Current Advances in Flavivirus and Other Arboviruses

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Viral Pathogens".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2024 | Viewed by 7166

Special Issue Editor

School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
Interests: Flavivirus; Arbovirus; Infection; Zoonotic

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Along with other arboviruses, human infections resulting from flavivirus have emerged as a major global health burden over the last few decades. Factors including global warming, poorly planned urbanization and extensive travel have facilitated the geographical expansion of their arthropod vectors, meaning that flaviviruses are now globally distributed and infect more than 400 million people annually, with this upward trend unfortunately likely to continue. Beyond arthropods vectors and humans, a variety of animal species are susceptible to flaviviruses, which also represent a great threat to the industry of domesticated animals. Taken together, the emergence and re-emergence of flavivirus and other arboviruses highlight the need for a fundamental understanding of the nature of viruses, including their epidemiology, biology, structure, and immunity, and the possible public health and clinical countermeasures to help to slow the deterioration of the condition. In the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not possible to simply put aside the risk from flavivirus and other arboviruses; instead, we must rethink our strategy to accommodate effective measurements to respond to the challenge from them while taking into account this new situation.

In this Special Issue of Pathogens, dedicated to “Current Advances in Flavivirus and Other Arboviruses”, we aim to present a collection of articles on the topic and particularly welcome articles from the following topics:

1.  Recent developments in diagnosis methods;

2.  Clinical manifestations and complications;

3.  Epidemiology studies in different regions around the world;

4.  The discovery and characterization of unknown/lesser-known flaviviruses or other arboviruses which have the potential to emerge more broadly in human populations.

Best wishes,

Prof. Dr. Jiahai Lu
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1334 KiB  
Article
West Nile, Sindbis and Usutu Viruses: Evidence of Circulation in Mosquitoes and Horses in Tunisia
by Youmna M’ghirbi, Laurence Mousson, Sara Moutailler, Sylvie Lecollinet, Rayane Amaral, Cécile Beck, Hajer Aounallah, Meriem Amara, Ahmed Chabchoub, Adel Rhim, Anna-Bella Failloux and Ali Bouattour
Pathogens 2023, 12(3), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12030360 - 21 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2253
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases have a significant impact on humans and animals and this impact is exacerbated by environmental changes. However, in Tunisia, surveillance of the West Nile virus (WNV) is based solely on the surveillance of human neuroinvasive infections and no study has reported [...] Read more.
Mosquito-borne diseases have a significant impact on humans and animals and this impact is exacerbated by environmental changes. However, in Tunisia, surveillance of the West Nile virus (WNV) is based solely on the surveillance of human neuroinvasive infections and no study has reported mosquito-borne viruses (MBVs), nor has there been any thorough serological investigation of anti-MBV antibodies in horses. This study therefore sought to investigate the presence of MBVs in Tunisia. Among tested mosquito pools, infections by WNV, Usutu virus (USUV), and Sindbis virus (SINV) were identified in Cx. perexiguus. The serosurvey showed that 146 of 369 surveyed horses were positive for flavivirus antibodies using the cELISA test. The microsphere immunoassay (MIA) showed that 74 of 104 flavivirus cELISA-positive horses were positive for WNV, 8 were positive for USUV, 7 were positive for undetermined flaviviruses, and 2 were positive for tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Virus neutralization tests and MIA results correlated well. This study is the first to report the detection of WNV, USUV and SINV in Cx. perexiguus in Tunisia. Besides, it has shown that there is a significant circulation of WNV and USUV among horses, which is likely to cause future sporadic outbreaks. An integrated arbovirus surveillance system that includes entomological surveillance as an early alert system is of major epidemiological importance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Flavivirus and Other Arboviruses)
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Review

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21 pages, 2046 KiB  
Review
Ocular Manifestations of Flavivirus Infections
by Sourour Meziou Zina, Gautier Hoarau, Marc Labetoulle, Moncef Khairallah and Antoine Rousseau
Pathogens 2023, 12(12), 1457; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12121457 - 15 Dec 2023
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Abstract
Flaviviruses are a group of positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses predominantly transmitted by arthropods (mainly mosquitoes) that cause severe endemic infections and epidemics on a global scale. They represent a major cause of systemic morbidity and death and are expanding worldwide. Among this group, [...] Read more.
Flaviviruses are a group of positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses predominantly transmitted by arthropods (mainly mosquitoes) that cause severe endemic infections and epidemics on a global scale. They represent a major cause of systemic morbidity and death and are expanding worldwide. Among this group, dengue fever, the West Nile virus, yellow fever, Japanese Encephalitis, and, recently, the Zika virus have been linked to a spectrum of ocular manifestations. These manifestations encompass subconjunctival hemorrhages and conjunctivitis, anterior and posterior uveitis (inclusive of vitritis, chorioretinitis, and retinal vasculitis), maculopathy, retinal hemorrhages, and optic neuritis. Clinical diagnosis of these infectious diseases is primarily based on epidemiological data, history, systemic symptoms and signs, and the pattern of ocular involvement. Diagnosis confirmation relies on laboratory testing, including RT-PCR and serological testing. Ocular involvement typically follows a self-limited course but can result in irreversible visual impairment. Effective treatments of flavivirus infections are currently unavailable. Prevention remains the mainstay for arthropod vector and zoonotic disease control. Effective vaccines are available only for the yellow fever virus, dengue virus, and Japanese Encephalitis virus. This review comprehensively summarizes the current knowledge regarding the ophthalmic manifestations of the foremost flavivirus-associated human diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Flavivirus and Other Arboviruses)
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20 pages, 2371 KiB  
Review
Rift Valley Fever Virus—Infection, Pathogenesis and Host Immune Responses
by Niranjana Nair, Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus, Guus F. Rimmelzwaan and Chittappen Kandiyil Prajeeth
Pathogens 2023, 12(9), 1174; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12091174 - 19 Sep 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2074
Abstract
Rift Valley Fever Virus is a mosquito-borne phlebovirus causing febrile or haemorrhagic illness in ruminants and humans. The virus can prevent the induction of the antiviral interferon response through its NSs proteins. Mutations in the NSs gene may allow the induction of innate [...] Read more.
Rift Valley Fever Virus is a mosquito-borne phlebovirus causing febrile or haemorrhagic illness in ruminants and humans. The virus can prevent the induction of the antiviral interferon response through its NSs proteins. Mutations in the NSs gene may allow the induction of innate proinflammatory immune responses and lead to attenuation of the virus. Upon infection, virus-specific antibodies and T cells are induced that may afford protection against subsequent infections. Thus, all arms of the adaptive immune system contribute to prevention of disease progression. These findings will aid the design of vaccines using the currently available platforms. Vaccine candidates have shown promise in safety and efficacy trials in susceptible animal species and these may contribute to the control of RVFV infections and prevention of disease progression in humans and ruminants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Flavivirus and Other Arboviruses)
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