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Bangura U, Davis C, Lamin J, Bangura J, Soropogui B, Davison AJ, Nichols J, Vucak M, Dawson M, Ansumana R, Sondufu D, Cadar D, Rieger T, Thomson E, Sahr F, Magassouba N, Ghersi B, Bird BH, Fichet-Calvet E. Spatio-temporal spread of Lassa virus and a new rodent host in the Mano River Union area, West Africa. Emerg Microbes Infect 2024; 13:2290834. [PMID: 38047354 PMCID: PMC10919312 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2290834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The spread of Lassa virus (LASV) in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, which together are named the Mano River Union (MRU) area, was examined phylogeographically. To provide a reliable evolutionary scenario, new rodent-derived, whole LASV sequences were included. These were generated by metatranscriptomic next-generation sequencing from rodents sampled between 2003 and 2020 in 21 localities of Guinea and Sierra Leone. An analysis was performed using BEAST to perform continuous phylogeographic inference and EvoLaps v36 to visualize spatio-temporal spread. LASV was identified as expected in its primary host reservoir, the Natal multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis), and also in two Guinean multimammate mice (Mastomys erythroleucus) in northern Sierra Leone and two rusty-bellied brush-furred mice (Lophuromys sikapusi) in southern Sierra Leone. This finding is consistent with the latter two species being secondary host reservoirs. The strains in these three species were very closely related in LASV lineage IV. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the most recent common ancestor of lineage IV existed 316-374 years ago and revealed distinct, well-supported clades from Sierra Leone (Bo, Kabala and Kenema), Guinea (Faranah, Kissidougou-Guekedou and Macenta) and Liberia (Phebe-Ganta). The phylogeographic scenario suggests southern Guinea as the point of origin of LASV in the MRU area, with subsequent spread to towards Mali, Liberia and Sierra Leone at a mean speed of 1.6 to 1.1 km/year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umaru Bangura
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Joyce Lamin
- Mercy Hospital Research Laboratory, Bo, Sierra Leone
| | - James Bangura
- University of Makeni and University of California, Davis One Health Program, Makeni, Sierra Leone
| | - Barré Soropogui
- Laboratoire des Fièvres Hémorragiques en Guinée, Conakry, Guinea
| | | | - Jenna Nichols
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Matej Vucak
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | | | | | | | - Dániel Cadar
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Toni Rieger
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Emma Thomson
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Foday Sahr
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | | | - Bruno Ghersi
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Brian H. Bird
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Elisabeth Fichet-Calvet
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany
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2
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Brouwer PJM, Perrett HR, Beaumont T, Nijhuis H, Kruijer S, Burger JA, Bontjer I, Lee WH, Ferguson JA, Schauflinger M, Müller-Kräuter H, Sanders RW, Strecker T, van Gils MJ, Ward AB. Defining bottlenecks and opportunities for Lassa virus neutralization by structural profiling of vaccine-induced polyclonal antibody responses. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114708. [PMID: 39243373 PMCID: PMC11422484 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever continues to be a major public health burden in West Africa, yet effective therapies or vaccines are lacking. The isolation of protective neutralizing antibodies against the Lassa virus glycoprotein complex (GPC) justifies the development of vaccines that can elicit strong neutralizing antibody responses. However, Lassa vaccine candidates have generally been unsuccessful at doing so, and the associated antibody responses to these vaccines remain poorly characterized. Here, we establish an electron microscopy-based epitope mapping workflow that enables high-resolution structural characterization of polyclonal antibodies to the GPC. By applying this method to rabbits vaccinated with a recombinant GPC vaccine and a GPC-derived virus-like particle, we reveal determinants of neutralization that involve epitopes of the GPC-A competition cluster. Furthermore, by identifying undescribed immunogenic off-target epitopes, we expose the challenges that recombinant GPC vaccines face. By enabling detailed polyclonal antibody characterization, our work ushers in a next generation of more rational Lassa vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J M Brouwer
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Hailee R Perrett
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Tim Beaumont
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Haye Nijhuis
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sabine Kruijer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Judith A Burger
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ilja Bontjer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Wen-Hsin Lee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - James A Ferguson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | | | - Rogier W Sanders
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Thomas Strecker
- Institute of Virology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Marit J van Gils
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Andrew B Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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3
