The Distribution of Puumala orthohantavirus Genome Variants Correlates with the Regional Landscapes in the Trans-Kama Area of the Republic of Tatarstan

Designing a Conserved Immunogenic Peptide Construct from the Nucleocapsid Protein of Puumala orthohantavirus

Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) is an emerging zoonotic virus endemic to Europe and Russia that causes nephropathia epidemica, a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). There are limited options for treatment and diagnosis of orthohantavirus infection, making the search for potential immunogenic candidates crucial. In the present work, various bioinformatics tools were employed to design conserved immunogenic peptides containing multiple epitopes of PUUV nucleocapsid protein. Eleven conserved peptides (90% conservancy) of the PUUV nucleocapsid protein were identified. Three conserved peptides containing multiple T and B cell epitopes were selected using a consensus epitope prediction algorithm. Molecular docking using the HPEP dock server demonstrated strong binding interactions between the epitopes and HLA molecules (ten alleles for each class I and II HLA). Moreover, an analysis of population coverage using the IEDB database revealed that the identified peptides have over 90% average population coverage across six continents. Molecular docking and simulation analysis reveal a stable interaction with peptide constructs of chosen immunogenic peptides and Toll-like receptor-4. These computational analyses demonstrate selected peptides' immunogenic potential, which needs to be validated in different experimental systems.

Rosuvastatin as a Supplemental Treatment for the Clinical Symptoms of Nephropathia Epidemica: A Pilot Clinical Study

Nephropathis epidemica (NE), a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), is an acute zoonotic disease endemic in the Republic of Tatarstan. This study aimed to assess the impact of rosuvastatin on the clinical and laboratory results of NE. A total of 61 NE patients and 30 controls were included in this study; 22 NE patients and 7 controls received a daily dose of rosuvastatin (10 mg) for ten consecutive days. Serum samples were collected on days 1, 5, and 10 after admission to the hospital. These samples were analyzed to determine the levels of lipids, cytokines, and kidney toxicity markers. Our findings indicate that rosuvastatin reduced the duration of the second wave of fever and alleviated back pain and headache symptoms. Additionally, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) serum levels were significantly decreased on days 5 and 10 upon rosuvastatin treatment. Furthermore, rosuvastatin decreased the levels of cytokines in the serum, particularly proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-8. NE patients had significantly altered levels of the kidney toxicity markers albumin and osteopontin. The data from our study provide evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of rosuvastatin in NE cases.

Genetic features of the Puumala virus (Hantaviridae: Orthohantavirus) identified in the Moscow region

INTRODUCTION

Puumala virus (family Hantaviridae, genus Orthohantavirus) is distributed in most regions of the European part of Russia. However, information about its genetic variants circulating on the territory of the Central Federal District is extremely scarce.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Rodents' tissue samples were tested after reverse transcription by PCR for the presence of hantaviral RNA. The amplified fragments of the L segment were sequenced by the Sanger method. For two samples, sequences of all three segments were obtained using the NGS method. Phylogenetic trees were built in the MEGA-X software.

RESULTS

Puumala virus was found in six samples. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of sequences of three segments, the obtained genetic variants belong to the sublineage previously designated as W-RUS.

CONCLUSION

A genetic variant of the Puumala virus, belonging to the subline W-RUS, circulates on the territory of the Volokolamsk district of Moscow region.

Differential Cytokine Responses and the Clinical Severity of Adult and Pediatric Nephropathia Epidemica

Nephropathia epidemica (NE), caused by the hantavirus infection, is endemic in Tatarstan Russia. The majority of patients are adults, with infection rarely diagnosed in children. This limited number of pediatric NE cases means there is an inadequate understanding of disease pathogenesis in this age category. Here, we have analyzed clinical and laboratory data in adults and children with NE to establish whether and how the disease severity differs between the two age groups. Serum cytokines were analyzed in samples collected from 11 children and 129 adult NE patients during an outbreak in 2019. A kidney toxicity panel was also used to analyze urine samples from these patients. Additionally, serum and urine samples were analyzed from 11 control children and 26 control adults. Analysis of clinical and laboratory data revealed that NE was milder in children than in adults. A variation in serum cytokine activation could explain the differences in clinical presentation. Cytokines associated with activation of Th1 lymphocytes were prominent in adults, while they were obscured in sera from pediatric NE patients. In addition, a prolonged activation of kidney injury markers was found in adults with NE, whilst only a short-lasting activation of these markers was observed in children with NE. These findings support previous observations of age differences in NE severity, which should be considered when diagnosing the disease in children.

