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Pathogens
Special Issues
Emerging and/or Zoonotic Viral Infections
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Emerging and/or Zoonotic Viral Infections

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Viral Pathogens".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2022) | Viewed by 46917

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Wenjun Ma

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
2. Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Interests: influenza; rift valley fever; virology; zoonotic viral disease; virus-host interaction; vaccine; antiviral; animal model; bat-derived viruses
Dr. Alexander W.E. Franz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Interests: arboviruses (dengue, chikungunya, zika, mayaro); emerging arboviruses; mosquito-arbovirus interactions; novel arboviral control strategies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of the journal Pathogens focuses on emerging and/or zoonotic viral infections.

The vast majority of the medically important viruses around the world are of zoonotic origin. The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the recent emergence of novel influenza virus strains, and the ongoing geographic spread of Usutu virus are just three examples highlighting the impact and threat that emerging zoonotic viruses pose to global human health. Vertebrates such as bats, rodents, primates, and birds are likely carriers of countless yet undescribed viruses, some of which may sooner or later “make the jump” into human populations, due to adaptive mutations and ongoing changes in wildlife habitats caused by global climate change and human encroachment. On the other hand, some well-described viruses, such as Western equine encephalitis virus, seem to have largely disappeared from previously endemic regions and perhaps, may re-emerge again. This Special Issue will provide an overview of the emergence/epidemiology, pathobiology, and control strategies regarding zoonotic viruses such as Influenza and coronaviruses as well as on novel or underreported viruses from any region of the world, which have recently emerged or may have the potential to re-emerge in the foreseeable future.

Original research articles (including short communications) and review articles covering topics such as epidemiology and ecology of emerging and zoonotic viruses (including arboviruses), virus evolution, molecular virus–host interactions, diagnostic tool development, in vivo animal models, and novel antiviral control strategies, including the development of vaccines/antivirals, would be viewed as highly suitable contributions.  Readers will learn about novel, obscure viruses that have the potential to impact human health and the mechanisms underlying viral emergence and re-mergence. These aspects will usefully supplement the existing literature on zoonotic viruses.   

Dr. Wenjun Ma
Dr. Alexander W.E. Franz
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • emerging and/or zoonotic viral infections
  • virus epidemiology
  • host range and transmission
  • virus evolution
  • fast diagnosis
  • molecular virus–host interactions
  • in vitro and in vivo small animal models
  • virus control
  • development of vaccines and antivirals

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review, Other

8 pages, 623 KiB  
Article
Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant Spike Protein Shows an Increased Affinity to the Human ACE2 Receptor: An In Silico Analysis
by Joseph Thomas Ortega, Beata Jastrzebska and Hector Rafael Rangel
Pathogens 2022, 11(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11010045 - 31 Dec 2021
Cited by 44 | Viewed by 5247
Abstract
The rise of SARS-CoV-2 variants, with changes that could be related to an increased virus pathogenicity, have received the interest of the scientific and medical community. In this study, we evaluated the changes that occurred in the viral spike of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron [...] Read more.
The rise of SARS-CoV-2 variants, with changes that could be related to an increased virus pathogenicity, have received the interest of the scientific and medical community. In this study, we evaluated the changes that occurred in the viral spike of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and whether these changes modulate the interactions with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) host receptor. The mutations associated with the Omicron variant were retrieved from the GISAID and covariants.org databases, and a structural model was built using the SWISS-Model server. The interaction between the spike and the human ACE2 was evaluated using two different docking software, Zdock and Haddock. We found that the binding free energy was lower for the Omicron variant as compared to the WT spike. In addition, the Omicron spike protein showed an increased number of electrostatic interactions with ACE2 than the WT spike, especially the interactions related to charged residues. This study contributes to a better understanding of the changes in the interaction between the Omicron spike and the human host ACE2 receptor. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and/or Zoonotic Viral Infections)
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Review

