Hendra Virus Infection in Dog,Australia, 2013

Hendra virus occasionally causes severe disease in horses and humans. In Australia in 2013, infection was detected in a dog that had been in contact with an infected horse. Abnormalities and viral RNA were found in the dog’s kidney, brain, lymph nodes, spleen, and liver. Dogs should be kept away from infected horses.     

A Perspective on Organoids for Virology Research

Animal models and cell lines are invaluable for virology research and host–pathogen interaction studies. However, it is increasingly evident that these models are not sufficient to fully understand human viral diseases. With the advent of three-dimensional organotypic cultures, it is now possible to study viral infections in the human context. This perspective explores the potential of these organotypic cultures, also known as organoids, for virology research, antiviral testing, and shaping the virology landscape.     

肝硬变和原发性肝癌患者HCV与HBV标志物分析

目的探讨肝硬变（ＬＣ），原发性肝癌（ＨＣＣ）发生和发展与ＨＣＶ及ＨＢＶ感染的关系．方法ＨＣＣ２８例，ＬＣ４８例和对照组５０例，用ＥＬＩＳＡ法同步检测ＨＢＶ及ＨＣＶ的６项血清标志物（Ｍ）．结果ＨＣＣ，ＬＣ及对照组ＨＢＶ＿Ｍ的阳性率分别为７５０％，８１３％和４００％；ＨＣＶ＿Ｍ的阳性率分别为７１％，２０８％和２０％．ＨＣＣ，ＬＣ中ＨＢＶ＿Ｍ阴性患者ＨＣＶ＿Ｍ阳性率为１２５％．ＨＣＶ与ＨＢＶ重叠感染者占ＨＣＣ和ＬＣ全部患者的１３２％．结论ＨＣＣ，ＬＣ发生和发展与ＨＢＶ及ＨＣＶ病毒感染密切相关，重叠感染者肝功能损害及临床失代偿程度更严重．     

肝癌及癌旁组织HBV DNA定点PCR研究

目的采用定点ＰＣＲ技术，研究ＨＢＶ的Ｓ和Ｃ基因在肝癌与癌旁组织的存在状态，探讨癌旁ＨＢｓＡｇ表达与Ｓ基因的关系。方法福尔马林固定，石蜡包埋肝癌及癌旁组织２８例，ＨＢｓＡｇ免疫组化后的切片分别切割癌组织、癌旁ＨＢｓＡｇ强阳性区（Ｐ２）及癌旁ＨＢｓＡｇ阴性区（Ｐ１）各１个低倍视野，作Ｓ及Ｃ基因ＰＣＲ。结果癌组织Ｓ基因较Ｃ基因检出率高（１８／２８ｖｓ１０／２８，Ｐ＜０．０５），癌旁二者无差异；癌旁中Ｐ１与Ｐ２的Ｓ及Ｃ基因检出率无显著性差异；高分化肝癌Ｓ和／或Ｃ基因检出率较中分化者低（２／５ｖｓ２０／２８，Ｐ＜０．０５）。结论癌组织中整合的ＨＢＶＤＮＡ为残缺不全的，ＨＢｓＡｇ强阳性与阴性区的Ｓ基因检出无显著性差异。     

All-Atom MD Simulations of the HBV Capsid Complexed with AT130 Reveal Secondary and Tertiary Structural Changes and Mechanisms of Allostery

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsid is an attractive drug target, relevant to combating viral hepatitis as a major public health concern. Among small molecules known to interfere with capsid assembly, the phenylpropenamides, including AT130, represent an important antiviral paradigm based on disrupting the timing of genome packaging. Here, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of an intact AT130-bound HBV capsid reveal that the compound increases spike flexibility and improves recovery of helical secondary structure in the spike tips. Regions of the capsid-incorporated dimer that undergo correlated motion correspond to established sub-domains that pivot around the central chassis. AT130 alters patterns of correlated motion and other essential dynamics. A new conformational state of the dimer is identified, which can lead to dramatic opening of the intradimer interface and disruption of communication within the spike tip. A novel salt bridge is also discovered, which can mediate contact between the spike tip and fulcrum even in closed conformations, revealing a mechanism of direct communication across these sub-domains. Altogether, results describe a dynamical connection between the intra- and interdimer interfaces and enable mapping of allostery traversing the entire core protein dimer.     

31st Brazilian Online Society for Virology (SBV) 2020 Annual Meeting

The year 2020 was profoundly marked by the emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2, causing COVID-19, which represents the greatest pandemic of the 21st century until now, and a major challenge for virologists in the scientific and medical communities. Increased numbers of SARS-CoV-2 infection all over the world imposed social and travel restrictions, including avoidance of face-to-face scientific meetings. Therefore, for the first time in history, the 2020 edition of the Brazilian Society of Virology (SBV) congress was totally online. Despite the challenge of the new format, the Brazilian society board and collaborators were successful in virtually congregating more than 921 attendees, which was the greatest SBV participant number ever reached. Seminal talks from prominent national and international researchers were presented every night, during a week, and included discussions about environmental, basic, animal, human, plant and invertebrate virology. A special roundtable debated exclusively new data and perspectives regarding COVID-19 by some of the greatest Brazilian virologists. Women scientists were very well represented in another special roundtable called “Young Women Inspiring Research”, which was one of the most viewed and commented section during the meeting, given the extraordinary quality of the presented work. Finally, SBV offered the Helio Gelli Pereira award for one graduate and one undergraduate student, which has also been a fruitful collaboration between the society and Viruses journal. The annual SBV meeting has, therefore, reached its goals to inspire young scientists, stimulate high-quality scientific discussion and to encourage global collaboration between virologists.     

A broad-spectrum antiviral targeting entry of enveloped viruses

We describe an antiviral small molecule, LJ001, effective against numerous enveloped viruses including Influenza A, filoviruses, poxviruses, arenaviruses, bunyaviruses, paramyxoviruses, flaviviruses, and HIV-1. In sharp contrast, the compound had no effect on the infection of nonenveloped viruses. In vitro and in vivo assays showed no overt toxicity. LJ001 specifically intercalated into viral membranes, irreversibly inactivated virions while leaving functionally intact envelope proteins, and inhibited viral entry at a step after virus binding but before virus–cell fusion. LJ001 pretreatment also prevented virus-induced mortality from Ebola and Rift Valley fever viruses. Structure–activity relationship analyses of LJ001, a rhodanine derivative, implicated both the polar and nonpolar ends of LJ001 in its antiviral activity. LJ001 specifically inhibited virus–cell but not cell–cell fusion, and further studies with lipid biosynthesis inhibitors indicated that LJ001 exploits the therapeutic window that exists between static viral membranes and biogenic cellular membranes with reparative capacity. In sum, our data reveal a class of broad-spectrum antivirals effective against enveloped viruses that target the viral lipid membrane and compromises its ability to mediate virus–cell fusion.