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Lee JH, Calcagno C, Feuerstein IM, Solomon J, Mani V, Huzella L, Castro MA, Laux J, Reeder RJ, Kim DY, Worwa G, Thomasson D, Hagen KR, Ragland DR, Kuhn JH, Johnson RF. Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Monitoring of Hepatic Disease Induced by Ebola Virus: a Nonhuman Primate Proof-of-Concept Study. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0353822. [PMID: 37184428 PMCID: PMC10269877 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03538-22] [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: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe liver impairment is a well-known hallmark of Ebola virus disease (EVD). However, the role of hepatic involvement in EVD progression is understudied. Medical imaging in established animal models of EVD (e.g., nonhuman primates [NHPs]) can be a strong complement to traditional assays to better investigate this pathophysiological process in vivo and noninvasively. In this proof-of-concept study, we used longitudinal multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to characterize liver morphology and function in nine rhesus monkeys after exposure to Ebola virus (EBOV). Starting 5 days postexposure, MRI assessments of liver appearance, morphology, and size were consistently compatible with the presence of hepatic edema, inflammation, and congestion, leading to significant hepatomegaly at necropsy. MRI performed after injection of a hepatobiliary contrast agent demonstrated decreased liver signal on the day of euthanasia, suggesting progressive hepatocellular dysfunction and hepatic secretory impairment associated with EBOV infection. Importantly, MRI-assessed deterioration of biliary function was acute and progressed faster than changes in serum bilirubin concentrations. These findings suggest that longitudinal quantitative in vivo imaging may be a useful addition to standard biological assays to gain additional knowledge about organ pathophysiology in animal models of EVD. IMPORTANCE Severe liver impairment is a well-known hallmark of Ebola virus disease (EVD), but the contribution of hepatic pathophysiology to EVD progression is not fully understood. Noninvasive medical imaging of liver structure and function in well-established animal models of disease may shed light on this important aspect of EVD. In this proof-of-concept study, we used longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to characterize liver abnormalities and dysfunction in rhesus monkeys exposed to Ebola virus. The results indicate that in vivo MRI may be used as a noninvasive readout of organ pathophysiology in EVD and may be used in future animal studies to further characterize organ-specific damage of this condition, in addition to standard biological assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hyun Lee
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Claudia Calcagno
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Irwin M. Feuerstein
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffrey Solomon
- Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Venkatesh Mani
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Louis Huzella
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Marcelo A. Castro
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph Laux
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Rebecca J. Reeder
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Dong-Yun Kim
- Office of Biostatistics Research, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 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, Maryland, USA
| | - David Thomasson
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Katie R. Hagen
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Danny R. Ragland
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, 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, Maryland, USA
| | - Reed F. Johnson
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
- Emerging Viral Pathogens Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
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2
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Sword J, Lee JH, Castro MA, Solomon J, Aiosa N, Reza SMS, Chu WT, Johnson JC, Bartos C, Cooper K, Jahrling PB, Johnson RF, Calcagno C, Crozier I, Kuhn JH, Hensley LE, Feuerstein IM, Mani V. Computed Tomography Imaging for Monitoring of Marburg Virus Disease: a Nonhuman Primate Proof-Of-Concept Study. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0349422. [PMID: 37036346 PMCID: PMC10269526 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03494-22] [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: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Marburg virus (MARV) is a highly virulent zoonotic filovirid that causes Marburg virus disease (MVD) in humans. The pathogenesis of MVD remains poorly understood, partially due to the low number of cases that can be studied, the absence of state-of-the-art medical equipment in areas where cases are reported, and limitations on the number of animals that can be safely used in experimental studies under maximum containment animal biosafety level 4 conditions. Medical imaging modalities, such as whole-body computed tomography (CT), may help to describe disease progression in vivo, potentially replacing ethically contentious and logistically challenging serial euthanasia studies. Towards this vision, we performed a pilot study, during which we acquired whole-body CT images of 6 rhesus monkeys before and 7 to 9 days after intramuscular MARV exposure. We identified imaging abnormalities in the liver, spleen, and axillary lymph nodes that corresponded to clinical, virological, and gross pathological hallmarks of MVD in this animal model. Quantitative image analysis indicated hepatomegaly with a significant reduction in organ density (indicating fatty infiltration of the liver), splenomegaly, and edema that corresponded with gross pathological and histopathological findings. Our results indicated that CT imaging could be used to verify and quantify typical MVD pathogenesis versus altered, diminished, or absent disease severity or progression in the presence of candidate medical countermeasures, thus possibly reducing the number of animals needed and eliminating serial euthanasia. IMPORTANCE Marburg virus (MARV) is a highly virulent zoonotic filovirid that causes Marburg virus disease (MVD) in humans. Much is unknown about disease progression and, thus, prevention and treatment options are limited. Medical imaging modalities, such as whole-body computed tomography (CT), have the potential to improve understanding of MVD pathogenesis. Our study used CT to identify abnormalities in the liver, spleen, and axillary lymph nodes that corresponded to known clinical signs of MVD in this animal model. Our results indicated that CT imaging and analyses could be used to elucidate pathogenesis and possibly assess the efficacy of candidate treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Sword
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Ji Hyun Lee
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Marcelo A. Castro
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffrey Solomon
- Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Nina Aiosa
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Syed M. S. Reza
- Center for Infectious Disease Imaging, Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Winston T. Chu
- Center for Infectious Disease Imaging, Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Joshua C. Johnson
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher Bartos
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Kurt Cooper
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Peter B. Jahrling
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
- Emerging Viral Pathogens Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Reed F. Johnson
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
- Emerging Viral Pathogens Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Claudia Calcagno
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Ian Crozier
- Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jens H. Kuhn
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Lisa E. Hensley
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Irwin M. Feuerstein
