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Immune profiling of Nipah virus (NiV) infection survivors is essential for advancing our understanding of NiV pathogenesis, improving diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, and guiding public health efforts to prevent future outbreaks. There is currently limited data available on the immune response to NiV infection. We aimed to elucidate the specific immune mechanisms involved in protection against NiV infection by analyzing the immune profiles of survivors of the Nipah outbreak in Kerala, India 2023. Immune cell populations were quantified and compared between survivors (up to 4 months post onset day of illness) and healthy controls. Statistical analysis was performed to explore associations between immune profiles and clinical outcomes. Immune signatures common to all three cases were: a heretofore undescribed persistent lymphopenia including the CD4+ Treg compartment with the relative expansion of memory Tregs; trends indicative of global leukopenic modulation were observed in monocytes and granulocytes including an expansion of putatively immunosuppressive low‐density granulocytes described recently in the context of severe COVID‐19; altered mucosal homing with respect to integrin beta‐7 (ITGB7) expressing subsets; increased mobilization of activated T‐cells (CD4+ and CD8+) and plasmablasts in the early phase of infection. Comparative analysis based on clinical presentation and outcome yielded lower initial viremia, increased activated T‐cell responses, expanded plasmablasts, and restoration of ITGB7 expressing CD8+ T‐cells as possible protective signatures. This longitudinal study delineates putative protective signatures associated with milder NiV disease. It emphasizes the need for the development of immunotherapeutic interventions such as monoclonal antibodies to blunt early viremia and ameliorate pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the 2018 WHO R&D Blueprint, Nipah virus (NiV) is a priority disease, and the development of a vaccine against NiV is strongly encouraged. According to criteria used to categorize zoonotic diseases, NiV is a stage III disease that can spread to people and cause unpredictable outbreaks. Since 2001, the NiV virus has caused annual outbreaks in Bangladesh, while in India it has caused occasional outbreaks. According to estimates, the mortality rate for infected individuals ranges from 70 to 91%. Using immunoinformatic approaches to anticipate the epitopes of the MHC-I, MHC-II, and B-cells, they were predicted using the NiV glycoprotein and nucleocapsid protein. The selected epitopes were used to develop a multi-epitope vaccine construct connected with linkers and adjuvants in order to improve immune responses to the vaccine construct. The 3D structure of the engineered vaccine was anticipated, optimized, and confirmed using a variety of computer simulation techniques so that its stability could be assessed. According to the immunological simulation tests, it was found that the vaccination elicits a targeted immune response against the NiV. Docking with TLR-3, 7, and 8 revealed that vaccine candidates had high binding affinities and low binding energies. Finally, molecular dynamic analysis confirms the stability of the new vaccine. Codon optimization and in silico cloning showed that the proposed vaccine was expressed to a high degree in Escherichia coli. The study will help in identifying a potential epitope for a vaccine candidate against NiV. The developed multi-epitope vaccine construct has a lot of potential, but they still need to be verified by in vitro & in vivo studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Since 2018, the Indian state of Kerala has reported four Nipah virus (NiV) disease outbreaks, raising concerns about NiV spillover from bats to the human population. Considering this, a cross-sectional study was undertaken in the Pteropus medius bat population around the Nipah virus-affected regions of Kozhikode, Kerala, India, during February, July, and September 2023. Methods: Throat swabs, rectal swabs, and organ samples were collected from bats to test for NiV using the real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), while serum samples were screened for anti-Nipah IgG antibodies through ELISA. Results: An overall seroprevalence of 20.9% was observed in 272 P. medius bats tested. The throat and rectal swab samples of 321 bats were negative for NiV RNA. However, 4 of 44 P. medius bats tested positive for NiV in their liver/spleen samples. The partial N gene retrieved showed more than 99% similarity with the earlier reported NiV genome from Kerala state, India. Discussion: The findings of the study caution that there is a spillover risk in the region and necessary precautions should be taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India experienced its sixth Nipah virus (NiV) outbreak in September 2023 in the Kozhikode district of Kerala state. The NiV is primarily transmitted by spillover events from infected bats followed by human‐to‐human transmission. The clinical specimens were screened using real‐time RT‐PCR, and positive specimens were further characterized using next‐generation sequencing. We describe here an in‐depth clinical presentation and management of NiV‐confirmed cases and outbreak containment activities. The current outbreak reported a total of six cases with two deaths, with a case fatality ratio of 33.33%. The cases had a mixed presentation of acute respiratory distress syndrome and encephalitis syndrome. Fever was a persistent presentation in all the cases. The Nipah viral RNA was detected in clinical specimens until the post‐onset day of illness (POD) 14, with viral load in the range of 1.7–3.3 × 104 viral RNA copies/mL. The genomic analysis showed that the sequences from the current outbreak clustered into the Indian clade similar to the 2018 and 2019 outbreaks. This study highlights the vigilance of the health system to detect and effectively manage the clustering of cases with clinical presentations similar to NiV, which led to early detection and containment activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we carried out an investigation of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) suspected human cases reported in Karnataka state, India from December 2018 to June 2019. The clinical samples of KFD suspected cases (n = 1955) from 14 districts of Karnataka were tested for KFD using real-time RT-PCR and IgM ELISA. Further, the KFD-negative samples were tested for IgM antibodies against dengue and chikungunya viruses. Monkey samples (n = 276) and tick pools (n = 11582) were also screened using real-time RT-PCR. KFD-positive samples were further analysed using next-generation sequencing along with clinico-epidemiological analysis. Of all, 173 (8.8%) cases tested positive for KFD either by real-time RT-PCR (n = 124), IgM ELISA (n = 53) or both tests (n = 4) from seven districts. Among KFD-negative cases, IgM antibody positivity was observed for dengue (2.6%), chikungunya (5.8%), dengue and chikungunya coinfection (3.7%). KFD cases peaked in January 2019 with fever, conjunctivitis, and myalgia as the predominant symptoms and a mortality of 4.6%. Among confirmed cases, 41% received a single dose and 20% received two doses of the KFD vaccine. Of the seven districts with KFDV positivity, Shivamogga and Hassan districts reported KFD viral RNA positivity in humans, monkeys, and ticks. Sequencing analysis of 2019 cases demonstrated a difference of less than 1.5% amino acid compared to prototype KFDV. Although the KFD has been endemic in many districts of Karnataka state, our study confirms the presence of KFDV for the first time in two new districts, i.e. Hassan and Mysore. A comparative analysis of KFDV infection among the KFD-vaccinated and non-vaccinated populations demonstrated an insignificant difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nipah virus (NiV) was first reported from Malaysia in 1999 (I). Additional NiV outbreaks have occurred in Bangladesh (2-4) and India (5,6). NiV is a negative-sense enveloped RNA encoding for [...]

