Virus Types Research Articles

Vertical transmission and maternal passive immunity post-SARS-CoV-2.

Since 2020, the highly contagious nature and various transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2 have rendered the pandemic interminable. Vertical transmission (VT) through the placenta and breast milk, which is frequent for certain virus types, is thought to exist for SARS-CoV-2 and is hypothesized by many researchers. Conversely, antibodies are produced to counteract the effect of viruses. Since newborns' immunologic system cannot produce proper antibodies, maternal antibodies are usually transferred from mother to infant/fetus to meet the need. This theory leads to the hypothesis of transmission of antibodies through the placenta and breast milk following SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination. This paper further discusses these hypotheses, considering consequences of fetus/infant harm versus benefit.

Gold nanoparticle-based strategies against SARS-CoV-2: A review

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has been an immense threat to global public health and has also had a negative socioeconomic impact worldwide. However, although the pandemic is now under control, it has demonstrated that society is unprepared to use analysis methods that are applicable to various types of viruses nor apply new therapies to prevent infections, considering the extensive time needed for vaccine development. The use of nanomaterial-based diagnostics and therapeutics can provide essential strategies for both virus detection and treatment. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are the nanomaterials most commonly used to enhance virus detection because of their bioconjugation, high plasmon resonance, and excellent electrical, optical, and catalytic properties. The present review outlines the recent advances reported in the literature regarding using AuNPs for their antiviral activities with respiratory viruses, analysis techniques such as AuNP-assisted polymerase chain reaction, biosensors (electrochemical, piezoelectric, and optical), lateral flow analysis, nucleic acid assays, and gene and vaccine therapy. Finally, as a potential antiviral treatment, this review provides in vitro and in vivo toxicity results of AuNPs for respiratory viruses, as well as those related to their toxicity in humans, to evaluate their use as a future antiviral treatment.

Impact of Covid-19 on Respiratory and Cardiovascular Status in Covid Recovered Young Adults

Introduction: Corona viruses are a type of virus that can infect both humans as well as animals. they can impact both the pulmonary and extra-pulmonary systems, resulting in a high fatality rate. The purpose of this review article is to understand the impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular and respiratory function in young adults who have recovered from Covid-19. Methodology: To construct a narrative review on this topic, we examined a number of databases, Google Scholar, Medline, PubMed, Researchgate and search approach was using a combination of the words impact of Covid- 19 on young adults, SARS-CoV-2, cardiovascular status, respiratory status. Discussion: It was found that even while the majority of mild and moderate instances of acute respiratory distress syndrome recover completely, a tiny percentage of severe cases of acute respiratory distress syndrome remain hypoxemic despite obtaining proper care and VO2 max is seen to be reduced in COVID-19 symptomatic patients compared to asymptomatic. There was a high prevalence of multi-organ failure and associated elevated d-dimer, fibrinogen, and delayed thrombin time in severe diseases, and their negative outcomes were linked to co-morbidities such as hypertension, cardiovascular, pulmonary illness and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Conclusion: The long-term effect of Coronavirus on cardiopulmonary function is highly controversial. It is expected that some patients will have subclinical and possibly observable cardiovascular abnormalities. Patients with allegedly recovered cardiac function may still be at risk of CAD, atrial fibrillation or ventricular arrhythmias. Recovered patients with compromised respiratory status are more vulnerable to develop respiratory and cardiac ailments later in life.

VIRAL HEPATITIS-PROGRESS TOWARDS ELIMINATION

Viral hepatitis affects millions of people worldwide1. WHO aims to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030 by reducing deaths and new infections from hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HBsAg to <0.1% in children under 5 years of age. Viral hepatitis is an infection of the liver that causes inflammation and liver damage 2 There are several types of viruses that cause hepatitis, including hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E 3. The purpose of this article is to review epidemiology, review articles from PubMed, NCBI, WHO, CDCs strategic framework for global immunization, and hepatitis elimination, prevention, and treatment to introduce viral hepatitis, vaccination against hepatitis, and observed global hepatitisefforts to end it.

