Field evaluation of formalin inactivated Kyasanur forest disease virus tissue culture vaccine in three districts of Karnataka state.

Dandawate CN,  Desai GB,  Achar TR,  Banerjee K.

[Article in English]

National Institute of Virology, Pune.

A formalin inactivated Kyasanur forest disease (KFD) virus tissue culture vaccine produced by the health department of the State Government of Karnataka at Shimoga was administered in Shimoga, Uttar Kannada and Chikmangalur districts during 1990-92 KFD epidemic seasons. The selection of places for vaccination was based on the prevalence of KFD activity in previous years; villages adjacent to KFD affected areas and the villages from which mortality in monkeys was reported. A total of 284 villages was covered under vaccination; 26850 individuals received one dose whereas, 61302 received two doses of vaccine. No untoward reaction was observed in any of the vaccinees. In the 72 KFD affected villages there were 14 patients among 9072 and 10 among 21083 vaccinees receiving one and two doses respectively, whereas 325 patients were reported among 37373 unvaccinated individuals during the same period. In 1990-91 the number of males patients was more than females whereas, in 1991-92 the ratio was reserved. On analysis indicated that the vaccine has a highly significant protective effect.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Drug Evaluation
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*prevention & control
• Female
• Formaldehyde
• Human
• India
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Male
• Vaccination
• Vaccines, Inactivated/*administration & dosage
• Viral Vaccines/*administration & dosage
• Virus Cultivation

Substances:

• 0 (Vaccines, Inactivated)
• 0 (Viral Vaccines)
• 50-00-0 (Formaldehyde)

Change in phenotype of tick-borne encephalitis virus following passage in Ixodes ricinus ticks and associated amino acid substitution in the envelope protein.

Labuda M,  Jiang WR,  Kaluzova M,  Kozuch O,  Nuttall PA,  Weismann P,  Eleckova E,  Zuffova E,  Gould EA.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava.

Serial passage of an uncloned tick-borne encephalitis virus (strain 4387 isolated from the liver and lungs of a bank vole) in Ixodes ricinus ticks, was accompanied by gradual reduction in virulence of the virus, as indicated by transmission of virus by infected ticks feeding on laboratory mice. After the 7th serial passage in ticks (strain 4387/7), 95% of mice survived the bite of infected ticks. The surviving infected mice showed either no or only low viraemia although virus could be isolated from the brains of some mice 14 and 30 days after commencement of tick feeding, implying that the tick passaged virus might have established a persistent infection in the mice. Tests for haemagglutinating capacity were positive with TBE strain 4387 but strain 4387/7 exhibited no haemagglutinating activity over a wide pH range, suggesting that phenotypic changes, resulting from selection, had affected the site on the viral envelope protein that binds red blood cell receptors. Sequencing of the envelope protein gene of the virulent TBE strain 4387 showed 3 amino acid codon differences from western European TBE virus strain Neudorfl, which is also virulent for mice. The attenuated virus 4387/7, had an amino acid substitution that was different from 4387 and Neudorfl TBE virus (amino acid 84, E to K) and a second substitution different from 4387 but identical to Neudorfl virus (amino acid 319, I to T). Thus, the phenotypic change from virulence to attenuation was associated with a single amino acid codon change in the viral envelope gene of TBE virus. It is recognised, however, that amino acid substitutions in other parts of the viral genome have not been ruled out.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animal
• Base Sequence
• Comparative Study
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*pathogenicity
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/mortality
• Hemagglutination, Viral
• Mice
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Phenotype
• Species Specificity
• Survival Rate
• Ticks
• Viral Envelope Proteins/chemistry
• Viral Envelope Proteins/*genetics
• Virulence/genetics
• Virulence/physiology

Substances:

• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)

Secondary Source ID:

• GENBANK/S72426
• GENBANK/X76607
• GENBANK/X76608

Weight gain, hemoglobin uptake, and virus ingestion by Hyalomma truncatum (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks after engorgement on viremic guinea pigs.

Linthicum KJ,  Logan TM.

[Article in English]

Department of Epidemiology, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702-5011.

The ability of guinea pigs to serve as a source of an arbovirus for feeding ticks was examined with Hyalomma truncatum Koch and Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus. Ticks fed on guinea pigs to varying degrees, as indicated by both low and high weight gain and hemoglobin uptake. Pools of larval ticks measured at drop-off with undetectable or very low hemoglobin levels (mean hemoglobin content = 0.05 mg per pool) contained the same amount of virus (> 10(3.0) plaque-forming units [PFU] per pool) as pools of ticks with high hemoglobin levels (mean hemoglobin = 0.15 mg per pool). A group of nymphs that ingested a mean of 0.13 mg of hemoglobin contained the same amount of virus (mean viral titer approximately 10(2.5) PFU) as a group of nymphs that ingested 0.32 mg of hemoglobin. Some adult ticks that ingested < 0.35 mg of hemoglobin contained more virus than adults that ingested > 4.7 mg of hemoglobin.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne
• *Encephalitis, Tick-Borne
• Female
• Guinea Pigs/*parasitology
• *Hemoglobins/analysis
• Larva
• Ticks/*physiology
• *Viremia
• Weight Gain

Substances:

• 0 (Hemoglobins)

Identification of naturally occurring monoclonal antibody escape variants of louping ill virus.

Gao GF,  Hussain MH,  Reid HW,  Gould EA.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford, U.K.

Louping ill virus isolates from Great Britain, Ireland and Norway were compared antigenically by indirect immunofluorescence, haemagglutination-inhibition and neutralization tests using a panel of five envelope-specific and five non-structural protein NS1-specific monoclonal antibodies raised against louping ill virus. The viruses were grouped according to their reactivities with the antibodies. Group 1, members of which were isolated between 1931 and 1987, consisted of 13 viruses that reacted with all antibodies, whereas group 2, members of which were isolated after 1980, consisted of five viruses that were positive with only eight of the 10 monoclonal antibodies. The two monoclonal antibodies that did not react with the group 2 viruses are known to be neutralizing antibodies and the amino acids that they recognize in the viral envelope protein have been identified. We therefore refer to the group 2 viruses as naturally occurring monoclonal antibody escape variants. When compared with group 1 viruses, the escape variants showed reduced virulence for mice in terms of the time taken to kill and/or the proportion that died, following intraperitoneal inoculation. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the envelope gene of one escape variant were compared with those of several group 1 viruses. A single amino acid substitution at residue 308 was detected in the envelope protein of the escape variant which corresponds precisely to the position in experimentally selected attenuated monoclonal antibody escape mutants. The importance and potential implications of these naturally occurring variants in louping ill epizootiology and vaccine-based control are discussed.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibodies, Monoclonal/*immunology
• Antibodies, Viral/*immunology
• Base Sequence
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/pathogenicity
• Great Britain
• Male
• Mice
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Norway
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Viral Envelope Proteins/genetics
• Viral Envelope Proteins/*immunology
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/*immunology
• Virulence/immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Monoclonal)
• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)
• 0 (Viral Nonstructural Proteins)

Secondary Source ID:

• GENBANK/X69975

[Virus-induced dyslipidemias as possible risk factors in the development of somatic diseases]

Amvros'eva TV,  Votiakov VI,  Orlova SV,  Gudkov VG,  Virinskaia AS,  Il'kevich IG,  Samarina MP,  Mishaeva NP.

[Article in Russian]

Experimental and clinical studies showed a number of virus infections to be accompanied by lipidemic disorders. Experimentally, dyslipidemias were found in tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in mice, rotavirus infection in rabbits, and amyotrophic leukospongiosis in guinea pigs. The possibility of correcting the virus-induced lipidemic disorders with an antiviral drug, lincomycin, was demonstrated in TBE in mice. Dynamic study of the lipidemic status of patients with virus hepatitis A revealed marked dyslipidemia of the atherogenic type which was stable and persisted up to the time of clinical recovery. The data obtained supplement the current concepts concerning the pathogenesis of virus infections.

MeSH Terms:

• Adult
• Animal
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Comparative Study
• Disease Models, Animal
• Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/blood
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*complications
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/drug therapy
• Female
• Guinea Pigs
• Hepatitis A/blood
• Hepatitis A/*complications
• Hepatitis A/therapy
• Human
• Hyperlipidemia/blood
• Hyperlipidemia/epidemiology
• Hyperlipidemia/*etiology
• Lincomycin/therapeutic use
• Lipids/blood
• Lipoproteins/blood
• Male
• Mice
• Prion Diseases/blood
• Prion Diseases/*complications
• Rabbits
• Risk Factors
• Rotavirus Infections/blood
• Rotavirus Infections/*complications
• Time Factors

Substances:

• 0 (Lipids)
• 0 (Lipoproteins)
• 154-21-2 (Lincomycin)

[What is the status of immune prevention of "tick bite diseases"?]

Baumgarten R.

[Article in German]

II. Innere Abteilung/Infektion, Krankenhaus Prenzlauer Berg.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibody Formation/immunology
• Bites and Stings/complications
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*prevention & control
• Flavivirus/*immunology
• Human
• Occupational Diseases/immunology
• Occupational Diseases/*prevention & control
• Occupational Exposure/*adverse effects
• Ticks/microbiology
• Viral Vaccines/*administration & dosage
• Viral Vaccines/adverse effects
• Viral Vaccines/immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

[Tick-borne infections. Detection, diagnosis, therapy and prevention]

Helwig H.

[Article in German]

Abteilung fur Kinderheilkunde und Jugendmedizin St. Hedwig des St.-Josefs-Krankenhauses, Freiburg.

Publication Types:

• Journal Article
• Review
• Review, Tutorial

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Bites and Stings/*complications
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*diagnosis
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/prevention & control
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/therapy
• Human
• Lyme Disease/*diagnosis
• Lyme Disease/prevention & control
• Lyme Disease/therapy
• Ticks/*microbiology

Tick-borne flavivirus NS1 gene: identification of conserved peptides and antigenic analysis of recombinant louping ill virus NS1 protein.

Venugopal K,  Reid HW,  Gould EA.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford, UK.

The nucleotide sequence of the NS1 gene of louping ill (LI) virus has been determined. The sequence shows a high degree of homology with other members of the tick-borne serocomplex of flaviviruses and a lower homology with the mosquito-borne flaviviruses. Alignment of the deduced NS1 amino acid sequences with all tick-borne flavivirus NS1 sequences, identified four peptide regions which were conserved for all tick-borne flaviviruses, but were variable amongst mosquito-borne flaviviruses. A dendrogram, derived from the alignment of the NS1 protein sequences, indicated an evolutionary relationship that quite closely reflects the recognised serological classification. The LI virus NS1 protein expressed in Escherichia coli and baculoviruses showed similar antigenic reactivity to the authentic virus-coded protein when tested with NS1-specific monoclonal antibodies, but did not form high molecular weight complexes and was not secreted from cells.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Baculoviridae/genetics
• Base Sequence
• Cloning, Molecular
• Comparative Study
• Conserved Sequence
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*chemistry
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Epitopes
• Genes, Viral/*genetics
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Phylogeny
• Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis
• Recombinant Proteins/genetics
• Sequence Homology
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/*chemistry
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/*genetics

Substances:

• 0 (Epitopes)
• 0 (Recombinant Proteins)
• 0 (Viral Nonstructural Proteins)

Secondary Source ID:

• GENBANK/X59815

Louping ill in free-ranging pigs.

Ross HM,  Evans CC,  Spence JA,  Reid HW,  Krueger N.

[Article in English]

Publication Types:

• Letter

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Louping Ill/*diagnosis
• Swine
• Swine Diseases/*diagnosis
• Swine Diseases/microbiology

[Tick-borne encephalitis in central Europe: a rare cause of autochthonous meningo-encephalo-myelitis]

Maignan M,  Dossou-Gbete L,  Hoen B,  Gerard A,  Canton P.

[Article in French]

Publication Types:

• Letter

MeSH Terms:

• Adult
• Case Report
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*microbiology
• Europe/epidemiology
• Flavivirus Infections/epidemiology
• Flavivirus Infections/*microbiology
• Human
• Male
• Meningitis, Viral/epidemiology
• Meningitis, Viral/*microbiology
• Myelitis/*microbiology

Geographic correlation of schizophrenia to ticks and tick-borne encephalitis.

Brown JS Jr.

[Article in English]

Dept. of Psychiatry, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC.

Schizophrenia prevalence in the United States is highest in urbanized Northeastern, Northwestern, and Great Lakes States. The viral theory of schizophrenia attributes this distribution to enhanced susceptibility to viral infections in crowded, urban areas. Such infections during fetal or perinatal development are hypothesized to result in the eventual onset of schizophrenia. This study attempts to identify which viral infections have a similar geographical distribution to schizophrenia. Examination of the geographical distribution of infectious diseases in the United States reveals that the spreading foci of Lyme disease and its primary vectors, Ixodid ticks, correlate significantly with high schizophrenia rate areas. Ixodid ticks are vectors in North America and throughout the world of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). The international distribution of TBE is shown to be concentrated in countries where the highest rates of schizophrenia are found: Croatia, Norway, Finland, Germany, Ireland, and others. The geographical specificity of this correlation and the plausibility of a tick-associated or TBE theory of schizophrenia are discussed.

Publication Types:

• Journal Article
• Review
• Review, Tutorial

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Comorbidity
• Comparative Study
• Cross-Cultural Comparison
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Delirium, Dementia, Amnestic, Cognitive Disorders/diagnosis
• Delirium, Dementia, Amnestic, Cognitive Disorders/*epidemiology
• Delirium, Dementia, Amnestic, Cognitive Disorders/psychology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/diagnosis
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/psychology
• Human
• Incidence
• Risk Factors
• Schizophrenia/diagnosis
• Schizophrenia/*epidemiology
• *Schizophrenic Psychology
• Ticks/virology
• United States/epidemiology

Structural changes and functional control of the tick-borne encephalitis virus glycoprotein E by the heterodimeric association with protein prM.

Heinz FX,  Stiasny K,  Puschner-Auer G,  Holzmann H,  Allison SL,  Mandl CW,  Kunz C.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology, University of Vienna, Austria.

We have used tick-borne encephalitis virus to study the involvement of acidic compartments during the entry and release phases of flavivirus infection and to elucidate the role of protein prM in immature virions. Elevation of the pH in acidic intracellular compartments by either bafilyomycin A1, a specific inhibitor of the vacuolar type H(+)-ATPase or by NH4Cl had a strong inhibitory effect during virus penetration and also prevented the cleavage of prM when added in the late phase of the viral life cycle. In the latter case the release of virus particles was not impaired. These immature (prM-containing) virions exhibited a 20- to 50-fold lower specific infectivity and HA activity than mature virions and in contrast to these did not undergo low pH-triggered aggregation. The presence of prM also affected the binding of monoclonal antibodies to protein E, especially at sites which have been shown to undergo acid pH-induced conformational changes in mature virions. Crosslinking, solubilization, and sedimentation analyses revealed the existence of prM-E heterooligomeric complexes, suggesting that the function of prM is to protect protein E from undergoing the irreversible conformational changes in acidic compartments of the secretory pathway that are necessary for triggering fusion activity in the endosome during virus entry.

MeSH Terms:

• Ammonium Chloride/pharmacology
• Animal
• Antibiotics, Macrolide/pharmacology
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antibodies, Viral
• Antigens, Viral/immunology
• Chick Embryo
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*chemistry
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/drug effects
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
• Protein Conformation
• Viral Envelope Proteins/*chemistry
• Viral Envelope Proteins/immunology
• Viral Envelope Proteins/metabolism
• Virion/immunology
• Virus Replication/drug effects

Substances:

• 0 (Antibiotics, Macrolide)
• 0 (Antibodies, Monoclonal)
• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Antigens, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)
• 0 (prM-M protein)
• 12125-02-9 (Ammonium Chloride)
• 88899-55-2 (bafilomycin A1)

Experimental transmission of Langat (tick-borne encephalitis virus complex) virus by the soft tick Ornithodoros sonrai (Acari: Argasidae).

Turell MJ,  Durden LA.

[Article in English]

Applied Research Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702.

Laboratory studies determined that the soft tick Ornithodoros sonrai Sautet & Witkowski is a competent vector of Langat (tick-borne encephalitis virus complex) virus. When ticks fed on suckling mice having a mean viremia of 10(7.2) plaque-forming units per ml, 52% (n = 208) became infected, and 84% (n = 87) of the infected ticks transmitted virus by bite when fed individually on suckling mice > or = 27 d after the infectious blood meal. Overall, 79 of 184 (43%) of ticks exposed to the original viremic mice individually transmitted virus by bite when tested up to 351 d after the infectious blood meal. In addition, ticks transmitted virus both transstadially and transovarially. Some ticks that transmitted virus during their first transmission attempt were retested. These ticks transmitted virus during 81 (99%) of 82 refeeding attempts, including ticks that transmitted virus 512 d after the initial infectious meal. Therefore, Ornithodoros spp. should be considered as potential vectors of Langat and other tick-borne encephalitis viruses.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Animals, Suckling/microbiology
• Arachnid Vectors/*microbiology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*isolation & purification
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*transmission
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred ICR
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Ticks/*microbiology

Analysis of the structural protein gene sequence shows Kyasanur Forest disease virus as a distinct member in the tick-borne encephalitis virus serocomplex.

Venugopal K,  Gritsun T,  Lashkevich VA,  Gould EA.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford, U.K.

Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) virus is a highly pathogenic member of the family Flaviviridae producing a haemorrhagic disease in infected human beings. Despite this high pathogenicity and potential epidemiological importance, there have been relatively few detailed antigenic or molecular studies on KFD virus. The nucleotide sequences of the genes encoding the structural proteins of the virus have now been determined. From these data we conclude that KFD virus is a distinct member in the tick-borne flavivirus complex with characteristic protease cleavage sites, fusion peptide, signal sequences and hydrophobic transmembrane domains. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of KFD virus showed close relationships with other tick-borne flaviviruses. Among the structural proteins, the E protein showed maximum similarity (77.4% to 81.3%) to tick-borne flaviviruses. Alignment of the amino acid sequence with those of other known tick-borne flaviviruses revealed many conserved regions confirming its identity as a member of the tick-borne encephalitis group, although the genetic marker EHLPTA showed a T-->K substitution in KFD virus. The proposed genetic marker at amino acid positions 232 to 234 (AQE) was unique for KFD virus. A dendrogram derived from the amino acid alignment showed a phylogenetic relationship similar to those obtained on the basis of serological studies. The question of the sudden emergence of KFD virus in India and the possibilities of developing recombinant virus vaccines are discussed.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Base Sequence
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Genes, Viral/*genetics
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
• Viral Structural Proteins/*genetics

Substances:

• 0 (Viral Structural Proteins)

Secondary Source ID:

• GENBANK/X74111

Epidemiological studies of Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis.

Gustafson R.

[Article in English]

Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institute at Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

The hard tick Ixodes ricinus, vector of Borrelia burgdorferi and TBE virus (TBEV), is most abundant in the southern and central parts of Sweden. About 2000 cases of Lyme borreliosis (LB) and 50-80 cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) are estimated to occur in Sweden annually. Five populations, including 903 individuals living in five different areas close to Stockholm where LB and TBE are endemic, were studied with regard to the clinical manifestations and antibody prevalence of LB and TBE. The study areas involved four groups of islands in the Baltic Sea and one island in Lake Malaren. A history of LB was reported by 1-21% of the participants and antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi were found in 7-29% of the individuals from the various areas. An increasing seroprevalence with age was seen. A history of TBE was reported by 0-6% of the individuals and in non-immunised participants seropositivity was seen in 4-22%, depending on the area investigated. The individuals from one of the areas, where 30% of Ixodes ricinus ticks had been found to be infected with Borrelia spirochetes, were followed during a two-year period. In the first year of the study, 4.6% of the subjects (n = 303) developed LB and in the second year 3.2% (n = 277). A significant increase in the antibody titre for Borrelia burgdorferi was seen in 4.6% of the individuals in the first year and in 2.9% in the second year. In the first year of the study, 0.3% of the subjects developed TBE and in the second year 0.4%. Seroconversion for TBEV was found in 1.2% of the subjects in the first year and in 2.4% in the second year. In 362 orienteers from the county of Stockholm, a past history of LB was reported by 6% of the individuals and 9% of them were seropositive. A past history of TBE was reported by 0.3% of the orienteers and 1% of the individuals were seropositive. A total of 3141 Ixodes ricinus ticks, 2740 adults and 401 nymphs, were collected from different localities in 23 of the 25 provinces in Sweden. The ticks were examined for the presence of Borrelia spirochetes by indirect immunofluorescence. The prevalence of Borrelia-infected Ixodes ricinus ticks varied from 10-20% in the southern and central parts of Sweden to about 5% in the northern part (Norrland). Of 41 non-Ixodes ricinus ticks, none was positive to Borrelia.

Publication Types:

• Journal Article
• Review
• Review, Academic

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibodies, Bacterial/blood
• Antibodies, Viral/blood
• Arachnid Vectors
• Borrelia burgdorferi/immunology
• Borrelia burgdorferi/isolation & purification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/diagnosis
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/therapy
• Female
• Human
• Incidence
• Lyme Disease/diagnosis
• Lyme Disease/*epidemiology
• Lyme Disease/immunology
• Lyme Disease/therapy
• Male
• Prevalence
• Sweden/epidemiology
• Ticks/microbiology
• Ticks/physiology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial)
• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

[The neurological syndromes in Lyme disease in children]

Badalian LO,  Kravchuk LN,  Sergovskaia VD,  Belousova VS,  Minina AP.