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Venkatesh Mani
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick Frederick, Maryland, USA
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3
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Remdesivir is efficacious in rhesus monkeys exposed to aerosolized Ebola virus. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19458. [PMID: 34593911 PMCID: PMC8484580 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98971-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Efficacious therapeutics for Ebola virus disease are in great demand. Ebola virus infections mediated by mucosal exposure, and aerosolization in particular, present a novel challenge due to nontypical massive early infection of respiratory lymphoid tissues. We performed a randomized and blinded study to compare outcomes from vehicle-treated and remdesivir-treated rhesus monkeys in a lethal model of infection resulting from aerosolized Ebola virus exposure. Remdesivir treatment initiated 4 days after exposure was associated with a significant survival benefit, significant reduction in serum viral titer, and improvements in clinical pathology biomarker levels and lung histology compared to vehicle treatment. These observations indicate that remdesivir may have value in countering aerosol-induced Ebola virus disease.
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Blair PW, Kortepeter MG, Downey LG, Madar CS, Downs IL, Martins KA, Rossi F, Williams JA, Madar A, Schellhase CW, Bearss JJ, Zeng X, Bavari S, Soloveva V, Wells JB, Stuthman KS, Garza NL, Vantongeren SA, Donnelly GC, Steffens J, Kalapaca J, Wiseman P, Henry J, Marko S, Chappell M, Lugo-Roman L, Ramos-Rivera E, Hofer C, Blue E, Moore J, Fiallos J, Wetzel D, Pratt WD, Unangst T, Miller A, Sola JJ, Reisler RB, Cardile AP. Intensive Care Unit-Like Care of Nonhuman Primates with Ebola Virus Disease. J Infect Dis 2021; 224:632-642. [PMID: 33367826 PMCID: PMC8366444 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ebola virus disease (EVD) supportive care strategies are largely guided by retrospective observational research. This study investigated the effect of EVD supportive care algorithms on duration of survival in a controlled nonhuman primate (NHP) model. METHODS Fourteen rhesus macaques were challenged intramuscularly with a target dose of Ebola virus (1000 plaque-forming units; Kikwit). NHPs were allocated to intensive care unit (ICU)-like algorithms (n = 7), intravenous fluids plus levofloxacin (n = 2), or a control group (n = 5). The primary outcome measure was duration of survival, and secondary outcomes included changes in clinical laboratory values. RESULTS Duration of survival was not significantly different between the pooled ICU-like algorithm and control groups (8.2 vs 6.9 days of survival; hazard ratio; 0.50; P = .25). Norepinephrine was effective in transiently maintaining baseline blood pressure. NHPs treated with ICU-like algorithms had delayed onset of liver and kidney injury. CONCLUSIONS While an obvious survival difference was not observed with ICU-like care, clinical observations from this model may aid in EVD supportive care NHP model refinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul W Blair
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Austere Environments Consortium for Enhanced Sepsis Outcomes, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Lydia G Downey
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Isaac L Downs
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Karen A Martins
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Franco Rossi
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Janice A Williams
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Annie Madar
- Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | | | - Jeremy J Bearss
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Xiankun Zeng
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Sina Bavari
- Edge BioInnovation Consulting and Management, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Veronica Soloveva
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jay B Wells
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Kelly S Stuthman
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Nicole L Garza
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Sean A Vantongeren
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Ginger C Donnelly
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jesse Steffens
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jennifer Kalapaca
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Perry Wiseman
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph Henry
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Shannon Marko
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark Chappell
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Luis Lugo-Roman
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Elliot Ramos-Rivera
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Christian Hofer
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Eugene Blue
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Joshua Moore
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jimmy Fiallos
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Darrel Wetzel
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - William D Pratt
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Tami Unangst
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Adele Miller
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - James J Sola
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Ronald B Reisler
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Anthony P Cardile
- Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
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5
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Hall RN, King T, O’Connor T, Read AJ, Arrow J, Trought K, Duckworth J, Piper M, Strive T. Age and Infectious Dose Significantly Affect Disease Progression after RHDV2 Infection in Naïve Domestic Rabbits. Viruses 2021; 13:1184. [PMID: 34205750 PMCID: PMC8234499 DOI: 10.3390/v13061184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2 or GI.2, referring to any virus with lagovirus GI.2 structural genes) is a recently emerged calicivirus that causes generalised hepatic necrosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation leading to death in susceptible lagomorphs (rabbits and hares). Previous studies investigating the virulence of RHDV2 have reported conflicting results, with case fatality rates ranging from 0% to 100% even within a single study. Lagoviruses are of particular importance in Australia and New Zealand where they are used as biocontrol agents to manage wild rabbit populations, which threaten over 300 native species and result in economic impacts in excess of $200 million AUD annually to Australian agricultural industries. It is critically important that any pest control method is both highly effective (i.e., virulent, in the context of viral biocontrols) and has minimal animal welfare impacts. To determine whether RHDV2 might be a suitable candidate biocontrol agent, we investigated the virulence and disease progression of a naturally occurring Australian recombinant RHDV2 in both 5-week-old and 11-week-old New Zealand White laboratory rabbits after either high or low dose oral infection. Objective measures of disease progression were recorded through continuous body temperature monitoring collars, continuous activity monitors, and twice daily observations. We observed a 100% case fatality rate in both infected kittens and adult rabbits after either high dose or low dose infection. Clinical signs of disease, such as pyrexia, weight loss, and reduced activity, were evident in the late stages of infection. Clinical disease, i.e., welfare impacts, were limited to the period after the onset of pyrexia, lasting on average 12 h and increasing in severity as disease progressed. These findings confirm the high virulence of this RHDV2 variant in naïve rabbits. While age and infectious dose significantly affected disease progression, the case fatality rate was consistently 100% under all conditions tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn N. Hall
- Health & Biosecurity, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia; (T.K.); (T.S.)
- Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
| | - Tegan King
- Health & Biosecurity, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia; (T.K.); (T.S.)
| | - Tiffany O’Connor
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle, NSW 2568, Australia; tiffany.o' (T.O.); (A.J.R.)
| | - Andrew J. Read
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle, NSW 2568, Australia; tiffany.o' (T.O.); (A.J.R.)
| | - Jane Arrow
- Wildlife Ecology and Management, Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research, Lincoln 7608, New Zealand; (J.A.); (K.T.); (J.D.)
| | - Katherine Trought
- Wildlife Ecology and Management, Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research, Lincoln 7608, New Zealand; (J.A.); (K.T.); (J.D.)
| | - Janine Duckworth
- Wildlife Ecology and Management, Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research, Lincoln 7608, New Zealand; (J.A.); (K.T.); (J.D.)
| | - Melissa Piper
- Agriculture & Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia;
| | - Tanja Strive
- Health & Biosecurity, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia; (T.K.); (T.S.)
- Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
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6
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Schreiber-Stainthorp W, Solomon J, Lee JH, Castro M, Shah S, Martinez-Orengo N, Reeder R, Maric D, Gross R, Qin J, Hagen KR, Johnson RF, Hammoud DA. Longitudinal in vivo imaging of acute neuropathology in a monkey model of Ebola virus infection. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2855. [PMID: 34001896 PMCID: PMC8129091 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23088-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ebola virus (EBOV) causes neurological symptoms yet its effects on the central nervous system (CNS) are not well-described. Here, we longitudinally assess the acute effects of EBOV on the brain, using quantitative MR-relaxometry, 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose PET and immunohistochemistry in a monkey model. We report blood-brain barrier disruption, likely related to high cytokine levels and endothelial viral infection, with extravasation of fluid, Gadolinium-based contrast material and albumin into the extracellular space. Increased glucose metabolism is also present compared to the baseline, especially in the deep gray matter and brainstem. This regional hypermetabolism corresponds with mild neuroinflammation, sporadic neuronal infection and apoptosis, as well as increased GLUT3 expression, consistent with increased neuronal metabolic demands. Neuroimaging changes are associated with markers of disease progression including viral load and cytokine/chemokine levels. Our results provide insight into the pathophysiology of CNS involvement with EBOV and may help assess vaccine/treatment efficacy in real time.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Schreiber-Stainthorp
- Hammoud Laboratory, Center for Infectious Disease Imaging (CIDI), Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey Solomon
- Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Ji Hyun Lee
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Marcelo Castro
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Swati Shah
- Hammoud Laboratory, Center for Infectious Disease Imaging (CIDI), Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Neysha Martinez-Orengo
- Hammoud Laboratory, Center for Infectious Disease Imaging (CIDI), Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Rebecca Reeder
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Dragan Maric
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Robin Gross
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Jing Qin
- Biostatistics Research Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Katie R Hagen
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Reed F Johnson
- Emerging Viral Pathogens Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Dima A Hammoud
- Hammoud Laboratory, Center for Infectious Disease Imaging (CIDI), Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.
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7
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Opportunities for Refinement of Non-Human Primate Vaccine Studies. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9030284. [PMID: 33808708 PMCID: PMC8003535 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9030284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-human primates (NHPs) are used extensively in the development of vaccines and therapeutics for human disease. High standards in the design, conduct, and reporting of NHP vaccine studies are crucial for maximizing their scientific value and translation, and for making efficient use of precious resources. A key aspect is consideration of the 3Rs principles of replacement, reduction, and refinement. Funders of NHP research are placing increasing emphasis on the 3Rs, helping to ensure such studies are legitimate, ethical, and high-quality. The UK's National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) have collaborated on a range of initiatives to support vaccine developers to implement the 3Rs, including hosting an international workshop in 2019. The workshop identified opportunities to refine NHP vaccine studies to minimize harm and improve welfare, which can yield better quality, more reproducible data. Careful animal selection, social housing, extensive environmental enrichment, training for cooperation with husbandry and procedures, provision of supportive care, and implementation of early humane endpoints are features of contemporary good practice that should and can be adopted more widely. The requirement for high-level biocontainment for some pathogens imposes challenges to implementing refinement but these are not insurmountable.
