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Showing posts from August 13, 2025

#COVID19-associated #neuroinflammation and #astrocyte death in the #brain linked to ORF3a-induced activation of Sur1-mediated ion channels

  ABSTRACT The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disproportionately affected individuals with pre-existing medical conditions , such as neurocognitive disorders. Premorbid neurocognitive conditions compounded by COVID-19 can escalate into COVID-associated neurological complications , leading to severe illness or even death. As COVID-19 continues to persist and vaccines lose efficacy against emerging variants , individuals with neurocognitive disorders often experience prolonged symptoms that are further exacerbated by repeated breakthrough infections of highly diversified viral variants due to emergence of new viral mutations. Despite the significance of neurocognitive disorders as risk factors for COVID-19-related mortality and long COVID, the underlying causes remain largely unknown. In this study, we report a link between ORF3a expression and COVID-associated neuroinflammation and neurocytotoxicity in postmortem brain tissues from COVID-19 patients. These findings...

The Differences in the Evolutionary #Dynamics of #MERS and #SARS #Coronaviruses

  Abstract SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV are two coronaviruses that have received significant attention due to their high pathogenicity and mortality rates in human populations . In this study, we compared their evolutionary dynamics to provide a One Health perspective on their differences in terms of the results of disease control. The phylogenetic network of SARS-CoVs showed that human isolates gathered into a “super-spreader” cluster and were distinct from civet isolates . In contrast, dromedary camel- and human-isolated MERS-CoVs were clustered together. Thus, most clades of MERS-CoV can infect humans , and MERS-CoVs seem to more easily spill over the animal-to-human interface. Additionally, the civet can be easily controlled , while the intermediate host (dromedary camels) of MERS-CoV is an important livestock species , so it is impossible to eliminate all animals. This further leads to difficulties in disease control in MERS. Although MERS-CoVs are endemic to dromedary camels in both...

Intranasal #measles virus– and #mumps virus–based #SARS-CoV-2 #vaccine candidates prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and #transmission

Significance An intranasal vaccine offers many unique advantages over traditional intramuscular-delivered vaccines . Here, we developed SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XBB.1.5 spike-based monovalent and trivalent vaccines using the live attenuated measles virus (MeV) and mumps viruses (MuV) as vectors . Intranasal immunization of hamsters and mice with monovalent and trivalent vaccines induces robust and broadly neutralizing antibodies , mucosal IgA antibodies , and lung-resident memory T cells , providing complete protection of the lung and nasal turbinate against challenges with SARS-CoV-2 WA1 and Omicron subvariants XBB.1.5, EG.5, and JN.1 . In addition, intranasal immunization efficiently blocks transmission of SARS-CoV-2 WA1 and Omicron XBB.1.5 among the hamsters by direct contact. Therefore, MeV- and MuV-based intranasal vaccines are highly promising next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidates that can prevent virus infection and transmission. Abstract The emergence of immune-evasive SARS-CoV...

#Pigeons exhibit low susceptibility and poor #transmission capacity for #H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b high pathogenicity avian #influenza virus

  Abstract The ongoing panzootic of H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) has caused the deaths of over half a billion wild birds and poultry, and has led to spillover events in both wild and domestic mammals , alongside sporadic human infections . A key driver of this panzootic is the apparent high viral fitness across diverse avian species , which facilitates an increased interface between wild and domestic species. Columbiformes (pigeons and doves) are commonly found on poultry premises , yet little is known about their potential role in contemporary HPAIV disease ecology. Here we investigated the epidemiological role of pigeons (Columba livia) by determining their susceptibility using decreasing doses of clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 HPAIV (genotype AB). We investigated infection outcomes and transmission potential between pigeons and to chickens. Following direct inoculation , pigeons did not develop clinical signs, and only those inoculated with the highest dose shed vi...