[Article in Russian]

Clinical characteristics of Lyme disease (LD) course in children have been studied. Altogether 86 patients were examined. Serodiagnosis was made in patients basing on indirect immunofluorescence and enzyme immunoassay with LD agent antigens. Erythema--free forms, combination of mite-borne Borrelia infection with tick-borne encephalitis were detected. Two clinicoimmunological LD variants were verified: seropositive and seronegative mite-borne Borrelia infection with typical clinical manifestations. The disease took a benign course responsive to antibiotics in combined treatment of neuromuscular lesions.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Case Report
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Comparative Study
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Female
• Human
• Infant
• Lyme Disease/*complications
• Lyme Disease/diagnosis
• Lyme Disease/drug therapy
• Male
• Nervous System Diseases/diagnosis
• Nervous System Diseases/drug therapy
• Nervous System Diseases/*etiology
• Retrospective Studies
• Serologic Tests
• Syndrome
• Time Factors

[The relationship of the therapeutic efficacy of immunoglobulin against tick-borne encephalitis to the specific activity of the preparation and the times of its administration]

Vereta LA,  Zakharycheva TA,  Aleksandrov VI,  Skupchenko VV,  Nikolaeva SP.

[Article in Russian]

A controlled clinical trial included 115 patients with meningeal and focal tick-borne encephalitis, 38 of them received nonspecific treatment alone, 77 were given adjuvant intramuscular immunoglobulin against tick-borne encephalitis. The latter are shown to improve much more rapidly than patients treated only symptomatically. When calculating adequate immunoglobulin doses, it is necessary to take in consideration not only the amount of the compound, but also the concentration of the specific antibodies. The authors propose treatment schemes for patients with meningeal and focal tick-borne encephalitis.

Publication Types:

• Clinical Trial
• Controlled Clinical Trial
• Journal Article

MeSH Terms:

• Acute Disease
• Antibodies, Viral/administration & dosage
• Antibodies, Viral/immunology
• *Antibody Specificity
• Comparative Study
• Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*therapy
• Human
• Immunoglobulins/*administration & dosage
• Immunoglobulins/immunology
• Injections, Intramuscular
• Meningoencephalitis/therapy
• Remission Induction
• Time Factors

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Immunoglobulins)

[Active immunization against tick-borne encephalitis virus infection in residents of North-Eastern Poland]

Bobrowska E,  Prokopowicz D.

[Article in Polish]

Klinika Obserwacyjno-Zakazna Akademii Medycznej w Bialymstoku.

Group consisted of 78 persons was selected among 1587 persons vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis. Efficiency of vaccination, controlled by measurement of specific IgM and IgG antibodies presence, was evaluated as 70.2% (47.4%-90%). The highest efficiency was observed in urban residents occasionally stayed in forest areas, that showed trace, of antibody level at the begining of study.

MeSH Terms:

• Adult
• Aged
• Antibodies/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Human
• IgG/immunology
• IgM/immunology
• Middle Age
• Poland/epidemiology
• Rural Population
• Urban Population
• *Vaccination

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies)
• 0 (IgG)
• 0 (IgM)

[The tick-borne encephalitis in Poland]

Zabicka J.

[Article in Polish]

Zaklad Epidemiologii Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny.

The paper presents an epidemiological analysis of 816 cases of tick borne encephalitis reported in Poland since 1970. A particular attention was paid towards 240 cases notified in 1993 with 94% confirmed serologically. Infections occurred between May and November, particularly in July, August and October. Encephalitis prevailed in persons 20-49 years old (65%) and most of them occurred in males (59%). In endemic areas infections among towns dwellers prevailed.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/blood
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Female
• Human
• *Incidence
• Male
• Middle Age
• Poland/epidemiology
• Prevalence
• Rural Population
• Urban Population

Detection of transfusion-associated hepatitis caused by non-A, non-B, non-C flavivirus.

Takacs M,  Berencsi G,  Mezey I,  Brojnas J,  Barcsay E,  Garamvolgyi E,  Hutter E,  Ferenczi E,  Pipirasz E,  Hollos I,  et al..

[Article in English]

Bela Johan National Institute of Hygiene, Budapest, Hungary.

Sera of patients suffering from acute hepatitis, and different forms of chronic hepatitis were found to be reactive to reagents prepared from the yellow fever virus (YF) vaccine strain. Serum samples of 1974 patients were tested, and 133 of them were positive. Hepatitis C virus specific antibodies were absent from the majority of them. The frequency of antibodies to other flaviviruses (tick-borne encephalitis, West Nile) and hepatitis B virus markers was similar to that measured among the population in Hungary positive for any of the surrogate markers of hepatitis infections. Results of both immunofluorescence tests, and Western blots suggest that there is a non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis virus circulating among the Hungarian population, which possesses antigenic cross-reactivity with the yellow fever virus, but the identity to any of the known flaviviruses could not be verified yet. No history of yellow fever vaccination could be revealed in any of the patients included into this study. The anamnestic data on previous transfusions or surgical operations can be verified only in the case of the half of YFV-positive patients, nevertheless, the sexual transmission seems to be very infrequent. Attempts are continued in order to detect the viral RNA using polymerase chain reaction, and clone cDNA sequences for sequence analysis.

MeSH Terms:

• Blood Transfusion/*adverse effects
• Cross Reactions
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Flavivirus/immunology
• Flavivirus Infections/etiology
• Flavivirus Infections/*virology
• Fluorescent Antibody Technique
• Hepatitis C-Like Viruses/immunology
• Hepatitis, Viral, Human/etiology
• Hepatitis, Viral, Human/immunology
• Hepatitis, Viral, Human/*virology
• Human
• Hungary
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• West Nile Virus/immunology
• Yellow Fever Virus/immunology

The interactions of the flavivirus envelope proteins: implications for virus entry and release.

Heinz FX,  Auer G,  Stiasny K,  Holzmann H,  Mandl C,  Guirakhoo F,  Kunz C.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology, University of Vienna, Austria.

Viral membrane proteins play an important role in the assembly and disassembly of enveloped viruses. Oligomerization and proteolytic cleavage events are involved in controlling the functions of these proteins during virus entry and release. Using tick-borne encephalitis virus as a model we have studied the role of the flavivirus envelope proteins E and prM/M in these processes. Experiments with acidotropic agents provide evidence that the virus is taken up by receptor-mediated endocytosis and that the acidic pH in endosomes plays an important role for virus entry. The envelope glycoprotein E undergoes irreversible conformational changes at acidic pH, as indicated by the loss of several monoclonal antibody-defined epitopes, which coincide with the viral fusion activity in vitro. Sedimentation analysis reveals that these conformational changes lead to aggregation of virus particles, apparently by the exposure of hydrophobic sequence elements. None of these features are exhibited by immature virions containing E and prM rather than E and M. Detergent solubilization, sedimentation, and crosslinking experiments provide evidence that prM forms a complex with protein E which prevents the conformational changes necessary for fusion activity. The functional role of prM before its endoproteolytic cleavage by a cellular protease thus seems to be the protection of protein E from acid-inactivation during its passage through acidic trans Golgi vesicles in the course of virus release.

MeSH Terms:

• Acids
• Ammonium Chloride/pharmacology
• Animal
• Antibiotics, Macrolide/pharmacology
• Cell Compartmentation
• Cells, Cultured
• Culicidae/cytology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*growth & development
• Endocytosis
• Models, Biological
• Models, Molecular
• Models, Structural
• Viral Envelope Proteins/*metabolism

Substances:

• 0 (Acids)
• 0 (Antibiotics, Macrolide)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)
• 0 (prM-M protein)
• 12125-02-9 (Ammonium Chloride)
• 145420-18-4 (glycoprotein E, flavivirus)
• 88899-55-2 (bafilomycin A1)

Effect of repeated infestations of BALB/c mice with Ixodes ricinus nymphs on tick-borne encephalitis virus infection.

Dusbabek F,  Kopecky J,  Uhlir J.

[Article in English]

Institute of Parasitology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Ceske Budejovice.

The effect of repeated infestations of BALB/c mice with Ixodes ricinus (L.) nymphs on tick borne encephalitis (TBE) virus infection was studied. Enhancement of nymphal feeding, occurring in noninfected mice during the quaternary infestations, was less apparent or absent in female nymphs engorged on TBE virus infected mice. The mice infected with TBE virus during quaternary tick infestation survived significantly longer (P < 0.01) than mice infected with TBE virus during the primary tick infestation. The mean titre of virus in murine blood (determined by plaque assay) was significantly lower (P < 0.01) and the number of nymphs acquiring virus was reduced (P < 0.05) when feeding on hosts infected during the quaternary infestation. The results indicate that repeated infestations of I. ricinus nymphs on BALB/c mice, although enhancing tick feeding, reduced infection with TBE virus when inoculated intraperitoneally.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*growth & development
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*complications
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/virology
• Female
• Larva/physiology
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Nymph/physiology
• Plaque Assay
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Tick Infestations/*complications
• Tick Infestations/parasitology
• Ticks/*physiology

[The clinical picture and pathogenesis of polyradiculoneuropathy in tick-borne encephalitis]

Dekonenko EP,  Umanskii KG,  Frolova MP,  Skudra MP.

[Article in Russian]

Based on examination of tick-borne encephalitis patients with ascending polyradiculoneuropathy the authors describe the character of the disease, its clinical picture and the results of laboratory studies, etc. Differential diagnosis is made between the indicated syndrome associated with tick-borne encephalitis and sporadic polyradiculoneuropathies. A detailed description is given for the first time of the clinical and pathomorphological picture of that gravest form of tick-borne encephalitis. As regards the character of the clinical and pathomorphological alterations, the ascending polyradiculoneuropathy associated with tick-borne encephalitis is meningoencephalomyelitis with the radicular syndrome which often determines the disease gravity and prognosis.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Aged
• Brain/pathology
• Case Report
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*complications
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/pathology
• Fatal Outcome
• Female
• Human
• Male
• Middle Age
• Polyradiculoneuropathy/*diagnosis
• Polyradiculoneuropathy/etiology
• Polyradiculoneuropathy/pathology
• Spinal Cord/pathology

[Acute viral encephalitis]

Dekonenko EP,  Umanskii KG.

[Article in Russian]

Publication Types:

• Journal Article
• Review
• Review, Tutorial

MeSH Terms:

• Acute Disease
• Acyclovir/therapeutic use
• Adult
• Child
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Encephalitis, Arbovirus/diagnosis
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/diagnosis
• *Encephalitis, Viral/diagnosis
• *Encephalitis, Viral/therapy
• Encephalomyelitis/diagnosis
• Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use
• Herpes Simplex/diagnosis
• Human
• Immunoglobulins/therapeutic use
• Infant
• Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis/diagnosis

Substances:

• 0 (Glucocorticoids)
• 0 (Immunoglobulins)
• 59277-89-3 (Acyclovir)

[Long-term study of natural foci of tick-borne encephalitis in the District of Olomouc]

Kozuch O,  Chmela J.

[Article in Czech]

Virologicky ustav SAV, Bratislava.

The incidence of natural foci of tick-borne encephalitis in the Olomouc district has been characterized as general. This finding is based on analyses of results of earlier reports and results of serological blood tests of 397 small mammals from localities where probably transmission of the infection to humans occurred. The incidence almost corresponds to the incidence of the tick Ixodes ricinus. It has a long-lasting and also cumulative character; the number of reported cases from the main focal areas is proportional to the frequency of localities infestated with Ixodes ricinus ticks, assuming an approximately equal number of visitors in the woods of the district.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Czech Republic/epidemiology
• *Disease Reservoirs
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*isolation & purification
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Human
• Muridae/*microbiology
• Ticks/*microbiology

Variabilities in the antigenic structure of persisting tick-borne encephalitis virus strains.

Pressman EK,  Malenko GV,  Pogodina VV.

[Article in English]

Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Siberian Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk.

Antigenic variants in the E protein from persisting tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus strains were analyzed using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to an analogous protein of the reference Sofyin strain. MAbs to sequential epitopes demonstrated their ability to differentiate persisting TBE virus strains from Sofyin and from each other. Two MAbs (2H3 and 13D6) showed a higher neutralizing activity in the interaction with persisting TBE virus variants as compared to the Sofyin strain. Based on the obtained data, a comparison was made of topologically identical epitopes from the E protein of reference and persisting virus strains. The possibility of increasing the neutralizing activity of MAbs through alterations in the primary structure of sequential antigenic sites is discussed.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antibodies, Viral
• *Antigenic Variation
• *Antigens, Viral/genetics
• Comparative Study
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/pathogenicity
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/microbiology
• Epitopes/genetics
• Hamsters
• Human
• Mice
• Neutralization Tests
• Species Specificity
• Virulence/genetics
• Virulence/immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Monoclonal)
• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Antigens, Viral)
• 0 (Epitopes)

[Viral infections--clinical pictures and laboratory diagnosis. Part 2: Coxsackie B virus, echovirus, enteroviruses, EBV, FSME virus and yellow fever virus]

Burkhardt U,  Eggers HJ.

[Article in German]

Hygienisch-bakteriologisches Landesuntersuchungsam, Nordrhein, Dusseldorf.

MeSH Terms:

• Coxsackievirus Infections/diagnosis
• Coxsackieviruses B
• Echovirus Infections/diagnosis
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/diagnosis
• Enterovirus Infections/diagnosis
• Herpesviridae Infections/diagnosis
• Herpesvirus 4, Human
• Human
• Virus Diseases/*diagnosis
• Yellow Fever/diagnosis

The prevalence of small terrestrial mammals infected with tick-borne encephalitis virus and leptospirae in the foothills of the southern Bavarian forest, Germany.

Kocianova E,  Kozuch O,  Bakoss P,  Rehacek J,  Kovacova E.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava.

In the district of Grafenau/Freyung (Bavaria, Germany), 266 specimens of small terrestrial mammals of 8 species were captured using live traps. From these mammals, Apodemus flavicollis (42.1%) and Clethrionomys glareolus (39.5%) were prevalent. All animals were tested for neutralizing antibodies to tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus and agglutinating antibodies to leptospirae. Seropositivity against TBE virus was 14.0% and against leptospirae 7.9%, respectively. Seropositivity to leptospirae appeared to be primarily to Leptospira grippotyphosa, less to Australis and occasionally to Javanica serovars. Only one A. flavicollis specimen was positive to both pathogens tested. The parasitocoenosis of trapped micromammals with ectoparasites consisted of 69.5% from ticks (mainly Ixodes ricinus, less from I. trianguliceps), 16.1% of mites (primarily Laelaps agilis) and 14.3% of fleas (mostly Ctenophthalmus agyrtes).

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibodies, Bacterial/blood
• Antibodies, Viral/blood
• Arachnid Vectors
• *Disease Reservoirs
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/transmission
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*veterinary
• Fleas
• Germany/epidemiology
• Insect Vectors
• Leptospiraceae/immunology
• Leptospirosis/epidemiology
• Leptospirosis/transmission
• Leptospirosis/*veterinary
• Mammals/*microbiology
• Mammals/parasitology
• Mite Infestations/epidemiology
• Mites
• Muridae/microbiology
• Muridae/parasitology
• Rodent Diseases/epidemiology
• Shrews/microbiology
• Shrews/parasitology
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Tick Infestations/epidemiology
• Ticks

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial)
• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

Detection of tick-borne encephalitis virus RNA in ticks (Ixodes ricinus) by the polymerase chain reaction.

Ramelow C,  Suss J,  Berndt D,  Roggendorf M,  Schreier E.

[Article in English]

Institute for Veterinary Medicine of the Federal Health Office, Berlin, Germany.

A polymerase chain reaction for the detection of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) RNA in ticks was developed. Two pairs of primers for nested PCR were selected from the 5'-NCR and the 5'-terminus of the C protein coding region, which are highly conserved among the TBEV isolates sequenced so far. The sensitivity of the nested PCR was tested by dilution experiments of a TBEV positive brain suspension. The specificity of the PCR products was confirmed by Southern blotting. In a pilot study, 60 homogenates of 7200 ticks (I. ricinus) were examined by PCR. Two homogenates were found positive. The PCR for TBEV RNA appears to be a valuable method to define endemic areas of TBE.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Base Sequence
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*isolation & purification
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Pilot Projects
• *Polymerase Chain Reaction
• RNA, Viral/*genetics
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Ticks/*microbiology

Substances:

• 0 (RNA, Viral)

Rapid detection of viruses of the tick-borne encephalitis virus complex by RT-PCR of viral RNA.

Whitby JE,  Ni H,  Whitby HE,  Jennings AD,  Bradley LM,  Lee JM,  Lloyd G,  Stephenson JR,  Barrett AD.

[Article in English]

Department of Virology, Central Veterinary Laboratory, Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

Studies were performed to identify a pair of primers, specific for the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus complex of the Flaviviridae, with which to develop a rapid and specific identification system based on reverse transcription and the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The specificity of a putative primer pair was examined by RT-PCR of representative viruses from other antigenic complexes of the Flaviviridae and by computer sequence homology checks. All viruses of the TBE complex tested, with a single exception, were identified by RT-PCR using the identified primer pair. Accumulated data suggest that one of the putative primers identified in these studies may have flavivirus group specificity. The advantages of such a primer in the development of identification systems for all virus complexes of the Flaviviridae is discussed.

MeSH Terms:

• Base Sequence
• Cloning, Molecular
• DNA Primers
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/classification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*isolation & purification
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods
• RNA, Viral/*genetics
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Transcription, Genetic/genetics

Substances:

• 0 (DNA Primers)
• 0 (RNA, Viral)

Etiology of acute encephalitis in childhood in Slovenia.

Cizman M,  Jazbec J.

[Article in English]

University Medical Centre, Department of Infectious Diseases, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The etiology of acute encephalitis was evaluated in a retrospective study of 170 children (98 boys and 72 girls) ages 1 month to 15 years, who were hospitalized during a 13-year period from 1979 to 1991. The etiology was confirmed or considered very probable in 68% of cases. The identified etiologic agents included Central European tick-borne encephalitis virus (28.8%), varicella-zoster virus (17.0%), herpes simplex (10.0%), rubella (2.9%), mumps (2.3%), measles virus, Chlamydia psittaci (1.1%) and some other agents found in individual cases. The etiology remained unknown in 54 children (31.7%). Forty-two patients had encephalitis with focal neurologic signs. The most common confirmed or presumptive infective agent in those cases was herpes simplex virus (40.4%), followed by rubella (7.1%), Central European tick-borne encephalitis virus (4.7%) and some other agents identified in individual cases. The etiology remained unknown in 15 (36%) children with focal encephalitis.

MeSH Terms:

• Acute Disease
• Adolescence
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Encephalitis/diagnosis
• Encephalitis/etiology
• Encephalitis/*microbiology
• Encephalitis/prevention & control
• Female
• Human
• Infant
• Male
• Retrospective Studies
• Slovenia
• Vaccination

Classification of a new member of the TBE flavivirus subgroup by its immunological, pathogenetic and molecular characteristics: identification of subgroup-specific pentapeptides.

Gao GF,  Hussain MH,  Reid HW,  Gould EA.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford, UK.

The antigenic, pathogenic and molecular characteristics of Turkish sheep encephalitis (TSE) virus, strain TTE80, were compared with other members of the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus complex. Monoclonal antibodies with defined specificity for the flavivirus envelope glycoprotein distinguished TSE virus from louping ill (LI), western or far eastern TBE, Langat and Powassan virus in indirect immunofluorescence, haemagglutination-inhibition and neutralization tests. On the other hand, TSE virus, which produces an LI-like disease in sheep, resembled LI virus in mouse neurovirulence tests. Molecular homology data of all the structural genes of TSE virus compared with other tick-borne flaviviruses demonstrated that TSE virus is a distinct member in the TBE virus subgroup. The data are consistent with the conclusion that TSE virus has evolved by a separate evolutionary pathway as compared with the close antigenic relatives, western European, far eastern TBE viruses and LI virus. By aligning the encoded amino acids in the viral envelope glycoprotein of mosquito- and tick-borne flaviviruses, we have also identified subgroup-specific pentapeptide motifs for the tick-borne encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis and dengue subgroup viruses of the genus Flavivirus. These pentapeptides have important implications for the evolution, classification and diagnosis of flaviviruses.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animal
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antigens, Viral/immunology
• Base Sequence
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*classification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/pathogenicity
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/microbiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/veterinary
• Female
• Fluorescent Antibody Technique
• Genes, Structural, Viral
• Mice
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Oligopeptides/immunology
• Sequence Alignment
• Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
• Serotyping
• Sheep
• Sheep Diseases/microbiology
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Turkey
• Viral Envelope Proteins/classification
• Viral Envelope Proteins/genetics
• Viral Envelope Proteins/immunology
• Viral Structural Proteins/classification
• Viral Structural Proteins/genetics
• Viral Structural Proteins/immunology
• Virulence

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Monoclonal)
• 0 (Antigens, Viral)
• 0 (Oligopeptides)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)
• 0 (Viral Structural Proteins)
• 145420-18-4 (glycoprotein E, flavivirus)

Secondary Source ID:

• GENBANK/X69125

Heterocomplexes of tick-borne encephalitis structural and non-structural proteins.