Puumala Orthohantavirus Reassortant Genome Variants Likely Emerging in the Watershed Forests

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) remains a prevalent zoonosis in the Republic of Tatarstan (RT), Russian Federation. Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV), carried by bank voles (Myodes glareolus), is the principal zoonotic pathogen of HFRS in the RT. In this study, we sought to demonstrate the similarity of the PUUV genetic sequences detected in HFRS case patients and bank vole samples previously collected in some areas of the RT. Furthermore, we intended to identify the reassortant PUUV genomes and locate a potential site for their emergence. During 2019 outbreaks, the PUUV genome sequences of the S and M segments from 42 HFRS cases were analysed and compared with the corresponding sequences from bank voles previously trapped in the RT. Most of the PUUV strains from HFRS patients turned out to be closely related to those isolated from bank voles captured near the site of the human infection. We also found possible reassortant PUUV genomes in five patients while they were absent in bank voles. The location of the corresponding HFRS infection sites suggests that reassortant PUUV genomes could emerge in the bank voles that inhabit the forests on the watershed between the Kazanka River and Myosha River. These findings could facilitate the search for the naturally occurring reassortants of PUUV in bank vole populations.

A fatal case of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Kursk Region, Russia, caused by a novel Puumala virus clade

Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is the most widespread natural-focal human disease in the Russian Federation. In this study, we report virological assessment of a fatal case of HFRS-PUUV (Puumala virus) in the Kursk Region. The infection caused severe multiorgan failure and the maximum viral load was detected in the tissue of the spleen. Viral sequences were obtained from the patient's autopsy material and lung tissues of bank voles captured in the region. These sequences formed a new clade in the PUUV phylogenetic tree, an outgroup to all known Russian (RUS) lineage sequences. On the other hand viruses collected in the Kursk Region grouped with the RUS lineage and are separated from all other PUUV linages. We propose to nominate this novel group as W-RUS as the identified viruses were collected near the western Russian boundary. The recombination signals between their ancestors and RUS lineage representatives from the Volga region were revealed. The strain Samara_94/CG/2005 suggestively emerged as the result of reassortment between the ancestors of W-RUS and DTK-Ufa-97.

Special Issue: 'Pathogenesis of Emerging Zoonotic Viral Infections'

Emerging zoonotic infections present a serious global health threat [...].

Analysis of Puumala orthohantavirus Genome Variants Identified in the Territories of Volga Federal District

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a zoonotic disease commonly diagnosed in the Volga Federal District (VFD). HFRS is caused by Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV), and this virus is usually detected in bank voles as its natural host (Myodes glareolus). The PUUV genome is composed of the single-stranded, negative-sense RNA containing three segments. The goal of the current study is to identify genome variants of PUUV strains circulating in bank voles captured in the Udmurt Republic (UR) and Ulyanovsk region (ULR). The comparative and phylogenetic analysis of PUUV strains revealed that strains from Varaksino site UR are closely related to strains previously identified in the Pre-Kama area of the Republic of Tatarstan (RT), whilst strains from Kurlan and Mullovka sites ULR are similar to strains from the Trans-Kama area of the RT. It was also found that Barysh ULR strains form a separate distinct group phylogenetically equidistant from Varaksino and Kurlan−Mullovka groups. The identified groups of strains can be considered as separate sub-lineages in the PUUV Russian genetic lineage. In addition, the genomes of the strains from the UR, most likely, were formed as a result of reassortment.