Diagnosis and assessment of monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection by quantitative PCR assay: differentiation of Congo Basin and West African MPXV strains.

Human monkeypox, an infectious disease caused by monkeypox virus (MPXV), is endemic to western and central Africa. A LightCycler quantitative PCR (LC-qPCR) system was developed for the diagnosis of this disease, targeting the A-type inclusion body gene (ATI gene) of MPXV. One naive monkey was infected with MPXV Zr-599 (Congo Basin strain) and one with MPXV Liberia (West African strain).