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Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is endemic in dromedary camels from the Arabian Peninsula and Africa; seroprevalence is >75% (1-3). Zoonotic transmission to humans has occurred sporadically, mainly on [...]

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) causes acute hepatitis in humans worldwide; [approximately equal to] 159 million infections and [approximately equal to] 39,000 deaths were associated with HAV in 2019 (1), despite [...]

As part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) SARS-CoV-2 Assessment of Viral Evolution (SAVE) effort to combat the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, [...]

Diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants have arisen during the pandemic. As of May 4, 2022, there had been 2 recognized variants of concern (VOC), Delta and Omicron, in addition to earlier emerging [...]

Numerous genetic variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have emerged globally since the start of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic (https://cov-lineages.org). By September 2021, the World Health [...]

Genomic surveillance is key to elucidate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) transmission chains and to monitor emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants associated with partial or complete immune escape [...]

We detected delayed and reduced antibody and T-cell responses after BNT162b2 vaccination in 71 elderly persons (median age 81 years) compared with 123 healthcare workers (median age 34 years) in [...]

One week after second vaccinations were administered, an outbreak of B.1.1.7 lineage severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections occurred in a long-term care facility in Berlin, Germany, affecting 16/20 [...]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) superspreading events are particularly linked to indoor settings, such as religious venues (1), restaurants (2), and bars or nightclubs (3-6). To provide further [...]

Infection with hepatitis E viruses (HEVs) is one of the major causes of acute hepatitis in humans (1). Most HEV strains infecting humans belong to the virus species Orthohepevirus A [...]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the third highly pathogenic human coronavirus to cross the species barrier into the human population during the past 20 years (2-3). SARS-CoV-2 [...]

In December 2019, a new coronavirus emerged in China and caused an acute respiratory disease now known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (1). The virus was identified to be a [...]

Since the emergence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012 (1), more than 2,250 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported to the World Health Organization (WHO); approximately one third [...]

Disease outbreaks caused by Zika, dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Rift Valley fever viruses illustrate the threat posed by arthropodborne viruses (arboviruses), which affect millions of patients worldwide each year [...]

In 2013, Zika virus and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) emerged in Latin America (1,2). Their overlapping symptoms challenge accurate diagnosis on the basis of clinical manifestations (3). Direct Zika virus and [...]

BACKGROUND. COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) has been considered a treatment option for COVID-19. This trial assessed the efficacy of a neutralizing antibody containing high-dose CCP in hospitalized adults with COVID-19 requiring respiratory support or intensive care treatment. METHODS. Patients (n = 105) were randomized 1:1 to either receive standard treatment and 3 units of CCP or standard treatment alone. Control group patients with progress on day 14 could cross over to the CCP group. The primary outcome was a dichotomous composite outcome of survival and no longer fulfilling criteria for severe COVID-19 on day 21. RESULTS. The primary outcome occurred in 43.4% of patients in the CCP group and 32.7% in the control group (P = 0.32). The median time to clinical improvement was 26 days in the CCP group and 66 days in the control group (P = 0.27). The median time to discharge from the hospital was 31 days in the CCP group and 51 days in the control group (P = 0.24). In the subgroup that received a higher cumulative amount of neutralizing antibodies, the primary outcome occurred in 56.0% of the patients (vs. 32.1%), with significantly shorter intervals to clinical improvement (20 vs. 66 days, P< 0.05) and to hospital discharge (21 vs. 51 days, P = 0.03) and better survival (day-60 probability of survival 91.6% vs. 68.1%, P = 0.02) in comparison with the control group. CONCLUSION. CCP added to standard treatment was not associated with a significant improvement in the primary and secondary outcomes. A predefined subgroup analysis showed a significant benefit of CCP among patients who received a larger amount of neutralizing antibodies. TRIAL REGISTRATION. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04433910. FUNDING. Bundesministerium fur Gesundheit (German Federal Ministry of Health): ZMVI1-2520COR802., Introduction COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) from patients who have recovered from a SARS-CoV-2 infection has become one of the treatment options for severe COVID-19 (1, 2). It has been broadly [...]

The catastrophic Zika virus outbreak in the Americas has affected millions of persons. Brazil was the most affected country and reported [approximately equal to] 95% of all cases of suspected [...]

