Characterization of the Mouse Neuroinvasiveness of Selected European Strains of West Nile Virus

Lim, Stephanie M.; Koraka, Penelope; Boheemen, Sander van; Roose, Jouke M.; Jaarsma, Dick; Vijver, David van de; Osterhaus, Albert D. M. E.; Martina, Benedict

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0074575

Cited by 27 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…The virus strains used in this study all contain a proline at this site, with the exception of FIN, which contains a threonine at this position (Lim et al ., 2013b) (Table S1). Ita09, which is 99.7 % identical to the nucleotide sequence of FIN, did not display the same attenuation in jackdaws as FIN.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Susceptibility of European jackdaws (Corvus monedula) to experimental infection with lineage 1 and 2 West Nile viruses

Lim¹,

Brault

Amerongen³

et al. 2014

Journal of General Virology

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Mass bird mortality has been observed in North America after the introduction of West Nile virus (WNV), most notably massive die-offs of American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos). In contrast, WNV epidemic activity in Europe has been characterized by very low incidences of bird mortality. As the general susceptibility of European corvids to strains of WNV remains in question, European jackdaws (Corvus monedula) were inoculated with WNV strains circulating currently in Greece (Greece-10), Italy (FIN and Ita09) and Hungary (578/10), as well as a North American (NY99) genotype with a demonstrated corvid virulence phenotype. Infection with all strains except WNV-FIN resulted in mortality. Viraemia was observed for birds inoculated with all strains and virus was detected in a series of organs upon necropsy. These results suggested that jackdaws could potentially function as a sentinel for following WNV transmission in Europe; however, elicited viraemia levels might be too low to allow for efficient transmission of virus to mosquitoes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Susceptibility of European jackdaws (Corvus monedula) to experimental infection with lineage 1 and 2 West Nile viruses

Lim¹,

Brault

Amerongen³

et al. 2014

Journal of General Virology

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“…Moreover, it is well established that genetic variation of the WNV is an important determinant of pathogenicity, including the propensity to invade the meninges 57,58. This variation in pathogenicity is seen in animal models57,59 but has also been demonstrated by the extent of human neuroinvasive disease seen with the epidemic strains in northern America and the Mediterranean Basin, versus the endemic strains of Africa and Australia 28–30,59. During the North American and European epidemics, serological surveys have estimated that approximately 20% of infected patients developed a febrile illness with flu-like symptoms, which characterizes West Nile fever 60–62.…”

Section: Clinical Syndromesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of the epidemiological and clinical aspects of West Nile virus

Gray¹,

Webb²

2014

IJGM

119

112

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The resurgence of West Nile virus (WNV) in North America and Europe in recent years has raised the concerns of local authorities and highlighted that mosquito-borne disease is not restricted to tropical regions of the world. WNV is maintained in enzootic cycles involving, primarily, Culex spp. mosquitoes and avian hosts, with epizootic spread to mammals, including horses and humans. Human infection results in symptomatic illness in approximately one-fifth of cases and neuroinvasive disease in less than 1% of infected persons. The most consistently recognized risk factor for neuroinvasive disease is older age, although diabetes mellitus, alcohol excess, and a history of cancer may also increase risk. Despite the increasing public health concern, the current WNV treatments are inadequate. Current evidence supporting the use of ribavirin, interferon α, and WNV-specific immunoglobulin are reviewed. Nucleic acid detection has been an important diagnostic development, which is particularly important for the protection of the donated blood supply. While effective WNV vaccines are widely available for horses, no human vaccine has been registered. Uncertainty surrounds the magnitude of future risk posed by WNV, and predictive models are limited by the heterogeneity of environmental, vector, and host factors, even in neighboring regions. However, recent history has demonstrated that for regions where suitable mosquito vectors and reservoir hosts are present, there will be a risk of major epidemics. Given the potential for these outbreaks to include severe neuroinvasive disease, strategies should be implemented to monitor for, and respond to, outbreak risk. While broadscale mosquito control programs will assist in reducing the abundance of mosquito populations and subsequently reduce the risks of disease, for many individuals, the use of topical insect repellents and other personal protective strategies will remain the first line of defense against infection.

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“…Nevertheless, these experiments clearly showed that not all WNV strains that circulate in Europe can cause lethal infection in these birds [4,5]. Characterization of European WNV strains in mice has revealed little differences in virulence between the different strains [6]. However, clear differences in virulence were reported in birds, which do not correlate with virulence in mice and humans.…”

mentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Understanding the correlates of virulence and pathogenesis of WNV neuroinvasive disease using stateof-the art technology could allow the identification of biomarkers and leads for novel treatment protocols. We have used the mouse model to study determinants of virulence [6,8] and to identify potential biomarkers [9]. Some of these markers have been validated using samples of human clinical cases [10].…”

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confidence: 99%