ELVIS, Antivirals, Rotavirus and Viruses

ELVIS cell line and genes used as promoter and producer

• genetically-engineered cell line (baby hamster kidney cells)

• Promoter = E. coli Lacz gene

• Producer = HSV UL gene

Scientific modification on which ELVIS assay is based

Disadvantages and advantages of ELVIS

Advantages:

• easy to interpret

• rapid system

• no CPE

• shell vial format

Disadvantages

• Lesion sample only

• secondary step to detect HSV-1 from HSV-2

• not used in labs with traditional cell cultures

Positive and negative appearances of ELVIS

Positive = blue

Negative = no color

3 target types for which current antiviral agents have developed

1. Replication enzymes

2. protease/neuramdiase

3. entry/exit pathways

4 characteristics of antiviral agents

1. Nucleoside/Nucleotide analogs

2. Enzyme inhibitors

3. Virus specific

4. Side effects

Specific antiviral therapy used to treat HSV, CMV, VZV, Influenza, and RSV

Chart in lecture

Rotavirus

Seasonality

• December to June (but has become less seasonal lately)

Signs/symptoms

• explosive watery diarrhea

• dehydration

• vomiting

transmission

• Fecal/oral

• surfaces

treatment

• replenish fluids

prevention

• oral vaccine

Serological assay type for rotavirus antigen detection

Enzyme immunoassay

basic steps of rotavirus detection procedure

1. wells coated in monoclonal antibody

2. diluted fecal sample and anti-rotavirus conjugate added to well

3. incubate/wash/substrate

4. read results

components of rotavirus assay

Monoclonal antibody (VP6)

substrate (color change)

Rotaclone EIA for detection

Positive and Negative appearance of rotavirus assay

Positive = blue

negative = no color

2 best means of lab diagnosis of rotavirus and specimen type required

1. Antigen detection

2. Molecular diagnostic

other viruses that may contribute to diarrheal disease

• Norovirus

• Enterovirus

• Adenovirus

• Hep A and E

Chikungunya virus

Transmission

• Mosquitos

Geographic distribution

• found in Africa and Indian ocean countries

characteristics in humans

• cause intense pain that makes patient bend over

• rash and acute fever

prevention

• Mosquito control

treatment

• no antiviral

• supportive care

Dengue Virus

Transmission

• Mosquitos

Geographic distribution

• Tropical areas with poor mosquito control

characteristics in humans

• “Break bone fever”

• Extreme pain in joints and muscles

• Dengue hemorrhagic fever

prevention

• Mosquito control

• Vaccine

treatment

• No antiviral

• Supportive care

Ebola virus

Transmission

• Human to human in blood and body fluids

Geographic distribution

• found in Africa

characteristics in humans

• headache

• fever

• bruising

• Brain damage

• seizures

prevention

• Zebov Ebola vaccine

treatment

• supportive care

• monoclonal antibody

Hanta virus

Transmission

• rodents

• airborne

Geographic distribution

• worldwide

characteristics in humans

• pulmonary syndrome

• hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome

prevention

• eliminate rodents

• eliminate rodent food sources

• eliminate rodent nesting sites

treatment

• supportive care

• hemodialysis

• no vaccine or antivirals

SARS-CoV-2 virus (covid)

Transmission

• respiratory droplets

Geographic distribution

• worldwide

characteristics in humans

• fever/chills

• cough

• fatigue

• new loss of taste or smell

prevention

• masks

• vaccine

• wash hands

treatment

• supportive care

• anti-coagulants

• immunoglobulin therapy

Zika virus

Transmission

• mosquitos

Geographic distribution

• woldwide

characteristics in humans

• fever

• rash

• conjunctivitis

• joint pain

prevention

• mosquito control

• no vaccine

treatment

• no antiviral

• supportive care