Jump to: Research, Other

13 pages, 1041 KiB  
Review
Re-Examining the Importance of Pigs in the Transmission of Japanese Encephalitis Virus
by So Lee Park, Yan-Jang S. Huang and Dana L. Vanlandingham
Pathogens 2022, 11(5), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11050575 - 13 May 2022
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4196
Abstract
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, is the leading cause of pediatric encephalitis in Southeast Asia. The enzootic transmission of JEV involves two types of amplifying hosts, swine and avian species. The involvement of pigs in the transmission cycle makes JEV a [...] Read more.
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, is the leading cause of pediatric encephalitis in Southeast Asia. The enzootic transmission of JEV involves two types of amplifying hosts, swine and avian species. The involvement of pigs in the transmission cycle makes JEV a unique pathogen because human Japanese encephalitis cases are frequently linked to the epizootic spillover from pigs, which can not only develop viremia to sustain transmission but also signs of neurotropic and reproductive disease. The existing knowledge of the epidemiology of JEV largely suggests that viremic pigs are a source of infectious viruses for competent mosquito species, especially Culex tritaeniorhynchus in the endemic regions. However, several recently published studies that applied molecular detection techniques to the characterization of JEV pathogenesis in pigs described the shedding of JEV through multiple routes and persistent infection, both of which have not been reported in the past. These findings warrant a re-examination of the role that pigs are playing in the transmission and maintenance of JEV. In this review, we summarize discoveries on the shedding of JEV during the course of infection and analyze the available published evidence to discuss the possible role of the vector-free JEV transmission route among pigs in viral maintenance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and/or Zoonotic Viral Infections)
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15 pages, 1752 KiB  
Review
Antiviral Agents against Flavivirus Protease: Prospect and Future Direction
by Subodh K. Samrat, Jimin Xu, Zhong Li, Jia Zhou and Hongmin Li
Pathogens 2022, 11(3), 293; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11030293 - 25 Feb 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4673
Abstract
Flaviviruses cause a significant amount of mortality and morbidity, especially in regions where they are endemic. A recent example is the outbreak of Zika virus throughout the world. Development of antiviral drugs against different viral targets is as important as the development of [...] Read more.
Flaviviruses cause a significant amount of mortality and morbidity, especially in regions where they are endemic. A recent example is the outbreak of Zika virus throughout the world. Development of antiviral drugs against different viral targets is as important as the development of vaccines. During viral replication, a single polyprotein precursor (PP) is produced and further cleaved into individual proteins by a viral NS2B-NS3 protease complex together with host proteases. Flavivirus protease is one of the most attractive targets for development of therapeutic antivirals because it is essential for viral PP processing, leading to active viral proteins. In this review, we have summarized recent development in drug discovery targeting the NS2B-NS3 protease of flaviviruses, especially Zika, dengue, and West Nile viruses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and/or Zoonotic Viral Infections)
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17 pages, 1433 KiB  
Review
Porcine Deltacoronaviruses: Origin, Evolution, Cross-Species Transmission and Zoonotic Potential
by Fanzhi Kong, Qiuhong Wang, Scott P. Kenney, Kwonil Jung, Anastasia N. Vlasova and Linda J. Saif
Pathogens 2022, 11(1), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11010079 - 9 Jan 2022
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6067
Abstract
Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is an emerging enteropathogenic coronavirus of swine that causes acute diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration and mortality in seronegative neonatal piglets. PDCoV was first reported in Hong Kong in 2012 and its etiological features were first characterized in the United States in [...] Read more.
Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is an emerging enteropathogenic coronavirus of swine that causes acute diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration and mortality in seronegative neonatal piglets. PDCoV was first reported in Hong Kong in 2012 and its etiological features were first characterized in the United States in 2014. Currently, PDCoV is a concern due to its broad host range, including humans. Chickens, turkey poults, and gnotobiotic calves can be experimentally infected by PDCoV. Therefore, as discussed in this review, a comprehensive understanding of the origin, evolution, cross-species transmission and zoonotic potential of epidemic PDCoV strains is urgently needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and/or Zoonotic Viral Infections)
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Other

