Persistence of experimental Rocio virus infection in the golden hamster ( Mesocricetus auratus )
Rocio virus (ROCV) is an encephalitic flavivirus endemic to Brazil. Experimental flavivirus infections have previously demonstrated a persistent infection and, in this study, we investigated the persistence of ROCV infection in golden hamsters ( Mesocricetus auratus ). The hamsters were infected int...
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| Published in: | Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 107; no. 5; pp. 630 - 636 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Brazil
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz
01-08-2012
Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | Rocio virus (ROCV) is an encephalitic flavivirus endemic to Brazil.
Experimental flavivirus infections have previously demonstrated a
persistent infection and, in this study, we investigated the
persistence of ROCV infection in golden hamsters ( Mesocricetus auratus
). The hamsters were infected intraperitoneally with 9.8 LD50/0.02 mL
of ROCV and later anaesthetised and sacrificed at various time points
over a 120-day period to collect of blood, urine and organ samples. The
viral titres were quantified by real-time-polymerase chain reaction
(qRT-PCR). The specimens were used to infect Vero cells and ROCV
antigens in the cells were detected by immunefluorescence assay. The
levels of antibodies were determined by the haemagglutination
inhibition technique. A histopathological examination was performed on
the tissues by staining with haematoxylin-eosin and detecting viral
antigens by immunohistochemistry (IHC). ROCV induced a strong immune
response and was pathogenic in hamsters through neuroinvasion. ROCV was
recovered from Vero cells exposed to samples from the viscera, brain,
blood, serum and urine and was detected by qRT-PCR in the brain, liver
and blood for three months after infection. ROCV induced
histopathological changes and the expression of viral antigens, which
were detected by IHC in the liver, kidney, lung and brain up to four
months after infection. These findings show that ROCV is pathogenic to
golden hamsters and has the capacity to cause persistent infection in
animals after intraperitoneal infection. |
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| Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
| ISSN: | 1678-8060 0074-0276 1678-8060 0074-0276 |
| DOI: | 10.1590/S0074-02762012000500009 |