Pressman EK.

[Article in English]

Novosibirsk Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Siberian Division, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk.

The existence of the complex of structural and non-structural proteins in the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus is shown. The complex was isolated from virus-containing cultural medium by immunoaffinity chromatography on monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). By enzyme immunoassay and immunoblotting with the use of appropriate MAbs it was demonstrated that this complex consists of structural (protein E), and non-structural (NS1) glycoproteins. Also, the trimer E-NS1-NS3 can be isolated. It is proposed that this trimer is the viral replicative complex.

MeSH Terms:

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Cells, Cultured
• Chromatography, Affinity
• Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*chemistry
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/growth & development
• Human
• Immunoblotting
• Immunoenzyme Techniques
• Kidney
• Molecular Weight
• Protein Binding
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/*chemistry
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/isolation & purification
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/metabolism
• Viral Proteins/*chemistry
• Viral Proteins/isolation & purification
• Viral Proteins/metabolism

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Monoclonal)
• 0 (Viral Nonstructural Proteins)
• 0 (Viral Proteins)

Comparative analysis of serological activity of non-structural protein (NS1) from tick-borne encephalitis virus and its analog expressed in bacterial cells.

Pressman EK,  Karavanov AS,  Mateeva VA,  Matveev LE,  Pugachev KV,  Vinogradova IV.

[Article in English]

Novosibirsk Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Siberian Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk.

By means of immunoaffinity chromatography and expression of the gene in Escherichia coli, non-structural glycoprotein NS1 of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and its recombinant analog were prepared. Antisera against these proteins were obtained by hyperimmunisation of rabbits. The antisera were tested by means of complement fixation, agar diffusion, hemagglutination inhibition and virus neutralization. Although both antisera are reacted with natural antigen, the recombinant analog of NS1 did not bind antibodies against natural protein in complement fixation and immunoprecipitation. Nevertheless the NS1 analog was rather active in ELISA. Neither the natural nor the recombinant protein protected experimental animals from lethal virus infection. A contamination of natural NS1 antigen with small amounts of structural glycoprotein E may be responsible for both antibody formation and virus neutralization. This can be relevant for the design of a subunit vaccine.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibody Affinity/*immunology
• Cells, Cultured
• Comparative Study
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Human
• Immune Sera
• Recombinant Proteins/immunology
• Swine
• Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/*immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Immune Sera)
• 0 (Recombinant Proteins)
• 0 (Vaccines, Synthetic)
• 0 (Viral Nonstructural Proteins)

Amplification of tick-borne encephalitis virus infection during co-feeding of ticks.

Labuda M,  Danielova V,  Jones LD,  Nuttall PA.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Science, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia.

Following engorgement of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus larvae on guinea-pigs infected with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus, none of the engorged larvae or emergent nymphs contained detectable infectious virus. However, one of twelve pools, each containing three of the unfed nymphs, was positive when screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), indicating a low prevalence of TBE virus infection in the unfed nymphs. After engorgement of the nymphs on four uninfected guinea-pigs, 19/24 (79%) fed nymphs from one guinea-pig and 4/25 (16%) fed nymphs from a second guinea-pig were infected; all the ticks examined from the other two guinea-pigs were uninfected. The results suggest that TBE virus was transmitted from a low proportion of infected nymphs (infected as larvae) to uninfected nymphs as they fed together on an uninfected guinea-pig. Such amplification of the initial infection, at the population level, could play an important role in maintaining TBE virus infections in nature, particularly if there is a low level of vertical transmission from one tick generation to the next.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Arachnid Vectors/*microbiology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*physiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*transmission
• Guinea Pigs
• Human
• Larva/microbiology
• Male
• Mice
• Nymph/microbiology
• Plaque Assay
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• RNA, Viral/analysis
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Ticks/*microbiology
• Virus Replication

Substances:

• 0 (RNA, Viral)

The molecular biology of tick-borne encephalitis virus. Review article.

Heinz FX,  Mandl CW.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology, University of Vienna, Austria.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus is a member of the flavivirus genus and the family Flaviviridae. Like other flaviviruses such as yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis or the dengue viruses, it is an important human pathogen, endemic in many European countries, Russia and China. The disease can be effectively prevented by vaccination with a formalin-inactivated whole virus vaccine. In recent years major advances have been made in the understanding of the molecular biology of TBE virus, including the complete sequence analysis of the genomic RNA of the European and Far Eastern strains. As shown in these studies, the virion RNA contains a single long open reading frame that codes for the structural proteins at the 5' end and the nonstructural proteins at the 3' end. Co- and posttranslational cleavages by a viral and cellular proteases lead to the formation of individual viral proteins. The mature virion is composed of an isometric capsid surrounded by a lipid envelope with two membrane-associated proteins. One of these, protein E, is of paramount importance for several important viral functions, especially during the entry phase of the viral life cycle. Protein E is also responsible for the induction of a protective immune response. A detailed map of antigenic sites has been established and the structure of an anchor-free form of E is currently being investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis. Understanding the molecular basis of the functions of this protein together with the knowledge of its three-dimensional structure may provide clues for developing specific antiviral agents. Protein E has also been shown to be an important determinant of virulence, with single amino acid substitutions at selected sites leading to attenuation. Engineering of such mutations into cDNA clones to produce new recombinant viruses may open up new avenues for the development of live vaccines.

Publication Types:

• Journal Article
• Review
• Review, Tutorial

MeSH Terms:

• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/pathogenicity
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/ultrastructure
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/microbiology
• Genome, Viral
• Human
• Microscopy, Electron
• Open Reading Frames
• Protein Conformation
• Translation, Genetic
• Viral Proteins/chemistry
• Viral Proteins/genetics
• Viral Proteins/metabolism
• Virulence/genetics

Substances:

• 0 (Viral Proteins)

Rapid identification of flaviviruses based on conserved NS5 gene sequences.

Fulop L,  Barrett AD,  Phillpotts R,  Martin K,  Leslie D,  Titball RW.

[Article in English]

Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.

Two conserved regions in the sequence of the NS5 gene of Flaviviruses were identified. Primers were designed from the consensus sequence of these regions and were used in a reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) to amplify a region of the central european tick-borne encephalitis virus Kumlinge NS5 gene. The authenticity of the amplified fragment was confirmed by nucleotide sequencing. A band of the expected size was also obtained when this RT/PCR was applied to 13 other flaviviral RNAs. This method may be useful for characterisation of the NS5 genes of flaviviruses and as a potential pan-flavivirus diagnostic tool.

MeSH Terms:

• Base Sequence
• *Conserved Sequence
• DNA Primers
• Flavivirus/*genetics
• Flavivirus/isolation & purification
• Flavivirus Infections/diagnosis
• *Genes, Viral
• Human
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• RNA, Viral/genetics
• Sequence Alignment
• Sequence Analysis, DNA
• Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid

Substances:

• 0 (DNA Primers)
• 0 (RNA, Viral)

A serologic survey for some bacterial and viral zoonoses in game animals in the Czech Republic.

Hubalek Z,  Juricova Z,  Svobodova S,  Halouzka J.

[Article in English]

Academy of Sciences, Institute of Systematic and Ecological Biology, Brno, Czech Republic.

Between 1986 and 1991, sera were collected from 33 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 24 red deer (Cervus elaphus), four fallow deer (Dama dama), two mouflon (Ovis musimon), 34 wild boars (Sus scrofa), and 48 hares (Lepus europaeus) shot in two areas of the Czech Republic. Collectively, the sera contained antibodies to Coxiella burnetii (prevalence of 12%), Francisella tularensis (4%), Brucella spp. (2%), Central European tick-borne encephalitis virus (8%), Tahyna (California serogroup) virus (36%), and Calovo (= Batai) virus (23%). We propose that these mammals may play a role in maintaining natural foci of Q-fever, Tahyna fever and Calovo virus infection.

MeSH Terms:

• Agglutination Tests
• Animal
• Animals, Wild
• Antibodies, Bacterial/blood
• Antibodies, Viral/blood
• Bacterial Infections/epidemiology
• Bacterial Infections/*veterinary
• Brucella abortus/immunology
• Bunyamwera Group Viruses/immunology
• California Group Viruses/immunology
• Coxiella burnetii/immunology
• Czech Republic/epidemiology
• *Deer
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Francisella tularensis/immunology
• Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests
• *Lagomorpha
• Neutralization Tests
• Prevalence
• Sheep
• Sheep Diseases/epidemiology
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Swine
• Swine Diseases/epidemiology
• Virus Diseases/epidemiology
• Virus Diseases/*veterinary
• *Zoonoses

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial)
• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

Epitope analysis of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) complex viruses using monoclonal antibodies to envelope glycoprotein of TBE virus (persulcatus subtype).

Tsekhanovskaya NA,  Matveev LE,  Rubin SG,  Karavanov AS,  Pressman EK.

[Article in English]

Novosibirsk Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Siberian Division of Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia.

The arrangement of envelope protein epitopes of tick-borne encephalitis viruses (TBEV) (persulcatus or eastern subtype, Sofjin strain and ricinus or western subtype, Minsk-256 strain) and Kyasanur Forest disease virus (KFDV) was investigated using competitive binding of monoclonal antibodies against the Sofjin E protein. The E protein of TBEV Sofjin strain forms three antigenic domains: E1, E2 and E3, represented by 12, 9 and 2 epitopes respectively; two additional epitopes stand alone. Domains E1 and E2 are heterogeneous. On the epitope map of the Minsk-256 strain domain E3 remains intact, domains E1 and E2 overlap and the relative arrangement of virus-neutralizing epitopes from E1 and E2 domains is changed. The epitope map of KFDV is significantly dissimilar to TBEV. The viruses can be distinguished by epitopes with identical serological reactivity. A satisfactory agreement between our epitope maps and previously published antigenic models of flavivirus envelope protein (Guirakhoo et al., 1989; Mandl et al., 1989a) was observed. The main difference of our map is that domains corresponding to domains B and C (Sofjin strain) and A, B and C (Minsk-256 strain) in Heinz's model are overlapping. The results of competition analysis depend on the nature of the antigen (virion or purified protein) and the immunoassay technique.

MeSH Terms:

• Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology
• Antibody Specificity/immunology
• Binding, Competitive
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Epitopes/*analysis
• Viral Envelope Proteins/*immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Monoclonal)
• 0 (Epitopes)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)

The Langat model for tick-borne encephalitis virus. Specific detection by RT-PCR.

Campbell J,  Iacono-Connors L,  Walz S,  Schultz W.

[Article in English]

Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375.

We have developed a reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay for rapid detection of Langat (LGT) virus, a flavivirus that is closely related to the highly pathogenic tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) viruses. Unlike TBE viruses, LGT virus exhibits a significantly lower virulence for man. The assay serves as a safe alternative for the development and optimization of specific assays for the highly pathogenic subtypes of TBE viruses that are endemic throughout much of Europe, the former Soviet Union, and China.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Base Sequence
• DNA Primers
• DNA, Complementary/analysis
• DNA, Complementary/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/chemistry
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*isolation & purification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/pathogenicity
• Human
• Molecular Sequence Data
• *Polymerase Chain Reaction
• RNA, Viral/*genetics
• RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Sequence Alignment
• Sequence Analysis, DNA
• Vero Cells
• Virulence

Substances:

• 0 (DNA Primers)
• 0 (DNA, Complementary)
• 0 (RNA, Viral)
• EC 2.7.7.49 (RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase)

Non-viraemic transmission of tick-borne encephalitis virus: a mechanism for arbovirus survival in nature.

Labuda M,  Nuttall PA,  Kozuch O,  Eleckova E,  Williams T,  Zuffova E,  Sabo A.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava.

The vectors of arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) become infected by feeding on the viraemic blood of an infected animal. This theory is based on transmission studies involving artificial infection of vertebrate hosts by syringe inoculation. To reproduce natural conditions of virus transmission, infected and uninfected vectors (ticks) of tick-borne encephalitis virus, the most important arbovirus in Europe, were allowed to feed together on uninfected wild vertebrate hosts. The greatest numbers of infected ticks were obtained from susceptible host species that had undetectable or very low levels of viraemia. The results suggest that 'nonviremic transmission' is an important mechanism for the survival of certain arboviruses in nature.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Arbovirus Infections/microbiology
• Arbovirus Infections/*transmission
• Arboviruses/*growth & development
• Arboviruses/isolation & purification
• Cell Line
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/microbiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*transmission
• Kidney
• Mice
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Swine
• Tick-Borne Diseases/microbiology
• Tick-Borne Diseases/*transmission
• Ticks/microbiology

Assessment of the antigenic structure of tick-borne encephalitis virus by the use of synthetic peptides.

Holzmann H,  Utter G,  Norrby E,  Mandl CW,  Kunz C,  Heinz FX.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology, University of Vienna, Austria.

The feasibility of using synthetic peptides for the identification of individual monoclonal antibody (MAb)-defined epitopes was assessed on the basis of a structural model of the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus envelope glycoprotein E. For this purpose a series of 19 synthetic peptides was prepared, covering most of the E protein sequence. Each of the peptides was tested by ELISA for reactivity with 19 protein E-specific MAbs raised against TBE virus strain Neudoerfl. Specific reactivity was observed with three MAbs and two peptides (representing amino acids 1 to 22 and 221 to 240, respectively), thus providing new information on the location of the corresponding epitopes. Specificity was confirmed in a competition ELISA by the ability of the peptides to block MAb binding to TBE virus antigen. However, in contrast to the other MAbs, these peptide-reactive MAbs were not blocked by native virus particles in the competition ELISA, indicating that they do not recognize the native conformation of the E protein. These three MAbs also showed increased reactivity with denatured forms of the virus in a dot blot assay. Additionally, they reacted only in ELISA systems in which the virus was directly coated to the solid phase and thereby presumably partially denatured, but not when a capture antibody was used, which preserves the native antigen conformation. We have thus identified two classes of MAbs, those which recognize the native form and those which recognize the denatured form of protein E. The latter may be useful for the analysis of sites probably involved in protein folding and oligomerization.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animal
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antigens, Viral/*analysis
• Antigens, Viral/immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*chemistry
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Mice
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Peptides/chemical synthesis
• Peptides/immunology
• Protein Denaturation
• Viral Envelope Proteins/*analysis
• Viral Envelope Proteins/immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Monoclonal)
• 0 (Antigens, Viral)
• 0 (Peptides)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)
• 0 (glycoprotein E, flaviviruses)

[New properties of trental as an inhibitor of viral activity with a wide range of activity]

Amvros'eva TV,  Votiakov VI,  Andreeva OT,  Vladyko GV,  Nikolaeva SN,  Orlova SV,  Azarova IA,  Zgirovskaia AA.

[Article in Russian]

Experimental investigations on the spectrum and degree of the expression of trental antiviral activity were carried out. The investigations were done in cell cultures and laboratory animals using laboratory strains (including drug-resistant ones) of 13 viruses, causative agents of human and animal infections. The drug demonstrated its activity against 8 viruses of 7 families. It was highly active against 5 viruses: herpes simplex virus (including its acyclovir-resistant strain), vaccinia virus (including its methisazone-resistant strain), rotavirus and tick-borne encephalitis virus. As regards other viruses, its activity was less pronounced (hepatitis JA virus) or low (vesicular stomatitis virus, West Nile virus). It was concluded that, being a cardiovascular drug, trental was an effective broad spectrum virus inhibitor.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antiviral Agents/*pharmacology
• Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use
• Comparative Study
• Depression, Chemical
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
• Drug Resistance, Microbial
• Mice
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Pentoxifylline/*pharmacology
• Pentoxifylline/therapeutic use
• Rabbits
• Virus Diseases/drug therapy
• Viruses/drug effects

Substances:

• 0 (Antiviral Agents)
• 6493-05-6 (Pentoxifylline)

[Zoonoses transmitted by ticks in forest workers (tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme borreliosis): preliminary results]

Cristofolini A,  Bassetti D,  Schallenberg G.

[Article in Italian]

Settore Operativo Medicina e Igiene degli Ambienti di Lavoro, Trento.

In order to investigate the diffusion of infections transmitted by ticks (TBE and Lyme borreliosis) in forest workers, a serological investigation was carried out in the Province of Trento (Northern Italy) on the sera of 465 subjects at potential risk (foresters, hunters, woodcutters, gamekeepers). Antibodies for TBE virus were found in 5 subjects (1.07%) working in the same area, and antibodies for Borrelia burgdorferi were found in 15 subjects (3%). All three clinical cases of TBE identified in the Province of Trento reported that they had been bitten by ticks in the same geographical area. The presence of specific antibodies for TBE virus was tested on the sera of animals grazing in several areas: 4 positive cases were observed in the same area as the human cases reported above.

MeSH Terms:

• Agricultural Workers' Diseases/epidemiology
• Agricultural Workers' Diseases/*etiology
• Animal
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*etiology
• *Forestry
• Human
• Lyme Disease/epidemiology
• Lyme Disease/*etiology
• Male
• Seroepidemiologic Studies
• *Ticks
• *Zoonoses

[Tick-borne encephalitis in the West Bohemian Region 1960-1991]

Pazdiora P,  Bruj J,  Struncova V.

[Article in Czech]

Ustav epidemiologie LF UK, Plzen.

In 1960-1991 in the West Bohemian region 746 cases of tick-borne encephalitis were confirmed by serological examination. The highest morbidity was recorded in the population of Plzen--5.9 per 100,000 per year. During 1986-1991 the mean hospitalization period of patients with tick-borne encephalitis was 13.5 days. Analysis by age groups revealed the highest specific morbidity in subjects aged 15-34 years. In the limital age groups the disease was recorded only exceptionally. From data on the specific morbidity and clinical severity ensues that mass vaccination against this infection in areas with a lower risk could start in subjects older than 10 years.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Aged
• Child
• Czech Republic/epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/therapy
• Female
• Hospitalization
• Human
• Male
• Middle Age
• Seroepidemiologic Studies

Site-directed mutagenesis of the tick-borne encephalitis virus NS3 gene reveals the putative serine protease domain of the NS3 protein.

Pugachev KV,  Nomokonova NY,  Dobrikova EYu,  Wolf YI.

[Article in English]

Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Siberian Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk.

Several mutations were introduced into the putative serine protease domain of the tick-borne encephalitis virus NS3 protein and into a possible internal cleavage site within the protein. The influence of these mutations on proteolytic activity of NS3 protein and NS3' protein formation was tested in vitro. It was found that NS3' formation was not dependent on the activity of the NS3 N-terminal serine protease. Mutations affecting the Ser-138 residue of the NS3 protein prohibited cleavage between NS2B and NS3 proteins when the NS2B-NS3 part of the viral genome was expressed in vitro, suggesting the key role of Ser-138 in viral serine protease functioning.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Base Sequence
• DNA, Viral/genetics
• Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*enzymology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/genetics
• Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic/genetics
• Genes, Viral/*genetics
• Molecular Sequence Data
• *Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
• Oligonucleotides
• Plasmids
• Serine/genetics
• Serine Endopeptidases/genetics
• Serine Endopeptidases/*metabolism
• Transcription, Genetic
• Translation, Genetic
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/genetics
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/*metabolism

Substances:

• 0 (DNA, Viral)
• 0 (NS3 protein, flavivirus)
• 0 (Oligonucleotides)
• 0 (Plasmids)
• 0 (Viral Nonstructural Proteins)
• 56-45-1 (Serine)
• EC 3.4.21 (Serine Endopeptidases)

[Prevention of early-summer meningoencephalitis]

Wietholter H.

[Article in German]

Neurologische Klinik, Burgerhospitals, Stuttgart.

MeSH Terms:

• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*prevention & control
• Human
• Immunization, Passive/*methods
• Meningoencephalitis/*prevention & control

A novel recombinant adenovirus vector expressing a flavivirus non-structural protein protects against lethal flavivirus challenge.

Jacobs SC.

[Article in English]

Public Health Laboratory Service Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Salisbury, Wiltshire, U.K.

MeSH Terms:

• Adenoviruses, Human
• Animal
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*prevention & control
• Genes, Viral
• *Genetic Vectors
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/genetics
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/*immunology
• Viral Vaccines/*immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Genetic Vectors)
• 0 (Viral Nonstructural Proteins)
• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

Chimeric tick-borne encephalitis and dengue type 4 viruses: effects of mutations on neurovirulence in mice.

Pletnev AG,  Bray M,  Lai CJ.

[Article in English]

Molecular Viral Biology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.

