Effective Prophylactic Therapy for Exposure to Monkey B Virus (Macacine alphaherpesvirus 1)

Analysis of antiviral drug properties of thymidine kinase of herpes B virus using recombinant herpes simplex virus 1

IMPORTANCE

Zoonotic infection of humans with herpes B virus (BV) causes severe neurological diseases. Acyclovir (ACV) and ganciclovir (GCV), most frequently used as anti-herpes drugs, are recommended for prophylaxis and therapy in human BV infection. In this study, we examined the property of BV thymidine kinase (TK) against anti-herpes drugs using a recombinant herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) carrying BV TK gene. We found that HSV-1 carrying BV TK was similarly sensitive to GCV as HSV-1 carrying varicella zoster virus TK. In addition, we demonstrated that BV TK was not mutated in the GCV- and ACV-resistant HSV-1 carrying BV TK, suggesting that ACV- or GCV-resistant BV might be rare during treatment with these antiviral drugs. These data can provide a new insight into the properties of BV TK in terms of the development of drug resistance.

A Review on Zoonotic Pathogens Associated with Non-Human Primates: Understanding the Potential Threats to Humans

Non-human primates (NHP) share a close relationship with humans due to a genetic homology of 75-98.5%. NHP and humans have highly similar tissue structures, immunity, physiology, and metabolism and thus often can act as hosts to the same pathogens. Agriculture, meat consumption habits, tourism development, religious beliefs, and biological research have led to more extensive and frequent contact between NHPs and humans. Deadly viruses, such as rabies virus, herpes B virus, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, human immunodeficiency virus, and monkeypox virus can be transferred from NHP to humans. Similarly, herpes simplex virus, influenza virus, and yellow fever virus can be transmitted to NHP from humans. Infectious pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites, can affect the health of both primates and humans. A vast number of NHP-carrying pathogens exhibit a risk of transmission to humans. Therefore, zoonotic infectious diseases should be evaluated in future research. This article reviews the research evidence, diagnostic methods, prevention, and treatment measures that may be useful in limiting the spread of several common viral pathogens via NHP and providing ideas for preventing zoonotic diseases with epidemic potential.

Investigation of a herpesvirus outbreak in mixed breeds of adult domestic ducks using next generation sequencing

This report characterizes the first lethal outbreak of Marek's disease on a large farm of mixed-breed adult ducks (>18,000) and identifies the pathogen that resulted in high mortality (35%). Clinical signs included inappetence, respiratory distress, depression, muscle weakness, and ataxia. Post mortem revealed enlarged fragile liver mottled with miliary whitish spots and an enlarged spleen. Histopathology revealed hepatocellular necrosis with eosinophilic intra-nuclear inclusion bodies, necrosis of splenic follicles and degeneration/necrosis of renal tubules. The disease was tentatively diagnosed as a herpesvirus infection, confirmed by virus isolation from the liver. DNA was isolated from 15-year-old archival formalin-fixed tissues from infected ducks and subjected to next generation sequencing (NGS). Despite highly degraded DNA, short stretches of G- and C-rich repeats (TTAGGG and TAACCC) were identified as telomeric repeats frequently found in herpesviruses. Megablast and further investigative bioinformatics identified presence of Marek's disease virus (MDV), a Gallid alphaherpesvirus type 2 (GAHV-2), as the cause of the acute fatal infection. The source of infection may be attributed to a dead migratory flamingo found close to the duck enclosures three days prior to the outbreak; hence, GAHV-2 may also be responsible for the fatal infection of the flamingo accentuated by heat stress. Considering the possible spread of this highly contagious and lethal virus from a flamingo to the ducks, and the increasing zoonosis of animal viruses into humans, such as monkey B alphaherpesvirus transmission from macaques to humans with ~80% fatality, this observation has important ramifications for human health and safety of the poultry industry.

Detection of viruses from feces of wild endangered Macaca maura: a potential threat to moor macaque survival and for zoonotic infection

BACKGROUND

To date, there is a scarcity of information and literature on Macaca maura health status relative to viral diseases. The objectives of the present study were to investigate on the potential spread of enteric and non-enteric viruses shed in the environment through a wild macaque feces and to understand the possible interrelation in the spread of zoonotic viruses in a poorly studied geographical area, the Sulawesi Island. This study will also contribute providing useful information on potential threats to the health of this endangered species.

METHODS

The sampling was conducted between 2014 and 2016 in the Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park, in the south of the Sulawesi Island and non-invasive sampling methods were used to collect fresh stools of the M. maura, one of the seven macaque species endemic to the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The population under study consisted in two wild, neighboring social macaque groups with partially overlapping home ranges; twenty-four samples were collected and examined using negative staining electron microscopy and a panel of PCR protocols for the detection of ten RNA and two DNA viruses.

RESULTS

Viral particles resembling parvovirus (5 samples), picornavirus (13 samples) and calicivirus (13 samples) were detected by electron microscopy whereas the PCR panel was negative for the 12 viruses investigated, except for one sample positive for a mosquito flavivirus. The results did not correlate with animal sex; furthermore, because all of the animals were clinically healthy, it was not possible to correlate feces consistency with viral presence.

CONCLUSIONS

As information on viral infections in wild moor macaques remains limited, further studies are yet required to identify the fecal-oral and blood transmitted potentially zoonotic viruses, which may infect the moor macaque and other macaque species endemic to the South Sulawesi Island.