Autoantibodies against IFN-[alpha] and IFN-[omega] (type I IFNs) were recently reported as causative for severe COVID-19 in the general population. Autoantibodies against IFN-[alpha] and IFN-[omega] are present in almost all patients with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS-1) caused by biallelic deleterious or heterozygous dominant mutations in AIRE. We therefore hypothesized that autoantibodies against type I IFNs also predispose patients with APS-1 to severe COVID-19. We prospectively studied 6 patients with APS-1 between April 1, 2020 and April 1, 2021. Biobanked pre-COVID-19 sera of APS-1 subjects were tested for neutralizing autoantibodies against IFN-[alpha] and IFN-[omega]. The ability of the patients' sera to block recombinant human IFN-[alpha] and IFN-[omega] was assessed by assays quantifying phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) as well as infection-based IFN-neutralization assays. We describe 4 patients with APS-1 and preexisting high titers of neutralizing autoantibodies against IFN-[alpha] and IFN-[omega] who contracted SARS-CoV-2, yet developed only mild symptoms of COVID-19. None of the patients developed dyspnea, oxygen requirement, or high temperature. All infected patients with APS-1 were females andyoungerthan 26 years of age. Clinical penetrance of neutralizing autoantibodies against type I IFNs for severe COVID-19 is not complete., Introduction Mutations in AIRE (gene encoding the protein autoimmune regulator) cause autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS-1) (1-3). AIRE is expressed in thymic epithelium and secondary lymphoid organs (4). AIRE [...]

Yellow fever virus (YFV) is a mosquitoborne member of the genus Flavivirus within the family Flaviviridae (online Technical Appendix Figure 1, panel A, https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/EID/article/23/11/17-1131-Techapp1.pdf) that is endemic to Africa and [...]

Hepatitis E virus (HEV; family Hepeviridae, genus Orthohepevirus) is a major cause of acute hepatitis in humans worldwide. Large outbreaks have included waterborne HEV in the tropics and zoonotic infections [...]