Two new chimeric flaviviruses were constructed from full-length cDNAs that contained tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) CME or ME structural protein genes and the remaining genes derived from dengue type 4 virus (DEN4). Studies involving mice inoculated intracerebrally with the ME chimeric virus indicated that it retained the neurovirulence of its TBEV parent from which its pre-M and E genes were derived. However, unlike parental TBEV, the chimeric virus did not produce encephalitis when mice were inoculated peripherally, indicating a loss of neuroinvasiveness. In the present study, the ME chimeric virus (vME) was subjected to mutational analysis in an attempt to reduce or ablate neurovirulence measured by direct inoculation of virus into the brain. We identified three distinct mutations that were each associated independently with a significant reduction of mouse neurovirulence of vME. These mutations ablated (i) the TBEV pre-M cleavage site, (ii) the TBEV E glycosylation site, or (iii) the first DEN4 NS1 glycosylation site. In contrast, ablation of the second DEN4 NS1 glycosylation site or the TBE pre-M glycosylation site or amino acid substitution at two positions in the TBEV E protein increased neurovirulence. The only conserved feature of the three attenuated mutants was restriction of virus yield in both simian and mosquito cells. Following parenteral inoculation, these attenuated mutants induced complete resistance in mice to fatal encephalitis caused by the highly neurovirulent vME.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animal
• Base Sequence
• Brain/*microbiology
• Brain/pathology
• Cell Line
• Cells, Cultured
• Chimera
• Dengue/*physiopathology
• Dengue Virus/*genetics
• Dengue Virus/growth & development
• Dengue Virus/pathogenicity
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/growth & development
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/pathogenicity
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*physiopathology
• Glycosylation
• Kinetics
• Methionine/metabolism
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Molecular Sequence Data
• *Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
• Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
• Plaque Assay
• Plasmids
• *Point Mutation
• Restriction Mapping
• Transfection
• Viral Proteins/biosynthesis
• Viral Proteins/genetics
• Virulence/*genetics

Substances:

• 0 (Oligodeoxyribonucleotides)
• 0 (Plasmids)
• 0 (Viral Proteins)
• 7005-18-7 (Methionine)

Myelitis after immunisation against tick-borne encephalitis.

Bohus M,  Glocker FX,  Jost S,  Deuschl G,  Lucking CH.

[Article in English]

Publication Types:

• Letter

MeSH Terms:

• Adult
• Case Report
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*prevention & control
• Human
• Immunization, Secondary/adverse effects
• Male
• Myelitis/*etiology
• Viral Vaccines/*adverse effects

Substances:

• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

[The antiviral action of medicinal plant extracts in experimental tick-borne encephalitis]

Fokina GI,  Roikhel' VM,  Frolova MP,  Frolova TV,  Pogodina VV.

[Article in Russian]

Some mechanisms of inducing resistance to experimental infection with tick-borne encephalitis virus were studied in experimental mice treated with aqueous extracts of berries of Vaccinium vitis-idaea, black currant, Vaccinium myrtillus, and of greater celandine grass. The condition of the immune system organs (spleen and thymus) after treatment with the extracts under study was analysed. A correlation was found between the degree of developing resistance to infection, virus accumulation in the brain, blood, spleen and thymus and changes in some parameters (spleen and thymus indices) of these immunocompetent organs. Possible mechanisms of induction of resistance to virus by herb extracts are discussed.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antiviral Agents/analysis
• Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use
• Brain/drug effects
• Brain/microbiology
• Brain/pathology
• Comparative Study
• Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*drug therapy
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/microbiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/pathology
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Plant Extracts/analysis
• Plant Extracts/*therapeutic use
• Spleen/drug effects
• Spleen/immunology
• Spleen/microbiology
• Thymus Gland/drug effects
• Thymus Gland/immunology
• Thymus Gland/microbiology
• Time Factors

Substances:

• 0 (Antiviral Agents)
• 0 (Plant Extracts)

[The genetic characteristics of the Vergina serotype of the tick-borne encephalitis virus and its pathogenetic traits]

Pogodina VV,  Bochkova NG,  Zlobin VI,  Frolova MP,  Drokin DA,  Levina LS,  Dzhioev IP.

[Article in Russian]

The Greek Vergina strain of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus was studied in comparison with 7 other strains by molecular hybridization of nucleic acids and by clinicomorphological markers of pathogenicity for monkeys and Syrian hamsters. By the genetical features the Vergina strain differed from the eastern and western TBE subtypes but was found to be similar to the strains of other subtypes of the Urals-Siberian, east-Siberian (Aina-1448) and Central Asian antigenic variant. This group of strains hybridized with cDNA at 65 degrees C only in the absence of 50% formamide, reacted with probe 1115 complementary to protein E gene, with 1-3 probes complementary to the conservative region of the genome but did not react with the probes corresponding to the variable regions of the genome. The Vergina strain is close to TBE genotype III. The Vergina strain was found to be virulent inducing subacute meningoencephalomyelitis which developed slowly and was accompanied by less marked morphological lesions in the cerebral cortex than those induced by the eastern subtype. The Vergina strain was demonstrated to persist in the brain, liver, spleen, and lymph node tissues.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Central Nervous System/microbiology
• Central Nervous System/pathology
• Cercopithecus aethiops
• Comparative Study
• DNA, Complementary/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/classification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/pathogenicity
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/genetics
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/microbiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/pathology
• Hamsters
• Macaca fascicularis
• Mesocricetus
• Mice
• Nucleic Acid Hybridization
• Oligonucleotide Probes
• Serial Passage
• Serotyping
• Virulence

Substances:

• 0 (DNA, Complementary)
• 0 (Oligonucleotide Probes)

[The possible cause for the recovery of the activity of a focus of tick-borne encephalitis on the Crimean Peninsula]

Alekseev AN.

[Article in Russian]

Publication Types:

• Journal Article
• Review
• Review, Tutorial

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Arachnid Vectors/microbiology
• Birds/microbiology
• *Disease Reservoirs
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/microbiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*transmission
• Human
• Rodentia/microbiology
• Ticks/microbiology
• USSR
• Ukraine

[The preliminary results of an ecological epidemiological study of Lyme disease in western Siberia]

Matushchenko AA,  Rudakova SA,  Korenberg EI.

[Article in Russian]

Studies of Ixodes persulcatus ticks in Omsk, Kurgan, and Novosibirsk regions revealed natural foci of Lyme's disease. Vector infection rate varied from 21 to 23.5% in the Omsk region, from 30 to 52.9% in the Kurgan region, and from 15 to 58.3% in the Novosibirsk region. Serologic screening of inpatients hospitalized during the epidemic season of 1991 with suspected tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme's disease confirmed the latter condition in 10.8% of the examinees in the Omsk and in 10% in the Kurgan regions. These data indicate the presence of active natural foci of Lyme's disease on the examined territories in west Siberia.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Aged
• Animal
• Antibodies, Bacterial/blood
• Arachnid Vectors/microbiology
• Borrelia burgdorferi/immunology
• Borrelia burgdorferi/isolation & purification
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• *Ecology
• Human
• Lyme Disease/*epidemiology
• Lyme Disease/immunology
• Lyme Disease/transmission
• Middle Age
• Seasons
• Seroepidemiologic Studies
• Siberia/epidemiology
• Ticks/microbiology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial)

The evidence of circulation of some viruses in a great town of Romania during the first half of 1992.

Petrescu A,  Copelovici Y,  Draganescu N,  Birnaure F,  Girjabu E,  Mihail A,  Zaharia CN,  Toparceanu F,  Teleguta M,  Marin C,  et al..

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology Stefan S. Nicolau, Bucharest, Romania.

Complex serological survey performed in the town B. during the first half of 1992 emphasized an active circulation of some respiratory viruses, especially of parainfluenza type 3 and 1, influenza subtypes A(H3N2) and A(H1N1), adeno and syncytial respiratory as well as of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Less important was the frequence of antibodies against Chlamydia psittaci, East equine, West Nile and tick-borne encephalitis as well as parainfluenza type 2 and influenza type B viruses.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Antibodies, Bacterial/blood
• Antibodies, Viral/blood
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Chlamydophila psittaci/immunology
• Complement Fixation Tests
• Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests
• Human
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Middle Age
• Pneumonia, Mycoplasma/immunology
• Romania
• *Urban Population
• Viruses/*immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial)
• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

Nucleotide sequence of the envelope protein gene of the tick-borne flavivirus, Kumlinge A52.

Whitby JE,  Jennings AD,  Barrett AD.

[Article in English]

School of Biological Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.

The envelope protein gene of the tick-borne flavivirus, Kumlinge A52, the proto-type Finnish strain, has been amplified and sequenced.* The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence has been analyzed and compared with the closely related tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus, Western subtype, strain Neudoerfl, isolated in Austria. Although these two virus strains were isolated 12 years apart from different hosts and in different countries, the envelope proteins only differed by a single amino acid. It is likely, therefore, that strong selection pressures against antigenic variation exist. The possible reasons for this are discussed.

MeSH Terms:

• Antigenic Variation
• Antigens, Viral/genetics
• Base Sequence
• Cloning, Molecular
• Comparative Study
• DNA, Viral/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/classification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• *Genes, Viral
• Human
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
• Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
• Species Specificity
• Viral Envelope Proteins/*genetics
• Viral Envelope Proteins/immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Antigens, Viral)
• 0 (DNA, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)

Secondary Source ID:

• GENBANK/X60286

Prevalence of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi flagellin in Styrian blood donors.

Pierer K,  Kock T,  Freidl W,  Stunzner D,  Pierer G,  Marth E,  Lechner H,  Mose JR.

[Article in English]

Hygiene Institut, Karl Franzens Universitat, Graz, Austria.

Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) are the most common diseases in Austria caused by tick bites. TBE endemic areas are well defined. It seemed to be of interest to compare prevalence data of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi (B.b.) to TBE endemic and non endemic areas. Blood samples (n = 1162) were obtained from healthy blood donors in combination with a standardized questionnaire during 21 excursions to 7 selected regions of Styria, Austria. Serum samples were screened for IgG antibodies against B.b. by a commercial flagellum ELISA. None of the tested persons showed symptoms of active Lyme borreliosis. A higher prevalence of antibodies against B.b. could be found in TBE endemic areas (7.7%) compared to TBE nonendemic areas (3.8%). There was a significant increase in positive antibodies against B.b. with age, exposure and number of tick bites remembered by test persons. The antibody prevalence to B.b. flagellin antigen is significantly higher in TBE endemic areas than in non-endemic comparative regions.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Aged
• Antibodies, Bacterial/*blood
• Austria/epidemiology
• *Blood Donors
• Borrelia burgdorferi/*immunology
• Female
• Flagellin/*immunology
• Human
• Lyme Disease/*epidemiology
• Lyme Disease/immunology
• Lyme Disease/microbiology
• Male
• Middle Age
• Prevalence
• Seroepidemiologic Studies

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial)
• 12777-81-0 (Flagellin)

Nucleotide sequence of the envelope protein of a Turkish isolate of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus is distinct from other viruses of the TBE virus complex.

Whitby JE,  Whitby SN,  Jennings AD,  Stephenson JR,  Barrett AD.

[Article in English]

School of Biological Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, U.K.

Turkish tick-borne encephalitis (TTE) virus causes an acute form of meningoencephalomyelitis in sheep in the north-western region of Turkey. The clinical syndrome resembles louping ill (LI) and the viruses responsible for both LI and TTE are members of the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) complex of the Flaviviridae. The envelope protein gene of TTE virus was reverse-transcribed, amplified, cloned and sequenced. Alignment of the resultant sequence with those from other viruses of the TBE complex reveals that TTE virus is more closely related, at both nucleotide and amino acid levels (84.6% and 96% respectively), to the Central European (CEE) subtype of the TBE virus, usually associated with human disease. The relationship with LI virus is more distant (83% and 93.5% respectively). These studies support the assertion that the ovine encephalomyelitis found in Turkey is caused by a virus that is genetically distinct from known strains of both LI and CEE viruses and from a number of other known viruses of the TBE complex.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animal
• Base Sequence
• DNA, Viral
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/classification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/microbiology
• Human
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Viral Envelope Proteins/*genetics

Substances:

• 0 (DNA, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)
• 145420-18-4 (glycoprotein E, flavivirus)

Secondary Source ID:

• GENBANK/L01265

Acute "idiopathic" peripheral facial palsy: clinical, serological, and cerebrospinal fluid findings and effects of corticosteroids.

Hyden D,  Roberg M,  Forsberg P,  Fridell E,  Fryden A,  Linde A,  Odkvist L.

[Article in English]

Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Linkoping University, Stockholm, Sweden.

INTRODUCTION: The causes for peripheral facial palsy remain obscure in many patients. Evidence exists suggesting viruses, especially those belonging to the herpesvirus group, may be causative. This study was developed to evaluate this theory. METHODS: One hundred forty-seven patients with acute peripheral facial palsy of primarily unknown origin were studied. All were examined within 1 week of onset. Subsequent follow-up was undertaken until the palsy had recovered or become static. Paried cerebral spinal fluid and serum samples were obtained for serological evaluation to detect herpes simplex, varicella zoster, cytomegalovirus, measles, mumps, rubella, tick-borne encephalitis, adenovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and human immunodeficiency virus, as well as the antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi. RESULTS: Elevated antibiotic titers to Borrelia burgdorferi were observed in 11% of patients, whereas 9% of patients demonstrated elevated viral titers. Antibody pattern consistent with Epstein-Barr virus reactivation was present in 13%. A total of 67% were classified as idiopathic. CONCLUSION: Patients with reactivated Epstein-Barr virus were characterized by having a higher incidence of auricular pain and displayed diabetes mellitus in a higher frequency than in other groups. In the Borrelia group, neck/back pain was more common. Healing was less favorable in the Borrelia group despite an equal rate of palsy at onset and adequate antibiotic treatment. Corticosteroid treatment used in 44% of the patients did not significantly improve the functional outcome.

MeSH Terms:

• Acute Disease
• Adolescence
• Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Child
• Facial Paralysis/blood
• Facial Paralysis/cerebrospinal fluid
• Facial Paralysis/diagnosis
• Facial Paralysis/drug therapy
• Facial Paralysis/*etiology
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Herpesviridae Infections/blood
• Herpesviridae Infections/cerebrospinal fluid
• Herpesviridae Infections/*complications
• *Herpesvirus 4, Human
• Human
• Lyme Disease/blood
• Lyme Disease/cerebrospinal fluid
• Lyme Disease/*complications
• Male
• Middle Age
• Movement Disorders/etiology
• Pain/etiology
• Seasons
• Treatment Outcome

Substances:

• 0 (Adrenal Cortex Hormones)

Inefficient mechanical transmission of Langat (tick-borne encephalitis virus complex) virus by blood-feeding mites (Acari) to laboratory mice.

Durden LA,  Turell MJ.

[Article in English]

Applied Research Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702.

One day after feeding on a viremic mouse, tropical rat mites, Ornithonyssus bacoti (Hirst), transmitted Langat (tick-borne encephalitis virus complex) virus to a naive suckling mouse in one of four trials. However, no transmissions to naive mice by O. bacoti were recorded either immediately after the viremic blood meal (0/4 trials) or on days 4-18 (0/20 trials). After feeding on a viremic mouse, chicken mites, Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer), failed to transmit Langat virus to naive suckling mice in any trials (0/24). Although virus failed to replicate in either species of mite, it was detectable in 20% (2/10) of O. bacoti individuals 1 d after a viremic blood meal, but only immediately after the viremic blood meal in 20% (2/10) of D. gallinae mites. Neither mite appears to be an efficient vector of Langat virus.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• *Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Host-Parasite Relations
• Mice/microbiology
• Mice/*parasitology
• Mites/microbiology
• Mites/*physiology
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Togaviridae Infections/microbiology
• Togaviridae Infections/*transmission

Single amino acid codon changes detected in louping ill virus antibody-resistant mutants with reduced neurovirulence.

Jiang WR,  Lowe A,  Higgs S,  Reid H,  Gould EA.

[Article in English]

NERC Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford, U.K.

Seven mutant viruses were derived from a Scottish strain of louping ill virus using a virus envelope-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibody. None of the mutants was neutralized and immunofluorescence microscopy confirmed that they did not bind to this antibody. Four mutants showed reduced mouse neurovirulence compared with parent virus and two mutants failed to induce protective immune responses in mice challenged with virulent tick-borne encephalitis virus. The mutants with the lowest virulence showed poor or undetectable haemagglutinating activity. The nucleotide sequence of the envelope glycoprotein gene of each of the seven mutants was determined and the deduced amino acid sequence was compared with parent virus. For each mutant, only a single amino acid codon change was detected and all the amino acid substitutions occurred within amino acid positions 308 to 311. A change from the amino acid aspartate to asparagine at amino acid position 308, which represented a potential glycosylation site, was the most effective substitution in reducing mouse neurovirulence. The results demonstrate the importance of critical sites within the envelope glycoprotein as determinants of virus virulence.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibodies, Viral/*immunology
• Base Sequence
• Cell Line
• *Codon
• DNA, Viral
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/pathogenicity
• Mice
• Molecular Sequence Data
• *Mutation
• Neutralization Tests
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Swine
• Viral Envelope Proteins/immunology
• Virulence

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Codon)
• 0 (DNA, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)

[Tick-borne diseases]

Tissot Dupont H,  Raoult D.

[Article in French]

Unite des Rickettsies, Faculte de Medecine, Marseille.

Due to their worldwide distribution, from hottest to coldest climates, and due to their behaviour, ticks are capable of transmitting numerous human and animal bacterial viral or parasitous diseases. Depending on the disease, they play the role of biological vector or intermediate host. In France, six tick borne diseases are of epidemiologic importance. Q fever (not often tick-borne), Mediterranean Spotted Fever, Lyme disease, Turalemia (human and animal), Babesiosis and Tick-borne Viral Encephalitis.

Publication Types:

• Journal Article
• Review
• Review Literature

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• France
• Human
• *Tick-Borne Diseases/epidemiology
• *Tick-Borne Diseases/transmission

Complete genomic sequence of Powassan virus: evaluation of genetic elements in tick-borne versus mosquito-borne flaviviruses.

Mandl CW,  Holzmann H,  Kunz C,  Heinz FX.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology, Vienna, Austria.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the positive-stranded RNA genome of the tick-borne flavivirus Powassan (10,839 nucleotides) was elucidated and the amino acid sequence of all viral proteins was derived. Based on this sequence as well as serological data, Powassan virus represents the most divergent member of the tick-borne serocomplex within the genus flaviviruses, family Flaviviridae. The primary nucleotide sequence and potential RNA secondary structures of the Powassan virus genome as well as the protein sequences and the reactivities of the virion with a panel of monoclonal antibodies were compared to other tick-borne and mosquito-borne flaviviruses. These analyses corroborated significant differences between tick-borne and mosquito-borne flaviviruses, but also emphasized structural elements that are conserved among both vector groups. The comparisons among tick-borne flaviviruses revealed conserved sequence elements that might represent important determinants of the tick-borne flavivirus phenotype.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animal
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antigens, Viral/genetics
• Base Sequence
• Cloning, Molecular
• Comparative Study
• Cross Reactions
• Culicidae
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/classification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/growth & development
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/genetics
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/transmission
• Evolution
• Flavivirus/classification
• Flavivirus/*genetics
• Genes, Viral/*genetics
• *Genome, Viral
• Insect Vectors
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Nucleic Acid Conformation
• Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid/genetics
• Sequence Analysis, DNA
• Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
• Ticks
• Viral Envelope Proteins/genetics
• Viral Envelope Proteins/immunology
• Viral Structural Proteins/genetics

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Monoclonal)
• 0 (Antigens, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)
• 0 (Viral Structural Proteins)
• 145420-18-4 (glycoprotein E, flavivirus)

Secondary Source ID:

• GENBANK/L06436

[A live vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis: the principles of selecting the vaccinal strains]

Kamalov II,  Sokolova ED,  Il'enko VI,  Rozhkova LV.

[Article in Russian]

The comparative, semiquantitative, pathomorphological study of the neurovirulence of clones of Elantsev virus and Langat virus TP-21 for intracerebrally infected monkeys has been carried out. The study has revealed that the viruses may be differentiated by their neurovirulence for primates according to the average statistical data on the degree of pathomorphological changes in the central nervous system, but not to maximum lesions in cerebral structures. The level of neurovirulence of yellow fever virus 17D was formerly considered to be the highest admissible limit of residual neurovirulence of encephalitogenic viruses (flaviviruses). According to our data, Elantsev virus, used for the immunization of humans and known to have caused some cases of encephalitis, is similar to yellow fever virus with respect to its neurovirulence for primates: therefore, a candidate strain intended for the preparation of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccine must be significantly less neurovirulent. The neurovirulence of clones isolated from Langat virus TP-21 has proved to be essentially lower than that of Elantsev virus clones. Langat virus TP-21 is a promising source of clones suitable for use as candidates for live TBE vaccine. Search for vaccine strains by testing their neurovirulence in experiments on several strains of mice and their hybrids, on hamsters and on immunosuppressed animals is methodologically groundless. The adequate evaluation of the level of residual neurovirulence of viruses to be used as candidates for live TBE vaccine can be made only on monkeys.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Brain/pathology
• Comparative Study
• Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/pathogenicity
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/pathology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*prevention & control
• Haplorhini
• Mice
• Monkey Diseases/pathology
• Monkey Diseases/prevention & control
• Serial Passage
• Spinal Cord/pathology
• Vaccines, Attenuated/immunology
• Vaccines, Attenuated/isolation & purification
• Viral Vaccines/immunology
• Viral Vaccines/*isolation & purification
• Virulence

Substances:

• 0 (Vaccines, Attenuated)
• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

[An attempt at the serological examination of small mammals in a natural focus of tick-borne encephalitis in central Siberia]

Kislenko GS,  Korotkov IS,  Chunikhin SP,  Karavanov AS.

