Chikungunya virus infection results in higher and persistent viral replication in aged rhesus macaques due to defects in anti-viral immunity
Autor(es): Messaoudi Ilhem, Vomaske Jennifer, Totonchy Thomas, Kreklywich Craig N, Haberthur Kristen, Springgay Laura, Brien James D, Diamond Michael S, Defilippis Victor R, Streblow Daniel N
Resumo: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging mosquito-borne Alphavirus that causes a clinical disease involving fever, myalgia, nausea - rash. The distinguishing feature of CHIKV infection is the severe debilitating poly-arthralgia that may persist for several months after viral clearance. Since its re-emergence in 2004, CHIKV has spread from the Indian Ocean region to new locations including metropolitan Europe, Japan, - even the United States. The risk of importing CHIKV to new areas of the world is increasing due to high levels of viremia in infected individuals as well as the recent adaptation of the virus to the mosquito species Aedes albopictus. CHIKV re-emergence is also associated with new clinical complications including severe morbidity -, for the first time, mortality. In this study, we characterized disease progression - host immune responses in adult - aged Rhesus macaques infected with either the recent CHIKV outbreak strain La Reunion (LR) or the West African strain 37997. Our results indicate that following intravenous infection - regardless of the virus used, Rhesus macaques become viremic between days 1-5 post infection. While adult animals are able to control viral infection, aged animals show persistent virus in the spleen. Virus-specific T cell responses in the aged animals were reduced compared to adult animals - the B cell responses were also delayed - reduced in aged animals. Interestingly, regardless of age, T cell - antibody responses were more robust in animals infected with LR compared to 37997 CHIKV strain. Taken together these data suggest that the reduced immune responses in the aged animals promotes long-term virus persistence in CHIKV-LR infected Rhesus monkeys.
Imprenta: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, v. 7, n. 7, p. e2343, 2013
Identificador do objeto digital: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002343
Descritores: Chikungunya virus - Cell ; Chikungunya virus - Pathogenesis ; Chikungunya virus - T lymphocytes ; Chikungunya virus - Viral infections ; Chikungunya Virus - Virus ; Chikungunya virus - Vaccine ; Chikungunya virus - Chikungunya fever ; Chikungunya virus - Immunology ; Chikungunya virus - Public health
Data de publicação: 2013