Tracking the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on viral gastroenteritis through wastewater-based retrospective analyses

The COVID-19 pandemic possibly disrupted the circulation and seasonality of gastroenteritis viruses (e.g., Norovirus (NoV), Sapovirus (SaV), group A rotavirus (ARoV), and Aichivirus (AiV)). Despite the growing application of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), there remains a lack of sufficient investigations into the actual impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence of gastroenteritis viruses. In this study, we measured NoV GI and GII, SaV, ARoV, and AiV RNA concentrations in 296 influent wastewater samples collected from three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Sapporo, Japan between October 28, 2018 and January 12, 2023 using the highly sensitive EPISENS™ method. The detection ratios of SaV and ARoV after May 2020 (SaV: 49.8 % (134/269), ARoV: 57.4 % (151/263)) were significantly lower than those before April 2020 (SaV: 93.9 % (31/33), ARoV: 97.0 % (32/33); SaV: p < 3.5×10−7, ARoV: p < 1.5×10−6). Furthermore, despite comparable detection ratios before (88.5 %, 23/26) and during (66.7 %, 80/120) the COVID-19 pandemic (p = 0.032), the concentrations of NoV GII revealed a significant decrease after the onset of the pandemic (p < 1.5×10−7, Cliff's delta = 0.72). NoV GI RNA were sporadically detected (24.7 %, 8/33) before April 2020 and after May 2020 (6.5 %, 17/263), whereas AiV was consistently (100 %, 33/33) detected from wastewater throughout the study period (95.8 %, 252/263). The WBE results demonstrated the significant influence of COVID-19 countermeasures on the circulation of gastroenteritis viruses, with variations observed in the magnitude of their impact across different types of viruses. These epidemiological findings highlight that the hygiene practices implemented to prevent COVID-19 infections may also be effective for controlling the prevalence of gastroenteritis viruses, providing invaluable insights for public health units and the development of effective disease management guidelines.

Impact of Covid-19 epidemic on online learning and educational resources in China

Online education was widely launched worldwide with the increasing impact of Covid-19 and multiple online platforms were developed or improved due to their demands. Several surveys have been conducted to analyze the Covid-19 impact on education, revealing the importance of information and communication technology (ICT). This epidemic has significantly changed all education levels and dramatically increased online learning. Online learning has various benefits with few drawbacks such as resources, economic effects, time, travelling, and so on. In this paper, we describe the impact of Covid-19 on education in China, the education of international students, problems in online learning, and the supportive technologies during this epidemic. Distance learning has been studied for years, expressed that it enhances the learners with lower paybacks; therefore, it was diminished dramatically. All these concerns will help us to understand global reforms and situations. We have also described affected regions, virus types, the Covid-19 cycle, and procedures to secure our education systems. Furthermore, we have highlighted some key issues of biosafety that will support the community to understand the standard procedures for developing a safe environment. Teachers play a key role in the development of a nation, and this study also enlightened the perspectives which should be addressed in future research.

Community intervention trial for estimating risk of acute gastrointestinal illness from groundwater-supplied non-disinfected drinking water.

By community intervention in 14 non-disinfecting municipal water systems, we quantified sporadic acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) attributable to groundwater. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection was installed on all supply wells of intervention communities. In control communities, residents continued to drink non-disinfected groundwater. Intervention and control communities switched treatments by moving UV disinfection units at the study midpoint (crossover design). Study participants (n = 1,659) completed weekly health diaries during four 12-week surveillance periods. Water supply wells were analyzed monthly for enteric pathogenic viruses. Using the crossover design, groundwater-borne AGI was not observed. However, virus types and quantity in supply wells changed through the study, suggesting that exposure was not constant. Alternatively, we compared AGI incidence between intervention and control communities within the same surveillance period. During Period 1, norovirus contaminated wells and AGI attributable risk from well water was 19% (95% CI, -4%, 36%) for children <5 years and 15% (95% CI, -9%, 33%) for adults. During Period 3, echovirus 11 contaminated wells and UV disinfection slightly reduced AGI in adults. Estimates of AGI attributable risks from drinking non-disinfected groundwater were highly variable, but appeared greatest during times when supply wells were contaminated with specific AGI-etiologic viruses.

