Viral RNA and infectious virus in mucosal specimens from guinea pigs modelling early phases of lethal and non-lethal Lassa fever
Lassa fever (LF) is endemic to broad regions of West Africa. Infection with Lassa virus (LASV), the etiologic agent of LF, results in a spectrum of clinical signs in humans, including severe and lethal hemorrhagic disease. Person-to-person transmission occurs through direct contact with body fluids...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Emerging Microbes and Infections |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2022.2071637 |
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| author | Stephen R. Welch Sarah C. Genzer JoAnn D. Coleman-McCray Jessica R. Harmon Florine E.M. Scholte Joel M. Montgomery Christina F. Spiropoulou Jessica R. Spengler |
| author_facet | Stephen R. Welch Sarah C. Genzer JoAnn D. Coleman-McCray Jessica R. Harmon Florine E.M. Scholte Joel M. Montgomery Christina F. Spiropoulou Jessica R. Spengler |
| author_sort | Stephen R. Welch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lassa fever (LF) is endemic to broad regions of West Africa. Infection with Lassa virus (LASV), the etiologic agent of LF, results in a spectrum of clinical signs in humans, including severe and lethal hemorrhagic disease. Person-to-person transmission occurs through direct contact with body fluids or contaminated bedding and clothing. To investigate transmission risk in acute LASV infection, we evaluated viral RNA and infectious virus obtained from conjunctival, nasal, oral, genital, and rectal swab specimens from guinea pigs modelling lethal and non-lethal LF. Viral RNA and infectious virus were detected in all specimen types beginning 8 days post infection, prior to onset of fever. In the pre-clinical and clinical period, virus was isolated from a subset of nasal, oral, genital, and rectal swabs, and from all conjunctival swabs. Overall, conjunctival and nasal specimens most frequently yielded infectious virus. These findings indicate mucosal transmission risk based on virus isolation from various sites early in infection and support potential utility of minimally invasive specimen evaluation by RT-qPCR for LASV diagnostics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:03:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f6887cdc509741ae8a6c2d7048b6af7c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2222-1751 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:03:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Emerging Microbes and Infections |
| spelling | doaj.art-f6887cdc509741ae8a6c2d7048b6af7c2022-12-22T02:30:04ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512022-12-011111390139310.1080/22221751.2022.2071637Viral RNA and infectious virus in mucosal specimens from guinea pigs modelling early phases of lethal and non-lethal Lassa feverStephen R. Welch0Sarah C. Genzer1JoAnn D. Coleman-McCray2Jessica R. Harmon3Florine E.M. Scholte4Joel M. Montgomery5Christina F. Spiropoulou6Jessica R. Spengler7Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USAViral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USAViral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USAViral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USAViral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USAViral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USAViral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USAViral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USALassa fever (LF) is endemic to broad regions of West Africa. Infection with Lassa virus (LASV), the etiologic agent of LF, results in a spectrum of clinical signs in humans, including severe and lethal hemorrhagic disease. Person-to-person transmission occurs through direct contact with body fluids or contaminated bedding and clothing. To investigate transmission risk in acute LASV infection, we evaluated viral RNA and infectious virus obtained from conjunctival, nasal, oral, genital, and rectal swab specimens from guinea pigs modelling lethal and non-lethal LF. Viral RNA and infectious virus were detected in all specimen types beginning 8 days post infection, prior to onset of fever. In the pre-clinical and clinical period, virus was isolated from a subset of nasal, oral, genital, and rectal swabs, and from all conjunctival swabs. Overall, conjunctival and nasal specimens most frequently yielded infectious virus. These findings indicate mucosal transmission risk based on virus isolation from various sites early in infection and support potential utility of minimally invasive specimen evaluation by RT-qPCR for LASV diagnostics.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2022.2071637Lassa virusarenavirusviral hemorrhagic fevervirus isolationbody fluidsmucosal swab |
| spellingShingle | Stephen R. Welch Sarah C. Genzer JoAnn D. Coleman-McCray Jessica R. Harmon Florine E.M. Scholte Joel M. Montgomery Christina F. Spiropoulou Jessica R. Spengler Viral RNA and infectious virus in mucosal specimens from guinea pigs modelling early phases of lethal and non-lethal Lassa fever Emerging Microbes and Infections Lassa virus arenavirus viral hemorrhagic fever virus isolation body fluids mucosal swab |
| title | Viral RNA and infectious virus in mucosal specimens from guinea pigs modelling early phases of lethal and non-lethal Lassa fever |
| title_full | Viral RNA and infectious virus in mucosal specimens from guinea pigs modelling early phases of lethal and non-lethal Lassa fever |
| title_fullStr | Viral RNA and infectious virus in mucosal specimens from guinea pigs modelling early phases of lethal and non-lethal Lassa fever |
| title_full_unstemmed | Viral RNA and infectious virus in mucosal specimens from guinea pigs modelling early phases of lethal and non-lethal Lassa fever |
| title_short | Viral RNA and infectious virus in mucosal specimens from guinea pigs modelling early phases of lethal and non-lethal Lassa fever |
| title_sort | viral rna and infectious virus in mucosal specimens from guinea pigs modelling early phases of lethal and non lethal lassa fever |
| topic | Lassa virus arenavirus viral hemorrhagic fever virus isolation body fluids mucosal swab |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2022.2071637 |
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