Search Results (11)

This retrospective study, conducted between September 2023 and October 2025, evaluated age-related pathogen prevalence, seasonal dynamics, and Cycle threshold (Ct) values in nasopharyngeal specimens from hospitalized subjects with suspected acute respiratory infections (ARIs) using the multiplex syndromic panel. A median-based Delta Ct was calculated to define pathogen dominance in co-detections. A total of 2479 nasopharyngeal swabs were analyzed and 54.4% tested positive for at least one pathogen. Overall, the positivity rate and co-detections were found to be significantly higher in pediatric group than in the adult one (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Semi-quantitative analysis revealed that RSV and flu viruses maintained low Ct values irrespective of co-detection, whereas RV/EV, Adv, and human bocavirus (HBoV) exhibited significantly higher Ct values when co-detected. RV/EV showed higher Ct values versus human metapneumovirus A/B (p = 0.0014), human parainfluenza virus (p = 0.0007), flu virus (p = 0.0084) and RSV (p < 0.0001). Likewise, Adv demonstrated higher Ct values in comparison to RSV (p = 0.0046). Seasonal drivers typically dominate over persistent agents. Integrating semi-quantitative interpretation into syndromic panel reporting could enhance diagnostic stewardship, optimize antimicrobial use, and improve resource allocation in high-pressure clinical settings. Full article

Background: To provide clues and a diagnostic basis for patients with fever of unknown origin through urinary proteomics analysis. Methods: For the first time, an attempt was made to conduct a full-library search for viruses in urine samples. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technology was employed to analyze the urinary proteomes of patients with fever of unknown origin, and to search for and identify viral protein fragments. In this study, there is no need to pre-determine the types of substances present in the samples. As long as the relevant sequences of viruses are available in the database, virus searches can be performed on the samples. Results: In the urine samples, multiple specific peptides from various viruses, such as the monkeypox virus, salivirus A, human herpesvirus 8 type P, Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus, rotavirus A, Orf virus (strain NZ2), human herpesvirus 2 (strain HG52), human adenovirus E serotype 4, influenza A virus, human coronavirus NL63, parainfluenza virus 5 (strain W3), Nipah virus, and hepatitis C virus genotype 2k (isolate VAT96), could be observed. It was found that the detection amounts of multiple viruses in febrile patients were much higher than those in the control group. Among them, the increase multiple of salivirus A was as high as more than 4200 times, and the increase multiples of multiple viral proteins were higher than 20 times. Conclusions: Viral fragments in urinary proteins can be reliably identified using mass spectrometry, which provides clues for the investigation of unexplained fever and may also be applied to the exploration of any unknown diseases. Full article

Bats are recognized as reservoirs for diverse paramyxoviruses, some of which are closely related to known human pathogens or directly implicated in zoonotic transmission. The emergence of the zoonotic Sosuga virus (SOSV) from Egyptian rousette bats (ERBs), which caused an acute febrile illness in a reported human case in Africa, has increased the focus on the zoonotic potential of the Rubulavirinae subfamily. Previous studies identified human parainfluenza virus 2 (HPIV2)- and mumps (MuV)-related viruses in ERBs from South Africa, with HPIV2-related viruses restricted to gastrointestinal samples, an underexplored target for rubulavirus biosurveillance, suggesting that sample-type bias may have led to their oversight. To address this, we performed a longitudinal analysis of population-level fecal samples from an ERB maternity roost for rubulavirus RNA, employing a broadly reactive hemi-nested RT-PCR assay targeting the polymerase gene. We detected HPIV2- and MuV-related viruses in addition to numerous pararubulaviruses, highlighting significant viral diversity. Temporal analysis of three major clades revealed peaks in rubulavirus shedding that correlated with seasonal environmental changes and host reproductive cycles, although shedding patterns varied between clades. These findings identify specific periods of increased risk for the spillover of bat-associated rubulaviruses to humans, providing critical information for developing targeted mitigation strategies to minimize zoonotic transmission risk within the local community. Full article

The human adenovirus (HAdV) is a common pathogen in children that can cause acute respiratory virus infection (ARVI). However, the molecular epidemiological and clinical information relating to HAdV among hospitalized children with ARVI is rarely reported in Russia. A 4-year longitudinal (2019–2022) study among hospitalized children (0–17 years old) with ARVI in Novosibirsk, Russia, was conducted to evaluate the epidemiological and molecular characteristics of HAdV. Statistically significant differences in the detection rates of epidemiological and virological data of all positive viral detections of HAdV were analyzed using a two-tailed Chi-square test. The incidence of HAdV and other respiratory viruses such as human influenza A and B viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, coronavirus, parainfluenza virus, metapneumovirus, rhinovirus, bocavirus, and SARS-CoV-2 was investigated among 3190 hospitalized children using real-time polymerase chain reaction. At least one of these respiratory viruses was detected in 74.4% of hospitalized cases, among which HAdV accounted for 4%. A total of 1.3% co-infections with HAdV were also registered. We obtained full-genome sequences of 12 HAdVs, which were isolated in cell cultures. Genetic analysis revealed the circulation of adenovirus of genotypes C1, C2, C5, C89, and 108 among hospitalized children in the period from 2019–2022. Full article

