Diversity and Pathogenesis of Common Human and Animal Viruses

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Virology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2024) | Viewed by 3115

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Microbiology Department College of Medicine, Taif University, Taif 21974, Saudi Arabia
Interests: virus diagnosis; IBV; bocavirus; influenza virus; coronaviruses; paediatric viruses; avian viruses
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Faculty of Medicine, King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow 226003, India
Interests: novel viruses; virus transmission; virus evolution; molecular virology; virus-host interaction
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Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
Interests: molecular biology; viruses; food microbiology; pathogens; detection; human noroviruses
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleague,

We are excited to present a captivating Special Issue titled "Diversity and Pathogenesis of Common Human and Animal Viruses," with which we hope to captivate scholars across diverse scientific domains. In an era of dynamic viral evolution and its implications for human and animal health and beyond, this Special Issue serves as a dynamic platform to explore the multifaceted landscape of human and animal viruses, shedding light on their diversity, mechanisms of pathogenesis, vaccine hesitancy and public health impacts. We invite scholars to delve into the intricate world of viral infections in the animal kingdom. With viral diseases posing ongoing threats to humans, domesticated animals, and wildlife, understanding the intricate mechanisms underlying viral diversity and pathogenesis is of paramount importance. The key focal points of this Special Issue include:

  • Viral Diversity Across Species: we invite researchers to unveil the diverse range of human and animal viruses affecting different species, exploring the factors that contribute to viral host range and cross-species transmission.
  • Molecular Insights into Pathogenesis: scholars are encouraged to delve into the molecular intricacies driving viral pathogenesis, offering insights into viral entry, replication, immune evasion, and the resultant disease progression.
  • One Health Perspectives: This issue emphasizes the interconnectedness of animal, human, and environmental health. Articles exploring the One Health approach in understanding and combating viral diseases will be a cornerstone of this issue.
  • Emerging Viral Threats: contributors are invited to shed light on newly emergent viruses, elucidating their origins, modes of transmission, and potential pandemic risks, as exemplified by zoonotic diseases.
  • Innovative Control Strategies: scholars are encouraged to present cutting-edge strategies for controlling viral infections, ranging from vaccine development to antiviral therapies and biosecurity measures as well as vaccine hesitancy.
  • Epidemiology and Surveillance: this Special Issue underscores the pivotal role of epidemiology and surveillance in tracking and managing viral diseases, offering insights into disease dynamics, transmission patterns, disease awareness and outbreak preparedness.

We invite scholars to contribute original research, reviews, and perspectives that illuminate the complex realm of viruses. By fostering interdisciplinary dialogues, we aim to uncover novel insights into viral diversity and pathogenesis, catalyzing advancements in human and veterinary medicine, conservation, as well as public health.

Prof. Dr. Ahmed Sayed Abdel-Moneim
Prof. Dr. Shailendra K. Saxena
Dr. Matthew D. Moore
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • human viruses
  • animal viruses
  • pathogenesis
  • influenza virus
  • avian virus

Published Papers (4 papers)