An Assessment to Human Perception to the Origin of Coronavirus by the Impact of Climate Change and Preventative Management of Pandemic Coronavirus COVID-19

On 12 January 2020, the WHO confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, China. The aims of the study to assess the human perception to the origin of Coronavirus with relation to nature and find out preventative management about coronavirus. Primary data was collected for analyzing some factors regarding the Coronavirus microorganism formed by the impact of climate change. Primary data was collected through an online questionnaire survey. An online questionnaire survey is used for human perception for taking public opinion about the origin of Coronavirus and preventative management which are conducted in Bangladesh. SPSS software is used for Linear Regression analysis and correlation with some variables. A total of three variables were considered in the model estimation of which are dependent variables Coronavirus microorganism formed by the impact of climate change and independent variables such as Coronavirus microorganism formed by the impact of environmental pollution, Coronavirus microorganism formed by the impact of global heat and Coronavirus microorganism originated by the sources of the impact of ice melting polar region. From the analysis, it is found that the Coronavirus microorganism formed by the impact of climate change that makes a unique and statistically significant contribution to the prediction. Among 200 respondents, about 70% of peoples said “Maybe” Coronavirus microorganism formed by the impact of climate change, and it’s some factor. It is also found from the correlation analysis that the epidemic effects of COVID-19 will high on Bangladesh, if immigrant persons come, if Curfew doesn’t issue, if peoples are not conscious, if peoples are not properly using mask and hand gloves, if they are not maintaining social distance and lock down rules. In the finding that, in the polar region, there are many ice stacks where thousands of years ago, the animals are dead but the virus and bacteria are in a state of sleep. As the heat increases, all glaciers and permafrost start to melt in the Polar region. As a result, many types of viruses, bacteria are starting to live. These viruses including Coronavirus will be mixed with different environmental elements such as water, biodiversity. This will easily affect biodiversity and other animals including humans. Above all Climate change may play a significant role in the transmission of many infectious diseases including Coronavirus. Community responses are important for outbreak management during the early phase of major preventive options.

REVIEW ON INDIAN REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS OF CLINICAL TRIALS ON COVID VACCINES

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a coronavirus strain that was discovered in December 2019 in Wuhan city,China. Corona viruses are a type of virus that causes common colds, MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), SARS(Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and other illnesses. After the United States and Brazil, India has risen to third placein the world in terms of the number of COVID-19 cases. To protect humans from the disease, a race among vaccinedevelopers around the world has begun, with hundreds of COVID-19 vaccine candidates in various stages of clinicaltrials. On January 16, 2021, India's government began offering free COVID-19 vaccinations, and as part of what isanticipated to be the world's largest immunization campaign, it is asking all of its residents to get vaccinated. FourCOVID-19 vaccines, out of the eight being tested in various phases of clinical trials in India, were created. The Indianmedicines regulator has given its approval. Covishield, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, and Covaxin, a locally producedvaccine made by Bharat Biotech, are only to be used in cases of extreme urgency. The capability of Indian producers tosupply the nation's anticipated future demand for COVID-19 vaccines has been confirmed. The initial immunisation of30 million healthcare workers can be completed with the help of the staff and cold-chain infrastructure in place prior tothe pandemic. The Indian government has acted quickly to increase the nation's capacity for vaccine production and hasalso created an effective digital system to handle and monitor all facets of vaccine administration.

Saliva-Based Test as an Alternative Diagnosis for SARS-CoV-2 Patient

Respiratory system is affected by a novel type of virus known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The gold standard for its identification is the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test, despite being invasive and dangerous to medical workers during the sample-collecting process. However, major salivary glands including the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual, as well as smaller glands dispersed throughout the mouth cavity, release saliva, a hypotonic fluid, containing biomarkers that can be used to identify both local and systemic disorders, including SARS-CoV-2. This fluid can be utilized as a non-invasive, low-risk diagnostic test by medical professionals since it provides insights into patient's overall health. This study aims to determine the potential of saliva as a substitute for other SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic methods. The results from analysis of 5 scientific publications, showed that saliva contained SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA, making it suitable for patient diagnostic testing. Considering the results, the fluid was discovered to be an alternative diagnostic test for patient with the virus.

