Evidence of Human Exposure to Tamdy Virus, Northwest China.

We report the isolation of Tamdy virus from Hyalomma asiaticum ticks in northwest China and serologic evidence of human Tamdy virus infection in the same region. These findings highlight the need to further investigate a potential causal relationship between Tamdy virus and febrile illnesses of unknown etiology in that region.

Design, synthesis, and antiviral activities of 1,5-benzothiazepine derivatives containing pyridine moiety.

In our previous work, a series of novel benzothiazepine derivatives containing pyridine moiety were successfully synthesized through chalcone 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and determined their antiviral activity against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Bioassay results indicated that most of these target compounds exhibited improved curative, protection, and inactivation activity in vivo than the commercial agent ningnanmycin. Particularly, compound 3m exhibited marked curative activity against TMV, with an EC value of 352.

Synthesis, antiviral activity, 3D-QSAR, and interaction mechanisms study of novel malonate derivatives containing quinazolin-4(3H)-one moiety.

A series of novel malonate derivatives containing quinazolin-4(3H)-one moiety were synthesized and evaluated for their antiviral activities against cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Results indicated that the title compounds exhibited good antiviral activities. Notably, compounds g15, g16, g17, and g18 exhibited excellent curative activities in vivo against CMV, with 50% effective concentration (EC50) values of 208.

Testing the Effect of Internal Genes Derived from a Wild-Bird-Origin H9N2 Influenza A Virus on the Pathogenicity of an A/H7N9 Virus.

Since 2013, avian influenza A(H7N9) viruses have diversified into multiple lineages by dynamically reassorting with other viruses, especially H9N2, in Chinese poultry. Despite concerns about the pandemic threat posed by H7N9 viruses, little is known about the biological properties of H7N9 viruses that may recruit internal genes from genetically distinct H9N2 viruses circulating among wild birds. Here, we generated 63 H7N9 reassortants derived from an avian H7N9 and a wild-bird-origin H9N2 virus.

Metagenomic profile of the viral communities in Rhipicephalus spp. ticks from Yunnan, China.

Besides mosquitoes, ticks are regarded as the primary source of vector-borne infectious diseases. Indeed, a wide variety of severe infectious human diseases, including those involving viruses, are transmitted by ticks in many parts of the world. To date, there are no published reports on the use of next-generation sequencing for studying viral diversity in ticks or discovering new viruses in these arthropods from China.

Improved methods for isolation of avian influenza virus.

Isolation of viruses using chick embryos is a classical virological method. Inoculation of the allantoic cavity and use of allantoic fluid is a common method of passaging isolated avian influenza viruses. In the present study, 2490 fresh fecal samples and 4967 old fecal samples were investigated and subjected to conventional passaging (allantoic fluid method).

Freshwater cyanophages.

Cyanophages are double-stranded DNA viruses that infect cyanobacteria, and they can be found in both freshwater and marine environments. They have a complex pattern of host ranges and play important roles in controlling cyanobacteria population. Unlike marine cyanophages, for which there have been a number of recent investigations, very little attention has been paid to freshwater cyanophages.

Sequential reassortments underlie diverse influenza H7N9 genotypes in China.

Initial genetic characterizations have suggested that the influenza A (H7N9) viruses responsible for the current outbreak in China are novel reassortants. However, little is known about the pathways of their evolution and, in particular, the generation of diverse viral genotypes. Here we report an in-depth evolutionary analysis of whole-genome sequence data of 45 H7N9 and 42 H9N2 viruses isolated from humans, poultry, and wild birds during recent influenza surveillance efforts in China.

Movements of wild ruddy shelducks in the Central Asian Flyway and their spatial relationship to outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 remains a serious concern for both poultry and human health. Wild waterfowl are considered to be the reservoir for low pathogenic avian influenza viruses; however, relatively little is known about their movement ecology in regions where HPAI H5N1 outbreaks regularly occur. We studied movements of the ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea), a wild migratory waterfowl species that was infected in the 2005 Qinghai Lake outbreak.

Complete genome sequences of two crimean-congo hemorrhagic Fever viruses isolated in china.

