A promising Ebolavirus antiviral compound
A small molecule antiviral compound has been shown to protect rhesus monkeys against lethal Ebolavirus disease, even when given up to three days after virus inoculation.
The compound, called GS-5734, is a nucleoside analog. After uptake into cells, GS-5734 is converted to a nucleoside triphosphate (illustrated, bottom panel) which is incorporated by the viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase as it copies the viral genome. However, the nucleoside is chemically different from ATP (illustrated, top) and no further nucleotides can be incorporated into the growing RNA strand. RNA synthesis ceases, blocking production of infect...
Source: virology blog - March 3, 2016 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information antiviral compound chain terminator ebolavirus nucleoside analog RNA polymerase rna synthesis viruses Source Type: blogs
10 simple facts about Zika virus
1. Zika is an infectious disease caused by a virus and transmitted by mosquitoes. It is one of four worrisome viral infections that have spread rapidly across the world recently including dengue, chikungunya, and West Nile virus, all of which are transmitted by mosquitoes or ticks. The most dangerous mosquito type is the one that spreads yellow fever (Aedes).
2. Though Zika is mostly spread by mosquito bites, there is emerging evidence that it may be sexually transmitted from men to women (not vice versa) as well as blood transfusions and during labor. The Zika virus can live in urine and saliva but so far there in no evid...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - February 23, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Tanu S. Pandey, MD Tags: Conditions Infectious disease Source Type: blogs
Current Wisdom: Swatting Away the Zika/Climate Change Connection
The Current Wisdom is a series of occasional articles in which Patrick J. Michaels and Paul C. “Chip” Knappenberger, from Cato’s Center for the Study of Science, review interesting items on global warming in the scientific literature or of a more technical nature. These items may not have received the media attention that they deserved or have been misinterpreted in the popular press.
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We hardly need a high tech fly-swatter (although they are fun and effective) to kill this nuisance—it’s so languorous that one can just put their thumb over it and squish.
Jeb Bush’s candidacy? No, rather the purported connect...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - February 19, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Paul C. "Chip" Knappenberger, Patrick J. Michaels Source Type: blogs
Rubella virus and birth defects
Amidst the fear surrounding Zika virus, remember that there are over 100,000 children born each year with birth defects caused by infection with rubella virus.
The virus
Rubella virus is a member of the Togaviridae family, which also includes chikungunya virus. The genome is a 9.7 kilobase, positive strand RNA enclosed in a capsid and surrounded by a membrane (illustrated; image from ViralZone).
Transmission
Humans are the only natural host and reservoir of rubella virus. The virus is transmitted from human to human by respiratory aerosols. Upon entry into the upper respiratory tract, the virus replicates in the ...
Source: virology blog - February 17, 2016 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information birth defects congenital rubella syndrome microcephaly mmr vaccine placenta viral virus viruses Zika zika virus Source Type: blogs
Zika
When “Ebola” became a household word for most Americans in 2015, few realized that a more sinister outbreak was unfolding in their own back-yard. Chikungunya, a dengue-like illness which had previously been limited to the jungle areas of Africa and Asia, suddenly appeared in Latin America, resulting in over 2 million cases as of January 2016. And then Zika virus followed in the same region, threatening to attack a similar number of people. Unlike Chikungunya and Dengue, Zika virus infection has now been identified as a major cause of microcephaly (abnormally-small head) and other severe neurological disorders ...
Source: GIDEON blog - February 5, 2016 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Uri Blackman Tags: Cases Epidemiology Examples Maps Source Type: blogs
Where did Zika virus come from and why is it a problem in Brazil?
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Source: The A and P Professor)
Source: The A and P Professor - January 27, 2016 Category: Physiology Authors: Kevin Patton Source Type: blogs
El Niño Season Temperatures Linked to Dengue Epidemics
Incidence of dengue fever across Southeast Asia, 1993-2010. Note increasing incidence (red) starting about June 1997, which corresponds to a period of higher temperatures driven by a strong El Niño season. At the end of the El Niño event, in January 1999, dengue incidence is much lower (green). Credit: Wilbert van Panhuis, University of Pittsburgh.
Weather forecasters are already warning about an intense El Niño season that’s expected to alter precipitation levels and temperatures worldwide. El Niño seasons, characterized by warmer Pacific Ocean water along the equator, may impact the spread of some infectious disea...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - November 9, 2015 Category: Research Authors: Emily Carlson Tags: Computers in Biology Big Data Bioinformatics Infectious Disease Spread Source Type: blogs
Arthropod-borne Viruses of Senegal
A recent outbreak of suspected viral infection in Kedougou Region (http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=3626668) highlights the complexity of establishing a specific etiological agent in West Africa. At least twenty arthropod-borne viruses are associated with known or suspected human infection in Senegal. The following alphabetical list is abstracted from Gideon www.GideonOnline.com and the Gideon e-book series [1] (Primary references are available from Dr. Berger on request)
Bagaza – Bagaza virus has been recovered from mosquitoes in Senegal (Aedes fowleri, Culex neavei, Cx. Poicilipes and Mansonia, Mimomyia ...