Knowledge and public anxiety about COVID-19 vaccination

Introduction: COVID-19 is a new type of virus that attacks the immune system and can be fatal. As the disease spread rapidly, everyone felt anxiety and tension. The anxiety puts the person in a psychosomatic state, causing them to complain of shortness of breath and dizziness. Common signs of infection with this virus are fever over 38°C, cough, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. The study was to evaluate relationship between knowledge level and public anxiety about the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination at the Tanah Tinggi Health Center in Binjai 2022. Methods: The study was a quantitaives using an analytical survey with a cross-sectional approach. The population was the community in the working area of ​​the Tanah Tinggi Public Health Center Binjai, with a total of 200 respondents. The sample was 20 respondents who were randomly selected. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using Chi-square. Results: The study was found that there was a significantly relationship between knowledge level and public anxiety about the COVID-19 vaccination at the Tanah Tinggi Health Center, Binjai. Conclusion: The community is expected to increase their knowledge about COVID-19 vaccination as a way to prevent attacks against COVID-19.

Quadrivalent HPV vaccine effectiveness against anogenital warts: A registry-based study of 2,2 million individuals

BackgroundIn 2009, Norway initiated routine quadrivalent HPV (qHPV) vaccination for girls at 12–13 years of age to protect against virus types causing cervical cancer, HPV16/18, and HPV6/11 which cause anogenital warts (AGW). We wanted to investigate qHPV vaccine effectiveness (VE) against AGW in females before and after first AGW episode and to assess the impact of female vaccination in males. Materials and methodsQHPV vaccination and AGW episodes were collected for the time period 2006–2016 for birth cohorts 1975–2003. Cox models were applied to age at first, as well as at second AGW episode. Finally, we estimated the impact of the female vaccination program on unvaccinated males. ResultsThe VE against the first episode of AGW was strongly dependent on vaccination age, with hazard ratios (HRs) compared to unvaccinated individuals of 0.2, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 1.3, and 2.7, for age groups of ⩽13, 14–15, 16–17, 18–19, 20–24, 25–29, and 30+ years at first vaccination, respectively. Among women who had suffered a first episode of AGW, subsequent qHPV vaccination did not protect against a second episode, with HRs of 0.8, 1.0, and 1.4, for age groups of ⩽17, 18–24, and 25+ years at first vaccination. A gradually decreasing AGW risk was seen in unvaccinated male cohorts neighboring the first routinely vaccinated female 1997 cohort. ConclusionsWhen administered before 14 years of age, qHPV vaccination reduced the probability of AGW about fivefold. The effect decreased sharply with vaccination age, and was not significant among women vaccinated after age 20 years. QHPV administered after the first AGW episode did not protect against a second AGW episode. Herd effects were indicated in unvaccinated males, as we observed a gradual decrease in AGW rates from the 1993 male birth cohort and onwards.

An indirect ELISA to detect antibodies to the gC of bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoAHV1) displaying no crossreactivity with antibodies induced by bovine alphaherpesvirus 5 (BoAHV5)

Seroprevalence of bovine alphaherpesvirus type 1 (BoAHV1) infections may be contaminated by crossreactive antibodies to bovine alphaherpesvirus type 5 (BoAHV5). To avoid such crossreactivity, an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay prepared with a recombinant glycoprotein C (gC) antigen (ELISA-gC1) was developed, aiming the detection of antibodies to BoAHV1, with no crossreactivity with BoAHV5 antibodies. The antigen for the ELISA-gC1 was the product of the expression of 219 bp from the N-terminal portion of the BoAHV1 gC gene, which bears low homology between the two virus types. The test was validated on 131 bovine serum samples, including 26 sera from BoAHV1-experimentally immunized, 38 sera from BoAHV5-experimentally infected or immunized calves, and 67 sera from calves seronegative for both BoAHV1 and BoAHV5, as determined by serum neutralization (SN). When compared to SN for BoAHV1, the ELISA-gC1 presented 100% sensitivity, 95.5 % specificity, 100 % negative predictive value, 89.6 % positive predictive value, 98.8 % precision, and a kappa correlation coefficient (κ) 0.95. None of the 38 BoAHV5-seropositive calves was detected by the ELISA-gC1. The ELISA-gC1 proved highly effective for the identification of BoAHV1-positive sera, with no crossreactivity with anti-BoAHV5 antibodies, thus able to distinguish serological responses from BoAHV1- and BoAHV5-seropositive cattle. Its capacity to detect BoAHV1-specific antibodies should allow the determination of the actual BoAHV1 prevalence in herds, which cannot be serologically determined in countries where BoAHV5 is also prevalent due to antibody crossreactivity. Apart from recognizing exclusively BoAHV1-infected cattle, the ELISA-gC1 may also be used in support of BoAHV5 epidemiological studies by allowing the exclusion of BoAHV1-seropositive animals.

