Complete genome sequence of the European sheatfish virus

Viral diseases are an increasing threat to the thriving aquaculture industry worldwide. An emerging group of fish pathogens is formed by several ranaviruses, which have been isolated at different locations from freshwater and seawater fish species since 1985.We report the complete genome sequence of European sheatfish ranavirus (ESV), the first ranavirus isolated in Europe, which causes high mortality rates in infected sheatfish (Silurus glanis) and in other species. Analysis of the genome sequence shows that ESV belongs to the amphibian- like ranaviruses and is closely related to the epizootic hematopoietic necrosis virus (EHNV), a disease agent geographically confined to the Australian continent and notifiable to the World Organization for Animal HealthThis work was supported by grant AGL 2009-08711 from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Alberto López-Bueno and Carla Mavian are recipients of Ramón y Cajal and Formación de Personal Investigador fellowships, respectively, from the same institutio

The genome sequence of the emerging common midwife toad virus identifies an evolutionary intermediate within ranaviruses

Worldwide amphibian population declines have been ascribed to global warming, increasing pollution levels, and other factors directly related to human activities. These factors may additionally be favoring the emergence of novel pathogens. In this report, we have determined the complete genome sequence of the emerging common midwife toad ranavirus (CMTV), which has caused fatal disease in several amphibian species across Europe. Phylogenetic and gene content analyses of the first complete genomic sequence from a ranavirus isolated in Europe show that CMTV is an amphibian-like ranavirus (ALRV). However, the CMTV genome structure is novel and represents an intermediate evolutionary stage between the two previously described ALRV groups. We find that CMTV clusters with several other ranaviruses isolated from different hosts and locations which might also be included in this novel ranavirus group. This work sheds light on the phylogenetic relationships within this complex group of emerging, disease-causing viruses.This work was supported by grant AGL 2009-08711 from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Alberto López-Bueno and Carla Mavián are recipients of the Ramón y Cajal and Formación del Personal Investigador fellowships, respectively, from the same institutio

Secuenciación del genoma de 9 aislados del virus ectromelia: implicaciones evolutivas y determinantes de virulencia

Tesis doctoral inédita. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología Molecular. Fecha de lectura: 12-07-2013La autora de la Tesis Doctoral ha disfrutado de una ayuda Predoctoral de Formarción de Personal Investigador (referencia BES-2008-002202) asociada al proyecto de Investigación SAF2006-0810

Comparative Pathogenesis, Genomics and Phylogeography of Mousepox

Ectromelia virus (ECTV), the causative agent of mousepox, has threatened laboratory mouse colonies worldwide for almost a century. Mousepox has been valuable for the understanding of poxvirus pathogenesis and immune evasion. Here, we have monitored in parallel the pathogenesis of nine ECTVs in BALB/cJ mice and report the full-length genome sequence of eight novel ECTV isolates or strains, including the first ECTV isolated from a field mouse, ECTV-MouKre. This approach allowed us to identify several genes, absent in strains attenuated through serial passages in culture, that may play a role in virulence and a set of putative genes that may be involved in enhancing viral growth in vitro. We identified a putative strong inhibitor of the host inflammatory response in ECTV-MouKre, an isolate that did not cause local foot swelling and developed a moderate virulence. Most of the ECTVs, except ECTV-Hampstead, encode a truncated version of the P4c protein that impairs the recruitment of virions into the A-type inclusion bodies, and our data suggest that P4c may play a role in viral dissemination and transmission. This is the first comprehensive report that sheds light into the phylogenetic and geographic relationship of the worldwide outbreak dynamics for the ECTV species.Peer Reviewe

Genomic Sequencing and Phylogenomics of Cowpox Virus

Cowpox virus (CPXV; genus Orthopoxvirus; family Poxviridae) is the causative agent of cowpox, a self-limiting zoonotic infection. CPXV is endemic in Eurasia, and human CPXV infections are associated with exposure to infected animals. In the Fennoscandian region, five CPXVs isolated from cats and humans were collected and used in this study. We report the complete sequence of their genomes, which ranged in size from 220–222 kbp, containing between 215 and 219 open reading frames. The phylogenetic analysis of 87 orthopoxvirus strains, including the Fennoscandian CPXV isolates, confirmed the division of CPXV strains into at least five distinct major clusters (CPXV-like 1, CPXV-like 2, VACV-like, VARV-like and ECTV-Abatino-like) and can be further divided into eighteen sub-species based on the genetic and patristic distances. Bayesian time-scaled evolutionary history of CPXV was reconstructed employing concatenated 62 non-recombinant conserved genes of 55 CPXV. The CPXV evolution rate was calculated to be 1.65 × 10−5 substitution/site/year. Our findings confirmed that CPXV is not a single species but a polyphyletic assemblage of several species and thus, a reclassification is warranted