Source: GIDEON blog - September 6, 2015 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Dr. Stephen Berger Tags: Ebooks Epidemiology Outbreaks ProMED Senegal Source Type: blogs
TWiV 344: Glasgwegians go viral
Episode #344 of the science show This Week in Virology was recorded at the Glasgow Science Festival microTALKS, where Vincent spoke with Ruth, Glen, and Esther about their research on viruses and Hodgkin lymphoma, adenovirus structure and entry into cells, and interactions between arthropod borne viruses and their hosts.
You can find TWiV #344 at www.twiv.tv. (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - July 5, 2015 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology adenovirus arbovirus Chikungunya EBV endosome rupture Epstein-Barr virus flavivirus Hodgkin lymphoma insect insect defense integrin midge nuclear entry rnai tick viral Source Type: blogs
Long-term effects of Ebolavirus infection
This study only included adults; children who have recovered should also be examined as their health care needs may be different.
These results confirm that there are long-term sequelae of Ebolavirus infection. The basis for the complications is not known, but is likely a consequence of tissue damage due to viral replication and the immune response. Whether or not virus was present in the patients was not determined. However it is known that Ebolavirus can persist in the testicles and eye long after it is absent from serum.
Other serious viral infections are also accompanied by long term health effects. For example, 29% of...
Source: virology blog - June 19, 2015 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information acute arthralgia Ebola ebolavirus long term myalgia persistent symptoms uveitis viral Source Type: blogs
TWiV 339: Herpes and the sashimi plot
On episode #339 of the science show This Week in Virology, tre TWiV amici present three snippets and a side of sashimi: how herpesvirus inhibits host cell gene expression by disrupting transcription termination.
You can find TWiV #339 at www.twiv.tv. (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - May 31, 2015 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Uncategorized cancer Chikungunya virus exon herpesvirus host shutoff intron IRF7 Lassa fever mosquitoes splicing transcription termination translation viral virology West Nile virus Source Type: blogs
Thoughts from #SGIM15 & #ProudtobeGIM
Today I leave the SGIM meeting and fly to Boston for the ACP meeting. Despite having 8 days of meetings and finishing my stint as Chair of the ACP Board of Regents, I could never miss the SGIM meeting.
SGIM (the Society for General Internal Medicine) became my academic home in the early 1980s. At SGIM I found my peers and became convinced that academic GIM would become my career path. Each year at this meeting I become energized; I get new ideas and I see many, many friends.
SGIM is rolling out a new campaign Proud to be GIM. This wonderful campaign echoes my personal feelings. I believe I was born a general internist...
Source: DB's Medical Rants - April 25, 2015 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: rcentor Tags: Medical Rants Source Type: blogs
Alphaviruses
Suresh Mahalingam, Lara Herrero and Belinda Herring present a new book on Alphaviruses: Current Biology This timely book provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in alphavirus research. Written by a team of prominent scientists the main focus is on the pathogenesis and host interactions. Topics covered include: genome structure and replication; viral evolution; laboratory diagnosis and detection; interaction with the interferon system; antiviral responses in mosquitoes; animal models of alphavirus-induced inflammatory disease; clinical manifestations of arthritogenic alphaviruses; encephalitic alphavir...
Source: Microbiology Blog: The weblog for microbiologists. - March 6, 2015 Category: Microbiology Source Type: blogs
Lessons from Ebola: The Infectious Disease Era, And The Need To Prepare, Will Never Be Over
With the wall-to-wall news coverage of Ebola recently, it’s hard for many to distinguish fact from fiction and to really understand the risk the disease poses and how prepared we are to fight it.
Fighting infectious diseases requires constant vigilance. Along with Ebola, health officials around the globe are closely watching other emerging threats: MERS-CoV, pandemic flu strains, Marburg, Chikungunya and Enterovirus D68. The best defense to all of these threats is a good offense — detecting, treating and containing as quickly and effectively as possible.
And yet, we have consistently degraded our ability to respond...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - October 28, 2014 Category: Health Management Authors: Jeffrey Levi Tags: All Categories Global Health Hospitals Pharma Policy Prevention Public Health Research Workforce Source Type: blogs