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Grassly NC, Shaw AG, Owusu M. Global wastewater surveillance for pathogens with pandemic potential: opportunities and challenges. THE LANCET. MICROBE 2024:100939. [PMID: 39222653 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanmic.2024.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance holds great promise as a sensitive method to detect spillover of zoonotic infections and early pandemic emergence, thereby informing risk mitigation and public health response. Known viruses with pandemic potential are shed in human stool or urine, or both, and the experiences with SARS-CoV-2, monkeypox virus, and Zika virus highlight the feasibility of community-based wastewater surveillance for pandemic viruses that have different transmission routes. We reviewed human shedding and wastewater surveillance data for prototype viruses representing viral families of concern to estimate the likely sensitivity of wastewater surveillance compared with that of clinical surveillance. We examined how data on wastewater surveillance detection, together with viral genetic sequences and animal faecal biomarkers, could be used to identify spillover infections or early human transmission and adaptation. The opportunities and challenges associated with global wastewater surveillance for the prevention of pandemics are described in this Personal View, focusing on low-income and middle-income countries, where the risk of pandemic emergence is the highest. We propose a research and public health agenda to ensure an equitable and sustainable solution to these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas C Grassly
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology & MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - Alexander G Shaw
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology & MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Michael Owusu
- Department of Medical Diagnostics, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
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4
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Nuñez IA, Crane A, Crozier I, Worwa G, Kuhn JH. Treatment of highly virulent mammarenavirus infections-status quo and future directions. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:537-551. [PMID: 38606475 PMCID: PMC11069405 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2024.2340494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mammarenaviruses are negative-sense bisegmented enveloped RNA viruses that are endemic in Africa, the Americas, and Europe. Several are highly virulent, causing acute human diseases associated with high case fatality rates, and are considered to be significant with respect to public health impact or bioterrorism threat. AREAS COVERED This review summarizes the status quo of treatment development, starting with drugs that are in advanced stages of evaluation in early clinical trials, followed by promising candidate medical countermeasures emerging from bench analyses and investigational animal research. EXPERT OPINION Specific therapeutic treatments for diseases caused by mammarenaviruses remain limited to the off-label use of ribavirin and transfusion of convalescent sera. Progress in identifying novel candidate medical countermeasures against mammarenavirus infection has been slow in part because of the biosafety and biosecurity requirements. However, novel methodologies and tools have enabled increasingly efficient high-throughput molecular screens of regulatory-agency-approved small-molecule drugs and led to the identification of several compounds that could be repurposed for the treatment of infection with several mammarenaviruses. Unfortunately, most of them have not yet been evaluated in vivo. The most promising treatment under development is a monoclonal antibody cocktail that is protective against multiple lineages of the Lassa virus in nonhuman primate disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivette A. Nuñez
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of
Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National
Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD21702, USA
| | - Anya Crane
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of
Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National
Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD21702, USA
| | - Ian Crozier
- Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate, Frederick
National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Gabriella Worwa
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of
Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National
Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD21702, USA
| | - Jens H. Kuhn
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of
Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National
Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD21702, USA
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5
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Cross RW, Fenton KA, Woolsey C, Prasad AN, Borisevich V, Agans KN, Deer DJ, Dobias NS, Fears AC, Heinrich ML, Geisbert JB, Garry RF, Branco LM, Geisbert TW. Monoclonal antibody therapy protects nonhuman primates against mucosal exposure to Lassa virus. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101392. [PMID: 38280377 PMCID: PMC10897540 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is an acute viral illness that causes thousands of deaths annually in West Africa. There are currently no Lassa virus (LASV) vaccines or antivirals approved for human use. Recently, we showed that combinations of broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies (BNhuMAbs) known as Arevirumab-2 or Arevirumab-3 protected up to 100% of cynomolgus macaques against challenge with diverse lineages of LASV when treatment was initiated at advanced stages of disease. This previous work assessed efficacy against parenteral exposure. However, transmission of LASV to humans occurs primarily by mucosal exposure to virus shed from Mastomys rodents. Here, we describe the development of a lethal intranasal exposure macaque model of LF. This model is employed to show that Arevirumab cocktails rescue 100% of macaques from lethal LASV infection when treatment is initiated 8 days after LASV exposure. Our work demonstrates BNhuMAbs have utility in treating LASV infection acquired through mucosal exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Cross
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Karla A Fenton
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Courtney Woolsey
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Abhishek N Prasad
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Viktoriya Borisevich
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Krystle N Agans
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel J Deer
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Natalie S Dobias
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Alyssa C Fears
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | - Joan B Geisbert
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Robert F Garry
- Zalgen Labs, LLC, Frederick, MD, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | | | - Thomas W Geisbert
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
