Status of research and development of vaccines for chikungunya

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arthritogenic alphavirus that during the last decade has significantly expanded its geographical range and caused large outbreaks of human disease around the world. Although mortality rates associated with CHIKV outbreaks are low, acute and chronic illnesses caused by CHIKV represent a significant burden of disease largely affecting low and middle income countries. This report summarizes the current status of vaccine development for CHIKV.

Chikungunya and arthritis: An overview

Chikungunya is caused by CHIKV (chikungunya virus), an emerging and re-emerging arthropod-vectored viral infection that causes a febrile disease with primarily long term sequelae of arthralgia and myalgia and is fatal in a small fraction of infected patients. Sporadic outbreaks have been reported from different parts of the world chiefly Africa, Asia, the Indian and Pacific ocean regions, Europe and lately even in the Americas. Currently, treatment is primarily symptomatic as no vaccine, antibody-mediated immunotherapy or antivirals are available. Chikungunya belongs to a family of arthritogenic alphaviruses which have many pathophysiological similarities. Chikungunya arthritis has similarities and differences with rheumatoid arthritis. Although research into arthritis caused by these alphaviruses have been ongoing for decades and significant progress has been made, the mechanisms underlying viral infection and arthritis are not well understood. In this review, we give a background to chikungunya and the causative virus, outline the history of alphavirus arthritis research and then give an overview of findings on arthritis caused by CHIKV. We also discuss treatment options and the research done so far on various therapeutic intervention strategies.

Intracellular ROS generated in chikungunya patients with persisting polyarthralgia can be reduced by Tinospora cordifolia leaf extract

Chikungunya (CHIK) is an arboviral infection having huge global burden affecting the life style of the patient badly due to debilitating polyarthralgia. This study aims to evaluate intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in peripheral blood of patients suffering with persisting polyarthralgia post CHIK infection and the potential of Tinospora cordifolia leaf extract in scavenging those free radicals in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of the patient. Peripheral blood was collected from written informed consented patients and intracellular ROS was measured in PBMC of patients suffering with persisting polyarthralgia 3 months post CHIK infection followed by the study of free radical scavenging by T. cordifolia leaf extract in those cells through flow cytometry. Control population comprising healthy donors were also included in the study. As compared to healthy subjects, twofold higher Intracellular ROS (17.89 ± 1.007 vs. 37.96 ± 1.510, P < 0.0001) was found in patient PBMC. Ex-vivo treatment of those PBMC with ethanolic extract of T. cordifolia leaf (1 μg/mL) decreased intracellular ROS significantly by twofold (P < 0.0001). This study reports that CHIK infection produces high level of intracellular ROS in the patients suffering with persisting polyarthralgia, which was significantly scavenged by ex vivo treatment with T. cordifolia leaf extract.

A dramatic decline in university hospital admissions of acute rheumatic fever in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUNDS

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and its sequel, chronic valvular heart disease are the most important causes for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide and mainly in developing countries. However, the incidence of ARF has declined in developed countries during the second half of 20th century.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The case files of all patients admitted as new cases of ARF over ∼11 years and 8 months, both in pediatric and medical departments of a university hospital located in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia were reviewed. The demographic and clinical data and the frequency of the new cases were compared with the data that have been published by us 10 years ago from the same hospital during a similar period of time (11 years and 8 months).

RESULTS

In the current study there was a significant decline in the frequency of admission of cases of ARF as compared to our previous study during a similar period of time, with a frequency rate of 12 cases per 100.000 hospitalizations versus 45 cases per 100.000 hospitalizations, respectively, P < 0.001. Dyspnea and chest pain as clinical features of acute rheumatic carditis (ARC) were less frequent in the current study as compared to the previous study (35% versus 44%, P = 0.02 and 10% versus 28.6%, P = 0.031). The subgroup analysis revealed also a decreased frequency of the clinical features of ARC in pediatric age group in the current study as compared to our previous study.

CONCLUSION

There is a significant decline in the frequency of new hospital admissions due to ARF. This decline was associated with similar decline in the frequency of the manifestations of ARC especially in pediatric age group (1-12 years).

Association of CD14 and macrophage migration inhibitory factor gene polymorphisms with inflammatory microRNAs expression levels in ankylosing spondylitis and polyarthralgia

This study aimed to investigate the genetic basis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and polyarthralgia (PA) conditions among Indian subjects through genotyping two immune regulatory genes CD14 (-159C>T) and MIF (-173G>C) and find their association with the expression levels of three circulating inflammatory miRNAs. This investigation may provide early genetic cause of these two forms of arthritis and more optimal biological targets to predict early therapeutic outcomes. A total of 140 patients (AS: 70 and PA: 70) and 156 controls were recruited from Indian population. CD14 and MIF genotyping was performed using ARMS-PCR. Expression level of three inflammatory miRNAs (miRNA-146a, miRNA-155 and miRNA-181) was quantified using RT-qPCR. C/T genotype of CD14 gene was found to cause 2.06-fold risk of developing AS (CI 1.06-5.98, p = .04) as compared to others and G/C genotype in MIF also shown significant variation between AS and control subjects. In PA subjects, CD14 genotypes (C/T) was found to be associated with disease susceptibility and G/C genotype of MIF gene polymorphism showed 4.71-fold risk of developing PA (CI 2.58-8.62, p = .0001). The study also revealed significant upregulation of miRNA-155 expression in AS subjects (p = .0001) with more than 1.3-fold difference between AS and PA as compared to the control subjects. miRNA-155 had strong association with AS patients with CD14 genotypes (p < .05) than PA and control subjects. This study provides better understanding of the mechanisms and disease susceptibility for MIF and CD14 genetic variants and inflammatory miRNAs networks involved in AS and PA.

