Development of a multiplex microsphere immunoassay for the detection of antibodies against highly pathogenic viruses in human and animal serum samples.

Surveillance of highly pathogenic viruses circulating in both human and animal populations is crucial to unveil endemic infections and potential zoonotic reservoirs. Monitoring the burden of disease by serological assay could be used as an early warning system for imminent outbreaks as an increased seroprevalance often precedes larger outbreaks. However, the multitude of highly pathogenic viruses necessitates the need to identify specific antibodies against several targets from both humans as well as from potential reservoir animals such as bats.

Utility of primary cells to examine NPC1 receptor expression in Mops condylurus, a potential Ebola virus reservoir.

The significance of the integral membrane protein Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) in the ebolavirus entry process has been determined using various cell lines derived from humans, non-human primates and fruit bats. Fruit bats have long been purported as the potential reservoir host for ebolaviruses, however several studies provide evidence that Mops condylurus, an insectivorous microbat, is also an ebolavirus reservoir. NPC1 receptor expression in the context of ebolavirus replication in microbat cells remains unstudied.

Multicentre evaluation of central nervous system infections due to Flavi and Phleboviruses in Turkey.

Objectives: Flavi- and Phleboviruses associated with central nervous system (CNS) infections including West Nile Virus (WNV), Tick-borne Encephalitis Virus (TBEV) and Toscana Virus (TOSV) cause significant morbidity and mortality in humans. In this study, the impact of these agents have been investigated in CNS infections at referral hospitals in two provinces in Turkey, where circulation of these viruses have previously been recognized.

Methods: In the study, 258 samples from 126 individuals from Ankara and 113 samples from 108 individuals from Izmir provinces collected in 2010 were included.

Evaluation of the first commercial chikungunya virus indirect immunofluorescence test.

The chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus of the genus Alphavirus, family Togaviridae, is mainly transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. It causes an acute infection, characterized by high fever, polyarthralgia and rash and was responsible for a major outbreak which started in 2005 and spread over many islands of the south western Indian Ocean before it hit the Indian subcontinent. As nucleic acid amplification can be used only during the viremic period, serological tests are most widely used for the diagnosis of CHIKV infections.