scholarly journals Extracellular amoebal-vesicles: potential transmission vehicles for respiratory viruses

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafik Dey ◽  
Melanie A. Folkins ◽  
Nicholas J. Ashbolt
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Syncytial Virus ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Environmental Persistence ◽  
Viral Dissemination ◽  
Acute Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
Tract Infections

AbstractHuman respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of acute respiratory tract infections in children and immunocompromised adults worldwide. Here we report that amoebae-release respirable-sized vesicles containing high concentrations of infectious RSV that persisted for the duration of the experiment. Given the ubiquity of amoebae in moist environments, our results suggest that extracellular amoebal-vesicles could contribute to the environmental persistence of respiratory viruses, including potential resistance to disinfection processes and thereby offering novel pathways for viral dissemination and transmission.

scholarly journals Respiratory infections in children up to two years of age on prophylaxis with palivizumab

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Isabel M. P. Monteiro ◽  
Nancy Cristina J. Bellei ◽  
Alessandra Ramos Sousa ◽  
Amélia Miyashiro N. dos Santos ◽  
Lily Yin Weckx
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Syncytial Virus ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Direct Immunofluorescence ◽  
Virus Infections ◽  
Acute Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
Tract Infections

OBJECTIVE:To identify the viruses involved in acute respiratory tract infections and to analyze the rates of hospitalization and death in children on palivizumab prophylaxis.METHODS: Prospective cohort of 198 infants up to one year old who were born before 29 weeks of gestational age and infants under two years old with hemodynamically unstable cardiopathy or chronic pulmonary disease who received prophylactic palivizumab against severe respiratory syncytial virus infections in 2008. During the study period, in each episode of acute respiratory tract infection, nasopharyngeal aspirate was collected to identify respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, parainfluenza 1, 2 and 3, influenza A and B by direct immunofluorescence, rhinovirus and metapneumovirus by polymerase chain reaction preceded by reverse transcription. Data regarding hospitalization and deaths were monitored.RESULTS: Among the 198 studied infants, 117 (59.1%) presented acute respiratory tract infections, with a total of 175 episodes. Of the 76 nasopharyngeal aspirates collected during respiratory tract infections, 37 were positive, as follow: rhinovirus (75.7%), respiratory syncytial virus (18.9%), parainfluenza (8.1%), adenovirus 2 (2.7%), metapneumovirus (2.7%) and three samples presented multiple agents. Of the 198 children, 48 (24.4%) were hospitalized: 30 (15.2%) for non-infectious etiology and 18 (9.1%) for respiratory causes. Among these 18 children, one case of respiratory syncytial virus was identified. Two deaths were reported, but respiratory syncytial virus was not identified.CONCLUSIONS: During the prophylaxis period, low frequency of respiratory syncytial virus infections and low rates of hospitalization were observed, suggesting the benefit of palivizumab prophylaxis.

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