Objective To examine the diagnostic performance of real-time reverse transcription (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for Zika virus detection. Methods We compared seven published real-time RT-PCR assays and two new assays that we have developed. To determine the analytical sensitivity of each assay, we constructed a synthetic universal control ribonucleic acid (uncRNA) containing all of the assays' target regions on one RNA strand and spiked human blood or urine with known quantities of African or Asian Zika virus strains. Viral loads in 33 samples from Zika virus-infected patients were determined by using one of the new assays. Findings Oligonucleotides of the published real-time RT-PCR assays, showed up to 10 potential mismatches with the Asian lineage causing the current outbreak, compared with 0 to 4 mismatches for the new assays. The 95% lower detection limit of the seven most sensitive assays ranged from 2.1 to 12.1 uncRNA copies/reaction. Two assays had lower sensitivities of 17.0 and 1373.3 uncRNA copies/reaction and showed a similar sensitivity when using spiked samples. The mean viral loads in samples from Zika virus-infected patients were 5 x 104 RNA copies/mL of blood and 2 x [10.sup.4] RNA coples/mL of urine. Conclusion We provide reagents and updated protocols for Zika virus detection suitable for the current outbreak strains. Some published assays might be unsuitable for Zika virus detection, due to the limited sensitivity and potential incompatibility with some strains. Viral concentrations in the clinical samples were close to the technical detection limit, suggesting that the use of insensitive assays will cause false-negative results. Objectif Etudier la performance diagnostique des tests bases sur l'amplification en chaine par polymerase (PCR) en temps reel apres transcription inverse (RT) pour detecter le virus Zika. Methodes Nous avons compare sept tests publies utilisant la RT-PCR en temps reel et deux nouveaux tests developpes par nos soins. Afin de determiner la sensibilite analytique de chaque test, nous avons concu un acide ribonucleique synthetique de controle universel (ARNcun) contenant toutes les regions ciblees par les tests sur une helice ARN et enrichi de l'urine ou du sang humain de quantites connues de souches africaines ou asiatiques du virus Zika. Les charges virales dans 33 echantillons provenant de patients infectes par le virus Zika ont ete determinees a l'aide de l'un des nouveaux tests. Resultats Les oligonucleotides des tests publies utilisant la RT-PCR en temps reel ont presente jusqu'a TOmauvais apparlements potentiels avec la lignee asiatique provoquant l'epidemie actuelle, alors qu'on a constate de 0 a 4 mauvais appariements dans le cas des nouveaux tests. La limite de detection inferieure a 95% des sept tests les plus sensibles variait de 2,1 a 12,1 copies dARNcun/reaction. Deux tests presentaient des sensibilites plus basses de 17,0 et 1373,3 copies d'ARNcun/reaction et montraient une sensibilite similaire lorsque des echantillons enrichis etaient utilises. Les charges virales moyennes dans les echantillons provenant de patients infectes par le virus Zika etaient de 5 x 104 copies d'ARN/mL de sang et de 2 x 104 copies dARN/mL d'urine. Conclusion Nous proposons pour detecter le virus Zika des reactifs et des protocoles actualises, adaptes aux souches responsables de la flambee actuelle.Tous les tests publies ne permettent pas de detecter le virus Zika en raison d'une sensibilite limitee et d'une incompatibilite potentielle avec certaines souches. Les concentrations virales dans les echantillons cliniques etaient proches de la limite de detection technique, ce qui laisse penser que l'utilisation de tests insensibles donnera des resultats faussement negatifs. Objetivo Examinar el rendimiento del diagnostico de las pruebas de reaccion en cadena de la polimerasa de transcriptasa inversa (RT-PCR) en tiempo real para la deteccion del virus de Zika. Metodos Se compararon siete pruebas de RT-PCR en tiempo real publicadas y dos pruebas nuevas que se han desarrollado. Con el fin de determinar la sensibilidad analitica de cada prueba, se construyo un acido ribonucleico sintetico de control universal (uncRNA) que contenia todas las regiones objetivo de las pruebas en una hebra de RNA y se anadio a sangre u orina humana con cantidades conocidas de cepas de virus de Zika de Asia o Africa. Se determinaron las cargas viricas en 33 muestras procedentes de pacientes infectados por el virus de Zika a traves de una de las pruebas nuevas. Resultados Los oligonucleotidos de las pruebas de RT-PCR en tiempo real publicadas mostraron hasta 10 posibles discordancias con el linaje de Asia causante de los brotes actuales, en comparacion con 0 de 4 discordancias en el caso de las pruebas nuevas. El limite de deteccion inferior del 95% de las siete pruebas mas sensibles abarco de 2,1 a 12,1 copias/reaccion de uncRNA. Dos pruebas mostraron sensibilidades inferiores de 17,0 y 1373,3 copias/reaccion de uncRNA y presentaron una sensibilidad similar al usar muestras Infectadas. Las cargas viricas medias en las muestras procedentes de pacientes infectados por el virus de Zika fueron de 5 x 104 copias de RNA/mL de sangre y de 2 x [10.sup.4] coplas de RNA/ml de orina. Conclusion Se proporcionan reactivos y protocolos actualizados para la deteccion adecuada del virus de Zika en el caso de las cepas de brotes actuales. Algunas pruebas publicadas pueden no ser adecuadas para la deteccion del virus de Zika, debido a la limitada sensibilidad y a la posible incompatibilidad con algunas cepas. Las concentraciones viricas en las muestras clinicas se acercaron al limite de deteccion tecnico, lo que sugeria que el uso de pruebas Intensivas causaria resultados falsos negativos., Introduction The Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus with an approximately 11 kilobase ribonucleic acid (RNA) genome. (1) The virus usually causes a mild infection in adults, symptoms include fever, [...]

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of acute hepatitis worldwide (1). Four HEV genotypes belonging to the species Orthohepevirus A are commonly found in humans (HEV-1 through HEV-4). [...]

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection causes severe respiratory illness in humans. Some cases have been sporadic, but others have been part of nosocomial outbreaks mainly on the Arabian [...]

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), first detected in Saudi Arabia in 2012, is a novel human pathogen that causes severe respiratory illness (1). Phylogenetic analyses and transmission studies suggest [...]

Orthobunyaviruses and phleboviruses are transmitted to animals and humans by blood-feeding arthropods such as mosquitoes, sandflies, and ticks (1,2). Infection can cause systemic disease, including encephalitis or hemorrhagic fevers. Members [...]

Since Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was first detected in 2012, approximately 1,000 human infections have been reported to the World Health Organization, all linked to residence in or [...]

