Virology Commons^™

Influenza C Virus In Us Children With Acute Respiratory Infection 2016–2019, Bethany K Sederdahl, Geoffrey A Weinberg, Angela P Campbell, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Jennifer E Schuster, Joana Y Lively, Samantha M Olson, Julie A Boom, Pedro A Piedra, Natasha B Halasa, Laura Stewart, Peter G Szilagyi, G K Balasubramani, Theresa Sax, Judith M Martin, Robert W Hickey, Marian G Michaels, John V Williams, New Vaccine Surveillance Network

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Influenza C virus (ICV) is an orthomyxovirus related to influenza A and B, yet due to few commercial assays, epidemiologic studies may underestimate incidence of ICV infection and disease. We describe the epidemiology and characteristics of ICV within the New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN), a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-led network that conducts population-based surveillance for pediatric acute respiratory illness (ARI). Nasal or/combined throat swabs were collected from emergency department (ED) or inpatient ARI cases, or healthy controls, between 12/05/2016-10/31/2019 and tested by molecular assays for ICV and other respiratory viruses. Parent surveys and chart review were used …

Rotavirus Vaccine Effectiveness Against Severe Acute Gastroenteritis: 2009-2022, Alpha Oumar Diallo, Mary E Wikswo, Iddrisu Sulemana, Leila C Sahni, Julie A Boom, Sasirekha Ramani, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Mary E Moffatt, Christopher J Harrison, Natasha Halasa, James Chappell, Laura Stewart, Mary Allen Staat, Elizabeth Schlaudecker, Christina Quigley, Eileen J Klein, Janet A Englund, Danielle M Zerr, Geoffrey A Weinberg, Peter G Szilagyi, Christina Albertin, Samantha H Johnston, John V Williams, Marian G Michaels, Robert W Hickey, Aaron T Curns, Michelle Honeywood, Slavica Mijatovic-Rustempasic, Mathew D Esona, Michael D Bowen, Umesh D Parashar, Rashi Gautam, Sara A Mirza, Jacqueline E Tate

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Rotavirus was the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis among US children until vaccine introduction in 2006, after which, substantial declines in severe rotavirus disease occurred. We evaluated rotavirus vaccine effectiveness (VE) over 13 years (2009-2022).

Methods: We analyzed data from the New Vaccine Surveillance Network using a test-negative case-control design to estimate rotavirus VE against laboratory-confirmed rotavirus infections among children seeking care for acute gastroenteritis (≥3 diarrhea or ≥1 vomiting episodes within 24 hours) in the emergency department (ED) or hospital. Case-patients and control-patients were children whose stool specimens tested rotavirus positive or negative, respectively, by enzyme immunoassay or …

The Dengue Vaccine Initiative: A Bibliometric Analysis Of Research Publications, Festus Mulakoli, Abednego Ongeso, Horatius Musembi

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Dengue fever has become a significant public health problem in tropical and subtropical regions and affects millions of people annually. Approximately 390 million people worldwide are estimated to be infected with dengue every year, of which 96 million develop dengue fever. Recently, there has been a noticeable increase in dengue cases, primarily in areas with tropical and subtropical climates. Vaccines have been developed to prevent or reduce the severity of the disease. This study reviews the number of publications on dengue vaccines and related topics worldwide. We aimed to evaluate the research output and create a narrative on global vaccine …

Sequencing-Based Detection Of Avian Influenza A(H5n1) Virus In Wastewater In Ten Cities, Michael J Tisza, Blake M Hanson, Justin R Clark, Li Wang, Katelyn Payne, Matthew C Ross, Kristina D Mena, Anna Gitter, Sara J Javornik Cregeen, Juwan Cormier, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Austen Terwilliger, John Balliew, Fuqing Wu, Janelle Rios, Jennifer Deegan, Pedro A Piedra, Joseph F Petrosino, Eric Boerwinkle, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Disruption Of Cochlear Development By Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection And Therapeutic Approaches That Prevent Hearing Loss, Matthew Smith

All ETDs from UAB

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous virus, infecting greater than 50% of most populations worldwide. Although rarely causing symptomatic infection in immunocompetent individuals, HCMV can cause life-threatening and severe end-organ disease in immunocompromised hosts including the developing fetus. HCMV can cross the placenta and is the most common viral infection of the developing fetus. Most newborn infants with congenital HCMV infection (cCMV) exhibit no clinical evidence of infection; however, up to 15% will develop long term neurodevelopmental sequelae including sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). No prophylactic vaccines or effective antiviral treatments exist for cCMV infection, which may in part be secondary …