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14 pages, 1624 KiB  
Systematic Review
Long-Term Sequelae of COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of One-Year Follow-Up Studies on Post-COVID Symptoms
by Qing Han, Bang Zheng, Luke Daines and Aziz Sheikh
Pathogens 2022, 11(2), 269; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11020269 - 19 Feb 2022
Cited by 354 | Viewed by 22042
Abstract
Emerging evidence has shown that COVID-19 survivors could suffer from persistent symptoms. However, it remains unclear whether these symptoms persist over the longer term. This study aimed to systematically synthesise evidence on post-COVID symptoms persisting for at least 12 months. We searched PubMed [...] Read more.
Emerging evidence has shown that COVID-19 survivors could suffer from persistent symptoms. However, it remains unclear whether these symptoms persist over the longer term. This study aimed to systematically synthesise evidence on post-COVID symptoms persisting for at least 12 months. We searched PubMed and Embase for papers reporting at least one-year follow-up results of COVID-19 survivors published by 6 November 2021. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to estimate pooled prevalence of specific post-COVID symptoms. Eighteen papers that reported one-year follow-up data from 8591 COVID-19 survivors were included. Fatigue/weakness (28%, 95% CI: 18–39), dyspnoea (18%, 95% CI: 13–24), arthromyalgia (26%, 95% CI: 8–44), depression (23%, 95% CI: 12–34), anxiety (22%, 95% CI: 15–29), memory loss (19%, 95% CI: 7–31), concentration difficulties (18%, 95% CI: 2–35), and insomnia (12%, 95% CI: 7–17) were the most prevalent symptoms at one-year follow-up. Existing evidence suggested that female patients and those with more severe initial illness were more likely to suffer from the sequelae after one year. This study demonstrated that a sizeable proportion of COVID-19 survivors still experience residual symptoms involving various body systems one year later. There is an urgent need for elucidating the pathophysiologic mechanisms and developing and testing targeted interventions for long-COVID patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and/or Zoonotic Viral Infections)
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19 pages, 3483 KiB  
Systematic Review
Safety and Seroconversion of Immunotherapies against SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials
by Kevin Sheng-Kai Ma, Chien-Chang Lee, Ko-Jiunn Liu, James Cheng-Chung Wei, Yuan-Ti Lee and Li-Tzu Wang
Pathogens 2021, 10(12), 1537; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10121537 - 24 Nov 2021
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3695
Abstract
Clinical trials evaluating the safety and antibody response of strategies to manipulate prophylactic and therapeutic immunity have been launched. We aim to evaluate strategies for augmentation of host immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We searched clinical trials registered at [...] Read more.
Clinical trials evaluating the safety and antibody response of strategies to manipulate prophylactic and therapeutic immunity have been launched. We aim to evaluate strategies for augmentation of host immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We searched clinical trials registered at the National Institutes of Health by 25 May 2021 and conducted analyses on inoculated populations, involved immunological processes, source of injected components, and trial phases. We then searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for their corresponding reports published by 25 May 2021. A bivariate, random-effects meta-analysis was used to derive the pooled estimate of seroconversion and adverse events (AEs). A total of 929,359 participants were enrolled in 389 identified trials. The working mechanisms included heterologous immunity, active immunity, passive immunity, and immunotherapy, with 62.4% of the trials on vaccines. A total of 9072 healthy adults from 27 publications for 22 clinical trials on active immunity implementing vaccination were included for meta-analyses. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) of seroconversion were 13.94, 84.86, 106.03, and 451.04 (all p < 0.01) for vaccines based on protein, RNA, viral vector, and inactivated virus, compared with that of respective placebo/control treatment or pre-vaccination sera. The pooled ORs for safety, as defined by the inverse of systemic adverse events (AEs) were 0.53 (95% CI = 0.27–1.05; p = 0.07), 0.35 (95% CI = 0.16–0.75; p = 0.007), 0.32 (95% CI = 0.19–0.55; p < 0.0001), and 1.00 (95% CI = 0.73–1.36; p = 0.98) for vaccines based on protein, RNA, viral vector, and inactivated virus, compared with that of placebo/control treatment. A paradigm shift from all four immune-augmentative interventions to active immunity implementing vaccination was observed through clinical trials. The efficacy of immune responses to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 for these vaccines was promising, although systemic AEs were still evident for RNA-based and viral vector-based vaccines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and/or Zoonotic Viral Infections)
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