Immunopathogenesis of West Nile Virus infection

Curare ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayra Diosa-Toro ◽  
Juan Carlos Hernández-López
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Neurological Disease ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Pathological Response ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Peripheral Tissues ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
The World ◽  
The Central Nervous System

<p>The reappearance of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in last years has highlighted that arthropod-borne diseases are not circumscribed to tropical regions of the world. WNV is maintained in enzootic cycles involving, <em>Culex spp</em>. mosquitoes and avian hosts, with epizootic spread to mammals, including humans. Human infection results in mild symptomatic illness in 25% of cases or neurological disease in less than 1% of infected persons. Additional understandings on how WNV interacts with its hosts is recently growing; the virus exploits immune system, both at the peripheral tissues and the central nervous system, which could explain the differences in virulence, progression and severity of WNV infection. The continuing spread of WNV, combined with the lack of specific therapeutics or vaccines to combat or prevent infection, imparts a pressing need to identify the viral and host processes that control the outcome and immunity to WNV infection. Here, we provide an overview of a subset of information regarding the immune-pathological response generated during WNV infection.</p>

scholarly journals Comparative Pathology of West Nile Virus in Humans and Non-Human Animals

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex D. Byas ◽  
Gregory D. Ebel
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Systemic Disease ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Virus Propagation ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Neuroinvasive Disease ◽  
Neurologic Sequelae ◽  
The Central Nervous System

West Nile virus (WNV) continues to be a major cause of human arboviral neuroinvasive disease. Susceptible non-human vertebrates are particularly diverse, ranging from commonly affected birds and horses to less commonly affected species such as alligators. This review summarizes the pathology caused by West Nile virus during natural infections of humans and non-human animals. While the most well-known findings in human infection involve the central nervous system, WNV can also cause significant lesions in the heart, kidneys and eyes. Time has also revealed chronic neurologic sequelae related to prior human WNV infection. Similarly, neurologic disease is a prominent manifestation of WNV infection in most non-human non-host animals. However, in some avian species, which serve as the vertebrate host for WNV maintenance in nature, severe systemic disease can occur, with neurologic, cardiac, intestinal and renal injury leading to death. The pathology seen in experimental animal models of West Nile virus infection and knowledge gains on viral pathogenesis derived from these animal models are also briefly discussed. A gap in the current literature exists regarding the relationship between the neurotropic nature of WNV in vertebrates, virus propagation and transmission in nature. This and other knowledge gaps, and future directions for research into WNV pathology, are addressed.

scholarly journals West Nile Virus Infection in the Central Nervous System

F1000Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evandro R. Winkelmann ◽  
Huanle Luo ◽  
Tian Wang
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
The United States ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Neurological Sequelae ◽  
The Central Nervous System

West Nile virus (WNV), a neurotropic single-stranded flavivirus has been the leading cause of arboviral encephalitis worldwide.  Up to 50% of WNV convalescent patients in the United States were reported to have long-term neurological sequelae.  Neither antiviral drugs nor vaccines are available for humans.  Animal models have been used to investigate WNV pathogenesis and host immune response in humans.  In this review, we will discuss recent findings from studies in animal models of WNV infection, and provide new insights on WNV pathogenesis and WNV-induced host immunity in the central nervous system.

scholarly journals Proximity of Residence to Bodies of Water and Risk for West Nile Virus Infection: A Case-Control Study in Houston, Texas

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa S. Nolan ◽  
Ana Zangeneh ◽  
Salma A. Khuwaja ◽  
Diana Martinez ◽  
Susan N. Rossmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Transmission Cycle ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Slow Moving

West Nile virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne virus, has clinically affected hundreds of residents in the Houston metropolitan area since its introduction in 2002. This study aimed to determine if living within close proximity to a water source increases one’s odds of infection with WNV. We identified 356 eligible WNV-positive cases and 356 controls using a population proportionate to size model with US Census Bureau data. We found that living near slow moving water sources was statistically associated with increased odds for human infection, while living near moderate moving water systems was associated with decreased odds for human infection. Living near bayous lined with vegetation as opposed to concrete also showed increased risk of infection. The habitats of slow moving and vegetation lined water sources appear to favor the mosquito-human transmission cycle. These methods can be used by resource-limited health entities to identify high-risk areas for arboviral disease surveillance and efficient mosquito management initiatives.

scholarly journals A Critical Role for Induced IgM in the Protection against West Nile Virus Infection

2003 ◽  
Vol 198 (12) ◽  
pp. 1853-1862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael S. Diamond ◽  
Elizabeth M. Sitati ◽  
Lindzy D. Friend ◽  
Stephen Higgs ◽  
Bimmi Shrestha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Lethal Infection ◽  
The Central Nervous System