Low-pathogenicity avian influenza A(H9N2) viruses have a wide host range, and outbreaks in poultry have been recorded since the 1990s in China (1). In India, avian specimens indicated no serologic [...]

Canine distemper virus (CDV; genus Morbillivirus) causes highly contagious disease in a wide range of carnivores. Epizootic disease in lions in a wildlife sanctuary in California, USA, in 1992 and [...]

This article discusses a rare case of Chandipura virus (CHPV) infection with hemorrhagic complications in a 5-year-old boy from Gujarat, India. CHPV belongs to the Rhabdoviridae family and is primarily transmitted through the bites of infected sandflies. While most cases of CHPV infection present with symptoms like fever and central nervous system involvement, hemorrhagic manifestations are rare but can worsen the disease's clinical progression. The article highlights the challenges in managing severe CHPV infection with hemorrhagic complications and emphasizes the need for early recognition and aggressive multidisciplinary care. Further research is needed to understand the pathogenesis of hemorrhage in CHPV infection and develop targeted therapeutic interventions. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses a case of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Kutch, Gujarat, India. CCHF is a tick-borne disease that affects humans and animals. The article provides detailed information about a 51-year-old male patient who had contact with livestock and exhibited symptoms such as fever, headache, myalgia, and fatigue. Despite treatment, the patient developed multiorgan dysfunction and ultimately died from the infection. The article emphasizes the importance of timely diagnosis, isolation, and treatment for CCHF, as well as the need for awareness and preventive measures in at-risk communities. [Extracted from the article]

Equine encephalosis is an arthropodborne, noncontagious disease of equids, characterized by fever and lassitude (1). For some affected horses, lack of appetite and some degree of edema have been reported [...]

January 2022 onward, India witnessed a sudden increase in Omicron COVID-19 infections, having a mild course that prompted us to identify the key host factors/immune molecules modulating disease course/outcomes. The current study evaluated the percentages of lymphocyte subsets by flowcytometry, SARS-CoV-2 specific T-cell immune response by ELISPOT, estimation of plasma cytokine/chemokine levels on a Bio-plex Multiplex Immunoassay System and anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 19 mild Omicron infected patients, 45 mild SARS-CoV-2 (2020) patients and 36 uninfected controls from India. Natural killer cells, B and memory B cells were high in vaccinated and total Omicron-infected patients groups compared to the mild SARS-CoV-2 (2020) patient group, while CD8+ T cells were high in total Omicron-infected patients group compared to the uninfected control group (p < 0.05 each). Omicron-infected patients had T-cell response against SARS-CoV-2 whole virus, S1 proteins (wild type and delta variant) in 10 out of 17 (59%), 10 out of 17 (59%), and 8 out of 17 (47%), respectively. The current study of Omicron-infected patients elucidates broadly reactive antibody, T-cell response, and participation of memory B and T cells induced by vaccination/natural infection. The limited effect of Omicron's mutations on T-cell response is suggestive of protection from severity. Pro-inflammatory IL-6, IFN-γ, chemokines CCL-2, CCL-3, CCL-4, CCL-5, and IL-8 as potential biomarkers of Omicron infection may have future diagnostic importance. The cellular immune response data in Omicron-infected patients with parental Omicron lineage could serve as a starting point to define the readouts of protective immunity against circulating Omicron subvariants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

