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Topic Review
Lassa Virus
Lassa virus (LASV), a member of the Mammarenavirus genus in the Arenaviridae family, is the causative agent of Lassa fever (LF). LASV was originally isolated and described in 1969 after a missionary nurse in Lassa, Nigeria became infected and died from the disease.
  • 1.9K
  • 13 May 2021
Topic Review
Insect-Specific Viruses (ISVs)
Unlike arboviruses, which have a dual-host tropism by cycling between vertebrate hosts and arthropod vectors, ISVs replicate exclusively in arthropod populations, causing a persistent viral infection, as such they are mainly maintained in nature by vertical transmission route. ISVs are also refereed to as mosquito-specific viruses as they are generally identified and discovered in mosquitoes. They are nonetheless an important part of the mosquito microbiome. The first ISV identified is cell-fusing agent virus (CFAV), which was isolated from an Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) cell culture.
  • 1.9K
  • 10 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Coronavirus Diseases
At the end of 2019 a novel virus, SARS-Cov-2, causing severe acute respiratory syndrome has expanded from Wuhan, China. In March 2020 the World Health Organization declared the SARS-Cov-2 virus a global pandemic. We performed a narrative review to describe existing literature with regard to COVID-19 epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, management and future perspective. MEDLINE, EMBASE and Scopus databases were searched for relevant articles.Although only when the pandemic will end it will be possible to assess the health, social and economic impact of this global disaster, this review represents a picture of the current state of the art. In particular, we focus on public health impact, pathophysiology and clinical manifestations, diagnosis, case management, emergency response and preparedness.
  • 1.8K
  • 07 May 2021
Topic Review
Marek’s Disease Outbreak in Asia
Marek’s disease is an infectious disease in poultry that usually appears in neural and visceral tumors. This disease is caused by Gallid alphaherpesvirus 2 infection in lymphocytes, and its meq gene is commonly used in virulent studies for coding the key protein functional in oncogenic transformation of the lymphocytes. Although vaccines have been introduced in many countries to control its spread and are proven to be efficient, recent records show a decline of such efficiency due to viral evolution. 
  • 1.8K
  • 11 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Enterovirus D
Enteroviruses (EVs) from the D species are the causative agents of a diverse range of infectious diseases in spite of comprising only five known members. This small clade has a diverse host range and tissue tropism. It contains types infecting non-human primates and/or humans, and for the latter, they preferentially infect the eye, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and nervous system. Although several Enterovirus D members, in particular EV-D68, have been associated with neurological complications, including acute myelitis, there is currently no effective treatment or vaccine against any of them.
  • 1.8K
  • 06 May 2023
Topic Review
Epidemiology of Japanese Encephalitis
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the causal agent behind Japanese encephalitis (JE), a potentially severe brain infection that spreads through mosquito bites. JE is predominant over the Asia-Pacific Region and has the potential to spread globally with a higher rate of morbidity and mortality. Efforts have been made to identify and select various target molecules essential in JEV’s progression.
  • 1.8K
  • 18 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Bioisosteric Replacement in Anti-HIV Drug Design
Bioisosteric replacement is a powerful tool for modulating the drug-like properties, toxicity, and chemical space of experimental therapeutics. The use of bioisosteres and the introduction of structural changes to the lead compound allows the chemist to alter the compound’s size, shape, electronic distribution, polarizability, dipole, polarity, lipophilicity, and pKa, while still retaining potent target engagement.
  • 1.8K
  • 11 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Endogenous Retroviruses
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are long terminal repeat (LTR)-retroelements of the Retroviridae genus. ERVs reside in vertebrate genomes, are particularly abundant in mammals, and still actively retrotranspose in mice. This entry describes their relationship to other LTR-retroelements and how they replicate. A brief introduction into epigenetic reprogramming of ERVs is followed by a few examples of how reprogramming of ERVs assists embryonic development in mouse and human.
  • 1.8K
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Recursion Predicts Covid-19 Trajectories
Modulated recurrence model predicts Covid-19 trajectory in multiple countries.  Wave action at 14-week intervals correlates with case numbers, while predicting future growth rate surges. Graphs of total Covid-19 case numbers in many countries now show long-period wave action.  Simulations using a sine modulated time-delay recurrence equation not only correlate with case data but also proves a π-commensurate wave period of 26 weeks.  When the slope of geometric growth exceeds arithmetic growth, a periodic wave launches in the population with all the dynamics of a damped oscillation.  Recursive simulation generates trajectories that predict future wave peak times and amplitudes.  Data from USA, Canada, UK, Germany, India and Australia are studied in this research.  In all cases, Covid-19 trajectories around the world show the common feature of periodic oscillations as case numbers increase.  Discovery of repeatable Covid-19 growth dynamics suggests a common invariant mechanism of virus propagation, irrespective of country.
  • 1.8K
  • 17 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Virus-Induced Oncogenesis
Tumorigenesis due to viral infection accounts for a high fraction of the total global cancer burden (15–20%) of all human cancers. One of the main mechanisms by which viruses induce host cell proliferation programs is through controlling the host’s epigenetic machinery. Oncogenic viruses establish a permanent latent infection sustained by the production of specific viral proteins, which interact with the cell environment, including the host epigenetic machinery to specifically deregulate pathways to their advantage such as cell metabolism, resistance to apoptosis, cell proliferation and innate immune response signaling. Epigenetic modifications largely alter host gene expression and can provide a common mechanism of virus-induced transformation.