Paramyxoviruses are important pathogens affecting various animals, including humans. In this study, we identified a paramyxovirus in 2004 (180608_2004), isolated from a sample of the femoral marrow bone of a wild boar carcass imported from Australia. Antigenic and morphological characteristics indicated that this virus was similar to members of the family Paramyxoviridae. The complete genome phylogenetic analysis grouped this virus into genotype A of bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (BPIV-3), recently renamed bovine respirovirus type 3 (BRV3), which also includes two swine paramyxoviruses (SPMV)—Texas-81 and ISU-92—isolated from encephalitic pigs in the United States in 1982 and 1992, respectively. The wild boar 180608_2004 strain was more closely related to both the BRV3 shipping fever (SF) strain and the SPMV Texas-81 strain at the nucleotide and amino acid levels than the SPMV ISU-92 strain. The high sequence identity to BRV3 suggested that this virus can be transferred from cattle to wild boars. The potential for cross-species transmission in the Respirovirus genus makes it essential for intensified genomic surveillance. Full article

Porcine parainfluenza virus 1 (PPIV-1) is a recently emerged respirovirus closely related to human parainfluenza virus 1 (HPIV-1) and Sendai virus (SenV). PPIV-1 has been detected in Asia, the Americas and Europe, but knowledge on its epidemiology and genetic diversity is very limited. In the present study, the complete nucleotide sequences of the fusion (F)-protein gene obtained from samples from 12 Polish and 11 US herds were analysed and compared to previously available genetic data from the Americas, Asia and Europe. The existence of two distinct clades was observed, grouping European sequences and one Hong Kong sequence (clade 1), or one American sequence and three Asian sequences (clade 2). The mean genetic distances measured with the p-distance were 0.04 (S.E., 0.000) within both clades, and 0.095 (S.E., 0.006) between the clades. Moreover, two distinct clusters of highly similar sequences were identified, which corresponded to the geographically distant nurseries and finishing units, from three pig flows within one Polish pig-production company. The obtained data indicate that the two PPIV-1 lineages may have evolved independently in Europe and America. More studies, particularly involving Asian viruses, are necessary to understand the virus’ emergence and epidemiology and the role of carriers in the spread of PPIV-1. Full article

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis that occurs mainly in children under 5 years of age and is often accompanied by coronary artery lesions. The cause of the disease remains undetermined, but it is estimated to result from viral or bacterial infections. Certain studies have shown infection as a leading cause of KD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between KD incidence and viral infections in different pediatric age groups, using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) Open Access Big Data Platform, to confirm seasonal trends by analyzing monthly patterns. We investigated the HIRA data of KD patients (M30.3) who were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin from 2015 to 2018. Weekly virus positive detection rate data (PDR) for this period was obtained from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency for human adenovirus (HAdV), human parainfluenza virus (HPIV), human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV), influenza virus (IFV), human coronavirus (HCoV), human rhinovirus (HRV), human bocavirus (HBoV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), rotavirus, norovirus, and astrovirus. We then analyzed the weekly/monthly virus PDR and its association with KD incidence, including monthly incidence patterns, and seasonal trends. Seasonal trend analysis of the virus PDR was performed using the time series analysis method through ARIMA (Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average). Correlations between KD incidence and PDR at 1- and 2-month intervals were analyzed using the Granger test. A total of 16,740 patients were diagnosed with KD during the study period, mainly young children, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.35. Specifically, 15,635 (93%) patients were under 5 years of age, with an incidence rate of 172.4/100,000 person-years. Annually, the cumulative number of cases per month was the highest in January, with an average of 469 cases, and was the lowest in September, with an average of 291 cases, although most were diagnosed with KD in winter (29.3%). Granger tests showed that PDR for HRSV, rotavirus, and norovirus were related with KD incidence by 1 month, while PDR for HRSV, HRV, rotavirus, and norovirus by 2 months. This study found that detection rates of respiratory and enteric viruses preceded KD by 1–2 months. Further research is needed to confirm the association between these viruses and KD. Full article

