Evaluation of renal markers and liver enzymes in patients infected with the Chikungunya virus.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arbovirus (Togaviridae family, Alphavirus genus) that was first identified in 1953 in Tanzania. In 2014, the Asian and East/Central/South/African (ECSA) genotypes were identified in Brazil, although the genotype that spread the most in the following years across the Brazilian territory was the ECSA. The clinical symptoms associated with the infection caused by CHIKV include mainly fever, myalgia, headache, and arthralgia.

Understanding yellow fever-associated myocardial injury: an autopsy study.

Background: Yellow fever (YF) is a viral hemorrhagic fever, endemic in parts of South America and Africa. There is scarce evidence about the pathogenesis of the myocardial injury. The objective of this study is to evaluate the cardiac pathology in fatal cases of YF.

Phylogeographic patterns of the yellow fever virus around the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil, 2016-2019.

From 2016 to 2019, the largest outbreak caused by the Yellow Fever virus (YFV) in the 21st century in the Americas occurred in southeastern Brazil. A sylvatic cycle of transmission was reported near densely populated areas, such as the large metropolitan area of the city of São Paulo. Here, we describe the origin, spread, and movement of the YFV throughout the state of São Paulo.

Chikungunya Virus E2 Structural Protein B-Cell Epitopes Analysis.

The family comprises a large and diverse group of viruses responsible for recurrent outbreaks in humans. Within this family, the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an important in terms of morbidity, mortality, and economic impact on humans in different regions of the world. The objective of this study was to perform an IgG epitope recognition of the CHIKV's structural proteins E2 and E3 using linear synthetic peptides recognized by serum from patients in the convalescence phase of infection.

SARS-CoV-2 host prediction based on virus-host genetic features.

The genetic diversity of the Coronaviruses gives them different biological abilities, such as infect different cells and/or organisms, a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, their different routes of dispersion, and viral transmission in a specific host. In recent decades, different Coronaviruses have emerged that are highly adapted for humans and causing serious diseases, leaving their host of unknown origin. The viral genome information is particularly important to enable the recognition of patterns linked to their biological characteristics, such as the specificity in the host-parasite relationship.

Atypical Prolonged Viral Shedding With Intra-Host SARS-CoV-2 Evolution in a Mildly Affected Symptomatic Patient.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is caused by a respiratory virus with a wide range of manifestations, varying from asymptomatic to fatal cases, with a generally short outcome. However, some individuals present long-term viral shedding. We monitored 38 individuals who were mildly affected by the SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Nano-multilamellar lipid vesicles loaded with a recombinant form of the chikungunya virus E2 protein improve the induction of virus-neutralizing antibodies.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is responsible for a self-limited illness that can evolve into long-lasting painful joint inflammation. In this study, we report a novel experimental CHIKV vaccine formulation of lipid nanoparticles loaded with a recombinant protein derived from the E2 structural protein. This antigen fragment, designated ∆E2.

Systemic dengue infection associated with a new dengue virus type 2 introduction in Brazil - a case report.

Background: Dengue infection is caused by an arbovirus with a wide range of presentations, varying from asymptomatic disease to unspecific febrile illness and haemorrhagic syndrome with shock, which can evolve to death. In Brazil, the virus circulates since the 1980s with many introductions of new serotypes, genotypes, and lineages since then. Here we report a fatal case of dengue associated with a Dengue virus (DENV) lineage not detected in the country until now.

Biological Characteristics and Patterns of Codon Usage Evolution for the African Genotype Zika Virus.

We investigated temporal trends of codon usage changes for different host species to determine their importance in Zika virus (ZIKV) evolution. Viral spillover resulting from the potential of codon adaptation to host genome was also assessed for the African genotype ZIKV in comparison to the Asian genotype. To improve our understanding on its zoonotic maintenance, we evaluated in vitro the biological properties of the African genotype ZIKV in vertebrate and mosquito cell lines.

Origin of the São Paulo Yellow Fever epidemic of 2017-2018 revealed through molecular epidemiological analysis of fatal cases.

The largest outbreak of yellow fever of the 21 century in the Americas began in 2016, with intense circulation in the southeastern states of Brazil, particularly in sylvatic environments near densely populated areas including the metropolitan region of São Paulo city (MRSP) during 2017-2018. Herein, we describe the origin and molecular epidemiology of yellow fever virus (YFV) during this outbreak inferred from 36 full genome sequences taken from individuals who died following infection with zoonotic YFV. Our analysis revealed that these deaths were due to three genetic variants of sylvatic YFV that belong the South American I genotype and that were related to viruses previously isolated in 2017 from other locations in Brazil (Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Bahia and Rio de Janeiro states).

Ultrasound-guided minimally invasive autopsy as a tool for rapid post-mortem diagnosis in the 2018 Sao Paulo yellow fever epidemic: Correlation with conventional autopsy.