Here, we report the complete genome sequences of two Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) strains, 79121M18 and YL04057, isolated in Xinjiang, China. Sequence analysis showed that they represent a genotype of CCHFV that has not been reported before.

Mini-genome rescue of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus and research into the evolutionary patterns of its untranslated regions.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a member of genus Nairovirus, family Bunyaviridae, which are distributed widely in Africa, Europe and Asia with several genotypes. As a BSL-4 level pathogen, the requirement of high-level biosafety facilities severely constrains researches on live virus manipulation. In this study, we developed a helper-virus-independent mini-genome rescue system for the Chinese YL04057 strain.

Microbial transformation of curcumol by Aspergillus niger.

Curcumol is a representative index component for the quality control of the essential oil of Curcuma wenyujin Y.H. Chen et C.

An improved system for the evaluation of antiviral compounds against herpes simplex virus type 2.

Infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) can result in lesions in reproductive organs, along with long-term latency. In this work, a non-lethal strain of HSV-2 which was isolated clinically was used to infect female mice intravaginally. Body weight, vulval lesions, histological examination of vaginal tissue, and viral load were monitored and used as indices for evaluating antiviral drugs against HSV-2 infection.

Infection and propagation of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in embryonated chicken eggs.

The embryonated chicken egg (ECE) provides a convenient, space-saving incubator for the cultivation of many kinds of animal viruses where the egg can be easily observed for viral replication throughout the development of the chicken embryo. Within the family Bunyaviridae, the embryonated egg has been used as a host system for many viruses such as Rift Valley fever virus and Akabane virus. The current study was conducted to determine the cultivation of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) in ECE.

Molecular characterization of influenza B viruses isolated in east-central China in 2009-2010.

The current circulating influenza B viruses can be divided into two major phylogenetic lineages: the Victoria and Yamagata lineages. We conducted a survey of influenza B viruses in Hubei and Zhejiang provinces during 2009-2010. Out of 341 throat swabs, 18 influenza B viruses were isolated.

Amino acids 473V and 598P of PB1 from an avian-origin influenza A virus contribute to polymerase activity, especially in mammalian cells.

It has been reported that the avian-origin influenza A virus PB1 protein (avian PB1) enhances influenza A virus polymerase activity in mammalian cells when it replaces the human-origin PB1 protein (human PB1). Characterization of the amino acid residues that contribute to this enhancement is needed. In this study, it was found that PB1 from an avian-origin influenza A virus [A/Cambodia/P0322095/2005, H5N1 (Cam)] could enhance the polymerase activity of an attenuated human isolated virus, A/WSN/33, carrying the PB2 K627E mutation (WSN627E) in vitro.

Production of CCHF virus-like particle by a baculovirus-insect cell expression system.

Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) is a tick-born virus of the Nairovirus genus within the Bunyaviridae family, which is widespread and causes high fatality. The nucleocapsid of CCHFV is comprised of N proteins that are encoded by the S segment. In this research, the N protein of CCHFV was expressed in insect cells using a recombinant baculovirus.

Epidemiological survey of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in Yunnan, China, 2008.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) infection in Yunnan Province, China.

Materials And Methods: One thousand six hundred and fifty-seven human serum samples and 1280 ticks (Hyalomma asiaticum) were collected from five counties (Menglian, Menghai, Lancang, Mengla, and Ximeng). Serum samples were analyzed independently by indirect immunofluorescence assay and Western blotting to detected CCHFV antibody.

MiRPara: a SVM-based software tool for prediction of most probable microRNA coding regions in genome scale sequences.

Background: MicroRNAs are a family of ~22 nt small RNAs that can regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Identification of these molecules and their targets can aid understanding of regulatory processes. Recently, HTS has become a common identification method but there are two major limitations associated with the technique.

Wild bird migration across the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau: a transmission route for highly pathogenic H5N1.

Background: Qinghai Lake in central China has been at the center of debate on whether wild birds play a role in circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1. In 2005, an unprecedented epizootic at Qinghai Lake killed more than 6000 migratory birds including over 3000 bar-headed geese (Anser indicus). H5N1 subsequently spread to Europe and Africa, and in following years has re-emerged in wild birds along the Central Asia flyway several times.