influenza
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceSituations Leading to Reduced Effectiveness of Current Hand Hygiene against Infectious Mucus from Influenza Virus-Infected PatientsAntiseptic hand rubbing (AHR) and antiseptic hand washing (AHW) are important to prevent the spread of influenza A virus (IAV). This study elucidated the situations/mechanisms underlying the reduced efficacy of AHR against infectious mucus derived from IAV-infected individuals and indicated the weaknesses of the current hand hygiene regimens. Due to the low rate of diffusion/convection because of the physical properties of mucus as a...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologySerological Array-in-Well Multiplex Assay Reveals a High Rate of Respiratory Virus Infections and Reinfections in Young ChildrenThe multiplex immunoassay was successfully used to simultaneously detect antibodies against seven different viruses. The developed serological microarray is a new promising tool for diagnostic, epidemiological, and seroprevalence analyses of virus infections.
Commentary | Molecular Biology and PhysiologymSphere of Influence: Resolution of the Structure of an Influenza Virus Polymerase Is a Game ChangerMathilde Richard works in the field of virology, more specifically on the evolution and pathogenesis of influenza viruses. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how the two articles “Structure of Influenza A Polymerase Bound to the Viral RNA Promoter” by A. Pflug, D. Guilligay, S. Reich, and S. Cusack (Nature 516:355–360, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14008) and “...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyProtein Microarray Analysis of the Specificity and Cross-Reactivity of Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin-Specific AntibodiesSeasonal influenza is a serious public health problem because the viral infection spreads easily from person to person and because of antigenic drift in neutralizing epitopes. Influenza vaccination is the most effective way to prevent the disease, although challenging because of the constant evolution of influenza virus subtypes. Our high-throughput protein microarrays allow for interrogation of subunit-specific IgG and IgA responses to...
Observation | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyTransmembrane Domains of Highly Pathogenic Viral Fusion Proteins Exhibit Trimeric Association In VitroMany important human pathogens are enveloped viruses that utilize membrane-bound glycoproteins to mediate viral entry. Factors that contribute to the stability of these glycoproteins have been identified in the ectodomain of several viral fusion proteins, including residues within the soluble ectodomain. Although it is often thought to simply act as an anchor, the transmembrane domain of viral fusion proteins has been implicated in...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceStability of the Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Protein Correlates with Evolutionary DynamicsOne of the constraints on fast-evolving viruses, such as influenza virus, is protein stability, or how strongly the folded protein holds together. Despite the importance of this protein property, there has been limited investigation of the impact of the stability of the influenza virus hemagglutinin protein—the primary antibody target of the immune system—on its evolution. Using a combination of computational estimates of stability and...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionVaccination with a Recombinant H7 Hemagglutinin-Based Influenza Virus Vaccine Induces Broadly Reactive Antibodies in HumansZoonotic infections with high case fatality rates caused by avian H7N9 influenza viruses have been reported since early 2013 in China. Since then, the fifth wave of the H7N9 epidemic emerged in China, resulting in higher numbers of laboratory-confirmed cases than in previous years. Recently, H7N9 has started to antigenically drift and split into two new lineages, the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta clades, which do not match...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyBacterial Lipopolysaccharide Destabilizes Influenza VirusesInfluenza A virus (IAV), transmitted primarily via the fecal-oral route in wild birds, encounters high concentrations of bacteria and their products. Understanding the extent to which bacteria affect the infectivity of IAV will lead to a broader understanding of viral ecology in reservoir hosts and may lead to insights for the development of therapeutics in respiratory infection. Herein we show that bacteria and lipopolysaccharide (LPS...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDistribution of O-Acetylated Sialic Acids among Target Host Tissues for Influenza VirusSialic acids (Sias) are key glycans that control or modulate many normal cell and tissue functions while also interacting with a variety of pathogens, including many different viruses. Sias are naturally displayed in a variety of different forms, with modifications at several positions that can alter their functional interactions with pathogens. In addition, Sias are often modified or removed by enzymes such as host or pathogen...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyEpistatic Interactions within the Influenza A Virus Polymerase Complex Mediate Mutagen Resistance and Replication FidelityRNA viruses exist as genetically diverse populations. This standing genetic diversity gives them the potential to adapt rapidly, evolve resistance to antiviral therapeutics, and evade immune responses. Viral mutants with altered mutation rates or mutational tolerance have provided insights into how genetic diversity arises and how it affects the behavior of RNA viruses. To this end, we identified variants within the polymerase complex...