Isolation and Molecular Characterization of a Novel Type 3 Reovirus from a Child with Meningitis

Abstract

Mammalian reoviruses are non-enveloped viruses that contain a segmented, double-stranded RNA genome. Reoviruses infect most mammalian species, although infection with these viruses in humans is usually asymptomatic. We report the isolation of a novel reovirus strain from a 6.5-week-old child with meningitis. Hemagglutination and neutralization assays indicated that the isolate is a serotype 3 strain, leading to the designation T3/Human/Colorado/1996 (T3C/96). Sequence analysis of the T3C/96 S1 gene segment, which encodes the viral attachment protein, sigma 1, confirmed the serotype assignment for this strain and indicated that T3C/96 is a novel reovirus isolate. T3C/96 is capable of systemic spread in newborn mice after peroral inoculation and produces lethal encephalitis. These results suggest that serotype 3 reoviruses can cause meningitis in humans.

Presence of Enteric Viruses in Source Waters for Drinking Water Production in the Netherlands

“…Pathogenic enteric viruses include noroviruses, rotaviruses, hepatitis A and E viruses, and enteroviruses, which can pass asymptomatically or lead to mild illness, e.g., gastroenteritis, or more severe illness, such as hepatitis, encephalitis, and meningitis (10). Although the exact role of reoviruses as human pathogens remains unclear and they mainly cause mild and asymptomatic illness, more severe illness, like meningitis, has been reported (17,42). Numerous waterborne outbreaks have previously been described, particularly caused by noroviruses and rotaviruses (13,15,16,25,26,33,46).…”

High Similarity of Novel Orthoreovirus Detected in a Child Hospitalized with Acute Gastroenteritis to Mammalian Orthoreoviruses Found in Bats in Europe

“…However, in the last decade or two, increasing reports on severe human infections with reoviruses have been published, including central nervous system involvement (10,38,39). The pathogenesis of reoviruses is not yet elucidated in detail, but some parameters influencing tissue tropism, efficient spread within the host, and severe outcomes of infection are already known (31)(32)(33).…”

Gene Therapy of Some Genetic Diseases by Transferring Normal Human Genomic DNA into Somatic Cells and Stem Cells from Patients

“…Chua et al reported that a reovirus of bat origin could cause acute respiratory disease in humans (Chua et al, 2007). Given the fact that more than 50% of people were infected by reovirus in their lifetimes, and many of the infections occurred in the early childhood (Selb & Weber, 1994;Tai at el., 2005), and there are increasing evidences indicating that reovirus can infect normal human cells in vivo and cause some mild to serious diseases like upper respiratory illnesses, meningitis in humans (Johansson et al, 1996;Schiff et al, 2007;Tyler et al, 2004); the old concept that reoviruses were "orphan" viruses, and they were not associated with any human diseases, is not true anymore, and it should be revised. Wild-type reovirus should not be considered as an oncolytic virus, and it is unlikely that reovirus could be an effective and practical anticancer agent (L. Song, 2010).…”