Background: New strategies for collecting post-mortem tissue are necessary, particularly in areas with emerging infections. Minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) has been proposed as an alternative to conventional autopsy (CA), with promising results. Previous studies using MIA addressed the cause of death in adults and children in developing countries.

Systems analysis of subjects acutely infected with the Chikungunya virus.

The largest ever recorded epidemic of the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) broke out in 2004 and affected four continents. Acute symptomatic infections are typically associated with the onset of fever and often debilitating polyarthralgia/polyarthritis. In this study, a systems biology approach was adopted to analyze the blood transcriptomes of adults acutely infected with the CHIKV.

Association of Malaria Infection During Pregnancy With Head Circumference of Newborns in the Brazilian Amazon.

Importance: Malaria during pregnancy is associated with adverse events for the fetus and newborn, but the association of malaria during pregnancy with the head circumference of the newborn is unclear.

Objective: To investigate the association of malaria during pregnancy with fetal head growth.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Two cohort studies were conducted at the general maternity hospital of Cruzeiro do Sul (Acre, Brazil) in the Amazonian region.

Origin, tempo, and mode of the spread of DENV-4 Genotype IIB across the state of São Paulo, Brazil during the 2012-2013 outbreak.

Background: Dengue virus type 4 (DENV-4) was first reported in Brazil in 1982 and since then no more cases were detected again in Brazil until 2010, when the virus was reintroduced. Over the following years, the virus spread to several Brazilian states and resulted in about 1,400,000 dengue cases, in 2013. The largest number of cases were documented in the Southeast macro-region.

Recombinant noroviruses detected in Mid-West region of Brazil in two different periods 2009-2011 and 2014-2015: Atypical breakpoints of recombination and detection of distinct GII.P7-GII.6 lineages.

Noroviruses are an important cause of acute gastroenteritis. The high incidence of norovirus is a reflection of its great genomic and antigenic variability resultant of evolutionary mechanisms, such as recombination. Herein, the main objective of this study was to characterize partially two regions of norovirus genome (RdRp and VP1) from fecal samples, collected in two different time periods (2009-2011 and 2014-2015) in the Mid-West region of Brazil.

Codon adaptation biases among sylvatic and urban genotypes of Dengue virus type 2.

Dengue virus (DENV) emerged from the sylvatic environment and colonized urban settings, being sustained in a human-Aedes-human transmission chain, mainly by the bites of females of the anthropophilic species Aedes aegypti. Herein, we sought evidence for fine-tuning in viral codon usage, possibly due to viral adaptation to human transmission. We compared the codon adaptation of DENV serotype 2 (DENV-2) genotypes from urban and sylvatic habitats and tried to correlate the findings with key evolutionary determinants.

Complete Genome Sequences of Five Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Isolates Collected in Brazil.

Here, we present the complete genome sequences of five human respiratory syncytial virus isolates collected from hospitalized infants suffering from acute respiratory disease. These are the first five complete genome sequences of human respiratory syncytial virus to originate from Brazil.

Complete Genome Sequence of a Human Metapneumovirus Isolate Collected in Brazil.

Here, we present the complete genome sequence of a human metapneumovirus isolate collected from a hospitalized infant suffering from acute respiratory disease. This is the first complete genome sequence of human metapneumovirus originating from Brazil.

Complete Genome Sequences of Two Human Parainfluenza Virus Type 3 Isolates Collected in Brazil.

Here, we present the complete genome sequences of two human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV-3) isolates collected from hospitalized infants suffering from acute respiratory disease. These are the first complete genome sequences of HPIV-3 originating from Brazil.

Outbreak of chikungunya virus in a vulnerable population of Sergipe, Brazil-A molecular and serological survey.

Background: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging arbovirus that is causing outbreaks in several countries of the Americas. The virus was introduced in Brazil in 2014, and since then, several Brazilian states have notified autochthonous cases.

Objectives: Provide additional evidence on a CHIKV outbreak and an outline of the laboratory and clinical profile of symptomatic patients in Sergipe, Brazil.

Phylodynamics of DENV-1 reveals the spatiotemporal co-circulation of two distinct lineages in 2013 and multiple introductions of dengue virus in Goiás, Brazil.

Dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) was the first serotype introduced in Brazil, during in the 1980s. Since then, this virus has spread in the Brazilian territory, causing several outbreaks. In 2013 the highest number of dengue cases was notified, when compared to the previous years in Brazil, and the state of Goiás reported over 160 thousand cases.

Hepatitis B virus infection among institutionalized mentally ill patients in Brazil.

Objectives: The main objective was to evaluate HBV infection and occult HBV infection (OBI) cases in mentally ill patients based on serological and molecular profiles.

Material And Methods: Serum samples of 333 long-stay mentally ill patients were tested for the prevalence of HBV markers by serological (ELISA) and molecular (PCR) assays. The PCR products were sequenced to determine viral genotypes.