RESUMO
Identifying viral isolates from field-collected mosquitoes can be difficult and time-consuming, particularly in regions of the world where numerous closely related viruses are co-circulating (e.g., the Amazon Basin region of Peru). The use of molecular techniques may provide rapid and efficient methods for identifying these viruses in the laboratory. Therefore, we determined the complete nucleotide sequence of two South American eastern equine encephalomyelitis viruses (EEEVs): one member from the Peru-Brazil (Lineage II) clade and one member from the Argentina-Panama (Lineage III) clade. In addition, we determined the nucleotide sequence for the nonstructural P3 protein (nsP3) and envelope 2 (E2) protein genes of 36 additional isolates of EEEV from mosquitoes captured in Peru between 1996 and 2001. The 38 isolates were evenly distributed between lineages II and III virus groupings. However, analysis of the nsP3 gene for lineage III strongly suggested that the 19 isolates from this lineage could be divided into two sub-clades, designated as lineages III and IIIA. Compared with North American EEEV (lineage I, GA97 strain), we found that the length of the nsP3 gene was shorter in the strains isolated from South America. A total of 60 nucleotides was deleted in lineage II, 69 in lineage III, and 72 in lineage IIIA. On the basis of the sequences we determined for South American EEEVs and those for other viruses detected in the same area, we developed a series of primers for characterizing these viruses.
Assuntos
Culex/virologia , Vírus da Encefalite Equina do Leste/genética , Animais , Vírus da Encefalite Equina do Leste/classificação , Peru , Filogenia , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/genética , Proteínas não Estruturais Virais/genéticaRESUMO
Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) causes severe neurologic disease in North America, but only two fatal human cases have been documented in South America. To test the hypothesis that alphavirus heterologous antibodies cross-protect, animals were vaccinated against other alphaviruses and challenged up to 3 months later with EEEV. Short-lived cross-protection was detected, even in the absence of cross-neutralizing antibodies. To assess exposure to EEEV in Peru, sera from acutely ill and healthy persons were tested for EEEV and other alphavirus antibodies, as well as for virus isolation. No EEEV was isolated from patients living in an EEEV-enzootic area, and only 2% of individuals with febrile illness had EEEV-reactive IgM. Only 3% of healthy persons from the enzootic region had EEEV-neutralizing antibodies. Our results suggest that humans are exposed but do not develop apparent infection with EEEV because of poor infectivity and/or avirulence of South American strains.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Antivirais/imunologia , Vírus da Encefalite Equina do Leste/imunologia , Vírus da Encefalite Equina Venezuelana/imunologia , Encefalomielite Equina/epidemiologia , Doenças Endêmicas , Animais , Anticorpos Antivirais/sangue , Cricetinae , Reações Cruzadas/imunologia , Vírus da Encefalite Equina do Leste/patogenicidade , Vírus da Encefalite Equina Venezuelana/patogenicidade , Encefalomielite Equina/imunologia , Encefalomielite Equina/prevenção & controle , Encefalomielite Equina/virologia , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Humanos , Imunização , Mesocricetus , Camundongos , Testes de Neutralização , Peru/epidemiologia , Estudos SoroepidemiológicosRESUMO
Since Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) was isolated in Peru in 1942, >70 isolates have been obtained from mosquitoes, humans, and sylvatic mammals primarily in the Amazon region. To investigate genetic relationships among the Peru VEEV isolates and between the Peru isolates and other VEEV strains, a fragment of the PE2 gene was amplified and analyzed by single-stranded conformation polymorphism. Representatives of seven genotypes underwent sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The results identified four VEE complex lineages that cocirculate in the Amazon region: subtypes ID (Panama and Colombia/Venezuela genotypes), IIIC, and a new, proposed subtype IIID, which was isolated from a febrile human, mosquitoes, and spiny rats. Both ID lineages and the IIID subtype are associated with febrile human illness. Most of the subtype ID isolates belonged to the Panama genotype, but the Colombia/Venezuela genotype, which is phylogenetically related to epizootic strains, also continues to circulate in the Amazon basin.