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8
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Duy J, Honko AN, Altamura LA, Bixler SL, Wollen-Roberts S, Wauquier N, O'Hearn A, Mucker EM, Johnson JC, Shamblin JD, Zelko J, Botto MA, Bangura J, Coomber M, Pitt ML, Gonzalez JP, Schoepp RJ, Goff AJ, Minogue TD. Virus-encoded miRNAs in Ebola virus disease. Sci Rep 2018; 8:6480. [PMID: 29691416 PMCID: PMC5915558 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23916-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Ebola virus (EBOV) is a negative-strand RNA virus that replicates in the cytoplasm and causes an often-fatal hemorrhagic fever. EBOV, like other viruses, can reportedly encode its own microRNAs (miRNAs) to subvert host immune defenses. miRNAs are short noncoding RNAs that can regulate gene expression by hybridizing to multiple mRNAs, and viral miRNAs can enhance viral replication and infectivity by regulating host or viral genes. To date, only one EBOV miRNA has been examined in human infection. Here, we assayed mouse, rhesus macaque, cynomolgus macaque, and human samples infected with three EBOV variants for twelve computationally predicted viral miRNAs using RT-qPCR. Ten miRNAs aligned to EBOV variants and were detectable in the four species during disease with several viral miRNAs showing presymptomatic amplification in animal models. miRNA abundances in both the mouse and nonhuman primate models mirrored the human cohort, with miR-1-5p, miR-1-3p, and miR-T3-3p consistently at the highest levels. These striking similarities in the most abundant miRNAs during infection with different EBOV variants and hosts indicate that these miRNAs are potential valuable diagnostic markers and key effectors of EBOV pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice Duy
- Diagnostic Systems Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Anna N Honko
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Louis A Altamura
- Diagnostic Systems Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Sandra L Bixler
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Suzanne Wollen-Roberts
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Nadia Wauquier
- Metabiota, Kenema, Sierra Leone.,MRIGlobal - Global Health Surveillance and Diagnostics, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Aileen O'Hearn
- Diagnostic Systems Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Eric M Mucker
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Joshua C Johnson
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Joshua D Shamblin
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Justine Zelko
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Miriam A Botto
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | | | | | - M Louise Pitt
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Jean-Paul Gonzalez
- Metabiota, Washington, DC, USA.,Center of Excellence for Emerging & Zoonotic Animal Disease, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Randal J Schoepp
- Diagnostic Systems Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Arthur J Goff
- Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Timothy D Minogue
- Diagnostic Systems Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, USA.
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9
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Reisler RB, Yu C, Donofrio MJ, Warren TK, Wells JB, Stuthman KS, Garza NL, Vantongeren SA, Donnelly GC, Kane CD, Kortepeter MG, Bavari S, Cardile AP. Clinical Laboratory Values as Early Indicators of Ebola Virus Infection in Nonhuman Primates. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 23:1316-1324. [PMID: 28726603 PMCID: PMC5547776 DOI: 10.3201/eid2308.170029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak in West Africa during 2013-2016 demonstrated the need to improve Ebola virus disease (EVD) diagnostics and standards of care. This retrospective study compared laboratory values and clinical features of 3 nonhuman primate models of lethal EVD to assess associations with improved survival time. In addition, the study identified laboratory values useful as predictors of survival, surrogates for EBOV viral loads, and triggers for initiation of therapeutic interventions in these nonhuman primate models. Furthermore, the data support that, in nonhuman primates, the Makona strain of EBOV may be less virulent than the Kikwit strain of EBOV. The applicability of these findings as potential diagnostic and management tools for EVD in humans warrants further investigation.