Bats are increasingly being recognized as hosts for pathogens that affect humans and livestock (1). The 2014-2015 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa demonstrates how human-bat interactions in [...]

Arenaviruses are known to cause severe hemorrhagic fevers across the globe with case fatality rates up to 30% (1). The viruses possess a bisegmented, single-stranded RNA genome with ambisense coding [...]

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes outbreaks and isolated cases of severe respiratory disease in humans. The virus is transmissible from human to human, but the focus of infection [...]

In 2012, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) emerged on the Arabian Peninsula (1). As of February 2016 the virus has caused 1,638 human infections, including 587 deaths (2). Zoonotic [...]

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERSCoV) was discovered in a patient from Saudi Arabia in 2012 and has since caused ≥ 250 human infections and 93 deaths (1). The evolutionary [...]

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was identified in 2012 in a cell culture taken from a patient who died of pneumonia in Saudi Arabia (1). Since 2012, at least [...]

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection was initially reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) in September 2012 (1,2). By November 11, 2013, a total of 153 laboratory-confirmed cases [...]

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERSCoV) is an emerging pathogen associated with severe respiratory symptoms and renal failure in infected patients (1,2). Globally, 156 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, [...]

Coronaviruses (CoV) in the genera Alphacoronavirus and Betacoronavirus (order Nidovirales, family Coronaviridae, subfamily Coronavirinae) infect a broad range of mammals, including humans (1). The human CoVs (HCoVs) HCoV-HKU1, HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63, [...]

In April 2009, a pandemic strain of influenza A (H1N1) (pH1N1) virus emerged in Mexico and the United States; the World Health Organization declared a pandemic alert on June 11, [...]

Most human coronaviruses cause mild upper respiratory tract disease but may be associated with more severe pulmonary disease in immunocompromised individuals (1). However, SARS coronavirus caused severe lower respiratory disease with nearly 10% mortality and evidence of systemic spread (2). Recently, another coronavirus (human coronavirus-Erasmus Medical Center (hCoV-EMC)) was identified in patients with severe and sometimes lethal lower respiratory tract infection (3'4). Viral genome analysis revealed close relatedness to coronaviruses found in bats (5). Here we identify dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4; also known as CD26) as a functional receptor for hCoV-EMC. DPP4 specifically co-purified with the receptor-binding S1 domain of the hCoV-EMC spike protein from lysates of susceptible Huh-7 cells. Antibodies directed against DPP4 inhibited hCoV-EMC infection of primary human bronchial epithelial cells and Huh-7 cells. Expression of human and bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) DPP4 in non-susceptible COS-7 cells enabled infection by hCoV-EMC. The use of the evolutionarily conserved DPP4 protein from different species as a functional receptor provides clues about the host range potential of hCoV-EMC. In addition, it will contribute critically to our understanding of the pathogenesis and epidemiology of this emerging human coronavirus, and may facilitate the development of intervention strategies., Coronaviruses infect a wide range of mammals and birds. Their tropism is primarily determined by the ability of the spike (S) entry protein to bind to a cell surface receptor. [...]

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are enveloped viruses with a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome (1). CoVs are classified into 4 genera: Alphacoronavirus, Betacoronavirus (grouped further into clades 2a-2d), Gammacoronavirus, and Deltacoronavirus. Two human [...]

Distinct roadblocks prevent translating basic findings in viral pathogenesis into therapies and implementing potential solutions in the clinic. An ongoing partnership between the Volkswagen Foundation and Nature Medicine resulted in an interactive meeting in 2012, as part of the 'Herrenhausen Symposia' series. Current challenges for various fields of viral research were recognized and discussed with a goal in mind--to identify solutions and propose an agenda to address the translational barriers. Here, some of the researchers who participated at the meeting provide a concise outlook at the most pressing unmet research and clinical needs, identifying these key obstacles is a necessary step towards the prevention and cure of human viral diseases., Moving ahead on HIV prevention and cure One of the most dramatic therapeutic advances in the history of medicine was the development and clinical implementation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for [...]

Nonparenteral transmission might contribute to human parvovirus 4 (PARV4) infections in sub-Saharan Africa. PARV4 DNA was detected in 8 (0.83%) of 961 nasal samples and 5 (0.53%) of 943 fecal [...]

