The alarmin IL-33 exacerbates pulmonary inflammation and immune dysfunction in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Dysregulated host immune responses contribute to disease severity and worsened prognosis in COVID-19 infection and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we observed that IL-33, a damage-associated molecular pattern molecule, is significantly increased in COVID-19 patients and in SARS-CoV-2-infected mice. Using IL-33 mice, we demonstrated that IL-33 deficiency resulted in significant decreases in bodyweight loss, tissue viral burdens, and lung pathology.

Lack of the IFN-γ signal leads to lethal Orientia tsutsugamushi infection in mice with skin eschar lesions.

Scrub typhus is an acute febrile disease due to Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot) infection and can be life-threatening with organ failure, hemorrhage, and fatality. Yet, little is known as to how the host reacts to Ot bacteria at early stages of infection; no reports have addressed the functional roles of type I versus type II interferon (IFN) responses in scrub typhus. In this study, we used comprehensive intradermal (i.

Pathological Responses in Asian House Shrews () to the Naturally Acquired Infection.

Scrub typhus is a re-emerging disease caused by , transmitted by mites belonging to the family . Humans and rodents acquire the infection by the bite of larval mites/chiggers. , the Asian house shrew, has been reported to harbor the vector mites and has been naturally infected with .

Differential cellular immune responses against Orientia tsutsugamushi Karp and Gilliam strains following acute infection in mice.

Scrub typhus is a leading cause of febrile illness in endemic countries due to infection with Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot), a seriously understudied intracellular bacterium. Pulmonary involvement associated with vascular parasitism in patients is common and can develop into life threatening interstitial pneumonia. The diverse antigenicity of Ot genotypes and inter-strain differences in genome content are connected to varied virulence and clinical outcomes; however, detailed studies of strain-related pulmonary immune responses in human patients or small animal models of infection are lacking.

Brain transcriptomics reveal the activation of neuroinflammation pathways during acute infection in mice.

Scrub typhus, an acute febrile illness caused by (), is prevalent in endemic areas with one million new cases annually. Clinical observations suggest central nervous system (CNS) involvement in severe scrub typhus cases. Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) associated with infection is a major public health problem; however, the underlying mechanisms of neurological disorder remain poorly understood.