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6
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Brouwer PJ, Perrett HR, Beaumont T, Nijhuis H, Kruijer S, Burger JA, Lee WH, Müller-Kraüter H, Sanders RW, Strecker T, van Gils MJ, Ward AB. Defining bottlenecks and opportunities for Lassa virus neutralization by structural profiling of vaccine-induced polyclonal antibody responses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.21.572918. [PMID: 38187682 PMCID: PMC10769344 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.21.572918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Lassa fever continues to be a major public health burden in endemic countries in West Africa, yet effective therapies or vaccines are lacking. The isolation of potent and protective neutralizing antibodies against the Lassa virus glycoprotein complex (GPC) justifies the development of vaccines that can elicit strong neutralizing antibody responses. However, Lassa vaccines candidates have generally been unsuccessful in doing so and the associated antibody responses to these vaccines remain poorly characterized. Here, we establish an electron-microscopy based epitope mapping pipeline that enables high-resolution structural characterization of polyclonal antibodies to GPC. By applying this method to rabbits vaccinated with a recombinant GPC vaccine and a GPC-derived virus-like particle, we reveal determinants of neutralization which involve epitopes of the GPC-C, GPC-A, and GP1-A competition clusters. Furthermore, by identifying previously undescribed immunogenic off-target epitopes, we expose challenges that recombinant GPC vaccines face. By enabling detailed polyclonal antibody characterization, our work ushers in a next generation of more rational Lassa vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J.M. Brouwer
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Hailee R. Perrett
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Tim Beaumont
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, the Netherlands
| | - Haye Nijhuis
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, the Netherlands
| | - Sabine Kruijer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, the Netherlands
| | - Judith A. Burger
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, the Netherlands
| | - Wen-Hsin Lee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - Rogier W. Sanders
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, the Netherlands
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Thomas Strecker
- Institute of Virology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Marit J. van Gils
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, the Netherlands
| | - Andrew B. Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Lead contact
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7
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Erameh CO, Koch T, Edeawe OI, Oestereich L, Omansen T, Jochum J, Adomeh DI, Ikponmwonsa O, Aire C, Pahlmann M, Asogun DA, Ogbaini-Emovon E, Okogbenin SA, Günther S, Ramharter M, Akideno PE, Kreuels B. Focussed Assessment with Sonography in acute Lassa Fever (FASLa): Development of a point-of-care protocol and description of common ultrasound findings. J Infect 2023; 87:27-33. [PMID: 37075910 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2023.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Managing Lassa fever (LF) patients is challenging because of the complexity of this life-threatening infectious disease, the necessary isolation measures, and the limited resources in countries where it is endemic. Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is a promising low-cost imaging technique that may help in guiding the management of patients. METHODS We conducted this observational study at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Nigeria. We developed a POCUS protocol, trained local physicians who applied the protocol to LF patients and recorded and interpreted the clips. These were then independently re-evaluated by an external expert, and associations with clinical, laboratory and virological data were analyzed. FINDINGS We developed the POCUS protocol based on existing literature and expert opinion and trained two clinicians, who then used POCUS to examine 46 patients. We observed at least one pathological finding in 29 (63%) patients. Ascites was found in 14 (30%), pericardial effusion in 10 (22%), pleural effusion in 5 (11%), and polyserositis in 7 (15%) patients, respectively. Eight patients (17%) showed hyperechoic kidneys. Seven patients succumbed to the disease while 39 patients survived, resulting in a fatality rate of 15%. Pleural effusions and hyper-echoic kidneys were associated with increased mortality. INTERPRETATION In acute LF, a newly established POCUS protocol readily identified a high prevalence of clinically relevant pathological findings. The assessment by POCUS required minimal resources and training; the detected pathologies such as pleural effusions and kidney injury may help to guide the clinical management of the most at-risk LF patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril O Erameh
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria
| | - Till Koch
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Germany
| | - Osahogie Isaac Edeawe
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria
| | - Lisa Oestereich
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Germany
| | - Till Omansen
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Germany
| | - Johannes Jochum
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Donatus I Adomeh
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria
| | - Odia Ikponmwonsa
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria
| | - Chris Aire
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria
| | - Meike Pahlmann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Germany
| | - Danny A Asogun
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria; Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria
| | - Ephraim Ogbaini-Emovon
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria
| | - Sylvanus A Okogbenin
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria
| | - Stephan Günther
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Germany
| | - Michael Ramharter
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Germany
| | - Peter E Akideno
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria
| | - Benno Kreuels
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Germany.