[Article in Russian]

Studies of blood serum samples from Asian mice from a natural focus of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in the Krasnoyarsk district, in which agent strains of medium peripheral activity for white mice predominated, in the hemagglutination inhibition test have given negative results. At the same time murine sera were detected with nonspecific inhibitors to TBE virus in low titers (1:10 to 1:20), this being confirmed by enzyme immunoassay. Of the tested in 1988-1991 1047 mice of 11 species the share of sera with nonspecific inhibitors (and, consequently, positive ones) has made up 3.3 +/- 1.9/0.0 for asian mice (6.2 +/- 3.3/0.0 for males and 0.0/0.0 females), 1.4 +/- 1.4/2.8 +/- 2.0 in striped field mice (0.0/0.0 males and 3.2 +/- 3.2/6.4 +/- 4.5 females), and 0.5 +/- 0.3/5.7 +/- 1.0 in red-backed mice (0.3 +/- 0.3/6.3 +/- 1.4 males and 0.7 +/- 0.5/5.1 +/- 1.3 females).

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibodies, Viral/blood
• Disease Reservoirs/*veterinary
• *Disease Vectors
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*veterinary
• Female
• Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests/veterinary
• Immunoenzyme Techniques/veterinary
• Male
• Muridae/*immunology
• Siberia

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

[Neurological side effects following vaccination of early-summer meningoencephalitis. Case report and experiences of the Swiss Center for Adverse Drug Effects]

Goerre S,  Kesselring J,  Hartmann K,  Kuhn M,  Reinhart WH.

[Article in German]

Medizinische Klinik, Kantonsspital Chur.

Two weeks after vaccination against tick-born encephalitis (TBE) a 69-year-old patient developed subacute myelo-polyradiculitis. The neurological symptoms subsided after a few weeks. Alerted by this observation, we scanned the database of the Swiss Drug Monitoring Center (SANZ) for similar case reports. Of twenty spontaneous reports 11 concerned neurological side effects closely related to TBE vaccination. We conclude that TBE vaccination is associated with substantial neurological side effects and should, therefore, remain restricted to individuals at high risk for TBE.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Aged
• Case Report
• Child
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*prevention & control
• Female
• Human
• Male
• Middle Age
• Nervous System Diseases/etiology
• Polyradiculopathy/*etiology
• Risk Factors
• Viral Vaccines/*adverse effects
• Viral Vaccines/contraindications

Substances:

• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

[The role of carrier sympatry and allopatry for functioning of foci of communicable diseases]

Alekseev AN.

[Article in Russian]

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• *Arthropod Vectors
• Borrelia burgdorferi/pathogenicity
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*transmission
• Lyme Disease/epidemiology
• Lyme Disease/*transmission
• Moscow/epidemiology

Spectral EEG parameters in patients with tick-borne encephalitis: a follow-up study.

Juhasz C,  Szirmai I.

[Article in English]

Department of Neurology, University Medical School, Pecs, Hungary.

Follow-up of spectral EEG parameters were reported for five patients with serologically verified tick-borne encephalitis. Comparisons were made for clinical data and findings of EEG analysis (power probability mapping, peak-power frequencies, and alpha/theta power ratios) were compared. A prominent feature of the EEG abnormality was the marked attenuation of background alpha activity. The peak-power frequency and absolute power analysis of three patients showed significant hemispheric asymmetry in the alpha and theta bands respectively. EEG topograms demonstrated persistent theta power fields in one patient. Alpha/theta power ratio was a reliable indicator for the recovery of rhythmic EEG activity during the convalescence. Reorganization of alpha activity appeared to lag behind the clinical improvement, its course was different from patient to patient. Because of the discrepancy of bioelectric and clinical findings the authors recommend long-term EEG monitoring in patients with tick-borne encephalitis.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Brain/*physiopathology
• Brain Mapping
• Electroencephalography
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*physiopathology
• Follow-Up Studies
• Human
• Male
• Middle Age
• Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
• Time Factors

Enhancement of tick-borne encephalitis virus transmission by tick salivary gland extracts.

Labuda M,  Jones LD,  Williams T,  Nuttall PA.

[Article in English]

Natural Environmental Research Council, Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford, U.K.

To investigate the role of ticks in TBE virus transmission, salivary gland extract (SGE) was derived from partially fed female Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks. Guinea-pigs were infested with uninfected R. appendiculatus nymphs and inoculated with a mixture of TBE virus and SGE or with virus alone. The number of ticks which on average acquired virus from feeding on animals inoculated with TBE virus and SGE from partially fed ticks was 4-fold greater than the number that became infected by feeding on animals inoculated with virus alone or virus plus SGE from unfed I. ricinus. Viraemia was detected in 67% of guinea-pigs inoculated with virus plus SGE compared to 30% of guinea-pigs inoculated with virus alone. Virus titres in the blood were similar for both groups of animals [range 2.0-2.8 log10 plaque-forming units (PFU)/ml of blood]; however, the number of ticks that became infected was significantly higher on animals inoculated with virus plus SGE from partially fed ticks. No significant difference was observed with respect to the tick species used to derive SGE. The results indicate that TBE virus transmission is enhanced by factor(s) associated with the salivary glands of feeding ticks, and that these factor(s) may facilitate efficient transmission of TBE virus between infected and uninfected ticks even when they feed on hosts that have no detectable viraemia.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Cells, Cultured
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*isolation & purification
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*transmission
• Female
• Guinea Pigs
• Salivary Glands/*microbiology
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Swine
• Viremia/microbiology

Tick-borne encephalitis virus activity in Styria, Austria.

Labuda M,  Stunzner D,  Kozuch O,  Sixl W,  Kocianova E,  Schaffler R,  Vyrostekova V.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava.

From 3,404 Ixodes ricinus ticks collected in 12 localities of Styria, Austria in 1990, 15 tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus isolates were recovered. Minimal field infection rate reached 4.4 virus containing ticks out of 1,000 collected ticks. Five isolates of TBE virus were obtained from target organs of Apodemus flavicollis trapped in locality Wagnitz. In a serosurvey based on virus neutralizing antibodies high prevalence of TBE virus was demonstrated in A. flavicollis (47.9%) and Clethrionomys glareolus (29.4%). These rodents formed 57.8% and 41.0% of 83 trapped small mammals.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibodies, Viral/blood
• Austria/epidemiology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*isolation & purification
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*veterinary
• Female
• Male
• Muridae/*microbiology
• Rodent Diseases/*epidemiology
• Ticks/*microbiology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

[In vitro suppression of translation of tick-borne encephalitis virus RNA using antisense nucleotides]

Nomokonova NI,  Gorn VV,  Vlasov VV.

[Article in Russian]

Effect of antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides on in vitro translation of RNAs corresponding to fragments of the tick-borne encephalitis virus genome has been investigated. Sequences optimal for oligonucleotide binding and translation arrest have been identified. The most efficient oligonucleotide (17-mer) at a concentration of 2.5 microM completely arrests translation of the RNA coding for the NS3 protein.

MeSH Terms:

• Base Sequence
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Oligonucleotides, Antisense/*pharmacology
• RNA, Messenger/genetics
• RNA, Viral/drug effects
• RNA, Viral/*genetics
• *Translation, Genetic
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/genetics

Substances:

• 0 (NS3 protein, flavivirus)
• 0 (Oligonucleotides, Antisense)
• 0 (RNA, Messenger)
• 0 (RNA, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Nonstructural Proteins)

Fatal encephalitis caused by concomitant infection with tick-borne encephalitis virus and Borrelia burgdorferi.

Oksi J,  Viljanen MK,  Kalimo H,  Peltonen R,  Marttia R,  Salomaa P,  Nikoskelainen J,  Budka H,  Halonen P.

[Article in English]

Department of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Finland.

We describe a 38-year-old farmer from the southwestern archipelago of Finland where both tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus and Borrelia burgdorferi are endemic. He presented with fever and headache, developed severe meningoencephalitis in 3 days, and, after 1 month, died without regaining consciousness. High titers of IgG and IgM antibodies to TBE virus were present in both serum and CSF. Serology for Borrelia was negative. Autopsy revealed necrotizing encephalitis and myelitis with involvement of the dorsal root ganglion. With use of polymerase chain reaction tests, segments of two separate genes of B. burgdorferi were amplified from the patient's CSF. This case demonstrates that the possibility of dual infection should be considered for patients residing in geographic areas where Ixodes ticks may carry both the TBE virus and B. burgdorferi. We believe that the most severe damage in this case was caused by TBE virus rather than by B. burgdorferi. Nevertheless, the coinfection might have contributed to the fatal outcome that has not been previously observed in Finnish patients with TBE.

MeSH Terms:

• Adult
• Antibiotics, Combined/administration & dosage
• Antibiotics, Combined/therapeutic use
• Case Report
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*complications
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/diagnosis
• Encephalomyelitis/diagnosis
• Encephalomyelitis/drug therapy
• Encephalomyelitis/*etiology
• Human
• Imipenem/administration & dosage
• Imipenem/therapeutic use
• Injections, Intravenous
• Lyme Disease/*complications
• Lyme Disease/diagnosis
• Lyme Disease/drug therapy
• Male
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Rifampin/administration & dosage
• Rifampin/therapeutic use
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Vancomycin/administration & dosage
• Vancomycin/therapeutic use

Substances:

• 0 (Antibiotics, Combined)
• 13292-46-1 (Rifampin)
• 1404-90-6 (Vancomycin)
• 74431-23-5 (Imipenem)

Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence of the envelope gene of the Vasilchenko strain of TBE virus; comparison with other flaviviruses.

Gritsun TS,  Frolova TV,  Pogodina VV,  Lashkevich VA,  Venugopal K,  Gould EA.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford, UK.

A strain of tick-borne encephalitis virus known as Vasilchenko (Vs) exhibits relatively low virulence characteristics in monkeys, Syrian hamsters and humans. The gene encoding the envelope glycoprotein of this virus was cloned and sequenced. Alignment of the sequence with those of other known tick-borne flaviviruses and identification of the recognised amino acid genetic marker EHLPTA confirmed its identity as a member of the TBE complex. However, Vs virus was distinguishable from eastern and western tick-borne serotypes by the presence of the sequence AQQ at amino acid positions 232-234 and also by the presence of other specific amino acid substitutions which may be genetic markers for these viruses and could determine their pathogenetic characteristics. When compared with other tick-borne flaviviruses, Vs virus had 12 unique amino acid substitutions including an additional potential glycosylation site at position (315-317). The Vs virus strain shared closest nucleotide and amino acid homology (84.5% and 95.5% respectively) with western and far eastern strains of tick-borne encephalitis virus. Comparison with the far eastern serotype of tick-borne encephalitis virus, by cross-immunoelectrophoresis of Vs virions and PAGE analysis of the extracted virion proteins, revealed differences in surface charge and virus stability that may account for the different virulence characteristics of Vs virus. These results support and enlarge upon previous data obtained from molecular and serological analysis.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Base Sequence
• Comparative Study
• DNA, Viral/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Flavivirus/genetics
• *Genes, Structural, Viral
• Genetic Markers
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
• Species Specificity
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Viral Envelope Proteins/*genetics

Substances:

• 0 (DNA, Viral)
• 0 (Genetic Markers)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)

Secondary Source ID:

• GENBANK/M97369

Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence of the envelope glycoprotein of Omsk haemorrhagic fever virus; comparison with other flaviviruses.

Gritsun TS,  Lashkevich VA,  Gould EA.

[Article in English]

NERC Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford, U.K.

The gene encoding the envelope glycoprotein of Omsk haemorrhagic fever (OHF) virus was cloned and sequenced. A freeze-dried preparation of infected suckling mouse brain suspension was used as the source material for viral RNA. The derived cDNA was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction and the cloned DNA sequenced by dideoxynucleotide sequencing. Alignment of the OHF virus sequence with those of other known tick-borne flaviviruses showed that they shared N-glycosylation sites, cysteine residues, the fusion peptide and a hexapeptide (EHLPTA) that identifies tick-borne flaviviruses. OHF virus was distinguishable from the other viruses but shared closest amino acid identity (93.0%) with the tick-borne encephalitis viruses. A sequence of three amino acids (AQN; amino acids 282 to 234), which was previously shown to be specific for the tick-borne encephalitis viruses, was altered to MVG in OHF virus. This is predicted to have a higher hydrophobicity than the AQN sequence and may therefore have significant implications for the phenotypic characteristics of OHF virus. The results demonstrate close phylogenetic relationships between these viruses but also show their distinct evolutionary development. Sequence changes within the envelope glycoprotein of OHF virus have been identified that may be responsible for the distinct tropism of this flavivirus. These results support and enlarge upon previous data obtained from serological analysis.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Base Sequence
• Comparative Study
• Flavivirus/chemistry
• Flavivirus/*genetics
• Hemorrhagic Fever, Omsk/*microbiology
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Viral Envelope Proteins/chemistry
• Viral Envelope Proteins/*genetics

Substances:

• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)
• 0 (glycoprotein E, flaviviruses)

Secondary Source ID:

• GENBANK/X66694

Advances in investigations of Lyme borreliosis in the territory of the former USSR.

Korenberg EI,  Kryuchechnikov VN,  Kovalevsky YV.

[Article in English]

Gamaleya Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow.

Whereas late manifestations of Lyme borreliosis were described in Russia more than 100 years ago, early manifestations were described as different disease entities such as tick-borne erythema, etc. In 1985 Lyme borreliosis was first verified serologically and the agent was first identified in 1986. By the beginning of 1992 Lyme borreliosis was serologically confirmed in patients from the Baltics to the Far East. Their geographical patterns in Russia are closely related to areas of the hard ticks Ixodes persulcatus and Ixodes ricinus which are also the main vectors of tick-borne encephalitis virus. As in the case of this infection, in the west of Russia there are "ricinus" natural foci of Lyme borreliosis, and to the east there are similar "persulcatus" foci; through large territories in the East Europe there are common foci for both species. Many Borrelia burgdorferi strains of tick origin have been isolated from various regions of Russia and neighbouring republics. Adult tick infection rates vary from several per cent to 30% in I. ricinus and up to 50-60% in I. persulcatus. Double infections of Lyme borreliosis spirochetes and tick-borne encephalitis virus have been recorded for ticks as well as for humans. Lyme borreliosis morbidity and its importance for the Russia territory are discussed.

Publication Types:

• Journal Article
• Review
• Review, Tutorial

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Arachnid Vectors/microbiology
• Borrelia burgdorferi/isolation & purification
• Human
• Lyme Disease/diagnosis
• Lyme Disease/*epidemiology
• Lyme Disease/transmission
• Ticks/microbiology
• USSR/epidemiology

Sequence of the NS 1 gene of the K 23 isolate of tick-borne encephalitis virus and identification of conserved motifs.

Jacobs SC,  Stephenson JR,  Wilkinson GW.

[Article in English]

Division of Biologics, PHLS Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Salisbury, Wiltshire, U.K.

The NS 1 gene from the K 23 isolate of tick-borne encephalitis virus has been sequenced. The NS 1 gene sequence, and many structural features of the NS 1 protein are heavily conserved. Six conserved peptides were also identified.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Base Sequence
• *Conserved Sequence
• DNA, Viral
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• *Genes, Viral
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins/*genetics

Substances:

• 0 (DNA, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Nonstructural Proteins)

Efficient transmission of tick-borne encephalitis virus between cofeeding ticks.

Labuda M,  Jones LD,  Williams T,  Danielova V,  Nuttall PA.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia.

Most of the data on oral infections of ticks with tick-borne encephalitis virus have been derived from experiments using animals infected by syringe inoculation. To mimic the natural conditions of virus transmission, tick-borne encephalitis virus-infected Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus) or Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Neumann adults (donors) were cofed with uninfected nymphs (recipients) of either tick species on uninfected guinea pigs. Two tick-retaining cells were attached to each guinea pig: cell 1 contained uninfected nymphs and virus-infected adults, and cell 2 contained uninfected nymphs. Following engorgement, 55% of I. ricinus nymphs and 65% of R. appendiculatus nymphs were shown to have acquired the virus while cofeeding with I. ricinus donor ticks. Similarly, 66% of R. appendiculatus recipient nymphs that cofed with R. appendiculatus virus-infected adults were infected. Some of the guinea pigs on which the ticks cofed were apparently nonviremic. The results indicate that efficient transmission of tick-borne encephalitis virus can occur between cofeeding ticks even when the host on which they feed does not develop a detectable viremia.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Arachnid Vectors/*microbiology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*physiology
• Female
• Guinea Pigs
• Male
• Mice
• Nymph/microbiology
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Ticks/*microbiology

Sequencing and antigenic studies of a Norwegian virus isolated from encephalomyelitic sheep confirm the existence of louping ill virus outside Great Britain and Ireland.

Gao GF,  Jiang WR,  Hussain MH,  Venugopal K,  Gritsun TS,  Reid HW,  Gould EA.

[Article in English]

NERC Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford, U.K.

We have carried out an antigenic analysis and nucleotide sequence comparison of the envelope glycoprotein of recognized louping ill virus strains isolated from Scotland with that of a Norwegian virus known to cause encephalomyelitis in sheep. Monoclonal antibodies with defined specificity for the louping ill virus envelope glycoprotein failed to distinguish between the Norwegian virus and prototype louping ill virus in indirect immunofluorescence, haemagglutination inhibition and neutralization tests. Nucleotide sequencing of the envelope glycoprotein and alignment of the deduced amino acid sequence with other known sequences revealed that the Norwegian virus closely resembles (> 95% identity for nucleotide and > 98% identity for amino acid sequences) louping ill virus. Maximum variation in identities among four strains of louping ill virus were 4.4% and 1.8% respectively for nucleotide and amino acid alignments. We conclude that sheep encephalomyelitis in Norway is caused by louping ill virus. These results imply that other viruses present in Europe and known to cause encephalitis/encephalomyelitis of sheep could be caused by louping ill virus.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antigens, Viral/analysis
• Base Sequence
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Genes, Viral/*genetics
• Louping Ill/*epidemiology
• Mice
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Norway/epidemiology
• RNA, Viral/genetics
• Sheep
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Viral Envelope Proteins/genetics

Substances:

• 0 (Antigens, Viral)
• 0 (RNA, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)

Secondary Source ID:

• GENBANK/D12935
• GENBANK/D12936
• GENBANK/D12937

[Virologic detection of arboviruses in greater cormorants]

Juricova Z,  Hubalek Z,  Halouzka J,  Machacek P.

[Article in Czech]

Ustav systematicke a ekologicke biologie AV CR, Brno.

Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo, Pelecaniformes) caught in southern Moravia (Czech Republic) in 1989-1990 were examined for arbovirus infections. Isolation experiments were carried out using blood samples of 56 birds. The results were negative. Serological examinations of 31 birds were performed by haemagglutination-inhibition test (HIT) using 5 arboviral antigens of the genera Alphavirus (Sindbis--SIN) and Flavivirus (tick-borne encephalitis--TBE, West Nile--WN) and of the family Bunyaviridae (Tahyna--TAH, Calovo--CVO). Antibodies were detected only to viruses SIN, WN and TAH at different frequencies: 9.7%, 9.7% and 22.6%. The titres ranged from 1:20 to 1:80.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Arboviruses/*isolation & purification
• Birds/*microbiology

[The participation of birds in circulating the tick-borne encephalitis virus in natural foci of the Asiatic portion of Russia. 2. Central Siberia]

Kislenko GS,  Korotkov IS,  Chunikhin SP.

Erratum in: 

• Med Parazitol (Mosk) 1994 Oct-Dec;(4):51

[Article in Russian]

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibodies, Viral/blood
• Arachnid Vectors/microbiology
• Birds/*immunology
• Disease Reservoirs/*veterinary
• *Disease Vectors
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Nymph/microbiology
• Rodentia/immunology
• Seasons
• Siberia
• Ticks/microbiology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

[Trial results with dilor in controlling the taiga tick]

Korotkov IS,  Kislenko GS,  Chunikhin SP.

[Article in Russian]

Laboratory and field trials of dilor (beta-dihydroheptachlorine) have demonstrated its high acaricidal characteristics, but this pesticide is not recommended as a means for extermination of Ixodes persulcatus, tick-borne encephalitis virus vectors. The tested compound is characterized by a high persistence, superior even to that of DDT. Dilor metabolites retain their toxicity in the forest up to 4-5 years.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• *Arthropod Vectors
• Comparative Study
• DDT
• Female
• *Indenes
• *Insecticides, Organochlorine
• Pesticide Residues/analysis
• *Ticks
• Time Factors
• Trees

Substances:

• 0 (Indenes)
• 0 (Insecticides, Organochlorine)
• 0 (Pesticide Residues)
• 30913-64-5 (dilor)
• 50-29-3 (DDT)

Antibody prevalence and clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis in Swedish orienteers.

Gustafson R,  Forsgren M,  Gardulf A,  Granstrom M,  Svenungsson B.

[Article in English]

Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge Hospital, Sweden.

