Mayaro Virus Pathogenesis and Transmission Mechanisms

Abstract

Mayaro virus (MAYV), isolated for the first time in Trinidad and Tobago, has captured the attention of public health authorities worldwide following recent outbreaks in the Americas. It has a propensity to be exported outside its original geographical range, because of the vast distribution of its vectors. Moreover, most of the world population is immunologically naïve with respect to infection with MAYV which makes this virus a true threat. The recent invasion of several countries by Aedesalbopictus underscores the risk of potential urban transmission of MAYV in both tropical and temperate regions. In humans, the clinical manifestations of MAYV disease range from mild fever, rash, and joint pain to arthralgia. In the absence of a licensed vaccine and clinically proven therapeutics against Mayaro fever, prevention focuses mainly on household mosquito control. However, as demonstrated for other arboviruses, mosquito control is rather inefficient for outbreak management and alternative approaches to contain the spread of MAYV are therefore necessary. Despite its strong epidemic potential, little is currently known about MAYV. This review addresses various aspects of MAYV, including its epidemiology, vector biology, mode of transmission, and clinical complications, as well as the latest developments in MAYV diagnosis.

Mayaro Virus Infects Human Brain Cells and Induces a Potent Antiviral Response in Human Astrocytes

“…Amongst several others potential vectors, the major anthropophilic urban mosquitoes ( Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus ) and some Anopheles species have been shown to be able to transmit MAYV [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. It was first identified in 1954 from rural workers in Trinidad and Tobago and thought to be limited to the South American continent causing sporadic outbreaks next to the forest environment [ 7 , 8 ]. However, the outbreak reported in Haiti in 2015 suggests that the virus is extending its reach, along with human to human transmission [ 9 , 10 ].…”

“…In addition, imported cases have been described in various part of the world includingin Europe and the USA [ 7 ]. MAYV presents nonspecific symptoms resembling “dengue-like” syndrome, with as common clinical manifestations fever, polyarthralgia/polyarthritis, rash and occasional myalgia, vomiting and diarrhea.…”

“…MAYV presents nonspecific symptoms resembling “dengue-like” syndrome, with as common clinical manifestations fever, polyarthralgia/polyarthritis, rash and occasional myalgia, vomiting and diarrhea. The symptoms are generally self-limited [ 7 , 12 ]. Phylogenetic studies have been permitted to classify MAYV in three genotypes (D, L and N) depending on their geographic distribution [ 7 ].…”

Common Dysregulation of Innate Immunity Pathways in Human Primary Astrocytes Infected With Chikungunya, Mayaro, Oropouche, and Zika Viruses

“…Many endemic outbreaks along the history, as well the recent introduction of arboviruses in Brazil, have risen the alarm of scientific and medical communities concerning the risk of new outbreaks, co-circulation of those viruses, and increasing of more severe cases ( Metsky et al., 2017 ; Zanotto and Leite, 2018 ; Lorenz et al., 2019 ; Gutierrez et al., 2020 ). Viruses members of Alphavirus , Orthobunyavirus , and Flavivirus genus ( Togaviridae , Peribunyaviridae , and Flaviviridae viral families, respectively) present a higher incidence in Brazil and has been associated to a plethora of clinically relevant outcomes, such as mild to debilitating fever, hemorrhagic fever, arthritis, microcephaly, and neurological disorders ( Figueiredo, 2015 ; Santiago et al., 2015 ; Burt et al., 2017 ; Azeredo et al., 2018 ; Vernal et al., 2019 ; Brito Ferreira et al., 2020 ; Diagne et al., 2020 ; Gutierrez et al., 2020 ).…”

The epidemiology of Mayaro virus in the Americas: A systematic review and key parameter estimates for outbreak modelling

“…Although several reviews of MAYV epidemiology and transmission have been published recently [2,[22][23][24][25][26], key epidemiological parameters, such as the generation time and the basic reproduction number, have not been estimated from MAYV data. Consequently, there is a dearth of mathematical modelling studies of MAYV [5,27].…”