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10
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Speranza E, Bixler SL, Altamura LA, Arnold CE, Pratt WD, Taylor-Howell C, Burrows C, Aguilar W, Rossi F, Shamblin JD, Wollen SE, Zelko JM, Minogue T, Nagle E, Palacios G, Goff AJ, Connor JH. A conserved transcriptional response to intranasal Ebola virus exposure in nonhuman primates prior to onset of fever. Sci Transl Med 2018; 10:10/434/eaaq1016. [PMID: 29593102 PMCID: PMC9986849 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaq1016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Ebola virus disease (EVD), caused by Ebola virus (EBOV), is a severe illness characterized by case fatality rates of up to 90%. The sporadic nature of outbreaks in resource-limited areas has hindered the ability to characterize the pathogenesis of EVD at all stages of infection but particularly early host responses. Pathogenesis is often studied in nonhuman primate (NHP) models of disease that replicate major aspects of human EVD. Typically, NHP models use a large infectious dose, are carried out through intramuscular or aerosol exposure, and have a fairly uniform disease course. By contrast, we report our analysis of the host response to EBOV after intranasal exposure. Twelve cynomolgus macaques were infected with 100 plaque-forming units of EBOV/Makona through intranasal exposure and presented with varying times to onset of EVD. We used RNA sequencing and a newly developed NanoString CodeSet to monitor the host response via changes in RNA transcripts over time. When individual animal gene expression data were phased based on the onset of sustained fever, the first clinical sign of severe disease, mathematical models indicated that interferon-stimulated genes appeared as early as 4 days before fever onset. This demonstrates that lethal EVD has a uniform and predictable response to infection regardless of time to onset. Furthermore, expression of a subset of genes could predict disease development before other host-based indications of infection such as fever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Speranza
- Department of Microbiology, Bioinformatics Program, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Sandra L Bixler
- Molecular and Translational Sciences Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Louis A Altamura
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Catherine E Arnold
- Center for Genome Sciences, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - William D Pratt
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Cheryl Taylor-Howell
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Christina Burrows
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - William Aguilar
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Franco Rossi
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Joshua D Shamblin
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Suzanne E Wollen
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Justine M Zelko
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Timothy Minogue
- Diagnostic Systems Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Elyse Nagle
- Center for Genome Sciences, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Gustavo Palacios
- Center for Genome Sciences, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Arthur J Goff
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - John H Connor
- Department of Microbiology, Bioinformatics Program, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
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11
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Perry DL, Huzella LM, Bernbaum JG, Holbrook MR, Jahrling PB, Hagen KR, Schnell MJ, Johnson RF. Ebola Virus Localization in the Macaque Reproductive Tract during Acute Ebola Virus Disease. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2018; 188:550-558. [PMID: 29429544 PMCID: PMC5840485 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Sexual transmission of Ebola virus (EBOV) has been demonstrated more than a year after recovery from the acute phase of Ebola virus disease (EVD). The mechanisms underlying EBOV persistence and sexual transmission are not currently understood. Using the acute macaque model of EVD, we hypothesized EBOV would infect the reproductive tissues and sought to localize the infection in these tissues using immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy. In four female and eight male macaques that succumbed to EVD between 6 and 9 days after EBOV challenge, we demonstrate widespread EBOV infection of the interstitial tissues and endothelium in the ovary, uterus, testis, seminal vesicle, epididymis, and prostate gland, with minimal associated tissue immune response or organ pathology. Given the widespread involvement of EBOV in the reproductive tracts of both male and female macaques, it is reasonable to surmise that our understanding of the mechanisms underlying sexual transmission of EVD and persistence of EBOV in immune-privileged sites would be facilitated by the development of a nonhuman primate model in which the macaques survived past the acute stage into convalescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna L Perry
- Integrated Research Facility, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Frederick Maryland.
| | - Louis M Huzella
- Integrated Research Facility, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Frederick Maryland
| | - John G Bernbaum
- Integrated Research Facility, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Frederick Maryland
| | - Michael R Holbrook
- Integrated Research Facility, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Frederick Maryland
| | - Peter B Jahrling
- Integrated Research Facility, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Frederick Maryland; Emerging Viral Pathogens Section, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Frederick Maryland
| | - Katie R Hagen
- Integrated Research Facility, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Frederick Maryland
| | - Matthias J Schnell
- Department of Microbiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Reed F Johnson
- Emerging Viral Pathogens Section, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Frederick Maryland
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12
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Bixler SL, Bocan TM, Wells J, Wetzel KS, Van Tongeren SA, Dong L, Garza NL, Donnelly G, Cazares LH, Nuss J, Soloveva V, Koistinen KA, Welch L, Epstein C, Liang LF, Giesing D, Lenk R, Bavari S, Warren TK. Efficacy of favipiravir (T-705) in nonhuman primates infected with Ebola virus or Marburg virus. Antiviral Res 2017; 151:97-104. [PMID: 29289666 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2017.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Favipiravir is a broad-spectrum antiviral agent that has demonstrated efficacy against Ebola virus (EBOV) in rodents. However, there are no published reports of favipiravir efficacy for filovirus infection of nonhuman primates (NHPs). Here we evaluated the pharmacokinetic profile of favipiravir in NHPs, as well as in vivo efficacy against two filoviruses, EBOV and Marburg virus (MARV). While no survival benefit was observed in two studies employing once- or twice-daily oral dosing of favipiravir during EBOV infection of NHPs, an antiviral effect was observed in terms of extended time-to-death and reduced levels of viral RNA. However, oral dosing in biosafety level-4 (BSL-4) presents logistical and technical challenges, and repeated anesthesia events may potentially worsen survival outcome in animals. For the third study of treatment of MARV infection, we therefore made use of catheters, jackets, and tethers for intravenous (IV) dosing and blood collection, which minimized the requirement for repeated anesthesia events. When MARV infection was treated with IV favipiravir, five of six animals (83%) survived infection, while all untreated NHPs succumbed. An accompanying report presents the results of favipiravir treatment of EBOV infection in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra L Bixler