However, still there is limited sero-surveillance in mpox endemic areas.[6] The previous study has suggested that detectable levels of antibodies can be detected within 7-14 days after mpox infection.[5] However, there is scanty data available on the persistence of the antibodies amongst mpox cases. Since the 1970s, monkeypox (mpox) has been mostly observed in rural areas of Central and West Africa near tropical rainforests. The mpox immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) were developed and standardized to determine the antibody levels in mpox cases. Recently, mpoxv A29L protein-specific monoclonal antibody-based antigens detection assays has shown promising results for rapid antigen detection of mpox infection.[5] The mpox-specific antibody test allows serological diagnosis in cases of suspected monkeypox. [Extracted from the article]

Increased international travel has led to the global spread of numerous diseases (1). One of these diseases, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), has affected persons in >20 countries in Africa, Asia, [...]

Rubella is usually considered a mild viral infection. Approximately 25%-50% of infections are asymptomatic (1). Differential diagnosis of viral acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) caused by rubella, herpes simplex virus, measles, [...]

Omicron variant is evolving into numerous sub variants with time and the information on the characteristics of these newly evolving variants are scant. Here we performed a pathogenicity evaluation of Omicron sub variants BA.2.12, BA.5.2 and XBB.1 against the Delta variant in 6-8-week-old Syrian hamster model. Body weight change, viral load in respiratory organs by real time RT-PCR/titration, cytokine mRNA quantification and histopathological evaluation of the lungs were performed. The intranasal infection of the BA.2.12, BA.5.2 and XBB.1 variants in hamster model resulted in body weight loss/reduced weight gain, inflammatory cytokine response and interstitial pneumonia with lesser severity compared to the Delta variant infection. Among the variants studied, BA.2.12 and XBB.1 showed lesser viral shedding through the upper respiratory tract, whereas the BA.5.2 showed comparable viral RNA shedding as that of the Delta variant. The study shows that the Omicron BA.2 sub variants may show difference in disease severity and transmissibility amongst each other whereas the overall disease severity of the Omicron sub variants studied were less compared to the Delta variant. The evolving Omicron sub variants and recombinants should be monitored for their properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnitude and duration of immune response to COVID-19 vaccination in older adults are known to be adversely affected due to immunosenescence and inflammaging. The threat of emerging variants warrants studies on immune response in older adults to primary vaccination and booster doses so as to understand the effectiveness of vaccines in countering the threat of emerging variants. Non-human primates (NHPs) are ideal translational models, as the immunological responses in NHPs are similar to those in humans, so it enables us to understand host immune responses to the vaccine. We initially studied humoral immune responses in aged rhesus macaques employing a three-dose regimen of BBV152, an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Initially, the study investigated whether the third dose enhances the neutralizing antibody (Nab) titer against the homologous virus strain (B.1) and variants of concern (Beta and Delta variants) in aged rhesus macaques immunized with BBV152, adjuvanted with Algel/Algel-IMDG (imidazoquinoline). Later, we also attempted to understand cellular immunity in terms of lymphoproliferation against ginactivated SARS-CoV-2 B.1 and delta in naïve and vaccinated rhesus macaques after a year of the third dose. Following the three-dose regimen with 6 µg of BBV152 with Algel-IMDG, animals had increased Nab responses across all SARS-CoV-2 variants studied, which suggested the importance of booster dose for the enhanced immune response against SARS-CoV-2-circulating variants. The study also revealed the pronounced cellular immunity against B.1 and delta variants of SARS-CoV-2 in the aged rhesus macaques even after a year of vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All other usual causes of encephalitis had been ruled out by Film Array® Meningitis/Encephalitis panel (Biofire Diagnostics) and additional testing for Japanese encephalitis virus, West nile virus, and Nipah virus (Table 1). The world has witnessed the emergence of mpox virus (mpoxv) from multiple countries in 2022.[1] The mpox case fatality rate of 3%-6%[2] is far lower than smallpox (30%).[3] Till now, India has reported 25 confirmed mpox cases from Kerala ( I n i = 10) and New Delhi ( I n i = 15) during July 2022 to February 2023.[[4]] Here, we report the first fatal mpox case imported from UAE to Kerala, India. [Extracted from the article]