Fcrider: A Recombinant Fc Nanoparticle With Endogenous Adjuvant Activities For Hybrid Immunization, Changchuin Mao, Karen Eberle, Xiaojie Chen, Yiming Zhou, Jun Li, Hong Xin, Wenda Gao

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Active immunization (vaccination) induces long-lasting immunity with memory, which takes weeks to months to develop. Passive immunization (transfer of neutralizing antibodies) provides immediate protection, yet with high cost and effects being comparatively short-lived. No currently approved adjuvants are compatible with formulations to combine active and passive immunizations, not to mention their huge disparities in administration routes and dosage. To solve this, we engineered the Fc fragment of human IgG1 into a hexamer nanoparticle and expressed its afucosylated form in Fut8−/− CHO cells, naming it “FcRider.” FcRider is highly soluble with long-term stability, easily produced at high levels equivalent to those …

Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus And Its Management In Lupins, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) is an aphid-transmitted virus that commonly causes necrotic symptoms that kills lupin plants when infected early before pod set. When plants are infected after pod set, black pods develop (known as black pod syndrome).

BYMV is found predominantly in high rainfall areas of the Western Australian (WA) grainbelt. This page outlines the symptoms, diagnosis, factors favouring disease risk and spread, yield and quality impacts, and management for BYMV in lupin crops in WA

Cucumber Mosaic Virus And Its Management In Narrow Leafed Lupins, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is a seed- and aphid-borne virus that infects narrow-leafed lupins. Western Australian (WA) grainbelt regions most at risk are the high rainfall zones of the northern and central agricultural region and the south coastal region.

The principal infection source for lupin crops is sowing infected lupin seed.

Complete Genome Sequence Of An Indian Outbreak Strain Of Chikungunya Virus, Eshna Laha, Deepak Jena, Viplov K. Biswas, Sharad Singh, Sunil K. Raghav, Asit K. Pattnaik, Soma Chattopadhyay

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of an Indian strain of chikungunya virus isolated from an infected patient from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, during a massive outbreak in 2005–2006. The genome length spans 11,811 nucleotides and has a poly(A) tail of 29 residues at the 3′ end.

Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus And Wheat Curl Mite And Their Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) is a seed and mite-borne virus that infects wheat, causing severe leaf symptoms and reduced yields. The symptoms and damage are more severe in wheat than other hosts, in which infection is symptomless.

Wheat streak mosaic virus can cause crop failure when widespread infection occurs in seedling wheat, particularly when a heavily WSMV-infected green bridge is not controlled before sowing an early crop, and warm temperatures favour mites.

Wheat curl mite (Aceria tosichella) is the only known vector of WSMV. It can transmit the virus in its nymph and adult stages.

Tulane Virus Persistence And Microbial Stability In 3d Food Ink Under Various Storage Conditions: A Pre- And Post-Printing Analysis, Allyson N. Hamilton, Kristen E. Gibson

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

3D food printers facilitate novel customization of the physicochemical properties of food. This study aimed to investigate the impact of storage conditions on the inactivation of the human norovirus surrogate, Tulane virus (TuV), within 3D printed foods. TuV-inoculated protein cookie food ink (∽ 4 log PFU/g) was distributed into 18 3D food printer capsules (50 g each); half immediately underwent extrusion. Storage of the capsules and printed food products at 20 °C (0, 6, 12, and 24 h), 4 °C (0, 1, 3, and 5d), and − 18 °C (0, 1, 3, and 5d) was completed before analysis for TuV …

Enterococcus Faecalis-Derived Adenine Enhances Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia Coli Type 3 Secretion System-Dependent Virulence, Fernando H Martins, Thibaut Rosay, Anubama Rajan, Hannah E Carter, Tayah Turocy, Andres Mejia, Jason M Crawford, Anthony W Maresso, Vanessa Sperandio

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Interactions between microbiota and enteric pathogens can promote colonization resistance or enhance pathogenesis. The pathobiont Enterococcus faecalis increases enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) virulence by upregulating Type 3 Secretion System (T3SS) expression, effector translocation, and attaching and effacing (AE) lesion formation on enterocytes, but the mechanisms underlying this remain unknown. Using co-infection of organoids, metabolomics, supplementation experiments and bacterial genetics, here we show that co-culture of EHEC with E. faecalis increases the xanthine-hypoxanthine pathway activity and adenine biosynthesis. Adenine or E. faecalis promoted T3SS gene expression, while transcriptomics showed upregulation of adeP expression, which encodes an adenine importer. Mechanistically, adenine relieved …