PLANT BIOACTIVE ; CAROTENOIDS, POLYPHENOLS AND FLAVONOIDS IN IMPROVING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AGAINST COVID-19 INFECTION

COVID-19 (coronavirus) is a new type of virus that can cause disease in animals and humans. This type of virus causes a crisis or threat to human life in 2020. Before an ideal vaccine or drug is found to prevent COVID-19 infection, steps or approaches are needed that can break the chain of infection. Several things that can be done to prevent COVID-19 infection are to take advantage of the chemical content of natural ingredients, maintain nutritional intake, maintain the resilience of the body's immune system and adhere to health protocols. The public needs to be made aware of the use of natural metabolites in order to maintain the body's defense system. Carotenoids, polyphenols and flavonoids are a group of secondary metabolites in plants that can physiologically increase the body's immune system against bacterial and viral infections. Red, yellow pigments in plants and some organisms known as coarotenoids have the ability to enhance the body's immune response or cellular immune system. While polyphenols and flavonoids are a unique group of phytochemicals in fruits, vegetables and herbs. This component has the potential to inhibit viral replication. People are expected to use plant chemical compounds to improve the body's immune system.

A fast, low-cost, robust and high-throughput method for viral nucleic acid isolation based on NAxtra magnetic nanoparticles

The year of 2020 was profoundly marked by a global pandemic caused by a strain of coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To control disease spread, a key strategy adopted by many countries was the regular testing of individuals for infection. This led to the rapid development of diagnostic testing technologies. In Norway, within a week, our group developed a test kit to quickly isolate viral RNA and safely detect SARS-CoV-2 infection with sensitivity comparable to available kits. Herein, the procedure employed for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in swab samples from patients using the NTNU-COVID-19 test kit is described in detail. This procedure, based on NAxtra magnetic nanoparticles and an optimized nucleic acid extraction procedure, is robust, reliable, and straightforward, providing high-quality nucleic acids within 14 min. The NAxtra protocol is adaptable and was further validated for extraction of DNA and RNA from other types of viruses. A comparison of the protocol on different liquid handling systems is also presented. Due to the simplicity and low cost of this method, implementation of this technology to diagnose virus infections on a clinical setting would benefit health care systems, promoting sustainability.

Essential Oils: Chemistry and Pharmacological Activities.

In this review, we provide an overview of the current understanding of the main mechanisms of pharmacological action of essential oils and their components in various biological systems. A brief introduction on essential oil chemistry is presented to better understand the relationship of chemical aspects with the bioactivity of these products. Next, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antimicrobial activities are discussed. The mechanisms of action against various types of viruses are also addressed. The data show that the multiplicity of pharmacological properties of essential oils occurs due to the chemical diversity in their composition and their ability to interfere with biological processes at cellular and multicellular levels via interaction with various biological targets. Therefore, these natural products can be a promising source for the development of new drugs.

Host Viral Load During Triple Coinfection of SARS-CoV-2, Influenza Virus, and Syncytial Virus

The dynamics of the host viral load during triple coinfection between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza A, and the syncytial virus is studied. To explore how the host cells, the infected cells, and the viral load behave as a function of time, numerical simulations are performed. Via numerical simulations, the differential equations are analyzed by considering initial conditions. Since the numerical simulations are performed by using the physiological parameters, the model system can genuinely help to understand the viral dynamics either in vivo or in vitro. The result obtained in this work depicts that a higher viral load is exhibited when the three viruses simultaneously infect the host cells than in a single infection case. This indicates that simultaneous infection with SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, and syncytial viruses might be associated with a higher morbidity and mortality rate as these viruses by cooperating with each other facilitate a higher infection rate. Using physiological parameters, we further study the correlation between viral load, susceptible cells, and infected cells. As the three viral species cooperatively infect the host cells, the number of infected cells rises resulting in a higher viral load. Since influenza A has a higher viral reproduction rate than the two types of virus, it dictates the overall dynamics as it has a competitive advantage. Since these viruses share the same resources, the virus production of a given virus can be affected by the other. The interference of these viruses relies on the initial dose, the order of infection, and the strain of the virus. We show that when influenza A and syncytial viruses are initiated a few days after SARS-CoV-2 establishes an infection, while SARS-CoV-2 thrives, and the other two viruses fail to establish an infection. The viruses with an initially higher dose have also a survival advantage. Furthermore, the effect of lymphocytes on the overall viral dynamics is explored via numerical simulations. Since SARS-CoV-2 targets several types of cells and organs, a higher SARS-CoV-2 viral load can be also associated with a higher morbidity and mortality rate.