Antibody prevalence and clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis (LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) were studied in 362 orienteers from the county of Stockholm during a large relay race in October 1990. From all participating orienteers, a blood sample was collected and a questionnaire completed. Antibody activity to Borrelia burgdorferi was measured using a sonicated whole spirochete antigen in an ELISA, and to TBE virus (TBEV) by ELISA and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. A past history of LB was reported by 6% of the orienteers and antibodies to B. burgdorferi were found in 9%. Antibody reactivity to B. burgdorferi was found in 1-2% of the sera from 3 different control groups comprising 502 persons living in non-endemic areas. The corresponding value was 9% in sera from a fourth control group consisting of 150 persons living in the city of Stockholm. A past history of TBE was reported by 1 orienteer (0.3%) and detectable antibodies to TBEV in non-immunized individuals were found in 1%. No antibody activity to TBEV could be detected in sera from the control individuals living in the 3 non-endemic areas, but in 5% of the controls from Stockholm. In this study, there was no indication that frequent or severe manifestations of LB or TBE are common among orienteers in Sweden.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Aged
• Animal
• Antibodies, Bacterial/*blood
• Antibodies, Viral/*blood
• Bites and Stings
• Child
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/complications
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/prevention & control
• Female
• Human
• Lyme Disease/complications
• Lyme Disease/epidemiology
• Lyme Disease/*immunology
• Male
• Middle Age
• Prevalence
• *Sports
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Sweden/epidemiology
• Ticks
• *Trees
• Viral Vaccines/*administration & dosage

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial)
• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

Clinical manifestations and antibody prevalence of Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis in Sweden: a study in five endemic areas close to Stockholm.

Gustafson R,  Forsgren M,  Gardulf A,  Granstrom M,  Svenungsson B.

[Article in English]

Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge Hospital, Sweden.

Five populations, including 903 individuals living in 5 different areas close to Stockholm, were studied with regard to clinical manifestations and antibody prevalence of Lyme borreliosis (LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). The study areas involved 4 groups of islands in the Baltic Sea and 1 island in Lake Malaren. Serum samples from each individual were tested for antibody activity to Borrelia burgdorferi using a sonicated whole spirochete antigen in an ELISA, and to TBE-virus (TBEV) by ELISA and haemagglutination inhibition. A history of LB was reported by 1-21% and antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi were found in 7-29% of the participants from the various areas. An increasing seroprevalence with age was seen. In sera from 3 different control groups, including 502 individuals living in non-endemic areas, antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi were detected in 1-2% and from 1 control group including 150 individuals living in the city of Stockholm, in 9%. A history of TBE was reported by 0-6% of the individuals and in non-immunized individuals seropositivity was seen in 4-22%, depending on the area investigated. No antibody activity to TBEV could be detected in sera from persons in the 3 control groups living in non-endemic areas, whereas 5% of the controls from Stockholm were found to be positive. The prevalence rates of antibodies to TBEV in persons vaccinated against TBE were 40%, 53% and 79% after 1, 2 and 3 injections, respectively.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Age Distribution
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Antibodies, Bacterial/*blood
• Antibodies, Viral/*blood
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/blood
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/prevention & control
• Female
• Human
• Infant
• Lyme Disease/blood
• Lyme Disease/complications
• Lyme Disease/*epidemiology
• Lyme Disease/immunology
• Male
• Middle Age
• Prevalence
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Sweden/epidemiology
• Viral Vaccines/administration & dosage

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial)
• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

[Tick-borne encephalitis in Alsace]

Collard M,  Gut JP,  Christmann D,  Hirsch E,  Nastorg G,  Sellal F,  Haller X.

[Article in French]

Clinique Neurologique, CHU Strasbourg.

Central European tick-borne encephalitis is mainly found in Central European countries and Austria where hundreds of cases are reported each year. Apart from 2 cases diagnosed in Alsace in 1968 and 1970 respectively, this disease was hitherto unknown in France. We report 8 new cases observed in Alsace between 1985 and 1990. Clinical presentation in these 10 patients was a pure meningitis syndrome in 4 cases and meningo-encephalitis in 6 cases, very severe in 3 of them. All patients recovered rapidly, and only 3 have slight sequelae. In a seroprevalence survey conducted in 1989 among 619 professional foresters of Eastern France, 8% were found to be seropositive, which suggests that the disease is often unrecognized. A study of the large series published in Austria and in other Central European countries has shown that the prognosis of tick-borne encephalitis is not always as favourable as it was in the Alsatian cases: severe sequelae or death occur in 1 to 2% of the patients. The need for a better detection of the disease and for vaccination of the subjects at risk must be emphasized.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Aged
• Case Report
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/diagnosis
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/prevention & control
• Female
• Forestry
• France/epidemiology
• Human
• Male
• Middle Age
• Risk Factors
• Serologic Tests
• Serology
• Vaccination

[Health economics of early summer meningoencephalitis in Austria. Effects of a vaccination campaign 1981 to 1990]

Schwarz B.

[Article in German]

Institut fur Sozialmedizin, Universitat Wien.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) was until the early 1980s among the most frequent causes of viral induced central-nervous infectious diseases in Austria. Since 1981 the vaccination was forced by intensive media campaigns. Aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the media campaigns and to evaluate them under health economic criteria. The number of hospitalized TBE-cases declines from 1981 to 1990, the linear trend shows a reduction from 427 to 109. If the linear trend from 1971 to 1980 would have continued the respective number in 1990 would have been 585 cases. Thus the model shows that from 1981 to 1990 more than 50% or 2,690 out of 5,368 possible cases are prohibited, from 1991 to 2000 based on the 1990 vaccination rate approximately 85% or 500 cases annually. In the age group 7 to 14 years the proportion of protected exposed is almost 97%. The loss of quality of life is higher than represented by the inpatient statistics. Many of the TBE victims have chronic impairments, mainly due to paresis and depression. Based on the 1990 cost data economic benefits for the social insurance companies in the decade 1981 to 1990 are AS 147 millions for inpatient care, respectively AS 108 millions for loss of productivity and AS 77 millions for early retirement, resulting in total benefits of AS 331 millions. The estimated benefits for 1991 to 2000 based on 1990 cost data are AS 270 millions for inpatient care, AS 200 millions for loss of productivity, and AS 368 for early retirement (total AS 828 millions).

MeSH Terms:

• Austria/epidemiology
• Cost Control/trends
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*economics
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/prevention & control
• Flavivirus/*immunology
• Human
• Immunization Programs/*economics
• Incidence
• Length of Stay/economics
• Viral Vaccines/administration & dosage
• Viral Vaccines/*economics

Substances:

• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

[The electrophoretic mobility of the virus-specific proteins of tick-borne encephalitis virus strains isolated in different geographical regions of the CIS Nations]

Vasil'ev VV,  Zlobin VI,  Dzhivanian TI,  Karganova GG,  Verkzokhina MM,  Voronko IV,  Gusarova NA,  Lashkevich VA.

[Article in Russian]

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus strains isolated in different geographic areas were characterized by changes in electrophoretic mobility (EPM) of virus-specific proteins. Analysis of EPM of intracellular virus-specific protein E and other high molecular proteins of 42 TBE virus strains revealed similarity among the majority of them, with the exception of several strains including the Sophyin strain (Far-Eastern subtype). The most marked variability in the electrophoretic behavior of virus-specific proteins was observed with low molecular proteins prM, ns4b, ns2a.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Commonwealth of Independent States
• Comparative Study
• Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*chemistry
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Human
• Mice
• Molecular Weight
• Precipitin Tests
• Serial Passage
• Ticks/microbiology
• Viral Proteins/*analysis
• Viral Proteins/isolation & purification

Substances:

• 0 (Viral Proteins)

[Tick-borne encephalitis--a disease of our times]

Shapoval AN.

[Article in Russian]

Publication Types:

• Journal Article
• Review
• Review, Tutorial

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Arachnid Vectors/microbiology
• Disease Outbreaks
• Disease Reservoirs
• Disease Vectors
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/microbiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/transmission
• Human
• Incidence
• Sciuridae
• Ticks/microbiology
• World Health

[The etiology of Kozhevnikov's epilepsy].

Shapoval AN.

[Article in Russian]

Publication Types:

• Journal Article
• Review
• Review, Tutorial

MeSH Terms:

• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/complications
• Epilepsies, Partial/diagnosis
• Epilepsies, Partial/*epidemiology
• Human
• Syndrome

Histopathology of the experimental tick-borne encephalitis in mice.

Popovici V,  Lungu A,  Ungureanu A.

[Article in English]

Bucharest Veterinary Faculty, Romania.

This paper is concerned with the histopathology of the tick-borne encephalitis virus experimental infection in mice. The lesions observed in the kidneys, spleen, myocardium and especially in the encephalon are characteristic of severe vasculitis which could be the first and probably the most important event in the virus-induced encephalitis.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Disease Models, Animal
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*pathology
• Mice

Focal status epilepticus and epilepsia partialis continua in adults and children.

Schomer DL.

[Article in English]

Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02215.

Focal status epilepticus and epilepsia partialis continua (FSE-EPC) are most frequently seen with chronic focal progressive encephalitis of Rasmussen and Russian spring-summer encephalitis. FSE-EPC may be the presenting feature of nonketotic hyperglycemic diabetes mellitus but is more often noted as a late complication especially if there is a coexistent cerebral lesion such as cerebral infarction. FSE-EPC may be related to multiple sclerosis, primary or metastatic brain tumors, the MERRF-MELAS syndrome, benign epilepsy of childhood with rolandic spikes, and in some adults with acquired aphasia. The physiological origin of the myoclonic jerks seen in EPC is cortical and may be either spontaneous or provoked by the joint position of the affected limb. The treatment of FSE-EPC is influenced by the underlying disorder.

Publication Types:

• Journal Article
• Review
• Review, Tutorial

MeSH Terms:

• Adult
• Aphasia/complications
• Brain Neoplasms/complications
• Case Report
• Cerebral Infarction/complications
• Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent/complications
• Electroencephalography
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/complications
• Epilepsies, Partial/diagnosis
• Epilepsies, Partial/etiology
• Human
• Male
• Status Epilepticus/*diagnosis
• Status Epilepticus/etiology

Louping ill virus envelope protein expressed by recombinant baculovirus and vaccinia virus fails to stimulate protective immunity.

Shiu SY,  Reid HW,  Gould EA.

[Article in English]

NERC Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford, UK.

We have constructed recombinant baculoviruses and vaccinia viruses containing cloned DNA, encoding either the envelope protein alone or all of the structural proteins (core, membrane and envelope) of louping ill virus. Glycosylated viral envelope protein, presented both inside and on the surface of insect and mammalian cells, was expressed by all four recombinant viruses. Differences in antigenic presentation of the envelope protein were observed between the envelope protein and structural protein constructs as well as between the insect and mammalian cell expression systems. Despite the expression of epitopes known to elicit neutralizing and protective antibodies when present in authentic antigen, the recombinant envelope protein expressed by either vector failed to induce, in mice or rabbits, either neutralizing or protective antibodies against louping ill virus.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animal
• Antibodies, Viral/*biosynthesis
• Baculoviridae/genetics
• Baculoviridae/*immunology
• Base Sequence
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/growth & development
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Genes, Viral
• Genetic Vectors
• Immune Sera/chemistry
• Immunization, Passive
• Louping Ill/immunology
• Mice
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Moths/genetics
• Neutralization Tests
• Rabbits
• Recombinant Proteins/immunology
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Togaviridae Infections/immunology
• Tunicamycin/pharmacology
• Vaccinia Virus/genetics
• Vaccinia Virus/*immunology
• Viral Envelope Proteins/biosynthesis
• Viral Envelope Proteins/*immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Genetic Vectors)
• 0 (Immune Sera)
• 0 (Recombinant Proteins)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)
• 11089-65-9 (Tunicamycin)
• 134088-85-0 (Negishi virus envelope glycoprotein)

Detection of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus in Liechtenstein.

Aberham C,  Radda A,  Holzmann H,  Krech T.

[Article in English]

Institute of Medical Clinical Laboratory Testing, Schaan, Liechtenstein.

In this study, we present the first detection of a focus of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus-infected ticks in Liechtenstein. The focus is located on a much-used forest path near Vaduz, the capital of the principality. The virus isolated is a representative of the Western subtype of the TBE virus. It is thus closely related to or identical with the other strains isolated in western Europe.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Arachnid Vectors/microbiology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/classification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/transmission
• Female
• Human
• Liechtenstein/epidemiology
• Male
• Mice
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Ticks/microbiology

[Natural foci of tick-borne encephalitis in the Slovak Republic and its relation to the natural ecosystem]

Minar J.

[Article in Czech]

Statni zdravotni ustav, Praha.

To evaluate the incidence of natural foci of tick-borne encephalitis in the Slovak Republic data of the hygiene service on the morbidity from tick-borne encephalitis during the period from 1961-1988 were used as well as data from the literature and results of the author's field studies on the incidence of the common tick. The main foci of tick-borne encephalitis are in the West Slovakian region, in the Zahorske lowland, in the Vah valley up to the distrikt of Povazska Bystrica, in the area of the Low Carpathian mountains, Tribec, Vtacnik, the Nitra and Hron hills, and Kovacov hills, in the Central Slovakian region in the Krupin hills and in the East Slovakian region in the Slovak karst and Slanske hills. The incidence of common ticks and foci of tick-borne encephalitis is linked to the original oak grove communities. In Slovakia the latter comprise hornbean and oak forests, oak groves and thermophile oak forests. Areas of original communities of beech woods and spruces which grow in higher altitudes do not provide favourable conditions for the development of the common tick. Rare foci of tick-borne encephalitis of a mountainous type found in Slovakia survive probably due to the extremely favourable microclimatic conditions in these areas. Also the hygrophilous communities of alders, moorlands and dry steppes, original as well as cultivated ones, are not suitable for the common tick. This is why ticks are not found in central, northern and northeastern Slovakia, in the Rye island and lowland along the Tisa river.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

MeSH Terms:

• Czechoslovakia/epidemiology
• *Disease Reservoirs
• Ecology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Human

Infection of Macaca radiata with viruses of the tick-borne encephalitis group.

Kenyon RH,  Rippy MK,  McKee KT Jr,  Zack PM,  Peters CJ.

[Article in English]

Disease Assessment Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702-5011.

Our studies confirmed the susceptibility of Macaca radiata (bonnet macaques) to Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) and enabled us to demonstrate KFD virus-specific gastrointestinal and lymphoid lesions. Significant histopathological changes occurred in the small and large intestine, spleen and lymph nodes; and viral antigens were found in these same organs by immunohistochemistry. Viral antigen-positive cells were always associated with histological evidence of necrosis, which suggests that cell death occurred directly from viral replication or secondarily from attack by immune mechanisms. In contrast, M. radiata infected with Omsk virus did not show any signs of clinical disease, and no virus could be isolated from tissues or blood at the end of the experiment. However, M. radiata infected with Russian spring-summer encephalitis (RSSE) developed clinical signs in the central nervous system; and, in one monkey, RSSE virus was isolated from the brain, and viral antigen was localized in neurons. Our data indicate that M. radiata is an excellent model to study human disease caused by KFD virus and could serve as a model for human disease caused by other, related strains of this group of viruses.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibodies, Viral/biosynthesis
• Antigens, Viral/analysis
• Disease Models, Animal
• Disease Susceptibility
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*microbiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/pathology
• Immunohistochemistry
• Intestines/pathology
• Lymphoid Tissue/pathology
• Macaca radiata
• Vero Cells

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Antigens, Viral)

Construction and characterization of chimeric tick-borne encephalitis/dengue type 4 viruses.

Pletnev AG,  Bray M,  Huggins J,  Lai CJ.

[Article in English]

Molecular Viral Biology Section, National Insitute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892.

Dengue type 4 virus (DEN4) cDNA was used as a vector to express genes of the distantly related tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Full-length chimeric TBEV/DEN4 cDNAs were constructed by substituting TBEV genes coding for proteins such as capsid (C); pre-membrane, which is the precursor of membrane (M); envelope (E); or nonstructural protein NS1 for the corresponding DEN4 sequences. RNA transcripts prepared from cDNAs were used to transfect permissive simian cells. Two viable chimeric viruses that contained TBEV CME or ME genes were recovered. Compared with DEN4, chimeric TBE(ME)/DEN4 virus [designated vTBE(ME)/DEN4] produced larger plaques and grew to higher titer in simian cells. In contrast, vTBE(ME)/DEN4 produced smaller plaques on mosquito cells and grew to lower titer than DEN4. Analysis of viral RNA and proteins produced in vTBE(ME)/DEN4- and DEN4-infected mosquito or simian cells revealed that the chimera was restricted in its ability to enter and replicate in mosquito cells. In contrast, vTBE(ME)/DEN4 entered simian cells efficiently and its RNA was replicated more rapidly in these cells than was parental DEN4 RNA. Following intracerebral inoculation, vTBE(ME)/DEN4 caused fatal encephalitis in both suckling and adult mice, while nearly all mice inoculated by the same route with DEN4 did not develop disease. Unlike wild-type TBEV, vTBE(ME)/DEN4 did not cause encephalitis when adult mice were inoculated by a peripheral route. Adult mice previously inoculated with the chimera by a peripheral route were completely resistant to subsequent intraperitoneal challenge with 10(3) times the median lethal dose of TBEV, whereas mice previously inoculated with DEN4 were not protected. These findings indicate that (i) the TBEV M and E genes of the chimeric virus are major protective antigens and induce resistance to lethal TBEV challenge and (ii) other regions of the TBEV genome are essential for the ability of this virus to spread from a peripheral site to the brain. Success in constructing a viable TBEV/DEN4 chimera that retains the protective antigens of TBEV but lacks its peripheral invasiveness provides a strategy for the development of live attenuated TBEV vaccines.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animal
• Base Sequence
• Cell Line
• *Chimera
• DNA, Viral/genetics
• Dengue Virus/*genetics
• Dengue Virus/growth & development
• Dengue Virus/pathogenicity
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/growth & development
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/pathogenicity
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/microbiology
• Female
• *Genes, Viral
• Genome, Viral
• Introns
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Plaque Assay
• RNA, Viral/biosynthesis
• Transcription, Genetic
• Viral Proteins/biosynthesis
• Virulence

Substances:

• 0 (DNA, Viral)
• 0 (RNA, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Proteins)

[Differences in the distant transmission of the tick-borne encephalitis virus by ixodid ticks of 2 subfamilies]

Alekseev AN,  Chunikhin SP.

[Article in Russian]

Simultaneous but separate feeding of ticks on nonviremic animal (guinea pig) has shown that Amblyomminae ticks are practically unable to transmit distantly tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) to the specimens of their own subfamily and to Ixodinae as well. Ixodes persulcatus and I. ricinus displayed their ability as donors and recipients of TBEV (adults and nymphs) not only for their own subfamily representatives but also as donors for recipients of Amblyomminae subfamily (nymphs and adults of Dermacentor and Rhipicephalus and nymphs of Haemaphysalis). Experimental and literature data analysis permits the authors to conclude that the very important role of TBEV circulation in nature belongs to the distant virus transmission. The absence of such type of virus exchange among Amblyomminae excludes this group of ticks from active virus circulation in TBEV foci.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Arachnid Vectors/classification
• Arachnid Vectors/*microbiology
• Comparative Study
• Dermacentor/microbiology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*pathogenicity
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/parasitology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*transmission
• Guinea Pigs
• Host-Parasite Relations
• Nymph/microbiology
• Ticks/classification
• Ticks/*microbiology

[Arbovirus antibodies in wild game caught in Moravia]

Juricova Z.

[Article in Czech]

Ustav systematicke a ekologicke biologie CSAV, Brno.

The HIT method was used to examine blood serums of the game in Moravia (roebuck, red deer, fallow deer, mouflon, wild boar, brown hare) for the presence of antibodies to arboviruses of these groups: alphavirus (Sindbis-SIN), flavivirus (West Nile-WN), tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Bunyamwera (Tahyna-TAH, Calovo-CVO). Antibodies to all viruses were detected, and namely in these frequencies: SIN 0.9%, WN 16.9%, TAH 41.5%, CVO 23.1% and TBE 8.5%.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Animals, Wild/*immunology
• Antibodies, Viral/*analysis
• Arboviruses/*immunology
• Czechoslovakia
• Mammals/immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

Two-year survey of the incidence of Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis in a high-risk population in Sweden.

Gustafson R,  Svenungsson B,  Forsgren M,  Gardulf A,  Granstrom M.

[Article in English]

Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.