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8
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Perrett HR, Brouwer PJM, Hurtado J, Newby ML, Liu L, Müller-Kräuter H, Müller Aguirre S, Burger JA, Bouhuijs JH, Gibson G, Messmer T, Schieffelin JS, Antanasijevic A, Boons GJ, Strecker T, Crispin M, Sanders RW, Briney B, Ward AB. Structural conservation of Lassa virus glycoproteins and recognition by neutralizing antibodies. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112524. [PMID: 37209096 PMCID: PMC10242449 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever is an acute hemorrhagic fever caused by the zoonotic Lassa virus (LASV). The LASV glycoprotein complex (GPC) mediates viral entry and is the sole target for neutralizing antibodies. Immunogen design is complicated by the metastable nature of recombinant GPCs and the antigenic differences among phylogenetically distinct LASV lineages. Despite the sequence diversity of the GPC, structures of most lineages are lacking. We present the development and characterization of prefusion-stabilized, trimeric GPCs of LASV lineages II, V, and VII, revealing structural conservation despite sequence diversity. High-resolution structures and biophysical characterization of the GPC in complex with GP1-A-specific antibodies suggest their neutralization mechanisms. Finally, we present the isolation and characterization of a trimer-preferring neutralizing antibody belonging to the GPC-B competition group with an epitope that spans adjacent protomers and includes the fusion peptide. Our work provides molecular detail information on LASV antigenic diversity and will guide efforts to design pan-LASV vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailee R Perrett
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Philip J M Brouwer
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jonathan Hurtado
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Center for Viral Systems Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Maddy L Newby
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Lin Liu
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | | | | | - Judith A Burger
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers. Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, the Netherlands
| | - Joey H Bouhuijs
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers. Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, the Netherlands
| | - Grace Gibson
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Terrence Messmer
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - John S Schieffelin
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Aleksandar Antanasijevic
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Geert-Jan Boons
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584 CG, the Netherlands
| | - Thomas Strecker
- Institute of Virology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Max Crispin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Rogier W Sanders
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers. Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, the Netherlands; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Bryan Briney
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Center for Viral Systems Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Andrew B Ward
- Department of Integrative, Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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Welch SR, Genzer SC, Coleman-McCray JD, Harmon JR, Scholte FEM, Montgomery JM, Spiropoulou CF, Spengler JR. Viral RNA and infectious virus in mucosal specimens from guinea pigs modelling early phases of lethal and non-lethal Lassa fever. Emerg Microbes Infect 2022; 11:1390-1393. [PMID: 35481464 PMCID: PMC9132395 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2071637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Lassa fever (LF) is endemic to broad regions of West Africa. Infection with Lassa virus (LASV), the etiologic agent of LF, results in a spectrum of clinical signs in humans, including severe and lethal hemorrhagic disease. Person-to-person transmission occurs through direct contact with body fluids or contaminated bedding and clothing. To investigate transmission risk in acute LASV infection, we evaluated viral RNA and infectious virus obtained from conjunctival, nasal, oral, genital, and rectal swab specimens from guinea pigs modelling lethal and non-lethal LF. Viral RNA and infectious virus were detected in all specimen types beginning 8 days post infection, prior to onset of fever. In the pre-clinical and clinical period, virus was isolated from a subset of nasal, oral, genital, and rectal swabs, and from all conjunctival swabs. Overall, conjunctival and nasal specimens most frequently yielded infectious virus. These findings indicate mucosal transmission risk based on virus isolation from various sites early in infection and support potential utility of minimally invasive specimen evaluation by RT-qPCR for LASV diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R Welch
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sarah C Genzer
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - JoAnn D Coleman-McCray
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jessica R Harmon
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Florine E M Scholte
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Joel M Montgomery
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Christina F Spiropoulou
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jessica R Spengler
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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10