The central role of Italy in the spatial spread of USUTU virus in Europe

USUTU virus (USUV) is an arbovirus maintained in the environment through a bird-mosquito enzootic cycle. Previous surveillance plans highlighted the endemicity of USUV in North-eastern Italy. In this work, we sequenced 138 new USUV full genomes from mosquito pools (Culex pipiens) and wild birds collected in North-eastern Italy and we investigated the evolutionary processes (phylogenetic analysis, selection pressure and evolutionary time-scale analysis) and spatial spread of USUV strains circulating in the European context and in Italy, with a particular focus on North-eastern Italy. Our results confirmed the circulation of viruses belonging to four different lineages in Italy (EU1, EU2, EU3 and EU4), with the newly sequenced viruses from the North-eastern regions, Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, belonging to the EU2 lineage and clustering into two different sub-lineages, EU2-A and EU2-B. Specific mutations characterize each European lineage and geographic location seem to have shaped their phylogenetic structure. By investigating the spatial spread in Europe, we were able to show that Italy acted mainly as donor of USUV to neighbouring countries. At a national level, we identified two geographical clusters mainly circulating in Northern and North-western Italy, spreading both northward and southward. Our analyses provide important information on the spatial and evolutionary dynamics of USUTU virus that can help to improve surveillance plans and control strategies for this virus of increasing concern for human health

Relationship between a single measurement at baseline of body mass index, glycated hemoglobin, and the risk of mortality and cardiovascular morbidity in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between a single measurement at baseline of body mass index (BMI), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and subsequent clinical outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Method: Patients with T2DM were recruited from an outpatient diabetes clinic in a single large teaching hospital in Kingston upon Hull, UK. At baseline, demographics and HbA1c were recorded. Patients were categorized by BMI: normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25–29.9 kg/m2), and obese (>30 kg/m2). Multivariable Cox regression models that included demographic, risk factors, and comorbidities were separately constructed for all-cause, cardiovascular, cancer and sepsis-related mortality, using four groups of HbA1c (<6%, 6.0–6.9%, 7.0–7.9%, and >8%). Results: In total, 6220 patients with T2DM (median age 62 years, 54% male) were followed for a median of 10.6 years. HbA1c levels >8.0% were associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death. However, this increased risk was not consistent across the weight categories and reached statistical significance only in overweight patients (BMI 25–29.9 kg/m2). Conclusions: In a large cohort of patients with T2DM elevated HbA1c levels at baseline did not consistently predict increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality across the different BMI categories

A Reputação online da Festa das Flores e Morangos de Atibaia, São Paulo, Brasil

A proposta do presente estudo é a análise da reputação da Festa das Flores e Morangos, que ocorre na cidade de Atibaia em São Paulo. Os dados foram levantados das avaliações feitas pelos visitantes da festa, no site TripAdvisor com um recorte temporal de um ano, isto é, de setembro de 2017 a setembro de 2018. A pesquisa caracteriza-se como quantitativa, descritiva, documental e de fonte secundária uma vez que utiliza os dados secundários e os apresenta em números. A compilação das informações foi realizada com base nas categorias e avaliações já apresentadas no site TripAdvisor, contudo foi elaborado um roteiro de entrevistas com as perguntas escolhidas pelos autores de forma que as avaliações venham a ajudar a traçar um perfil do evento. Como resultados da pesquisa foi notado que há uma preponderância de visitantes da região Sudeste. Concernente ao valor dos ingressos e à variedade da oferta gastronômica, apesar de quase metade dos respondentes não terem avaliado sobre os temas, apenas uma pequena parte não se mostrou satisfeita com a variedade gastronômica. Reforçando a atitude positiva para o grau de satisfação, quase a metade dos respondentes fizeram uma avaliação positiva do evento. Este trabalho visa contribuir com informações para um futuro visitante, mesmo após dois anos sem a edição do evento por conta da COVID-19 e ajudar os organizadores do evento a identificar pontos críticos auxiliando-os no planejamento das próximas edições da fest