Divergent Rhabdovirus Discovered in a Patient with New-Onset Nodding Syndrome

Edridge, Arthur W. D.; Abd-Elfarag, Gasim; Deijs, Martin; Jebbink, Maarten F.; Hensbroek, Michaël Boele van; Hoek, Lia van der

doi:10.3390/v14020210

Cited by 11 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Additionally, we added two other virus species recently identified in other studies to the Rhabdoviridae dinucleotide analysis: Onchocerca volvulus RNA virus 1 (OVRV1) is a rhabdovirus that was found in Onchocerca volvulus and elicits an immune response in the host (human as well as cattle and hamsters) (Quek et al . 2023), while Mundri virus was detected in a patient with nodding syndrome (Edridge et al . 2022).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cameroonian blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) harbour a plethora of (RNA) viruses

De Coninck,

Hadermann,

Ingletto

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Strong epidemiological evidence suggests that onchocerciasis may be associated with epilepsy – hence the name onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy (OAE). However, the pathogenesis of OAE still needs to be elucidated, as recent studies failed to detect Onchocerca volvulus in the central nervous system of persons with OAE. Therefore, it was suggested that a potentially neurotropic virus transmitted by blackflies could play a role in triggering OAE. To investigate this hypothesis, adult blackflies were collected in an onchocerciasis-endemic area with a high OAE prevalence in the Ntui Health District, Cameroon. A whole-genome shotgun sequencing approach was used to detect viral sequences in fifty-five pools of ten blackflies. A very high abundance of viral reads was detected across multiple (novel) viral families, including viral families associated with human disease. Although, no genomes closely related to known neurotropic viruses were found in the blackfly virome, the plethora of novel viruses representing novel species, genera and even families, warrant further exploration for their potential to infect vertebrates. These results could serve as a first step for studying the viruses associated with the hematophagous blackfly, which also could be present in their nematode host O. volvulus. Exploring the diversity of viruses in blackflies should be included in the active surveillance of zoonotic diseases.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cameroonian blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) harbour a plethora of (RNA) viruses

De Coninck,

Hadermann,

Ingletto

et al. 2024

Preprint

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“…Listlessness, paralysis, coma, and death may occur [ 180 ]. Little known rhabdoviruses, such as members of the genus tibrovirus, are increasingly being detected in humans [ 182 , 183 ]. Serological surveys in African populations have shown high exposure rates to rhabdoviruses [ 184 ], illustrating that such viruses have probably been spreading for some time.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Historic and Prehistoric Epidemics: An Overview of Sources Available for the Study of Ancient Pathogens

Kuyl

2022

Epidemiologia

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Since life on earth developed, parasitic microbes have thrived. Increases in host numbers, or the conquest of a new species, provide an opportunity for such a pathogen to enjoy, before host defense systems kick in, a similar upsurge in reproduction. Outbreaks, caused by “endemic” pathogens, and epidemics, caused by “novel” pathogens, have thus been creating chaos and destruction since prehistorical times. To study such (pre)historic epidemics, recent advances in the ancient DNA field, applied to both archeological and historical remains, have helped tremendously to elucidate the evolutionary trajectory of pathogens. These studies have offered new and unexpected insights into the evolution of, for instance, smallpox virus, hepatitis B virus, and the plague-causing bacterium Yersinia pestis. Furthermore, burial patterns and historical publications can help in tracking down ancient pathogens. Another source of information is our genome, where selective sweeps in immune-related genes relate to past pathogen attacks, while multiple viruses have left their genomes behind for us to study. This review will discuss the sources available to investigate (pre)historic diseases, as molecular knowledge of historic and prehistoric pathogens may help us understand the past and the present, and prepare us for future epidemics.

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“…However, the related tibroviruses, Ekpoma virus 1 and 2 (EKV‐1/2), were subsequently identified in plasma from healthy people in Nigeria (Stremlau et al, 2015 ). Seroprevalence studies show that human tibroviruses commonly infect healthy humans in West and Central Africa (Edridge et al, 2022 ; Kuhn, Pān, et al, 2020 ). At present, pathogenicity has not been established for any tibrovirus.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Viruses in sanctuary chimpanzees across Africa

Dunay

Owens

Dunn

et al. 2022

American J Primatol

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Infectious disease is a major concern for both wild and captive primate populations. Primate sanctuaries in Africa provide critical protection to thousands of wild‐born, orphan primates confiscated from the bushmeat and pet trades. However, uncertainty about the infectious agents these individuals potentially harbor has important implications for their individual care and long‐term conservation strategies. We used metagenomic next‐generation sequencing to identify viruses in blood samples from chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in three sanctuaries in West, Central, and East Africa. Our goal was to evaluate whether viruses of human origin or other “atypical” or unknown viruses might infect these chimpanzees. We identified viruses from eight families: Anelloviridae, Flaviviridae, Genomoviridae, Hepadnaviridae, Parvoviridae, Picobirnaviridae, Picornaviridae, and Rhabdoviridae. The majority (15/26) of viruses identified were members of the family Anelloviridae and represent the genera Alphatorquevirus (torque teno viruses) and Betatorquevirus (torque teno mini viruses), which are common in chimpanzees and apathogenic. Of the remaining 11 viruses, 9 were typical constituents of the chimpanzee virome that have been identified in previous studies and are also thought to be apathogenic. One virus, a novel tibrovirus (Rhabdoviridae: Tibrovirus) is related to Bas‐Congo virus, which was originally thought to be a human pathogen but is currently thought to be apathogenic, incidental, and vector‐borne. The only virus associated with disease was rhinovirus C (Picornaviridae: Enterovirus) infecting one chimpanzee subsequent to an outbreak of respiratory illness at that sanctuary. Our results suggest that the blood‐borne virome of African sanctuary chimpanzees does not differ appreciably from that of their wild counterparts, and that persistent infection with exogenous viruses may be less common than often assumed.

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Divergent Rhabdovirus Discovered in a Patient with New-Onset Nodding Syndrome

Cited by 11 publications

References 22 publications

Cameroonian blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) harbour a plethora of (RNA) viruses

Cameroonian blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) harbour a plethora of (RNA) viruses

Historic and Prehistoric Epidemics: An Overview of Sources Available for the Study of Ancient Pathogens

Viruses in sanctuary chimpanzees across Africa

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