  • 1.8K
  • 18 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Genetic Variants of SARS-CoV-2 Responsible for Severe COVID-19
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global pandemic caused by severe acute coronavirus 2 syndrome (SARS-CoV-2). Although “COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue which no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern”, according to the WHO International Health Regulations Emergency Committee, it continues to have major health, economic, and social consequences worldwide.
  • 1.8K
  • 07 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Coatings Empowering Antiviral/Viricidal Properties
In the surge of the current, alarming scenario of SARS-CoV-2 infections, there is a immediate necessity for developing highly-innovative antiviral agents to work against the viruses with a broad spectrum of antiviral activity. Here-in, science-based methods, mechanisms, and procedures are implemented in obtaining resultant antiviral coated substrates, used in the destruction of the strains of the different viruses are presented. we pay particular attention to recent examples from the materials science and engineering field that highlight how some classes of antiviral drug candidates, such as polymeric materials, metal ions/metal oxides and functional nanomaterials result in acting against the viral spread. Based on the available literature and data, we also disclose some of the strategies for development of a universal and reusable virus deactivation system against the emerging COVID-19.
  • 1.8K
  • 25 Sep 2020
Topic Review
International HBV Treatment Guideline Evaluation
There are five international hepatitis B virus (HBV) treatment guidelines: AASLD, APASL, EASL, NICE, and WHO. All guidelines recommend treatment based on levels of HBV DNA, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), age, and liver fibrosis. Among five guidelines, only the WHO guideline recommends the aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet (APRI) to evaluate liver fibrosis as an alternative to elastography.
  • 1.8K
  • 12 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Human Endogenous Retrovirus in Neurodegeneration
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are ancient retroviral DNA sequences established into germline. They contain regulatory elements and encoded proteins few of which may provide benefits to hosts when co-opted as cellular genes. Their tight regulation is mainly achieved by epigenetic mechanisms, which can be altered by environmental factors, e.g., viral infections, leading to HERV activation. This review summarizes the recent advances on the epigenetic mechanisms controlling HERV expression and the pathogenic effects triggered by HERV de-repression leading to neurological diseases, inflammatory processes and neurodegeneration.
  • 1.8K
  • 04 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Application Fields of Silver Nanoparticles
New antiviral drugs and new preventive antiviral strategies are a target of intense scientific interest. Thanks to their peculiar properties, nanomaterials play an important role in this field, and, in particular, among metallic materials, silver nanoparticles were demonstrated to be effective against a wide range of viruses, in addition to having a strong antibacterial effect. Although the mechanism of antiviral action is not completely clarified, silver nanoparticles can directly act on viruses, and on their first steps of interaction with the host cell, depending on several factors, such as size, shape, functionalization and concentration. 
  • 1.8K
  • 24 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Microbiota for HPV Infection
The microbiome is able to modulate immune responses, alter the physiology of the human organism, and increase the risk of viral infections and development of diseases such as cancer. Herein, we address changes in the cervical microbiota as potential biomarkers to identify the risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) development and invasive cervical cancer in the context of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
  • 1.8K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Hepatitis B Virus
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a globally-distributed pathogen and is a major cause of liver disease. HBV (or closely-related animal hepadnaviruses) can integrate into the host genome, but (unlike retroviruses) this integrated form is replication-defective. 
  • 1.7K
  • 10 Mar 2021
Topic Review
ToLCNDV
The tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) is a bipartite, single-stranded begomovirus that was first identified in India in 1995 affecting solanaceous crops. A different strain, named ToLCNDV-ES, was introduced in Spain in 2012 and causes severe symptoms in zucchini crops. Virus transmission experiments with the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, were used to compare the transmission parameters in zucchini and tomato plants.
  • 1.7K
  • 28 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Viral Equine Encephalitis
Neurological disorders represent an important sanitary and economic threat for the equine industry worldwide. Among nervous diseases, viral encephalitis is of growing concern, due to the emergence of arboviruses and to the high contagiosity of herpesvirus-infected horses. The nature, severity and duration of the clinical signs could be different depending on the etiological agent and its virulence. However, definite diagnosis generally requires the implementation of combinations of direct and/or indirect screening assays in specialized laboratories. The equine practitioner, involved in a mission of prevention and surveillance, plays an important role in the clinical diagnosis of viral encephalitis. The general management of the horse is essentially supportive, focused on controlling pain and inflammation within the central nervous system, preventing injuries and providing supportive care. Despite its high medical relevance and economic impact in the equine industry, vaccines are not always available and there is no specific antiviral therapy. In this review, the major virological, clinical and epidemiological features of the main neuropathogenic viruses inducing encephalitis in equids in Europe, including rabies virus (Rhabdoviridae), Equid herpesviruses (Herpesviridae), Borna disease virus (Bornaviridae) and West Nile virus (Flaviviridae), as well as exotic viruses, will be presented.
  • 1.7K
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Structural/Phylogenetic Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein Variants
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, reported for the first time at the end of 2019 in the city of Wuhan (China), has spread worldwide in three years; it lead to the infection of more than 500 million people and about six million dead. SARS-CoV-2 has proved to be very dangerous for human health. Therefore, several efforts have been made in studying this virus. In a short time, about one year, the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection and duplication and its physiological effect on human have been pointed out. Moreover, different vaccines against it have been developed and commercialized. Since the beginning of the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 has evolved; it has done so by accumulating mutations in the genome, generating new virus versions showing different characteristics, and which have replaced the pre-existing variants. In general, it has been observed that the new variants show an increased infectivity and cause milder symptoms. The latest isolated Omicron variants contain more than 50 mutations in the whole genome and show an infectivity 10-folds higher compared to the wild-type strain. 
  • 1.7K
  • 05 Sep 2022
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