A survey was made over a two-year period (September 1987 to August 1989) of a population living in an area endemic for Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis in Sweden. For each patient a blood sample was collected and a questionnaire completed annually. All sera were tested for an antibody response to Borrelia burgdorferi in an EIA using sonicated antigen and for an antibody response to the tick-borne encephalitis virus using an EIA and a haemagglutination inhibition test. Antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi and tick-borne encephalitis virus were detected in 89 (25.7%) and 40 (11.6%) respectively of 346 samples collected in August 1987. In the first year of the study 14 of 303 subjects (4.6%) developed Lyme borreliosis and in the second year 9 of 277 subjects (3.2%). A significant increase in the antibody titre for Borrelia burgdorferi was seen in 14 of 303 (4.6%) subjects in the first year and 8 of 277 (2.9%) subjects in the second year. An earlier episode of Lyme borreliosis or an elevated antibody titre did not seem to protect against reinfection. One case of tick-borne encephalitis was seen each year. Seroconversion for tick-borne encephalitis virus was found in 3 of 258 (1.2%) subjects in the first year and 5 of 211 (2.4%) in the second year, excluding subjects who had undergone successful immunisation or had earlier been hospitalised for tick-borne encephalitis. The study thus demonstrated a high yearly incidence of tick-borne infections in a population at risk.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Animal
• Antibodies, Bacterial/blood
• Antibodies, Viral/blood
• *Arachnid Vectors
• Bites and Stings/epidemiology
• Borrelia burgdorferi/immunology
• Borrelia burgdorferi/isolation & purification
• Child
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/prevention & control
• Erythema Chronicum Migrans/epidemiology
• Female
• Human
• Immunoenzyme Techniques
• Incidence
• Lyme Disease/*epidemiology
• Lyme Disease/immunology
• Male
• Middle Age
• Prospective Studies
• Questionnaires
• Risk Factors
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Sweden/epidemiology
• *Ticks/microbiology
• Vaccination
• Viral Vaccines

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial)
• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

[Relation of foci of tick-borne encephalitis to original plant associations in the Czech Republic]

Minar J.

[Article in Czech]

Statni zdravotni ustav, Praha.

Based on reports of the hygiene service on the morbidity from tick-borne encephalitis during the period of 1953-1987, data in the literature and results of the authors' field research on the incidence of ticks, the authors defined foci of the disease. In Bohemia there is an extensive important focus of tick-borne encephalitis in the Central Bohemian region in the Krivoklat area, along the Berounka river, along the mid Vltava river and lower Sazava river, in the area of the Brdy mountains and Czech Karst, linked in the South along the Vltava river to foci in the South Bohemian region in the districts of Pisek and Ceske Budejovice and in the West linked along the Berounka river with the focus in the central part of the West Bohemian region. In the North Bohemian region and East Bohemian region, only minor separate relict foci of tick-borne encephalitis were found. In Moravia there are extensive foci of tick-borne encephalitis in the North Moravian region in the districts of Opava and Bruntal, in the South Moravian region in its central and southern parts. The foci in Bohemia are separated from foci in neighbouring countries, foci in Moravia are continuous with those in Poland and Austria. It was proved that ticks and the revealed foci of tick-borne encephalitis in the Czech Republic are in areas of original oak groves. Areas of beech woods, even those which are below areas where ticks are found, i.e. lower that 700 m above sea level, do not offer favourable conditions for ticks andare not foci of tick-borne encephalitis. Assessment of areas with regard to the prevailing flora and fauna proved a useful method of prediction of the occurrence of ticks and foci of disease they transmit.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Czechoslovakia/epidemiology
• *Disease Reservoirs
• Ecology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Human
• *Plants
• *Ticks

Tick-borne encephalitis in a 3-month-old child.

Grubbauer HM,  Dornbusch HJ,  Spork D,  Zobel G,  Trop M,  Zenz W.

[Article in English]

Department of Paediatrics, University of Graz, Austria.

Tick-borne encephalitis has not been reported in infants younger than 12 months of age. We report a 3.5-month-old child with a serologically proven tick-borne encephalitis. The infant had a history of a tick bite 3.5 weeks before the first symptoms of encephalitis appeared. The family lives in an endemic area of the disease. There were no prodromal signs and the course of the disease was monophasic. In an endemic area, prophylactic treatment with hyperimmunoglobulin after a tick bite should be considered even in very young infants, but in most children active immunization is probably not necessary because of infrequent exposure. Active immunization is still recommended after the 1st year of life.

MeSH Terms:

• Age Factors
• Case Report
• *Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/blood
• *Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/diagnosis
• Female
• Human
• Infant

Cellular and humoral immune responses in haemophiliacs after vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis.

Wolf HM,  Pum M,  Jager R,  Istvan L,  Mannhalter JW,  Eibl MM.

[Article in English]

Institute of Immunology, University of Vienna, Austria.

The primary immune response to a viral antigen (tick-borne encephalitis, TBE) has been determined in haemophiliacs. Twelve HIV-negative and four clinically asymptomatic, HIV-positive haemophiliacs as well as 16 age-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Antibody responses after TBE vaccination were comparable in HIV-negative haemophiliacs and controls; however, antibody titres in HIV-infected haemophiliacs were significantly lower after completion of the three-dose vaccination schedule (geometric mean reciprocal antibody titres (SEM): controls, 193 (1.37), HIV-positive haemophiliacs, 13 (2.18), P < 0.005). TBE vaccination failed to induce a T cell proliferative response in the HIV-positive haemophiliacs. While in HIV-negative patients the antigen-specific lymphoproliferative responses after primary and one booster vaccination were comparable to those of the controls, cellular responses were decreased in HIV-negative haemophiliacs following a second booster immunization 19 months after primary immunization (3H-thymidine incorporation, delta dpm, mean +/- SEM: controls, 34662 +/- 7129, HIV-negative haemophiliacs, 14339 +/- 7420, P < 0.005). As the protective mechanisms for TBE infection are not yet completely understood, further work will be necessary to determine whether the decreased capacity to mount a sufficient long-term cellular memory response in HIV-negative haemophiliacs might be important for the protective effect of TBE vaccination in this population.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Antibodies, Viral/biosynthesis
• Antigens, Viral/immunology
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/prevention & control
• HIV Seropositivity/immunology
• Hemophilia A/*immunology
• Hemophilia B/*immunology
• Human
• Immunity, Cellular
• Immunoglobulins/analysis
• Middle Age
• *Vaccination

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Antigens, Viral)
• 0 (Immunoglobulins)

Peroral immunization of adult white mice with the Skalica strain from the tick-borne encephalitis virus complex.

Eleckova E,  Gresikova M.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava.

Adult white mice immunized perorally with the infectious Skalica strain from the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus complex did not show any clinical symptoms of illness. 56% of experimental animals immunized with two doses of the Skalica virus (the titer of virus was 6 x 10(10) LD50) were protected against the challenge with the Hypr strain of TBE virus. All mice immunized with the Skalica virus and having haemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies higher than 1:80 survived the challenge with the given dose of virulent TBE virus. No differences in the immunogenicity and protectivity were observed in experimental animals infected with infectious Skalica virus by oesophageal probe, or by drinking virus-containing medium. A higher protective activity against the virulent Hypr virus was observed in adult white mice immunized subcutaneously with the Skalica virus.

MeSH Terms:

• Administration, Oral
• Animal
• Antibodies, Viral/biosynthesis
• Comparative Study
• Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/classification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/prevention & control
• Injections, Subcutaneous
• Mice
• Vaccination/*methods
• Viral Vaccines/*immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

Meningoradiculitis due to tickborne encephalitis virus in France.

Lortholary O,  Dupont B,  Eliaszewicz M,  Chippaux A,  Rodhain F.

[Article in English]

Publication Types:

• Letter

MeSH Terms:

• Adult
• Antibodies, Viral/blood
• Antibodies, Viral/cerebrospinal fluid
• Case Report
• Ceftriaxone/therapeutic use
• Cranial Nerve Diseases/microbiology
• Diagnosis, Differential
• *Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• France
• Human
• IgM/analysis
• Lyme Disease/diagnosis
• Male
• Meningitis, Viral/diagnosis
• Meningitis, Viral/drug therapy
• Meningitis, Viral/*microbiology
• Radiculopathy/diagnosis
• Radiculopathy/drug therapy
• Radiculopathy/*microbiology
• Vestibulocochlear Nerve

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (IgM)
• 73384-59-5 (Ceftriaxone)

Nucleotide sequence of the envelope glycoprotein of Negishi virus shows very close homology to louping ill virus.

Venugopal K,  Buckley A,  Reid HW,  Gould EA.

[Article in English]

Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Negishi virus, a member of the family Flaviviridae, was originally isolated in Japan, during an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis. Antigenically, however, Negishi virus resembles the tick-borne rather than the mosquito-borne flaviviruses. Monoclonal antibodies that bind louping ill virus showed a close antigenic relationship between louping ill and Negishi virus. The genes encoding the envelope glycoprotein of Negishi virus (strain 3248/49/P10) and louping ill virus (strain SB526) were cloned and sequenced. They showed a very close homology at both the nucleotide and deduced amino acid levels. Comparison with the known sequence of another strain of louping ill virus (strain 369/T2) and with other tick-borne flaviviruses showed that Negishi virus was more closely related to louping ill virus than to the other tick-borne viruses. The significance of this observation for virus evolution, virus distribution in the environment, and the potential use of nucleotide sequencing for rapid and precise identification of flaviviruses are discussed.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Base Sequence
• Comparative Study
• DNA, Viral
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Flavivirus/*genetics
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
• Viral Envelope Proteins/*genetics

Substances:

• 0 (DNA, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Envelope Proteins)
• 134088-85-0 (Negishi virus envelope glycoprotein)

Secondary Source ID:

• GENBANK/M94956
• GENBANK/M94957

[A trial at using the systemic action of ivermectin for suppressing the vector capacity of ticks (Ixodidae) infected with the tick-borne encephalitis virus]

Alekseev AN,  Chunikhin SP,  Stefutkina LF.

[Article in Russian]

Adult Dermacentor marginatus hatched from nymphs infected with TBE virus and poisoned with ivermectin retain their vector abilities. Even small individuals with a 1.5-2 times lesser mass as against the reference mass contain the virus in the body in the same titers and the virions in salivary gland alveoli. Administration of an oil solution of ivermectin into the stomach of white mice, nymph feeders, in a dose surpassing threefold the dose recommended for intramuscular injection of this agent completely suppressed shedding of intact nymphs but did not suppress it in those infected. The nymph mass, size and mass of adult ticks hatched from them dropped under the effect of ivermectin dosage build-up in both intact and infected ticks, but these processes were slower in ticks infected with TBE virus. The authors suggest that the ticks infected with TBE virus are much more resistant to the process of gamma-aminobutyric acid depression, the mechanism of ivermectin action. They emphasize the necessity of bearing in mind the possible differences in the reactions to systemic poisons of intact and infected ticks when organizing vector control measures.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• *Arachnid Vectors/microbiology
• Comparative Study
• Depression, Chemical
• Dermacentor/microbiology
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• *Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• *Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/ultrastructure
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/prevention & control
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/transmission
• Feeding Behavior
• Female
• *Ivermectin
• Male
• Mice
• Nymph/microbiology
• *Ticks/microbiology

Substances:

• 70288-86-7 (Ivermectin)

[The geographical distribution of genetic variants of the tick-borne encephalitis virus]

Zlobin VI,  Shamanin VA,  Drokin DA,  Dzhioev IP,  Voronko IV,  Mel'nikova OV,  Gusarova NA,  Vikhoreva TV,  Kozlova IV.

[Article in Russian]

Geographic distribution of 185 tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus strains isolated in 8 physico-geographic areas and classified into six genetic variants was analysed. The strains of genetic variant I homologous to the Sophyin prototype strain were found to occur predominantly in the Far East and also frequently found in Western and North-Western parts of the East European plain. The vast territories from lake Baikal in the East to Ukraine in the West harbor mostly the strains significantly different from the Far-Eastern Sophyin strain. Hybridization experiments with oligonucleotide probes specific for the Neudorffle strain showed that the strains genetically similar to the virus of central European encephalitis occurred also in Eastern Europe and Western Siberia. It is concluded that a relationship exists between genetic types of TBE virus and their geographic origin.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Animals, Newborn
• Comparative Study
• DNA/genetics
• DNA Probes/genetics
• DNA, Viral/genetics
• Disease Reservoirs
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Genome, Viral
• Mice
• Oligonucleotide Probes/genetics
• RNA, Viral/genetics
• Russia
• Ticks/microbiology
• Variation (Genetics)/*genetics

Substances:

• 0 (DNA Probes)
• 0 (DNA, Viral)
• 0 (Oligonucleotide Probes)
• 0 (RNA, Viral)
• 9007-49-2 (DNA)

[The specific reactivity of cDNA and deoxyoligonucleotide probes, complementary to the tick-borne encephalitis virus genome, with the RNA of strains of different geographical origins]

Zlobin VI,  Shamanin VA,  Pletnev AG,  Drokin DA,  Dzhioev IP,  Voronko IV,  Mel'nikova OV,  Gusarova NA.

[Article in Russian]

Hybridization experiments with RNA of 143 tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus strains isolated in different parts of the distribution area were used to study the reactivity of kDNA- and a set of 10 synthetic deoxyoligonucleotide probes. The kDNA probe under certain conditions was shown to hybridize with RNA of all the strains under study, and under other (strict) hybridization conditions did so selectively with a small number of strains. The capacity of oligonucleotide probes for hybridization with RNA of TBE virus strains varied from 12% to 100%. The differences in the hybridization activity of kDNA- and oligonucleotide probes complementary to the genomes of the Sophyin strain (Far-Eastern subtype) and Neudorffle strain (Western subtype) with TBE virus strains were used for differentiation of the strains into six genetic variants. Comparison of the reactivity of molecular probes in experiments with RNA of TBE virus strains and viruses of the TBE complex showed that the differences of the strains belonging to different genetic variants from the prototype Sophyin strain were comparable to those of some members of the TBE complex, with the exception of Powassan virus. These data attest to the necessity of further studies dealing with specification of the taxonomy of TBE complex viruses.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Base Sequence
• Comparative Study
• DNA/*genetics
• DNA Probes/*genetics
• DNA, Viral/*genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• *Genome, Viral
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Nucleic Acid Hybridization/methods
• Oligonucleotide Probes/*genetics
• RNA, Viral/*genetics
• RNA, Viral/isolation & purification
• Russia
• Ticks/microbiology
• Variation (Genetics)/genetics

Substances:

• 0 (DNA Probes)
• 0 (DNA, Viral)
• 0 (Oligonucleotide Probes)
• 0 (RNA, Viral)
• 9007-49-2 (DNA)

[The effectiveness of lanthanide immunofluorescence and immunoenzyme analyses in differentiating viruses of the tick-borne encephalitis complex]

Pomelova VG,  Zavodchikova EN,  Lavrova NA,  Kovalenko VA,  Gaidamovich SI.

[Article in Russian]

Comparison of the efficacy of time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TR-FIA) and two variants of enzyme immunoassay: conventional (EIA-1) and one using biotin-streptavidin system (EIA-2), in differentiation of viruses of the tick-borne encephalitis complex showed that, their specificity being similar, the TR-FIA method was 2-4 times as sensitive as EIA-2 and 8-32 times as sensitive as EIA-1. When the reactivity of the antigens was assessed by titers, the differentiating capacity was found to be similar and to depend upon the specificity of "sandwich"-forming antibodies and the sensitivity of the immunoassay. When the reactivity of the antigens was assessed by relative reactivity in 4 test systems of different compositions, the differentiating capacity of TR-FIA was higher than that of EIA-1 and EIA-2 which allowed additional differentiation of 2 groups of viruses on the basis of qualitative characteristics of reactivity.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Animals, Newborn
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antibodies, Viral/isolation & purification
• Antigens, Viral/analysis
• Comparative Study
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*isolation & purification
• Evaluation Studies
• Fluoroimmunoassay/*methods
• *Immunoenzyme Techniques
• Metals, Rare Earth/*diagnostic use
• Mice
• Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Monoclonal)
• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Antigens, Viral)
• 0 (Metals, Rare Earth)

[Endangering of the Liechtenstein population by the early-summer meningoencephalitis virus]

Krech T,  Aberham C,  Risch G,  Kunz C.

[Article in German]

Institut fur Medizinische Labordiagnostik Schaan, Liechtenstein.

There have been a few severe cases of tick-borne encephalitis in Liechtenstein during the last 20 years. To form a better idea of the risk of infection and the potential benefit of vaccination, a total of 311 sera from different cohorts were investigated for antibodies to tick-borne encephalitis. The mean seroprevalence found was 3.6% and was not higher even in persons who were active in professional forestry. The antibodies measured derived in all groups mainly from previous vaccination and in only 2 cases (0.6%) from natural infection. It is concluded that the risk of TbE infection in Liechtenstein is very low. Therefore, a reduction in cases would probably be achieved only by mass vaccination.

MeSH Terms:

• Antibodies, Viral/isolation & purification
• Cohort Studies
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Human
• Liechtenstein/epidemiology
• *Seroepidemiologic Studies
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

[Transfusion-associated non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis caused by flaviviruses]

Takacs M,  Berencsi G,  Mezey I,  Muranyine Brojnas J,  Barcsay E,  Ferenczi E,  Hollos I,  Domok I.

[Article in Hungarian]

Virologiai Osztaly, Johan Bela Orszagos Kozegeszsegugyi Intezet, Budapest.

Hepatitis C virus was shown to be a member of the flavivirus family. Tick-borne encephalitis virus and West Nile virus, members of the same family occur in Hungary, too. Serum samples from patients suffering from transfusion associated hepatitis were tested with yellow fever virus antigens for specific IgG, and IgM using immunofluorescence test. Eight hundred serum samples were tested. Yellow fever virus related IgG antibodies were found in 232 sera. In the case of 72 patients specific IgM antibodies could also be detected. The majority of the IgM positive patients underwent surgical operation and/or blood transfusion 1 to 2 months before the onset of the disease. Fifty-four sera positive for yellow fever virus-related antibodies were tested with HCV reagents, but only 13 were found to be positive, or cross-reacting. The 20 patients with yellow fever related antibodies were controlled with tick-borne encephalitis antigens, too. Nevertheless, no measurable cross-reaction could be detected. No measurable cross-reaction could be detected with the West Nile virus. The hepatitis B markers also were tested in 44 sera positive for yellow fever antibodies. There was only one, which contained HBsAg, and 10 of them proved to be positive for anti-HBcAg. The results indicate, that a non-A, non-B, non-C flavivirus is also present in the Hungarian population, which can be detected on the basis of the antigenic cross-reactivity with the attenuated yellow fever virus. This virus seems to be responsible for every 11th transfusion associated hepatitis examined.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

MeSH Terms:

• Blood Transfusion/*adverse effects
• Flavivirus/isolation & purification
• Flavivirus/*pathogenicity
• Hepatitis, Viral, Human/diagnosis
• Hepatitis, Viral, Human/*etiology
• Hepatitis, Viral, Human/immunology
• Hepatitis, Viral, Human/microbiology
• Human
• Hungary/epidemiology
• IgG/immunology
• IgM/immunology
• Immunologic Tests
• Togaviridae Infections/epidemiology
• Togaviridae Infections/etiology
• Togaviridae Infections/immunology
• Togaviridae Infections/*microbiology

Substances:

• 0 (IgG)
• 0 (IgM)

Epidemiology and ecology of tick-borne encephalitis in the eastern part of Germany between 1960 and 1990 and studies on the dynamics of a natural focus of tick-borne encephalitis.

Suss J,  Sinnecker H,  Sinnecker R,  Berndt D,  Zilske E,  Dedek G,  Apitzsch L.

[Article in English]

Institute for Veterinary Medicine of the Federal Health Office, Section of Viral Zoonoses, Berlin, Germany.

From 1960 to 1990, attempts to isolate TBE virus from ticks and small mammals were made and investigations to detect TBE antibody in small mammals, game and humans were performed in the five new federal Lander of Germany. The confirmed TBE cases for which the site of exposure could be determined were also registered. As a result of these epidemiological and ecological investigations, a map is presented showing the natural foci of TBE which are primarily located in the subatlantic and mountainous climatic regions. TBE was endemic in the area of investigation from 1960 to 1990 showing a morbidity of up to 0.7 per 100,000 inhabitants which decreased in recent years to 0.02 per 100,000 inhabitants. The natural foci of TBE virus in eastern Germany showed a high activity between 1960 and 1970. Since that time, there have hardly been any cases of human disease and TBE virus could no longer be detected, neither in ticks nor in small mammals. Taking the natural focus on the Island of Usedom as an example, attempts have been made to elucidate whether such foci have become extinct or whether they have persisted. From 1983 to 1989, a surveillance programme was performed to detect antibodies to TBE virus in small mammals and game and to attempt to culture virus from ticks and small mammals. The attempts to isolate virus from a total of 8200 ticks were negative. Attempts to isolate virus from the brains of small mammals were also negative. Antibody prevalence in 446 small mammals and 500 animals of game was ca. 1%. At one site, the sero-positive reactions converted from 0% (1983-1988) to 4.5% (1989) among small mammals population. The investigations performed on the Island of Usedom have shown that this natural focus has not disappeared but is in a state of endemic latency. Moreover, the seroconversion observed in the small mammals population shows that further surveillance of such foci is necessary. This becomes obvious by the sporadic occurrence of single TBE cases as well as by a low antibody prevalence of 1% in small mammals and game. The epidemiological situation in eastern Germany is thus completely different from that in western Germany where an average of 70-120 TBE cases per year are registered, occurring mainly in Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibodies, Viral/*blood
• Chick Embryo
• *Disease Reservoirs
• Ecology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Fibroblasts
• Germany, East/epidemiology
• Human
• Mammals/*microbiology
• Mice
• Morbidity
• Prevalence
• Seroepidemiologic Studies

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

[The age-related structure of an Ixodes ricinus population studied by using a rapid anatomical method]

Razumova IV.