Information behavior of undergraduates to preventive measures of corona virus: A post COVID experience

This study was conducted with the primarily purpose of evaluating the information awareness, seeking behavior and use of preventive measures of corona virus. The survey research design of the analytical type and a purposive sampling was adopted for the study. The total sample size for this study was five hundred and thirty-eight (538). The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire. A total of 443 (92.7%) copies of questionnaire were returned and found usable. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and multiple regression statistical tools. The study revealed that respondents were aware that omicron variant of corona virus is a new type of virus. However, majority agreed that the type of genetic materials in corona virus is DNA which contradicts proven studies and research. Findings on information needs of respondents revealed that majority need information on causes, symptoms, test procedures and transmission level of corona virus among others. The result on the sources by which the undergraduates get their information on corona virus revealed that the internet was the major sources of information while library was the least sources of accessing information. Furthermore, findings on the pattern of the use of preventive measures of corona virus information revealed undergraduates utilized the information on corona virus majorly for symptom identification; patient isolation/quarantine procedure and treatment procedure. The result on the regression analysis revealed a significant effect of information sources on attitude to use preventive measures of corona virus. Finally, the result revealed information awareness, needs and use have a significant influence on attitude of undergraduates to preventive measures of the virus. It was concluded that the library was the less consulted source of information related to the corona virus information on health needs. Hence, library should do more in providing accurate and credible health related information to its respective users.

Dietary Supplementation of Aspirin Promotes Drosophila Defense against Viral Infection.

Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid, is widely consumed as a pain reliever and an anti-inflammatory as well as anti-platelet agent. Recently, our studies using the animal model of Drosophila demonstrated that the dietary supplementation of aspirin renovates age-onset intestinal dysfunction and delays organismal aging. Nevertheless, it remains probable that aspirin plays functional roles in other biological activities, for instance antiviral defense reactions. Intriguingly, we observed that the replications of several types of viruses were drastically antagonized in Drosophila macrophage-like S2 cells with the addition of aspirin. Further in vivo experimental approaches illustrate that adult flies consuming aspirin harbor higher resistances to viral infections with respect to flies without aspirin treatment. Mechanistically, aspirin positively contributes to the Drosophila antiviral defense largely through mediating the STING (stimulator of interferon genes) but not the IMD (immune deficiency) signaling pathway. Collectively, our studies uncover a novel biological function of aspirin in modulating Drosophila antiviral immunity and provide theoretical bases for exploring new antiviral treatments in clinical trials.

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) in Russia and Epstein - Barr Virus Types: Analysis of the Influence of Gender, Ethnic and Age Factors on the Virus Types Spread in NPC Patients

Introduction: The discovery of two molecular types of Epstein-Barr virus, EBV-1 and EBV-2, with different biological properties, stimulated the search for new neoplasms associated with each type of the virus. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of EBV-1 and EBV-2 in NPC patients from different climatic and geographical regions of Russia, representatives of different gender, ethnic and age groups of patients. Materials and Methods: Using nested PCR EBV types were determined in blood plasma of NPC and other non-EBV-associated tumors of the oral cavity (OTOC/EBV-) patients from the North Caucasus (NCFD) and the Central (CFD) Federal Districts of Russia. IgG and IgA antibody titers to viral capsid antigen (VCA) were determined by indirect immunofluorescence. Results: The studies carried out have shown that NPC and OTOC/EBV- patients were infected with both EBV types in roughly the same ratio. There were also no statistically significant differences in serological activities of NPC patients infected with EBV-1 or EBV-2. The prevalence of EBV-2 types 1 and 2 was not influenced by gender or ethno-geographic affiliation of NPC patients. The only difference was EBV-2 predominance in NPC patients under 60, and EBV-1 predominance in those over 60 years old. Conclusion: The absence of a predominance of one of the EBV types in NPC patients indicates that neither EBV-1 nor EBV-2 is strictly NPC-associated in Russia, and that different ethnic and climatic-geographical factors in the spread of virus types in NPC patients are not playing an essential role.