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Luna Virus and Helminths in Wild Mastomys natalensis in Two Contrasting Habitats in Zambia: Risk Factors and Evidence of Virus Dissemination in Semen. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11111345. [DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmission dynamics and the maintenance of mammarenaviruses in nature are poorly understood. Using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and RT-PCR, we investigated the presence of mammarenaviruses and co-infecting helminths in various tissues of 182 Mastomys natalensis rodents and 68 other small mammals in riverine and non-riverine habitats in Zambia. The Luna virus (LUAV) genome was the only mammarenavirus detected (7.7%; 14/182) from M. natalensis. Only one rodent from the non-riverine habitat was positive, while all six foetuses from one pregnant rodent carried LUAV. LUAV-specific mNGS reads were 24-fold higher in semen than in other tissues from males. Phylogenetically, the viruses were closely related to each other within the LUAV clade. Helminth infections were found in 11.5% (21/182) of M. natalensis. LUAV–helminth co-infections were observed in 50% (7/14) of virus-positive rodents. Juvenility (OR = 9.4; p = 0.018; 95% CI: 1.47–59.84), nematodes (OR = 15.5; p = 0.001; 95% CI: 3.11–76.70), cestodes (OR = 10.8; p = 0.025; 95% CI: 1.35–86.77), and being male (OR = 4.6; p = 0.036; 95% CI: 1.10–18.90) were associated with increased odds of LUAV RNA detection. The role of possible sexual and/or congenital transmission in the epidemiology of LUAV infections in rodents requires further study, along with the implications of possible helminth co-infection.
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11
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Musa SS, Yusuf A, Bakare EA, Abdullahi ZU, Adamu L, Mustapha UT, He D. Unravelling the dynamics of Lassa fever transmission with differential infectivity: Modeling analysis and control strategies. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2022; 19:13114-13136. [PMID: 36654038 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2022613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Epidemic models have been broadly used to comprehend the dynamic behaviour of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, predict future trends, and assess intervention strategies. The symptomatic and asymptomatic features and environmental factors for Lassa fever (LF) transmission illustrate the need for sophisticated epidemic models to capture more vital dynamics and forecast trends of LF outbreaks within countries or sub-regions on various geographic scales. This study proposes a dynamic model to examine the transmission of LF infection, a deadly disease transmitted mainly by rodents through environment. We extend prior LF models by including an infectious stage to mild and severe as well as incorporating environmental contributions from infected humans and rodents. For model calibration and prediction, we show that the model fits well with the LF scenario in Nigeria and yields remarkable prediction results. Rigorous mathematical computation divulges that the model comprises two equilibria. That is disease-free equilibrium, which is locally-asymptotically stable (LAS) when the basic reproduction number, $ {\mathcal{R}}_{0} $, is $ < 1 $; and endemic equilibrium, which is globally-asymptotically stable (GAS) when $ {\mathcal{R}}_{0} $ is $ > 1 $. We use time-dependent control strategy by employing Pontryagin's Maximum Principle to derive conditions for optimal LF control. Furthermore, a partial rank correlation coefficient is adopted for the sensitivity analysis to obtain the model's top rank parameters requiring precise attention for efficacious LF prevention and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salihu S Musa
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Mathematics, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Abdullahi Yusuf
- Department of Computer Engineering, Biruni University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Emmanuel A Bakare
- Department of Mathematics, Federal University Oye Ekiti, Ekiti, Nigeria
- Biomathematics and Applied Mathematical Modelling Research Group, Federal University Oye Ekiti, Ekiti, Nigeria
| | - Zainab U Abdullahi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina, Nigeria
| | - Lukman Adamu
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria
| | - Umar T Mustapha
- Department of Mathematics, Science Faculty, Federal University Dutse, Jigawa, Nigeria
| | - Daihai He
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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Abstract
DNA viruses often persist in the body of their host, becoming latent and recurring many months or years later. By contrast, most RNA viruses cause acute infections that are cleared from the host as they lack the mechanisms to persist. However, it is becoming clear that viral RNA can persist after clinical recovery and elimination of detectable infectious virus. This persistence can either be asymptomatic or associated with late progressive disease or nonspecific lingering symptoms, such as may be the case following infection with Ebola or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Why does viral RNA sometimes persist after recovery from an acute infection? Where does the RNA come from? And what are the consequences?
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13
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Ye W, Wang Y, Lei Y, Zhang F. Persistent viral shedding after acute Lassa fever: thorough evidence arouses more noteworthy concerns. THE LANCET MICROBE 2022; 3:e329. [DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(22)00030-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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