In Vitro and In Vivo Models to Study the Zoonotic Mosquito-Borne Usutu Virus
Usutu virus (USUV), a mosquito-borne zoonotic flavivirus discovered in South Africa in 1959, has spread to many European countries over the last 20 years. The virus is currently a major concern for animal health due to its expanding host range and the growing number of avian mass mortality events. A...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/10/1116 |
| _version_ | 1797552104497217536 |
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| author | Emna Benzarti Mutien Garigliany |
| author_facet | Emna Benzarti Mutien Garigliany |
| author_sort | Emna Benzarti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Usutu virus (USUV), a mosquito-borne zoonotic flavivirus discovered in South Africa in 1959, has spread to many European countries over the last 20 years. The virus is currently a major concern for animal health due to its expanding host range and the growing number of avian mass mortality events. Although human infections with USUV are often asymptomatic, they are occasionally accompanied by neurological complications reminiscent of those due to West Nile virus (another flavivirus closely related to USUV). Whilst USUV actually appears less threatening than some other emergent arboviruses, the lessons learned from Chikungunya, Dengue, and Zika viruses during the past few years should not be ignored. Further, it would not be surprising if, with time, USUV disperses further eastwards towards Asia and possibly westwards to the Americas, which may result in more pathogenic USUV strains to humans and/or animals. These observations, inviting the scientific community to be more vigilant about the spread and genetic evolution of USUV, have prompted the use of experimental systems to understand USUV pathogenesis and to boost the development of vaccines and antivirals. This review is the first to provide comprehensive coverage of existing in vitro and in vivo models for USUV infection and to discuss their contribution in advancing data concerning this neurotropic virus. We believe that this paper is a helpful tool for scientists to identify gaps in the knowledge about USUV and to design their future experiments to study the virus. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:55:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-af7cdc71c1d945ce8cfb6d101e927a63 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:55:13Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-af7cdc71c1d945ce8cfb6d101e927a632023-11-20T15:43:28ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152020-09-011210111610.3390/v12101116In Vitro and In Vivo Models to Study the Zoonotic Mosquito-Borne Usutu VirusEmna Benzarti0Mutien Garigliany1Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Liège, BelgiumFundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Liège, BelgiumUsutu virus (USUV), a mosquito-borne zoonotic flavivirus discovered in South Africa in 1959, has spread to many European countries over the last 20 years. The virus is currently a major concern for animal health due to its expanding host range and the growing number of avian mass mortality events. Although human infections with USUV are often asymptomatic, they are occasionally accompanied by neurological complications reminiscent of those due to West Nile virus (another flavivirus closely related to USUV). Whilst USUV actually appears less threatening than some other emergent arboviruses, the lessons learned from Chikungunya, Dengue, and Zika viruses during the past few years should not be ignored. Further, it would not be surprising if, with time, USUV disperses further eastwards towards Asia and possibly westwards to the Americas, which may result in more pathogenic USUV strains to humans and/or animals. These observations, inviting the scientific community to be more vigilant about the spread and genetic evolution of USUV, have prompted the use of experimental systems to understand USUV pathogenesis and to boost the development of vaccines and antivirals. This review is the first to provide comprehensive coverage of existing in vitro and in vivo models for USUV infection and to discuss their contribution in advancing data concerning this neurotropic virus. We believe that this paper is a helpful tool for scientists to identify gaps in the knowledge about USUV and to design their future experiments to study the virus.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/10/1116USUVexperimental modelin vitroin vivopathogenesis |
| spellingShingle | Emna Benzarti Mutien Garigliany In Vitro and In Vivo Models to Study the Zoonotic Mosquito-Borne Usutu Virus Viruses USUV experimental model in vitro in vivo pathogenesis |
| title | In Vitro and In Vivo Models to Study the Zoonotic Mosquito-Borne Usutu Virus |
| title_full | In Vitro and In Vivo Models to Study the Zoonotic Mosquito-Borne Usutu Virus |
| title_fullStr | In Vitro and In Vivo Models to Study the Zoonotic Mosquito-Borne Usutu Virus |
| title_full_unstemmed | In Vitro and In Vivo Models to Study the Zoonotic Mosquito-Borne Usutu Virus |
| title_short | In Vitro and In Vivo Models to Study the Zoonotic Mosquito-Borne Usutu Virus |
| title_sort | in vitro and in vivo models to study the zoonotic mosquito borne usutu virus |
| topic | USUV experimental model in vitro in vivo pathogenesis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/10/1116 |
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