Order Bunyavirales
Paul Pumpens, Peter Pushko, Philippe Le Mercier in Virus-Like Particles, 2022
According to the latest ICTV issues (Radoshitzky et al. 2019), the Arenaviridae family unites 4 genera with 54 species, where the genus Mammarenavirus contains 40 species including the most familiar and dangerous arenavirus strains, such as Lassa virus (LASV) from the traditional Old World arenavirus group and Guanarito virus (GTOV), Junin virus (JUNV), Machupo virus (MACV), Sabia virus (SABV), and Whitewater Arroyo virus (WWAV) from the traditional New World virus group, as well as Lujo virus (LUJV), which may cause severe hemorrhagic fever syndromes resulting in significant mortality. First, the observed severe cases of disease have introduced the LASV as a reference arenavirus strain to the scientific community (Buckley et al. 1970). Second, one of the reference strains that was the most-studied representative of the family by the theoretical virological and immunological investigations, namely, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), may cause not only influenza-like syndromes but also severe aseptic meningitis. LCMV exists in both geographic areas but is regarded rather as an Old World virus.
Unexplained Fever In Neurological Disorders
Benedict Isaac, Serge Kernbaum, Michael Burke in Unexplained Fever, 2019
This is an infection with arenavirus. In Argentina 13,000 cases have been reported in Buenos Aires and adjacent provinces during one epidemic.35 The virus is carried in several species of local rodents (cricetidae). This is a serious infection with a mortality rate of 10 to 20%. The clinical signs include high fever, headache, lymphadenopathy, and erythematous exanthem. Varied neurological signs are found in fatal cases. Unfortunately, the spinal fluid is frequently normal when atypical pathological signs of hemorrhagic encephalitis are usually present. The virus can be recovered from the brain.35 A similar related disease has been described in Bolivia and is due to Machupo virus while the Argentinian virus is known as Junin virus.36 A related disorder is known as “Lassa fever”, reported from Nigeria.
An overview of proteomic methods for the study of ‘cytokine storms’
Published in Expert Review of Proteomics, 2021
Paul David, Frederik J. Hansen, Adil Bhat, Georg F. Weber
BD Biosciences offers the BD® Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) that detects cytokines in three formats: CBA Kits, CBA Flex, and CBA Enhanced Sensitivity Flex Sets. With CBA Kits, a group in China measured the cytokine level in children infected with COVID-19 [62]. Another group characterized the inflammatory cytokine profiles in cerebrospinal fluid of hand, foot, and mouth disease in children with enterovirus-related encephalitis [63]. CBA-enhanced Sensitivity Flex kits were used to detect the cytokine level while performing a detailed investigation of arenavirus hemorrhagic fever (AHF) pathophysiology [64]. Biolegend’s Human Cytokine Panel 2 is a multiplex bead-based assay panel, using fluorescence encoded beads convenient for application on different flow cytometers [65]. This panel permits simultaneous measurements of 13 human cytokines [4]. Cytometric-based assays have the advantage of being economical than ELISA in terms of cost and sample used for the assays. Although sensitivity could be a minor issue, this is generally counterbalanced by the extensive amount of data generated from a single experiment.
Patent landscape of novel technologies for combating category-A Arenavirus infections
Published in Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Patents, 2020
Harshal Sudhakar, Jignesh Bhate, Asish Kumar Patra
Working with Arenaviruses requires all experiments to be carried out at the highest containment, i.e. Biosafety Level-4. Very few options exist currently for treating Arenaviruses infection, while several are in developmental stage [11]. The most common treatment is supportive care with fluid replacement [12]. Some Arenaviruses strains have 100% morbidity in children while it varies in adults [1]. Currently, the requirement is for early diagnosis, reduction in hospitalization days, awareness among physicians and the local population. Arenavirus infections are seasonal and chance infection is dependent on exposure to the vector or aerosol particles. These rodent-transmitted infections occur majorly during harvest season among agricultural laborers and field workers [12]. Each of the Arenaviruses has its specific rodent reservoir; viral particles are known to propagate in vectors without showing any symptoms [13]. Arenavirus infections are unique category-A pathogens that are also classified as Orphan or Rare diseases in many countries including the USA and European Union. Orphanet is a network funded by INSERM and European commission that collects and disseminates information on orphan diseases with the aim of improving patient’s quality of life and management of rare diseases [7]. The ORPHA number is a numerical Identifier given by ORPHAnet to Arenavirus infection and is indicated in Table 1. Orphan status eases the regulatory hurdles and provides tax benefits for drug development to orphan diseases, also expenditure on rare disease research can be claimed as tax exemptions [8]. On the regulation front, US-FDA & EMA has formulated animal rule to fast track development of orphan drugs in which drugs with established safety profile can be used for treatment without clinical trials [6]. Currently, investment by private players on Arenavirus therapy is low due to its reduced prevalence in developed countries.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Bolivian Hemorrhagic Fever
- Lassa Fever
- Viral Hemorrhagic Fever
- Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis
- Venezuelan Hemorrhagic Fever
- Argentinian Mammarenavirus
- Lassa Mammarenavirus
- Lujo Mammarenavirus
- Brazilian Hemorrhagic Fever
- Whitewater Arroyo Mammarenavirus