Background: Little is known about the innate immune response to viral infections in stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Objectives: To evaluate the innate immune mediators related to respiratory viruses in the bronchial biopsies and lung parenchyma of stable COPD patients. Methods: We evaluated the immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of Toll-like receptors 3-7-8-9 (TLR-3-7-8-9), TIR domain-containing adaptor inducing IFNβ (TRIF), Interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), Phospho interferon regulatory factor 3  ( pIRF3), Interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7), Phospho interferon regulatory factor 7 (pIRF7), retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG1), melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5), Probable ATP-dependent RNA helicase DHX58 ( LGP2), Mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS), Stimulator of interferon genes (STING), DNA-dependent activator of IFN regulatory factors (DAI), forkhead box protein A3(FOXA3), Interferon alfa (IFNα), and Interferon beta (IFNβ) in the bronchial mucosa of patients with mild/moderate (n = 16), severe/very severe (n = 18) stable COPD, control smokers (CS) (n = 12), and control non-smokers (CNS) (n = 12). We performed similar IHC analyses in peripheral lung from COPD (n = 12) and CS (n = 12). IFNα and IFNβ were assessed in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) supernatant from CNS (n = 8), CS (n = 9) and mild/moderate COPD (n = 12). Viral load, including adenovirus-B, -C, Bocavirus, Respiratory syncytial Virus (RSV),Human Rhinovirus (HRV), Coronavirus, Influenza virus A (FLU-A), Influenza virus B (FLU-B), and Parainfluenzae-1 were measured in bronchial rings and lung parenchyma of COPD patients and the related control group (CS). Results: Among the viral-related innate immune mediators, RIG1, LGP2, MAVS, STING, and DAI resulted well expressed in the bronchial and lung tissues of COPD patients, although not in a significantly different mode from control groups. Compared to CS, COPD patients showed no significant differences of viral load in bronchial rings and lung parenchyma. Conclusions: Some virus-related molecules are well-expressed in the lung tissue and bronchi of stable COPD patients independently of the disease severity, suggesting a “primed” tissue environment capable of sensing the potential viral infections occurring in these patients. Full article

Respiratory tract infections account for high morbidity and mortality around the world. Fragile patients are at high risk of developing complications such as pneumonia and may die from it. Limited information is available on the extent of the circulation of respiratory viruses in the hospital setting. Most knowledge relates to influenza viruses (FLU) but several other viruses produce flu-like illness. The study was conducted at the University Hospital Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. Clinical and laboratory data from hospitalized patients with respiratory tract infections during the period October 2016–March 2019 were analysed. The retrospective analysis included 17 viral agents detected by FilmArray test and clinical data from medical records and hospital discharge sheets. Models were adjusted for relevant confounders such as clinical severity and risk of death, socio-demographic characteristics and surgical procedures. From a total of 539 specimens analysed, 180 (33.39%) were positive for one or more respiratory viruses. Among them, 83 (46.1 %) were positive for influenza viruses (FLU), 36 (20%) rhino/enteroviruses (RHV/EV), 17 (9.44%) human coronaviruses (HCOV-229E, -HKU1, -NL63, and -OC43), 17 (9.44%) respiratory syncytial virus, 15 (8.33%) human metapneumovirus (HMPV), 8 (4.44%) parainfluenza viruses (PIV) and 4 (2.22%) adenoviruses (ADV). The distribution of viral agents varied across age groups and month of detection. The positive specimens were from 168 patients [102 M, 66 F; median age (range): 64 years (19−93)]. Overall, 40% of them had a high-grade clinical severity and a 27% risk of death; 27 patients died and 22 of them (81.5%) had received a clinical diagnosis of pneumonia. Respiratory viral infections may have a severe course and a poor prognosis in hospitalized patients, due to underlying comorbidities. Monitoring the circulation of respiratory viruses in hospital settings is important to improve diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Full article

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) represents a promising platform for developing oncolytic viruses, as well as vaccines against significant human pathogens. To safely control VSV infection in humans, small-molecule drugs that selectively inhibit VSV infection may be needed. Here, using a cell-based high-throughput screening assay followed by an in vitro transcription assay, compounds with a 7-hydroxy-6-methyl-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one structure and an aromatic group at position 4 (named vesiculopolins, VPIs) were identified as VSV RNA polymerase inhibitors. The most effective compound, VPI A, inhibited VSV-induced cytopathic effects and in vitro mRNA synthesis with micromolar to submicromolar 50% inhibitory concentrations. VPI A was found to inhibit terminal de novo initiation rather than elongation for leader RNA synthesis, but not mRNA capping, with the VSV L protein, suggesting that VPI A is targeted to the polymerase domain in the L protein. VPI A inhibited transcription of Chandipura virus, but not of human parainfluenza virus 3, suggesting that it specifically acts on vesiculoviral L proteins. These results suggest that VPIs may serve not only as molecular probes to elucidate the mechanisms of transcription of vesiculoviruses, but also as lead compounds to develop antiviral drugs against vesiculoviruses and other related rhabdoviruses. Full article

The Egyptian rousette bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) has previously been implicated as the natural host of a zoonotic rubulavirus; however, its association with rubulaviruses has been studied to a limited extent. Urine, spleen, and other organs collected from the R. aegyptiacus population within South Africa were tested with a hemi-nested RT-PCR assay targeting a partial polymerase gene region of viruses from the Avula- and Rubulavirus genera. Urine was collected over a 14-month period to study the temporal dynamics of viral excretion. Diverse rubulaviruses, including viruses related to human mumps and parainfluenza virus 2, were detected. Active excretion was identified during two peak periods coinciding with the host reproductive cycle. Analysis of additional organs indicated co-infection of individual bats with a number of different putative rubulaviruses, highlighting the limitations of using a single sample type when determining viral presence and diversity. Our findings suggest that R. aegyptiacus can harbor a range of Rubula- and related viruses, some of which are related to known human pathogens. The observed peaks in viral excretion represents potential periods of a higher risk of virus transmission and zoonotic disease spill-over. Full article