A Case Of Persistent Intra-Abdominal Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia Infection Despite Bacteriophage Therapy, Grace D Cullen, Keiko Christine Salazar, Austen Lee Terwilliger, Saima Aslam, Justin R Clark, Anthony W Maresso, Paul L Bollyky, Jenny R Aronson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Multidrug resistant infections are a challenge in the health care setting and a cause of patient morbidity and mortality. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that target and kill bacteria and have been used in patients to treat bacterial infections. We present a case of disseminated Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection, with pulmonary, intra-abdominal and bloodstream involvement. The patient was treated with a combination of antibiotics and personalized phage therapy, administered daily for 12 days both intravenously as well as via intra-abdominal drains. Phage therapy was well-tolerated, the patient cleared S. maltophilia from their bloodstream and their intra-abdominal abscesses were stable or decreased in …

Sequence Specificity Of Non-Structural Protein 15 From Sars-Cov-2, John Vincent Mcguire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The SARS-CoV-2 virus was recently able to cause a global pandemic, largely due to the asymptomatic period that occurs during initial infection. During this period, patients are infectious but do not exhibit symptoms, resulting in the unintentional spread of the virus. This occurs because the virus effectively avoids detection by the immune system during the early stages of infection, and as symptoms are the result of immune system activation, they never manifest. Non-structural Protein 15 (Nsp15) is one of the tools the virus uses to remain undetected, via its degradation of Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs) that would otherwise be recognized …

Investigating The Roles Of Sirtuins During Cvb3 Infection And Innate Immunity, Bridget M. Hulsebosch

Master's Theses

Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is an enterovirus that chronically infects heart tissue, leading to dilated cardiomyopathy. However, no vaccines or antivirals exist for CVB3 infection or to treat CVB3-induced dilated cardiomyopathy, except for a heart transplant. Sirtuins (SIRTs), class III lysine deacetylases, have diverse and complex roles in cellular functions, contributing to energy production, NF-κB signaling, cell cycle regulation, and inflammation. Previous studies showed that SIRTs are essential for hepatitis B and A viral replication and regulate the IFN response during viral infection. However, the role of SIRT1 and 2 during CVB3 infection is entirely unknown. CVB3-infected SIRT1 and SIRT2 knockout …

Rna Secondary Structures: Structure-Function Studies In Viral And Neurodegenerative Diseases, Caylee Cunningham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The studies within this dissertation highlight the importance of RNA structure and function, highlighting potential mechanisms in the pathogenesis of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and hallmarks of ALS. Specifically, the s2m, a 41-nt structure found within the hyper variable region of the 3’ UTR of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was investigated as this element has no definitive role in viruses but its high conservation in several viral families warrants investigation. We used various biophysical techniques to determine if a palindromic sequence in the terminal loop could participate in dimerization activities, which may have implications in recombination and the longevity of the virus. …

Identification And Characterization Of A Skin Microbiome On Caenorhabditis Elegans Suggests Environmental Microbes Confer Cuticle Protection, Nadia B Haghani, Robert H Lampe, Buck S Samuel, Sreekanth H Chalasani, Molly A Matty

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In the wild, C. elegans are emersed in environments teeming with a veritable menagerie of microorganisms. The C. elegans cuticular surface serves as a barrier and first point of contact with their microbial environments. In this study, we identify microbes from C. elegans natural habitats that associate with its cuticle, constituting a simple “skin microbiome.” We rear our animals on a modified CeMbio, mCeMbio, a consortium of ecologically relevant microbes. We first combine standard microbiological methods with an adapted micro skin-swabbing tool to describe the skin-resident bacteria on the C. elegans surface. Furthermore, we conduct 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies …

Establishment Of A Novel Prairie Vole (Microtus Ochrogaster) Sars-Cov-2 Infection And Transmission Model, Stephanie Rebecca Kehl

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Considering that the number of SARS-CoV-2 cases and deaths continues to increase three years after the onset of the pandemic, the need for animal models to study disease pathology and test antiviral effectiveness remains paramount. Prairie voles offer unique advantages as an infection model, such as mirroring human social behavior, including pair bonding and biparental offspring rearing, having inducible estrus and ovulation cycles, and not being overly domesticated. Based on the sequence homology of the vole ACE2 receptor to that of other species that are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, such as the ferret and hamster, we hypothesized that the vole ACE2 …

