No abstract

No abstract

Most anti-influenza drugs currently used, such as oseltamivir and zanamivir, inhibit the enzymatic activity of neuraminidase. However, neuraminidase inhibitor-resistant viruses have already been identified from various influenza virus isolates. Here, we report the development of a class of macrocyclic peptides that bind the influenza viral envelope protein hemagglutinin, named iHA. Of 28 iHAs examined, iHA-24 and iHA-100 have inhibitory effects on the in vitro replication of a wide range of Group 1 influenza viruses. In particular, iHA-100 bifunctionally inhibits hemagglutinin-mediated adsorption and membrane fusion through binding to the stalk domain of hemagglutinin. Moreover, iHA-100 shows powerful efficacy in inhibiting the growth of highly pathogenic influenza viruses and preventing severe pneumonia at later stages of infection in mouse and non-human primate cynomolgus macaque models. This study shows the potential for developing cyclic peptides that can be produced more efficiently than antibodies and have multiple functions as next-generation, mid-sized biomolecules.

No abstract

Background Dengue virus (DENV) is a member of insect vector-borne viruses, and it causes dengue fever. Southeast Asia is the epi-center of dengue fever in the world. The characterization of the virus is essential to identify the transmission and evolution of DENV. Objectives In 2017, there was an outbreak of Dengue virus type 1 (DENV1) in northern Vietnam and the neighboring countries. To identify the genetic character of the outbreak virus in the area, we conducted whole-genome sequencing analysis on the samples positive for the DENV1 along with real-time PCR. Study design In total, 1026 blood samples were collected from patients with suspected dengue fever in Ha Nam and Hai Duong province, nearby areas of the capital of Vietnam. After screening by real-time PCR, 40 of DENV1 positive samples were subjected to whole-genome sequencing, and 28 complete coding sequences were obtained. Results All 28 sequences were genotype I of DENV1, which is dominant in the southeast and East Asian countries. The phylogenetic analysis of the E region showed that they fell into a single cluster with the reported sequences from Vietnam between 2009 and 2016, in which the isolates from other countries are very rare. Our results suggested that the 2017 outbreak in the area was caused by locally circulating viruses.