The family Picornaviridae comprises 12 genera and includes several leading pathogens affecting human and animal health, e.g., foot-and-mouth-disease virus and polioviruses. With the advent of metagenomics, 3 novel human picornaviruses [...]

The family Picornaviridae includes 12 established genera, and representatives of 5 of these have been found in humans (Enterovirus, Hepatovirus, Parechovirus, Cardiovirus, and Kobuvirus). Among those, human pathogenicity has been [...]

Bats (Chiroptera) constitute ≅ 20% of living mammal species and are distributed on all continents except Antarctica (1). Their ability to fly and migrate, as well as the large sizes [...]

To the Editor: Dengue virus (DENV) is a member of the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, and comprises 4 serotypes (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4). DENV is transmitted by Aedes spp. [...]

Coronaviruses (CoVs) (order Nidovirales, family Coronaviridae, genus Coronavirus) are enveloped viruses with plus-stranded RNA genomes of 26-32 kb, the largest contiguous RNA genomes in nature (1). They are classified into [...]

Background Detection and quantification of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA is integral to diagnostic and therapeutic regimens. All molecular assays target the viral 5&apos;-noncoding region (5&apos;-NCR), and all show genotype-dependent variation of sensitivities and viral load results. Non-western HCV genotypes have been under-represented in evaluation studies. An alternative diagnostic target region within the HCV genome could facilitate a new generation of assays. Methods and Findings In this study we determined by de novo sequencing that the 3&apos;-X-tail element, characterized significantly later than the rest of the genome, is highly conserved across genotypes. To prove its clinical utility as a molecular diagnostic target, a prototype qualitative and quantitative test was developed and evaluated multicentrically on a large and complete panel of 725 clinical plasma samples, covering HCV genotypes 1-6, from four continents (Germany, UK, Brazil, South Africa, Singapore). To our knowledge, this is the most diversified and comprehensive panel of clinical and genotype specimens used in HCV nucleic acid testing (NAT) validation to date. The lower limit of detection (LOD) was 18.4 IU/ml (95% confidence interval, 15.3-24.1 IU/ml), suggesting applicability in donor blood screening. The upper LOD exceeded [10.sup.-9] IU/ml, facilitating viral load monitoring within a wide dynamic range. In 598 genotyped samples, quantified by Bayer VERSANT 3.0 branched DNA (bDNA), X-tail-based viral loads were highly concordant with bDNA for all genotypes. Correlation coefficients between bDNA and X-tail NAT, for genotypes 1-6, were: 0.92, 0.85, 0.95, 0.91, 0.95, and 0.96, respectively; X-tail-based viral loads deviated by more than 0.5 log10 from 5&apos;-NCR-based viral loads in only 12% of samples (maximum deviation, 0.85 log10). The successful introduction of X-tail NAT in a Brazilian laboratory confirmed the practical stability and robustness of the X-tail-based protocol. The assay was implemented at low reaction costs (US$8.70 per sample), short turnover times (2.5 h for up to 96 samples), and without technical difficulties. Conclusion This study indicates a way to fundamentally improve HCV viral load monitoring and infection screening. Our prototype assay can serve as a template for a new generation of viral load assays. Additionally, to our knowledge this study provides the first open protocol to permit industry-grade HCV detection and quantification in resource-limited settings., Introduction Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the leading causes of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma [1,2]. Seroprevalence studies suggest that at least 170 million individuals have [...]

Human parechoviruses (HPeVs) were detected by reverse transcription-PCR in 16.1% of 335 stool samples from children ********** The human parechovirus (HPeV) species are small, nonenveloped RNA viruses that belong to [...]

Since 2012, a newly emerged human pathogenic coronavirus (CoV) has caused an ongoing epidemic on the Arabian Peninsula. The designated Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV belongs to the Betacoronavirus genus [...]

Cardioviruses cause serious disease, mainly in rodents, including diabetes, myocarditis, encephalomyelitis, and multiple sclerosis-like disseminated encephalomyelitis. Recently, a human virus isolate obtained 25 years ago, termed Saffold virus, was sequenced [...]

We tested 315 bats from 7 different bat species in northern Germany for coronaviruses by reverse transcription-PCR. The overall prevalence was 9.8%. There were 4 lineages of group I coronaviruses [...]