Manipulation Of Cellular Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (Pcna) During Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Infection, Jessica Packard, Jill A. Dembowski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a double stranded DNA virus that replicates within the nucleus of host cells. Using accelerated native isolation of proteins on nascent DNA (aniPOND), cellular proteins were found to associate with HSV-1 replication forks. One host factor of interest is proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), the DNA sliding clamp that tethers DNA polymerases and DNA damage response proteins to replicating cellular DNA. Although HSV-1 encodes its own DNA polymerase processivity factor (UL42), PCNA plays a key role in HSV-1 infection. We used commercially available PCNA inhibitors and short hairpin RNAs (shRNA) to investigate how …

Gestational Diabetes As A Risk Factor For Gbs Maternal Rectovaginal Colonization: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Vicki Mercado-Evans, Jacob J Zulk, Zainab A Hameed, Kathryn A Patras

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Maternal rectovaginal colonization by group B Streptococcus (GBS) increases the risk of perinatal GBS disease that can lead to death or long-term neurological impairment. Factors that increase the risk of rectovaginal GBS carriage are incompletely understood resulting in missed opportunities for detecting GBS in risk-based clinical approaches. There is a lacking consensus on whether gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a risk factor for rectovaginal GBS. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to address current conflicting findings and determine whether GDM should be clinically considered as a risk factor for maternal GBS colonization.

METHODS: Peer-reviewed studies that provided GDM prevalence …

Functional And Structural Analysis Of The Neimann-Pick Disease Type C Pathway To Include Caveolin-1, Anthony Michael Seat

Chemistry and Chemical Biology ETDs

Human disease is often thought of as an all or nothing prospect, either one has the disease or one does not. This does not bear out in clinical or personal experiences, instead demonstrating that disease occurs within a spectrum ranging from presumed unaffected to demonstrably and detrimentally affected.Neimann-Pick disease is one example of this spectrum look into diseased states, with multiple named versions of a phenotypically similar disease. We focus on Neimann-Picktype C (NPC), which is the result of a disruption in the efflux of cholesterol and sphingolipids from the endocytic pathway. NPC demonstrates this concept of a spectrum of …

Novel Antivirals Unveiled Against Acute And Persistent Coxsackievirus B3 Infection Via Rapid Screening, Maria Del Mar Villanueva Guzman

Master's Theses

Enteroviruses cause 10 to 15 million infections annually in the United States, and Coxsackievirus B3 is one of the most commonly reported. Coxsackieviruses may become persistent, characterized as a viral infection that is not cleared from host cells and that generates a continuous infection. Patients who develop persistent CVB3 infection may not respond to the same antivirals as an acute infection, which may be detrimental. Therefore, there is a need for broad-range antiviral drugs to combat acute and persistent CVB3 infection, as there is no well-accepted treatment available. We developed a model system to study persistent CVB3 using a pancreatic …

Novel Antivirals Unveiled Against Acute And Persistent Coxsackievirus B3 Infection Via Rapid Screening, Maria Del Mar Villanueva Guzman

Master's Theses

Enteroviruses cause 10 to 15 million infections annually in the United States, and Coxsackievirus B3 is one of the most commonly reported. Coxsackieviruses may become persistent, characterized as a viral infection that is not cleared from host cells and that generates a continuous infection. Patients who develop persistent CVB3 infection may not respond to the same antivirals as an acute infection, which may be detrimental. Therefore, there is a need for broad-range antiviral drugs to combat acute and persistent CVB3 infection, as there is no well-accepted treatment available. We developed a model system to study persistent CVB3 using a pancreatic …

Characterization And Evaluation Of Bacteriophages Φpa-C And Φpa-Tc Infecting Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Joanne Harrison

Master's Theses

Pseudomonas aeruginosa are prevalent opportunistic bacterial pathogens that cause nosocomial infections in at-risk individuals. The rise of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa poses an immense threat to hospitals. Additionally, P. aeruginosa are common food spoilage organisms that contribute to food waste. Alternative effective treatment methods are needed to improve public health and reduce food waste. Recent studies have shown that bacteriophages, viruses that only kill host-specific bacteria, are promising alternatives. This study characterizes two lytic P. aeruginosa phages, ΦPa-C and ΦPa-Tc, and evaluates their efficacy against P. aeruginosa in two model food systems. The morphology, genome, structural proteins, host range, growth kinetics, …

Characterization And Evaluation Of Bacteriophages Φpa-C And Φpa-Tc Infecting Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Joanne Harrison

