Virology News

In October and November 2010, novel H1N2 reassortant influenza viruses were identified from pigs showing mild respiratory signs that included cough and depression. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis showed that the novel H1N2 reassortants possesses HA and NA genes derived from recent H1N2 swine isolates similar to those isolated from Midwest. Compared to the majority of reported reassortants, both viruses preserved human-like host restrictive and putative antigenic sites in their HA and NA genes. The four internal genes, PB2, PB1, PA, and NS were similar to the contemporary swine triple reassortant viruses' internal genes (TRIG). Interestingly, NP and M genes of the novel reassortants were derived from the 2009 pandemic H1N1.

Depressed pigs?  Do they sigh a lot and watch weepy movies?  But that H1N1 is a real survivor - its genes or some of them have persisted since 1918, and don't look to be going away.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) diseases are known to be zoonotic diseases that can infect different kinds of animals.

Conclusions

This finding concludes that mouse-adapted agents 139A and ME7 change their pathogenic characteristics during the transmission to hamsters. The novel prions in hamsters' brains obtain new molecular properties with hamster-specificity.

No more mouse kebabs, people....  Seriously, though, this is rather sinister in terms of expanding the known "phylogenetic gap" that prions can cross

Researchers have successfully flushed latent HIV infection from hiding, with a drug used to treat certain types of lymphoma.

In a clinical trial, six HIV-infected men who were medically stable on anti-AIDS drugs, received vorinostat, an oncology drug. Recent studies by Margolis and others have shown that vorinostat also attacks the enzymes that keep HIV hiding in certain CD4+ T cells, specialized immune system cells that the virus uses to replicate. Within hours of receiving the vorinostat, all six patients had a significant increase in HIV RNA in these cells, evidence that the virus was being forced out of its hiding place.

ASM publications follow a simple set of guidelines. First, we believe strongly that good science should be published in its entirety after peer review. Accordingly, we require that all primary data be accessible, that DNA sequences be filed in GenBank, that structural coordinates be available, etc. Second, we also understand that science should do no harm. Accordingly, we require that all papers have vetted animal use and human subject protocols and that appropriate biosafety and biosecurity procedures have been followed. We also have set guidelines based on principles set forth by the National Academy of Sciences and the NSABB that attempt to deal with experiments in seven categories most likely to fall into “dual use research of concern” (2). These categories are “yellow lights” or “caution signals” that require extra attention to be sure that the work does not cause or have the potential to cause harm.

A reasoned, careful analysis of a thorny problem.  But again, letting the NSABB speak for the world.

"...we intensively sampled two sympatric parrot populations from Mauritius over a period of 11 years and screened for the circovirus Beak and Feather Disease Virus. During the sampling period a severe outbreak of Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease, which is caused by Beak and Feather Disease Virus, occurred in Echo parakeets. Consequently, this dataset presents an ideal system to study the evolution of a pathogen in a natural population and to understand the adaptive changes that cause outbreaks."

Reasonably good paper - and prescooped as a news item by both AJC and CU.

A couple of problems with it, however: first, they say "Circoviruses are amongst the smallest and simplest of all viruses, but are relatively poorly characterised." - and neglect to cite a paper which DOES thoroughly characterise BFDV diversity.

Varsani A, Regnard GL, Bragg R, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP. J Gen Virol. 2011 Apr;92(Pt 4):752-67. 

Second, they refer to a "replicase gene" or allele: it's Rep, guys, for replication associated protein - a rolling circle replication initiator, and NOT a replicase.

Third - nah, that's enough.

Warning: bullsh1t alert

"Vaccines are based on a scientific-sounding mythology that is widely believed by gullible physicians and scientists who simply believe what they are told rather than what’s real. This mythology is based on the belief that injecting foreign matter into the human body will cause the immune system to adapt to the weakened foreign matter by creating antibodies that fight off future infections. This explanation, however, is pure mythology. In reality, an immune system can only invoke an adaptive response when it is properly nourished with vitamin D. And if the patient has enough vitamin D, they need no vaccine because vitamin D protects them from seasonal influenza in the first place."

Yeah.  Right.  SO people in sunny countries don't get flu?  Rubbish!!!  If anything, flu is worse in the tropics because it occurs all year round!