Biology subjects

Embury-Hyatt, C.

Publications and source records attributed to Embury-Hyatt, C..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Viral RNA persistence in sheep tissues following acute Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus infection

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever orthonairovirus (CCHFV) is a tick-borne RNA virus that can cause a severe hemorrhagic disease in humans. In animals, CCHFV infection is known to produce a transient viremia followed by host recovery and thus a short window in which animals can serve as potential intermediate hosts. Here we report that, in domestic sheep experimentally infected with CCHFV Kosovo Hoti, viral whole genome sequences were recovered from tissues long after the clearance of viremia. While viral RNA persistence in tissues was largely characterized by a lack of continuous and extensive viral replication, the sporadic presence of replication products (RNA transcripts and proteins) was detected. These findings suggest that the biology of CCHFV in animals goes far beyond an acute infection. A possibility of viral reactivation from a dormant state, akin to that observed in other RNA viruses, warrants further investigation.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus H5N1 in Seals in the St. Lawrence Estuary, Quebec, Canada

We describe an unusual mortality event caused by a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b involving harbor (Phoca vitulina) and grey (Halichoerus grypus) seals in the St. Lawrence Estuary, Quebec, Canada. Fifteen (56%) of the seals submitted for necropsy were considered to be fatally infected by H5N1 containing fully Eurasian (EA) or Eurasian/North American genome constellation. Concurrently, presence of large numbers of bird carcasses infected with H5N1 at haul-out sites most likely contributed to the spill-over of infection to the seals. Histologic changes included meningoencephalitis (100%), fibrinosuppurative alveolitis, and multi-organ acute necrotizing inflammation. This is the first report of fatal H5N1 infection in pinnipeds in Canada, raising concerns about the expanding host of this virus, potential for establishment of a marine mammal reservoir, and the public health risks associated with spillover to mammals.

pathology↗

bioRxiv2021

Exposure route, sex, and age influence disease outcome in a golden Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection

The emergence of Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the resultant pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to over one hundred million confirmed infections, greater than three million deaths, and severe economic and social disruption. Animal models of SARS-CoV-2 are critical tools for the pre-clinical evaluation of antivirals, vaccines, and candidate therapeutics currently under urgent development to curb COVID-19-associated morbidity and mortality. The golden (Syrian) hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection recapitulates key characteristics of severe COVID-19, including high-titer viral replication in the upper and lower respiratory tract and the development of pathogenic lesions in the lungs. In this work we examined the influence of the route of exposure, sex, and age on SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis in golden hamsters. We report that delivery of SARS-CoV-2 primarily to the nasal passages (low-volume intranasal), the upper and lower respiratory tract (high-volume intranasal), or the digestive tract (intragastric) results in comparable viral titers in the lung tissue and similar levels of viral shedding during acute infection. However, low-volume intranasal exposure results in milder weight loss during acute infection while intragastric exposure leads to a diminished capacity to regain body weight following the period of acute illness. Further, we examined both sex and age differences in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Male hamsters, and to a greater extent older male hamsters, display an impaired capacity to recover from illness and a delay in viral clearance compared to females. Lastly, route of exposure, sex, and age were found to influence the nature of the host inflammatory cytokine response, but they had a minimal effect on both the quality and durability of the humoral immune response as well as the susceptibility of hamsters to SARS-CoV-2 re-infection. Together, these data indicate that the route of exposure, sex, and age have a meaningful impact SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis in hamsters and that these variables should be considered when designing pre-clinical challenge studies.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2020

Susceptibility of domestic swine to experimental infection with SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2, the agent responsible for COVID-19 has been shown to infect a number of species. The role of domestic livestock and the risk associated for humans in close contact remains unknown for many production animals. Determination of the susceptibility of pigs to SARS-CoV-2 is critical towards a One Health approach to manage the potential risk of zoonotic transmission. Here, pigs undergoing experimental inoculation are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 at low levels. Viral RNA was detected in group oral fluids and nasal wash from at least two animals while live virus was isolated from a pig. Further, antibodies could be detected in two animals at 11 and 13 days post infection, while oral fluid samples at 6 days post inoculation indicated the presence of secreted antibodies. These data highlight the need for additional livestock assessment to better determine the potential role domestic animals may contribute towards the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2020

North American deer mice are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2

The zoonotic spillover of the pandemic SARS-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from an animal reservoir, currently presumed to be the Chinese horseshoe bat, into a naive human population has rapidly resulted in a significant global public health emergency. Worldwide circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in humans raises the theoretical risk of reverse zoonosis events with wildlife, reintroductions of SARS-CoV-2 into permissive non-domesticated animals, potentially seeding new host reservoir species and geographic regions in which bat SARS-like coronaviruses have not historically been endemic. Here we report that North American deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and some closely related members of the Cricetidae family of rodents possess key amino acid residues within the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor known to confer SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding. Peromyscus rodent species are widely distributed across North America and are the primary host reservoirs of several emerging pathogens that repeatedly spill over into humans including Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, deer tick virus, and Sin Nombre orthohantavirus, the causative agent of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). We demonstrate that adult deer mice are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection following intranasal exposure to a human isolate, resulting in viral replication in the upper and lower respiratory tract with little or no signs of disease. Further, shed infectious virus is detectable in nasal washes, oropharyngeal and rectal swabs, and viral RNA is detectable in feces and occasionally urine. We further show that deer mice are capable of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to naive deer mice through direct contact. The extent to which these observations may translate to wild deer mouse populations remains unclear, and the risk of reverse zoonosis and/or the potential for the establishment of Peromyscus rodents as a North American reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 is unknown. Nevertheless, efforts to monitor wild, peri-domestic Peromyscus rodent populations are likely warranted as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic progresses.

microbiology↗