University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston Researcher Details Findings in Rift Valley Fever (Distinct Pathological Changes in Preweaning Mice Infected with Live-Attenuated Rift Valley Fever Virus Strains).

Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston have conducted a study on Rift Valley fever (RVF), a mosquito-borne viral disease endemic to Africa and the Middle East. The study aimed to assess the virulence of three live-attenuated RVF vaccine strains in preweaning mice. The results showed that mice infected with one of the strains exhibited distinct brain pathology, while mice infected with the other two strains showed minimal association of inflammatory cells in the brain. The researchers concluded that the preweaning mouse model is useful for evaluating host responses to attenuated RVF strains, but further refinement may be necessary to quantify the virulence among different strains or vaccine lots. [Extracted from the article]