Recent progress in henipavirus research: Molecular biology, genetic diversity, animal models

Nipah Virus Entry and Egress from Polarized Epithelial Cells

“…Supporting our model of bidirectional NiV entry, primary human bronchial epithelial cells could also be infected from both sides (L. Sauerhering and S. Erbar, unpublished data). Along with observations in vivo describing epithelial cell infections in different infection phases (18,59,60), our finding of bipolar entry of NiV into epithelial cells suggests the model that infection from the apical (luminal) side of epithelia in upper airways supports the establishment of an infection in a new host. During the viremic phase, entry via basolateral plasma membranes into respiratory (or urinary) epithelial cells most likely allows efficient infection and virus shedding from mucosal surfaces.…”

Henipavirus Pathogenesis in Human Respiratory Epithelial Cells

“…HeV was first isolated during an outbreak of respiratory and neurologic disease in horses and humans in Australia in 1994 (2)(3)(4)(5). To date, a total of 5 outbreaks of HeV involving human cases have been reported in Australia, and 7 human cases with a case fatality rate of 57% have been identified (6). The first human cases of NiV infection were identified during an outbreak of severe febrile encephalitis in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998-1999 (7,8).…”

Pathogenesis of Hendra and Nipah virus infection in humans

“…To date there have been only seven human infections with HeV, of which four were fatal (57%) [2]. Several outbreaks of NiV have been identified in Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh and India since 1998 [2]. The outbreaks in Malaysia and Singapore have primarily been associated with the development of severe febrile encephalitis with a case fatality rate of 38%, while the more recent outbreaks in Bangladesh and India are associated with a higher prevalence of respiratory disease as well as a higher case fatality rate ranging from 43% to 100% in sporadic cases [2].…”

“…HeV was identified in 1994 as the causative agent of an acute respiratory disease and febrile illness in horses and humans, respectively [1]. To date there have been only seven human infections with HeV, of which four were fatal (57%) [2]. Several outbreaks of NiV have been identified in Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh and India since 1998 [2].…”

“…Several outbreaks of NiV have been identified in Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh and India since 1998 [2]. The outbreaks in Malaysia and Singapore have primarily been associated with the development of severe febrile encephalitis with a case fatality rate of 38%, while the more recent outbreaks in Bangladesh and India are associated with a higher prevalence of respiratory disease as well as a higher case fatality rate ranging from 43% to 100% in sporadic cases [2]. While the exact route of transmission in humans is not known, experimental infection in different animal species suggests that infection can be efficiently initiated after inhalation of virus particles [3][4][5].…”