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Thomas M Bocan
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Jay Wells
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Kelly S Wetzel
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Sean A Van Tongeren
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Lian Dong
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Nicole L Garza
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Ginger Donnelly
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Lisa H Cazares
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Jonathan Nuss
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Veronica Soloveva
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Keith A Koistinen
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Lisa Welch
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA; Currently of FUJIFILM Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc., One Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109, USA
| | - Carol Epstein
- Currently of FUJIFILM Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc., One Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109, USA
| | - Li-Fang Liang
- Currently of FUJIFILM Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc., One Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109, USA
| | - Dennis Giesing
- Currently of FUJIFILM Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc., One Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109, USA
| | - Robert Lenk
- Currently of FUJIFILM Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc., One Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109, USA
| | - Sina Bavari
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Travis K Warren
- US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter Street, Ft. Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
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13
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Honko AN, Johnson JC, Marchand JS, Huzella L, Adams RD, Oberlander N, Torzewski LM, Bennett RS, Hensley LE, Jahrling PB, Olinger GG. High dose sertraline monotherapy fails to protect rhesus macaques from lethal challenge with Ebola virus Makona. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5886. [PMID: 28725019 PMCID: PMC5517626 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06179-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent epidemic of Ebola virus disease in West Africa resulted in an unprecedented number of cases and deaths. Due to the scope of the outbreak combined with the lack of available approved treatment options, there was strong motivation to investigate any potential drug which had existing data reporting anti-Ebola activity. Drugs with demonstrated antiviral activity in the nonhuman primate models already approved for another indication or for which there was existing safety data were considered to be priorities for evaluation by the World Health Organization. Sertraline hydrochloride was reported to have anti-Ebola activity in vitro alone and in combination with other approved drugs. Although the efficacy was less than 100% in the murine model, the established safety profile of this product, the potential benefit alone and in combination, as well as the lack of other available options prioritized this compound for testing in the Ebola virus intramuscular rhesus macaque challenge model. Using a blinded dosing strategy, we demonstrated that high dose sertraline monotherapy provided no benefit for the prevention of Ebola virus disease in rhesus macaques with regards to reduction of viral load, morbidity, or survival highlighting the challenges of translating results between in vitro and in vivo models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna N Honko
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, 21702, Maryland, USA.
| | - Joshua C Johnson
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, 21702, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonathan S Marchand
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, 21702, Maryland, USA
| | - Louis Huzella
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, 21702, Maryland, USA
| | - Ricky D Adams
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, 21702, Maryland, USA
| | - Nicholas Oberlander
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, 21702, Maryland, USA
- BD Technologies/Charles River Labs, Research Triangle Park, 27709, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lisa M Torzewski
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, 21702, Maryland, USA
| | - Richard S Bennett
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, 21702, Maryland, USA
| | - Lisa E Hensley
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, 21702, Maryland, USA
| | - Peter B Jahrling
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, 21702, Maryland, USA
| | - Gene G Olinger
- Integrated Research Facility, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, 21702, Maryland, USA
- MRIGlobal-Global Health Surveillance and Diagnostics, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20878, USA
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14
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Validation of the Filovirus Plaque Assay for Use in Preclinical Studies. Viruses 2016; 8:113. [PMID: 27110807 PMCID: PMC4848606 DOI: 10.3390/v8040113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Revised: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
A plaque assay for quantitating filoviruses in virus stocks, prepared viral challenge inocula and samples from research animals has recently been fully characterized and standardized for use across multiple institutions performing Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) studies. After standardization studies were completed, Good Laboratory Practices (GLP)-compliant plaque assay method validation studies to demonstrate suitability for reliable and reproducible measurement of the Marburg Virus Angola (MARV) variant and Ebola Virus Kikwit (EBOV) variant commenced at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID). The validation parameters tested included accuracy, precision, linearity, robustness, stability of the virus stocks and system suitability. The MARV and EBOV assays were confirmed to be accurate to ±0.5 log10 PFU/mL. Repeatability precision, intermediate precision and reproducibility precision were sufficient to return viral titers with a coefficient of variation (%CV) of ≤30%, deemed acceptable variation for a cell-based bioassay. Intraclass correlation statistical techniques for the evaluation of the assay’s precision when the same plaques were quantitated by two analysts returned values passing the acceptance criteria, indicating high agreement between analysts. The assay was shown to be accurate and specific when run on Nonhuman Primates (NHP) serum and plasma samples diluted in plaque assay medium, with negligible matrix effects. Virus stocks demonstrated stability for freeze-thaw cycles typical of normal usage during assay retests. The results demonstrated that the EBOV and MARV plaque assays are accurate, precise and robust for filovirus titration in samples associated with the performance of GLP animal model studies.