In humans, the elderly and immunocompromised are at greatest risk for disseminated West Nile virus (WNV) infection, yet the immunologic basis for this remains unclear. We demonstrated previously that B cells and IgG contributed to the defense against disseminated WNV infection (Diamond, M.S., B. Shrestha, A. Marri, D. Mahan, and M. Engle. 2003. J. Virol. 77:2578–2586). In this paper, we addressed the function of IgM in controlling WNV infection. C57BL/6J mice (sIgM−/−) that were deficient in the production of secreted IgM but capable of expressing surface IgM and secreting other immunoglobulin isotypes were vulnerable to lethal infection, even after inoculation with low doses of WNV. Within 96 h, markedly higher levels of infectious virus were detected in the serum of sIgM−/− mice compared with wild-type mice. The enhanced viremia correlated with higher WNV burdens in the central nervous system, and was also associated with a blunted anti-WNV IgG response. Passive transfer of polyclonal anti-WNV IgM or IgG protected sIgM−/− mice against mortality, although administration of comparable amounts of a nonneutralizing monoclonal anti-WNV IgM provided no protection. In a prospective analysis, a low titer of anti-WNV IgM antibodies at day 4 uniformly predicted mortality in wild-type mice. Thus, the induction of a specific, neutralizing IgM response early in the course of WNV infection limits viremia and dissemination into the central nervous system, and protects against lethal infection.

scholarly journals Toll-like receptor 7-induced immune response to cutaneous West Nile virus infection

2009 ◽  
Vol 90 (11) ◽  
pp. 2660-2668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Welte ◽  
Krystle Reagan ◽  
Hao Fang ◽  
Carlos Machain-Williams ◽  
Xin Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Interleukin 1 ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Intradermal Injection ◽  
Infected Mosquito ◽  
Toll Like Receptor ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Peripheral Tissues

The Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 response represents a vital host-defence mechanism in a murine model of systemic West Nile virus (WNV) infection. Here, we investigated the role of the TLR7-induced immune response following cutaneous WNV infection. We found that there was no difference in susceptibility to WNV encephalitis between wild-type and TLR7−/− mice upon intradermal injection or infected mosquito feeding. Viral load analysis revealed similar levels of WNV RNA in the peripheral tissues and brains of these two groups of mice following intradermal infection. There was a higher level of cytokines in the blood of wild-type mice at early stages of infection; however, this difference was diminished in the blood and brains at later stages. Langerhans cells (LCs) are permissive to WNV infection and migrate from the skin to draining lymph nodes upon intradermal challenge. Our data showed that WNV infection of TLR7−/− keratinocytes was significantly higher than that of wild-type keratinocytes. Infection of wild-type keratinocytes induced higher levels of alpha interferon and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6 and IL-12, which might promote LC migration from the skin. Co-culture of naïve LCs of wild-type mice with WNV-infected wild-type keratinocytes resulted in the production of more IL-6 and IL-12 than with TLR7−/− keratinocytes or by cultured LCs alone. Moreover, LCs in the epidermis were reduced in wild-type mice, but not in TLR7−/− mice, following intradermal WNV infection. Overall, our results suggest that the TLR7 response following cutaneous infection promotes LC migration from the skin, which might compromise its protective effect in systemic infection.

scholarly journals Persistence of virus-specific immune responses in the central nervous system of mice after West Nile virus infection

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara S Stewart ◽  
Valerie L Demarest ◽  
Susan J Wong ◽  
Sharone Green ◽  
Kristen A Bernard
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Virus Infection ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
West Nile ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Cochlear-Vestibular Impairment due to West Nile Virus Infection

2019 ◽  
Vol 128 (12) ◽  
pp. 1198-1202
Author(s):  
Daniela Parrino ◽  
Giuseppe Brescia ◽  
Maria Vittoria Trimarchi ◽  
Giulia Tealdo ◽  
Lolita Sasset ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Virus Infection ◽  
Vestibular Function ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Neuroinvasive Disease ◽  
A Prospective Study ◽  
First Time

Objectives: West Nile virus (WNV) has been spreading over the last 20 years. Human infection is asymptomatic in most cases. When the disease becomes clinically manifest, it may involve a range of issues, from a mild infection with flu-like symptoms to a neuroinvasive disease. Albeit rarely, WNV-associated sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) has also been reported. Here we describe two new cases of SNHL and balance impairment caused by WNV infection. Methods: The patients were investigated with repeated audiometric tests and, for the first time, videonystagmography was also used. Results: Unlike findings in the few other published cases, an improvement in audiometric thresholds and vestibular function was documented in both of our patients. Conclusions: In the light of our findings, a prospective study would be warranted on a large series of patients with WNV infection in order: (i) to better define the epidemiology of the related cochlear-vestibular involvement; and (ii) to elucidate the virus-related changes to peripheral and central auditory and vestibular functions.

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