Nivolumab-Induced Polymyalgia Rheumatica in a Patient with Lung Adenocarcinoma

A 79-year-old woman was diagnosed with stage IV (cT1aN1M1, OSS) lung adenocarcinoma with bone metastasis of the right femur. She received nivolumab as a third-line treatment. She developed pain in the right shoulder, left wrist, right knee, and waist as well as a low-grade fever and morning stiffness, after five courses of nivolumab. After closer examination, she was diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) precipitated by an immune-related adverse event. Nivolumab was discontinued, and oral prednisolone was started. Her arthralgia improved. Caution should be exercised regarding the development of PMR when polyarthralgia occurs during nivolumab treatment in patients with lung cancer.

The Chikungunya virus: An emerging US pathogen

BACKGROUND

The Chikungunya (CHIK) virus was recently reported by the CDC to have spread to the United States. We report an early documented case of CHIK from the state of Pennsylvania after a patient recently returned from Haiti in June of 2014.

METHODS

A 39-year-old man presented to the emergency department complaining of fever, fatigue, polyarthralgias and a diffuse rash for two days. Four days before, he returned from a mission trip to Haiti and reported that four of his accompanying friends had also become ill. A CHIK antibody titer was obtained and it was found to be positive. During his hospital stay, he responded well to supportive care, including anti-inflammatories, intravenous hydration and anti-emetics.

RESULTS

His condition improved within two days and he was ultimately discharged home.

CONCLUSIONS

Manifestations of CHIK can be similar to Dengue fever, which is transmitted by the same species of mosquito, and occasionally as a co-infection. Clinicians should include Chikungunya virus in their differential diagnosis of patients who present with fever, polyarthralgia and rash with a recent history of travel to endemic areas, including those within the United States.

Whipple's disease diagnosed in a patient with suspected sarcoidosis

This paper presents a case of a 51-year-old patient with chronic diarrhea, weight loss, polyarthralgia, and diffuse lymphadenopathy. Laboratory work-up showed anemia, leukocytosis and thrombocytosis, and increased C-reactive protein (CRP). Due to an inconspicuous differential leukocyte count and lymph node biopsy findings showing granulomatous lymphadenopathy, sarcoidosis was initially suspected. Colonoscopy found no abnormalities and duodenal biopsies showed negative Periodic acid-Schiff stains. However, PCR testing on these biopsies revealed Tropheryma whipplei DNA. Further PCR testing of urine and cerebrospinal fluid also revealed T. whipplei DNA. The patient was treated with ceftriaxone for 2 weeks followed by trimethoprim for a year. A rapid improvement of his symptoms was seen.

Adult Onset Still's Disease With Different Antibodies: A Case Report and Review of Literature

 Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare systemic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. There is not currently any specific serological markers for AOSD , and  diagnosis still relying on the exclusion of other likely diagnoses. Yamaguchi's criteria are used as a diagnostic criterion which contains negative serologic markers for other collagen vascular diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. Here we report a 28-year-old woman with arthralgia, fever, rash, leukocytosis, lymphadenopathy, sore throat, abnormal liver function and negative rheumatoid factor and ANA but  seropositive for anti-CCP, anti-dsDNA, and C-ANCA. It seems that despite AOSD is considered as a seronegativedisorder; it should be remembered in patients with compatible findings who are seropositive.

Synergism between chikungunya virus infection and rheumatoid arthritis on cytokine levels: Clinical implications?

Post-chikungunya virus (CHIKV) chronic arthritis shares several immunopathogenic mechanisms with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which has led to discussions about the probable relationship between the two diseases. Indeed, some studies have suggested a role for CHIKV infection in RA development. However, to the best of our knowledge, the influence of CHIKV on previous RA has not yet been demonstrated. Herein, we analyzed the potential synergism between CHIKV infection and RA on cytokine and chemokine levels. For this, we compared the IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, CCL2, CXCL8, CXCL9 and CXCL10 levels, in addition to rheumatoid factor (RF) and C-reactive protein (CRP), in patients with post-CHIKV chronic arthritis (named CHIKV group), patients with RA (RA group), and patients with previous RA who were later infected by CHIKV (RA-CHIKV). History of CHIKV infection was confirmed by serology (IgG, ELISA). Cytokines/chemokines were quantified by flow cytometry. RF, CRP, age and sex data were obtained from medical records. IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-17A levels were significantly higher in RA-CHIKV compared to the other groups. CXCL8 levels were higher in the CHIKV group than in RA. CXCL9 was higher in CHIKV than in the RA-CHIKV group. CXCL10 was higher in CHIKV than in the other groups. FR levels were higher in RA than in the CHIKV group, and in RA-CHIKV than in CHIKV. No significant difference was observed in CCL2 and CRP, as well as in age and sex. Finally, our findings suggest an interplay between CHIKV infection and RA, which must be analyzed for its possible clinical impact.