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15
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Therapeutic efficacy of the small molecule GS-5734 against Ebola virus in rhesus monkeys. Nature 2016; 531:381-5. [PMID: 26934220 PMCID: PMC5551389 DOI: 10.1038/nature17180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1023] [Impact Index Per Article: 127.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The discovery is reported of a small molecule drug, GS-5734, which has antiviral activity against Ebola virus and other filoviruses, and is capable of providing post-exposure therapeutic protection against lethal disease in 100% of drug-treated nonhuman primates infected with Ebola virus; the drug targets viral RNA polymerase and can distribute to sanctuary sites (such as testes, eyes and brain), suggesting that it may be able to clear persistent virus infection. These authors report the discovery of a small-molecule drug, GS-5734, which has antiviral activity against Ebola and other filoviruses, and is capable of providing post-exposure protection against Ebola virus in 100% of infected macaques tested. Now in clinical trials (http://go.nature.com/PEW2Oi), the drug targets the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and is readily scalable for future outbreaks. GS-5734 is able to distribute to sanctuary sites for viral replication including the testes, eye and brain, offering the hope that this drug may also be able to clear recrudescent and persistent virus infection. The most recent Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, which was unprecedented in the number of cases and fatalities, geographic distribution, and number of nations affected, highlights the need for safe, effective, and readily available antiviral agents for treatment and prevention of acute Ebola virus (EBOV) disease (EVD) or sequelae1. No antiviral therapeutics have yet received regulatory approval or demonstrated clinical efficacy. Here we report the discovery of a novel small molecule GS-5734, a monophosphoramidate prodrug of an adenosine analogue, with antiviral activity against EBOV. GS-5734 exhibits antiviral activity against multiple variants of EBOV and other filoviruses in cell-based assays. The pharmacologically active nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) is efficiently formed in multiple human cell types incubated with GS-5734 in vitro, and the NTP acts as an alternative substrate and RNA-chain terminator in primer-extension assays using a surrogate respiratory syncytial virus RNA polymerase. Intravenous administration of GS-5734 to nonhuman primates resulted in persistent NTP levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (half-life, 14 h) and distribution to sanctuary sites for viral replication including testes, eyes, and brain. In a rhesus monkey model of EVD, once-daily intravenous administration of 10 mg kg−1 GS-5734 for 12 days resulted in profound suppression of EBOV replication and protected 100% of EBOV-infected animals against lethal disease, ameliorating clinical disease signs and pathophysiological markers, even when treatments were initiated three days after virus exposure when systemic viral RNA was detected in two out of six treated animals. These results show the first substantive post-exposure protection by a small-molecule antiviral compound against EBOV in nonhuman primates. The broad-spectrum antiviral activity of GS-5734 in vitro against other pathogenic RNA viruses, including filoviruses, arenaviruses, and coronaviruses, suggests the potential for wider medical use. GS-5734 is amenable to large-scale manufacturing, and clinical studies investigating the drug safety and pharmacokinetics are ongoing.
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16
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Delayed Time-to-Treatment of an Antisense Morpholino Oligomer Is Effective against Lethal Marburg Virus Infection in Cynomolgus Macaques. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004456. [PMID: 26901785 PMCID: PMC4764691 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Marburg virus (MARV) is an Ebola-like virus in the family Filovirdae that causes sporadic outbreaks of severe hemorrhagic fever with a case fatality rate as high as 90%. AVI-7288, a positively charged antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMOplus) targeting the viral nucleoprotein gene, was evaluated as a potential therapeutic intervention for MARV infection following delayed treatment of 1, 24, 48, and 96 h post-infection (PI) in a nonhuman primate lethal challenge model. A total of 30 cynomolgus macaques were divided into 5 groups of 6 and infected with 1,830 plaque forming units of MARV subcutaneously. AVI-7288 was administered by bolus infusion daily for 14 days at 15 mg/kg body weight. Survival was the primary endpoint of the study. While none (0 of 6) of the saline group survived, 83–100% of infected monkeys survived when treatment was initiated 1, 24, 48, or 96 h post-infection (PI). The antisense treatment also reduced serum viremia and inflammatory cytokines in all treatment groups compared to vehicle controls. The antibody immune response to virus was preserved and tissue viral antigen was cleared in AVI-7288 treated animals. These data show that AVI-7288 protects NHPs against an otherwise lethal MARV infection when treatment is initiated up to 96 h PI. Marburg virus (MARV) is a filovirus closely related to Ebola virus and similarly causes hemorrhagic fever in humans. MARV is endemic throughout parts of tropical Africa. Severe outbreaks of Marburg virus disease (MVD) have occurred involving hundreds of human cases. No effective MARV antiviral therapies are available. In this study, we used a positive charged phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMOplus) targeting the mRNA of the MARV nucleoprotein gene as a medical countermeasure to treat disease in a lethal nonhuman primate model of MVD. The intravenous treatment regimen was well tolerated with no treatment related adverse effects. We showed that when using this antisense treatment, serum virus levels decreased and 83–100% of the animals survived, even when the treatment was delayed as much as 96 hours after infection. None of the untreated animals survived the viral challenge in this model. Our results suggest that antisense therapies, such as PMOs, hold great promise for the treatment of severe viral diseases such as MVD.