Master's Theses

Pseudomonas aeruginosa are prevalent opportunistic bacterial pathogens that cause nosocomial infections in at-risk individuals. The rise of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa poses an immense threat to hospitals. Additionally, P. aeruginosa are common food spoilage organisms that contribute to food waste. Alternative effective treatment methods are needed to improve public health and reduce food waste. Recent studies have shown that bacteriophages, viruses that only kill host-specific bacteria, are promising alternatives. This study characterizes two lytic P. aeruginosa phages, ΦPa-C and ΦPa-Tc, and evaluates their efficacy against P. aeruginosa in two model food systems. The morphology, genome, structural proteins, host range, growth kinetics, …

Metagenomic Analysis Of Antarctic Microbial Communities, David Michael Robinson

Biology ETDs

The research presented in this dissertation focuses on microbial roles in biogeochemical cycling in Antarctic aquatic environments. The major objective of my research was to examine the impact of biotic and abiotic pressures on nutrient cycling in microbially dominated systems. I used three perennially ice covered lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) along with subglacial lakes Whillans and Mercer as natural case studies. The MDVs are located in Victoria Land, East Antarctica and have been studied since 1993 as part of the McMurdo Long Term Ecological Research Project. Viruses in the MDVs were shown to be seasonally abundant and …

Analyzing Efficiency Of A Lentiviral Shrna Knockdown System In Human Enteroids Using Western Blot And Flow Cytometry, Adam P Wilson, Karni S Moshal, Addison P Franca, Sasirekha Ramani, Randle Gallucci, Hala Chaaban, Kathryn Y Burge

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Enteroids are in vitro models to study gastrointestinal pathologies and test personalized therapeutics; however, the inherent complexity of enteroids often renders standard gene editing approaches ineffective. Here, we introduce a refined lentiviral transfection protocol, ensuring sufficient lentiviral engagement with enteroids while considering spatiotemporal growth variability throughout the extracellular matrix. Additionally, we highlight a selection process for transduced cells, introduce a protocol to accurately measure transduction efficiency, and explore methodologies to gauge effects of gene knockdown on biological processes.

Protein Nanoparticles As Vaccine Platforms For Human And Zoonotic Viruses, Kush Kumar Pandey, Bikash R. Sahoo, Asit K. Pattnaik

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Vaccines are one of the most effective medical interventions, playing a pivotal role in treating infectious diseases. Although traditional vaccines comprise killed, inactivated, or liveattenuated pathogens that have resulted in protective immune responses, the negative consequences of their administration have been well appreciated. Modern vaccines have evolved to contain purified antigenic subunits, epitopes, or antigen-encoding mRNAs, rendering them relatively safe. However, reduced humoral and cellular responses pose major challenges to these subunit vaccines. Protein nanoparticle (PNP)-based vaccines have garnered substantial interest in recent years for their ability to present a repetitive array of antigens for improving immunogenicity and enhancing protective …

Hell's Tails: Localizing The Tail Proteins Of The Hyperthermophile-Infecting Virus Ssv1, Jane Arterberry

University Honors Theses

The tail of Saccharolobus spindle-shaped virus 1 (SSV1) has long been thought to be composed solely of viral protein 4 (VP4), but recent SSV1 structural studies have implicated the presence of additional structural proteins C166 and B78 in SSV1's unique tail. The exact locations of these proteins have not been confirmed. Structural proteins VP4 (C-terminus) and B78 are hypothesized to contribute to an adapter region bridging the viral capsid to the tail, whereas C166 is thought to comprise the majority of an internal extended structure, respectively. SSV1 structural proteins lack cysteine residues providing targets to determine their locations in the …

Hydroponic Nutrient Solution Temperature Impacts Tulane Virus Persistence Over Time, Gayatri R. Dhulappanavar, Kristen E. Gibson

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA), or indoor agriculture, encompasses non-traditional farming methods that occur inside climate-controlled structures (e.g., greenhouses, warehouses, high tunnels) allowing for year-round production of fresh produce such as leaf lettuce. However, recent outbreaks and recalls associated with hydroponically grown lettuce contaminated with human pathogens have raised concerns. Few studies exist on the food safety risks during hydroponic cultivation of leaf lettuce; thus, it is important to identify contributing risk factors and potential mitigation strategies to prevent foodborne transmission via hydroponically grown produce. In this study, the concentration of infectious Tulane virus (TV), a human norovirus surrogate, in hydroponic …