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14 pages, 3896 KiB  
Article
Targeted Integration of siRNA against Porcine Cytomegalovirus (PCMV) Enhances the Resistance of Porcine Cells to PCMV
by Hongzhen Mao, Jinyang Li, Mengyu Gao, Xinmei Liu, Haohan Zhang, Yijia Zhuang, Tianyi He, Wei Zuo, Lang Bai and Ji Bao
Microorganisms 2024, 12(4), 837; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms12040837 - 22 Apr 2024
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Abstract
In the world’s first pig-to-human cardiac cytomegalovirus (PCMV), xenotransplant and elevated levels of porcine key factors contributing to patient mortality were considered. This has renewed attention on PCMV, a virus widely prevalent in pigs. Currently, there are no effective drugs or vaccines targeting [...] Read more.
In the world’s first pig-to-human cardiac cytomegalovirus (PCMV), xenotransplant and elevated levels of porcine key factors contributing to patient mortality were considered. This has renewed attention on PCMV, a virus widely prevalent in pigs. Currently, there are no effective drugs or vaccines targeting PCMV, and its high detection difficulty poses challenges for prevention and control research. In this study, antiviral small hairpin RNA (shRNA) was selected and inserted into the Rosa26 and miR-17-92 loci of pigs via a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in strategy. Further in vitro viral challenge experiments demonstrated that these genetically edited pig cells could effectively limit PCMV replication. Through this process, we constructed a PCMV-infected cell model, validated partial viral interference sites, enhanced gene knock-in efficiency, performed gene editing at two different gene loci, and ultimately demonstrated that RNA interference (RNAi) technology combined with CRISPR/Cas9 has the potential to generate pig cells with enhanced antiviral infection capabilities. This opens up possibilities for the future production of pig populations with antiviral functionalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Pathogenesis of Common Human and Animal Viruses)
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17 pages, 3527 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Genomics Investigation of Neboviruses Reveals Distinct Codon Usage Patterns and Host Specificity
by Rahul Kaushik, Naveen Kumar, Pragya Yadav, Shubhankar Sircar, Anita Shete-Aich, Ankur Singh, Shailly Tomar, Thomas Launey and Yashpal Singh Malik
Microorganisms 2024, 12(4), 696; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms12040696 - 29 Mar 2024
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Abstract
Neboviruses (NeVs) from the Caliciviridae family have been linked to enteric diseases in bovines and have been detected worldwide. As viruses rely entirely on the cellular machinery of the host for replication, their ability to thrive in a specific host is greatly impacted [...] Read more.
Neboviruses (NeVs) from the Caliciviridae family have been linked to enteric diseases in bovines and have been detected worldwide. As viruses rely entirely on the cellular machinery of the host for replication, their ability to thrive in a specific host is greatly impacted by the specific codon usage preferences. Here, we systematically analyzed the codon usage bias in NeVs to explore the genetic and evolutionary patterns. Relative Synonymous Codon Usage and Effective Number of Codon analyses indicated a marginally lower codon usage bias in NeVs, predominantly influenced by the nucleotide compositional constraints. Nonetheless, NeVs showed a higher codon usage bias for codons containing G/C at the third codon position. The neutrality plot analysis revealed natural selection as the primary factor that shaped the codon usage bias in both the VP1 (82%) and VP2 (57%) genes of NeVs. Furthermore, the NeVs showed a highly comparable codon usage pattern to bovines, as reflected through Codon Adaptation Index and Relative Codon Deoptimization Index analyses. Notably, yak NeVs showed considerably different nucleotide compositional constraints and mutational pressure compared to bovine NeVs, which appear to be predominantly host-driven. This study sheds light on the genetic mechanism driving NeVs’ adaptability, evolution, and fitness to their host species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Pathogenesis of Common Human and Animal Viruses)
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11 pages, 1541 KiB  
Article
Phylogenetic Analysis of Newcastle Disease Virus Isolated from Poultry in Live Bird Markets and Wild Waterfowl in Zambia
by Annie Kalonda, Ngonda Saasa, Masahiro Kajihara, Naganori Nao, Ladslav Moonga, Joseph Ndebe, Akina Mori-Kajihara, Andrew Nalishuwa Mukubesa, Yoshihiro Sakoda, Hirofumi Sawa, Ayato Takada and Edgar Simulundu
Microorganisms 2024, 12(2), 354; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms12020354 - 08 Feb 2024
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Abstract
Poultry production is essential to the economy and livelihood of many rural Zambian households. However, the industry is threatened by infectious diseases, particularly Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection. Therefore, this study employed next-generation sequencing to characterise six NDV isolates from poultry in Zambia’s [...] Read more.
Poultry production is essential to the economy and livelihood of many rural Zambian households. However, the industry is threatened by infectious diseases, particularly Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection. Therefore, this study employed next-generation sequencing to characterise six NDV isolates from poultry in Zambia’s live bird markets (LBMs) and wild waterfowl. Four NDV isolates were detected from 410 faecal samples collected from chickens in LBMs in Lusaka and two from 2851 wild birds from Lochinvar National Park. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the four NDVs from LBM clustered in genotype VII and sub-genotype VII.2 were closely related to viruses previously isolated in Zambia and other Southern African countries, suggesting possible local and regional transboundary circulation of the virus. In contrast, the two isolates from wild birds belonged to class I viruses, genotype 1, and were closely related to isolates from Europe and Asia, suggesting the possible introduction of these viruses from Eurasia, likely through wild bird migration. The fusion gene cleavage site motif for all LBM-associated isolates was 112RRQKR|F117, indicating that the viruses are virulent, while the isolates from wild waterfowl had the typical 112ERQER|L117 avirulent motif. This study demonstrates the circulation of virulent NDV strains in LBMs and has, for the first time, characterised NDV from wild birds in Zambia. The study further provides the first whole genomes of NDV sub-genotype VII.2 and genotype 1 from Zambia and stresses the importance of surveillance and molecular analysis for monitoring the circulation of NDV genotypes and viral evolution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Pathogenesis of Common Human and Animal Viruses)
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19 pages, 5925 KiB  
Commentary
Who Is the Intermediate Host of RNA Viruses? A Study Focusing on SARS-CoV-2 and Poliovirus
by Carlo Brogna, Domenico Rocco Bisaccia, Vincenzo Costanzo, Gennaro Lettieri, Luigi Montano, Valentina Viduto, Mark Fabrowski, Simone Cristoni, Marina Prisco and Marina Piscopo
Microorganisms 2024, 12(4), 643; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms12040643 - 23 Mar 2024
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Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a surge in research on microbiology and virology, shedding light on overlooked aspects such as the infection of bacteria by RNA virions in the animal microbiome. Studies reveal a decrease in beneficial gut bacteria during COVID-19, indicating a [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a surge in research on microbiology and virology, shedding light on overlooked aspects such as the infection of bacteria by RNA virions in the animal microbiome. Studies reveal a decrease in beneficial gut bacteria during COVID-19, indicating a significant interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and the human microbiome. However, determining the origins of the virus remains complex, with observed phenomena such as species jumps adding layers to the narrative. Prokaryotic cells play a crucial role in the disease’s pathogenesis and transmission. Analyzing previous studies highlights intricate interactions from clinical manifestations to the use of the nitrogen isotope test. Drawing parallels with the history of the Poliovirus underscores the need to prioritize investigations into prokaryotic cells hosting RNA viruses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Pathogenesis of Common Human and Animal Viruses)
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