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17
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Trefry JC, Wollen SE, Nasar F, Shamblin JD, Kern SJ, Bearss JJ, Jefferson MA, Chance TB, Kugelman JR, Ladner JT, Honko AN, Kobs DJ, Wending MQS, Sabourin CL, Pratt WD, Palacios GF, Pitt MLM. Ebola Virus Infections in Nonhuman Primates Are Temporally Influenced by Glycoprotein Poly-U Editing Site Populations in the Exposure Material. Viruses 2015; 7:6739-54. [PMID: 26703716 PMCID: PMC4690892 DOI: 10.3390/v7122969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Revised: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent experimentation with the variants of the Ebola virus that differ in the glycoprotein's poly-uridine site, which dictates the form of glycoprotein produced through a transcriptional stutter, has resulted in questions regarding the pathogenicity and lethality of the stocks used to develop products currently undergoing human clinical trials to combat the disease. In order to address these concerns and prevent the delay of these critical research programs, we designed an experiment that permitted us to intramuscularly challenge statistically significant numbers of naïve and vaccinated cynomolgus macaques with either a 7U or 8U variant of the Ebola virus, Kikwit isolate. In naïve animals, no difference in survivorship was observed; however, there was a significant delay in the disease course between the two groups. Significant differences were also observed in time-of-fever, serum chemistry, and hematology. In vaccinated animals, there was no statistical difference in survivorship between either challenge groups, with two succumbing in the 7U group compared to 1 in the 8U challenge group. In summary, survivorship was not affected, but the Ebola virus disease course in nonhuman primates is temporally influenced by glycoprotein poly-U editing site populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Trefry
- Virology Division, US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Suzanne E Wollen
- Virology Division, US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Farooq Nasar
- Virology Division, US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Joshua D Shamblin
- Virology Division, US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Steven J Kern
- Virology Division, US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Jeremy J Bearss
- Pathology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Michelle A Jefferson
- Pathology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Taylor B Chance
- Pathology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Jeffery R Kugelman
- Molecular and Translational Sciences, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Jason T Ladner
- Molecular and Translational Sciences, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Anna N Honko
- Virology Division, US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Dean J Kobs
- Battelle Memorial Institute, 505 King Ave., Columbus, OH 43201, USA.
| | | | - Carol L Sabourin
- Battelle Memorial Institute, 505 King Ave., Columbus, OH 43201, USA.
| | - William D Pratt
- Virology Division, US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Gustavo F Palacios
- Molecular and Translational Sciences, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - M Louise M Pitt
- Virology Division, US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, 1425 Porter St., Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
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Gamma-Glutamyltransferase: A Predictive Biomarker of Cellular Antioxidant Inadequacy and Disease Risk. DISEASE MARKERS 2015; 2015:818570. [PMID: 26543300 PMCID: PMC4620378 DOI: 10.1155/2015/818570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is a well-established serum marker for alcohol-related liver disease. However, GGT's predictive utility applies well beyond liver disease: elevated GGT is linked to increased risk to a multitude of diseases and conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and all-cause mortality. The literature from multiple population groups worldwide consistently shows strong predictive power for GGT, even across different gender and ethnic categories. Here, we examine the relationship of GGT to other serum markers such as serum ferritin (SF) levels, and we suggest a link to exposure to environmental and endogenous toxins, resulting in oxidative and nitrosative stress. We observe a general upward trend in population levels of GGT over time, particularly in the US and Korea. Since the late 1970s, both GGT and incident MetS and its related disorders have risen in virtual lockstep. GGT is an early predictive marker for atherosclerosis, heart failure, arterial stiffness and plaque, gestational diabetes, and various liver diseases, including viral hepatitis, other infectious diseases, and several life-threatening cancers. We review literature both from the medical sciences and from life insurance industries demonstrating that serum GGT is a superior marker for future disease risk, when compared against multiple other known mortality risk factors.
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Shurtleff AC, Bavari S. Animal models for ebolavirus countermeasures discovery: what defines a useful model? Expert Opin Drug Discov 2015; 10:685-702. [PMID: 26004783 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2015.1035252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ebolaviruses are highly pathogenic filoviruses, which cause disease in humans and nonhuman primates (NHP) in Africa. The Zaire ebolavirus outbreak in 2014, which continues to greatly affect Western Africa and other countries to which the hemorrhagic fever was exported due to travel of unsymptomatic yet infected individuals, was complicated by the lack of available licensed vaccines or therapeutics to combat infection. After almost a year of research at an increased pace to find and test vaccines and therapeutics, there is now a deeper understanding of the available disease models for ebolavirus infection. Demonstration of vaccine or therapeutic efficacy in NHP models of ebolavirus infection is crucial to the development and eventual licensure of ebolavirus medical countermeasures, so that safe and effective countermeasures can be accelerated into human clinical trials. AREAS COVERED The authors describe ebolavirus hemorrhagic fever (EHF) disease in various animal species: mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, pigs and NHP, to include baboons, marmosets, rhesus and cynomolgus macaques, as well as African green monkeys. Because the NHP models are supremely useful for therapeutics and vaccine testing, emphasis is placed on comparison of these models, and their use as gold-standard models of EHF. EXPERT OPINION Animal models of EHF varying from rodents to NHP species are currently under evaluation for their reproducibility and utility for modeling infection in humans. Complete development and licensure of therapeutic agents and vaccines will require demonstration that mechanisms conferring protection in NHP models of infection are predictive of protective responses in humans, for a given countermeasure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy C Shurtleff
- U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Division of Molecular and Translational Sciences , 1425 Porter Street, Frederick, MD 21702 , USA +1 301 619 4246 ; +1 541 754 3545 ;
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