[Article in Russian]

A rapid anatomic method for the assessment of the physiologic age of ticks and their virtual age was used in studies of the age structure of a natural population of I. ricinus in the Moscow region. The anatomic method was found quite fit for the purpose. The findings evidence that the age structure of I. ricinus (active imago) population is heterogeneous with variously directed seasonal fluctuations. In spring the structure is the youngest (up to 60% of imagoes are in the second age, 8 months) and in the fall the females are mainly old, just starting to get younger (up to 90% are in the third and fourth ages, that is, aged a year). The structure is liable to changes with seasons and years. Geographic differences in the age structures were revealed: in the fall the Moscow region population is generally older than that of the St. Petersburg region. The anatomic method widens the potentialities of studying the age structure of the populations of tick-borne encephalitis vectors.

MeSH Terms:

• Aging
• Animal
• Comparative Study
• Entomology/methods
• Female
• Male
• Russia
• Seasons
• Ticks/anatomy & histology
• Ticks/*physiology

[The participation of birds in the circulation of the tick-borne encephalitis virus in the Asian part of Russia. 1. Natural foci in the Far East]

Kislenko GS,  Korotkov IS,  Chunikhin SP.

[Article in Russian]

Virologic examinations of 811 samples of 70 species and of 81 ova from layings of 11 bird species, carried out in natural foci of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in the southern Maritime [correction of Primorye] Territory, yielded negative results; serologic examinations revealed a low level of the immune stratum to TBE virus even in the birds feeding on the soil or on grass and shrubberies, that is, belonging to the first and second ecologic groups (0.8 +/- 0.4%). A difference has been demonstrated between the shares of TBE immune samples in the first and second+third (birds feeding on trees but sometimes on soil) +fourth (feeding on trees, in air, out of forests, on animals) ecological groups of birds, as well as between the first+second and third+fourth groups.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Animals, Newborn
• Antibodies, Viral/blood
• Birds/immunology
• Birds/*microbiology
• Disease Reservoirs
• *Disease Vectors
• Ecology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*isolation & purification
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*transmission
• Mice
• Siberia
• Ticks/microbiology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

[Ixodid ticks in the mountainous part of the Crimea]

Markeshin SI,  Evstaf'ev IL,  Kovin VV,  Evstratov IV.

[Article in Russian]

About a hundred of patients with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) were recorded over the latest decade in the Crimea, and 60 TBE virus strains were isolated from the ticks collected on the peninsula. The results of studies carried out in 1986-1990 helped define the borders of 4 local natural foci of TBE, study their acarifauna, detect the principal TBE vector--Ixodes ricinus (with a mean virophority of 0.6%), and distinguish two foci with a combination of TBE and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

MeSH Terms:

• Altitude
• Animal
• *Arachnid Vectors/microbiology
• Disease Reservoirs
• Ecology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/transmission
• Female
• Male
• Population Density
• Seasons
• *Ticks/microbiology
• Ukraine

[The degree of virulence in Far Eastern strains of the tick-borne encephalitis virus]

Muratkina SM,  Leonova GN.

[Article in Russian]

Screening of immunomodulating properties of 45 tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus strains isolated in the southern part of the Soviet Far East was carried out. TBE virus strains were found to have different effects on the immune responsiveness of host splenocytes. Over 90% of the strains isolated from hematothermals could inhibit the immune response of the host to a heterologous antigen (sheep erythrocytes); similar properties were found in 5 strains isolated from ticks. At the same time, most strains isolated from the vectors were unable to modulate the immune response of antibody-producing cells and 3 strains even had immunostimulating properties. The existence of significant correlation (r = -0.57; p < 0.01) between the immunomodulating activity of a strain and peripheral virulence of the virus for white mice indicates that the immunomodulation parameter may be used as another pathogenetic marker. This marker and that of the peripheral activity served the basis for creation, by means of the mathematical method of discrimination analysis, of a new pathogenetic characteristic--a single marker of strain virulence.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibody-Producing Cells/immunology
• Antigenic Modulation/immunology
• Antigens, Viral/immunology
• Birds/microbiology
• Brain/microbiology
• Comparative Study
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*pathogenicity
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/microbiology
• Epitopes/immunology
• Human
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Rodentia/microbiology
• Siberia
• Ticks/microbiology
• Virulence/immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Antigens, Viral)
• 0 (Epitopes)

[Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis in the Central Slovakia Region using a Soviet vaccine]

Palanova A,  Gresikova M,  Sekeyova M,  Potheova A,  Galvanek I,  Januska J.

[Article in Slovak]

Krajska hygienicka stanica, Banska Bystrica.

During the period between 1986 and 1989 in the region 1311 people working in forestry were vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis by the inactivated Soviet vaccine. Only some of the people had prevaccination examinations only in some reactogenity of the vaccine was investigated as well as the persistence of humoral antibodies one and two years after the basic vaccination. These examinations in some of the vaccinated subjects were made in autumn 1986 and spring 1987. After two doses of vaccine in the haemagglutination-inhibition test (HIT) the seroconversion was 77% (of 182 evaluated) with a geometric mean of 37.9. One year after the primary vaccination in 53% of the examined subjects the titre of humoral antibodies dropped to negative values. Two years after the primary vaccination in the HIT antibodies were detected in 44% of 57 examined subjects. None of the immunized subjects contracted tick-borne encephalitis.

MeSH Terms:

• Antibodies, Viral/analysis
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*prevention & control
• Forestry
• Human
• Occupational Diseases/prevention & control
• *Vaccination
• *Viral Vaccines

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

Cloning and sequence analysis of the genes encoding the nonstructural proteins of Langat virus and comparative analysis with other flaviviruses.

Iacono-Connors LC,  Schmaljohn CS.

[Article in English]

Virology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland 21702-5011.

Langat virus, a member of the family Flaviviridae is antigenically very similar to highly pathogenic tick-borne encephalitis viruses. We cloned and sequenced the complete nonstructural gene-coding region of Langat virus (strain TP21) and compared the deduced amino acid sequences of each nonstructural protein to those of other flaviviruses. By alignment with the reported amino acid sequences of the nonstructural proteins of several flaviviruses, we were able to predict proteolytic cleavage sites and identify sequence motifs, which are highly conserved among flaviviruses. Sequence similarity calculations revealed that the NS3 and NS5 proteins are the most highly conserved of the flavivirus nonstructural proteins. The NS3 and NS5 proteins of Langat virus contained specific peptide sequences that have been demonstrated to be associated with helicase or polymerase activities, respectively. The NS1 protein of Langat virus displayed complete homology of potential N-linked glycosylation sites and cysteine residues with the NS1 proteins of other tick-borne flaviviruses, suggesting a highly conserved NS1 protein structure. The data presented in this report serve to complete the entire sequence of the Langat virus-coding region and provide the basis for comparison of this naturally attenuated virus to the other highly virulent tick-borne flaviviruses.

MeSH Terms:

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Base Sequence
• Capsid/*genetics
• Cloning, Molecular
• Comparative Study
• DNA/genetics
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Evolution
• Flavivirus/*genetics
• *Genes, Structural, Viral
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Proteins/genetics
• Viral Core Proteins/*genetics
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins

Substances:

• 0 (Capsid)
• 0 (Proteins)
• 0 (Viral Core Proteins)
• 0 (Viral Nonstructural Proteins)
• 9007-49-2 (DNA)

[The tick and its region of infection transmission in 1991]

Holmgren EB,  Forsgren M.

[Article in Swedish]

Infektionsklinikerna, Roslagstulls sjukhus, Stockholm.

MeSH Terms:

• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/prevention & control
• Human
• Risk Factors
• Sweden/epidemiology

[Simultaneous infection with Borrelia burgdorferi--FSME virus]

Abshagen R,  Bahr J.

[Article in German]

Publication Types:

• Letter

MeSH Terms:

• Antibodies, Bacterial/analysis
• Antibodies, Viral/analysis
• Borrelia burgdorferi/immunology
• Case Report
• Child
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*complications
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Female
• Human
• Lyme Disease/*complications
• Lyme Disease/immunology
• Meningitis/*complications
• Meningitis/immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial)
• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

Detection of tick-borne encephalitis virus in ixodid ticks collected in natural foci by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay.

Pomelova VG,  Lavrova NA,  Gaidamovich SY,  Navolokin OV,  Halonen P,  Sokolova MV,  Kharitonenkov IG.

[Article in English]

Ivanovsky Institute of Virology of the U.S.S.R. AMS, Moscow.

Time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TR-FIA) was used for the first time for evaluation of infestation of ixodid ticks with tick-borne encephalitis virus. Comparison of TR-FIA results with those obtained in enzyme immunoassay and by virus isolation confirmed the high efficacy of the method in question. Positive results of TR-FIA coincided with the data of virus isolation in 83.6% cases, the level of false-negative results did not exceed 1.2%, the overall time consumption amounted to about 1.2 hr.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antigens, Viral/analysis
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*diagnosis
• Fluoroimmunoassay/*methods
• Immunoenzyme Techniques
• Ticks/*microbiology

Substances:

• 0 (Antigens, Viral)

[Clinical aspects of early summer meningoencephalitis in Styria]

Kock T,  Stunzner D,  Freidl W,  Pierer K.

[Article in German]

Neurologische Universitatsklinik, Graz.

117 cases of clinically manifest tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in Styria, Austria, the years 1987 to 1990 are reported in terms relevant anamnestic data, clinical findings (meningitis, meningoencephalitis, meningoradiculitis) and course. The geographic distribution corresponds to the known endemic areas for TBE in Styria. We found a significant decrease of incidence. The prognosis of the disease was benign in general; more than 80% ran a course free from complications. A small proportion (5%), however, suffer from severe residual handicap. These patients are subsumed under the group of meningo-radiculitides. Two patients (1.8%) acquired the disease despite having been vaccinated regularly.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Antibodies, Viral/cerebrospinal fluid
• Austria/epidemiology
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*diagnosis
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/epidemiology
• Female
• Human
• Incidence
• Male
• Middle Age
• Neurologic Examination

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)

High-level expression of the tick-borne encephalitis virus NS1 protein by using an adenovirus-based vector: protection elicited in a murine model.

Jacobs SC,  Stephenson JR,  Wilkinson GW.

[Article in English]

Biologics Division, Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Porton Down, Salisbury, United Kingdom.

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) encodes an abundant, highly immunogenic nonstructural glycoprotein, NS1. The function of this protein has yet to be determined. We have cloned the NS1 gene from the Neudorfl strain of TBEV under the control of the powerful constitutive cytomegalovirus major immediate-early promoter into an adenovirus E1 deletion mutant. The novel combination of the cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter and the adenovirus vector produced extremely high levels of NS1 expression in cells which do not support replication of the adenovirus deletion mutant. The recombinant protein was shown to be indistinguishable from authentic TBEV NS1 in its (i) apparent molecular weight by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, (ii) glycosylation pattern, (iii) ability to form high-molecular-weight complexes, and (iv) ability to be secreted from cells. Appropriate processing of NS1 expressed by the adenovirus recombinant occurred independently of any additional TBEV-encoded gene function. When directly inoculated into mice, the recombinant adenovirus RAd51 was shown to elicit an antibody response to the TBEV NS1 protein. Immunization with RAd51 conferred protection against challenge with TBEV.

MeSH Terms:

• Adenoviridae/*genetics
• Animal
• Base Sequence
• Capsid/*genetics
• Capsid/metabolism
• Cloning, Molecular
• DNA, Viral
• Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*genetics
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*prevention & control
• Fluorescent Antibody Technique
• Gene Expression Regulation, Viral
• Genetic Vectors
• Glycosylation
• Human
• Immunization
• Kinetics
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Viral Core Proteins/*genetics
• Viral Core Proteins/metabolism
• Viral Nonstructural Proteins
• Viral Vaccines/administration & dosage

Substances:

• 0 (Capsid)
• 0 (DNA, Viral)
• 0 (Genetic Vectors)
• 0 (Viral Core Proteins)
• 0 (Viral Nonstructural Proteins)
• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

The Alsatian tick-borne encephalitis focus: presence of the virus among ticks and small mammals.

Perez-Eid C,  Hannoun C,  Rodhain F.

[Article in English]

Unite d'Ecologie des Systemes Vectoriels, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.

An extensive epidemiologic survey was carried out from 1970 to 1974 in order to understand the condition of circulation of tick-borne encephalitis virus between ticks and small mammals in the Alsatian focus, France. The virus has been isolated from Ixodes ricinus adult ticks (30 lots out of 369, representing a total of 5617 ticks), and from Ixodes ricinus nymphs (4 lots out of 251, representing a total of 8587 ticks). The virus has also been isolated from 11 pools of rodent organs (out of 3361 rodents), and HI antibodies were detected in 21 out of 8735 rodent specimens. The virus has never been detected in rodent blood, nor in 10,298 ticks collected engorged from 1505 vertebrate hosts. These results show that Alsatian tick-borne encephalitis focus is stable since the activity of the virus is detected every year, and that the focus is an extended one since the virus is isolated from 5 of 6 study sites, as well as in several control sites.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*isolation & purification
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/blood
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/transmission
• Female
• France
• Male
• Mammals/*microbiology
• Mice
• Microtinae/microbiology
• Seasons
• Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Ticks/*microbiology

[The phenomenon of antigenic defectiveness in naturally circulating strains of the tick-borne encephalitis virus and its possible connection to seronegative forms of the disease]

Pogodina VV,  Bochkova NG,  Dzhivanian TI,  Levina LS,  Karganova GG,  Riasova RA,  Sergeeva VA,  Lashkevich VA.

[Article in Russian]

Ten strains of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus isolated from single specimens of I. persulcatus ticks were studied. The strains were divided into antigenically complete (AC) and antigenically defective (AD), depending on the presence or absence of some virus antigens in concentrated virus preparations, characteristics in rocket immune electrophoresis (RIEP), rate and intensity of humoral immune response in monkeys and rabbits, and plaque size in SPEV cell culture. The AC-strain markers include high activities of precipitating, hemagglutinating (HA), and complement-fixing (CF) antigens, formation of precipitates moving in rocket shape towards anode and cathode in RIEP, rapid development of antihemagglutinins and virus-neutralizing antibodies, large plaques (3-5 mm). The AD variants are characterized by the lack of HA and precipitating activity, low titres of CF antigen, slow and poor immune response, the lack of cathode precipitate "rocket", very small plaques. The antigenic defectiveness is transitory and shows in early passages; after 10-11 passages in SPEV cell cultures or in white mice, transformation AD----AC occurs. A transformed strain is neutralized, like standard TBE strains, by blood sera of a typical patient with poliomyelitis-like form of TBE. Examinations of blood sera from the population of an endemic zone (Yaroslavl Province) and 67 TBE patients (Kurgan Province) demonstrated the association of AC and AD variants with the formation of immune portion of the population and TBE etiology. Cases of the disease confirmed by seroconversion in HI with commercial diagnosticum are associated with AC variants, whereas AD variants are associated with those TBE cases which are difficult to diagnose using the commercial diagnosticum.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Antibodies, Viral/blood
• Antigenic Variation/*immunology
• Antigens, Viral/*immunology
• Disease Reservoirs
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/isolation & purification
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/pathogenicity
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Hamsters
• Human
• Macaca fascicularis
• Mesocricetus
• Mice
• Rabbits
• Seroepidemiologic Studies
• Ticks/microbiology
• USSR/epidemiology

Substances:

• 0 (Antibodies, Viral)
• 0 (Antigens, Viral)

[The clinico-immunological validation of associated immunization]

Gapochko KG,  Vasilenko AZ,  Misnikov OP,  Savel'ev AP,  Stepanov AV,  Titova TS.

[Article in Russian]

Clinico-immunological studies on men were conducted using associated immunization by pair combinations of 8 commercial national vaccines (typhoid, plague, typhus, smallpox, tick-borne encephalitis, yellow-fever, cholera and sextaanatoxine). As for reactogenicity and immunological efficiency (serological studies), these pair associations can be subdivided into three main groups. The first group consists of pair combinations of vaccines that cannot exert any influence on immunogenicity of cause the development of frequent post-vaccination reaction or temporary disability (typhus, smallpox, tick-borne encephalitis, yellow-fever vaccines). These preparations are completely compatible in every combination. The second group includes plague and cholera vaccines that reduce its immunogenicity under the influence of more active antigens or increase its reactogenicity being associated with typhoid vaccine or sextaanatoxine. The third group is composed of typhoid vaccine and sextaanatoxine that have high reactogenicity and stable serological shifts. Associations of the first group are the most favourable for anti-epidemiological practice.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Bacterial Vaccines/adverse effects
• Bacterial Vaccines/*immunology
• Comparative Study
• Drug Combinations
• Drug Evaluation
• Drug Synergism
• Drug Tolerance
• Human
• *Immunization
• Injections, Jet
• Time Factors
• Viral Vaccines/adverse effects
• Viral Vaccines/*immunology

Substances:

• 0 (Bacterial Vaccines)
• 0 (Drug Combinations)
• 0 (Viral Vaccines)

Virus safety of human immunoglobulins: efficient inactivation of hepatitis C and other human pathogenic viruses by the manufacturing procedure.

Nowak T,  Gregersen JP,  Klockmann U,  Cummins LB,  Hilfenhaus J.

[Article in English]

Research Laboratories of Behringwerke AG, Marburg, Germany.

Human immunoglobulins are plasma derivatives with a low risk of transmitting viral infections. To the present, no proven case of human immunoglobulins transmitting human immunodeficiency viruses has been reported. However, there have been a few reports on the transmission of hepatitis C virus by these plasma proteins. To improve further the safety of both 5s iv human immunoglobulins and 7s im immunoglobulins, we introduced a 10-hour heat treatment of the aqueous solutions at 60 degrees C (i.e., pasteurization) into the manufacturing procedure. This treatment was not added to the manufacturing procedure of 7s iv immunoglobulin that already contained the S-sulfonation as a virus inactivating method. We now report on experimental data that show that the whole manufacturing procedures of the above immunoglobulins inactivate efficiently hepatitis C virus and that the specific virus inactivation methods alone, namely, pasteurization or S-sulfonation, also inactivate completely viruses of the flavivirus family, to which the hepatitis C virus belongs. The inactivation of the Flaviviridae bovine viral diarrhea virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, and yellow fever virus by pasteurization or S-sulfonation was at least 10(5). The clearance of HCV achieved by the entire manufacturing process of each of these immunoglobulins was also at least 10(5). The experiments therefore show that pasteurization or S-sulfonation provides a high margin of safety to human immunoglobulins regarding the transmission of hepatitis C virus.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Biological Assay
• Cells, Cultured
• Hepatitis C-Like Viruses/*isolation & purification
• Hepatitis C-Like Viruses/pathogenicity
• Human
• Immunoglobulins/*isolation & purification
• Methods
• Pan troglodytes
• Safety
• Sulfur
• Virus Activation
• Viruses/isolation & purification
• Viruses/pathogenicity

Substances:

• 0 (Immunoglobulins)
• 7704-34-9 (Sulfur)

A short form of the tick-borne encephalitis virus NS3 protein.

Pugachev KV,  Nomokonova NYu,  Morozova OV,  Pletnev AG.

[Article in English]

Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Siberian Division of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk.

Using monoclonal antibodies to the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBE) nonstructural protein NS3 two forms of this protein were revealed in TBE-infected mammalian cells: a full-length form (69 kDa) and a short form (49 kDa) which has not been observed before and was called NS3'. Recombinant plasmids were constructed and various fragments of the TBE NS3 gene were expressed in rabbit reticulocyte lysate. By analyzing immune precipitates of 35S-labeled translation products, we could monitor and localize internal cleavage of NS3, due to which the NS3' protein was generated.

MeSH Terms:

• Animal
• Base Sequence
• Blotting, Western
• Cells, Cultured
• DNA, Viral/genetics
• Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*metabolism
• Human
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Plasmids
• RNA, Messenger/genetics
• Swine
• Transcription, Genetic
• Translation, Genetic
• Viral Proteins/*genetics

Substances:

• 0 (DNA, Viral)
• 0 (NS3 protein, flavivirus)
• 0 (Plasmids)
• 0 (RNA, Messenger)
• 0 (Viral Proteins)

[An assessment of the immunoepidemiological efficacy of a liquid cultured killed vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis virus strain 205 in the Maritime Territory]

Leonova GN,  Liubimova NB,  Sergeev GA,  Muratkina SM,  Krugliak SP,  Bobkov AV,  Bondarenko SI,  Tutubalina GN,  Beliaev MM.

[Article in Russian]

Inactivated vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), prepared on the basis of strain 205, is characterized by epidemiological (53%) and immunobiological activity. The appearance of a few TBE cases among the vaccinees is probably due to different maturation rate of immune response to various strains (different specificity of immune response). A suggestion has been made that no inactivated vaccine prepared from a single strain can produce a reliable protective effect because of pronounced heterogeneity of the population of TBE virus.

MeSH Terms:

• Adolescence
• Adult
• Antibodies, Viral/blood
• Drug Evaluation
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/*immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/epidemiology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/*prevention & control
• Human
• Immunization Schedule
• Military Personnel
• Naval Medicine
• Seroepidemiologic Studies
• Siberia/epidemiology
• Time Factors
• Vaccines, Inactivated/immunology
• Viral Vaccines/*immunology