New Insights into the Susceptibility of Immunocompetent Mice to Usutu Virus

Viruses

Mutien-Marie Garigliany¹  Daniel Desmecht¹  Michaël Sarlet¹  Mathieu Franssen²  Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit²  Emna Benzarti² 

[1] Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Liège, Belgium;;Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals &

关键词: usutu virus;    immunocompetent;    mice;    infection;    encephalitis;   

DOI  :  10.3390/v12020189

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that shares many similarities with the closely related West Nile virus (WNV) in terms of ecology and clinical manifestations. Initially distributed in Africa, USUV emerged in Italy in 1996 and managed to co-circulate with WNV in many European countries in a similar mosquito−bird life cycle. The rapid geographic spread of USUV, the seasonal mass mortalities it causes in the European avifauna, and the increasing number of infections with neurological disease both in healthy and immunocompromised humans has stimulated interest in infection studies to delineate USUV pathogenesis. Here, we assessed the pathogenicity of two USUV isolates from a recent Belgian outbreak in immunocompetent mice. The intradermal injection of USUV gave rise to disorientation and paraplegia and was associated with neuronal death in the brain and spinal cord in a single mouse. Intranasal inoculation of USUV could also establish the infection; viral RNA was detected in the brain 15 days post-infection. Overall, this pilot study probes the suitability of this murine model for the study of USUV neuroinvasiveness and the possibility of direct transmission in mammals.

【 授权许可】

Unknown