Assuntos
Vírus da Encefalite Equina Venezuelana/classificação , Vírus da Encefalite Equina Venezuelana/genética , Encefalomielite Equina Venezuelana/epidemiologia , Doenças Endêmicas , Animais , Culicidae/virologia , Vírus da Encefalite Equina Venezuelana/isolamento & purificação , Encefalomielite Equina Venezuelana/virologia , Genótipo , Humanos , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/genética , Peru/epidemiologia , Filogenia , Polimorfismo Conformacional de Fita Simples , Precursores de Proteínas , RNA Viral/análise , RNA Viral/isolamento & purificação , Doenças dos Roedores/virologia , Roedores/virologia , Análise de Sequência de DNA , Proteínas Virais/genéticaRESUMO
In support of efforts to develop rapid diagnostic assays for use in the field, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays were developed to detect arboviruses circulating in the Amazon Basin region of Peru. Previous knowledge of arthropod/pathogen relationships allowed a focused evaluation to be conducted in November 2000 that assessed the feasibility and reliability of a mobile, rapid, field-expedient RT-PCR diagnostic system aimed at detecting eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) in Culex (Melanoconion) pedroi mosquitoes. Modifications were made to a commercially available mobile molecular laboratory kit and assay procedures were tailored for use under harsh environmental conditions with field-collected and field-processed mosquitoes. From CO2 baited mosquito light traps, 3,227 Cx. (Mel.) pedroi mosquitoes were collected and sorted into 117 pools. The pools were processed and assayed in the field by RT-PCR and five of those pools were found positive for EEEV. Laboratory sequence analysis confirmed the presence of two distinct subtypes of EEEV.
Assuntos
Culex/virologia , Vírus da Encefalite Equina do Leste/isolamento & purificação , Insetos Vetores/virologia , Ochlerotatus/virologia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa/métodos , Animais , DNA Complementar/química , DNA Complementar/metabolismo , Vírus da Encefalite Equina do Leste/classificação , Vírus da Encefalite Equina do Leste/genética , Peru , Filogenia , RNA Viral/genética , RNA Viral/isolamento & purificaçãoRESUMO
Experimental studies evaluated the vector competence of Ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus (Wiedemann), Culex cancer Theobald, Culex pseudes (Dyar and Knab), Culex taeniopus Dyar and Knab, and a Culex (Culex) species, probably Culex quinquefasciatus Say, and Culex nigripalpus Theobald from Chiapas, Mexico, and Tocoa, Honduras, for epizootic (IC) and enzootic (IE) strains of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus. Culex pseudes was highly susceptible to infection with both the IC and IE strains of VEE (infection rates >78%). Patterns of susceptibility to VEE were similar for Oc. taeniorhynchus collected in Mexico and Honduras. Although Oc. taeniorhynchus was highly susceptible to the epizootic IC strains (infection rates > or = 95%, n = 190), this species was less susceptible to the enzootic IE strain (infection rates < or = 35%, n = 233). The Culex (Culex) species were refractory to both subtypes of VEE, and none of 166 contained evidence of a disseminated infection. Virus-exposed Cx. pseudes that refed on susceptible hamsters readily transmitted virus, confirming that this species was an efficient vector of VEE. Although Oc. taeniorhynchus that fed on hamsters infected with the epizootic IC strain transmitted VEE efficiently, only one of six of those with a disseminated infection with the enzootic IE virus that fed on hamsters transmitted virus by bite. These data indicate that Cx. pseudes is an efficient laboratory vector of both epizootic and enzootic strains of VEE and that Oc. taeniorhynchus could be an important vector of epizootic subtypes of VEE.
Assuntos
Culex/virologia , Vírus da Encefalite Equina Venezuelana/fisiologia , Encefalomielite Equina Venezuelana/transmissão , Insetos Vetores , Animais , Cricetinae , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Vírus da Encefalite Equina Venezuelana/patogenicidade , Geografia , Honduras , Humanos , Masculino , MéxicoRESUMO
We evaluated the effect of triethylamine (TEA) on the recovery of infectious virus from pools of mosquitoes for two South American alphaviruses (eastern equine encephalomyelitis and Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis subtypes IIIC and ID), one flavivirus (Ilheus) and two bunyaviruses (Mirim [Guama group] and Itaqui [group C]). Mosquitoes were inoculated intrathoracically with virus, held for 7-10 d at 26 degrees C, and handled under one of four regimens before testing for the presence of virus by plaque assay. Mosquitoes were killed by freezing at - 70 degrees C for 3 min and tested immediately for the presence of virus; killed by freezing at -70 degrees C for 3 min and then held at room temperature for 1 h before testing for the presence of virus; anesthetized with TEA and assayed immediately for the presence of virus; or anesthetized with TEA and then held at room temperature for 1 h before being assayed for the presence of virus. For each of the viruses tested, viral titers in mosquitoes anesthetized with TEA were similar to those in mosquitoes killed by freezing at-70 degrees C. Likewise, there was no significant difference in viral titers in mosquitoes anesthetized with TEA and held at room temperature for 1 h or in mosquitoes frozen at -70 degrees C and held at room temperature for 1 h before being processed for virus by isolation. Triethylamine is advantageous for the handling of mosquitoes in a field environment. The elimination of the need for a cold chain, without compromising virus recovery, increases the feasibility of conducting research projects requiring the isolation of live virus from mosquitoes in remote tropical environments.